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cherllyio · 9 months ago

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The Warrior of Flower Fruit Mountain

This is Macaques design from my Moana AU.

He is currently an enomurs and terryfing Shadow Monster, but he was once Sun Wukongs old "friend", and travel buddy on their many voyages together in the past.

Why is he like this? Well i made little angsty backstory, with clues to what happend to the once great Warrior.

You can read it either here, or on A03 where i also posted it (here)

The Voyager, The Sun and The Monster

Chapter 1 (Prolouge): Drowned by your Love

There is a small island, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, where both terrifying demons and small monkeys live together. One of these creatures inhabiting the Island, while just as much monkey and demon as the rest, stand outs quite a lot.

He has beautiful silk white hair, six magical ears, that can catch the wind flap of a bird thousands of miles away, and a pair of radiant golden eyes, that will pierce through anyone who dares come near.

His name? Liu Mihou. Also rightfully known as “The Warrior of Flower Fruit Mountain”

On normal circumstances The Warrior would be either be training, gathering food supplies for him and the other monkeys, or making his presence known, to any hostile idiot, dumb enough to try and challenge him.

But not today. Today, you can find The Warrior in the early morning light, preparing for voyage he is not sure when, or if he will ever come back from.

Yet... The Silk Monkey knows it will be worth it. For the person he is looking for is worth everything, and more, that can be worth something in this world.

“The King of Flower Fruit Mountain!”, “The great sage equal to heaven!”, “The Monkey King!”. Or, as Mihou knew him: “My Sun”.

Just a few hundred years ago, these two celestial monkeys were sailing through all the great oceans together. Battling through storms, strong enough to destroy entire islands, becoming more powerful than the other demons could ever hope to become, and at the same time forming a bond strong enough, to become something greater than friendship.

Except…that all changed when Sun Wukong started playing against a power, he was not prepared for. The power of the Jade Emperor.

This traitorous act against the emperor, would ultimately end in the great sage’s downfall, where he would be catched and imprisoned by the Buddha himself, and pinned down by his very hand. And now, he was now trapped under “Five Element Mountains”, until an unknown destiny would free him.

Nobody, not even the wisest of the immortals, knew when that day would come.

It’s been 500 years since the great sage’s new destiny, fell upon him. Yet now... he has disappeared.

Mihou didn’t know how or where, or if it was done by fair means or foul. He solely knew that the once immense mountain, that had once sealed away his sun, was now only rubles and ashes of its former greatness.

Initially Mihou had been exited, ecstatic even, about this news. However, he quickly realized that like mountain, the King too was gone.

No messages, no clues, no anything. He was truly… gone... But he wasn’t "gone, gone" that would be crazy! "Sun Wukong, The Great sage equal to heaven" could never, would never.... Yea... His sun is fine, he will surely find him!

Plus, Mihou got all the things he needs to find The King, his magic ears being a big part of it. And then… they can be together again, and everything will be balanced, just like before! After all, how can a moon shine without its sun?

He confidently looks down at his own reflection, his silk white hair and shining ears animated in the cold and radiant water below. Everything is going to be ok.

But then he notices the dark roots crawling up his hair.

Dark roots that are slithering its way inside his silk white hair, like an infection, and turning it as dark as a burned corpse.

And nearly, one thirds of his entire mane can’t reflect any of the suns glow back anymore. And it will never be able to do it again.

For a second, it catches The Warrior off guard, but he really shouldn’t haven’t been surprised by this.

These dark roots have slowly been taking up more and more of his silk white hair, for well… Mihou keeps failing to remember that, but it was before his sun disappeared, he knows that much.

Mihou closes his eyes, trying to push the thoughts back. But instead, an old memory creeps up, and fills his soul with dread.

...

A demon. It attacked them.

They were young, stupid and furthermore in love, and together, they thought nothing could stop. Neither in celestial realm nor on earth.

Sure, Mihou was barely half the power of his counterpart, but that didn’t matter. It never really had mattered. The only thing Mihou and Wukong had ever cared about was each other.

Except, this time, it DID matter. Because… Wukong got hurt. Badly hurt.

There had been so much blood… Macaque could barely look at him… and Mihou had started panicking… while a piercing cry had cut through the air, when his Sun was impaled… The world turned around… everything had become so awfully quiet.

And Mihou had just been STANDING THERE. He had done nothing, but tremoring in horror over the cursed remains that was his dying sun. And then that awful, awful demon that had HURT HIS SUN, started whispering terrible, terrible words in his all too powerful ears…

“Oh, how sad” … “did he mean much too you?” … “What a pity…” … “you should have protected him better then…”

And… He listened. For wasn’t it true?

Wasn’t he the one who now stood beside his fading sun, that could barely light any brighter than the flickers of an ending campfire? Wasn’t he the one who had just been standing by his side, while his sun had worked so hard for everyone. Worked so hard and continued getting stronger. To get strong enough to protect his people. To protect Mihou. And he is now dying for the sake of a six eared demon, that would never be able to pay him back. Mihou hadn’t earned any of that. Wukong hadn’t deserved that. Mihou was a traitor.

The demon didn’t even notice, before it was too late. The demon didn’t even notice, before his insides lay before him, and he lied next to it. The demon didn’t even seem to notice Mihou’s scream of agony and pain, before his soul had already left his body.

Everything after that was a blur.

A blur filled with small glimpses of his dying sun, while an unworthy Warrior had desperately tried to save him.

And when the world finally came back into the view, his sun… His sun was ok. His sun was ok. His sun was ok.

“Sorry I scared you so badly there, my dear moon”, Wukong had said with a sad look on his face. “I must admit, he wasn’t as strong as me, but he sure was clever.” His sun had said with a grin on his face.

And oh… How Mihou could have looked at that smile forever. Yet… he was constantly reminded of what had happened.

If that demon… If that god forsaken demon had been any stronger, just a bit, Wukong…

Mihou couldn’t risk that… Never again would he look at his dying sun, covered in his own torn open flesh and shattered bones. Never again would he hear, Wukong’s breath draw close to its final limit. Never again would The Great Sage be betrayed by his own Warrior, who he thought he could trust to always protect him.

For in The Warriors own eyes, he was a traitor. A foul soul who would simply overserve as a prejudiced destiny would drown out the only spark of hope left for their island and its people.

Hence why Mihou did, what he did next.

On the darkest day of the year, where the shadows rosed higher, than their own creators, Mihou stood in the middle of an abandoned Island. He was hoping for someone who could help. And soon enough, someone rose up. The silhouette of the darkness. A spirit. One made of magic not seen quite often.

“The six eared Macaque asks for my help. Don’t you have enough assistance from the king already?” the spirit remarked in a gravelly, judging, voice, whilst turning itself into a clone of The Great Sage to prove its point.

“Yes, please, I need your wisdom…”

“My wisdom… Well, there sure is a considerably amount of that, you will have to be more specific…”

Even though he knew exactly, what he had been come for, it still took Mihou a few seconds, before he finally answered:

“How do I protect someone, who is stronger than me? How do I make sure, I can help someone, when I barely have the strength of the wind, against a storm coming their way?”

Mihou could feel small tears starting to pierce through his eyes, yet he did little to stop them. “How do I make sure, I don’t betray the people I love, when they need me the most?”

The silence after that was barely enough time for the water to hit shore in its never-ending rhythm. Despite that, it had felt like millions of winters and summers had already passed, by the time the silhouette finally spoke again.

“There is one way….”

Mihou looked up.

“However, as all things, it comes with great consequences.”

“I will do anything, please! Just tell me what I need to do!”

The silhouette seemed to watch him like a hawk.

“You are more stupid than you look, Warrior of Flower Fruit Mountain.”

The shadow started morphing into something else.

“Liu’er Mihou, for my power you need to know. This power requires the utmost control. One step aside could lead you drowning in its pit, leaving you only as host to submit.”

The shadows showed The Warrior consumed by shadows, until there is no light left in him.

Mihou took a deep breath.

“How can I control it then?”

“Warrior, only destiny will be your reaper.”

It morphs back into its normal silhouette.

“Now… do you accept this power?”

Mihou, looking back, should probably have thought it more through. But back then, the guilt and love for his Sun had been so strong, it had almost blinded him.

“I do, I accept it.”

And then everything went black.

...

Hundreds of years later, Mihou still doesn’t know, how or when he ended back on Flower Fruit Mountain.

But that didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered then, was the power he had now. The power to protect the island, its monkeys and… his sun.

Wukong was skeptical at first, luckily the King had always been more of the oblivious type, so he quickly started to pride the new power as much as Lihou used too.

The newfound power Liu’er Mihou had gained were shadow powers. He could manipulate, create or absorb any shadow as he pleased.

This power also made it easier for him to learn the “72 transformations”, which Wukong had already learned hundreds of years ago, since Mihou could “copy” them using his shadow powers, until he didn’t need Wukong by his side anymore to do it.

Though, as all things, it wouldn’t last long until he learned the consequences of his choices firsthand.

Wukong and Mihou had been fighting a demon, who was stronger than what they were used to, but they had been fighting a lot of them recently, anyway. However, for just a second, Macaque had become cocky, and his let the shadow powers run free to devour their enemy whole.

Expect, after the fight was over, Macaque noticed the dark hair for the first time.

It had been small at first, barely noticeable, but with every “slip up” it had gotten more and more noticeable.

It wasn’t just if he got cocky in battle. If something had hurt him mentally, it would also grow. Which, when Wukong got trapped under the mountain… The infection had grown to the length of two small snakes crawling up his legs and arms in just a few hours.

Moreover, when they got into a fight while Wukong was trapped… The fur on his legs was almost completely black.

So, the 500 years that had slowly been passing by had been both a physically and mental war in his head, that from each day that had went by got closer and closer to winning…

The lack of a king also meant that more demons had started to attack Flower Fruit Mountain, therefore Macaque had to use way more power than usual, which would just make the curse worse...

And then every night, if it was a quiet one, he would cry himself to sleep, in his now empty nest.

Yet, as the black fur was getting dangerously close to his heart, which Mihou did not want to find out what happened if it reached it, there was… hope.

Wukong was free now after all!

Mihou was so sure, that as soon as they found each other again. When he could finally embrace that golden fur again, everything would be fine.

And as Mihou looked down the boat, now ready for the long voyage ahead, he felt A hope rise in his chest, for the first time in these 500 years.

Everything will be ok; nothing bad ever happen anymore.

Wukong is waiting for him after him after all!

…

Right?

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brokenpieces-72 · 6 months ago

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Maybe, Finally

This is based on @emmster CoD x Destiny AU.

“When did you become a mom?” Alex said seeing his fellow guardian holding a bundle to her chest. Farah smiled at him, noticing his arrival.

“Their mother is busy with the other ones, I offered to look after this one.” She explained.

“Did one of them have a kid while we were gone?” Alex asked. Then Farah pulled the bundle away from her, cradling it in her arms. Alex’s eyes widened seeing the Eliksni hatchling chittering. Certainly wasn’t expecting that. Not unwelcome either. Cute little critter.

“Never thought this would be a scenario.” Farah said. Alex had to agree especially with a conflict that had been going on for years now. Seemed like yesterday he was fighting off the Fallen to save any survivors from the city. Now this adorable wittle big was chittering at him like he hadn’t absolutely decimated the race on more than one occasion.

Alex sighed staring at the hatchling, folding his arms.

“Alex, you’re doing it again.” Farah pointed out. Alex looked up at her, still smiling but confused.

“Doing what?” Alex asked. Farah chuckled.

“You’re remembering something.” Farah exclaimed.

“Just have a feeling.” He said shrugging.

“But it’s familiar. You often fold your arms and smile when you do. I know it’s a good one cause you smiled.”

“I fold my arms a lot.” Alex said, a little defensive.

“There’s a way you do it.” Farah tried to argue. “I don’t know, there’s also a look.”

Alex rolled his eyes, arms dropping to his sides. The hatchling chirped in agreement. Farah snickered, adoring the little guy. “Yes he is a very silly Titan.”

Alex stared at Farah. It was odd seeing her acting like a mother, but something about it… he couldn’t stop smiling.

“I only get the feeling when I’m around you.” Alex confessed. Farah looked up at him, with a bit of pink on her face. Alex felt a little warm himself. “That’s not me flirting, that is me being genuine. For some reason, I get these moments of familiarity when I’m with you.”

“I get it too.” Farah said. “It’s comforting, even when all hell breaks loose. Sometimes it’s in the vanguard tower, I want to be working with them. Especially with this alliance being formed.”

“We probably knew each other back then. Maybe we were…siblings?” Alex suggested. Farah look at him and then the hatchling which went quiet, as if it understood what Alex said. “Adopted?”

“I think we worked together. Closely.” Farah suggested, waving her finger to the baby eliksni. More happy noises.

“Battle buddies?” Alex asked. “I can see it.”

He held something out to Farah, pulling her attention from the eliksni. The Titan moved beside his friend to look at the photo with her. A photo he’d found with Kyle while they were looking around a decimated city from times long past. In the photo was Alex, Farah and another man. Farah stared trying to recall him. She felt oddly conflicted by seeing him. Alex was standing with a neutral expression, fully dressed in combat gear, as was she.

“When did you get this?” Farah asked.

“When we were out, and you were here discussing the alliance with the Vanguard.” Alex said. “And you can tell we weren’t married because no wedding band.”

There wasn’t a ring on the either hand though, Alex was wearing gloves.

“Guardian?” The two turned to see the adult Eliksni, her clutch close to her person. Farah didn’t need to be asked. She approached the eliksni offering back her hatchling. The eliksni took the little one, with a small sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Farah said. “Anytime.”

The eliksni fawned over the hatchling as it walked away, intent on returning to the rest of fallen. Alex and Farah watched.

“I’m not sure what we did… when that photo of was taken. But with everything that’s been happening, everything changing… been feeling right more and more.” Alex said, crossing his arms. “Like this is something we’ve been fighting for all along.”

Farah smirked. Alex looked at her and then looked down, seeing he’d crossed his arms again. Dang it she was right.

Taglist: @yourlovely-moon @kaoyamamegami @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @sans-chara @1mommyrose4ever29 @smitten-haematite-quartz @talia-the-gemini @yuki2129 @whitetiger846 @graystorm444 @chibiduck @reaperxxxxzz @danielle143 @sobbingnshtting @cringeycookies @cryingpages @dcnocap207 @reaper-chan666 @bestbookfriends

#farah karim #alex keller #eliksni #here have another wholesome #eliksni baby #smollen #memories #cod x destiny #Destiny #destiny 2 #farah x alex #call of duty modern warefare

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thescrapbookingscientist · 2 years ago

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Biweekly Media Roundup

- The Owl House (TV) - Alright so we got the penultimate episode, soon we’ll have no Owl House left. This was a pretty good setup, the most memorable parts being Willows much needed development, Luz’s palismen reveal, the brief snippets of Collector lore, and Eda and Lilith's new looks. The school stuff sorta dragged as I wasn’t super interested in the background cast and their petty survivalist struggle when the Collector as an entity is a lot more intriguing; I do wish we got to see more of their deal though I suppose that’s something to look forward to in the finale.

- Buddy Daddies (Anime) - Buddy Daddies started off pretty good and has gotten a bit better each episode, with a pretty good sense of humor and some nice characterization moments for Rei. I’m still waiting for Miri to develop a personality beyond ‘Cute child’ (Something like Anya or Yotsuba), but as a vehicle for comedy/wholesomeness she works fine. Anyway, if you’re watching pause to read the daycare moms texts, they’re great.

- The Way of the House Husband (Anime) - An anime night staple, we’ve caught up with House Husband, which continues to be a great time. While the core joke of “Scary ex yakuza actually does really wholesome mundane things” is more or less the same each time, the execution changes enough to keep the formula working. In general it’s just a pleasant watch, and it’s kind of validating to see normal struggles like weeding your yard or impulse buying expensive food being treated with the same intensity as a shoot-out. It really be like that sometime.

- JJBA: Stone Ocean (Anime) - Welp finished Stone Ocean and. It did certainly end. I’m not really sure how I feel about it, I guess it’s not a bad end per se but it sure left a lot of things unanswered/open to interpretation. I guess Part 7 will elaborate more on the rules of the new world but for the characters in this part I guess we’ll just have to imagine what this Modern Day Nobody Dies Found Family AU is like. Either way my favorite nonbinary mass of plankton FF probably doesn’t exist in this new world either so bummer. Still, this was an interesting season, I did like the concept of gravity reversal and the opportunity to see the main cast outside of the prison setting. In terms of Jojo Parts overall I’d put it around the same Tier as Part 3, it had a solid cast of main characters, a good antagonist, and some interesting stand match-ups, but could also drag a bit as I zoned out during quite a few of the villain-of-the-week battles, and lacked consistency when it came to the power set rules.

- The Greatest Estate Developer (Webcomic) - I still have brainrot over these guys, I’m going to cave and read the webnovel any minute I can feel it.

- Demon Slayer (Anime) - Watched the whole Mugen Train Arc this week, which had some extra content from the movie to allow for more Rengoku time. Again, I don’t have much to say, still really impressed by the final battle and Inosuke is still best boy.

- Love Is War (Anime) - So this is one I’ve had on the backburner for a while, I had heard from basically everyone that it was amazing but had attempted to watch the first few episodes a few times and never got it to stick. To be fair I had known that I should give it longer to impress me, comedies in general usually take at least half a season to endear you to the characters before getting really good, I guess I just had other things I was more interested in. Well, no more, now that my sister is watching it with me we’ve blown right though the first season, and while I still wouldn’t call it a masterpiece I do see where the hype is coming from, the cast is a lot of fun. The ending of the 1st season in particular was super cute, I’m rooting for these idiots.

- Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies (Video Game) - I had taken a brief break from my quest to complete the whole Ace Attorney franchise after Apollo Justice, but I’m back now with Dual Destinies. For positives so far I like Athena and Blackquill, as well as the Athena/Apollo sibling dynamic. For negatives I kind of wish Phoenix wasn’t as prevalent as he is, we are starting to get too many characters vying for the spotlight and I feel like there’s not enough time for any of them to make a lasting impression, especially poor Athena having to share her spotlight with 2 guys who already had their own games.

- Persona 5 Royal (Video Game) - Still impressed with how this game writes the core friend group, it’s very pleasant to watch them all interact. Yusuke and Makoto are my faves right now, though battle wise Ann and Ryuji are solid units. I don’t feel like writing much more atm, mostly because I’d rather be playing this game haha.

We also just started Gintama and Ranking of Kings at anime night. I’m theoretically watching Sense 8 and The Last of Us as well, though I’m behind due to prioritizing the others. Finally, I’ve been keeping up with ORV, S-Class, Demon School, and TVDINT as they publish weekly.

Listening to: Persona 5 OST, Little Lion Man by Mumford & Sons, Parachute by Ingris Michaelson, Fear & Delight by The Correspondents, Her Diamonds by Rob Thomas, Melancholic by Junky, There She Goes by The La’s, Waiting For Love by Avicii, Every Little Thing She Does is Magic by The Police, Somebody Loves You by Betty Who, EPIC: The Troy Saga OST

#My posts #weekly roundup

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froppy-butterflyfan2000 · 2 years ago

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Tomstar AU - Rose Butterfly-Lucitor: Lives her life as Queen of Underwni married her knight, Goat Monster/Sizeshifter/Mewman Boyfriend, Donald. She have a daughter with him named Ordella. Earned her Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Designs and degrees on fashion management, brand management, art history, graphic design, and entrepreneurship at Lucius Butterfly’s Butterfly University. She run a side gig in selling her own fashion brand. Her father divorced her mom. Her mom send away to get help and Rose will allow her mom to be in her life if she changes for the better. Her sisters, Lilith and Milky Way, Stacey and Buddy are still a part of her life.

Tomstar AU - Stacey Diaz-Lynn-Thomas: Reunites with her moms and no monster arm. Becomes an Olympic Gold Medal Snowboarder.

Cappyverse - Leonidas: Retired from being The Guardian of The Supernatural, married @mokstagger’s Starxus OC, Cosma and start a family with her, make the Cleansers defunct and punished for their crimes.

Cappyverse - Hiraya: Charmcaster and her son, Morgan Morningstar &, The Legerdomain humans sorceresses and sorcerers never bother the Butterfly-Lucitor Family and her family ever again and go back and stay in Legerdomain permanently. Her reconciliation with Janaya and her relationship with her big brother is improved positively. Be remember as the greatest magical engineer in the wizardry world. Her mother out of the coma.

Lunaverse - Asahi Z. Diaz-Tohomiko: Blossom apologized for choosing to focus her own daughter’s safety than her, her own child student. Proves the Xiaolin Council, that despite being a demon, she can becomes the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire. Surpassed her mother in fought and won every battles in Mewni for The Butterfly Queendom, serving Ursa. Confess her feelings to the Heir of The Moon Palace of The Lunarian Empire, Mewni, Umbriel Neoma. Umbriel Neoma, the Lunarian species, and The Lunarian Empire belong to @animeclub78. Ursa Butterfly belongs to @princess-lunalu.

Lunaverse - Nergella overcoming her trauma and have her and relationship with her cousin, Destiny is restored, loving her demon/monster side, get her cousin, Macie her soul back (that her father, Billy sold to Black Hat for Mandy.) and spend time and get along with her as her cousin, spend time with her aunt, Negona, and spend more time with her mother, Bubbles and stepmom, Mabel while still connecting with her father, Nergal Junior and his fiancée, Elodie. Finally, be a well-known Chemical X Super cambion magical girl with her friend, Junebug Noceda by her side. Nergal’s daughter, Negona belongs to @princess-lunalu, Macie Horvitz, daughter of Fanny Fullbright (KND) and Billy Horvitz (GABOM) belongs to @cooltmoney95, and Junebug “June” Noceda (Amity x Willow x Luz) belongs to @animeclub78.

Tales of Mewni - Vincenza Dolittle: Be the Empress of Pixitopia and bring peace and unity to Mewni Sprites and Pixitopia Pixies. Have a happy and married life with a breadlander, Gino Churro and a rainbow cherub, Felicity Raine - @cooltmoney95’s ToM OCs. Oh! And have time to go on an adventures of new discoveries with @laylaylamode’s Jia or @cooltmoney95’s Voltannia and Spectra.

What would your OC’s happy end look like? What kind of life do they dream of living?

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vagrantblvrd · 4 years ago

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I'm a slut for anything Destiny right now, so uhhhhh maybe something involving that? (On another note, boo for pushing back BL to November, yay for having more time to work on it)

Lol, same, friend! XD

So, like. Much as I love other Destiny AUs I’ve blathered on about before, what do you say about a Battle Buddies in the Destiny universe?

Like, say.

These two idiots working for Clovis Bray during the Golden Age, right? Troubleshooters or just a pair of mercenaries that somehow ended up on the Clovis Bray payroll.

Or maybe they start off as regular security operatives who earn a reputation for being particularly clever and resourceful. Ruthless, some might say, in protecting Clovis Bray’s interests.

They catch the eye of some higher up, get reassigned to a special division in security which happen to be troubleshooters and the like?

Operatives given more leeway/authority than the usual Clovis Bray security operative and it’s actually good for a while, right?

Certainly good enough from them to to from coworkers to that guy they see almost every day and have a few things in common with to actual friends. And that, okay, in the world of fanfic is a slippery slope to Mutual Pining.

And such tropes as being snowed in at a tiny, wonderfully cozy cabin once they get a fired started and realize sharing body heat is the only solution to not freezing to death anyway?

Also sharing a bed while on a trip somewhere and a mixup/convenient other reason there would only be a room with a single bed available for them.

Not to mention the quiet revelation that the other one knows exactly how they take their coffee (whatever diet soda equivalent exists in the universe at that time for Ryan), or what their favorite food is (and second, third and so on in case substitution is necessary). Know what their favorite color is and cats vs dogs.

(A hotly debated topic between them, one that Jeremy declares could be a friendship killer because dogs, Ryan, really? With their borking and happy little faces and utter joy at seeing their human?

Pls.

Meanwhile, Ryan with this little smirk to his voice as he needles Jeremy over the little herd of stray cats he swears aren’t actually his and yet are all fixed and chipped and yowl their little heads off the moment they catch wind/sight of Jeremy and anyway, dogs are clearly better because Ryan says so, therefore it’s true, Jeremy.

(Neither of them realize if they were animals - omg, were-creatures in Destiny universe???? :O - Jeremy is obvs a bork-bork doggo and Ryan a snooty mcsnoot (sekritly soft touch because srsly) kitten-cat and just, tangent I know, but omg.)

Also, though?

Also.

It means all these little things that add up to oh, no, I’m absolutely fucked over this asshole/idiot, because they are and now that they know they can’t stop seeing it, you know?

Jeremy’s :D when he sees Ryan at work and Ryan’s own >:D when he sees Jeremy because up to no good, the both of them? And smaller, quieter things they didn’t really think about and oh man, what now???

But then, also!

The two of them with their special division in Clovis Bray’s security branch...deal...thing where they ends up working with the shadier side of things?

Mostly play security on off-world projects or labs that pop up when new discoveries are made and said discovery can’t be moved/hasn’t been moved to a more secure facility and such.

Security there just as much to protect the discovery/artifact/device than keep the scientists/staff/executives visiting the site safe and so on. (Occasional Adventures because business rivals and shady practices and Drama.)

It’s all good for a while, lets them stew in their Mutual Pining phase and just as they’re about to maybe, maaaaybe do something about it Trouble!!1! happens.

Both of them are at the “I need to talk to you about this...thing,” stage of things and thinking oh, no, he knows I have the FEELINGS for him and the :O!!1! of what could mean for their ~friendship and so on?

But then Ryan gets called to the Clovis Bray facility on Mars in Meridian Bay while Jeremy stays behind, which isn’t unheard of for them?

But it’s rare when the company separates them. know they’re far more effective as a team and so on, but the call comes from the top and they can’t just say no, so Ryan goes.

Has a Bad Feeling and Jeremy knows him well enough to pick up on it, but pretends he doesn’t, that everything’s fine even though there’s been more chatter on restricted frequencies - Clovis Bray and otherwise - for a few days now, something big going down that’s effecting everyone.

This growing concern/panic leaders are trying to keep under wraps while they figure out how to handle it and so on.

And, look, they’ve been in the business long enough to know to trust Bad Feelings and suchlike? But Jeremy’s all :D because Ryan’s so worked up and he’s trying to reassure him they’ll be fine, you know? Damn good at their jobs and nothing’s managed to kill them yet.

(Yet being the keyword there, Jeremy, as Ryan keeps telling him when Jeremy’s a few drinks in on a slow night and they’re just enjoying one another’s company and sharing stories and yeah.)

Anyway.

Ryan heads to Mars and Jeremy sticks behind and somewhere in between that the Collapse happens, because of course it does.

Just a big ol’ kaboom-level disaster in which they both end up super, duper dead?

But then they get better.

Kind of?

Because, look.

Ryan gets all kinds of fucked up during the kaboom-level disaster and he’s in a Clovis Bray facility and there’s the whole...Exo thing, right?

Hand-wavy shenanigans all over the place in which he’s Exo-fied just before everything goes to hell (really goes to hell) and he comes online or whatever they call it just in time to die again.

(Doesn’t remember the first one, because fleshy human body all fucked up and coding on the table and uh, wow, yes. Also Ryan and his Thing for androids in Sky Factory 4 and also just robots and the like in general, so yeah?)

Anyway.

Ryan dies (again) during the collapse in a shiny Exo body and no time at all to address that, which.

Perfect?

Perfect.

Years go by as the sands of Mars start to bury human cities and whatnot, and along comes a Ghost.

Ryan’s Ghost, to be matter of fact.

Little bastard’s been looking for its Guardian for a long, long time by the time it gets to Mars, seen a lot.

And for whatever reason when it’s poking about this half-buried Clovis Bray facility and stumbles on this shiny new (not so much) Exo decides ah, yes, this one is the one I’ve been looking for all this time.

Ryan gets resurrected on Mars, wakes up choking on dust and sand (or maybe it’s just his mind telling him that’s what’s happening, because Exo? who knows) and this goddamn floating ball of metal and light and sass in front of him.

The Clovis Bray facility is a disaster and the Cabal haven’t found it yet (yet) but they’re going to any day and anyway, anyway, not a good idea to stick around a dead place like that.

His Ghost brought him back a few years after the Collapse, Dark Ages days still, before things like Iron Lords or fancy classes like Titans or Warlocks or Hunters.

Is something of a cross between a Titan and a Warlock in temperament and abilities and understandably a little leery of his little Ghost buddy? Like what even is it/he?

But also, also?

Ryan remembers, okay.

For whatever reasons, he remembers.

Wakes up in a Clovis Bray facility - was there meeting with some higher-ups about concerns they had about some incoming trouble and reluctant to pull both of them from their assignment.

Figured Ryan could speak for them both, and then kaboom, the Collapse and his Exo-fication which he really, really should not remember? But hard to deny the proof and such, and maybe his Ghost is able to pull some information from the computers around them

(And the what the actual fuck and I did not agree to that when I signed my contract and what the fucking fuck and so on of dealing with that on top of everything else and it’s just. It’s a lot to process.)

He remembers his previous life, although there are some gaps and the whatnot - maybe that’s what happens when you die and some sassy floating orb resurrects you, Ryan doesn’t have a frame of reference for these things okay - and from what his Ghost is saying people shouldn’t do that?

Especially with the Exo-fication process and anyway, anyway, yes.

So he keeps quiet about it for the moment, all this oh shit, and fuck, Jeremy and that in the back of his mind and initial wariness of his Ghost and what that’s all about.

Finds a way to get them back to wherever he and Jeremy were assigned - grab a jumpship from the Clovis Bray facility and leave Mars and it’s dead cities behind headed towards Earth because where else would they go?

But also maybe there are others like Ryan and while they’re out here might as well check to see if there are? Bring any survivors and such back with them if they can.

All they find are cities in ruin and the dead, though.

Worse, places where the dead should be, but aren’t.

Because spooky.

But also Bad Things, not all of which are due to the other races the Darkness introduced to humanity, because you know, humanity at its worst and so on.

Still, it gives Ryan the chance to learn about his new body, and his Light-given abilities, to trust them, and weirdly enough bond with his Ghost.

Gives the poor thing a name like Reggie or some other terrible thing that has it sighing and all that at him as humans are just super weird about stuff like that?

But at the same time it’s a name, something more than just Ghost. Which. Not an insult? But still, a name.

When they get to where Ryan and Jeremy were stationed he’s not really expecting to find Jeremy after everything else they’ve seen along the way. Odds stacked against them from the start and all that, and he’s not surprised to find the facility torn open and broken down.

Finds bodies here and there, doesn’t want to look closer but he can’t not at the same time.

Recognizes a few of them, scientists and staff and some security operatives he and Jeremy worked with.

Reggie clearly knows Ryan’s lying about not remembering anything, but chooses not to call him on it at the time.

Not when there’s this...rawness to him as he explores the place he lived and worked in who knows how many years go. Finds the bodies and other remnants of a life (long past, ended violently in the Collapse along with those of everyone else there.

Listens to messages people left before, during, and after the Collapse.

Usual day-to-day things, work logs or personal journals that tick over into calls to supervisors over unusual readings and the like? And then towards the end and staticky and all that, warnings to whoever stumbles across the facility.

Breached containment and toxic chemical ruptures and all that that had to be locked down.

(The handful of people on the other side of it, either too slow or too goddamned brave, sacrificing themselves for the others even though they knew it wouldn’t matter much in the end, and doing it anyway)

Sightings of unknown creatures - beings? Roaming the area outside the facility while its security measures were still active, what remaining security operatives going to confront them and not returning, or dragging themselves back to safety just to die with some cryptic words on what they’d seen out there.

Final words of survivors doomed to die either by whatever was on the other side of the fences and security measures once they inevitably failed or some other cause. (Exposure to toxins/radiation or other fun things. Starvation, etc. No need to worry about old age or natural causes because yeah no, not in the cards for them.)

That cheerful kind of stuff, you know?

Ryan and his Ghost digging into the computers they could and watching footage, watching people he knew a lifetime ago dying.

Watching Jeremy taking charge of things, having to order people to their deaths in the days after the Collapse whether it be to containment breaches or enemies at their gates and so on.

A few logs and personal videos Jeremy left, ones that Ryan makes copies of for himself - Reggie makes copies of everything they find, but Jeremy’s are just for Ryan, you know?

All of what they find may be useful one day, important, but Jeremy’s are just for Ryan. (Reggie safeguards those like you wouldn’t believe because they’re obviously important to Ryan.)

One of Jeremy’s videos are of him in the cramped quarters he and Ryan had to share, half a wall missing and all that because of course.

More rubble than room at that point, and yet it’s where he decided to record that video message.

All quiet and sad and hopeless because no rescue is coming for them, and look, okay, look.

He knows Ryan has to be dead by that point, otherwise his Battle Buddy would have come for him and the others, Clovis Bray be damned.

And Jeremy’s not quite looking at the camera as he just.

Confesses?

Tells Ryan - this one video is for Ryan even though Jeremy’s certain he’d never see it now, but he can’t not and he’ll probably be dead before long anyway, so fuck it, right?

So Jeremy tells Ryan all about the Mutual Pining he was doing leading up to the Collapse, right? All the reasons he fell head over heels for his idiot Battle Buddy and fear of fucking things up between them not knowing if Ryan felt the same and just.

A lot of FEELS going on there?

And then he talks about the Bad Feeling of Ryan’s and the call for him to go to Mars while Jeremy stayed behind.

Tells him he knew something was off, wrong, that something big was coming and goddamn does he hate being right about that kind of thing?

And then, okay.

There’s this tired little laugh, and Jeremy looking right into the camera.

Looks tired, worn down. Like he hasn’t slept in days (hadn’t, most likely) and lost too much weight and right on the edge of breaking.

Tells Ryan with this tired little laugh and tired little smile that he loves him, and he’s sorry he wasn’t brave enough to tell him when he had the chance and all these other heartbreaking things before ending the video.

(Delicious Angst.)

Ryan can’t find any other videos or anything from Jeremy after that, but there are references to the last of the security operatives patrolling the facility and running into opposition. Mentions of them not returning, of the other survivors being on their own and -

Ryan and Reggie go looking, because of course they do.

Find bodies, human and otherwise, but there’s a goddamn hole blown into the side of the facility. Fucking crater that opens up into an underground cavern and no safe way down.

Which, fine.

Ryan jumps, and Reggie brings him back.

Again and again and again until they reach the bottom, and then it’s this endless network or caves and tunnels and they could spend a lifetime looking, but enemies - Fallen? - and too many for one lone Light-bearer and their Ghost and he hates it, hates it, but they can’t stay.

Get back to Earth and kick around there for some time, all the while Ryan working on a way to get back to the facility to find Jeremy and lay him to rest or whatever’s going on in his head.

Runs across this shady bastard who (of course) turns out to be the Drifter and they become...not friends so much as acquaintances and all that? Don’t really trust one another, but they’re not enemies either.

The Iron Lords happen, Ryan and Reggie keeping an eye on things because you never know, and then the thing with SIVA happens and everything after that.

Hop around the system (venture a little beyond it for a time before coming back) and are like.

Bemused at these Guardians they find running around?

Like.

Yeah, okay, interesting, but he and Reggie were there for the Iron Lords and surely it’s only a matter of time until the Guardians go the same way?

But...they don’t?

They even build themselves this City under the Traveler and seem to thrive. Guard (heh,) the remnants of humanity that take shelter in the Traveler’s presence and all that.

Watches them branch out, sees the formation of the Vanguard and the Consensus and all that.

And they don’t go unnoticed either, this weird Light-bearer Exo and his Ghost that have been around for a long, long time.

Are considered allies to the Vanguard and Tower and all that? But not to be trusted at the same time.

Not enemies, just.

Need to be taken with a grain of salt, and also for the love of all that’s holy, do not let them around baby Guardians because they’re kind of terrible?

But yes.

Ryan’s around for all the shenanigans in the first Destiny, but doesn’t get involved himself because he’s no Guardian, you see.

Does, however, do things like message the Vanguard when there’s unusual activity among the Fallen or whichever race is hellbent on wiping humanity out that time.

Tips off Ikora’s hidden that something’s going on in the Plaguelands when the Fallen get into SIVA and so on, checks in on Lord Saladin to see how he’s doing, that kind of thing.

And then the Cabal come to Earth and Ryan’s at the edge of the system at the time, but he definitely feels it when the Cabal manage to lock away the Traveler’s Light.

He and Reggie make their way back to Earth because what the hell is going on?

And they get there just in time for some asshole to kick Ghaul’s ass and the Traveler awakening and all that?

And it’s like, well, shit, because things are going to be in disarray for a while, aren’t they?

Usually that means the Vanguard reaching out to him and those like him to help where Guardians can’t.

Stealth and shady shit and other things the Vanguard seems to turn their noses up at because not exactly Noble, the things people like Ryan get up to, but still needed.

Anyway, off he goes, coordinating with Ikora’s Hidden and all that and he’s all over the place for a while.

Goes back to the Tower and happens to catch a glimpse of someone in armor and is like !!!

It’s the Tower, and all the Guardians wandering around in armor is far from unusual?

BUT.

This asshole is sporting some hideous shader that somehow manages to combine purple and orange with yellow trim and it’s this whiplash moment of !!! for Ryan because!

Or fucking course Jeremy and his bullshit color scheme back when they were working for Clovis Bray, you know?

Shit-eating grin at Ryan’s :O face the first time he realized what a monstrous human being Jeremy was and delighting in it every moment afterwards.

And Ryan, right. Far from an expert on all the shaders out there, but he’s pretty sure Eva would never dare create such a thing as it would be akin to a crime against humanity, and yet.

Ryan sneaks about following the Guardian - a goddamned Titan because of course it is - and maybe gets a little sloppy about it.

Because FEELS and also being a little out of his mind over the coincidence?

Anyway, anyway, he ends up getting cornered in a little alley somewhere down in The City. No one else around for blocks and an understandably peeved Guardian facing him down.

“Hey, pal,” he hears, seemingly friendly enough but there’s an edge to the words all the same. “There a reason you’ve been following me for the last few hours?”

The Guardian’s got their helmet on, because of course, but there’s -

Ryan knows that voice.

(Of fucking course he does.)

Stares and stares and stares because oh, okay, this has to be it, you know? He’s been alive for a few hundred years by this point, and sooner or later he’d lose it, because of course he would, right?

Exo-fied without consent and tossed into the life of a Light-bearer - again, without consent although he’s more okay with Reggie’s actions than the scientists at Clovis Bray who Exo-fied him - and made sense he’d go mad at some point.

Because no way in hell is that Jeremy he’s looking at. No damned way.

AND YET.

It totally is Jeremy, although he goes by Rimmy Tim now (lololol, I’m so, so sorry) and doesn’t remember his previous life at all and oh, God his poor Ghost is sporting a shell in the same hideous purple/orange shader and why did it have to be this way?

But also seriously, Ryan being blue screen of death over the whole Jeremy is a goddamned Guardian now???

Apparently resurrected following the Red War and new to the whole Guardian deal.

Ryan tries to stay away because he’s got all these issues to sort out and doesn’t want to scare Jeremy away/make him hate him/who even knows what he’s thinking at that point?

But it doesn’t stick because Jeremy’s alive.

Doesn’t know Ryan or the fact they were this close to figuring their shit out before the world ended around them and things got seriously fucked up.

Thinks Ryan’s some weird shady dude along the lines of the Drifter and all that? Which, to be fair, he is?

BUT.

Zavala and Ikora trust him, and Cayde did too.

Ryan keeps tabs on Jeremy the whole time because like hell is he not going to do that?

But he tries his best to keep his distance for Jeremy’s sake and all?

And then there’s a Situation the Vanguard need him to look into, and would he like help with this one?

And Ryan, okay.

Ryan.

Does his damndest to be good about this, not drag Jeremy into things, but Zavala’s a clever bastard.

Has noticed Ryan’s obvious - to Zavala and Ikora, and even Cayde’s amusement/understanding before he died - interest in Jeremy.

And weirdly, conveniently, Jeremy knocks on the door to Zavala’s office while Ryan’s in there talking to him about this Situation.

“Uh, am I interrupting?”

And Zavala gives Ryan this little smirk.

“Rimmy Tim is a promising young Titan,” he says. “Clever. Resourceful. I think he would prove to be a great asset in this endeavor.”

And Jeremy, okay.

Keen on helping the Vanguard with things like this Situation, and he’ll admit to being curious about weird, shady Ryan and how he fits into things, and anyway.

Ryan doesn’t have much choice in the matter about it all, and before you know it the two of them are out investigating weird shit together.

Ryan barely keeping his shit together the whole time because Jeremy is so fucking Jeremy even though he doesn’t remember anything about his previous life.

Reggie is like, super concerned and doesn’t sass Ryan more than a couple of times a day due to said concern.

Jeremy’s Ghost is like, dude, what the hell? While Reggie is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ because hahaha, Light-bearers are just weird as hell, right?

Their investigations take them back to Mars and the same Clovis Bray facility where Ryan was Exo-fied and it’s.

Jeremy doesn’t know what’s up with Ryan and Reggie, but once Ryan quietly mentions that oh, hey, yeah. This is where they turned me into this *gestures at himself with this weird hollow/bitter laugh because yes* and then he died, and also Reggie found him years later and so on?

And Jeremy’s like shit, dude, and also, oh, okay thinking that’s why they’re being super weird?

But then they find records and some video of human!Ryan way back before and Jeremy’s fucking riveted, okay.

Human!Ryan talking to one of his bosses about an assignment they’re going to send these Battle Buddies off on - Jeremy looking over at Ryan when he flinches or something along those lines and thinks, oh, man, poor guy, because apparently Ryan had a partner way back when?

Someone the Clovis Bray bigwig talks about with this amused/fond look on their face like the two of them were inseparable and all that? Force to be reckoned with and all that.

And!

Of course that’s when the bigwig’s office door opens to let the other half of the Battle Buddies in.

“What the fuck?”

Because, hey, wow, would you look at that? That’s fucking Jeremy sauntering on in with a little grin on his face and all that, tossing human!Ryan a look before giving the Clovis Bray bigwig a nod and no, seriously, what the fuck.

This whole Thing where Ryan stiffly (because dealing with all these EMOTIONS about Jeremy and terrified he’d - rightly so - want nothing to do with Ryan because of the everything) tells him that yeah, so.

They totally knew one another way back when? Worked together and so on and all this and just.

Yeah.

Jeremy’s Ghost manages to salvage more videos of the two of them - sparring in Clovis Bray gym facilities and the whatnot and training/demonstrating/whatever for security operatives?

Ryan leaves him to it while he and Reggie go poking about the rest of the place pretty much expecting Jeremy to tell them he wants nothing to do with them once they’re done with whatever the Vanguard has them doing?

But no, okay, no.

First of all, Jeremy’s super weirded out, but he’s not mad? OR he doesn’t think he is???

It’s complicated.

What he does know is that he and his Ghost like Ryan and Reggie, are starting to think of them as friends, even.

And then, okay, and then?

There’s also the fact that with a different perspective Jeremy can totally fucking see how fucking head over heels he and Ryan were for one another?

The way they look at one another, okay, that alone.

Can’t tell if they were an official? Thing and it feels cruel to ask Ryan, considering Jeremy doesn’t remember him? So he doesn’t.

Just.

Decides he’d like to get to know Ryan now, see what happens and all that?

Ryan’s like ??? because he was not expecting that? Is a little reluctant because what if it’s a mistake? He still loves the shit out of Jeremy, pre-Collapse and now, but maybe that’s not what’s best for Jeremy?

Tries to tell him that, but Jeremy’s not having it.

Like, will honestly leave Ryan alone if he genuinely wants him to considering their past and the emotional roller coaster Ryan’s been on since pretty much forever?

But if it’s all the same to Ryan Jeremy would like to keep working with him?

And they do, because Ryan thinks he’s too much a selfish bastard to tell Jeremy no, and Jeremy kind of feels the same?

They deal with the Situation together (Battle Buddies, fuck yeah) and when they report back to Zavala he’s all HMM at them, but doesn’t comment on things and it just.

Becomes this understood Thing that Ryan and Jeremy are a team now, going all over the place to deal with things Ikora’s Hidden sniff out or some “friend” of Ryan’s want them to look into.

Ryan quietly Suffering because Jeremy’s still so very Jeremy and yet a completely different person. Jeremy falling for Ryan because of course he does, and Ryan keenly aware of it at some point.

(Stopped lying to himself about things like that a long time ago, or maybe he’s too tired to lie to himself about them now, who knows.)

Looks at Jeremy one night, the two of them camped out in a shell of a building and just.

Sighs.

Takes out the batch of recordings and videos Jeremy left behind at the end and gives them to Jeremy because...he doesn’t know why, really.

Just thinks it’s important he sees them for himself before he says something he might regret. (Does something he might regret, idk.)

And then off Ryan goes to keep watch or patrol the area or whatever and conveniently not be there while Jeremy watches his past self confessing his love to Ryan like that was a mistake he never got to make in person or something?

It makes no goddamned sense, and Jeremy’s a bit of an emotional mess by the end of it because jfc, he past him was a complete idiot, and both Ryans are too?

Past Ryan just for being a dense idiot the same as past Jeremy, present Ryan because he’s been carrying those recordings along with him for ages, and the whole Guilt about not finding Jeremy’s body to lay him to rest way back when.

The Guilt about knowing who Jeremy was when he met him again and not telling him (that makes Jeremy a little angry because dude, seriously?), and yet again more Guilt for not telling him about the Mutual Pining?

And just.

He yells at Ryan a hell of a lot when he tracks him down, finds him on a rooftop staring up at the stars while Reggie watches over him.

Realizes Ryan’s looking towards the sector of space where he and Ryan were stationed when the Collapse happened, that the idiot probably made a habit of doing so after Jeremy died because Delicious Angst?

He yells, but there’s no real heat to it because Jeremy’s a wreck, and also he gets it?

Doesn’t know Ryan super well, just yet, but enough to see why he’d do/think some of the things he has.

Feels...not guilty, exactly, but something in that he doesn’t remember Ryan or the lives they had before all...this, but.

They’ve got a second chance, and maybe, maybe they could do something with it?

Not saying they have to, necessarily, but.

Uh.

They do make a good team, and all that, and -

Ryan’s just looking at Jeremy like he doesn’t know what to say (it’s true) and kind of like he thinks he may be dreaming this (he’s not) and Jeremy’s afraid he’s saying all the wrong things?

But then.

It’s like

That could be a thing they could do, become Battle Buddies 2.0 and let Zavala know he only has himself to blame for it, so of course they do, you know?

Go off and Adventure about, causing Zavala headache after headache and getting these little smiles out of Ikora and such.

And one day maybe they get their shit together and finally freaking do something about all the FEELINGS the have for one another.

Get it right this time, with the love confessions and smooches - or like, whatever it is Exos do in that regard?

But yes.

Also they run into the rest of the AH bunch at some point, a few of which are some of Ryan’s shady friends, because of course they are. >:D

(ALSO, omg, yessss? I was like aw, man, not again Bungie :((((((((((((((( even though I totally understand the reasons for the delay? Like. I want the shinies of new content and omg, EXO STRANGER :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD right now? But also omg, yes Bunige, please take the time you need. XD)

#ragehappy #jeremwood #battle buddies #battle buddies destiny au #prompt fills #demoncowedgar #¯\_(ツ)_/¯#(shit #sorry about the posting fail everyone!) also #long post

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earnestly-endlessly · 3 years ago

Note

Cherik angst!

Ooooh the angst!! The cherik fandom has an abundance of angst fics and I could probably make a list of hundred fics to recommend, but these are some of my favourite angsty cherik fics. I should warn you though, some of these require tissues.

Cherik Angst

Everyday Love in Stockholm – tahariel

Summary: Magneto is the ruler of the posthuman world.

His only secret? Charles Xavier, the human he's kept locked in his bedroom ever since his right-hand woman, Mystique, came to him pleading for mercy for her stepbrother, who accepted her mutant form and protected her as a child. The human he started fucking after Mystique was killed in battle, despite the guilt he feels at contaminating even this last promise to the woman who was integral to his life's work and happiness.

Boden’s Mate – kaydeefalls

Summary: "Shaw has information that we need, and we need him alive to extract it," Moira says, and there it is: the job is on the table. Extraction.

XMFC/Inception fusion AU. Erik is an extractor, Alex is his point man. They're assembling a team to go after the most dangerous mind in dreamsharing: Sebastian Shaw. But unless Alex and the team can keep him in check, Erik's desire for vengeance might just rip the whole job apart around them -- and then there's the shade that haunts his dreams...

Ritual Self-Torture – TurtleTotem

Summary: Shaw is King, Charles is his royal consort and Erik is a Knight/Lord. Shaw is sterile but his kingdom can't find out, so he asks Erik to impregnate Charles.

He doesn't know Erik and Charles are in love.

The Winter of Banked Fires – Yahtzee

Summary: Charles Xavier has returned from the dead -- but is lost within his own mind. Rogue has cast aside her own power and doesn't know where she fits in the world any longer. The production of synthetic Cure means mutantkind itself is newly at risk. And Magneto, turned human against his will, is in despair until the day he feels a familiar consciousness tugging at his own

Us – Pangea

Summary: “Charles,” Erik says, and if his voice hits a pleading note then who can really blame him, “Charles, it’s me.”

It takes several longer moments before Charles musters up the strength to answer, breath stuttering horribly as he tries to breathe. He’s shaking, entire body trembling.

“Erik,” Charles says, his voice cracking, “Erik, I want to die.”

Enigma – Yahtzee

Summary: Erik dies, or finds a reversey-time mutant, or a magical time travelling device, and wakes up in the past. This time, though, it's before he ever met Charles - in fact, it's before his mother died.

He can save his mother that one time (thanks to his mastery over powers carrying back), but what does Erik do after that? Does he stick around, or escape and run to find Charles again (and hope everything doesn't go wrong)?

By Faint Indirections – kianspo

Summary: Erik is in his ~50s, and lonely and bitter. He survived the Holocaust and was only ~14 when the war ended; and even ~40 years later, living in a country that helped to end WW2 and the Third Reich, homosexuality is still a taboo topic. Then one day, he stumbles over Charles, who is young(early 20s) and bright and smart and cheeky and full of energy and beautiful. And moving in the same street where Erik lives.

Lonesome on the Shelf – ikeracity

Summary: After three years of marriage, Charles has to admit that his relationship with Erik has significantly cooled off. These days, they're barely ever home at the same time and it seems like every conversation they have turns into an argument. Charles misses the way they used to be, misses the spontaneous dinner parties and the surprise morning sex and the wake up calls in the early mornings to catch the sunrise. But it's going to take two of them to fix this marriage, and some days, it seems as if all Erik wants is to be rid of him.

A fic about rekindling marriage.

When the Spell Breaks – kianspo

Summary: Erik, a high-profile lawyer with a successful career, meets a 21-year-old grad student in a bar, and within a few short months marries him. He and Charles are blissfully happy, until Erik's boss runs a background check on Charles and discovers he's been cheating on Erik. Charles denies everything, as there was no affair, but Erik doesn't believe him and throws him out. As Charles tries to figure out how to survive and stay at school that he can no longer afford and makes a lot of bad if not plain dangerous choices, Erik has to fight his own battle of discovering the truth and winning Charles back.

The Tower and the Hurricane – dreamlittleyo

Summary:(Post-movie AU.) Five years after Shaw's death, Erik's predictions prove painfully accurate. Violence rages on both sides of the human/mutant conflict. In a world ravaged by war, it doesn't really matter who's more at fault. Charles struggles to teach his students a better way, but what choices will he make when peace really isn't an option?

The Attempt – Yahtzee

Summary: Charles knows everything about Erik, knows how obsessive and self-destructive he is, how Erik would do anything, give anything, in his quest for vengeance against Shaw. But he also knows that Erik loves him in ways that aren't exactly platonic.

I'd like to see a completely straight!Charles, out of pure love and care of Erik, initiate a romantic relationship with him. It can be because he wishes to give Erik something positive in his life or because he thinks it might help change Erik's mind about Shaw, the reason is up to author. Also, while Charles finds intimacy with Erik strange and awkward, he does enjoy the new, non-romantic layers that have developed in their relationship.

Apple Seeds – pprfaith

Summary: Charles, Erik, apple seeds and Shakespearean love affairs.

Ashes, Ashes – winterhill

Summary: Post-apocalyptic AU — When the bombs fall, and mutually assured destruction occurs, it turns out that Shaw was right and radiation does enhance mutant powers. Snapshots of the XMFC main ensemble in the time after the bombs: Erik decides to stay, Moira thinks she might be the only human left, Raven is having trouble sleeping, and Charles is losing his mind.

Warnings: nuclear holocaust: death (death in general, not a specific character), cancer, burns, medical procedure, mutant powers gone awry

Five Bullet Points – Sperare

Summary: It was supposed to be Erik locked away in a prison one hundred stories below the ground.

Charles was never supposed to be there with him.

Tequila on a spaceship – faerie_ground

Summary: In 2014, Charles Xavier gets brutally murdered and Erik Lehnsherr spends the rest of his life mourning his death.

In 3014, Captain Lehnsherr and CMO Dr Xavier are colleagues, best friends and maybe a little more besides that aboard the Magneto I.

The Tower and the Hurricane – dreamlittleyo

Summary: Post-movie AU.) Five years after Shaw's death, Erik's predictions prove painfully accurate. Violence rages on both sides of the human/mutant conflict. In a world ravaged by war, it doesn't really matter who's more at fault. Charles struggles to teach his students a better way, but what choices will he make when peace really isn't an option?

Simple and Uncomplicated – Pookaseraph

Summary: Erik and Charles had been fuck buddies for some, but when Charles is in an accident he figured their relationship would be over. Erik's visit to his bedside in the hospital changes his assumptions even as he has trouble believing Erik is sincere.

Lazarus – Clocks

Summary: Erik is 19 when he says ‘I love you’ for the first time.

It would take five long years before Charles says it back.

Broken Eternity – CractasticDispatches

Sumnmary: It starts with being alone. It shouldn’t, perhaps, but it does because, of course, alone is what no one ever wishes to be.

Shout it Out Loud – dreamlittleyo

Summary: (Movie-Concurrent AU.) When Charles forges a telepathic link between himself and Erik, the two men find themselves bound together by more than just destiny. With the world on the brink of war, Charles and Erik struggle to cope with a psychic connection that may well be permanent.

Call Me By His Name – sinuous_curve

Summary: Charles wakes from the absence of noise.

There is an empty space in his room, beside his bed. Not quiet as in an abandoned room, but utterly, featurelessly blank. Like a box made of unblemished, impenetrable metal and Charles knows before he opens his eyes.

The Longest Word – septicwheelbarrow

Summary: "I'm Charles Xavier," he says, smiling from ear to ear. Then he gestures to his wheelchair. "Terminal spinal osteoblastoma, reaper due to collect in a year."

After some time, the man gestures at himself with a sardonic smile. "Same, one year. Lung." And then, reluctant, as if trying to keep his name to himself, "Erik."

I reject your reality and substitute my own. Doesn't really work that way, both ways.

Copy – chantefable

Summary: Charles wakes up without his memory. His sole caretaker, Erik, claims to be his husband, and tells him he's recovering from a car accident on their honeymoon.

Slowly falling for Erik again, Charles begins to regain his memories. He starts to notice strange things about his body, Erik, and their secluded mansion.

Myosotis – SomeCoolName

Summary: When Charles got back from Cuba, he lost the two things which made him stand: his legs and the love of his life, Erik Lehnsherr. Charles can get used to the wheelchair but he won't ever be able to get pass the loss of Erik.

"I wish I never met him" is something Charles says one night, maybe a bit drunk, absolutely wrecked for sure. It's a bit silly but Charles figures out his only solution is to use his own powers to erase Erik from his mind, progressively.

Except one day Erik comes back to the Xavier mansion to win him back. And even if Charles doesn't want to stop forgetting about him, Erik will do anything he can to convince him otherwise.

Das Haus am See – sareyen

Summary: The Lake House AU:

Erik is an estate planning lawyer who takes some time off to get away from the big city after his marriage fell apart. He lives in a picturesque lake house by Chautauqua Lake for almost two years, before moving back to New York City. This is in 2019.

Charles is a famous but very private author stuck in a creative rut, and moves to his lakeside estate for a short while to try and find a reason to write again. This is in 2017.

By magic or fate, Charles and Erik discover that the letter box at the lake house has the ability to send letters through time, between Charles in 2017 and Erik in 2019. Through letters that transcend the barriers of time, Charles and Erik fall in love. Charles vows to find Erik two years in his future, and Erik promises to wait for him. Two years - just two, meagre years.

But, fate is fickle, and time waits for no one.

Appropriate Boundaries – Yahtzee

Summary: Charles has been having serious problems with back cramps in the year and a half since he's been in a wheelchair. His doctor prescribes massage therapy. But when Charles meets his masseur, Erik, in some ways they begin to heal each other. So how do you cross the boundaries between professional touch -- and the personal?

Unbound – Cesare, helens78

Summary: Thousands of miles apart, Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier form a soulbond. But when that bond is severed five years later, they have to spend the next ten years trying to rebuild their lives alone.

Do You Love Me – cgf_kat

Summary: Charles and Erik have been married for 25 years, thrown together by a mandatory post-apocalyptic pairing system attempting to increase and strengthen the population. They have seven children. They have never spoken of love, but change is on the horizon.

A Quiet Riot – cloudstroke (aQuired)

Summary: Erik can't stand the fact that his father has brought home a boy less than half his age.

But mostly because he's madly in love with Charles Xavier himself.

#cherik #cherik fic recs #fic recs #angst #asks #earnestly answers

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patchodraws · 3 years ago

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oh we’re talking schneekos headcanons? let’s talk about how they definitely bonded over the stress of being the golden child,,,,,, pyrrha, who lived her entire teenage life being the best, wanting to be the best, being EXPECTED to be the best,,,,,,,, weiss, who had the weight of the schnee family thrust upon her shoulders after winter left and wanting, hoping, wishing for the ability to just be okay with all the pressure

but neither of them can handle the pressure, because what 17 year old COULD? so they spend nights on the roof of beacon just,,,,,, talking, being girls, being friends, being more, being,,,,, whatever the other needs in that moment

then pyrrha is gone and weiss finds out and she can’t handle it,,,,,,,,,, because what does it matter how lofty her dreams are when pyrrha’s were infinitely more fantastical and the world swallowed her up anyways?

and so when weiss finally stands up to her father in v7, there’s a moment where she thinks she can feel a hand on her shoulder, see a flash of red hair, hear a voice saying “i knew you could do it”

buddy. fam. pal. friend. how the heck do you expect me to answer this without my response just being fucking tears ???

no but here's the thing is that you're so fucking correct,,, they're both stuck being the golden children - pyrrha, the invincible girl, and weiss is a schnee - and i think what they'd find the most wonderful in each other is a chance to be imperfect with each other. pyrrha can snort when she laughs, or weiss can stumble over her words a bit. they can make dumb jokes completely unbecoming of them, and they can, more than anything, be vulnerable and imperfect and let down their images of perfection for just a bit,,,, god, i mean like weiss definitely fawns over pyrrha at first (and loudly, too, like she doesn't let her admiration of pyrrha be at all subtle, unlike pyrrha who watches weiss with a dizzied gaze and a gentle blush and thinks about how amazing she findsd her) but the crux of their relationship isn't how perfect they are, but how imperfect they get to be with each other, how they understand the toll of perfection and can allow that reprieve for the other.

i honestly love thinking about au's where pyrrha survived the fall of beacon,,, my gf and i were working on an au where that happened but she lost her leg in the battle with cinder and moved back home to argus, where she kinda wallowed for a bit because she'd been completely knocked off of that pedestal set so high, she'd failed in her destiny even though her destiny was never her own, but one decided by the world for her and when the group arrived in argus they helped her get back on her feet, told her that she could make her own destiny, that failure meant she could try again, that she didn't have to be invincible anymore - just pyrrha, and god the schneekos of that au fucking kills me so much i always think about it and always love it and always see the tender makeout sesh they have the night before they leave for atlas

n e ways lksjflkj sorry for going off about the pyrrha lives timeline because you made me fucking sob with the idea that weiss lost sight of her own dreams because the world took pyrrha, the brightest, strongest thing remnant had to offer, and that despite that weiss found her strength and courage again, found her own destiny again, and that pyrrha was proud of her,,,, sorry i'm going to curl up and sob now thank you,,,,, "i knew you could do it" plsSS

#schneekos #fam you literally have the brain of a wizard #all-seeing beyond the veil of human perception #i love how you see schneekos #thank you for getting me to ramble about them alskjf

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antimony-medusa · 2 years ago

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“further astray from the light” for the ask game :D

Eternal duo, in a modern au overlaid with memories of magic friendship that may or may not take place in the same world, and Foolish is trying to rekindle a friendship and Eret is mostly like "stop telling me I have a history I have enough trouble with responsibility and destiny" and then eventually Foolish is like "dude you don't have to do that alone you know" and they like, go for coffee. So in the past they are battle buddies and laughingly bloodthirsty and forest and dirt and water, and in the present it's mostly painful and glass and metal and paper.

[Send me a made-up fic title and I'll tell you what I'd write for it]

#ask game #your favorite sunset

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twilighthiro · 4 years ago

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So I thought up this AU before I knew Dimensional Links or Linked Universe existed and it’s been sitting in my writing app for.... years.

Now I’ve actually started writing it out.

if you want to create stuff for this, I encourage you with every bone in my body. all I ask is don’t ship the Links together.

Long post under the cut.

Links:

Hero of Time AKA Era: stoic and childish. physically seventeen, but still acts like he's ten. tries to be as mature as his physical age seems, but still jumps at new things. nothing fazes him. minor gremlin. the Smart Cookie in terms of The Universe and it’s shenanigans. if destiny was a person he would drown them and then burn the corpse and then erase them from history. mature innocence because he’ll make this ‘adulthood‘ the fun he would’ve had if he’d been a Kokiri. you get a flower crown, and you get a flower crown, and you get a flower crown, and you get a flower crown! EVERYONE GETS A FLOWER CROWN!

Hero of Twilight AKA Raven (subject to change): saw Pint, Sword and Era and adopted them. spends time sewing twili designs onto his cloak. can heighten his senses for a headache. eighteen. the walking roof. passive guardian. looks over at your shenanigans, does quantum math to decide whether or not you deserve being stopped, and then goes back to his book. the local low-commentary cryptid.

Hero of Minish AKA Pint: he's eleven. will fight the gods. sleeps hugging his hat, which has his sword in it. owns a music box containing the MC game over theme. loves finding the minish in the other Hyrules. tiny. carries a star pot. what do you mean he stabbed your ears after you talked bad about Era? Look at this innocent face!

Hero of Four AKA Sword: plays with his necklace and talks to his shadow. sometimes has headaches from thinking too many different responses for any question. fifteen. had two adventures thousands of years apart because the Four Sword didn’t want anyone else to wield her.

Hero of Legend AKA Legacy: he's sixteen. nigh-silent except with loved ones. seagulls are fav birb. plays with his rings and swaps them out often. mutters in different languages and mixes them up sometimes when he speaks. knows too many cultures and mixes them up on occasion.

Teacup: a tiny Hero of Legend sitting in Legacy's shirt pocket. can't sleep, and is the group's alarm clock. small like a minish, but is far more likely to stab you instead of help. angry traumatized ten-year-old with power. a physical manifestation of how broken time and space is.

Hero of Worlds AKA Brush: painty boi. hugs Legacy during the night. understands knowing a mirror of your face and not wanting to kill them. misses the Triforce Heroes hivemind. seamstress.

Hero of Hyrule AKA Warden (may change later): magic boi. snuggles with Brush during sleep. sixteen. bold introvert. uses sign language. Relic's magical medic buddy. short due to undernourishment. hypersensitive. lives in a luxurious cave. currently hunting the forces hunting him.

Hero of Wind AKA Gale: bright and talkative. fifteen. weather magic master. mercilessly uses his short statue to get what he wants. more of a sailor than a pirate but much more of a pirate than the others ever will be. planning on founding New Hyrule with Tetra. the short-term planner. may or may not chuck a tornado at you. abuses childish actions to get at information and sugar.

Hero of War AKA Conflict: spends his time trying out new soaps trying to get bloodstains out of his scarf. emotionally attached to Relic and Royal. Royal's battle buddy. strategist. sleep-deprived Common Sense of the Reunited Timeline Trio. the long-term planner. apathetic at times due to constant nightmares wearing away at his judgement. I don’t trust you. but I want to.

Hero of Steel AKA Spirit: trainman. doesn't know what a horse it. sees spirits. sixteen. has a master's degree in train. can summon the spirit train. has low stamina. who’s Hylia? who’re the Golden Goddesses? what’s the Triforce? I only know the spirits of good and I like trains. the only reason he doesn’t ride the spirit train everywhere is because the others won’t fit and he needs to up his stamina anyway.

Hero of Armies AKA Royal: uses sign, but can speak. registered Relic's existence and turned himself into his guardian. legitimately no sense of self-preservation. Conflict's battle buddy. eats rocks. very in tune with emotions and group moral and will keep it high. loves using spears because fast. speaks easily, but remains silent because the princess during the war needed something to stay the same.

Hero of Wilds AKA Relic: speaks often with the Ancient Hero resting in his arm. one of the more talkative Links. cooks. breaks weapons. surprises the others with how he overcomes obstacles without special items. him and Royal are glued at the hip. Royal's sense of self-preservation. aggressive when attacking physically, uses magic for support. emotionally disconnected from his memories and anything from the 100 Years Ago. (it took the Final Memory for him to realize that SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE CASTLE OF DEATH WAITING FOR SOMEONE DEAD and he went in the dead knight’s stead)

Chosen Hero AKA Cloud (may change later): can only relax if he's high off the surface. speaks to inanimate objects. plays harp. very tired all the time because he's always bearing the weight of Demise's curse and sometimes uses anger. the decision and peace maker. will use monsters for stress relief and loves smashing with the Koloktos Sword. may or may not have his hat on.

Ancient Hero: the hero of 10,000 years ago. slowly learning modern Hylian and teaching Relic magic. shy. prefers the night and crowded spaces. speaks often of Zonai culture and what the Zonai ruins were. has an appearace, but true appearance is lost. both tech-knowledgeable and tribal. not a leader type, but does have finely cultivated leader skills that he will use.

Fierce Deity: Termina's Triforce of Power bearer and God of War. lived among mortals for most of his life, and protected them against Majora, trickster Goddess of The Moon. slowly adjusting to life outside his prison. dark but not evil. guards his precious ones fiercely. socially introverted. often offers Era his power during battle, who rarely takes it.

Original Hero: the original Link. currently a spirit living in Cloud’s shield. tends to remain silent. no, he doesn’t know why he’s living in a shield. yes, he will kill anyone who touches his kin. slowly releasing his hatred of hylians. claustrophobic, which really clashes with how comfortable he is in the shield. knows too much about Lanayru (the dragon) because he was in change of protecting the Hylian Shield.

Outfits:

Cloud: canon outfit, golden circlet, purple royal crest sailcloth, hat occasionally disappears.

Legacy: canon outfit, (oracle games variation) canon hairstyle, (salt-and-pepper pink-and-blond) extra long bangs, seagull companion.

Lux: canon outfit, twilight-pattern cloak, (think Post-Timeskip Dimitri cape but clean and dark blue and fit for Lux) Shadow Crystal necklace, sword fitted at hip.

Conflict: canon outfit, bloodstained, white tip of hat, both shoulders have armor.

Pint: canon outfit, tip of hat is yellow and button eyes.

Era: adult Link canon outfit, Hero's Shade boots and gauntlets, FD mask is perched/glued onto hat.

Brush: canon outfit, (a link between worlds variation) hair is stained with splotches of green, red and blue, extra long sideburns.

Sword: green outfit, necklace bearing five wooden Four Swords, hat has red, green, blue, purple and black spiral streaks.

Gale: canon outfit, no hat, blue jacket/vest, Outset Island crest on jacket back, Wind Waker appears in random places.

Spirit: canon outfit, engineer's gloves and hat, everything has coal dust on it.

Royal: royal guard hat, champion's tunic, hylian trousers.

Relic: set of the wild, hylian trousers, Magic Hand, sheikah slate.

Wanderer: canon outfit, brown sleeves that cover hands, brown pants.

Interactions:

Relic is no longer used to open skies and fields; if he mentally crashes Royal will put his shield on his head. or Raven’s cloak.

Pint, Sword and Era all sleep with Raven and use his cloak as an umbrella/blanket/pillow.

Royal usually stays behind Relic, but often pulls him off the beaten trail because he saw something shiny or heard something.

Pint, Gale, Sword, and Brush stick together during battle, as Links of similar size. it doesn’t help that they formed similar battle styles due to fighting beings almost always bigger than them.

Relic, Conflict and Royal are a triad in battle, with Relic being support and Conflict/Royal being frontline.

Raven and Cloud teach the other Links the Fatal Blow.

Cloud sings/plays the Ballad of The Goddess to help with nightmares. at this point Conflict can almost do it better than him because he’s heard it so many times.

Conflict covers other Links with his scarf when blood splatters, which does NOT help his cleanliness.

Royal eats rocks. The younger Links find this hilarious (Era included) while the older Links chase him around trying to stop him from spoiling his appetite.

Older Links like watching Raven sew when they need to settle down, younger Links like watching Cloud doing woodwork when they need to settle down. the two things often happen simultaneously.

If it's that Link's Hyrule, you listen to what he has to say, regardless of his age or maturity. the others will make sure of it.

Gale and Relic go boating together, with Gale teaching Relic How To Boat without Korok leaves.

Conflict is an older brother to Gale and Era, and knows small things about many Hyrules.

When they're bored, they play either Get To Know You or Timeline Placement. They're slowly realizing that the timeline split and was put back together. Conflict realizes this first because he asked Lana.

Fierce Deity and Ancient Hero like talking to each other as old peeps stuck in one place, with Original Hero piping in sometimes. Links sometimes fall asleep to the sound of the Old Men Club talking.

Raven and Legacy bond over birds, with oftentimes the pair listening to Cloud rant about his loftwing.

Downfall Trio and Relic bond over post-apocalyptic Hyrule.

Gale and Cloud bond over not having a Hyrule and (eventually) Inventing Kingdoms.

Cloud and Relic bond over minecarts and cannons, with Pint popping in with minecarts.

If Relic and Rune are separated from the group, they cause chaos, which Conflict can sense and follow to their location.

Raven’s reputation as the walking roof is well earned by the fact that his cloak is everything proof. literally.

Conflict often takes night watch, since he knows he wouldn’t be sleeping anyway. he sleepwalks during the day, and uses himself as a doorstop when Relic and Royal cause chaos. (he falls asleep on top of them, they can’t complain)

sometimes Pint will bring out his music box and turn it on. it spooked the others the first time around because it was at night, but Era has made lyrics for it for when anyone can’t sleep even with the help of the music box.

giant fluffy canine pillow wrapping sad Link in giant fluffy warm thing = dreamless sleep. it works every time.

Legacy doesn’t dream much, but when he does it’s of Kohoint and he does his best to win the crane game. the items he wins appears in his bag, and he does his best to keep the island alive in his mind.

when one person (especially the quieter, more insecure ones) sings, the others join in, therefore creating a concert by accident.

Ancient, Cloud, Relic and Royal can hear Hylia from the Goddess Statues. for Cloud, he basically talking to an older version of his eventual wife.

Raven has a housemate; Illia. she’s staying in his place while she builds her own house. Raven needed to GET OUT of the village for a day or two. unfortunately, this ended up with him finding the first missing piece of his Hyrule.

Conflict has a magic storybook. it’s basically all of the adventures the others have gone on (besides Koholint) with his favorite is the Hero of Twilight’s tale. he’s having fun finding out what’s inaccurately recorded.

Hero of All is both Original’s title and the collective Hero Title.

Relic, Royal and Conflict share the Heroes of All storybook. the thing’s immortal.

Pint 🤝 Sword:

not being quite mature but naturally very calm and sensible unless you make them angry.

Era likes the Minish magic because then when he mentally switches to Child he can, indeed, be small for a day or so. and cleaning the spots in Lux’s cloak that Lux misses is being productive.

Want lyrics or need help extending a song? just ask Era!

all of them hear the Universe Music, and Gale loves finding the secrets in songs. (Temple of Time, Rito Village, In A House, Ballad of The Goddess, etc)

during walking they hum along to the Overworld Music. the only problem is when they’re in Relic’s Hyrule and they just listen to Legacy improvise.

Royal’s Hyrule does not have this problem, but still is much quieter than other Hyrules. Relic likes it.

There really isn’t a solid Leader, but Cloud can and will make the decisions, Conflict has taken over mentoring and battle plans, and Lux will keep the group in one place for an extended period of time. Everyone contributes, like Wanderer with his magic-sense, Gale with short-term plans, Relic with the sheikah slate forecast, Legacy with his experience, and so on. The co-leaders have their own assistants that can take over should the leaders be out of commission. Lux has Era, Conflict has Royal, and Cloud has Brush.

Cloud, Era, Royal and Relic have competitions about their giant swords and their skill at wielding them.

Lux’s pitch dark basement is strange with that weird mirror, but everyone feels safe plonking their stuff in there and Wanderer’s hypersensitivity tones down a lot in there.

As Gale is technically a weather mage, his at-will tornadoes make up for his size when he needs to protect his older brothers.

Cloud has simultaneously the calmest personality and the shortest temper.

Relic 🤝 Brush 🤝 Royal

understanding shopkeeper greed and haggling for the proper prices.

Royal has slightly better hearing than Relic, but Relic can recognize sounds that are out of the ordinary faster.

Legacy is the goldmine for nicknames.

Everyone is chaotic good with big servings of lawful good for the Links who can behave themselves (Conflict, Lux, Royal, Relic, Sword and the spirits) and neutral good for everyone else. Cloud is often too tired to cause chaos but will encourage it if there’s no decisions to be made.

The only one who won’t sass you if they’re annoyed enough is Lux, and only because he’ll use malicious compliance instead. Gale will chuck a tornado at you. If you SOMEHOW get Cloud annoyed at you (which is kinda impossible since barbs tend to just roll off him) then good luck staying alive.

Secrets and details of adventures are given as shows of trust, and eventually everyone has one (or more) other Heroes who know their secrets. It does wonders for those who can’t really hold in their trauma without stress.

Raven 🤝 Warden

the world being too noisy sometimes.

#loz au #reincarnations unite #notes #lots of links #work in progress #things will change #writings

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bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher · 4 years ago

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The Start of Something New

every year on New Year’s Eve I watch the Disney Channel Original Musical “High School Musical”, which also begins on New Year’s Eve. In honor of that tradition...

here is a HSM Geraskier au with a slightly different ending than the original film (artistic license baybee)

---

Jaskier is curled into a comfortable ball on the couch, far away from everyone else at the New Year’s Eve party his mother has forced him to attend, his nose buried in his favorite author’s most recent book. It’s the latest installment in a long series and he’s incredibly eager to find out what happens next, so when a bright light floods over the top of the paperback and nearly blinds him entirely, he blinks up at the rest of the room in owlish confusion.

A guy not much older than himself is standing over him wearing a viking helmet and brandishing a microphone. “C’mon buddy, you’ve been chosen by Destiny!”

“Huh?” Jaskier manages to squeak as he’s pulled from his comfortable seat. The book is taken from his hands - he’s going to lose his spot! - and replaced with the microphone as he’s shuffled onto a small raised platform alongside another, equally confused looking guy.

The stranger, a taller boy with long white hair, is protesting that “he can’t sing” and “guys, really, this isn’t my gig…”

It doesn’t matter to the forceful emcees that either teen is feeling uncomfortable, it’s too late for Jaskier and his mystery partner. They’re on the platform, they’re holding mics… the music begins to play. Jaskier is paralyzed with fear. Sure, he likes to sing and he can do it in the shower or for his mother, but here? In front of all these people? His fingers find the cuffs of his baby-blue sweater and tug them anxiously down to cover his sweating palms. He crosses his arms and shoves his hands against his sides, hunching his shoulders forward as his teeth worry into the skin of his bottom lip.

The white-haired guy, whose black blazer is half a size too small for his broad shoulders, takes mercy on him by singing the first verse:

“Livin' in my own world,

Didn't understand,

That anything can happen

When you take a chance…”

As soon as he finishes singing, the stranger shakes his head and turns away; Jaskier takes a deep breath and steps slowly towards his mic:

“I never believed in

What I couldn't see.

I never opened my heart…

The other boy turns back and adds an unprompted vocalization: “Ohhhh.”

“….To all the possibilities, ooh.”

The chorus is a combination of solitary lines and chorus parts and they maneuver through it beautifully, their voices twining more sweetly than any of the previous performers’ had. Jaskier grows more confident with every passing word and halfway through the second verse his partner starts smiling at him so brightly it nearly hurts. Jaskier tries to keep the butterflies in his stomach from launching him into space but it’s a losing battle: “I know that something has changed!”

“Never felt this way!”

“And right here, tonight…”

“This could be the start of something new!

It feels so right

To be here with you, oh…”

“And now, lookin' in your eyes,

I feel in my heart…”

“The start of something new…”

Jaskier nearly tipped backwards off the platform but his partner’s arm shot out in the nick of time, wrapping around his waist and pulling him back to safety. His hand had managed to land on the stranger’s firm chest and he pulled it away quickly, a dark blush painting his cheeks pink. His partner shrugs out of his blazer and chucks it into the audience, leaving him in a blue button-down with a line of floral embroidery down either side. He’ terrifically handsome and Jaskier knows that his face is only growing redder under the attractive boy’s focused gaze.

They finish the song in a whirl of notes and smiles and then he’s being escorted down and his book is back in his hands, as if by magic. The stranger is still there, white pony-tail in mild disarray. He’s got one hand on the back of his neck as if he’s nervous and his eyes can’t seem to meet Jaskier’s.

The shorter boy bites his lip again and gestures towards the balcony. “I could use some fresh air. How about you?”

“Yeah, sounds good. I’m Geralt, by the way,” his partner yells over the sounds of the party.

“Jaskier!”

“Nice to meet you!” the yell becomes incredibly loud as they step onto the back deck of the Teen Zone and Jaskier giggles. Geralt’s heart does a little flip in his chest but he plays it cool. “Would you want to, I don’t know, exchange numbers?”

Jaskier pulls a chunky flip phone from his pocket and hands it to Geralt. “Yeah, that would be great.”

Geralt hands him a shiny blue Motorola Razor and Jaskier smiles teasingly, “Fancy phone.”

Geralt blushes this time. “Yeah, my Mom wanted me to have something ‘up to date’ or whatever. The only thing it’s really good for-” he flips it up and aims it at Jaskier, who smiles instinctively. He hears the little shutter sound-effect and shakes his head “-is taking decent pictures.”

“Are you going to be here tomorrow?” Jaskier asks, rubbing his hands together.

Geralt takes them in his own and blows a stream of warm air against them; Jaskier shivers for reasons other than the cold. “Unfortunately we’re leaving first thing in the morning. I’ll text you, though.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting.”

Jaskier pulls his hands back and winds them nervously around his book. He can hear people counting down to midnight in the background. Geralt is standing in front of him, looking glorious beneath the lights of the ski-lodge and the moon. He sighs and turns to look at the powdery hills. Geralt’s fingers tilt his chin back. He raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Jaskier breathes, answering the silent question. Geralt smiles, leans down, and wraps his arms around Jaskier’s waist. He presses their lips together as the other teens around them yell “Zero!” and begin to smooch or cheer.

All Jaskier can think about is the way Geralt’s lips feel against his, warm and dry and a little chapped. The taller boy’s large hands wrap nearly all the way around his hips and he knows he’s blushing up a storm. As usual.

When they pull away, both boys smile shyly.

They spend the rest of the party chatting with each other, learning about each other’s interests until their parents collect them for bed.

“See you soon, I hope,” Geralt says in lieu of goodbye. He kisses the back of Jaskier’s knuckles like a knight errant and not a teenage athlete.

“See you ‘round, Geralt.”

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theoriginalladya · 3 years ago

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Writing Round Up - 2021

So, let's take a look at what happened in 2021 as a whole with the writing.

I did manage to write every single month - not unusual for me. In fact, it would be more unusual to NOT write at all in a month, so right on track with that.

So, let's see what's going on here: (under cut because it got long! lol what're the odds, right? ;) )

New Projects/Postings - completed

Young & Proud - Caleb Shepard (sniper school)

Slán leat (Goodbye) - Caleb Shepard

May The Road Rise To Meet You - Caleb Shepard (Akuze)

No Rest for the Wicked - MEBB 2021; Caleb Shepard, ME/WWII

A Constant Wish - Caleb Shepard

Gaia's Chosen - Caleb Shepard - Werewolf: The Apocalypse crossover

Express Orders - Kristofer Shepard

Hello There, Handsome - Kristofer Shepard

Home - Kristofer Shepard

Firestorm - Kristofer Shepard

Next Stop... - Alenkoats

Breathless - Alenkoats

MER Week 2021 - Alenkoats

As Cold As Ice - Alenkoats

A War That Needs Winning - Abboats

Shut Up and Dance - Abboats

Greatest Reward - modern day mshenko

Dinosaur Brain - Rhys Shepard

The Barn - Rhys Shepard

New Projects/Postings - ongoing

Found Family: A Collection of Drabbles - Caleb Shepard

Keep to the West - Caleb Shepard - ME/WWII

Gaia's Blessings - drabbles for Werewolf Caleb Shepard

Cadenza - Lachlan Shepard

Nerf Gun Wars - mshenko shenanigans

A Lone Light From Shore - modern day mshenko - drabbles

A Beacon of Hope - modern day mshenko

If London Falls... - Abboats

Late Night At the Vortex - drabbles for Rydenko

Dribbles & Drabs - Caleb, Michael, Kristofer Shepard and Abboats drabbles

Ostinato - Lachlan Shepard drabbles

Heiwa ni - Takao Shepard

Never Close Our Eyes - Rhys Shepard - drabbles

Destiny's Fate - ShepShep

The Dye Is Cast - Dragon Age drabbles

These are all the major ones - I'm sure I've forgotten a few of the continuing ones that house certain drabbles, but this'll do.

As I look at this list, I'm remembering some of the ones from earlier in the year I'd forgotten about. It's a good way to remind myself I did more than I thought.

My total word count for the year was: 543,233. Over half a million words. (for comparison, the last time I did a full year's worth of writing (2017) I wrote 668,228 for the year. But the next year, I fizzled out by the time I had 150,000 words (around April) and stopped tracking it. It wasn't until April/May 2020 when Caleb Shepard was born that I got back into writing and I didn't start tracking how much I was writing again until 2021)

My Daily Average word count was 1488. Almost on par with Nano for the year.

Highest Month/Wordcount: April - 70,866

Lowest Month/Wordcount: December - 23,849

So, assuming I can keep on track writing wise, what are my goals for 2022?

make substantial progress on Destiny's Fate. I am almost to the halfway point on that story, but even if I posted once a week from here out, it still won't get done until 2023, but I'm okay with that.

God, Caleb Shepard has been in my brain since mid-2021 and unrelenting! LOL I have a number of AU projects (Werewolves, Celtic, WWII, etc.) going for him that I would like to make progress on or complete, plus a couple of new ones.

I also want to make progress on some of Caleb's mainstream stuff. If I go in order of his timeline, I have an interlude piece for between Akuze and when he's N7 I want to get done, plus a story for once he IS N7 where he and his battle buddy, Rosa Morales-Minton team up (and an unsuspecting Kaidan walks into things...), plus I want to get his post-war fics started and (hopefully!) posted. I have a LOT of writing planned for him, and that's outside of prompts and drabbles!

I'm going to see if I can't get caught up on all my Christmas/Holiday prompts I wanted to do in December and get them posted in July for a "Christmas in July Celebration". That includes another AU story for Caleb and a ton of prompts. Some of my other boys are included too.

I would like to start would like to start exploring Rhys Shepard's experiences at BAaT with Kaidan in more depth and maybe get their story moving forward.

Lachlan... sigh My Scottish/Colonist boy has been so patient with me. He's tossed a TON of ideas at me this past year which I've gotten down, but Caleb's refused to let go of my brain to focus on them. Hopefully this year, it'll happen!

Nerf Gun Wars - I need to add a few more chapters to the ongoing shenanigans there...

As of December 30, 2021, I have a new project idea for 2022 (assuming I can get it going). It may or may not be a contender for MEBB when that rolls around (depending on how developed it is). It has the potential to be REALLY FUN but it may turn into one of those HUGE projects that takes far too long to plot out and plan. Still, it's already underway, so there's always a chance actual writing will begin...

I'm sure I'll adjust my goals and set new ones as the year goes on. I may or may not track my numbers again this year. While I'd like to - there's a certain sense of achievement when I hold myself accountable like this - I also know that with the way things are at the moment, my stress levels may make writing difficult and the lack of numbers can be discouraging (no matter how I tell myself it's okay to not focus on them). Eh, we'll see how it goes.

#2021 Writing Round Up #Ladya Writes #year in review #story links if anyone's interested #I'm rather proud of how much I accomplished this past year all things considered #here's to a productive 2022 #and more stories told!

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contentwerewolf · 4 years ago

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[The fall] [Fun doodles] [Keyblades]

Fun fact: This was the only thing planned to do w/ this AU haha; how do I not know myself by now ;w; Also, here’s Anti!Qrow w/ Harbinger (I’ve never noticed him holding scythe form that way, so I thought it would be an interesting thing for Anti to do ^^)

Watch me cry, all my tears

After months of being trapped in Disney purgatory the Dark Realm, barely sleeping, not eating/nor needing to, near constant fighting, and being haunted by visions of friends/family/regrets. Qrow reaches a “dead end” (yes I’m ripping off part Aqua’s plot don’t @ me) there he’s attacked by a Demon Tower. Now, if he was at full strength and not so mentally exhausted, he would’ve had a high chance at escaping the void but, unfortunately, he’s consumed and is lost to the darkness. Clover feels that in his heart of hearts

It’s only a couple weeks (days?..weeks..eh) following that, that the displaced group of hunters have found their way to the door of darkness.They’re swarmed by Heartless, and when the door opens Clover, Ruby and Yang are practically forced through (they don’t want to leave everyone else to fight the hoard).

Since Clover, literally, holds Qrow’s heart (you know, w/o context that is super grim jfc) he basically has Qrowdar. What unnerves him is the feeling he’s held thus far had mostly been warm, turbulent and pained at times, but still strong. Now it’s cold, hazy and barely hanging on. Clover’s a sad boy but keeps a facade of optimism for the girls :,).

It’s takes a few days but they finally find their way to the shore where Qrow fell. They’re on edge from all the battles and visions that bombarded them. When DT appears they consider falling back to rest. That’s when Anti!Qrow appears from the void, drawn back by the strength of their hearts, destabilizing the tower causing it to disperse.

Qrow: What happened to me? You want that list alphabetical or chronological?

Anti!Qrow doesn’t want to fight them, he’s subdued and resigned and just wants to be left alone. His whole angsty speech boils down to: “I hurt everyone I love” “I belong in the darkness.” “All that’s left in my non-existent heart is despair. Leave me be, before I ruin you too.” :)

Yang is just done w/ this whole realm, and the terrible visions it creates. Believing this is just another illusion, she lashes out. Only to be blocked by Qrow’s own keyblade; all the others illusions faded as soon they were touched. Now she’s determined to beat some since into him and this is where the fight starts. Even though Clover and Ruby don’t really want to buuut...

Shamelessly stealing the duplicates from Aqua’s fight lol. Only because it would be creepy. Also, Qrow’s bad luck is strengthened (now turning this into a video game mechanic) has bursts at random. Anyone who gets hit suffers for it; either getting stunned, knocked back, or (as intended) getting a bad luck status infliction.

The way I played out the fight in my head; Qrow’s already a strong huntsmen (you don’t get a legendary title for nothing) who’s known to fight ruthlessly, combine that w/ keyblade powers and well. It’s in their favor that Qrow is tired and he’s also reluctant to fight them. It takes a while, but they finally whittle down his health that he enters phase 2 they can get a good few hits in. With a combination of Yang disarming him, Clover immobilizing him w/ KF’s line and Ruby using her silver eyes; they are able to dispel the darkness. The dark ocean tries to drag him down but, everyone’s hearts reaching out to him is what saves him from falling again. ^^

They end up back in Destiny Islands after that with Disney magic. They have no idea where the rest of their group is at the moment, but they’re confident they’ll be alright. Being back in the realm of light causes all the exhaustion and hunger hit them hard. So they rest while they wait for Qrow to wake up.

Once they get past Qrow having a near break down over Clover being alive, they explain all the craziness of what has been going on.

Qrow is one stubborn, old crow, so he insists that he’s alright; just in need of a nap and some food that’s all. He goes to stand up and would’ve hit the ground if Clover wasn’t ready to catch his bird. Unconsciousness doesn’t count as a nap buddy.

Also, Qrow’s heart hasn’t returned to him juuust yet 83c

💕 Feel free to send me any questions or shoot me ideas for my AU(s). 💕

#fair game #luckbirds #rwby #qrow branwen #clover ebi #ruby rose #yang xiao long #kingdom hearts AU #sorry all these posts are so lengthy #I just have....so many thoughts on my AUs ;w;#I should add AU hoe back into my description lol #Qrow. Your eyeliner is running.#Okay AntiAqua's aesthetic is neat so I slapped it on Qrow just to see how it would look #and I was like :o

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pmiller1 · 3 years ago

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Another Destiny! [N:TWEwY AU]

"¡Qué lástima! My heart goes out to you. It really does." Motoi said by the river toward the Cat hoodie Reaper. "But I can't exactly back down now, can I?"

Rindo and his team watch as he and Shoka was ready to battle. He worry over his idol An0ther was gonna risk himself to her.

"You're all that stands between me and my destiny." He told her. "'Destinly'?" She snalled at him, "Sound like someone's read one too meny horscopes, I'd dream a littler smaller if I were you, sweetie. Since there's no way in hell you're getting past me."

"We'll see about that. 'Never fear a fight; fight your hear instead.'"

"Motoi, wait!" Rindo rushing in trying to stop him.

"Time to show you what je'm really made of." He said not getting a word from Rindo "I expect no quarter from you, either, getita."

"All right-You asked for it." She said, her hand out, growing with some noise like claw, oddly look like a bird feet. "But don't say I didn't warn you after I best your ass to a pule!"

And with she hragh out to Motoi wish he screamed back by her claw attack to him, knocking him down.

"Motoi!" Rindo and other rush to Motou body. "What are you doing here?" She ask, seeming kind of shock to see him. He said nothing. "Don't be shy-step right up!"

"Motoi..." "Uhh, guys? He's not moving..." Fret said. "C'mon, brotha, Stay withus, yo!"

"How could you do this?" He ask the Reaper. She said nothing. "I was not perpared for such tragedy today..." Nagi muses. "Guess you should fear the Reapers..." Fret said.

"You can't die now-we just met!" He said to Motoi. "You said you were gonna help us out!"

"Ugh." She slep out.

"You!" He turn toward the Reaper. "You heartless bitch! You'll pay for this." He yell at her, making her back up from him, her eyes wide.

"Rin... He..." She said, her voice slacken. "No! He was helping us in the game and you had to kill him." Rindo yell at her.

"But he..." "NO! Shut up already!" She really taken a back by that.

"I have had it with you, always snooping into our noses. What is your problem? Antagonizing us for no good fucking reason!" He yell at her. "And now this? I know there a missions to take you one, but don't have to do that to him, not to my idol!"

"Dang he really piss off." Fret said. "Tis aura is really unsettling, all that rage." Nagi said. "You really tick him off, Kitty girl." Beat said "Now ye gonna get it."

"Wait, if you let me---" "No!" Rindo said, making her really taken a back by her "You..."

"I hate you! You're the worst person that I ever met!" He Rindo said, no, cry out to her.

Shoka was standing limb, her arms dangling. Her hoodie was drip over, Her face was unseen. "Woah, did she just shut off?" Fret ask. "Tis seem that she had taken critical hit." Nagi said "Witch to say, is unsettling." "Yick. She must had taken that hard." Beat said.

"Shoka...?" Rindo said, starting to regard what he said to her.

"Hahahahaha..." Shoka laugh unsettling "I am the worst aren't I? Why would I think that we could had been...?"

Her body was burning with black fire. Her laugh still echo around them. "Lord Rindo! There tisthing worng with with her?!" Nagi said. "I had a bad feeling about this." Fret said. "Look like she gonna all out on his." Beat said "Ye better be ready, she aren't holding back now."

"Shoka...?" Rindo said, now feeling really worry for her.

"Can't even make him be my friend in person..." She voice echo. "So typical of me, useless. Useless, USELESS!!!"

"Shoka?!" He ask, looking very pale, his eyes widen.

She scream, as body transformed by the black flame around her, upon the fire disbursed, stand a one noise, a black body like feline, having two grey noise-like craw, the craw again looking bird craw, a grey noise tail, there back feet having grey noise toes, it have two wings both of them was red to black noise, want to look like a bird wing and last is had a felined head with a noise-like beak.

"W-What on earth?" Rindo yelt out. "She no long bear no resemblance of human girl anymore." Nagi said. "Yeah, she like a Griffons now." Fret said. "Yo, why a half bird kitty?" Beat ask.

"I did say we have to flight each other one day." Shoka ehco from the noise. "Hah?" "Guess it best to take the dragon out of his misery." She echo. "Dragon what?!"

"Lord Rindo, She gong to attack us!" Nagi yell out, trying to sneck him out of it. "Urm. Yeah, Everyone stay sharp!"

And thus the Battle Start. She echo "Hahaha, later loser."

Fret move and already fire some Force Rounds at her, taking some small damage, her wings making her hover above the ground, As Nagi already setting frame under her, hoping the frame would damage her, but she keep moving out of the frame, as she moving outside and flying into the team.

Grabbing Rindo from her air with her craw, pining him down on the ground. "Guy, a little help here?!" Rindo yell out. Beat was charging for a massive hit to her. "Hold on Rindo! I got ye!"

Fret, Nagi and Beat able to take there attack onto the Griffin Cantus, knocking off Rindo. This allow Rindo to attack her, sword out for a shockwave attack her. She scream in pain, taken the damage from it.

However able to knock back the team, able to fly out of battleground, flying outside the ring to send some light balls toward the them, making them move out of the way from the exploding light balls.

She sloop back in, hovering, as Fret and Rindo dealing damage toward her with Nagi burring underneath her, taking some fire damage, wild Beat able to knock her off the air, sending down on the ground, where the team deal more damaged toward her. About to build there Groove to have a Nagi call the Fireball to land on her with the other three helping out.

And it was Rindo that take the last blow to her. "Rin. I am... so.... sorry..." She last echo. Before Noise from become erased.

After the battle, she reverted back to her normal from, she was lying head 1st on the ground, her hoodie was all they could see. The team, taken the time to breath in.

"That was some battle." Fret said. "Somewhat epic, tis must say." Nagi mutter. "Didn't think kitty got it in her." Beat said.

"Rin..." Shoka voice, "I am so sorry."

"Shoka...?" Rindo said. "I just wanna to help you." She said, still on the floor. "I can't bear to see you go."

"What do you---" Rindo said, "You was my very first friend." She said, making him look toward Shoka. "Hah?"

"I've befriend you when I've first came to Shibuya." She said, her hand pulling the cat ear from her hoodie. "I just couldn't..." She chocked.

"What I don't... What are you..." Rindo said. "It me, Rindragon!" She said, looking up to him, her eyes was wet, tears. "I'm... Swallow..."

"What?!" Rindo yelp out. "You mean, you was his online buddy?" Fret said. "Tis was unexpected." Nagi said. "Seriously, that why ye was half bird kitty girl?" Beat ask.

"But I don't... if you where then then why...?" Rindo said.

"¡Oh perdóname!" A voice said, just then a trip wire came rushing in, binding Shoka trap in the wire. "Shoka!" He yell out.

The team turn toward a alive and walking Motoi, along with the other Pureheart beside him. "But I can’t let you take my recompensas." He said, walking toward Shoka, still bind by the wire, her body starting to fizzle. "This young lady had been breaking her ruled by lending her support to your team. She been helping you with all she could do."

"Wait, she was helping us?" Beat yep out. "Tis must been lending her support as best as she could." Nagi said.

"Still like I said before, I did not expected that they make you the next target," Motoi said. "Only because you reported my action to the Reapers." Shoka hiss at him. "You even took credit that I did yesterday, just so you can trick your fan into doing the dirty work."

"Motoi?" He look toward Motoi, "What can I say, he idol already and he come in handy." Motoi said "Still I must say, you reviving that you was your his amiga en linea, that is inesperado."

"Tis knew that was something I dislike about him." Nagi ask, "Tis nothing but a selfish scum of villainy." "Yeah, I think he been ducking you Kid." Beat said. "He the worst already." Fret said.

"And I must say." Another voice, a old one, and that laugh, As Kuko show up walking toward Motoi. "You did a fine job there, you make a fine Reaper for this Anazawa." He said "Tricking the player to the dirty work. It would good to have you working with us."

"And as for you Missy." He said turn toward the trap Reaper. "What do you have to say for yourself?" "Drop dead." She yell at him. "I don't care what I done was wrong, I would let you dest---"

"Nat Ah-ah." He said "You wouldn't say too much right now, if I was you." This make her become quiet right there.

"Still you kind of fading away now, it only matter of time before be fully erased." Kuko said "Shouldn't really let out your Cantus form. Knowing the risk that it would be fatal in your rank."

"Shoka..." Rindo said. She look toward him, her body starting to flick out. "I'm sorry that we... couldn't be... friends... in... real..." And with that she was erased.

"SHOKA!" He yell out, falling to his kneed.

"Tragic isn't it?" Kuko said, "Killing the one that was you friend all that years." "Oh if only they was a way to turn back time and prevent all of this from happening."

Rindo was now holding on his Player Pin, he doesn't want this to happen, he doesn't want this to happen, he will not make it happen. As he turn back time. Ending this timeline.

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notyetneedcoffee · 5 years ago

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Crossroads

Answer to Lexi’s 1k @the-omni-princess Challenge! Congrats!

Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader; some Steve x Peggy; very Steve-centric

Warnings: ANGST and loads of it!

Author’s note: This is my AU of Steve’s final Pym jump from End Game

____________________

The silence reminded him of the nights during the War. After the raging battle, even the animals and bugs refused to reveal their whereabouts. Although tonight he wondered if even the forest mourned Tony Stark. Steve Rogers sat alone in the middle of a glade not too far from the cabin Tony had called home. He tried to sleep, attempted to rid himself of the bone-weary exhaustion, but his mind would not shut down.

He knew everyone assumed his withdrawal, his moodiness and pain, stemmed from the battle and loss. A part of him felt immense guilt that they should be right, but they weren’t. After all these years of war on various scales, he felt the pain of loss differently. It just was a fact of life.

What spun his mind into a maelstrom of conflicted thoughts, tore his gut up with guilt, was something completely personal. Every option his highly strategical brain considered ended in pain and suffering for people he loved. Every option terrified him.

He’d seen Peggy.

It’d only been a moment, but seeing her young and vibrant sent his world spiraling. She wasn’t ravaged by age and Alzheimer's. As strong and lovely as the picture he carried with him, but in the flesh. Every missed opportunity and regret hit him all at once. It pulled at his heart, making him want to hold her like the awful pain of the years never happened.

The threat of Thanos did allow him to think about it. So, it just took up residence in mind.

Then there was the battle.

Those once lost were back. Sam in his ear. Bucky fought his way to his side.

He’d seen you.

Among the chaos, with your beautiful face set in grime determination, he caught a glimpse of you battling your way through the aliens. Fierce and powerful, you looked exactly the way you had the day he’d lost you in Wakanda. All the nights of passion, the solace and trust found in one another, lit his chest. Seeing you made him fight harder, renewed his strength.

The war was won. Friends were lost. Bodies were battered. Steve found himself holding you, but unable to do much more. Those who were lost tried to fathom being gone for so many years, to comprehend the changes to the world. You clung to him and wept. He’d missed you. He felt such relief having you in his arms.

Guilt ate him alive.

“You look like you’re planning all kinds of stupid.” Bucky’s voice came out of nowhere, making Steve jump.

“I’m just thinking.” Steve sighed.

“Like I said, stupid.” Bucky sat down on the log next to him so close their thighs touched.

Steve laughed without any humor. He felt tears push against the back of his eyes. Bucky’s arm wrapped around his shoulder. His head fell forward into his hands. He was exhausted.

“Rhodes filled me in on a few things.” Bucky squeezed his buddy’s shoulder. “Sounds rough, particularly for you and Natasha.”

“God. Nat.” Steve choked. He looked up at the stars, sniffing back reluctant tears. “I am so tired, Buck. I don’t have any fight left me. None.”

Something inside Bucky crumbled. He knew Steve meant it. That kid who got up time and time again after getting his ass beat, ready to go again because it was the right thing to do finally couldn’t. He just nodded, squeezing his friend tighter, not trusting his own voice.

“Part of me just wants to go back to a simpler time, make different choices.” Steve whispered, hating himself a little for saying it. “Not take on the fight, not take on the pain, and just live a simple life.”

“Yeah,” Bucky cleared his tight throat. “Although even when we were kids, things weren’t so simple.”

A long silence stretched before Steve moved away a little. “Not talking about when we were kids. I mean actually going back.”

Bucky froze. No.

Steve glanced at his friend, the hurt look staring back doubled the guilt eating away at his gut. “I saw her, Buck. Peggy.” He returned his focus to the stars. “I never stopped loving her.”

Torn between wanting to hit him and wanting to shake him, Bucky stood up. He paced, stopped, and paced some more. Steve stared at his hands in silence. Finally, Bucky stopped in front of him. His words were tight, ground out through clenched teeth. “Never mind me, or Sam, or anyone else on the team... what about Y/N? You don’t love her anymore?”

“Of course, I love her.” Steve’s face crumbled.

“So you’re just going to abandon her?” Bucky snapped.

“She’s strong, a fighter...”

Buck cut him off. “Yeah and Carter was always such a pushover.”

Steve pushed his hands through his hair. His voice broke, cracked with pain and exhaustion. “I can’t do it anymore. Bucky, please. I can’t fight anymore battles. I don’t have it in me. I’ve given up my whole life for everyone else. Always. I just...” A sob ripped free, and he stuffed his fist in his mouth.

“Pal,” Bucky put his hand on Steve’s head. “If anyone deserves to have a happy ending, it’s you.” Tears of his own slipped down his face. “You know I have your back, no matter what. If never seeing you again means that you’ll be able to have a happy life, then there’s no way I would hold you back. I’d hate it, but it would be worth it if I knew you were happy.”

“Buck.” Steve sniffed. “I don’t mean to...”

“Just be sure before you tell Y/N. I mean be absolutely positive.” Bucky’s face went hard. “Don’t break her heart and then change your mind. I swear I will break your neck.”

“What if I don’t know?” Steve whispered.

“Then don’t say anything to anyone.” Bucky sighed. “If you don’t come back, then I’ll explain it.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not. I’m telling you, that’s how it should go.”

“Buck,” Steve stood. They embraced, hugging tight. “Love you, punk.”

“You too, jerk.” Bucky squeezed him hard, praying to whatever powers that be that he would not have to tell everyone who loved Steve too that he would never be coming home.

__________________________

“Don’t do anything stupid ‘til I get back” Steve tried to smile. ‘I still don’t know. Don’t say anything.’

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” Bucky forced a smile, too. ‘Be sure, whatever you do.’

Steve stepped up on the platform. The first jump would take him to Asgard.

Thor gave him very specific instructions on how to return the Aether. Steve chuckled when Thor told him to put the hammer down anywhere, but on a window sill would be best... less damage to the building when he called it.

He arrived in a cavernous hall, surrounded by stone and gold. Unfamiliar scents filled the air, pleasant and rich, but he could not place them. Steve heard footsteps and ducked behind a corner. The person stopped close. He waited, silent.

“You must be a very close friend of my son’s.” A woman spoke. “Come out. I won’t raise the alarm.”

Steve cautiously stepped into the open. She was regal in every sense of the word. “Why not?”

“You are able to wield Mjolnir. It’s no small feat.” She smiled gently. “He was here earlier. The future is not going to be kind to Thor.”

He swallowed, taking a deep breath. Thor confessed to him privately he’d seen Frigga. Now seeing her for himself, Steve understood why. He didn’t even know her and he wanted to tell her everything even if he knew he couldn’t. She just radiated a calm, a peace he wanted to drown in.

“It’s not kind to any of us.” Steve sighed. “I have to return this to Dr. Foster. I don’t want to, but I can’t risk not doing it.”

“Alright.” She smiled sadly. “Let me see what I can do to help. Follow me.”

He did, without question.

“I don’t want to know what is going to happen, what has happened to you. It has something to do with the Infinity Stones, though doesn’t it?” Frigga glanced sideways at Steve. His jaw clenched. She slipped her hand into his elbow and grinned when his arm instinctively came up to properly escort her. “Did my son tell you anything of my power, my upbringing?”

“Thor say you’re the kindest and wisest person he’s ever known.” Steve answered. “You taught Loki much of his magic and that you see things, the truth of things.”

“That’s one way of putting it. I can follow of the strings of destiny.” She patted his bicep. “I can tell that you, like my son, stand at a crossroads. Perhaps the most important one of your life, because this one is a decision all your own. I don’t know what, but I know it’s deeply personal and profoundly painful.”

Steve stopped, staring wide eyed into her calm face.

“I find when I cannot unravel the answer, I lean on wise counsel.” Frigga led him on. “I may not be the best counsel for you. There is an Ancient One more familiar with your ways that is close to where you call home. Before you do anything else, I would seek out her.”

Steve’s mind jumped to the encounter Banner told him about with the woman who gave him the Time Stone. “Do you know her?”

“No, not personally.” Frigga smiled. “But she protects not just Midgard but all of Yggdrasil. Those of us with the ability definitely know of her.”

They stopped before a large door ornately carved. “Give me a few moments, then come in.”

Steve waited, listening intently. Nothing but the distant sounds of the city reached his ears. Finally he pushed open the door, peering inside. Frigga stood over the sleeping form of Jane. She waved him over assuring him that the little mortal would not feel a thing, nor would she remember. He felt a little sick when he injected the Aether back into Foster.

He stood back, staring into Frigga’s kind eyes before deciding to change his plans. Reprogramming the controls for the jump to take him to New York instead of Morag. Extending a hand, Steve took her small hand in his. “Thank you, for everything.”

“When you see my son, tell him to take care of himself.” She pulled him close and kissed his cheek. “Take care of yourself, too.”

Steve nodded, unsure how he would do it, but willing to try. He stepped back and pressed the button.

________________________

The jump dropped him on the roof of a building. He looked around, seeing the Chitauri battle not far away. His stomach dropped, the memories of the losses still keen. Another day when everything changed. A battle won, but the world’s innocence died. Aliens were real, and they were as bad as people ever imagined.

“It seems as if Dr. Banner was true to his word.” A calm voice spoke.

“I’ve come to return the stone to you.” Steve turned to see a small, bald woman in eastern clothing. Although nothing like the Norse Goddess, she radiated a similar calm...a powerful presence, like a monolith unmoving among the storm.

With a wave of her hands, the green stone rose from its container and return to its home in the Eye hanging around her neck.

“Captain,” She stared at him in a manner that left him feel exposed. “Walk with me.”

She turned, entering the building. Steve followed. Inside the temperature dropped, not uncomfortably. The dim light reflected off the well-polished wood. Cases held artifacts and books lined the shelves. The air smelled spicy, like raw incense.

“Time is an interesting thing. It is complex.” She spoke melodically as she wove through the glass cases. “It is linear, yet not. It is set, yet holds immeasurable permutations. What is not complex is our journey through it. With every moment, every experience, we change. We incorporate all that we learn as time passes, yet if we move through time we do not unlearn what we know.”

Steve felt his brow pull together. “I suppose we are all molded by our experiences.”

She paused at an hourglass, looking at sands drop a few at a time. “I think you are looking to unlearn what time has taught you. I’m afraid you cannot dial back who you are as easily as rolling back the hands of a clock. Somethings are too powerful to unmake, some threads of who we are cannot be broken.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Steve frowned. He just wanted to rest, to have his turn to be happy.

“You are tired, Captain.” She stepped closer, arms folded behind her back. For all of the intensity, she looked upon him kindly. “We often cannot see clearly through weary eyes.”

His eyes closed, feeling the burn of frustrated tears again. Steve ground his teeth together. “I am.” He sighed. “And I have a lot more to do before my mission is complete.”

“I would offer you safe place to rest, but I don’t think you will accept.” The edge of her mouth tipped up with a hint of a smile.

“No.” Steve took a deep breath. “I have a long way to go.”

“Very well,” she led him to a large round window where they could see the battle raging in the distance. Turning, she placed a hand on his chest over his heart. “You are a good man, Steve. Through trials and strife, you have remained true to yourself. What’s more, you have evolved. You’ve grown.” A calm smile spread across her face. “Like so many things in the universe, the more you grow, the more you realize how small you are. The more you know, the more you realize you have yet to learn. It can be burdensome, exhausting. But it can also be an exhilarating adventure if we can see it through fresh eyes.”

Steve knew he should be contemplating her words more deeply. He knew he should heed Frigga’s words and seek this woman’s counsel. However, it just caused the pain in his head to increase. He didn’t want to consider the cryptic meaning behind this woman’s words. He wanted to fold Peggy in his arms, in a simpler place, in a simpler time, and just sleep for days.

The strange woman stared at him, making him feel like she could see straight through him to question his inner most desire without ever saying a word. A defensive urge surged, but he fought it back. Strange called her the Ancient One. Frigga said she defended the world on this plain and others. Getting defensive over her stare, especially when he carried so much doubt was foolish.

That small smile touched her lips again. “Be well, Steve. May your path eventually lead you to happiness.”

Steve stared out the window at the battle once more, another memory rising to the surface. Out there, among the populace running for their lives, you were helping Clint after he crashed through a window. You helped him evacuate the building and fight off invaders. It was the turning point that brought you into his life. It was the day you decided to give up your job at the FBI to join the Avengers Initiative.

Guilt twisted his insides, and he choked out “thanks” before turning to leave. He had to return the scepter to Stark Tower. He stopped when she called out his name once more.

“At least allow me to help you get to your next destination safely." She held out one hand and formed a circle with the other. A portal opened.

He could see the corner of the elevator banks in the lobby of Stark Tower. Steve’s mouth opened slightly. Did this woman really know what he was thinking? It was exactly where he wanted to intercept the Hydra Agents. “Thank...thank you.”

She gave him a nod, and he stepped through.

_______________________

Returning the Power Stone turned out to be thankfully uneventful. Steve hoped, as he climbed the mountainside on the Vormir, that the Soul Stone would be equally quiet. He did not see anyone. All of the intelligence proved out, no cities or even life forms to be seen.

“I never thought I would see you again.”

Steve brought his shield up, shooting with the other hand. The black clad figure only looked down at himself, unmoved as if the bullets passed straight through. Johann Schmidt laughed, red skulled face cracking in a grotesque mirth.

“Captain.” He held out both hands. “You cannot kill me. I’m already in purgatory.”

“What?” Steve didn’t relax his stance.

“I made the mistake of trying to control a Stone and have been paying the price.”

“You’re...” Steve swallowed past the vice grip around his throat. Clint’s words echoing in his mind about the red floating guy who made them choose. “You were here when Natasha sacrificed herself for the Soul Stone.”

“Yes. A soul for a soul.”

“I’ve brought it back.” Steve strode forward, fury growing with each step. “I want her back.”

“Ah. Interesting.” Schmidt’s red face tilted sideways, studying him. “Her soul would have worked for you as well.”

“A soul for a soul. That’s what you said.” Steve growled. “I want her back.”

“Yes, because you are tied to her, returning the stone will release her.”

Steve gasped.

“Though not the way you wish, I think.”

Cap tried to grab him but got a fist full of black mist. “What do you mean?”

“If you return the stone, her soul will return to your life somehow, though not in the form you knew.”

“Like, what? Reincarnation?” Steve frowned.

“No. Yes.” Schmidt shrugged. “The souls that weave together over time touch and change over lifetimes. If you return the stone, her soul will be free to join the tapestry again.”

“How?”

“Throw it into the abyss.” The black spectral hand pointed to the edge.

Steve approached the edge, acutely aware this was the last place Natasha was alive. His breath grew shallow. The pain of her loss stabbed his chest. He never properly mourned Nat, his sister in every way but blood. He trusted her, loved her, would never be the same without her.

Finding himself looking down into a deep chasm, the bottom obscured by black fog, Steve threw the stone. He gave a silent prayer that she would be free, would touch his life again. As the stone disappeared, a golden orange shaft of light shot skyward. Brilliant, like the burning of the setting sun over the desert. The light spread radiating heat. Then vanished.

Steve looked down to see a solid stone floor far below in the chasm. He stepped back from the edge with a sharp intake of breath. Then it hit him. Faint, but undeniable, Steve could smell her. He closed his eyes and breathed deep. Natasha. Another breath and it was gone.

He turned around, remembering Schmidt, but didn’t see him anywhere. Perhaps it was true. Perhaps Nat’s soul was free and that somehow, someway, it would touch his again. The thought brought a little bit of warmth back.

There was only one stone left to return. Steve set the controls for New Jersey 1970.

______________________

Returning the Tesseract was simple now that Steve knew his way around the secure sections of the Army base. He made his way through the halls towards Peggy’s office, nerves moving him forward, but having no idea what he would say. The lights inside the office were office, creating both a surge of anxiety and relief.

Making certain no one noticed, he slipped inside. In the dim light he saw the photo of himself on the desk. Not after the procedure, but from when they’d first met. It warmed his heart that this was the version of himself she chose to remember.

He set it back down and looked around... and froze.

He did not notice the far wall last time. It was full of framed photographs and certificates. A large photo of Peggy and her family held a place of honor in the center. Her husband was a kind looking man, her children were beautiful. They looked to be young teens in the photo.

Another photo showed her and her daughter when she was a baby. Another of her son in his little league gear. Peggy and her husband stood beside Howard Stark and John F. Kennedy in one picture.

Certificate and diplomas memorializing Peggy’s hard work and advancement were presented side by side with her family. She showed everyone she could fight the good fight and what she was fighting for...all on one wall of photographs.

All the memories Peggy told him about.

Steve found himself sliding to the floor, back against a file cabinet and hand squeezed tightly over his mouth. He wanted to scream. All her hard work, everything Peggy did for the world, and he hadn’t even considered it. She wouldn’t give up. If he showed up in 1945, she wouldn’t understand wanting to hide from the world. Even if she agreed, she would never do any of these things.

His eyes locked closed as he fought back a sob. It was all a foolish dream. There was no going back. The Ancient One spoke the truth. He may be able to go back in time, but he can’t undo what time did to him. He was not the naive soldier Peggy knew. Steve choked. He felt battered, and bitter, far too cynical to even pretend to be that man again.

Still, every fiber in his being screamed to hold her. The tears she shed every time he visited her in the nursing home killed him a little bit. He wanted his dance.

Turning to the filing cabinet at his back, Steve quietly dug through the files until he found what he needed. An old address and an old date.

_______________________

Steve reached the house just as the sun went down. The curtains were open and he could see Peggy moving back and forth from the living room to the kitchen. His palms were sweating. A brand new 1947 Buick drove by as he crossed the street to the front steps. His heart pounded so hard he could hear it in his ears as he knocked on the door.

Peggy answered with a smile, but her eyes went huge and filled with tears. Her hand covered her mouth.

“Hey, Doll.” Steve reached out, taking her by the elbow and stepping inside. “It’s okay.”

“St-Steve.” Peggy breathed. He nodded. Her hand came out and touched his chest, his face. Tears fell. She stepped forward and he wrapped his arms around her.

Steve sighed, holding her closed, breathing her in. Some deep empty gash began to stitch closed. They stood there for a long time before Peggy’s curiosity grew. “How?”

“We need to talk.” Steve’s fingers traced over her back. “Can I – Can I just hold you for a minute more?”

She nodded against his chest.

“I’m going to tell you something that’s pretty hard to believe.” Steve buried his face in her hair. “And I’m going to ask you to never tell anyone about it. Ever.”

“Steve,” She gave a tearful chuckle. “You’re back from the dead. You’ve got hard to believe covered.”

He pulled back, cupping her face in one large hand. Steve’s mouth covered hers, soft and sweet. Tentative, Peggy kissed him slowly. He found himself instantly conflicted. Relishing in the simple kiss, one he only dreamed of having, he simultaneously missed the ravenous intensity of the kisses he shared with you.

“How? Steve? What happened?” Peggy pushed back.

“Best we sit down.” Steve led her to the sofa. He took her hands in his.

Steve didn’t know where to start. He’d thought about it, considered all the best options, but there still did not seem like any good options. He turned to face Peggy more directly. His brows drew together.

“What happened after the crash?” Peggy asked.

“I was frozen... for about 70 years.” Steve stared at their joined hands.

“What?” She breathed.

“I’m - I’ve come back from, well, a long time from now.” Steve looked into her wide eyes. “I can’t explain how. I shouldn’t even be here. I just had to...” He bit back his words, fighting to control himself.

Peggy let out a slow breath. “That means... oh Steve. It would be a completely different world. Everyone you know. I’m so sorry.”

“No,” He shook his head. “I, um, found friends...people that became like family. But everything is so...” Steve’s face pinched, tears threatening to fall. He whispered. “I just really missed... I wanted to have that dance.”

Her hand ghosted over his face and he opened his eyes. “What happened? I’ve never seen you look so...”

Tears fell as he finished for her. “Tired. I’m tired, Peggy. I’ve fought, and fought, and I don’t think I can do it anymore. I’ve seen things, battled things, that make the Nazis look like pussycats. There’s no more clear right and wrong. There’s no more good answers.”

“Stevie.” Tears fell down her cheeks matching his. Her fingers stroked through his hair. “I’m so sorry. But if you have this ability, this technology, then can you keep these things from happening?” She watched him shake his head. “Too easy, huh? What about your friends?”

“Lost some of the best. Nat, Tony.” Steve’s face crumpled. “Tony is, was, Howard’s son.”

Peggy’s hand covered her mouth as Steve went on.

“He was brilliant, Peggy. Smarter than Howard ever imagined. He sacrificed everything. Now his little girl...”

“She has you, right?”

Shame flushed fresh over Steve. He’d never even consider Morgan. “Yeah, she has a lot of us. Every one of the Avengers will look out for her.”

“Avengers?”

“Um,” Steve frowned. “We’re a collection of highly skilled, gifted, agents of a sort. We fight the bad guys.”

“And there’s a lot of Avengers.” Peggy asked, still smoothing his hair.

“More that I would have thought possible when we first started.” Steve nodded.

Peggy held his face in her hands. “You are always the one to lay on the wire, to lead the charge. Steve, maybe you need to let your friends fight some battles, too.”

“They do...”

“Steve. Maybe you can let them fight a few without you.” Peggy’s worried expression finally registered in his tired mind. “You don’t always have to be the one leading the charge.”

He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against hers. “Always so smart. You’re going to do amazing things.”

“Don’t tell me.” Peggy placed a finger over his lips. “I want to be surprised.” He sighed. “We’re not going to meet again, are we?”

“You said you want to be surprised.” Steve whispered. His lips trailed over hers again. She pulled back before the kiss could deepen. “Never stopped lovin’ you, though.” He confessed.

“Me too.” Peggy cried. She sniffed. “I should let you know, though, there’s a very good man who wants to marry me.”

Steve sat up a little straighter, wiping his face before give her a smile. “You love him?”

“Yeah,” She wiped her own tears. “Although, I’m making him wait. There’s things I want to do first.”

He laughed. “That’s my girl.”

She laughed as well, taking his hand again. “Even though you’re out there somewhere, and I’m not going to have you in my life,” Peggy swallowed hard, “I’m so happy you’re still alive and have people who care about you.”

Steve stared at her for a long time. “Do you think I could have that dance before I go?”

____________________

You stepped up between Bucky and Sam when Bruce announced that Steve missed the return time. Sam looked confused, but the look on Bucky’s face made your heart sink. He knew something. You took his hand.

“You came?” He asked.

“Tried to get here in time to see him off but I was held up.” You chewed your lower lips. Pulling him away from the others, you dropped your voice. “He was really distracted, hurting, before he left.”

Bucky nodded.

“So was I.” You squeezed his hand harder. “God, Buck, I have the worse feeling. But I don’t know what I’m thinking right now. With everything that happened, learning about what we missed, losing Vis and Nat and Tony. Feeling like shit and now finding out...ugh, I’m just losing my mind right now.” Big tears filled your eyes.

He took you by the shoulders. He did not want to say anything, not yet. Steve just missed the return time a minute ago. “Finding out what, Doll?”

You reached into your back pocket and handed him your phone, a readout open on the screen. He looked it over carefully, twice. You cried as his eyes lifted back to you.

Wrapping you in his arms, Bucky rubbed your back. “Just breath, okay? When did you...”

“Just now. It’s why I’m late.” You held tight to his chest. “I should have done it earlier. What something happens and Steve...”

“Bucky!” Sam shouted.

You both looked up to see Steve walking toward you all from the lake. You felt Bucky take a deep breath. You let out a small sob. He placed his hand at the small of your back. “Come on.”

Sam was just pulling away from a hug when you come closer. Steve looked at you, seeing the tears in your eyes. “Buck?”

“No. She’s got news.”

“Sweetheart,” Steve pulled you closer, thumbing away a tear at the corner of your eye. You pulled him closer to kiss him. Your lips pulling at his lower lip, before your tongue slid along his, drawing a low moan from him. He pulled you close, burying his face in your hair. He whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” You pulled back some.

“Being an idiot.” He sighed. “A tired, stupid, idiot.”

Steve stood up straighter. “I need to tell you guys something. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I never thought I’d say this but, I’m stepping down.”

“What the – wha?” Sam sputtered.

Steve stepped away from you and gripped Sam’s shoulder. Every bit of anguish showed in his eyes. “I can’t do it, man. Not now. These last years, these battles, just took all I had left. I’ve thought about it.” He held out his shield. “I want you to hold on to this.”

“You’re full of shit.” Sam balked.

“No.” Steve shook his head. “You do what I do, remember? It’s you.”

Sam hefted the shield. Bucky smiled. “Doesn’t look like complete crap.”

“Piss off.” Sam laughed.

“So, what are you going to do, then?” Bucky asked Steve.

“It’s going to take a lot of work to just get things working across the world again. I’d like the Avengers to have a positive impact on the changes without having to resort to something like the accords.” Steve answered thoughtfully. “I think it’s work that would rejuvenate me. I’m tired of breaking things. I’d like to create something instead.”

“Sounds like you’ll be doing a lot of that.” Bucky’s smile spread ear to ear.

“Buck,” You rolled your eyes him as you slipped under Steve’s arm. “Come with me.”

You led Steve back toward the water. He held you close, voice tight. “Sweetheart, I’m really sorry. I’ve been...messed up. I should have been at your side every minute. I know I said it before, but my god, life just fell apart with you gone. Coming back, and everything is different, is such a shock. And it’s only been a few days...”

You stopped, facing him. “Steve, do you really mean you’re stepping down from missions?”

“Yeah, Sweetheart. I’ve got to.”

“Good. Me too.”

Steve’s quizzical look caused you to pull your phone from your back pocket.

“I didn’t make when you left out for your mission, because I was having this rerun. I didn’t think it was possible, but the test is conclusive.” You handed him the report.

Fresh tears filled Steve eyes, these washed away his pain and filled him with joy. He read the words again and again, pregnancy: positive. A bright smile met your own, he breathed out in awe. “I’m going to be a dad.”

You nodded as he swept you up in his arms and spun you around. He kissed you deeply, thoroughly. Finally, smiling against your lips, Steve said. “Love you. Thank you for being there for me, for being here for me. You and this little princess are everything to me.”

“Princess, huh?” You cuddled into him. “Already sure it’s a girl?”

“Just a hunch.” Steve kissed your hair, utterly confident in the turn he’d taken at the crossroad.

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