#barrier: nothing will stop me from getting revenge

[afterartist]

I try to write Barrier being all vengeful and intimidating but he cried for a solid 40 minutes after seeing a kitten sitting on a fence

My guy is such a mess and I don’t state that enough

[xxsabitoxx]

How the Pillars react to your death

Important note: all of these deaths occur during the infinity castle arc, heavy and implied spoilers. Rengoku’s reaction to your death takes place before Mugen Train! Reader’s gender is unspecified.

Warnings: this post contains spoilers for the final arc of the manga. This includes implied spoilers for various characters. Please do not read this if you don’t want to be spoiled and don’t blame me if you go ahead and read it anyways lol

A/N: I wrote this whole post in my head while showering last night and I’m honestly offended it took me 3x as long to actually write it.

Giyu 

“CAWWW! DEAD! KOCHO SHINOBU AND L/N Y/N ARE DEAD! THEY DIED AFTER A CONFRONTATION WITH UPPER MOON TWO!” Giyu’s body comes to a screeching halt, Tanjiro shooting past him before falling to his knees as violent sobs wracked his body. Giyu, on the other hand, is frozen in place, a sob stuck in his throat. Shinobu’s death was a punch to the gut, but you? For the first time since Sabito had died, Giyu felt tears burning at the back of his eyes. Yet, nothing would come out, those tears wouldn’t break the barrier and slip down his cheeks. His tight throat would not let the sob escape. There was no possible way you were gone, you promised him you’d be okay. Though, childish beliefs like that reminded him of his own faults. Once again, he couldn’t protect the people he cared about. Rather than wallowing in sudden grief, he began moving again, past Tanjiro who was struggling to get back up. He needed to keep moving, if he didn’t stop, he was certain he would collapse entirely and never get up again. He couldn’t let your sacrifice go to waste. 

Shinobu 

Her feet barely hit the ground, body manoeuvring through the endless castle with one destination in mind. “CAWWW! DEAD! L/N Y/N IS DEAD! THEY DIED AFTER ENCOUNTERING UPPER MOON TWO!” She stumbles, shock hitting her like a bucket of ice water being dumped over her head. Her mind is racing, not willing to believe what the crow had just said to be true. You had steered away from the plan. In a desperate attempt to save Shinobu’s life you tried to defeat Upper Two yourself. Hot, angry tears are spilling down her cheeks, hand clutching her heart as she tries to understand. “Why would you do this? Why wouldn’t you take my word for it and go with Tomioka? Look what you did… you went and got yourself killed,�� Yet again, Upper Two had taken something precious to her. One word flashed through her mind, alongside your beautiful face. Revenge. She would get her revenge, not only for Kanae, but for you. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll be with you soon.” 

Rengoku 

It’s quiet, too quiet even. You should be back by now, the sun has fully risen. Kyojuro’s heart is hammering in his chest, doom creeping up his spine. He has an unshakable bad feeling about your late arrival. His worst fears are confirmed when your crow arrives without you. “No…” breathless, as if all the air is being ripped from his lungs. “Don’t say it…” his knees are giving out as your crow lands on the wooden porch. “T-they’re gone…aren’t they?” he chokes it out, the words are as bitter and burning as bile. Your crow only caws, soft and full of sorrow, unable to share the proper message as Kyojuro begins to sob. He’s curling in on himself, crying so loudly but unable to hear it due to the intensity of the ringing in his ears. It’s a panic attack manifesting in the most intense form. He can’t fathom a world without you, nevermind having to live in one. Senjuro is rushing to his brother's aid, seeing your crow gives him more than enough information to know as tears well in his eyes. 

Tengen

He’s kneeling dutifully outside of Nezuko’s room, Shinjuro by his side. His wives are inside, too stubborn to sit out and not help at all. Their excuse being that Nezuko saved his life, they owe her the same kind of protection now. You on the other hand, were too determined, leaving your retirement to fight the battle against the demon lord himself. Nothing Tengen nor his wives said could convince you to stay on the sidelines. His heart is sinking the moment your crow appears in the distance, he’d recognize it anywhere. “N-no… don’t you dare…” Tengen’s voice is cracking as it lands, Shinjuro is turning his head the other way, knowing what is to come. “Don’t you dare say they are dead…” his voice is rising in his panic, he knows the answer. The commotion has Makio, Suma and Hinatsuru running outside. The moment Hina’s eyes land on your crow, a violent sob escapes her chest, falling to her knees as Makio and Suma come to the same conclusion. “T-they’re dead…aren’t they?!” Makio sobs, Tengen can’t raise his head as your crow delivers your final message. 

Mitsuri 

She’s frozen in place as a crow comes directly for her, fear is ebbing through her body, a cold sweat forming on her brow. She knows the message before the crow can even utter it. “No! Go back! I don’t want to hear it!” Obanai is frozen beside her, grabbing her arm so she doesn’t collapse. The crow circles around her, cawing woefully as she begins to cry. “I-I don’t want to know! Don’t tell me!” she’s hiccupping as Obanai tries to pull her forward, they need to keep moving. “Mitsuri…” his voice is surprisingly soft, the crow is still circling overhead. “We need to hear the message…” she shakes her head, hands coming up to cover her ears as tears slip down her cheeks. The crow caws again, Obanai signals for it to deliver the message. “CAWWW! L/N Y/N IS DEAD! THEY DIED AFTER AN ALTERCATION WITH UPPER MOON ONE!” The crow continued on about who lived and who died, what was important is that upper moon one was dead. That didn’t matter to her though, no she couldn’t even hear the rest of the message over the ringing in her years. Mitsuri let Obanai tug her along, they needed to keep moving at whatever the cost. 

Muichiro 

“CAWWW! L/N Y/N IS DEAD!” He keeps running, uncertain as to why he feels a tightness in his chest at the crow’s message. “THEY DIED DURING A CONFLICT WITH UPPER TWO!” He’s still moving, more so concerned over his unexpected and overwhelming sadness. Why am I sad? I don’t even remember that name… but then your kind smile is flashing before his eyes and the world is crashing down around him. He comes to a screeching halt, eyes wide as he finally pieces together the message. “y/n…” how could he ever forget? Before he realizes it, he’s sniffling. Tears blur his vision for a moment before he blinks them away. He begins to move again, the sadness gripping his chest is slowly fading, fading until he can’t even remember why he got teary eyed in the first place. He needs to remember the task at hand… where was he heading again? 

Obanai

The flapping of wings catches him off guard, head craning upwards as the crow begins to caw. The noise is full of sorrow, which can only mean it bears bad news. “Obanai…” Mitsuri is watching the animal circle above them, her heart pounding erratically at the endless possibilities of the message it may share. “CAWWW! L/N Y/N IS DEAD! THEY DIED IN BATTLE AGAINST UPPER MOON ONE!” Obanai’s feet are slowing, hitting the floor beneath him with a little too much force as the message rings through his head over and over. “N-no… oh… Iguro I…” Mitsuri is crying, staring at the man beside her as the world seems to cave in on him. It’s as if everything is in slow motion for a few beats in time. The words the crow uttered felt foreign, your name paired with ‘dead’ didn’t make any sense in his mind. It was impossible really, there was no way you were dead. You had gone to face Upper One with Gyomei, Sanemi, Muichiro… four hashira against upper One and you didn’t make it? You were so strong… no the message can’t be correct. “Kanroji… let’s keep moving.” he’s turning it off, every swelling emotion is being suppressed as he takes off again. Mitsuri is left with no choice but to wipe her tears and follow. 

Sanemi

Upper Moon One is standing before him, Gyomei at his side. This battle needed to be won, if not, everything would be lost. The demon before him needed to be put down, there was no other option. He’s talking, but he couldn’t be bothered to listen. Rather, Sanemi is gauging every vital point he can strike and how to go about doing it. “CAWW! I BRING A MESSAGE!” he doesn’t glace up, nothing that crow could say would be able to break his focus. “L/N Y/N IS DEAD!” except for that. Sanemi inhales deeply, eyes widening significantly as he debates on if he heard the message correctly. “THEY DIED DURING AN ALTERCATION WITH UPPER MOON TWO! UPPER MOON TWO IS NOW DEAD!” it feels as if all the air in the room had been sucked away with the crow’s flapping wings. Upper One no longer seemed smug about the message after the addition of Upper Two being defeated. Beside him, Gyomei is crying. Sanemi doesn’t realize it, but so is he. He’s oblivious to the hot, angry tears rolling down his cheeks. Still, his patience remains intact, waiting for Gyomei’s signal to attack the high ranked demon. Now, he has absolutely nothing to lose. Kagaya is gone, now you are gone, it is likely the rest of the Hashira wouldn’t make it out of this… he has nothing left to fight for. 

Gyomei “CAWWW! L/N Y/N IS DEAD! THEY DIED AFTER ENCOUNTERING MUZAN!” Tears flow freely as he fights, part of him wishes he hadn’t been able to hear the message in the first place. You had met the unfortunate fate of encountering Muzan himself. It was likely that you were alone, if you weren’t, you were likely the strongest in your group. It pained him, knowing you likely died a brutal death. That pain fueled his attacks, taking every ounce of heartbreak and despair out on the demon before him. You didn’t deserve that, nobody deserved a fate that cruel. He keeps moving, mind reeling yet completely focused. It’s as if he is fighting in a bubble, the world muffled around him yet perfectly clear all at once. Too many emotions are raging through his soul to really pinpoint just one of them. He can only hope you’ll wait for him on the other side, he can only pray you’re watching over him at this very moment. Guiding him, giving him strength. “I’ll meet you again soon, don’t worry. I promise I won’t keep you waiting much longer. Wait for me, please? You will, won’t you?”

[nanaminsmoon]

wasn't gonna post today but then this happened so i had to write something quickly bc i can't get him it out of my mind😭. (mdni. 18+)

letting you find out that he wore nothing underneath that robe had been one of choso’s worst decisions to date. the initial unveiling of that information had been so casual of an incident that he hadn’t even realised its magnitude until he started feeling its ramifications. there had been no ulterior motive behind his walking into your shared bedroom, stripping himself of his outside clothes though, to you, it had seemed otherwise. because ‘chaste’ was no word to describe the way his lidded eyes married themselves to your own while their owner made quick work of laying himself bare at the foot of your shared bed. though you had (barely) played it cool at the time, the sheer thought of choso going about his day with that old ass robe being his only barrier from complete nudity had plagued your every waking moment. your conscious mind’s depraved sickness would seep its way into your bloodstream, travelling through your system at light speed, to infect your entire body. soon you’d be no more than a host body for a lewd parasite, driven by a hyperfixation with your boyfriend’s body. it’d first gain control of your arms, initiating affection in a way that wouldn’t alarm him; back-hugs that’d be corrupted the second you’d feel his toned abdomen through the vintage fabric. then it’d have your hands travelling up his sleeves every time he’d embrace you; fingertips inconspicuously grazing his skin as they made their way to his back, where the flashbacks they’d induce would send shivers through him. still, choso thought nothing of it. it wasn’t until you started purposely brushing your ass against him each and every single time you walked past him, that he realised something was amiss. covert provocation of your usually calm and collected partner lasted all but a few days before you were overtly pushing yourself into his crotch—knowing full well that the lack of obstruction meant he’d feel all of it. but it also meant you felt all of his hardening length the harsher you ‘accidentally’ pressed into him. it’d all be brushed off until one fateful day where you pushed the line far past choso’s patience threshold, and his large hand would be enveloping your neck from behind,

“cut that shit out”, had been said as a warning, but had been interpreted as a challenge to further push the limits and move yourself farther back onto his growing bulge.

“cut what out?”, you’d pouted innocently, shifting your hips to entice more strained groans from choso’s lips. once he’d composed himself, he’d done nothing but chuckle at you. a few moments later, his chiding hand was still on your neck yet it’d serve a different purpose; holding you still as he pounded into you from behind.

“this”, he’d pull out just to slam back into you again, “cut this out”, he’d imitate your previous position, yet with vengeful vigour as he aimed to give you a sour rendition of your own perverted medicine. revenge had never been so rewarding; even despite the harsh way he fucked into you—a feeling that urged your body to move you away from his grasp after every thrust. but every attempt would be denied by choso's speedy reflexes,

“nah, don’t run from me, baby”, those words had escaped the captivity that was his gritted pearly whites, while his grip remained firm as ever, “this is what you wanted, so take it”, he’d sneered. as vindictive as his actions may have seemed, choso's hips weren't powered by anger but by the embarrassment he had faced at not being able to control his body. it was the shame he had felt at not being able to withstand mere brushes to his dick. the fact that his willpower had not been strong enough to keep him together as you teased him for days on end. so much so that he couldn't stop himself from fucking you, even as you both came time and time again. there really had been no malintent behind him choosing to roam around completely bare underneath his robe but, now knowing that these were the consequences of his actions, he wasn't keen on wearing underwear anytime soon.

©2023 nanaminsmooninc. All rights reserved. You may not copy, reproduce, or modify works without permission.

[graves4girls]

Johnny x celeb reader n there’s a party for other celebs etc. and there’s a bunch of paparazzi, a day or two before Johnny n reader had a quarrel and reader shows up to the party in a revenge dress. basically giving a show for all the paparazzi while avoiding johnny

up to u on how it ends! (sorry if my request didn’t make sense😭😭)

☆ paparazzi | johnny cage

✮ wc. 1.3k ⚠︎ warning(s): fem!reader

lowkey wanna do a nsfw part 2 but idk i'll think abt it ⟡ be sure to check out my work on ao3 → gravesforgirls !!

He'd been pissing you off all afternoon, whining about how you shouldn't have even taken the role because your co-star was way too friendly with you. He'd spam his socials with selfies of the two of you, you'd get swarmed by paparazzi for grabbing a coffee together in between scenes, and there were even rumors floating about that you'd dropped Johnny for him. Of course, all of it was utter bullshit to stir up drama and get clicks, but you didn't think it'd get to Johnny the way it did.

"Oh, c'mon. He was all over you the whole goddamn interview!"

You roll your eyes, pressing a manicured finger to your temple. "Jesus Christ, Johnny, I'm not in the mood for this right now. You know there's nothing going on."

He huffs as you plop down on the edge of the bed to pull off your heels. 

"Do I? Cause the more shit that leaks, the more it looks like there is something going on. He's always touching you and shit."

"C'mon Johnny, do you really think I'd cheat on you with some guy I met five months ago?"

He sucks his teeth, staring down at you with his arms crossed over his chest. 

"Y'know, I don't really know what to think right now."

You gape at him for a moment, scoffing as you stand from the bed.

"Are you seriously accusing me of cheating on you? Oh my God, you are such an asshole." You move to walk out the door.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"The guest bedroom. Come talk to me when you're done being a dick."

He's still out of the house by the time you're stepping out of the bedroom, the satin of your mini dress hugging every curve perfectly, heels clicking against the shiny tiled floor as you make your way out of the house. You knew he'd be blowing up your phone the minute he gets home and realizes you're gone, but you're too worried about getting to the party on-time to think about it too much, slipping into the sleek black limo parked in front of the house.

You walk down the moonlit street, arm locked around your co-star's as the cameras flash behind the barrier, snapping any and every angle as you wave to the crowd. You stop for a minute to scribble a couple signatures and pose for some selfies before you're escorted into the venue, giggling to the girl clinging to you as you make a bee-line for the bar. You part ways as you lean against the varnished counter, tapping your nails against the wood as you order a drink. 

"Hey! I didn't know you were gonna be here!"

You turn to the voice, grinning at him as you pull him into a short hug.

"I wasn't planning on it actually, but there was a little trouble in paradise so…"

He hums softly, giving you a sympathetic nod. "You're still with Johnny?"

You swipe your drink from the counter, taking a sip as you nod. "Yeah, despite what the media thinks. God, I can't believe people actually think I'd ever cheat on him. It really pisses me off."

"Yeah, it's shit. But you're here to have a good time. C'mon."

You roll your eyes with a small laugh as he pulls you away from the bar, letting him drag you into the crowd.

You're posed for a photo op when your phone buzzes in your clutch, and you can already guess who it is as you step away to check the notification.

where are you   8:05 p.m.

You close the message with a sigh, tucking your phone away to join your friends back in the booth. 

You hadn't noticed the constant buzzing of your phone as you go about the rest of the night, too busy dancing to pay attention to the device. It's only when you step away to touch up your makeup in the bathroom that you pull out your phone, sighing at the onslaught of messages that cover your lock screen.

where are you   8:35 p.m. where are you   9:03 p.m. are you still mad at me   9:42 p.m. missed call   10:01 p.m. call me   10:04 p.m. missed call   10:16 p.m. missed call   10:36 p.m. please call me   10:53 p.m. missed call   11:04 p.m. are you okay?   11:05 p.m.

You're about to turn your phone off when it buzzes again, and you huff out a small sigh as you answer the call, eyeing your nails as his voice cuts through the phone.

"Jesus Christ, why don't you answer your goddamn phone? I've been texting you all night. Where are you?"

You lean over the sink to prod at your makeup in the mirror. "Relax, babe. I was busy."

You can hear him grumble something under his breath. "Relax? My girlfriend disappears and doesn't answer the phone for four hours and I'm not supposed to get worried?" He pauses for a second. "Is that music? Where the hell are you?"

You roll your eyes, fixing your hair.

"I'm at a party, Johnny. Am I not allowed to go out alone?"

"No, I just would've liked a heads-up that you were gonna be out so I didn't freak out. Are you coming home soon?"

You hum as you think for a moment.

"Probably not, so don't wait up for me. I gotta go."

"Wait, are you–"

You hang up before he can finish his sentence, grinning at your friends as you emerge from the bathroom. 

You're sat on one of the uncomfortable bar stools when you feel a tap on your shoulder, and your expression tightens as you turn around.

"What are you doing here?"

He gives you a look, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Can we talk for a second?"

You glance between your friends and his cute little frown, sighing as you slip off the stool.

"Make it quick."

He ushers you away from the crowd and out one of the back entrances, eyeing your outfit for a moment before he speaks.

"Since when do you go to these kinds of parties?"

"Since tonight. Why do you care so much that I'm here? It's not like you never go to parties." You lean back against the cool brick of the building, mirroring his posture.

"Look, if this is about last night, I'm sorry. Those stupid rumors got to me and I was being an asshole. I was planning on going out to dinner tonight actually, but obviously that fell through..." He steps closer to wrap a hand around your waist, the other tucking some hair back. "Can we just go home and go to sleep? I really don't want you to be mad at me."

You push his hand down with a small scoff, but you lean into his chest as you stare up at him. "You're so stupid. C'mere."

Your hands come up to cup the sides of his face, pressing a short kiss to his lips that he chases, pressing you against the wall as his other hand settles over your hip. Your arms curl around his neck to pull him impossibly closer, fingers combing through his short hair as he hums against your lips. He draws back for a second to run his eyes all over your figure, raising an eyebrow as you let a small grin pull at your lips.

"Where'd this pretty little thing come from?"

He leans in to drop a couple kisses to your throat, hands slipping over your hips to grab at your ass through the silky satin.

"I was saving it for a special occasion." 

You tug at his hair to pull him away, sticking a quick kiss to his lips as you push a hand against his chest. "Let's get out of here before we get caught."

[atarathegreat]

ZombieLand Tokyo Revengers

ft: Takemichi Hanagaki, Ken Ryuguji, Izana Kurokawa, Manjiro Sano

Because when the end of the world takes your lover from you, what else can you do but search for her endlessly?

"I just need help!" Takemichi yelled at the men on top of the makeshift gates. Cars, trucks, even porches were used to create the effective barrier. "Look!" He held up a photo, "I just need help finding this woman!"

The men laughed at him and told him they weren't some search and rescue team. Of course they'd say that, Takemichi thought, why should they risk their lives to help solve my problem? He'd never been in lower spirits and it made him want to curl up and die. His wife, his beautiful wife, was gone. Taken and never returned by the stupid circumstances they found themselves in. The end of the world seems so impossible until you're staring down the maw of another human who's brainless and wants to eat yours.

Months passed, the cold weather setting in and making his hope of finding you shrivel up. Japan was huge, but maybe word could still get around, maybe you'd still come back to him. Or at the very least he could find your corpse wandering around searching for an arm to gnaw on. Hell, maybe he'd even let you take him out. That didn't sound like such a bad way to go. Lost in his thoughts, Takemichi didn't notice the group of survivors circling him in the department store. Or maybe he had? He couldn't tell anymore, all he wanted was his wife.

"Hey." He jolted at the sudden hand on his chest, "Our boss wants you."

Takemichi scoffed out a laugh, walking around they guy while saying something about minding his own business and not pissing anyone off. "Seriously?" Another person came from the shadows, gun to his face, "You're coming with us."

"I've had more guns pointed at me than I care for." Takemichi slumped and let his body hit the floor, "If your boss wants me that badly, drag me."

He hadn't expected them to, but they grabbed his arms and legs and carried him through the infested city. For once, Hanagaki was able to rest and sleep. He dreamed of finally finding her and holding her, crying into her lap as he always had before when it got to be too much. He missed her gentle hold and the way she just knew how to comfort him. As the two struggled to carry him up the stairs into another building, he heard snickering.

"Michi, get up! Stop making them carry you!" There she was, sitting amongst a bigger group of people and children. He didn't care who he fell over, screaming apologies as he crashed into her. She laughed as he stumbled, holding him close as he wrapped around her like a child, crying into her oversized coat. "A winter coat, anyone." She called, her hands rubbing at him to heat up his body, "It's getting colder, Michi. Haven't you tried to keep warm?"

Group after group, camp after camp, and yet Kenny couldn't find her anywhere. He kept his search to himself, he didn't need people feeling bad for him if it turned up that she was dead. Mitsuya knew, of course, because Kenny couldn't just let his brother deal with this shit alone, especially when his sisters were with him.

"She's around somewhere." Kenny sighed, downing a beer they'd managed to scavenge. He hadn't wanted to search the liquor store, but they were running out of options anymore. "If she's alive, she's searching for us, right?" He looked to his friend for assurance. Kenny needed for her to be looking for him, too. He needed to know that she was trying to get back to him. Mitsuya patted him on the back, but said nothing. Last time he tried to comfort his friend it ended in them fist fighting and attracting the attention of a local camp. A camp that, from what they heard, was ruthless and wouldn't hesitate to use them as walker bait.

Kenny looked around the small, four person squad he was leading around. Two women and Mitsuya, all depending on him and he was more worried about finding someone that might be dead. He sighed again, his chest feeling tighter as he cracked open another lukewarm beer.

"Hands!"

Luna and Mana hit the ground as Mitsuya and Kenny stood to aim their own weapons at the intruders. A feeling of pride filled Kenny as he realized the cohesion of his miniscule legion. "Who's there?" Mitsuya called, his eyes trained on the shadows.

"Guns down!" Another yell came from behind them, "I said weapons down! I won't have any qualms shooting any of you!"

Kenny's wife stepped from the shadows and around them all with a gun trained ahead, a gun that was definitely too big for her, "Down, damn it! Lower them!"

"Captain-"

"Down!" She screamed and the sound of many, many weapons hitting the ground followed before she turned to them again, "I found you."

Izana was an unbothered man on the surface, but Kakucho knew his friend was slowly losing it. He was more reckless, less attentive, and overall a danger to the survival of their group as a whole. More than once had the Haitani brothers debated Izana's ability to lead them safely. It wasn't something Kakucho was proud of, but he was also second guessing it. How were they to survive in this hell if the one leading them didn't seem to care anymore?

He didn't know, but he wouldn't stop following.

"She's been here, Kakucho." Izana smiled, his sharp canines showing dangerously in the dim fire light, "I know it sounds stupid, but she's been here. Don't you see how everything is wiped clean? Nothing of use left? She's resourceful."

"Or it's a busy area and other survivors have stripped this bitch clean." Shion scoffed, "Are you really staking our survival on the idea of finding a woman when she's probably dead?"

Kakucho should've broken up the fight, he should've helped Izana and kept him from injuring Shion. Should've, could've, would've. "Izana," He started, "maybe we should focus on ourselves for a while?"

That was almost two weeks ago. None of them had seen Izana since. Until there was a commotion too close to their current shelter and they all hurried to help Izana. Forty against one wasn't fair and they weren't gong to let their friend get killed. Izana was holding his own well enough, but not good enough to beat off the whole town that was surrounding him. And Kakucho was great at using his gun as a club.

"Easy, Kaku!" That voice, could it be. It was! She was blocking his hit, glaring at him as if he had started this fight, "Help me calm Iza down!"

"Just go to him and he'll be fine!" Kakucho yelled, pointing to where Izana was laughing like a mad man and gaining the attention of walkers, "Do it fast or we're all puppy chow!"

How could he have lost her? How had she managed to get so far away from him that he couldn't even whistle and her whistle back? It was getting to Manjiro that he didn't have her at his side while he walked. He stayed holed up in his brothers old shop, waiting for her to come back. That was the deal if they ever got separated, they would meet back at S.S. Motors. It wasn't hard, not by a long shot, but it had been forever and she still wasn't back.

He'd never thought he could miss the nagging and the way she clung to him, but he did. Manjiro would give anything for her to be running up to him after a decent race, her hug suffocating him in his racing jumper even if he was far too sweaty underneath. God, he'd let her smother him to death if only she was right there with him.

"Don't you dare!" Manjiro remembered yelling at her as she went to open a door, "There's a bell on the door, you'll wake anything up that's in there!"

He'd take all that aggravation and fear if only it meant she was with him. Manjiro missed her so damn much. Every little sound was her coming back to him, so he stopped responding to them. He didn't move when his mind created the sound of the door opening, but he jerked around when a body pressed up against his.

"S'just me, Manji." Her voice was tired, hoarse, "Rest, yeah? We'll eat in the morning."

[ranticore]

allow me to lay out the rest of the dog knight story in bulletpoint form, following directly on from the wip i posted yesterday

so basically my man penfrey realises he has to somehow kill his bastard brother hugo before they get back to their capital city and the king legitimises hugo

he tries this and gets caught instead, making for a very awkward journey home

meanwhile holly got to the village and managed to see baby matriarch with the dog in the stable but before he can grab her, the dragonslaying party breaks camp and they set off, again leaving holly behind in the dust because he can't keep up with it

after a few weeks of travel, the dog gets so aggressive around penfrey that she becomes a danger to him and he orders her killed (baby is starting to accept cow's milk and solid food by now)

poltim, the squire who sucks at everything, takes the dog out back behind their camp one night and tries to take her over the rainbow bridge so to speak, but she's so scary that he doesn't wanna get close so instead he throws rocks at her until she finally runs away and then he goes and tells penfrey he killed her

she stays back for a few hours but starts following eventually looking for Her Baby and Holly meets her on the road, recognises her, and realises that she's going to follow the knights too and he can make use of that. they become friends :)

eventually near the end of the journey back, holly catches up to the slayers and tries to sneak into the encampment to get his baby. but he's captured instead. and the only way this story can possibly work is if they can all talk to each other at this point so i guess they can and there's no language barrier (???? man who fucking knows?)

penfrey almost kills holly but holly manages to express, just in time, that he recognises the helm of Seibold as well, because he was the one who took it from the guy's almost-corpse. he manages to convey to Penfrey the truth, almost as an aside, not realising it's actually VERY important that Seibold was not killed by the dragon. Seibold killed himself, and suicide is a sin.

Penfrey realises he has a new opportunity to stop Hugo now but it won't be easy. He believes Holly because Holly can explain enough about what he saw that the facts can be corroborated, but also because he wants to believe Holly. Nobody else will.

>mfw i need to convince the entire kingdom that a kobold is an honourable person whose testimony would be respected in court

holly would rather take baby matriarch and go but Penfrey submits a counter-offer - if Holly can pull this off for him, he will be the next king and he will give both Holly and baby matriarch his personal protection for the rest of their lives

holly agrees to this

they make it home. holly is hidden in penfrey's entourage but the baby matriarch is given as a pet to emaline as promised. holly is not happy with this arrangement because it's very disrespectful but penfry is like don't worry man it needs to be this way

hugo prepares to present the helm of Seibold to the king and give testimony about Seibold dying valiantly fighting a dragon and Hugo killing the dragon in revenge etc all very dramatic and designed to flatter Hugo as much as possible. Hugo is not a very good person and would be a shite king but tbh to be honest it's not like Penfrey is any better

behind the scenes Penfrey is My Fair Lady-ing Holly as hard as possible. the cover story is that Holly is a distinguished, well-spoken, christian knight who just happens to be a kobold but really aren't they all like that? perhaps we shouldn't see them as vermin after all. Holly is allowed at court as Penfrey's guest and it's a unilaterally bewildering experience to him but he has to say and do everything right and without much help either (Penfrey sucks) and he's very conscious of the whole. massacre thing. but he has to stay polite

nothing matters to Holly but baby matriarch's safety and he's out of his mind with worry because a 6 year old child is not a good caretaker for an infant and he feels that Penfrey is not doing enough to address this (he isn't because pleasing Emaline's family is still his Plan B and he can't take that cute pet away just yet)

time to testify in court, and it works!!! um. we successfully convinced the grieving king that his brother is burning in hell forever. hugo leaves mad as fuck, and Holly makes an unsanctioned demand for baby matriarch to be released from captivity because that's fucked up and for her to be returned to him as his ward. the king is like sure fine whatever and you want to be a knight? there ya go. who give a fuck. now let me grieve in peace

in this manner, holly gets one over on hugo AND penfrey so Penfrey Will Remember This

time skip like fifteen years. it's time to learn more about baby matriarch. She has grown up at court and knows nothing else; she's a sweet lil princess who is completely human-socialised and wants for nothing, with Holly as her protector (and the dog too). she's good company and happy (he can't help but see her as a daughter) but he's desperately lonely and unfulfilled because she's all he has and she has no context for the culture he grew up in.

there ARE other kobolds around but they grew up in the town and don't know what he's talking about when he tries to relate to them. except for One, the Poisoner, who arrives to the court to sell his products. the Poisoner was also raised in a dragon lair and he's this connection to the past that Holly was looking for (grizzled older knight x cute young thing let's gooo). he represents an opportunity to indulge in nonhuman behaviours again but when baby matriarch is introduced (Holly hopes the Poisoner might be a mate for her), she finds these behaviours offputting and embarrassing and also like that's her dad's new bestie so it's weird

she and Holly have several falling-out moments because they want different things for one another; she wants a fairytale prince and a castle of her own and he seems to want to stuff her underground into a cave with a dragon in it?? ew? yeah it's all pretty heartbreaking for him to learn her true opinions of him & his culture

anyway someone kills the king! or maybe the queen idk?? blah blah blah it's all court intrigue but this is as far as i actually got in the plot outline. i wanted it to end with holly betraying the king in some way after finally being fed up of the many many humiliations he's endured at court and also maybe? being betrayed in turn by baby matriarch seeking some kind of independence from her guardian. his arc is all about the erosion of oneself to nothing at all in pursuit of Duty. he's a tragic character he's grieving all the time. baby matriarch's permanent freedom and safety would be a happy ending for him i guess

[imawreck]

Revenge

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x Original Character

Summary:

Warnings:

Word Count:

Wanda- 

I felt pressure against my shoulders, squeezing my arms and shaking me. It wasn't harsh, but it was persistent in its efforts to draw me out of the fog that clung to my mind. I felt like someone had put a blanket over me to muffle the outside world. There was a voice calling to me urgently through the muddled mess of my hearing. Ringing had begun its sharp shrill in my ear as I began to come back to my senses. 

I was cold, and something hard pressed up against my back. With great effort, I pried my eyes open and blinked to clear the skittering shapes. Vision was leaned over me, his hands a gentle pressure on my shoulders as he called my name again. "Wanda, are you alright? Wanda!"

Finally the blanket lifted and I snapped back to myself, turning my head wildly to take in my surroundings. 

Concrete floor and walls, the barrier I erected no longer blocked the hall. Pieces of it were bent out of shape and littered through the corridor. I was laid out on the floor, very much not how I remember being before those blue things wrapped around me. "What happened? Where's Ghost?"

Vision's shoulders sank with relief before he answered. "You collapsed and started screaming on the floor. Max told me to let her go or she'd kill you. I don't know how she did it, but she held your mind, Wanda. You started seizing and I had to let her go."

My hands shook as I lifted them to shove my hair out of my face now dampened by the sweat covering me. Like a movie, the images and screams began to pour in again and panic gripped me in a vice. "T-the things I saw, God, the blood. Pietro, h-he... he was there." I clutched my shirt, trying and failing to ease the pressure building in my chest. 

Vision eased his hand up and down my back. "I'm sorry, but we need to move. Tony called in and said that Max has made it out to the location the helicopter will use to land. He's going to try and stop her before she can kill the Chairman."

"He can't. He-he can't beat her! I couldn't beat her!” Tears began to leak down my face, "There's nothing left in there to save."

_____

Tony- 

"Friday, darling, please tell me you have something good to say to me right now."

There was bad news coming at me left and right. Capsicle had a run in with Max without Tin-man to help him out, Legolas wasn't responding and neither was Triple Imposter, and Vision just flew out the doors of the building holding a sobbing Wanda in his arms.

Absolutely nothing was going right and the whole mission was turning into a shit show.

"Yes, Boss. Max is currently within range."

I shifted my jets, "Brilliant! This is why you're my favorite. Dispatch drones to keep her in our sights. Make them cause her a little trouble but keep it gentle. We just want to keep her from murdering Mister Chairman."

"Right away, Sir."

I followed the direction laid out across the snowy terrain, taking note of the displayed imagery of a blood trail courtesy of Friday. Not far from the entrance to the safehouse was Max. She had a limp and seemed to be clutching at her side. A pang shot through my heart at the sight of her. "Friday, what's the best way to subdue her without causing any physical injury?"

There was a heavy pause as my AI calculated. "I'm sorry to say, Sir, but I don't think the team has the resources or the manpower to subdue a person this enhanced with what we have... There is no alternative."

I sighed, flying overhead as I followed her trail. I was closing in, which meant I'd have to make a quick decision. 

"Drones are engaging." Friday pulled up a zoomed in image of the drones coraling Max in an effort to keep her from getting to the helicopter now landing in the soft snow. 

I watched a drone fall to one of her knives, crashing into the ground in a small explosion. Another was quick to follow it but she was constantly having to move to evade the shots raining down on  her. Max's face was scrunched in pain and she was looking awfully pale in all the shots Friday slung onto my display.

"Mr. Stark, the Chairman has made it into the helicopter and it is now taking off."

I turned, facing the ascending metal bird as it wavered in the sky. They just had to get out of firing range and the Chairman would be safe. I hadn't spotted any other weapons on her other than knives fortunately, so the Chairman and his guards had a higher chance of getting out alive.

A scream of pain had my eyes snapping back down to the snow covered valley. Max's hand was pressed against her now bleeding side, clutching at the torn fabric of her uniform as the last of the drones crash-landed into the valley along with the others. Her body was battered, and I could see her shoulders heave in gasps of air from where I hovered several yards away.

Panic ripped through me, "I told you to keep it gentle!"

Friday's voice was soft with apology, "I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. Her movements slowed rather quickly and I was unable to draw fire fast enough."

I cursed, "She's lost too much blood!"

But just as I thought she would fall over dead, Max took off in a jog towards the escaping helicopter. She picked up the speed with each step, pushing her legs harder through the dense white terrain. The helicopter hadn't yet risen very high into the air, unable to ascend much farther into the clouds without the risk of losing sight of the harsh cliffs lining the valley. 

With each forced step I watched her close in on the craft, a cry of anger echoing through the open air. I started towards her, sure she would lose consciousness soon with the amount of blood trailing after her. 

But she kept going.

Closer and closer, clawing at the snow as she went with a vicious scream of rage until she was right under it. She crouched low and shoved up from the earth with startling strength and latched onto the step hanging off the side. I felt my breath lodge in my lungs as I willed my suit to go faster. 

I had to get her off and keep her grounded. The helicopter began to spin out with the added weight of the supersoldier, and I saw the pilot desperately trying to level in the air. Max was hauling herself up and hooking her arms over the rail. I was too far away to do anything in time. I fired off a warning shot that had her flinching away for a moment before she was hooking her leg up and straddling the step. 

I was just behind the tail, reaching out for her.

Her hands wrapped around the door handle and ripped it clean off the side, chunking it right at me. I had to fly over it to avoid getting cut in half. In my attempt to remain intact, she had thrown out one of the guards who was now free falling towards inevitable death. The Chairman was quick to follow with the second guard.

I dove towards the ground, "Friday give me some juice! I'm not going fast enough!" The jets on my suit kicked into overdrive as I shot towards the closest man, clamping my hand onto his arm. "Hold on and don't let go!"

I steered toward the next, grasping the Chairman by the ankle and unceremoniously handing him to the guard clinging to my back. The ground was getting closer and closer, and the screams of the last guard were one of a person who knew that death would call them today.

I tried to hasten my decent, tried to grab him by the arm like I had done his comrade, but Friday's desperate voice met my ears. "Mr. Stark, if you don't pull up you're going to crash."

So I pulled up and watched as the last guard hit the rock with enough impact to send the sound  ricocheting off the mountainside. I felt sick as I turned away, slowly descending towards the valley and releasing the two men I carried to collapse onto the snow and weep. I slumped down with them, removing my helmet to suck in a breath of air as my lungs began to feel like they couldn't expand any further than a hairs width.

The helmet beside me crackled to life as the voices of my team communicated. 

I was relieved to hear Clint's voice through the speaker after so long without an update. "Natasha is down, we're on level two. I'll get her up the stairwell, but we're going to need to get back to base fast. Max busted her up pretty good." 

Barnes was next, sounding rather tired. "Steve's in bad shape too. We're almost to level two."

Vision's feet met the ground beside me with Wanda in his arms, "Wanda isn't well either. We should return and aid the Chairman to safety."

I nodded weakly, scrubbing a hand over my face to wipe away any stray evidence of the tears that began to well in my eyes. "Friday pull the jet around please."

"On it, Sir."

_____

Steve-

"You're going to have to take the next week or so off from missions. You've got to give that shoulder time to heal and your ribs too. Three fractured." Dr. Cho unwrapped the arm band with a quick yank on the velcro. 

"How is everyone else?" I had seen Vision bring Wanda in and she had looked out of it. No one knew what happened to her.

Dr. Cho gave a grim expression. "Wanda experienced a severe seizure. She's sleeping at the moment so we haven't had time to get her side of the story yet, but Vision said it was something that Max had done to her. We don't have any details right now, but she's recovering well. Natasha had several puncture wounds up her torso and a broken leg. She will be out for several months to recover, but the punctures should heal up quickly."

I nodded, lifting a hand to massage my sore shoulder. Max had dislocated it when she'd slammed me against that wall. "Thank you for your help."

She nodded before turning away to flip through her clipboard.

The doors to the medical wing opened once more and I was surprised to see Rumlow stroll through the doors. No one on the team really liked him, but we all had to tolerate his presence as one of the overseeing SHIELD agents.

He gave me a cocky smile, "Hey there, Cap. How's the arm?"

I grimaced, "Could be better. Why are you here?" I nodded towards his wrapped arm. I couldn't recall seeing it earlier in the week. 

Rumlow waved it dismissively, "I cut it while training. Painful as hell I'll tell you, and an absolute pain in the ass having to change the bandages all the time." He began to unravel his bandage while he spoke to me, wincing as the air finally hit the bare skin.

The wound was red and angry. It was long, several slashes cut down the inside of his forearm almost like something had been dragged over it. Rumlow lifted his arm to squint at something on it before he cursed, pinching at something and gently tugging it free from his arm. 

He tossed it into the trash before he grabbed a new wrap from the counter a few paces away. "I hope you have a quick recovery Cap, you're in for a real ass-kicking from the higher ups for this rogue mission." With a mock salute, he sauntered back out the med doors.

My eyes traveled back to the trash can as the image of his marred arm flashed through my mind. It didn't sit well with me, the strangeness of the whole situation. I had never seen Rumlow in the training room here and I was certain there was no way he would've gotten a wound like that using the equipment. 

Pushing off the exam table, I walked over to the trash can. There weren't any other items in it besides his discarded wrappings, but as I examined it further, I saw a small shard laying on top of them. I moved to one of the drawers, sifting through them until I found a pair of tweezers. I reached down and picked it up to examine it. The edges of it were jagged, and the whole of it was white and crescent shaped.

Then it clicked. This was a fingernail. I quickly shoved the shard into my pocket and left the room.

Why would Rumlow have a fingernail in a scrape down his arm? Where could he have gotten it if he was supposed to be monitoring us?

I had a sinking feeling it was far from anything good.

I pocketed the evidence and gave a quick wave to Dr. Cho as I hustled out of the med-wing. A couple halls later, I found myself in one of the labs. Banner sat hunched over his computer staring at some complicated formula I couldn't understand, letters and numbers all mixed together in a line. "Banner," I called to him, "I need you to look at this for me."

His chair swiveled around and a look of confusion passed over his face, "What?"

I dug my fingers into my pocket to retrieve the nail, placing it gently onto the counter. "I need you to tell me anything you can about this."

Banner stared at it for a long minute, taking glances my way every once and awhile. "Well, it's a fingernail..."

I sighed, pushing it further over to counter, "No. I know that, but I need you to tell me who's it is."

His features remained absolutely baffled as he pinched it between his fingers and prepped in on a slide. "This job is never normal. Why can't it ever be normal?" 

Moments later, he had pulled out a microscope and settled everything in place. I watched in anticipation as he leaned over the lens and began examining my findings. Banner's face morphed through several expressions before he pulled away from the lens; surprise, concern, wariness.

"Where did you find this? On the mission?" His eyes met mine, crashing with worry and confusion.

I shook my head, "No, I found it in the trash can after Rumlow pulled it out of a wound on his arm."

Banner stared at me, mouth opening and closing, "I... the DNA isn't identifiable."

My heart pounded against my ribs, "The same kind of ‘unidentifiable’ as a certain someone we know?" The simple bob of his head sent my brain into overdrive. "If Rumlow was in contact with Max, why is he still walking and talking?"

"I have no idea. Max hated that guy. I thought she'd kill him when she wasn't brainwashed." Worry lines grew over Banner's forehead.

"We have to tell the team." I hesitated, suddenly very aware that we could be under someone's microscope. If Rumlow had been in contact with Max, chances were he wasn't on our side. SHIELD had been infiltrated and who knows how many others were walking among us. "Keep it quiet until I call a meeting, and keep this as far from Bucky as you can."

Banner nodded, scrapping the fingernail and digging through one of the various drawers under the counter. 

I turned, b-lining for the elevator as fast as I could. I had to find Stark. Something like this, now of all times, is catastrophic if we don't handle it quickly and efficiently. The elevator ride to Tony's work lab only heightened my anxiety. By the time the machine leveled out, I was shoving the doors open to scour the room. Tony sat slumped in his chair with his eyes trained on the ever-updating screen in front of him. He hadn't stopped watching for any signs of anything.

"Stark," I started, "We need to talk."

Tony sighed heavily as he pressed his palms to his temples. "Not now, Rogers. I have to focus on this."

I grunted, forcing his chair around. "No, we need to talk." He opened his mouth to protest, scream at me maybe, but I kept going. "SHIELD has been compromised," I spoke lowly, "And Rumlow has something to do with it. I was with him in the infirmary and witnessed him pulling out a fingernail from a wound on his forearm. I took it to Banner for examination and he confirmed a suspicion I had."

Tony's eyes told me to spit it out, his body leaning on the edge of his seat with wide eyes and a flicker of hope in them.

"His findings matched Max's DNA," I breathed, "He's been part of this the whole time."

_____

Max-

I was numb. The cold had bitten my skin raw at my elbows, but I couldn't feel it anymore. I couldn't feel anything. Not the wounds I received on the last mission, or whatever contraption they had left on my spine. I didn't move, not even an inch. Air dragged in and out of my lungs, but they were shallow and jagged, barely there. 

I wasn't sure how long I had been in the cage, not since I came to after the mission. I remembered bits and pieces of what had happened, but it hadn't come all the way back yet. That alone was a sign that I was fading quickly, both my mind and body. I wouldn't last much longer. A few days, maybe.

My stomach growled and I raised my hand to press away the pain, feeling my ribs along my side. I was so hungry. They hadn't fed me in days. My neck had burned as my pulse pumped slow and weak, the ache throbbing up to my ear and settling in the back of my skull as a constant companion to the cold. I had managed to press it into the cool concrete to numb it too, but I knew infection was on the horizon.

Somewhere behind the door, footsteps echoed. I kept my eyes closed.

I didn't have the energy to jump when the door slammed open and humming filtered through the room. "Hello again, little bird."

I was quiet, praying for release. Even if that release was death. Death was better than this, a gift I knew I wasn't worthy of. Perhaps that's why I hadn't been allowed it yet.

Giles's footsteps halted close to the edge of the cell. I could hear his heartbeat thumping in the silence. "Birdie." 

I opened my eyes, vision still blurry as the lights bared down on me like the sun itself. I shut them again with a whimper. I had nothing left to give.

Giles sighed, "Useless. I send you out on a couple of missions and you're just a bag of flesh on the floor." His foot came in contact with the side of the cell, "I'll have to spend the next month nursing you back to health. Pathetic, really. What happened to sufficiency?"

I wanted to cry, to scream at him, but I could hardly do much more than open my eyes. My wounds had finally stopped bleeding a few hours ago and I feared moving would reopen them anyways. 

Giles sighed again, shoving something through the bars and muttering something I didn't catch as he left, slamming the door. I pried my lids open to look, nearly sobbing at the bowl of food he had left and a small med kit. I lifted a hand, the muscles in my neck throbbing as I did so, and scooted the bowl over. It was food, real food. A few cuts of meat and some blended vegetable mushed under it. Tears hit the concrete as they dripped from my eyes.

I scarfed it down until there was nothing, but it did little to help my energy. I remained on the floor for what felt for several hours. I swept in and out of consciousness several times and when I finally felt like moving wouldn't result in a world of agony, I inched myself over to the med kit. The room had warmed a bit, and I was grateful for the small mercy. It took several minutes to get myself vertical against the bars, something clanging against them behind me and sending an ache up my spine. I had to force myself to breathe through it as I cracked open the kit.

Gauze, medical tape, and various ointments and sterilizers sat inside. No needles or thread, or a pair of scissors. Smart, not that I had the ability to use any of those now anyways. Slowly, I managed to clean the wounds. Everything stung, and there were a few times I nearly passed out again, but I held on. I feared I wouldn't wake up if I hit the concrete. 

Once it was over, I felt like I could breathe just a little more. I sat there against the bars, closing my eyes and resting. I thought about the team, what they might be doing right now even though I had no idea what time it was or what day of the week it was either. Peter would be in school somewhere probably swooning over that girl he liked so much. Thor was probably home frowning at his brother he had told me so much about. Tony would be working on his suit with his bizarre music blaring in the lab. And Bucky... Bucky is probably with Natasha. 

My heart clenched at the thought, but I could picture it clearly. He'd be on the couch with her in the common room, arm over the back of the couch while she tucked herself into his side with a grin. He'd laugh and shake his head as they played a movie. He'd be doting on her, asking if she needed a blanket or wanted a drink, anything to make her comfortable. 

He would be happy.

_____

Tony-

That son of a bitch!

I sat in the meeting room with files strewn over the table, most of them empty for show, but a few held what we knew about current Hydra activity. After Steve had stormed the lab, we concocted a plan to intercept Rumlow and get him cornered. It had to be out of sight and away from the ears of SHIELD. It had to be just us and him.

I just had to make sure I didn't blow a gasket before we could get something out of him.

The plan was simple, make sure we didn't raise any flags and let him assume he's getting away with everything. We wait until he leaves and send a tracker out after him. He'd lead us to Max, or somewhere close enough where we can find her ourselves.

Steve had contacted Sam for his wings. We needed as many hands on this mission as any, probably more. After the last one, most of the Avengers were out of commission for a while. 

The elevator tolled down the hall and I took a breath to reign in my thoughts and boiling temper. We needed this to work.

Rumlow smiled as he glided in through the glass doors of the meeting room, and as I took in his relaxed overconfident gait, I wondered how I hadn’t thought he was off from the start. Cap followed not far behind him, a grim expression on his face.

Rumlow pulled the chair out from the head of the table across from me and plopped into it, waiting for Cap to shut the glass doors behind him and come around to take a seat next to me.

“What can I do for you gentlemen?” His smile grew a bit, as if he was trying and failing to lighten the obvious gloom in the room.

“We wanted to update you on some knowledge we came to discover on our latest mission.” Cap recites, just as we’d discussed.

Now, it was up to us to keep up a front.

_____

Bucky-

I trudged down the hall towards the training area, my mind abusing me with images of Max in various stages of mutilation. The lack of information or evidence that she had made it out of the safehouse alive weighed heavily on me. I hadn't seen her in the building, not even once, but the others had all discussed how injured she was when they had seen her. Each time she engaged with one of us, she came out with another wound.

And Tony had said she had lost a severe amount of blood in the debrief after the mission. None of us knew if she made it out, or if she was dead on that mountain, bled out on the rocks.

I refused to believe she was. I couldn't handle it.

By chance, my eyes dragged themselves from the floor and caught sight of Banner typing away in the lab just down the corridor from the training area. I wouldn't have paid it much mind if it weren't for the familiar white locks and striking blue eyes of the photo on his screen.

My feet stopped moving, and I felt my heart drop to the floor. Banner switched from his computer, typing on the document, before shoving his eye against a microscope. He did it once, twice more, before I shoved open the glass door.

"What’re you doing?”

He must not have heard me come in, too focused on his task, because he nearly fell from his chair. “B-Bucky! Oh-umm… I’m… I-uh—”

I grit my teeth in frustration. Everyone in the tower had been acting like they were treading on eggshells around me. I knew I was the last to know about anything with Max, knew that certain information was being withheld from me. They’d be idiots if they didn’t.

But my patience—my sanity— was a threads-width away from snapping.

I shoved his chair away from the computer, my eyes scanning the document and taking in his studies. Because that’s what they were.

Detailed in the document was not only Max’s health concerns but her genetic alterations. Records of every checkup, every injury, as well as their healing times and her overall wellness at the time. Not only that, but there was specifications on her DNA too. More than was probably necessary.

“Why’re you documenting Max’s DNA?” My voice didn’t echo any kindness. The barely withheld anger looming on the forefront of my mind. Anger at the situation. Anger at the team. Anger at my reoccurring failures.

Banner paled, “Steve brought me a fingernail to analyze. I-I was just—”

My heart sputtered as I made the connection. “Steve brought you Max’s fingernail. From where?”

He swallowed, then a moment of silence passed before I realized he wasn’t going to tell me anything.

My fists clenched, and the metal plates of my arm shifted in the silence. “Banner, you need to tell me.” I felt wild, and I sure I looked it too. My mind was running a mile a minute trying to figure out where he could’ve gotten it from.

Max hadn’t used her claws from what I knew, so she wouldn’t have shed them in the safe house. There also would’ve have been a reason to analyze it if Steve had found it there anyways, so why?

“I-I shouldn’t, Steve told me not to!”

Rage gripped me, consuming me for a moment long enough to bash my fist into the cabinets above his desk. They caved beneath the pressure, crunching under my knuckles and bending the hinges, “Tell me, or I swear to God—”

“Rumlow! Steve got it off of Rumlow.”

I waited, thinking. “Off of Rumlow?”

Banner nodded, “Steve said he had cuts on his arms, said he pulled it out of one of them.”

Click.

“Bucky?”

Fists clenching, roiling, seething anger. “Where is Rumlow?”

Answers, needed answers.

“I-I don’t know.”

Metal shifting, gripping, begging to choke but can’t. Too many eyes and ears.

Thoughts flicker to before, how he would ask the walls, “Friday?” Voice felt raw, strangled.

“Yes, Sergeant Barnes?”

“Where is Rumlow?” Hate curled, writhed, created violent thoughts.

“Agent Rumlow is in a meeting with Mr. Rogers and Mr. Stark in the main meeting room.”

Images, distantly familiar, flooded in. Knew where it was, how to get there.

Boots hit the floor, leaving the doctor in his chair. Wanted to hurt him, cause pain, but had to find her. Metal doors closed, and body swayed as it was lifted towards the target.

When the doors opened, eyes found the target. He smiled, talked to the two others. Names I knew but didn’t know. Familiar, but not.

Rage clawed, grew, at the sight of his smile. Glass shattered, as the meeting room door swung open. Fingers curled around his throat and squeezed, lifting him from the ground.

“Where is she?” The words were biting, accentuated by the heavy Russian accent. Jaw ached as it clenched, fighting to keep control. To keep him at bay.

Rumlow choked, eyes wide and snapping to the two others in the room.

Instinct kicked in, pulling a familiar weight into hand and slotting a bullet into the chamber. “Move, and die,” even with the confusing feelings roaring forward, the statement was true.

I would kill them, I’d kill them all.

Familiar blue eyes, blonde hair, moved forward but stopped short as the other planted a palm on his chest. “Don’t, Cap.” A grim look settled onto his face as realization took hold, “That’s not Bucky.”

I stared at them, trying to fight the nagging feeling of him as he tried to come out, tried to take over. “No, Bucky isn’t here right now.” The name felt wrong, foreign. Wasn’t mine.

I turned back towards the man struggling in my grip, squeezing ever harder but not enough to kill.

The man who’d helped take her from me. The man who’d touched her, who’d hurt her. The man who knew where she was right this moment, and what had been done to her while she was parted from me.

I would make him pay for every single wound marring her body. I’d make him suffer, make him feel every bit of pain he helped put her through. And I’d get the others too. Every last one of them.

I brought him closer, eyes wild in anger. “Where is My Beloved?”

Tags<3

@imdoingathingmom / @greatenthusiasttidalwave / @cjand10 / @greatmistakes / @calwitch / @hzdhrtss / @blackbirdwitch22 / @readawaythereality2

[forabeatofadrum]

Ever After (19/21)

AO3 | S&C

–

SNOW

“What- What is…”

“Blaine!” Kurt cries out as he making himself smaller, “It’s closing down on me!”

Kurt’s getting crushed by the invisible walls. The space is getting smaller.

“No!” Blaine yells and he tries to reach Kurt, but of course the walls are still there. They’re just closing in on Kurt. “No!”

He bangs his fists against these walls.

Blaine has to do something. He has magic too. Royal magic is never used as combat, except for the All Power, and Blaine doesn’t have that. He cannot attack the Sergeant, but maybe he can save Kurt. He cries out a desperate ‘Oh yeah!’ and thinks about how much he wants these walls pulverised.

“… Blaine,” Kurt is trying to make himself as small as possible. He pushes his head between his legs and tries to crouch down, but the space keeps getting smaller.

In the back, the Sergeant tuts.

“Now, now, Blaine, there’s no need to panic. In fact, you could join me.”

“Join you?” Blaine is aghast.

“Come on, Blaine. Don’t you also want revenge on B.D. Dalton? She made you too, and yet, she barely spared you a second thought. You are underdeveloped. Your issues and lack of ambitions were her fault!”

Blaine shakes his head. The Sergeant may be right, but Blaine remembers what Kurt told him. Blaine is his own person in Kurt’s eyes. Yes, Blaine was originally created with a purpose, but he’s transcended that and he’s his own being. He’s someone who Kurt got to know and who Kurt likes, not because of his role in The Cooper Chronicles, but because he’s Blaine of Daltonia!

Blaine turns his back to the Sergeant. The Sergeant’s word fall flat to his ears.

“Kurt, hang on… Oh yeah!”

“If I don’t-”

“Kurt, no!”

“-make it out, please know that I-”

“Oh yeah!” Blaine cries out another desperate one.

“-really liked you and am glad to have met you, despite everything-”

“Kurt! Don’t you dare say goodbye-”

“-and that I love you. And I wish things could have been different.”

Then Kurt falls unconscious from the pressure. Blaine keeps trying to reach for him.

“OH YEAH!” he roars out.

Then, as if the world’s coming to an end, all the windows shatters. Glass is flying everywhere and Blaine instinctively shields Kurt with his body. It’s started snowing outside, and that snow is now coming in as well. The Sergeant also yells something.

It’s pure chaos. It’s a pandemonium.

Once all the glass shards have fallen, Blaine looks up. The Sergeant is staring at his mirror. Here’s a crack in it. He also got cut, since his reflection shows that he’s bleeding. Blaine slowly sits up, brushing off the glass from him and Kurt, and realises what is happening. He’s holding Kurt.

He must’ve broken the barriers around Kurt, and he took the windows with him.

The Sergeant turns around.

“You!” he yells, with fire burning in his eyes. Metaphorically. “Enough of this. There’s no time to waste! Prepare!”

The Sergeant lifts his arms and the mirror changes. Instead of reflective glass, it turns into a swirl of purples and blues. It’s being turned into a portal.

“This is just the first, but soon all mirrors in Castle Town will lead me to B.D.’s world.”

Blaine tries to get up, but using that magic was a lot and took up a lot of energy. He falls down next to Kurt.

“You won’t get away with this!” he yells, trying to sound brave, but he doesn’t feel brave. He’s not cut out for this. He never was, and even Kurt’s the one who’s better with words.

It’s here. It’s actually here. There’s a portal to Kurt’s world, and maybe many more.

“And there’s nothing you can do to stop me!” the Sergeant lets out an evil laugh. He’s really enjoying himself here.

“Oh really?” they hear.

Blaine and the Sergeant follow the voice. It’s coming from above them. Cooper is standing in the glassless window frame.

“My dear baby brother, has anyone ever told you it’s not nice to sneak out of the Castle? The king and queen are worried sick,” he says and flashes his trademark smile.

The Chosen One is here. He’s even wearing his fancy Chosen One armour.

“You won’t get away with this!” Arasha appears from behind Kurt with her huge sword.

“Surrender now,” Mel is positioned from another window and she holding her bow and arrow, ready to shoot.

“Blaine, help your friend!” Javier says as he runs towards him, “We will take it from here. Eileen and Mo are waiting for you.”

Cooper and his posse are here to save the day. Blaine nods and he wants to let Cooper take over, until he remembers who they’re up against.

“Wait, Coop, he has magic too!” he yells.

“Preposterous,” Cooper snorts.

“No, really!”

Cooper must realise his brother isn’t joking and he yells “Oh yeah!”. The Sergeant sent a spell towards the others, but Cooper put up a barrier around him and his friends just in time.

“He may have magic for some reason, but I wield the All Power!” he says and he jumps down from his spot. This is Blaine’s cue to go.

He rushes towards Kurt and reaches for his healing potions in his satchel. He quickly enhances them with magic. After all, these work on Kurt. They should work on Kurt!

Blaine pours some of the potion in Kurt’s mouth and to his relief, Kurt moves and starts to sputter. He’s alive. That’s the most important part. Blaine’s about to pick him up so that they can flee this place when he hears a scream.

“Mel!” Arasha yells and runs towards Mel as she’s falling from the high window.

“Mel!” Cooper also dives towards his… girlfriend? It’s still confusing.

The Sergeant uses this moment to shoot another spell towards Cooper and Cooper runs against an invisible wall. Blaine knows what that means.

“Wh-What,” Cooper mimes around him. Luckily, Arasha has caught Mel, who is unconscious, but Cooper is stuck in one spot in space.

The Sergeant laughs.

“Oh man, I was planning on leaving this world behind in order to take over the others, but why? Maybe I should just take over both! Taking you out will be the first step!”

“Cooper!” Blaine screams and runs towards his brother. He was able to save Kurt, he can do it again.

Arasha and Javier run towards the Sergeant, but he also uses invisible walls to make them trip. It’s a miracle Arasha doesn’t land on her sword. She manages to catch herself in time, but Javier falls flat on his face with a loud crack, and loses consciousness.

Arasha rolls away in time, because the Sergeant lands on the spot where she fell with a loud thud. She scrambles to get up.

Meanwhile, Cooper’s eyes have turned blue and flames are coming out of them (not metaphorically). Blaine knows what that means. He’s never actually seen Cooper use the All Power in person, but he’s heard descriptions. The flames travel over Cooper’s body and he stands up, invisible walls be damned.

Blaine backs away. It’s best if he doesn’t get caught in the fray. He knows that Cooper will never hurt him, and will protect him, but it’s still a lot to experience.

The Sergeant also realises what is up and he braces himself, ready to throw whatever space related spell at Cooper to stop him. Cooper needs time to charge the All Power, and he may not have it, because apart from Arasha, everyone in his posse is unconscious. And Arasha is hurt!

Holy shit. What can Blaine do?

But before anyone can do anything, a big object his the Sergeant’s head and he loses balance.

The object lands at the Sergeant’s feet. It’s one of the books from The Cooper Chronicles. Before the Sergeant can even understand what happened, another book hits his head.

“I have more where those came from!”

Blaine turns around and sees Kurt with a third book in his hand, aiming, ready to throw. His other hand is in his satchel, probably holding a fourth book.

Kurt!

He’s up!

The potion must’ve worked and Blaine almost falls to his knees, feeling so relieved. Kurt’s back to his old self.

“You can thank B.D. for writing around 500 pages per book!” he screams and throws the third, fourth and fifth book at rapid succession, making the Sergeant fall.

“What the…” Arasha mutters. She’s still clutching her sword arm, but looks with wide eyes at whatever is happening in front of her.

Blaine can’t blame her. He also can’t believe it.

“The world that created you will be your downfall!” Kurt throws the final three books and then turns to Cooper, who’s basically aflame at this point, “Fucking do it, Cooper, now!”

Arasha drags Mel and Javier away and Kurt and Blaine run. Cooper yells.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGHHHHHHHHHH OOOOOOOOOOH YEAAAAAAAH!”

“Don’t look back!” Arasha yells towards Kurt and Blaine, so they don’t. Arasha has insane muscle power and she’s hoisted both Mel and Javier over her shoulders.

They keep running and they hear the explosion behind them. The whole building bursts into flames and now Blaine is so incredibly happy that he knows the All Power could never hurt his brother, otherwise he’d believe him to be dead.

“Keep running!” Kurt says too, even though he stumbles a bit. He must still be hurt from the walls pressing in on him. Blaine reaches for Kurt’s hand and Kurt takes it. Hand-in-hand, they run as far away from the Sergeant as possible.

-

End notes: I think it's fitting that this prompt was "snow", because I loosely based the All Power on Simon Snow's powers. Loosely.

And in case it wasn't clear, the Sergeant is Dustin Goolsby. Sue called him Sergeant Handsome in 2x17, the same episode that debuted the name the Pink Dagger for Sandy Ryerson.

[chaosmax]

More on: “I’m so surprised more people don’t evaluate and compare & contrast Kaiba and Diva in relation to each other more often”

I'm looking at these pics side by side and either KT just straight up has a type of fav character design that he can’t shake himself out of OR this was on purpose to draw parallels between the two making them seem like shadow figures of each other/rivals/foils--

Both have a sleeveless coat, high collar, dramatic coat tail, pendant (or at least, I still solidly believe that KT just forgot to give Kaiba’s his, or perhaps you could argue that it missing has a symbolic reason or maybe to contrast with Sera and Diva who both have a small triangle pendant, turtleneck

Kaiba: silver/gray metal arm bracers, nothing special with hair sans when he’s dueling the duel gazer/headset is on his left, kneepads, belt, and his coat has the little spikes at the waist creating the flair of the spikes at his waist

Diva: gold bracelets, decorated hair with the longer strand on his right, wrapped fabric at the waist, spikes/flair at the end of his sleeves Also, nice framing with them literally in an inverted stance toward each other. And while on the Seto’s side it’s just himself and Mokuba against the rest of the world on Diva’s side he has all the kids that have joined the Plana at his back.

Like, I’m not an artist or visual director but all of these things are almost so 1:1 I highly doubt that we WEREN’T supposed to draw these connections. This seems to be visual cues galore.

And then for the meta/story side because I am first and foremost a story and writing evaluator:

When you really stop to think about it Diva and Kaiba are remarkably good character foils of each other with a lot of the same yet different methods, actions, flaws, weaknesses, and goals/motivations.

Motivations/Goals (those outside the main conflict of the film): Diva wants to create a new perfect dimension, a Utopia collective consciousness that the Plana would create and guide others to (this is more explicitly stated in the sub). And the Shadi and revenge thing, but more on that later.

Kaiba, (again most explicitly stated in the sub with Kaiba’s pre-tournament speech about how the new Duel Disk is meant to bridge the gap between people of all race/country/creed/etc. and the Transcend Game Manga) is trying to achieve a similar thing with his games and the duel disk. He states how the body is like a prison and these barriers between people lead to bloody useless wars. His connection via games is meant to escape that. He has a bunch of kids as the beta testers for their minds are the most imaginative. Kaiba is reaching for his own collective consciousness here but in a very different way.

Methods: Diva has complete confidence in the power of the Plana. He’s been told by Shadi about this great power and has seen it in action before he even receives the Quantum Cube himself. Diva and the rest of the Plana has seen that utopia the power of the Plana can provide (and Sera even showed Yugi a glimpse of it) but there is still that level of uncertainty in the creation of this new dimension. Sera states after Diva has gotten corrupted by the ring that the Cube has the power to create a new shining world of light, but if one drop of darkness gets in there the whole thing can be corrupted.

Kaiba has complete confidence with his tech. It is a simple equation of A + B = C. It may take it a while to get there, but there is a steady and succinct step-by-step process in his mind on how to get to point A to point B. And if he runs into a roadblock one way he explores another solution--as seen by when the Dimension Ascension had its safety limits in the World of Duel Links his focus became entirely on the puzzle, and then from the puzzle to the Duel Dimension System (it’s not a time machine i s2g if I see that one more time I will sCream. Atem recognizes him. He wouldn’t if it’s a time machine. It’s the darkside of dimensions, not the darkside of time travel). Kaiba’s methods are calculated and testable. There’s a scientific process to his approach.

Actions: They have very similar goal when it comes to the wider global scope, and yet intact that goal in different ways, despite both believing they are right in their own solutions even though this point never came up between them (but did between Diva and Yugi). Diva has seen paradise and that’s all he’s interested in until Yugi challenges him about building that paradise with everyone instead of gifting it to a few.

Aside from that conflict point though, Diva and Kaiba are pretty similarly ham-fisted when it comes to their actions once the plot of DSoD kicks off. Kaiba stomps around Domino City as he sees fit, he faces his challenges head on. And he is pretty clearly 100000% done with magical things running his tournaments and creates a counter for both of Diva’s Plana powers without much of a snag.

The Duel: Then of course they duel each other. And in this direct challenge they are pretty evenly matched. Kaiba, who the audience knows is a powerful duelist at this point dishes out powerful attack after powerful attack and even has new, stronger monsters to fight with. Yet Diva finds a way to avoid or redirect those attacks, even being bold enough to have an attitude that feels like he’s toying with Kaiba. While few others can go toe to toe with Kaiba in a duel the match was heavily going in Diva’s favor until Seto managed to summon Obelisk by picking up with the trace memories/wavelengths in the tomb.

Death and grieving: Both of them are trying to deal with the fallout of the death of someone that played a big role in their lives, but how each of their plotlines resolve for this are opposite at the end. Despite Diva’s actions to try and get rid of Bakura being against everything Shadi taught him and the rest of the Plana kids and even Sera and Manny trying to talk him down from it he doesn’t listen. Diva gets so caught up in the pain he’s feeling instead of what he knows. He’s eager to be able to blame someone for Shadi’s death he’s ignoring that Ryou Bakura is likely not the same as the ring spirit. But when confronting Ryou and realizes the truth he can’t ignore it anymore and he lets Ryou go and the glow of the cube fades. (Remember, it was the appearance of the corrupted Manny that caused the banishment of Ryou, not Diva himself, I see this getting mixed up quite a bit) And then he is able to start to fully move past his fixation on revenge.

But Kaiba hasn’t been able to make that progress himself. Even after Yugi reassembles the puzzle himself and shows it’s empty Seto keeps hounding Yugi, spitting cruel words and still refusing to believe that Atem isn’t still within Yugi. Then, even after Atem temporarily returns that isn’t enough for him to complete his grieving process, he finds a way to travel across dimensions for one last duel.

Flaws: Seto and Diva share some weaknesses in their ambition, ego, and arrogance yet at the same time it’s a situation of the pot calling the kettle black. Due to their own respective power they both think they’re invincible. Diva shittalks Kaiba’s egotistical actions of taking over Domino City and creating his own version of a collective consciousness within Duel Links. But Diva is doing a similar thing himself by how he’s dictating who should have the right to exist and even erasing people just for standing in his way like Jounouchi. Yet at the same time Diva thinks the power of the Plana is unstoppable and plain incompressible to anyone who is not apart of it--something that he gets a rude awakening for when Kaiba deflects his attempt to distillate him in the tomb and then later when Diva gets captured.

And then Kaiba gets knocked down a peg when his duel with Diva is a close one and then again when he has to team up with Yugi in order to defeat Diva’s corrupted form.

The character paths Diva and Seto are on through dsod are very similar. The characters are alike, but different. They have plenty in common to draw comparison to yet also differences that foil each other many steps of the way. And I just find this neat ™ and am surprised there isn’t more talk about these two in relation to each other when there’s so much crossover and they’re honesty the main two opposing forces of the film. Like there is so much going on here  TwT

[ruminate88]

Emotional Barriers:

What is this wall between us??? I look at my husband and think “He has to be a good one. Look at the peaceful life I now have since I’ve met him.” I think he’s got so much potential and quality as a person… What’s this wall between us?

I remind myself how Cody would put up a wall with me and I would knock it down and beg him to trust me… 😔🥺 It never stopped him from rebuilding it and eventually he ghosted me. Then when I’m with Andrew, one minute he’s extremely intimate towards me without boundaries. Sending me selfies from his shower, not holding back anything but then randomly disappears for days. Totally shutting me out with no contact. I felt he kept me at an arms length most of the time accept when randomly he would “reward me” with letting me close again.

After I started to date my husband, not even a month later, Andrew is back trying to FaceTime me and I felt he didn’t want me to be happy with someone else yet, Andrew says he has a “girlfriend” and rubs it in. Posting about her on his social media hoping I’ll see it and be jealous of her. (I was but I just didn’t understand it all) I cried so much that I thought my new man/husband would dump me for still having feelings for my ex. He didn’t though!!! He asked me to marry him less than 6 months later and we were married within 10 months!!!! It all happened so fast!!!!!! I KNOW I had to marry fast to get away from Andrew, otherwise, I would’ve been right back into his web of lies. It’s been hard to shake him.

So I ask myself, “What’s this wall in my marriage and who put it there?” 😓😓😓 Why do I feel so distant and far from him, when he’s always right beside me and even talking to me. Sometimes he’s telling me things about his day and smiling at me. I see kindness and gentleness in his eyes. Everything I ever wanted and yet I’m overly frustrated becuase I don’t feel it!!!!!!! I get in bed with him and I feel safe. I feel like he’s not a toxic person I can tell the difference. Yet he’s so far away and I have zero desire. I just look at him and think “he’s got so much potential to be everything I’ve ever dreamt about but what if I’m wrong??? What if he’s tricking me like the rest?????” I feel safe yet I don’t because I watch his every move. I listen to his every word. It’s frustrating!!! I constantly overthink, over analyze and compare him🥴

All I ever wanted was a family. People want me to be a mom and I’m scared. What if my husband is just lying to me and what if I’m so full of trauma that I pass it on to my kids??? Am I gonna hurt my husband the way I’ve been hurt??? Am I gonna be a good mom or am I gonna hurt my kids?? (Even tho I raised my bro’s kids and they turned out) 😭😭😭 I can’t ever get Andrew out of my system even when I try really really hard NOT to think of him. He feels ingrained into every part of me!!!

My hands are cold but my heart is fighting to keep warm. I’m fighting to keep the fire going inside of me. I’ve come so far!!!! The fact it’s been all these years later and I’ve not tried to seek revenge on either Andrew or Cody (or Jake). Sure, I’ve been sharing my story and talking so much about them. It’s no secret that not everything I have to say is positive 😓 I’m sorry but I can’t help that!!! The relationships were negative despite me wanting them to be positive. The days I begged Cody not to shut me out that I loved him and wanted to help him. He continually manipulated me asking me “to fix him.” He said that so many times and I actually thought I could help…. I actually believed the lie that I could love Cody enough to take care of his heart but I was very very wrong!!!!!!

Not enough love or hope in my heart can change cody or Andrew. They will either change for someone or they won’t. Maybe they don’t believe they need to change… maybe they believe everything is just great?? Ok, sure. I won’t say they’re wrong. I’ll accept it if they believe nothing is wrong and that what we went through together was no big deal… I don’t want to ever argue with them cuz it’s not worth it to me to prove them wrong. However, after Cody ghosted me, I was soooooo numb and cold. Wow 😓💔 I never felt so isolated or dark in my life!! Was as if somebody shut all the lights off and froze my heart over…. It wasn’t till I met Andrew that I felt anything at all. Then Andrew only lit my heart on fire to use me up and when he was done with me, he blew the fire back out and made me cold again. 🥶

I’ve been fighting ever since!!!!!! Fighting not to be cold. Not to lose who I truly am. Not to lose love, forgiveness and hope. I won’t give up on myself or my dreams. My husband doesn’t deserve for this wall to be between us but he also doesn’t force it down. Either he just doesn’t see it or he doesn’t know what to do. (Or he doesn’t care but I don’t believe that) One day at time is all I can do moving forward ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[kanene-yaaay]

Hey Kanene, I have an amazing Poppy Playtime tickle fic idea for you: A sequel to your spectacular fic where the player gets revenge on DogDay by giving him the same treatment he gave them.

Heya heya! Aaaa that is such an adorable idea! Gonna be honest tho I think Dogday wouldn’t last too much in the game afwftecehsuwgyw I feel like he would try to at the beginning, but as the light tickles and the teasing just keep going his joy would get too much to contain and he would explode in giggles even if you weren't actually tickling him at all! Imagine how cute! The antecipation just got to him so much that he can't stop squirming, entire body shaking with both his laughter and how much his tail is wagging around like crazy. A gigantic smile in his face and an uncontrollable fit of squeaks and snickers and only a few pokes here and there are enough to keep him in that hysterical fate. Glinting eyes watching your every move and still doing exactly nothing to stop as you decide to finally tickle him silly. So yeah! I don’t think the game would take too long to end but fun and laughter would just be there still :D

Tho, that reminded me of an idea of a tickle game that appeared to me in a dream (literally akvafwjwvege) and I've been wanting to write for years: a game where the tickles starts at your ears and ends on your toes, teasing and tickling every tickle spot in between! The person has to hold their laughter as long as they can because the moment their barrier break and they laugh then all the spots that were left un-tickled are a free game to be tickled by the ler as much as they both want! :D

I'm not very good at explaining but let's say that the ler starts tickling the Lee's ears and that is fine, they can keep their giggles in! That is not a so bad spot! And then they go to the neck, shoulders, armpits, ribs.... but! The moment the latch on the Lee's laugh they can't keep it anymore and start to laugh! So every tickle spot from the sides to his feet are a free game to tickle and all the above are not :DD which can bring interesting scenarios of the lee laughing before the ler pass across their fav tickle spot or they asking for the ler to go back and tickle them there! Oh, and ofc the lee wins if they manage to not laugh until the end and then it's the Ler's time to giggle and blush :D

Anyway, really like this idea and I like to picture that Dogday has super ticklish ears so he would probably lose even faster in this one but ajegtevekevete I don't think he would be bothered at all, I mean, you saying that he gets a fun bonding moment between him and his angel, laughter, happiness, comfort, playful fun AND tickles? He is heaven

[imperishable-prayers]

"Get the hell away from me!!" She jumped back and started setting up a few magic circles, along with three magic barriers to guard herself. Small beams fired out from the magic circles, demonic electricity spiraling around them-

"GHHK-!!" It all happened so quick. She saw her getting ready to dash towards her and as soon as the beams fired, she had already made it up close to her. Her arms had phased right through the barriers she put up. Now, she was holding her up in the air by the neck, choking her with both of her hands. It was like she was in a vice grip that she couldn't escape from. Her strength wouldn't budge her arms, her focus was broken from the air leaving her lungs so she couldn't even think clearly enough to cast magic.

Her imposing face looked down upon the witch, giving unto her a thousand dagger stare.

"Dear, it seems as if your life is starting to fall apart from the seams. Your friends are beginning to think less of you. You were berated and scorned for your failed revenge plan. It's as if the world's fighting against your wish to get stronger like everyone else is."

"S-Shut.. up..! GASP. I was.. j-just... WHEEZE. blinded by... e-envy--"

"No. Envy didn't blind you. It's because you are human. Humans are, in a sense, weaker than yokai. Even despite the fact that you, as a human, actually have high magic power, along with your many years of learning, all you could do was fail. Even with the countless incidents you've been through, it was clear that someone else could've always solved it much more easily than you, doubly more so when they actually do." "It shows that you really are inferior. Irrelevant. Nothing."

"H-HEELL-GGGHH!!" Her grip got even tighter to stop her attempt to yell for help, threatening to break her neck.

"Speak again right now and your life is forfeit."

"You will be my pupil. You shall learn whatever magic I teach you to help make yourself relevant. You will also be my servant, carrying out whatever task I ask you to do. No payment for my services required. If you do not comply to this, I will break you." Her words touched her heart and soul against her will, seeping in like poison.

She finally dropped her, watching as she fell to the ground. Her coughs, wheezes and huge breaths were music to her ears.

"I assume this means that you agree with these rules I've set, my student?" She'll just let the witch catch her breath and breathe. She did grip her harder than she meant to...

[atimeofyourlife]

Don't misplace your anger

day 18 | rated: t | wc: 755 | prompts: REVENGE | Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” | cw: assault, violence, mention of catfishing | ao3 Buck thought that everything with the catfish was over and done with. But another unhappy victim confronts him at a scene and wants her revenge.

Buck was happy everything was going back to normal. The catfishing issue seemed to have resolved itself, no more angry women had shown up at the firehouse accusing him of ghosting them. Hen was happier having settled things with Karen. Bobby was in a better mood, but none of them could quite figure out why. And his probationary year was quickly drawing to a close. Sure, it would be better if Abby was there, but he knew how important it was to her to honor her mom by traveling.

But then it all had to go south at a scene.

A car had lost control and crashed into a barrier, causing injury to the driver and passenger. But it was only a single car accident, and they were able to get both people out with minimal effort. So while Hen and Chimney were assessing the patients, Buck was on crowd control. It was a fairly easy part of the job, keeping curious onlookers at a safe distance so they wouldn't interfere.

One woman in the small crowd kept glancing at Buck, then turning and whispering to the man next to her. Buck wasn't sure what to make of it, but just brushed it off. In the year he'd been with the fire department there'd been plenty of instances where members of the public would start whispering to each other about him while he was just trying to do his job.

"Evan Buckley?" He turned to see the woman now stood in front of him.

"Uh, yeah. That's me. How can I help?"

"You're a creep, Buckley." She slapped him hard across the face. "Leading on girls and getting them to tell you all sorts of private information. Then deleting your account like a coward."

"This shit, again." Buck groaned. "I'm sorry that happened to you, but that wasn't me."

"So there's another LAFD firefighter out there with the same name who looks exactly like you?" She scoffed.

"No, my identity was stolen. Some guy saw me on tv or something and decided to use my name and photos to get women to talk to him. Then he died. The accounts were shut down because they were fake." Buck explained desperately. He glanced over his shoulder, hoping he could get someones -anyones- attention, but everyone else was caught up in their jobs. No one was looking in his direction.

"You really expect us to believe that?" The guy beside her asked, flexing to show how big he was. "No one gets to treat my little sister like that."

Buck instinctively stepped back, turning his head to shout for help. "Cap-" was all he got out before the guy's fist hit him in the side of the head, sending him to the ground. He wasn't able to react fast enough before his head hit the ground, hard.

"You need to pay for what you did to her and all the other girls." The guy straddled him and rained down punches, to his head, his chest, his stomach. Only stopping when physically pulled away by Bobby and several of the onlookers.

"Buck, Buck." He was aware of Hen's voice as she started checking him over. "Buck, come on. Open your eyes, talk to us."

"Hurts." Buck mumbled, peeling his eyes open a little, before screwing them shut again against the light.

"No. My brother did nothing wrong." He could hear the young woman screeching. "He was just defending me from that asshole who ghosted me."

"Catfish strikes again, huh Buckaroo?" Chimney asked.

"Ugh." Buck groaned. "Think 'm gonna-"

Hen and Chimney were quick to roll him onto his side so he could throw up without choking.

"Both have been arrested. Athena will want to grab your statement once you feel up to it." Bobby said, coming over to join them. "What's it looking like?"

"Concussion, there's light sensitivity, and he's bleeding from the head. Vomiting, with a small amount of blood. There is some tenderness in the chest and stomach, but we can't know more until he's been checked out at the hospital. Vitals are looking good, though." Chimney explained as Hen fixed a c collar around his neck.

"They going to get the book thrown at them?" Hen asked once Buck had been loaded into the ambulance.

"Athena will make sure of it. Wanting revenge for something that he wasn't involved in isn't any defense. Especially when it's on record that he's a victim of identity theft." Bobby replied. "They're in a heap of trouble for this."

[akuaya-eng]

(Main story) Chapter 6 - Episode 4

- DIA'S DECISION -

Adder

Besides, you've never caused a calamity since becoming a devil, have you?

Dia

………

Fiori

The prince hasn't caused a calamity since he became a devil…? In that tower, the prince said he was forced to cause a calamity by the fallen angels.

----------

Dia

It stole the Gem of Colchicum and manipulated me into causing the "Scarlet Wall" to go berserk. After that... you know the rest... On that day, I turned from a human into a devil.

----------

Fiori

The calamity that occurred because the "Scarlet Wall" went out of control… The "Scarlet Calamity" happened when the prince was still human. Because of it, the human prince "transformed" into a devil…

Even though the calamity started because of the prince, it shouldn't count in the first place. The prince has never caused a calamity. If that's the case… The calamity that devastated the human world... and Galantia--

The "Red Moon Calamity"... wasn't caused by the prince… right? Then why am I here? I thought he was the "Scarlet Devil"… That's why I came all this way… How can I avenge this? Who should I take revenge on…?

----------

Espada

(thinking) Lord Dia hasn't caused the "Red Moon Calamity"…? The "Scarlet Devil" isn't Lord Dia? He's supposed to be the devil who caused the "Red Moon Calamity." The one... who caused that terrible calamity must be Lord Dia… No, it has to be Lord Dia.

Lord Dia…

Adder

Have you decided your answer?

Dia

… Listening quietly, it's all nonsense after all. My answer is decided--I won't cooperate with you!

Espada

…!

----------

Fiori

…!

----------

Adder

I thought so. You're a weak kid but full of bravado. (charges energy) Then try to stop me with your power.

Vanis

(charges) I didn't want to use force, but I have no choice. (attacks with Adder)

(vision goes blank)

Dia

…!

Espada

Lord Dia!

Tuner

Dia! Ugh…! My body… won't move…!

Spirit of Wisdom

--You must not intervene.

Tuner

But, Dia…ugh!

Spirit of Wisdom

It's alright. Hey, just watch.

Fiori

(gets in front of Dia) --I won't let you!

(receives attack) Aaah! (falls)

Dia

Fiori, you…!

Fiori

Ugh…! Don't get cocky just because I'm always quiet…! Princess don't mess around! If you touch Dia, I won't let you get away with it!!

Espada

…! Fiori, well done!

Fiori

What are you doing, Espada! You have to step up!

Espada

… Yeah, this time you're right, Fiori. Thank you for protecting Lord Dia. I owe you.

Fiori

You're being too honest, it's creepy. Is the prince safe?

Dia

Yeah. I'm fine… But Fiori, you're injured. You took Adder's attack head-on. Don't be reckless.

Fiori

This is nothing. I'm tough.

Adder

I didn't expect you'd come out from behind the pillar.

Vanis

You're late, Fio. What changed your mind to protect Dia?

Fiori

Shut up. I have my own reasons. Why don't you just give up already!?

Espada

I will eliminate anyone threatening Lord Dia.

Adder

Looking at you again, this place is a collection of misfits. A bastard, a half-devil, and a human. There's no place for weaklings like you in this world.

Dia

No place, you say? You've set foot in my territory and dare to say that. I am the Prince of these outlands, the Kingdom of Colchicum. I won't let you do as you please any longer.

Adder

You talk big. (attacks)

(Dia creates a barrier)

Espada

Ugh…!

Fiori

This…!

Dia

----! (attacks)

Adder

(blocks) Ha, is this your best? If so, it's laughable.

Dia

……… (charges)

Adder

What's wrong, I thought this was your territory. Acting like a lord but unable to stop intruders, it's ridiculous. If you want to protect this hideout of weaklings, show me your power.

Fiori

Hey. Don't forget, we're here too.

Espada

Fiori, let's go.

Fiori

Espada, let's go!

Espada

… I will definitely protect Lord Dia.

Espada & Fiori

Haaah!

[autumnalwalker]

Untitled Solarpunk Witch draft, chapter 1.3

Spring, Week 3, Ten of Swords

“We moved the extraction up a day because the weather took a turn for the worse. Not for the first time, I found myself envying the days before Kessler Syndrome killed the satellites that used to predict that. Not that I was going to let a little wind and rain stop me. If anything, it’d make for a more exciting job.”

There’s more of a crowd than I would have preferred. Not that I mind the attention - I’m happy to put on a show, much to Bast(et)‘s disapproval - but I’d hate for anything to happen to them in the unlikely chance that something goes wrong. 

It’s not too late to put this off until tomorrow. Bast(et) says from her perch on the broom floating just above the water. For once she’s nearly eye-level with me. I don’t like how the wind’s picking up. 

I look up at the gray sky. Even overcast as it is I can still visibly see the clouds moving. She’s got a point, but… I shake my head “It was too late ten minutes ago when we started laying the barrier film out. Now that it’s wet it’s not going to gather back up well and if we leave it out the storm’s liable to shred it. Best thing to do now is work quickly.”

Please don’t do anything reckless because you’re trying to show off. You have nothing to prove. 

I finish attaching the clamps to the underside of the broom and give them a few tugs to make sure they’re secure. “Whoever said that I did?”

Never mind. Just stay focused and promise you’ll be careful. 

“Of course I will.”

I pull myself out of the marsh onto the broom and reengage my interfacing with it, joining Bast(et) in joint control.  I start to shake off some of the mud and saltwater before I remember I’m about to get right back in soon. Looking out at the gathered spectators I give a thumbs up and shout “Good to go!”

Luanna takes this as her cue to start clearing everyone out to a safe distance.  And it does feel like everyone.  Everyone that’s been involved with the project up until now anyway.  Emanuel’s got the airboat ready in case I need something solid to move the drone to.  Travis is there at the head of the group that originally tried to retrieve the fallen tree, including the Richardson brothers.  I wonder if watching me get the drone out will feel like revenge against it for those two or simply being one-upped.  Either way, they seem to be slower to back off than the task group I’ve spent the past couple weeks working with and making it abundantly clear what this thing’s capable of.

Any one of them would be at my side right now if we had anything like a proper hazmat suit in Zello.  But instead we’ve just got me and my implants.

Oh, and then there’s Ursula off to the side.  When’d she get here?  Capturing the witch at work again I suppose.

I watch all of them for a few minutes before we start moving the broom back up and over the yellow-green patch of barrier film floating on top of the water.  We keep high enough that the cables aren’t dragging over it but leaving a little bit of slack for now.  Once it looks like everyone’s as far back as they’re going to move I do one last check on the drone’s status.  I’d powered it back up to a maintenance standby state when I got here so I could monitor its internals better.  Bast(et) wasn’t too happy about this but it shouldn’t be able to do anything without me explicitly telling it to exit maintenance mode and this way if anything starts leaking again I’ll have some advance warning.  For now, it looks like whatever was clogging up the old leak has held.  We’ll see if it holds when we start lifting.

And with that, we command the broom to ascend, straight up.  The lines goes taut and we snap to a halt.  For a moment it looks like we’re resting atop poles extending from the center of the film; a figurine made life-size.  And then something gives beneath the surface and we begin to inch upward.

Slow and steady does it.

“Trusting you with that part,” I murmur.  “Dual interfacing with an old system like this is more of an attention split than expected.”  Enough of an attention split that I slipped back into speaking aloud.

How is that, by the way?

“Okay so far.  A few minor alerts that it’s being moved in an unexpected direction, but no cause for alarm.  Gas canister levels are constant, so whatever clogged the leak is still in place.”

For the next several minutes we continue to slowly rise; me focusing on the broom’s target vector and orientation while Bast(et) keeps us level and adjusts our thrust to keep the velocity constant despite the ever-decreasing resistance as more and more of the drone passes from mud to water.  Technically, either one of us could do the whole process on our own and the broom handles a lot of general command interpretation on its own, but it’s easier and more precise this way.  More importantly, the act of working in concert like this is its own pleasure.

As for the drone’s aquatic disinterment, I can’t see it from up here, but I can feel it.  The changes in its pressure sensors ping in the back of my mind.  The minute change in ambient temperature slides at the edge of my vision.  I let out an involuntary gasp when, for the first time in decades, the drone’s camera sees light.  Briefly the sight of my own blurry silhouette though the barrier film seen from below overlays my own vision.  Bast(et) would call it anthropomorphizing and projecting my own feelings onto the thing, but in that moment I can’t help but feel a sense of relief, joy even, coming from the drone.

Are you alright?

“Oh, yeah, sorry.  Just realized the drone’s camera was still working.”  I switch the feed off.  Sorry little buddy, but that’s a distraction I don’t need right now if I’m going to get you out safe and sound.

We jerk upwards with a wobble as the last of the drone pops free from the marsh bed.

Oops.

That’s a scary word coming from her.  “What happened?”

The resistance dropped faster than I anticipated.  I think our cargo might have been caught on something until just now.  We should be fine unless there’s a problem on your end.

“Looks like we’re g-” I hear an alert ping that never passed through my ears.  My eyes dart to the AR projection I’d set up of the gas canister levels.  “Faster! Now!”

To Bast(et)’s credit she’s accelerating before I even finish verbalizing the command.  Yet at the same time, she manages to ease us into it smoothly enough to not jerk anything around down there.  No hesitation, no questioning, but no panic either.

Below us, where the cables have up until now been passing through a hole in the barrier film, the drone at last reaches the surface and, unable to fit through, begins to lift the film up with it.  As the drone rises, the film pulls in around it, hugging to the old machine’s contours the best it can while making allowances for mud and gravity.  As it clears the water, weights and a cord around the film’s border pull it closed beneath like an inverted drawstring bag and the edges bond together to complete the seal as they touch.

We stop moving and stabilize.  Mostly stabilize.  We’re about at the broom’s weight limit for flight and this wind isn’t helping any.  I’ll need to keep that in mind if I try to take the drone with me when we leave Zello, but hopefully it will be a lot lighter without the mud and guns.

Status?

“Whatever was clogging the leak came loose. I might have overreacted, but it looks like we got it before enough got out to be a hazard. I’ll give the little bit that did a minute to disperse then I’ll head down.”

Are you sure that’s wise?

“Not that much got out before the barrier sealed it back up.  Besides, we know exactly what we’re dealing with this time so worst case scenario we run a targeted cleanse, flush it from my system, and I’m left a bit shaky and nauseated.  And anyway, someone needs to remove that canister before we take this guy back to town.”

This guy?

“The drone.”

Bast(et)’s only reply is a disapproving eye roll at me while I start dismounting the broom and shimmying down the cables.  I’ll need to be sure to thank that guy from the planning group that loaned me his gloves; I hate to think how raw my hands would be now otherwise.  Leon I think his name was?  I’ve got no excuse not to have all their names memorized by now.  Another part of my job I’m bad at.  A village witch should know the names of everyone in that village.

I’m expecting a metal thud or clang when I land on top of the drone, but I’m greeted with a squelching noise instead.  Still some mud and water stuck between the chassis and the film I guess.  Not wanting to risk accidentally rip the coating by climbing down the side, I jump the last few feet down into the water.  Upon landing with a splash my knees loudly remind me that the marsh wasn’t all that deep here for breaking my fall.  That’s going to be sore for a bit, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.

I stand up and wipe my goggles clean just in time to see the suspended drone swinging back towards me as it completes the pendulum arc I sent it on when I pushed off to jump.  Reflex kicks in.  A shout of surprise.  A step to the side.  An arm out to catch it as it swings back once again.  A soft strain on my wrist and shoulder.  The swinging drone eases to a stop.  Mostly.  It’s heavy, but every now and then the wind gusts strong enough to blow it about slightly.  Or perhaps the broom is getting blown and dragging its load along below it.

Either way I keep a hand on it as I walk around to inspect what I’m going to be working with.  The exact shape of the drone is obscured beneath the barrier film that’s draped over it beyond the fact that it’s essentially a box big enough for me to fit inside if I curl up with legs attached to it that are currently folded up at its sides.  We seem to have pulled it out with its front facing upward.

Sorry for stepping on your face, big guy.

So far the film seems to be holding nicely.  No holes or rips.  Nice even yellow-green throughout except for… there! I stop in front of the slowly spreading brown patch that marks where the gas is leaking underneath.  Pulling up the drone’s status projection once more, it looks like shaking the thing around finished dislodging whatever had been blocking the leak and now the gas is coming out faster.  Fortunately, the film seems to be doing its job, absorbing and neutralizing the gas as it makes contact.  I give it another minute for the canister to finish emptying its contents and then another ten for it all to disperse and absorb.  Probably longer than I need to, but best to play it safe.

“Alright, I think we should be in the clear.” I subvocalize to Bast(et).  Easier than shouting up there.  “Lower it down a little.  I’m going to open it up.”

Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait to move to solid ground first?

“There’s a second canister in there.  If there’s an accident removing it I’d rather it be out here than back in town.  Dangerous to assume that it’s just the one that’s compromised.”

I’ll get the targeted cleanse ready to go.

“Here’s hoping I won’t need it.”

While Bast(et) lowers the drone I look back at the spectators.  Seems like they all had the sense to move upwind.  Good.  From what I looked up, this stuff was designed for indoor use and should safely disperse before it gets to them anyway, but better safe than sorry.

I follow their example and move a few yards upwind myself.  As I start going through a series of menus to prep the command to open up that weapons compartment, Bast(et) rotates the broom and the drone beneath it so as to keep that compartment facing away.  Another big gust comes through, this one enough to set the drone on another pendulum swing.  For a terrible moment I think it’s about to slam into the side of the fallen tree, but it stops just short.  A few more arcs back and forth before stabilizing.

I give a sigh of relief, whisper a prayer, and take a breath to center myself.  

Interface with the drone.  It knows something isn’t right. No fear - it was never taught how to feel that - but it is confused.  This isn’t a proper maintenance orientation.  The constant pull of the cables is sending a stream of warnings from pressure sensors.  The repeated spinning and swinging indicate an unsafe work environment.

I apologize for waking it up sooner than I said I would.  Turns out I needed it awake for safety monitoring during maintenance.  It wouldn’t do to get either of us hurt.

It asks what I intend to do to it.

I ask it to open up its starboard compartment so I can remove that leaky canister.

It complains about the unknown substance covering the compartment.

I reassure it that the substance is harmless and tell it to go ahead.

It trusts me and complies.

I thank it and disconnect.

There’s now a large bulge under the brown patch of barrier film where the compartment door is attempting to open.  I wade back over and poke my wand through the film for a divination.  No significant trace of the gas detected.  The film’s done its job.  Safe enough then I figure and pull the wand downward to start enough of a rip in the film.  I pull the wand back out and re-sheath it while the force of the compartment door opening causes the rip to expand in both directions until the door itself at last pulls free, exposing the drone’s internals to the open air for the first time in many decades as muddy water pours out.

Finally I get to see the damage with my own eyes.  To my surprise, the canister is crushed rather than punctured.  Yes, there is a puncture hole on the door from where the tree fell on it, but it looks like it damaged and deformed the clamp holding the canister rather than hitting it directly.  

I open the waterproof satchel I’ve had strapped to my waist this whole time and retrieve a smaller square of barrier film then reconnect to the drone and ask it to release the clamp.  It obliges and I catch the crushed and probably-empty canister with the film and wrap it up.

One down, one to go.

I set the safely wrapped empty canister down to bob on the surface of the water.  A visual inspection of the second canister aligns with the drone’s diagnostics telling me that it’s undamaged so I pull out another film sheet and repeat the process.  As I’m wrapping the second canister I notice it has a different label than the first one.  Huh, that’s weird, the drone seemed to think they were the same.

I’m preoccupied enough trying to figure out that discrepancy that I’m slow to react to the next big wind that tears through.  Some part of my brain registers the mass of the suspended drone swing into my peripheral vision and I reflexively throw up my hands to protect myself.

My hands that are still holding the second canister.

The drone pushes my back into the fallen tree trunk and I gasp. I feel a crunch as the center of the canister is pressed against the edge of the compartment.  A hissing sound begins.

Shit.

I push the drone away and pull out another film sheet.  Begin wrapping.  Watch the film quickly turn gray.  Apply another layer.  And another.  I’m out now.

Wait.  Gray?  Not brown?  Oh, MG, it is different.  Why is it different?  The drone thought it was the same.  What long-dead Corporate dumbass loaded the wrong canister?  Did I breathe any of it?  Is it skin-absorbant?  Why is my nose running?  Oh shit, I did breathe it in.

“BAST(ET)!”

My chest tightens.  Is that fear or a symptom? My vision swims.  Symptom.

Full system cleanse initiated.  I’m getting help.  Don’t drown.

I have time for one last thought before the full cleanse hits me.

This is gonna suck.

*******

I don’t really remember the next few hours.  And for that I’m thankful.  On the upside, the cleanse kicked in quickly enough that the symptoms from the gas stopped almost as soon as they began.  Turns out Bast(et) had already started the process before I even called out to her.

On the downside, a full system cleanse sucks.  You’re really not supposed to do one except as a last resort emergence measure.  A targeted cleanse would have my implants detecting, isolating, and expelling a specific substance or chemical, or, if properly configured, rapidly synthesizing and deploying a counteragent to neutralize it.  A full cleanse has the implants stimulate my body to expel any foreign material.  It’s an inexact process to put it lightly, especially if you force it into an accelerated mode like we did.  Any food in your digestive tract?  Out the nearest exit and fry a portion of your gut bacteria as collateral damage while we’re at it.  Air in your lungs?  Time to see how fast we can replace it.  Unknown substance in your bloodstream?  Let’s try extruding it through the pores in your skin.  Those implants running throughout your whole body enabling this whole process?  Well, we’re not supposed to do anything to them but accidents happen.

As all that hits at once I last just long enough to feel myself falling backwards into the marsh before blacking out.

When I wake up I’m on a bed in the village clinic with Doc Yepes on one side of me and Bast(et) on the other.  There’s a background white noise I can’t place.  The doctor tells me that, whatever I did, I did quickly enough that I shouldn’t have any lasting side effects from the gas.  Whatever I did as a cure though really did a number on me and he recommends a week of bedrest.  That sounds about right from what I know of the cleansing process.  Feels about right too given how I’m sore all over, nauseous, and itching on the inside.

I  notice Bast(et) pawing at me and I ask for a moment alone with my familiar.  The good doctor obliges.

Once the door closes Bast(et) speaks up. Her voice comes out of a speaker on my grimoire instead of direct transmission to my cochlear nerve. She tells me that the cleanse damaged my implants and that it’ll take some time for them to grow back and self-repair. After calming me down, expressing her relief that I didn’t die, and thoroughly chastising my carelessness she fills me in on what happened after I blacked out. 

When I cried out, several of the onlookers took that as a cue to come to my aid.  Travis and Emanuel got there first with the airboat and fished me out.  Bast(et) set the covered drone down on the vessel as well and started using my grimoire to explain what happened and give instructions on what to do with me.  Most people thought that it was somehow me communicating through secret witch arts despite the spasming and insensate state of my body.  Bast(et) didn’t bother correcting them.

We all went back to town, I was hauled off to the clinic, the gas canisters were handed off to Luanna to finish disposing of, and the drone’s was left on one of the docks under Zello with a tarp thrown over it and tied down to stay put in the storm.

At the mention of the storm I realize that’s the noise I’ve been hearing through the walls and ceiling.  It’s really coming down hard out there.

Doc Yepes returns to check on me.  Over the next couple of hours several others stop by to see how I’m doing and fill me in on what I missed.  Most of it Bast(et) already told me, but some of it’s new details.

I spend the night in the clinic.  The next morning Ursula shows up to walk me back to the house.  I use my broom as a walking stick.  The thought crosses my mind that I’d rather lean on it while hovering, but I can’t properly interface with it right now and it’s low on power anyway.  We run into Travis on the way.  Apparently he’d had the same idea as Ursula.

I spend the rest of the week taking it easy around the house.  Recovering.  Neighbors stop by.  Some are thankful.  Some seem almost in awe of my “sacrifice for the village.”  A couple lay into me for putting everyone in that crowd in danger by trying to do it all myself.  All of them try to help me in some way.  Bringing me food, helping with the wall garden.  Giving me updates on the discussion about what to do with the drone.

Bast(et), still talking through the Grimoire when no one’s around, makes another “welcome to martyrdom” comment.  I’m starting to think that’s some kind of AI cultural in-joke that I’m not getting.

And so I rest.  Recover.  Try to relax before thinking too hard about what I need to do next.

*******

The bathtub now full, I press my hat to the underside and tap the sequence on my grimoire to start the ritual.  Tapping manually.  On the screen.  Hopefully I’ll at least be able to interface with my own implements again soon.

Normally I go for showers over baths, but this is part of the recovery process and I already technically cleaned myself beforehand.  The whole bathroom smells of herbs and flowers.  Some of them are local.  Some of them are from a small stock I brought with me.  All of them have been either stewing with me in the baths that I’ve taken over the past five days since the drone extraction or been arrayed around the tub.  I perhaps could have done a better job with my selection for scents that complement one another better and maybe used a few less to keep it more subtle, but it’s not unpleasant.  The symbolic act of it is enough to help relax me where the scent itself falls short.

I lower myself into the warm water.  Seated, I reach over to the nearby stool, retrieve the gray crystals, and bring them into the water with me.  Four go on the floor of the tub; one on either side of me, one between my feet, one at the end of the tub for my head to float above.  The fifth I place on my submerged chest.

And then, I lay back, float, relax, and wait for the ritual to begin.

It’s not a long wait until the same sonic components on the hat that I used a few weeks ago for imaging the buried drone kick in and begin to subtly vibrate the tub and the water within.  This in turn activates the crystals and they begin to glow.  

I can never help but smirk at that.  The glowing is entirely unnecessary, but we still make them that way anyway.  The same for them even looking like crystals in the first place.  You could say that of this whole ritual, technically.  Why dissolve the raw materials for the growing and maintaining our implants in a vibrating bath to be absorbed through the skin when it would be so much faster and more efficient to just ingest or inject them?  Officially, we say it’s to help ensure they get evenly absorbed and distributed throughout the body.  

I’ve always suspected though that it’s really for the same reasons that we shape our tools to look like giant pointy hats and wands.  The same reasons we style our hovercraft to look like brooms.  The same reasons that we insist on calling our tablet computers grimoires and our portable chem labs/3D printers cauldrons.

Symbolism and ritual.  The witch aesthetic is what aligns the technological side of what we do with the spiritual, environmental, and community side of what we do.  It’s what reminds those we meet - and just as importantly, ourselves - that we’re not just a bunch of body modders and hackers who also happen to garden.  We’re witches and our magic is in finding balance and weaving relationships.  Relationships between individuals to build a community.  Relationships between us and the earth to care for the mother who gave us life after we’ve done so much harm.  Relationships between humans and AIs to learn from one another and celebrate no longer being alone in the universe.  Magic is when the seemingly impossible happens, and it’s through working in concert that we accomplish what would be impossible for any of us alone.  The shapes we give our tools are a reminder that our tech exists to serve that purpose and not the other way around.

I chuckle, further rippling the water.  I’m supposed to be praying or meditating during this process to help focus on who I am and our purpose, and just letting my mind wander off on an undisciplined tangent I wound up doing that anyway.  Getting it right despite myself yet again.

“Something funny?” Bast(et)’s voice projects from the grimoire.

“Just life,” I murmur back.  I’m trying to keep as much of myself submerged as possible, and trying to talk without getting water in my mouth is a bit of a challenge.  “This’ll be the last of these for a while by the way, whether it’s enough or not.  I wasn’t expecting to grow through a year’s maintenance supply in a week.”

“That’s what happens when you’re not careful.”

“I know, I know.  MG, I know.” I close my eyes  “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to think about anything other than every single minor detail I should have done differently?”

“Judging by how often you’ve been staring off into space, clenching your jaw, then sighing, I surmise ‘very.’”

I realize I’m clenching my jaw as she says that and loosen it with a sigh.  Dammit.  “Did you tell the order about this yet?” 

“I wrote up a draft of a report, but I thought you’d like to review and send it yourself.”

“Thanks.  Maybe we can ask for a resupply on maintenance matter while we’re at it.”

“Given the circumstances, I’m sure they would approve it.”

I float in silence for several more minutes, trying to let that mess fade from my mind for now.  That stress isn’t conducive to healing.  I try to focus on my body instead.  It’s gone all limp and tingly by this point.   It feels nice.  I know I could move it if I really needed to, but even the thought of doing so unnecessarily just seems like an utterly unappealing effort.  I’ve never been able to figure out if that’s just the relaxation of the warm water and good vibrations or an actual effect of the maintenance matter bonding with my implants.

“I miss your voice,” I say, breaking the silence.

“Would you like me to keep talking while you meditate?  I’m told I can be quite soothing when I try.”

I smile, eyes still closed. “Thanks, but I mean your real voice.  The grimoire gets close, but there’s something hollow about it.  There’s a spark missing.”

Silence returns.  Stretches out.

“I miss your real voice too,” Bast(et) replies.

“I sound different?”

“Of course.  Direct interpretations of minor muscle movements filtered through neural readings of intent come in differently than wet vibrations of air.”

“So, that sounds like…”

“They’re not truly even the same thing, but if I were to translate to analogous audio and compare that, then I’d say this way is rougher, deeper, darker.  Close, like you said, but still different to anyone who really knows you.  I could play it back for you sometime once your implants are working again.”

“I’d like that.”  I let myself drift again and try to meditate, but realize I don’t want to be alone in my own head right now.  I’ve had too much of that already.  “At least we hadn’t gone full thought transfer,” I speak up again.  “That would really suck for withdrawal.”

“Or if we’d gestalted.”

“Oh, wow.”  I let out an involuntary laugh and open my eyes.  “I can’t even imagine what that must be like.  I have a hard enough time comprehending what it’d feel like to be merged like that full-time.  To then lose that…  That’s just frightening.”

“Well, I promise you’re not losing me.  Now get yourself healed back up and don’t do anything else that might make me lose you.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

[lopsided-whiskey-grin]

I Knew Him - chapter 2

Ghost x Soap Winter Soldier AU

Summary: Soap was never the same after he lost Ghost all those years ago. He still has nightmares about it. But when he learns Makarov is back after taking Ghost from him, he'll do anything to exact his revenge. Until he discovers Ghost was never really gone.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 | AO3 link

Around the same time Ghost's memories were once again being heartlessly wiped, Soap and the remaining 141 were collectively limping their arses to the safe house Price had secured for them. After patching each other up, the crew sat solemnly in the kitchen, trying to regroup and form a plan for the coming day. And how in the fuck they were going to bring down Makarov’s secret weapon. 

Soap and Gaz were out on the back porch. Gaz was sitting in a patio chair, holding a cold beer to a bruise swelling his cheek. Soap was leaning his forearms against the wooden railing of the deck, staring up at the deep night sky, trying to wrap his head around the fact that Ghost was alive. The guilt of not knowing this whole goddamn time was almost unbearable. I should have done more. I should have tried harder to find him. I should have I should have…

He blew out a shaky sigh, not even understanding how any of it was possible. And more importantly, and perhaps most gutting of all, was how Ghost didn't even recognize him. What the fuck had Makarov done to him?

"Soap? Earth to Soap." Gaz' voice drifted over to him and he blinked. 

Turning around, he leaned his back against the railing then immediately regretted it when he pressed into the bruise there from when Ghost had thrown him into the concrete barrier. He gingerly leaned on his hip instead. 

"Hmm?" 

"I said 'Do you think Ghost is Makarov’s secret weapon?'"

Soap considered it for a moment, then shook his head. "Nae. Makarov’s end goal has always been to take as many fucking lives as possible. I think Ghost, " he paused, swallowing against the emotion rising in his throat. "is just a means to that end." 

"So Makarov’s got some kind of bomb hidden somewhere here in D.C.?" Gaz asked, pulling the can of beer away from his cheek. 

"Aye, that's what I'm thinking. Price is supposed to call us as soon as they have more intel."

Gaz nodded. His gaze shifted up to Soap slowly. "Soap, look. I — I don't know how to say this…"

Pain stabbed at Soap's heart and a frown twisted his mouth. He knew it was going to come to this sooner or later. "Out with it."

Gaz shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He met Soap's eyes then looked away. "The Ghost we knew is gone, Soap. The guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save — he's the kind you stop."

The pain stabbing at Soap's heart dug in deeper. "I don't know if I can do that, Gaz." He couldn't lose Ghost again. He just couldn't. 

Gaz met his gaze. "He might not give you a choice." He sighed softly. "He doesn't know you."

Soap straightened from the railing, his shoulders set back, determined. If anyone could get through to Ghost, it was him. "He will."

There was nothing. Nothing but darkness.

…longing…

For Ghost, it was the first moment of peace he'd known in so long. 

… rusted…

He had no dreams in this void, but there were broken memories here swirling around him, trying to comfort him.

….seventeen…

He reached out, grasping desperately for them. They were disjointed, incomprehensible. But still he tried. 

… daybreak…furnace…

I knew him. I knew him. The feel of his skin against mine. Those blue eyes looking up at me. The taste of his mouth. The sound of his laugh. 

… nine…benign…homecoming…

He stirred in the deep black of his subconscious. It was like waking up underwater. He hated it. He tried to resist it, but the pain caused by doing so was all-consuming. 

… one…

He reluctantly swam up through the unending darkness, trying to break the surface, not wanting to but having no choice. 

… freight car…

 Ghost's eyes fluttered open. He was standing in the middle of a room, having no idea how he got there. He was dressed in his black tactical gear and had a gun in his right hand. 

"Soldier." The word was barked at him, drilling into his mind, flipping a switch. It shut everything down, everything except the mission. 

"Ready to comply," Ghost said. 

Makarov was standing before him, a smile hard as stone curving his lips. "Your objective is to protect the счисление пути, no matter the cost. Sergeant John MacTavish will try to stop you. You are to take him out. Understood?"

That name. It stroked something buried deep, deep down. But then it was gone, like smoke in a gust of wind. Ghost blinked and squared his shoulders. "Yes, sir."

**********************************

The gloaming light of early dawn woke Soap with a start. He had been able to catch a short cat nap in one of the rooms in the safe house after Price had briefed them, knowing he only had a short window of time before the team rolled out. He had almost been afraid to fall asleep, worried that instead of Ghost falling, this time he would blame him, accuse him of leaving him behind. Soap didn't know if his heart could take that, dream or no. He couldn't fight the pull of exhaustion though and he had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head had hit the pillow. 

He had only one dream and it was, mercifully, a sweet one. He was at home, sitting at the kitchen table. The setting sun danced a kaleidoscope of oranges and yellows around the room through the window above the sink. Soap felt content down to his very soul. But one thing was missing. 

The front door opened behind him and Soap turned in his chair, his heart thudding in anticipation. It was Ghost stepping over the threshold, like he had done so many times before…before the fall. The sunlight hit his hair just right and he was smiling softly. He dropped his rucksack from his shoulder and held his arms open wide. 

"I'm home, Johnny." 

Tears welled in Soap's eyes and he jumped up from the chair, rushing straight into Ghost's tight embrace. And there, in Ghost's strong arms, he was finally home too. 

Soap sat up slowly, rubbing at his bleary eyes. For once, in the years that he'd begun having the nightmares, Soap wished his dream wouldn't have ended so fucking soon. 

Not much later, he was back on the road with his team. He was doing his best to hold onto the warmth from that dream, hoping against hope that he could make it a reality. He needed to bring Ghost back home. 

Turning around in the passenger seat, Soap looked at Gaz in the back seat. They had all been briefed by Price about the location of Makarov’s weapon. It was being held in the top unfinished floor of DC's newest modern art museum — right in the heart of downtown, poised to do the maximum amount of damage as per Makarov’s usual MO.

"We ready for this?" he asked Gaz and the other men in the SUV.

Gaz nodded sharply. "Let's go over it one more time." 

"Aye. The device is located on the tenth floor on the sky-bridge that connects both sides of the building over Rock Creek. We need to pull one of the motherboards and replace it with," he paused, watching as Gaz plucked an electronic card from a pocket on his tactical vest and held it up. 

"This," Gaz said. They had received it from Laswell’s team early that morning only moments before they got on the road. 

Soap nodded as Gaz put the card back in his pocket and continued, "Which will disarm the explosive." 

Gaz was quiet a moment. "Soap, you know there's a 100% chance Ghost will try to stop us," he said, his mouth set in a grim line.

Soap swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. "Leave him to me." 

Gaz eyed him warily. "We need to be a team on this, Sergeant."

"Understood." He gave Gaz a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes then turned back in his seat. Soap knew he didn't sound the least bit convincing, but he didn't care. He couldn't let them get to Ghost first — he could not lose him again. 

It was evident, as they approached the museum, that Makarov’s team was not going to let them just waltz right in. They had barricaded the entrance with heavy artillery but the 141 had a different plan altogether. Soap braced an arm against the car door as they screeched past Makarov’s men and flew around the side to the underground parking area. Gunshots rang out after them that were quickly answered with more firepower from the 141's second SUV tailing behind Soap and Gaz' transport. 

Soap was almost thrown against the dashboard when their truck slammed to a stop right in front of the stairwell entrance. "Everybody out! Move, move, move!" Gaz shouted. 

The whole team piled out with Soap and Gaz leading the way through the stairwell door. They quickly began their ascent, weapons drawn. Price had made a call early that morning from their base to have the building and the area surrounding it evacuated and Soap had never been so relieved to be running up the stairs of an empty art museum. 

Soap had barely broken a sweat by the time they'd made it to the 8th floor. This is going far too fucking smoothly he thought to himself. And of course that's when everything decided to go tits up. 

A riot of noise echoed up to them when a group of Makarov’s men entered the stairwell two floors below them. It jarred Soap a little, but he was prepared for something like this to go down and he already had his weapon drawn. 

Gunfire erupted in the enclosed space, making his ears ring. There was no cover here. Shit shit shit. The task force returned fire on the team advancing up the stairs, taking out a few almost immediately but another wave was already joining the first. 

Chaos descended rapidly and Soap felt his control of the situation slipping further and further from his grasp. He could hardly hear a goddamn thing with his ears being pummeled on all sides by the crack and echo of gunfire. And then in the pandemonium Gaz took a direct hit to his left leg and seemed to fall in slow motion right before Soap’s eyes. His heart dropped and he immediately pushed his way past his men to get to him. 

Gaz was pale but coherent when he reached him. He was holding the electronic card up to Soap. “Take it!” he shouted over the commotion. Soap grabbed it immediately and safely tucked it away. “Get the fuck up there! Finish the fucking job!”

Soap was rooted to his spot for a moment. “Gaz…”

“We’ll hold them here, Soap! Now, get your arse in gear!” 

Soap was ready to argue, but he clenched his jaw, bit it back. He turned to make a run for it, but Gaz grabbed him by the shoulder. Soap looked back at him, confused. 

“If you can’t save him, Soap, you have to stop him. You know what you have to do.” 

Soap felt his stomach twist. “I cannae do that, Gaz.”

Gaz gave him a hard look, then shoved him roughly up the stairs. Soap pushed down the unease rising within him and ran. He ran as hard as he ever had. Please, Ghost, please remember me.