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seijorhi · 4 years ago

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A Thousand Words

as promised, a Valentine’s Day fic 💕

Oikawa Tooru x female reader, Iwaizumi Hajime x female reader

TW implied dub/non-con, cheating, minor choking/abuse, nsfw(ish)

You break up with Iwaizumi two weeks before Valentine’s Day, standing in the doorway of the apartment you share with him.

And you hate that it still hurts, still tugs at the wretched, broken strings of your heart to watch that rare, beautiful smile of his fracture like glass, confusion giving way to disbelief and then finally anguish.

Iwa’s never been the best with his words, but it seems that you’ve robbed him of those too as you tell him that your relationship’s over. He just stands there, wide eyed, agonised as you shove your phone – the proof – into his face, a hoarse, strangled whisper of ‘why’ leaves his lips.

It seems that it’s all that he’s capable of.

There’s nothing for him to say anyway. You don’t want his apologies or his excuses. The pictures are evidence enough.

A boys weekend, he’d told you, and you’d trusted him. You loved him. He wasn’t like your ex, Iwa would never deliberately do anything to hurt you.

He knew what fidelity meant to you.

You’d thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with him, but those pictures are enough to show you what a fool’s dream that was. Iwa, naked in bed, wrapped around some other woman.

Sleeping so peacefully, curled up by her side, like he’d done with you a thousand times.

And it doesn’t matter whether he was drunk or not. It doesn’t matter if he knew her or paid for her or found her at some fancy fucking bar downtown. He cheated on you, he broke your heart and he doesn’t get to watch you fall apart in front of him.

You save your tears until the door swings shut, collapsing onto the floor with a heartbroken wail as the man you love walks away.

—

Iwaizumi doesn’t remember much of that night. He’s never been a lightweight, but the drinks they were knocking back would’ve been enough to take out the best of them. And Iwa didn’t have to worry, not when he was out with friends.

God knows they’d gotten him into so much shit when they were younger and stupider, but between the four of them they’ll stop each other from doing anything too damaging. They have careers now (most of them, anyway) and reputations to protect. And Iwa had you.

Out of everything; his career, his reputation, his livelihood, you were the one thing Iwa wouldn’t risk fucking up.

The night itself is a hazy, incomprehensible blur, but he does remember the girl. Not her name or where she came from, but he remembers her. A pretty face with a sultry smile, wearing some short, tight, shimmering dress. He remembers her sitting on Oikawa’s lap, fingers carding through his hair, red lips kissing at his jaw.

And he remembers Oikawa lounging back in his seat, barely paying the poor girl an ounce of attention, even when her hand started to run teasingly up his thigh, those same sinful lips whispering into his ear.

How the girl managed to find her way from Oikawa’s lap to his hotel bedroom is beyond him, but the pictures don’t lie. It’s his arm wrapped around her waist, her skin littered with love bites and fingerprint shaped bruises.

It was her mouth he’d woken up to, trailing a slow, teasing path up along his chest. He’d shoved her aside, snapped and snarled until the pretty thing welled up with tears and all but fled, leaving him to fall back into the sheets full of self loathing and disgust, wondering how he could possibly have fucked up this badly.

And when he threw up later, hurling until there was nothing left in his stomach, he knew it had nothing to do with the alcohol he’d drunk.

Iwa hadn’t known that anybody knew, hadn’t thought that there was proof – not until you were shoving it in his face, your bottom lip trembling as you tried to keep your tears at bay. And what could he say?

It was a mistake?

He was drunk?

Iwa doesn’t make excuses, you deserve more than that. You deserve more than him.

He should’ve fallen to his knees and begged – begged you through tears if he had to – for you to give him a second chance. But the words stuck in his throat, because the look of absolute, utter heartbreak on your face felt like a fist driving into his gut, and he wasn’t sure if he even deserved it.

You break up with him two weeks before Valentine’s Day, entirely unaware of the ring he’s been carrying around in his pocket for almost a month now, and Iwaizumi doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do.

So he does the only thing he can, and calls Oikawa.

—

Moving your things out of the apartment you’d spent the last year and a half sharing with your boyfriend – your ex-boyfriend – takes less time than you think. The life you’d started to build with him, packed up in nice neat little boxes in only a few hours.

And you’re grateful that he’s not there. He’d messaged you to tell you that he wouldn’t be, the only contact you’d had with him since breaking up.

It’s not the pictures on the nightstand, Iwa’s strong arms wrapped around you, a dopey little grin on his face that gets to you – it’s the World’s Best Boyfriend mug he’d bought you as a joke one day, the old hoodie of yours that was actually his, the one you’d worn half to death because it was warm and smelled like him.

It’s hard enough to do this without him hovering over you, but stupidly you’d forgotten that while Iwa had promised not to be there, he wasn’t the only one with a key to your shared apartment.

The lock clicks and the door swings open just as you’re finishing up in the bedroom and for one single, split second, your heart jumps into your throat.

But the brunette that saunters in isn’t the one you’re still in love with, and you’re quick to brush away the tears on your face before he can see.

Before he can mock you for it.

Oikawa, ever the charmer, merely grins when he catches sight of you.

“Did Iwa send you to supervise?” you say in lieu of a proper greeting, the words slightly more bitter than you intend – even for him.

He isn’t bothered by it, his grin widening just a fraction as he turns and settles down on the bed, long legs stretched out, ankles casually crossed over. He looks entirely too comfortable there and it’s an effort not to bristle.

“Well hello to you too,” he says, his voice a teasing lilt. “Are you always this fun in the mornings?”

Your brows draw together in a frown, but just as you open your mouth to snap a retort, his palms come up in a gesture of mock surrender. “No, Iwa did not send me to supervise you. He doesn’t know I’m here, actually.”

“Then why are you here? To gloat?” you spit.

Oikawa’s eyes glitter, amusement tugging at his lips. You love Iwaizumi, and for his sake you’ve spent the past few years tolerating the constant, overbearing presence of his best and oldest friend. Oikawa, on the other hand has never made all that much of an effort to hide the fact that he doesn’t exactly approve of your relationship with his friend.

Oh, he’s never outwardly rude or hurtful. He doesn’t sit there and spew abuse at you, and as far as you know he hasn’t tried to sway Iwa into leaving you since the very early days of your relationship, but Oikawa doesn’t need to be overt to make his feelings clear.

He treats you like a one night stand that hasn’t quite gotten the hint that it’s time to fix your dress and move right along.

You still haven’t forgotten the night you all went out to celebrate your boyfriend’s birthday, how he’d slid into Iwa’s empty seat the moment he’d slipped out to get another round of drinks and spoken so casually, as if it was nothing but a friendly conversation. Small talk.

“You know it won’t last; you and Iwa.”

And you hadn’t said a word, not wanting to be baited into fighting – into ruining Iwa’s night. You hadn’t even scowled at him, just sat there, pretending that he didn’t exist as you waited for your boyfriend to come back to you.

“You’re cute together, I’ll give you that much,” he’d mused, swallowing the last mouthful of his beer. He’d studied you from beneath long lashes for a moment; a sharp, lingering look entirely at odds with the easy, relaxed tone of his voice. “But you two aren’t a good match. You don’t belong with him.”

You never did figure out exactly what you’d done to make him dislike you so much, but you suppose it doesn’t matter now.

Not when he’s finally proven himself to be right.

“Please,” he says with a scoff, rolling those pretty eyes of his, “as if I’d be so immature. I’m just here to make sure you don’t steal the coffee machine – it’s so much better than the one I have at home.”

He spends the next half hour trailing you from room to room, looking entirely too delighted at your misery. It’s almost a relief when you slip into the bathroom just for a moment’s fucking peace, brushing angrily away at the tears that still haven’t left you.

You almost – almost – reach for your phone to message Iwa and tell him to call off his stupid, infuriating friend, except you’d left it lying on the kitchen bench.

—

His head hurts. An incessant pounding, throbbing ache that makes him want to hurl.

Rationally, he’d known that the cure for the monstrous hangover he’d given himself wasn’t going out for a run at five in the morning, but he didn’t know what else to do. It was either that or keep drinking, and considering it was the alcohol that had gotten him into this fucking mess in the first place…

“I need to fix this,” he groans, dropping his head into his hands, letting his fingers roughly run through the tangles of his hair. “I need to fucking fix this.”

He looks like shit, feels like shit, but he can’t bring himself to care, not even as a solid weight drops itself onto the couch beside him.

“You need to give her space, Iwa,” Oikawa comments with a sigh, passing him a glass of water that he gratefully chugs. “Give her time to figure things out. She’s hurting, and you constantly harassing her won’t do you any favours in trying to win her back.”

He wants to see the truth in his friend’s wisdom. He knows he hurt you, he knows he fucked up, but–

You’d already moved your things out.

He’d known that, of course he had, but coming home to see every trace of you just gone was like a gut punch. He was gonna marry you, get down on one fucking knee in front of everybody and– and now you’re gone and he’s crashing in his best friend’s spare bedroom because the thought of going home without you there is too fucking painful for him to bare.

And he only has himself to blame for it.

But you’re his future, the only one he really gives a damn about, and he’s not one to just give up and walk away. Iwa doesn’t care if it takes weeks or months, he doesn’t care if he has to spend the rest of his life making this up to you; he will.

He can’t just let you go.

Oikawa continues to try and talk sense beside him, but he’s barely paying attention, only offering a small grunt of acknowledgement when he feels the brunette’s eyes studying him. He knows that he’s only trying to help, but he can’t honestly remember the last time Oikawa bothered to introduce him to one of the girls hanging off his arm. He knew as well as his friend did that there wasn’t much point – they wouldn’t be sticking around for long. Fuck, he doesn’t think that Oikawa’s ever had a serious relationship in his life, so excuse him if he’s a little hesitant to take his advice as gospel.

And Oikawa doesn’t know you like Iwaizumi does. He doesn’t understand you, doesn’t see what Iwa does when he looks at you. You’re like… sunlight. There’s no other way he can describe it. It’s cheesy and stupidly sappy, he’d rather be shot than admit it out loud, but he’s never met another person so–so… radiant. You burn bright, and Iwaizumi can’t help but be drawn to you – your warmth and your softness and everything about you. You’re beautiful and caring and you’re home and he’s terrified that if he waits too long, somebody else is gonna see that and snatch you up for themselves and he won’t even be able to blame them for it.

He knows he fucked up, knows that you probably (rightfully) hate him, but he has to try.

So he ignores the way that Oikawa huffs and rolls his eyes when he reaches for his phone, opening up your last conversation.

Please, can we talk? I know you don’t want anything to do with me right now but I’m begging you. Just ten minutes?

And his heart pounds against his ribcage so violently that he thinks he might be sick as he waits for it to send. Waits for the little ‘Read’ notification to pop up.

And waits.

Error. Message failed to send.

He tries again, distinctly aware of the Oikawa’s watchful, curious gaze peering over his shoulder.

Error. Message failed to send.

There’s a sinking feeling in his gut and in his panic, he presses the call button, bringing the phone to his ear with a sick feeling in his stomach.

It doesn’t even ring, there’s just three beeps and the line disconnects.

You’ve blocked his number.

—

You second guess yourself with every step, but you don’t stop and you don’t turn around.

The radio silence from your ex had been a little unexpected, but you’d been the one to tell him in no uncertain terms that the two of you were done.

You were the one to make a point of moving out, keeping the few messages you’d exchanged short and to the point. Were you expecting him to fight you on it? Blow up your phone with messages and voicemails begging you to come back? Maybe show up at your door demanding that you hear him out and give him another chance.

Were you maybe just the tiniest bit disappointed that he hadn’t?

It wasn’t remotely fair to expect that of him, you know that, but you couldn’t help the way your heart had leapt into your throat the moment his message had come through after days of nothing.

Can we talk face to face? I need to see you.

Two sentences, that was it. And you’d spent the better part of an hour debating whether or not you should reply.

Because you love him still, despite it all.

The last person you’d given a second chance to had used that chance to walk all over you. He’d broken your heart, your trust, and any semblance of self worth you’d had. Iwaizumi had been the one to build you back up afterwards.

And now he’d done the same thing. Knowing what you’d gone through before, and it gutted you.

The date on the calendar hasn’t slipped your attention. It’s Valentine’s Day, and you’d spent all morning trying to forget that if things were different, you would have spent the day with Iwa. He’d been secretive about his plans, tight lipped for once in his life, and there’d been some part of you that had wondered, hoped even… but instead you’re sitting alone in a hotel room, feeling miserable for yourself.

If you were stronger, maybe, and if today were any other day, you might have ignored the message, the way those two brief sentences made your pathetic heart ache, but–

But… perhaps you had been a little too hasty when you’d broken it off. Iwa hadn’t said a word to defend himself, but you hadn’t really given him the option, had you?

Agreeing to meet with him wasn’t agreeing to brush it all under the rug. It wasn’t a promise of forgiveness, or even really an olive branch. It just meant that you would go to hear him out, that’s all.

Just to hear him out.

Yet your stomach’s twisting into knots as you walk up the familiar steps, your heart beating out an unsteady rhythm. You love him, despite it all.

You love him, but that doesn’t stop your hand from trembling as you raise a fist to knock.

The smiling face that greets you when that door swings open, however, is not the one you’re expecting.

“Hey there, cutie. You’re early.”

Oikawa.

For one single, floundering heartbeat, confusion grips you. Why was he– was Iwaizumi not coming? Had you misunderstood the message, or… or had he changed his mind, backed down at the last second and sent his friend to hammer the final nail into the coffin of your failed relationship.

You didn’t think Iwaizumi would be the type, though. He’d never been cruel, he’d never been cowardly, either.

“I don’t… understand,” you breathe, wide eyes darting around as if you’re expecting your ex to suddenly pop up behind his shoulder and shove him aside with a growl, telling him to butt out of your relationship the way he had countless times before.

Yet Oikawa offers no explanation, that same stupid, infuriating grin widening as he steps back to let you in, and you, somewhat robotically, follow him inside. Your eyes flicker from his back to the apartment around you – it’s exactly how you left it last week, not a single thing out of place.

“Iwa said–” but your voice falls silent as you realise that no, that’s not true.

The door to your bedroom is ajar, soft, flickering light spilling out from the crack, but that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the rose petals on the floor, the dulcet music playing so quietly you’d missed it entirely.

Your brow furrows, breath catching in your throat as you stare at the scene before you, utterly frozen. You don’t register Oikawa stepping closer, nor the dark hunger brewing in his eyes. None of this makes any sense, you don’t understand–

“Iwa’s not coming.” Long, delicate fingers grip your chin, tilting your face and before you can even draw breath his lips are pressing against yours. It only lasts a second, long enough for your lagging brain to register that Oikawa is kissing you, here, in the middle of the apartment you’d shared with his best friend.

Oikawa, who hates you. Who’s cupping your cheek, gazing at you with an expression so eager and wanting, so unnervingly wrong that it makes your heart clench in fear and your blood run cold.

His thumb brushes along the curve of your cheekbone, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

And then he’s grabbing at your hand, fingers entwining with yours as he tugs you towards the bedroom, and finally the shock wears off enough for reality to kick in.

“What the fu– Oikawa, get the hell off of me!” you snap, trying to wrench yourself free. But he’s stronger than he looks, and his grip merely tightens.

“Tooru,” he calls back, glancing over his shoulder with that impish, wicked little smirk. “I want you to moan it for me tonight. You can do that for me, right cutie?”

You’re not a violent person, you’ve never been the type to lash out with fists and blows, but something inside of you just snaps at his words, and before you can stop yourself, your open palm flies towards his face.

Quick as lightning, Oikawa spins, catching at your wrist and slamming you up against the living room wall. A small burst of pain radiates through your skull from the impact, your breath forced from your lungs in a pathetic squeak as he boxes you in. There’s not a moment for you to catch your breath, though, not with his forearm pressing down on your throat just hard enough so that you can feel it. He’s always been taller than you, but you’d never considered him to be intimidating – not until he’s looming over you, teeth bared in that feral smirk.

“Oh, baby. If you’re not going to play nice, I won’t either.” His fingers tighten on your wrist, squeezing until a choked whimper slips out and he kisses you once more. Not soft or sweet, but bruising, teeth clacking, nipping and biting and harshly sucking at your bottom lip until you return it.

And when he pulls away, there’s blood on his lips – yours – and he licks it away with a satisfied little hum. “I put effort into this, you know,” he says, his tone almost conversational if not for the slight pant, the shivering undercurrent that laces every word. Oikawa leans closer, and you can feel the outline of his cock, hardening already as he presses it against you, rutting his hips ever so slightly. “Set the bedroom up nice and romantic for our first time together.”

He kisses you again, a sweet, tender peck, smiling when you part.

“But if you want me to fuck you here first, up against the wall, all you had to do was say so.”

—

The girl had been easy enough to convince to play along, which probably should have disgusted him.

She looked like you; a cheap imitation, of course, but close enough. Oikawa could kid himself that it was for Iwaizumi’s sake, to sow the seeds of doubt in his head, but he knows as he forces her face down into the pillow, slamming his hips against her ass like a man possessed, that that’s not the whole truth.

But she served her purpose well enough, letting him fuck her, mark up that pristine skin with the same kind he’d seen littered across your neck and collarbones, your thighs–

And she’d still tried to kiss him the moment before slipping out of her robe and climbing into his best friend’s bed. Given him that playful wink, biting her bottom lip seductively as if she were anything but a means to an end for him.

As if he hadn’t forgotten her name the moment he’d gotten those pictures.

Oikawa knows all about your ex and how that asshole treated you, out of all the possible scenarios he could have engineered, this would be the one that’d hurt you the most. He’d thought that you would fly off the handle, kick Iwa out for a few days and leave the door open just wide enough for him to weasel his way in, but you’d gone one step further.

You’d left him.

Broken his heart completely, the way he’d broken yours. Oikawa couldn’t have planned it better himself, and oh what he would have killed to have been there to see it.

And it’s not that he enjoys his best friend’s pain – truly, he wants Iwa to be happy, he does.

Just not with you. Not when you’re his.

It was easy enough to bully Iwa into revealing when you’d be coming over to pick up your things. Easy enough to rile you up to the point you’d run and hide just so he wouldn’t see you shed all those pretty tears.

Leaving your phone unattended. And really, it’s your own fault for choosing such an obvious passcode – how could he possibly resist?

You were none the wiser, his poor, unsuspecting little idiot.

Yet for all your posturing and your badly concealed hurt, he’d known that you’d show up today. You’re a romantic at heart, and you’d let yourself be walked all over again if you thought it meant that somebody loved you, wouldn’t you?

You would’ve said yes when he’d gotten down on one knee, and when he’d come back to you with tears in his eyes, drowning in regret and you saw what a mess Iwaizumi was without you, you would have forgiven him – even if it meant giving him the power to break you all over again.

Oikawa honestly doesn’t know whether he should admire or pity you for it.

It hardly matters now, he supposes. Not when you’re so beautifully wrecked, lying nestled against his bare chest with those tears he adores spilling down your flushed cheeks. Every thump of your heart echoing his.

He wonders if he should send Iwaizumi a picture.

#yandere haikyuu #yandere oikawa tooru x reader #yandere oikawa #yandere oikawa x reader #yandere oikawa tooru #tw dub con #tw non con #tw abuse #tw choking #tw cheating #angst #this one's a doozy

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ssa-sugar-tits · 4 years ago

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Ten Years (ch. 3)

Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 4

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Content warnings: hospital, cursing, angst

a/n: i feel like this chapter's a little long, sorry!

Despite the multiple half-assed orders from Hotch and Rossi, the sincere begging from JJ and Penelope, and the concerned pushes from Emily and Derek, you refuse to leave the hospital until Spencer wakes up. You can't bring yourself to eat or sleep or even stop to breathe knowing something's so terribly wrong with him. For fuck's sake, all he did was hit his head. There is no plausible reason you can think of that he wouldn't have woken up yet. Drenched in your own exhausted tears and practically shaking with worry, there's a harrowing pit in your stomach. You've been waiting 42 hours and counting with no sign of improvement. He has a mild concussion and will need a few stitches where he bled but he "should be fine." They told you over and over again. And Hotch was forced to step in when you had enough of the empty bullshit in the atmosphere.

"If he's fine, why the hell hasn't he woken up? A mild concussion doesn't fucking do this to someone!" It's simple. The doctors don't know. They don't know how to help your husband. All they can do is spew false reassuring lies at you while they do absolutely nothing. More lengthy hours pass and an MRI is ordered. The same unsurprising thing: nothing's wrong with him. But what are they going to do? Send him away unconscious? No, they're just going to stand around pretending they know what they're fucking doing. You jump at the feeling of a cold hand tapping on your shoulder.

"Hey, it's just me." You look up to see Derek with a dreadfully morbid look on his face, one with tones of anger. "Mind if I sit with you?" Nowhere near able to speak, you try to give him an inviting smile but all you do is lift the corner of your quivering lips slightly. He gets the hint, which he probably would have missed had he not known you so well, and sits down beside you. Staring over at your husband, you hear Derek's head thump against the wall. The feelings you both have are of utter uselessness. Sure, there have been worse situations but... there's nothing either of you can do at all. There's no reasoning here. Well, to your knowledge. Spencer is the only one that knows what's going on. And it's ripping him apart. To not know what happened to his beloved mentor or remember any of the precious moments he's had with Y/N. He hasn't been able to watch the team he remains loyal to change and grow. He just woke up one day and was hurled into this shitty situation. He laughs out of despair at his own shortcomings and lack of comprehending what's been done to him. Y/N and Derek's heads both snap up at the unexpected sound, hopeful and desperate for a sign that Spencer's back. No such luck at first but Derek goes to get the nurse while you navigate your way to your husband's side.

"Love, it's me. I don't know if you can hear me. But whatever this is, whatever's stressed you out so much that you're... literally blocking out the entire fucking world... it'll be okay. I love you Spencer and I promise I always will. Please be okay for me." A disappointed sigh leaves you. Honestly, what did you expect? For him to wake up because you said you love him? This isn't a fucking fairytale Y/N. Derek returns with a nurse who confirms it must have been an unconscious movement so no hope there. Propping your head up with your arm, you try to get some rest for the first time since you arrived. After two more sickening hours pass, you're shaken awake by a nurse.

"Yeah?" you yawn before remembering where you are. Blinking rapidly, you open your eyes fully and look up at the nurse.

"Miss, your husband is awake." He directs a smile at you before exiting the room, leaving you to rush over to Spencer who's already sitting up and muttering to himself.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Tears threaten to fill your eyes when you place a hand on his shoulder and he turns away from your touch.

"I'm fine, th-thank you. Excuse me, doctor?" He waves over the doctor and asks her, "Can I leave now?" She looks a bit startled as if she didn't expect him to want to leave.

"Mr. Reid--"

"Doctor," you correct.

"Ahem, Doctor Reid, our tests have come back fine and healthy but to be frank... We aren't entirely sure why you were unconscious for so long. If you'd like to stay and rest, we'd welcome-- no we strongly suggest that's what you do." You open your mouth to say something but Spencer answers her.

"If I can go then I'd like to now, thanks." It's difficult to process when he's discharged and barely even greets his team that was worried sick. Asking you silently with their sweet glances if he's okay, you can't respond. All you manage to do is bite your lip and shrug before driving him home. Spencer doesn't say a word and the silence is deafening. Incomprehensible even because since when is he this fucking quiet?

"Spence?" You say, not taking your eyes off the road. "Don't you think we should talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What do you fucking think? So much for genius." An exasperated sigh escapes you before you realize you're being harsh. "I'm sorry I don't mean to snap at you. I was just..."

"Stressed?" He offers, sounding awfully sad.

"Yeah. Stressed," you sigh once more. Your worry slips away for a moment and he presses a kiss to your cheek. His lips brush against your face and you swear he lingers as if wanting to say something but he goes back to staring out the window. Once in the apartment, you expect him to want to rest or at least, spend time with his wife who's been going fucking insane the past couple of days but he locks himself in his office. Giving up, you walk to the bedroom and leave him be.

Spencer speedily walks around the room collecting books, paper, a pen, and even a laptop. It's time to figure out what's going on. First, he reads about the BAU. He learns a lot about Emily Prentiss and how Elle and Gideon left the bureau. Another piece of information he finds is that David Rossi has been apart of the team for 8 years. Hotch's wife is dead and Jack-- the baby he met once briefly is now 10 years old, living alone with Hotch. Going through photo albums and keepsakes he discovers, he finds that his relationships really have grown over the years and so have yours. Who would've thought that the emotionless, serious Aaron Hotcher would walk his wife down the aisle? Agent Prentiss, he saw, was your maid of honor and Morgan was his best man. A small child held JJ's hand and with context, he came to the conclusion that she had a child now. And his eyes land on you. He traces a hand over the photo, cherishing a memory he doesn't have. You look perfect in that wedding dress. The viel falls on your head gracefully. Your smile radiates off the page and he can't help not feeling a sense of loss. You two are happy together and he doesn't remember a second of it. Ironic, isn't it? He thinks. Moving on to the why this is happening, he reads heaps of material for hours straight, faster than someone else would be able to, but still feels like he's getting nowhere. All he has to go off of is the date and theories he's found on forums and in old books. Suddenly its too much and he throws a book across the room, wincing at the sharp thud when it hits the wall. Spencer buries his frustrated face in his hands and lets out a long, deep breath. Y/N. Guilt washes over him as he realizes, this isn't any easier for you. You've spent the past 10 years forming a relationship with your Spencer and you woke up to a distant stranger. If he's going to figure this out, he needs to adjust. Adjust to being with you, the team, this new life of his. Just until he figures things out, right? Settling on going to lay with you-- his wife, he reminds himself-- he hears what sounds like muffled sobs. He opens the bathroom door cautiously and his heart drops to his feet at the sight in front of him. You're sitting in the bathtub, half-dressed crying quietly into your knees and running your hands through your hair. Spencer kneels down beside you and wraps him arms around you tightly. You gasp softly and almost pull away but accept the embrace.

"I'm so sorry," he says sincerely against your hair. Your words come out strung together and your tongue twists while you try to explain how you've been feeling this week.

"N-No I just... I'm just worried about you Spence I'm s-so," you bite down on your quivering lip harshly to avoid choking on a sob and continue. "Everything's different a-and it's like it changed overnight. I don't know what the hell I did to fuck things up. Whatever I did, I'm so sorry." You bury your head deeper into your knees, smearing mascara into streamed lines down your cheeks. The guilt he feels smashes his heart into pieces and throws it to his feet. He said he has to adjust, didn't he? He'll start with you. Spencer already loved you, the only different thing now is that you love him too. His voice softens and he whispers into your ear, stroking your hair and intertwining his fingers with locks of it.

"You've done nothing wrong sweetheart," he assures you, surprising himself with a nickname. "I'll call Hotch and we'll take tomorrow off, just the two of us. We'll go on a date like we used to a-and we can do whatever you'd like. Anything, Y/N just let me take care of you. The way you deserve."

When he's finished, your eyes meet his and you hesitate before nodding. No words leave your mouth but it's as if you don't need them to speak. He helps you up and you make your way to the bed you share.

Falling asleep quickly, you melt into dreams of spending time together and starting to get back to normal. Spencer, on the other hand, is overcome with an intimidating shit load of anxiety. This isn't, in a million years, how he thought his first fucking date with Y/N Y/L/N would be. Then again, this type of... situation never even crossed his wildest dreams. Make the best of it, right? Yeah that's it. He'll do his best.

For you.

#criminal minds #criminal minds self insert #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds x y/n #spencer reid #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid angst

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onthecrosslook · 4 years ago

Text

Three Acts

Note: @call-me-moo I guess it’s not three acts anymore?

Act Four

“It’s not like it is in the movies. There’s not a great big spurt of blood and you go flying backwards.”

Mary, cold, lifeless, her eyes empty, her smile taunting. She’s taunting me, laughing, she won’t stop laughing oh god-

STOP LAUGHING AT ME

Blood, blood, BLOOD-

Scared little boy, that’s what you are…it’s what you’ve always been…

DID YOU MISS ME DID YOU MISS ME DID YOU MISS ME

No, no, no, no…Oh, Sherlock, you know nothing…

Where did the blood go? Where did it go where did it go where did it-

Did John check? Did he check her? He’s a doctor, but DID HE CHECK?

My eyes fly open, and I can’t remember where I am. I feel…frozen in place. I can’t move, I can’t breathe, and my throat is so dry I can hardly croak out the word “John”, yet still I manage.

John, wake up, please.

He doesn’t stir.

“John,” I whisper, louder this time. My chest is heaving, and my fingers have drifted to the barely-healed scar on my ribs.

He makes a small noise and turns to me, half-asleep. “Yeah, Sh’rlock…?” he mumbles. “Wha’s wrong…?”

Everything everything is wrong I can’t breathe-

I’m shaking, and I can’t force myself to stop. “John, she…she was…she…” I can’t get out the words. My eyes are burning.

“Oh, Sherlock…” Suddenly, John is wide awake and running his fingers through my hair. “She’s not here, Sherlock. She’s…” He swallows. “She’s dead. She can’t hurt you. Not anymore.”

My eyes flicker over to him frantically, searching for any trace of- God, I don’t know what.

Heart rate quickened left hand shaking hasn’t shaved half asleep worried scared afraid-

“Sherlock,” he says sternly, his voice cracking the smallest bit. “Come back to me, please.”

I’m panicking, and he knows it, and I know it, but I can’t stop myself. “John, she’s here. Something’s wrong, John, I can feel it!”

“She’s not here,” John murmurs softly. “Sherlock, please…go back to sleep. I’m here. Whatever you dreamt, it wasn’t real. I promise.” He pulls me against his chest, and suddenly my thoughts are flooded with John.

“Okay,” I say, hushed. “Okay, I’ll…But…what if I see her again?” The thought frightens me. My chest hurts.

Her betrayal scarred and marked me. Forever. Every day, I will see this ugly scar and be reminded of what she did to me.

“I’ll be here every time,” John reassures me, his hand still absentmindedly stroking my hair. “Go back to sleep, yeah?”

I nod and move to lie down. John’s arms don’t pull away from my body.

Wholly, unequivocally John…

It’s a comforting weight. One that helps me fall into a more relaxed sleep, one unperturbed by nightmares and glimpses of something that couldn’t possibly be real.

I’m awoken by a sliver of light peeking through the curtains and falling on my eyes. All and all, it’s still far better than being woken up by some sort of awful nightmare.

John is clinging to me tightly. It makes it rather challenging to get out of bed, but I manage after a slight bit of difficulty.

I should thank him. Would it be odd if I thanked him?

I look at his softly sleeping form.

Is this what…couples do? Are we a couple? Was he simply being a good friend? Do friends kiss one another? Have I misread this whole thing-?

“Sherlock…” John grumbles from his pillow, “I can hear you having a bloody breakdown from here.” He groans and sits up, rubbing his hair back into its proper shape. “C’mere, you big idiot.”

I chuckle and slide back into my- our?- bed. He wraps his arms around me and smiles into my back.

“Hi,” he says.

“Hi,” I say back.

I twist around and look at him.

He should shave.

I push the thought away and sigh, before touching my lips. “John, I’m quite sure you’re aware of the awful after-effects of stubble burn…”

John pulls away, a flat expression on his face. I’m almost worried for a moment, but I see a spark in his eyes. “Sherlock,” he asks, “do you want me to shave?”

I glance away. “Perhaps.”

“Self-advocacy, love,” he sighs, a smile playing on his lips as he moves off the bed and heads for the loo. He might have said something after that, but I believe my brain temporarily stopped working, a rarity for me.

‘Love’…?

Love, as in…denoting a romantic partner?

Love meaning he doesn’t mind my celibacy, that he still wants to be with me, that he…cares about me?

“Sherlock!” John shouts from the sink. “Stop overthinking!”

I shake my head, still smiling like a fool, and pull on my favourite blue dressing gown so I can attempt to make breakfast. ‘Attempt’ being the operative word. The last time I cooked, I nearly burned down the kitchen, so I’m not really holding out on the idea.

I estimate I have seventeen minutes, based on his prior established grooming habits- but, then again, they may have changed while living with…her. I have noticed he uses considerably more product in his hair now.

It’s like déjà vu. My mind is swiftly and suddenly pulled back to one of our first cases together.

“With that level of personal grooming?”

“What, because he puts a bit of product in his hair? I put product in my hair!”

“You wash your hair, there’s a difference.”

The memory is fond. I wonder if he was trying to tell me something, or if that was a Freudian slip of some sort. I open the bedroom door, smoothing some of my unruly curls out of my face. “Of course, then there was the whole matter with Carl Pow…”

I’m stopped cold in my tracks.

No. No, I’m seeing things, I’m high, I’m sleeping.

He can’t be…

“Oh- um, hey!” Jim Moriarty lounges in my chair with not a care in the world, his feet resting on my coffee table as he slowly eats a biscuit. He swallows down his bite. “Sorry, were you expecting more? A big show of some sort?” He grins and puckers his lips. “Oh, Sherlock…did you miss me?”

He’s not here. He’s dead.

“You…shot yourself,” I mumble, almost drunkenly in shock. “You’re dead…”

“Well, you hurled yourself off a roof, honey.” Jim shrugs as though his mere presence isn’t an act defiant of nature. “It’s safe to say more than one miracle happened that day.”

“How did you do it? How?” I demand, my vision dizzy with horror.

I didn’t check no-one checked Mycroft didn’t check

“Ah-ah-ah…!” Jim tut-tuts and slowly drags his tongue along his finger to catch a bit of jam. “A magician never reveals his secrets…”

I shake my head viciously, praying that I can get rid of the manifestation of evil in front of me. “I’m dreaming,” I say weakly.

“You’re dreaming? You’re the one standing in front of me in pants and a dressing gown, I think I’m the one who’s dreaming, Sherlock.” His smile is cruel, vindictive. “Oh, how vulnerable you are right now…! I could stab you and lick the blood off the blade, and the Good Doctor wouldn’t know until he had a sniper’s sight on him.” Jim lowers his voice to a growl. “Bang.”

Not again, please, not again…

“You wouldn’t.”

He makes an exaggerated frown with his fingers. “No more Joooohn…” he whispers.

“Leave him out of this,” I snap, regaining some of my confidence. “This is between you and I.”

Jim giggles. “You know, I heard the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. What if I chopped up John Watson and fed him to you, piece by piece?” He slides his tongue over his lips and smiles blissfully. “Heaven.”

I want to throw up. I want to strangle him. I. Want. Him. Gone.

I take a deep breath, even though I can tell I have already paled at his suggestion. “Get out of my flat,” I say calmly, unable- or unwilling- to force myself to move.

Jim looks more amused than disappointed. “I thought you’d at least let me stay for dessert. I suppose I’ll have to settle for takeaway, instead.” He strolls over to me, maddeningly slow, and presses his lips to my neck, just barely nicking my skin with his teeth. “It’s so good to be back. I can’t wait for all the fun I’m going to have with you.”

I don’t say a word, my eyes fixed on watching him leave. When the front door closes, I finally shudder, still frozen in place, before collapsing on the sofa.

He’s back.

(Well, that was a ride. Act Five coming soon.)

Epilogue linked below:

https://benaddicted-linfanuel.tumblr.com/post/657054522939686912/three-acts

#bbc #sherlock #sherlock holmes #john watson #johnlock #jim moriarty #post reichenbach #the fall #mary is not good #she’s actually pretty evil #did you miss him #he’s back #nightmares

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lihikainanea · 4 years ago

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Just (scrumptious) thoughts.

Alright so look, Bill kind of always gets cast to play similar types, right? Tall, creepy thin types. Dudes that look a little out of the ordinary.

But maybe to his delight, after an audition that he left kind of thinking he bombed it, maybe Good Dude Bill gets cast as something very different--a strong, alpha male, buff kind of dude.

And Bill is no stranger to the insane things he sometimes has to do for roles, so maybe when the studio connects him with a dietician, with a trainer who looks like Mad Max, maybe Bill is a little apprehensive but he just dives in full force because that’s what Bill does. And tiger, bless her heart, maybe tiger even books some separate meetings with his dietician just so she can understand what he needs to be eating and when, how she can prepare it for him, etc.

At first, the building stage seems fun. Bill gets to consume like, 8,000 calories a day and he’s even allowed some sweets and treats. It’s just about building mass onto his skinny frame at this point, and consuming massive amounts of calories seems like a lot of fun. But then he gets his meal plan, and he realizes that he just constantly needs to be eating, even if he’s not hungry. Part of his million calories a day means he needs to consume like, 6 chicken breasts. He’s eating every 90 minutes, and halfway through the regime he swears he hasn’t been actually hungry in like, 8 weeks. It’s just not a feeling he feels anymore, when he’s cramming that much food down.

Tiger does her best to make the meals appetizing within the limitations of his diet. And Bill is all heart-eyes, because he’s exhausted from the training and sleeping all the time to help his body heal, and tiger just spends hours in the kitchen food prepping all of his meals and packaging them up. She gets it all ready for him, puts it in little containers, and even goes as far as to put little sticky notes on them with the time that he should be eating which container. It takes her forever, but truth be told for as enthusiastic as Bill was at the beginning--she’s never quite seem him so down and out, so tired, so unenthusiastic about everything.

His last meal he actually needs to be woken up for, because it’s around 11PM when he’s already been asleep for like two hours. Tiger nearly gags for him in sympathy, watching as he attempts to chew a chicken breast and swallow it without hurling. It’s just so much food.

And it has other effects too--Bill always ran hot, but now his body is like a furnace to the point where tiger can’t even sleep with blankets anymore because he heats the whole bed. He’s beefing out like crazy--it’s not defined muscle at this point, more just sheer bulk, but he’s bigger than she’s ever seen him. He’s always tired and sore, training twice a day, and he just doesn’t have the energy for much anymore. He’s constantly stuffed and uncomfortable and none of his clothes fit anymore.

But you know, after the bulk stage, is the cutting stage. The stage where all of that mass needs to be sculpted and defined into carved muscles. And Bill doesn’t know which one was worse--being force fed everyday, or having his calories cut so drastically that he’s suddenly starving all the time.

Tiger does her best to support him. She doesn’t keep junk in the house, or if she does, she hides it. She tries desperately to add flavour to what little food he’s allowed to eat, but even she struggles to do that when things like butter and salt and oil are off limits. Bill’s diet basically consists of steamed salmon and broccoli, a half a cup of brown rice every other day, salad with cucumbers and no dressing. Tomatoes have carbs and his diet is so ridiculous that he’s allowed one tomato a week, as a treat. Sweets are off limits. Alcohol is off limits. Bill basically has only 5 things that he can eat.

Their weekly dates at restaurants are a dream of long times past--there’s nothing Bill can eat at a restaurant so even though he offers, even though he tells tiger he wants to take her out--she refuses. It would be torture for the poor bastard. Tiger doesn’t order in anymore, and when she wants pizza or junk she head’s over to another friend’s house and orders it there. Maybe they’ve even taken to eating at different times--tiger will sit with Bill while he eats the pitiful portion of bland food on his plate, keep him company, but she’ll eat after. Tiger is all for eating healthy but this is an extreme, and she can’t eat that way--so when Bill is done, hell maybe when he’s sleeping, she’ll sneak out and have her regular meal just so that she doesn’t tempt the poor bastard. The one time she ate a piece of heavily buttered toast in front of him, Bill’s jowls got all droopy and there was basically a puddle of drool on his place mat.

And like, here’s the thing right? Tiger tries her best to be supportive, but maybe one of her colleagues has a birthday coming up and tiger actually likes this colleague. So maybe one night, she bakes a cake--a decadent, fudgy chocolate cake. And she tells Bill to just go to the gym or something, or to lock himself in the bedroom or the office for as long as possible so the scent doesn’t get to him. And Bill has just basically lost his will to live at this point, he’s a walking, calorie-deprived zombie, so he’s completely resigned and he just tells tiger that he doesn’t care anymore. It’s okay kid, I don’t feel things anymore. Emotions require calories and he has none of those to spare. He goes to lie down.

Tiger makes the cake, ices it, covers it all up on the counter and then goes to bed.

But like...Bill is not made of stone. And he has been so good on this regime, but he has a breaking point. He is exhausted, he is sore all the time, he’s starving all the time, and he just...snaps. So maybe one night in the wee hours of the morning, tiger goes to snuggle into him and he’s just....not there. She rubs at her eyes sleepily, leans over the bed and she notices the light is on in the kitchen. Pushing the covers back, she stands and groggily stumbles down the hallway.

And there’s Bill, wrapped in a blanket, chocolate smudged all over his face, chewing calmly as he just digs his fork into the cake. He’s already about one quarter of the way through.

“Billy...” she says, shocked.

“Yeah?” he says casually. Another forkful crammed in his mouth, chocolate crumbs all over his chin.

“Should you be....” and she ain’t even mad. She ain’t mad that Bill is devouring the cake she made for her colleague. Tiger knows a man on the brink of insanity when she sees one.

“Nope,” he answers. Another forkful, another leisurely chew.

“S’good kid, well done,” he says with his mouth full.

Tiger could say a lot of things. She could tell him that he shouldn’t be eating this. She could tell him that it’ll be torture to try and work this out of his body tomorrow. She could tell him that his trainer and dietician will be furious. She could tell him he has worked so hard, that he shouldn’t ruin it like this, she could take the cake away from him and not let him sabotage his hard work.

But tiger knows her Big Dude--knows all the resolve and dedication he has, and she knows when he is at his breaking point. So instead of all the things she could say, she just reaches out and brushes the curl back from his forehead as he shoves in another bite.

“Want a glass of milk?” she asks.

“Mmph,” he grunts.

So she pours two big glasses of whole milk, cold from the fridge, grabs a fork, and she pushes at his blanket. Crawling into his lap, she loops an arm around him and then digs her fork into the cake.

“Oh that is good,” she says, “Damn.”

“Mmph,” he grunts in reply.

#bill skarsgard #bill skarsgard drabble #BFF!Bill #just thoughts

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mygalfriday · 4 years ago

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tell me how all this, and love too, will ruin us (river/eleven)

He’s never been able to stay away from River. From the day they met, she has been a craving — an itch under his skin that he can’t help scratching at until it bleeds and bleeds. There are times he can go months, decades even, without even catching a glimpse of her hair before the sudden urge overwhelms him so fiercely it’s all he can do to navigate the TARDIS to find her before the burn of needing her consumes him. Other times, he can barely make it a few days before he’s thirsting for her. Aching and restless between his hearts.

Two days after Trenzalore, the compulsion to see River Song again is less an itch and more an inferno raging beneath his skin. It isn’t a good idea. He’d said goodbye, after all. It’s over. If the Doctor is very honest with himself — which he tries never to be — his marriage has been over for far longer than Trenzalore.

When they’d crossed paths in Manhattan, he’d realized how close she was to the end — a professor already. And then only moments later, looking down at the table of contents in Melody Malone and knowing that he was about to lose his little Amelia too… It had been too much all at once, the dawning realization that he was about to lose his whole family. Alone again, the lonely traveler. He hadn’t handled it well, taking out his terror and anger on the only one strong enough to bear it.

River.

It’s a shame he carries even now.

The TARDIS spits him out in her garden on Luna and the Doctor stumbles in the dark, tripping over a bucket and trowel beside the hydrangeas. He crashes into the bush with a yelp and lands rather painfully on his backside, grumbling under his breath but silently grateful he hadn’t landed in anything thorny. Through the hydrangea leaves above him, he sees the porch light flicker on.

The door creaks open and he hears soft footsteps across the wooden boards. “Doctor?”

He grimaces, laboring to his feet. He pops out of the bushes to stagger back onto the path. His hair flops into his face and he tugs his hand through it, turning to face his wife. His painfully alive wife. The sight of her vibrant and breathing after their last encounter in that dark tomb is enough to steal his breath. He reaches up a hand and tugs at his bowtie, struggling past the lump in his throat. “Hello.”

River stiffens, her expression going blank and still. His hearts pinch. He isn’t sure how she knows but she does. When he’d heard her voice only seconds ago, there had been joy there, beneath the confusion. Hope. And then she’d seen his face and heard his voice. Now, she watches him guardedly, as if waiting for a physical blow. As if she knows he is the very same man who had hurled such awful things at her after Manhattan — anything to get her to leave. “What are you doing here?”

The words fall from his tongue without thought, far more honest than he usually allows himself to be. “I wanted to see you.”

Her eyes narrow. “It’s three in the morning.”

The Doctor blinks at her. He licks his finger and holds it in the air for a moment. “Ah. So it is.”

River sighs. “Are you coming in?”

Her complete lack of enthusiasm at seeing him — though deserved — is so out of character for her that the Doctor hesitates. He toes at the ground with his boot. “I thought I might…if you wanted. Possibly. Yes. Please.”

She bites her lip and watches him for a long moment while the Doctor struggles not to fidget under her stare. Finally, she says, “I’ll put the kettle on.”

Without another word, she turns and walks back into the house, leaving him to follow. He does, of course. He always has. Always will.

The Doctor takes the porch steps two at a time and slips through the back door, stepping into the kitchen. The familiarity of its yellow walls and wide, wooden floorboards soothes him at once. Despite neither he nor River being particularly brilliant chefs, they’d spent a lot of time in this kitchen when he visited. They tried out recipes together that sometimes ended in disaster and other times ended with flour all over both of them as they laughed and traded kisses that tastes like chocolate biscuits. They’d had tea at the counter on late nights and played strip poker at the table on boring Sunday afternoons. He pauses on the threshold, taking in the blue cupboards and the pots and pans hanging over the island. The herbs growing in colorful, mismatched glass jars on the windowsill. A bag of peaches on the counter has spilled over into the sink. It’s all so familiar and so reminiscent of home for him that the Doctor feels his eyes begin to sting.

Except…

The flowers on the table are beginning to droop, which is unusual. The kitchen almost always smells like fresh flowers. River likes stealing them from her neighbor’s garden to brighten up the room, preferring to let her own garden flourish un-plucked. And beside the vase of wilting dahlias sits a half empty bottle of tequila and a pack of cigarettes. He’d thought she quit smoking in University. Despite her annoyance about his 3am arrival, the ashtray on the table tells him he hadn’t woken her. It’s clear River has spent the last few hours chain-smoking and drinking directly from the bottle.

The Doctor swallows, unease flooding his stomach. He turns his head and studies his wife as she fills the kettle at the sink. She’s wearing soft leggings and an oversized black hoodie he’s never seen her wear before. The sleeves keep falling over her wrists, no matter how many times she pushes them up over her elbows. Holding back half of her riotous curls is what appears to be a silk cravat. Puzzled, the Doctor takes in the tired set of her shoulders and wonders aloud, “Where are we, River?”

She doesn’t reply for a long moment, sticking the kettle on the hob and turning up the heat. She keeps her back to him and he knows she isn’t going to make this easy for him. Not that he deserves for her to. He doesn’t deserve River at all. He’s just a selfish old man who doesn’t care. He wants her anyway — her body and her hearts and her secrets and anything else she’ll give him. “Spoilers.”

He frowns, watching her avoid his stare. Another quick sweep of his surroundings and he discovers a few things he hadn’t noticed before, too caught up in the euphoria of being in her home again. From his place in the middle of the kitchen he can see through to the living room, where all the pillows have been tossed from the sofa except for one. Crumpled over the arm is a velvet overcoat, draped there like she’s been using it as a blanket. She’s been sleeping on the couch. On the coffee table are a few polaroids that he can’t make out from here but beside the stack of pictures is a sonic screwdriver. Not his. His breath catches painfully in his throat. He hasn’t given her the sonic screwdriver that will save her yet. He’d planned to save it for their last night together — a night he still isn’t brave enough to face. He licks his lips and forces out the words. “River… when did you see me last?”

She sighs and the invisible weight over her shoulders seems to grow heavier. He can see that she doesn’t want to tell him; she’s holding something back from him. Something important. Something to do that with sonic screwdriver on the coffee table. His stomach pitches. River busies herself with rummaging through the cupboards for two mugs, pulling out a green one for herself and the blue one that has always been his favorite for him. Setting them beside the stove, she counters, “When did you see me last?”

Instantly, his mind provides him with a flash of her tearful face. Goodbye, sweetie. He flinches.

Without even looking at him, River interprets his silence easily enough. She glances briefly over her shoulder, her smile brittle. “The time before last?”

He forces his tongue from the roof of his mouth and rasps, “Manhattan.”

“For me too.”

The kettle whistles and the Doctor sinks into a chair at the table, watching as River goes about preparing his tea exactly how he likes it. When she finally turns to face him properly for the first time since they stepped into the house together, he sees the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes. Everything in him aches. He itches to fix it, whatever it takes. She hands him his mug and he takes it from her, their fingers brushing briefly. River draws in a sharp breath and snatches her hand away like his touch burns. The Doctor stares after her as she retreats to the other side of the table from him, clutching her own mug between sleeve-covered hands. She grabs the bottle of liquor still sitting on the table and pours a measure into her cup, avoiding his gaze.

The Doctor sips at his tea, scalding his tongue.

The scene before him is in stark contrast to the last time he’d found himself in her kitchen. They’d stumbled in late, still breathless and grinning from running for their lives. They’d collapsed at the kitchen table and shared a plate of biscuits, playing footsie under the table and bickering over who had saved who from those invading Cybermen. The radio on the counter had played a slow song and the Doctor had scrambled to his feet, tugging her with him and leading his wife in a dance right there — her laughter in his ear and the smell of their singed clothes still lingering in the air. The difference makes his eyes well up. The longing he feels for someone right in front of him is staggering.

“I’m sorry.”

River glances up sharply, blinking at him as if she’d forgotten he was there. She stares at him for a long moment, as though trying to comprehend the meaning of his words. It takes a beat too long for her expression to clear — almost as if she’d been trying to remember what he could possibly be apologizing for. And the Doctor realizes he’s getting old and slow. He hadn’t asked her how long it’s been since Manhattan. She softens, her brow pinched and her mouth curving into a sad smile. “I know you are.”

“I didn’t mean any of it,” he whispers, holding her gaze. “Not a single word. Tell me you know that.”

It’s your fault.

You disappoint me.

I don’t want you here.

I can’t even look at you.

River hesitates. And the Doctor feels something in him shatter. “I didn’t then,” she finally admits. “I do now.”

He swallows thickly, forcing himself to take another sip of scalding tea. “Forgive me?”

Her smile is instant and loving, familiar in its tenderness. “Always and completely, my love.”

It would be so easy to take that readily offered absolution and smile at her; to pretend nothing is amiss. The Doctor is very good at ignoring things he doesn’t want to see, after all. Instead, he places his mug on the table and presses, “What’ve I done?”

River’s smile doesn’t waver but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes anymore. “You’ve done a great many things, honey.”

He grimaces. “Don’t. Something’s wrong.”

The smile fades but it doesn’t make him feel any better. “Yes.”

“Because of me.”

She tilts her head in silent agreement. “It isn’t your fault.”

Leaning back in his chair, the Doctor eyes her incredulously. “How can it be because of me but not my fault?”

“Because as much as you like to think you can fix everything, sweetie, sometimes you can’t.” River shrugs, her eyes growing wet. “Sometimes…things end.”

He thinks briefly of that sonic screwdriver on the table in the other room and his stomach churns. Does she know? Had he completely lost his mind and told her everything? Before he has time to panic over the possibility, River pushes back her chair and leaves the table. She paces away from him hurriedly, walking to the window over the sink and staring out into the garden. He gazes after her, watching the way her shoulders tremble with the effort of burying all that emotion under the careful facade she always shows him. A shaking hand lifts, wiping hastily at her cheeks. She seems a bit out of practice at hiding from him and he wonders again where she’s been.

Knowing he’ll never get an answer out of her, the Doctor does the only thing he can with his wife in so much pain right in front of him. He gets up and he goes to her. The moment she’s near enough, he wraps his arms around her and tugs her back into his chest. River stiffens instantly but he ignores it, fitting his chin over her shoulder and squeezing her around the middle. She smells all wrong, like cigarette smoke and lemon drops. He ignores that too. “I’m going to lose you,” he says into her hair. “I lose all of you, eventually. But you, River. It’s going to break me into pieces.”

“Don’t.” She struggles briefly against him, her voice catching in her throat. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true. And it scares the hell out of me.” He tightens his hold on her, shutting his eyes. “But even that isn’t the end of us. We’ll never do anything so ordinary as end, River Song. We’re a loop, you and I. Every ending is a beginning. Every last time is a first time. Every goodbye is a hello.”

“Not this.” She exhales shakily and he feels her shudder go all through him. “We were… it was so good for a very long while. Perfect. And now it’s gone and I-”

The words seem to choke her and he drops a kiss to her shoulder, shushing her. “It’s never gone. Not while we remember it.”

“Forgive me, sweetie but memory doesn’t seem like enough.” She huffs out a brittle, tired laugh. “I’m too selfish-”

He scoffs. “Not a day in your life.”

“I want everything,” she insists. “I want you. Always.”

He buries his face in her hair and vows, “You have me.”

“For now.”

“I always come back.”

“Not this time-”

“Oi, husband here.” He releases his grip on her only to grasp her by the hip and nudge her into turning around, finally facing him. She blinks up at him, her lashes wet and her expression utterly lost. “You really think a promise to you means so little to me?” He leans in, pressing his forehead hard against hers as he swears, “I will always come back.”

Cradling her face in his palms, he presses his mouth to hers and feels River crumble. She sinks into his chest and into his kiss — damp cheeks and greedy hands, tasting of alcohol and tobacco and it’s wrong but it’s still River and he doesn’t care. He clings to her like he hadn’t let himself at Trenzalore. Without a companion to save and his timeline to repair, there is nothing to stop him from holding his wife until the universe turns to dust beneath his feet. It’s River who pulls away first, her breathing ragged and her hands clutching at his lapels. The Doctor keeps his mouth preoccupied with fleeting kisses to her cheeks and her throat, the tip of her nose.

“Stay.”

He frowns, pausing to draw back and look at her. “Tonight you mean?” He’d thought it was obvious. “Of course I’m staying.”

River shakes her head, eyes glittering as she worries her kiss-bruised bottom lip between her teeth. “Stay until you have to leave.”

He hears instantly what she’s really asking and his breathing stutters painfully. Stay until the loop closes. Stay until goodbye becomes hello. Stay even when it hurts. He hears what she doesn’t even realize she’s asking. Stay until the Library.

He swallows, feeling her fingertips against his throat as she strokes his bowtie, gazing up at him the same way she had in that musty tomb — soft and tender, forgiving him his faults even as he let her down again. He thinks of the sonic screwdriver on her coffee table and the mysterious velvet coat draped over her sofa. He thinks of the hoodie beneath his fingertips and it was so good for a very long while. Whatever his future self had done to engineer such devotion, he refuses to undo it. Not even to save his own hearts.

He nods once, watching the relief fill her eyes. “Until I have to leave,” he agrees.

#drfic #river song #eleventh doctor #doctor x river #river x eleven #my fic

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monaownsmyass · 4 years ago

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It’s Complicated/Uncomplicated - Part 2/2

Requested fic by @ineedskyecrandall (if you have any fic ideas or requests you’d like me to write, you can leave me an ask!)

Book: My Two First Loves, (after) Chapter 38

Pairing: Ava Lawrence x MC (Emma Price)

Genre: Fluff

Rating: G, none

Word count: 4,152 (she’s a long one)

A/N: Continuation of Part 1! Ava and MC go on their first date. QUESTION: do you guys prefer shorter or longer fics? Pls lmk. Also I’m pretty sure I chipped my nail polish while writing this so I hope y’all enjoy 😂

Tag list: @ineedskyecrandall @kamilahsayeet2063 @avalawrencefl @lovekamilahsayeed @thequeenkamilahsayeed @midnitesteph (lmk if anyone would like to be included or removed in my next fics.)

I woke up to a text from Ava.

'Rise and shine, you sleepy sloth! I hope you had a good night, here's something to brighten your morning! Xoxo'

She attached a cute cat gif stretching its paws and yawning as it wakes up from it's sleep.

I shot her back a quick reply. 'Morning, babe! Thanks for the adorable cat gif, I can't wait to see your gorgeous face later today <3'.

I may have just woken up but I just knew that today was gonna be an amazing day.

The hours leading up to my date with Ava was a blur. I was wrecked with excitement and anticipation. Mackenzie noticed me on edge and I explained my dilemma to her. She didn't seem that surprised when I came out to her as bi and told her I had a date with Ava.

She just rolled her eyes and said, 'Finally!'.

Two hours before our date, I begged Mack to help me find the perfect outfit. I paced up and down my room, trying on my entire wardrobe and still not being able to settle on anything.

"Oh my god, Em, calm down!" Mack exclaimed in frustration. "It's just Ava! She's seen you at your absolute trash bottom!"

"I know! But it's different!" I defended. "It's like an actual date this time, y'know?"

"You went out for dates with Noah and Mason recently and you weren't walking up and down your room like an agitated child that just shat their pants and is too afraid to tell their parents." She squinted at me. "You like her a lot more than the both of them, don't you?"

"I- what? Mack, no. I mean, I'm not sure. I haven't figured it out yet."

She sighed and stared at me dead in the eyes. "Look, I know you like both boys but I think even you have noticed that you're more drawn to Ava. Shit, you just told me an hour or so ago that you liked her and I can already tell just by looking at you now." She waited for me to process her words before speaking again. "You aren't gonna destroy Mason's or Noah's life if you chose to be with Ava. They're big boys, they can handle the rejection."

Her words struck a chord in me. I have noticed that ever since Ava kissed me I haven't been able to think about either Mason or Noah. When I kissed both of them, I was constantly worrying about the other but with Ava, it was only her that occupied my mind.

I looked away then back at my sister. "I... I think you're right. But I'm just gonna have this date with her before I come to a conclusion."

She waved her hand at me. "Yeah yeah, you do that, but I bet you fifty that you'll agree with me."

"No way am I agreeing to that bet," I scoffed.

"And why not?"

"...'Cuz I'm pretty sure I'll lose."

~•~•~

After over an hour, I finally decided on a cute outfit and waited for Ava in my living room. I was fidgeting with my fingers while Mack made fun of me, teasing me about how nervous I was but I couldn't even focus because it was true; I was mortified.

Ding Dong!

"Ahh!" I shouted in surprise.

My sister just laughed at me and moved to answer the door. "Chill, your girlfriend's here."

"She's not my girl-" I started but stopped mid-sentence when I saw her walk into our hallway.

She may have not been my girlfriend just yet but god, I wish she were.

"Ava," I whispered, speechless. "H-hey!"

"Hey yourself, babe!" She came up to me and wrapped me in a hug. The pet name caused a rush of heat to my cheeks which I was sure she felt when she kissed it. We've always called each other by pet names, 'baby', 'babe', 'darling', 'sweetheart', 'jerk' or 'weirdo' even but this time, it felt different. Different in a good way.

She pulled back slightly as her eyes traveled up and down my figure. Her gaze set my body on fire. "You look amazing!" she complimented. "You're so pretty."

I blushed. "Thanks." I gave her a once over and felt my breath hitch. "You look really hot," I blurted out without thinking and immediately slapped my palm against my mouth.

She burst out laughing, the sound filling me with delight despite my embarrassment. "Thank you, Em." She lifted an arm and it was only then that I noticed that she was holding a bouquet of flowers. "Um, these are for you."

She knew I loved flowers. I accepted it, starting to get a little teary eyed. This was ridiculous! We haven't even stepped out of the house and I was already overwhelmed with emotions. It was a gorgeous bunch of yellow roses with red petal tips. I immediately recognised the meaning behind the colour and the tears started to trickle down my face.

"Ava," I lunged at her, wrapped my arms around her neck and burying my face in the crook of it. "You seriously didn't have to."

"But I wanted to, I wanted to do this right," she laughed and hugged me back.

This moment would've been perfect if it weren't for Mackenzie clearing her throat from the living room couch.

"Okayyyy, I guess this is my cue to leave," she awkwardly excused herself and made her way upstairs. "Bye, lovebirds! Stay safe! Don't do anything stupid and don't forget to practice safe se-!"

"Mack!" I exclaimed, cutting her off but hurling a pillow from the couch at her.

My face was flushed with heat once again from Mack's comment but Ava just let out a good-natured laugh, obviously finding the whole ordeal amusing.

"C'mon, Em. Let's go," she said.

I excused myself to place the bouquet into a vase before walking to her sedan. She opened the door of the passenger seat for me before closing it and entering the driver's side. This girl was too sweet, I swear she'd be the death of me.

She started the engine and started driving away from my house.

"So, where are we going?" I asked.

"And why should I tell you?" she teased.

"Uh, because I'm in your car and I don't know where you're taking me? That's basically kidnapping!"

"It's not if you entered on your own free will!" she giggled and I couldn't help but laugh along with her. Her laugh was contagious and it made my heart flutter.

I didn't have to wait long to find out our destination. It was a small, quaint ice cream parlour. The same ice cream parlour we went to on our first hang out together. We hadn't been back here since and the sight of the shop made me nostalgic.

We entered the shop and it was just as I remembered. It was quite and calm. A much different ambience from the outside world. We walked up to the display freezer and stared at all the different options.

Ava turned to me. "Okay, so here's how we make things interesting, we order a random ice cream we haven't tried before, no trying the flavours beforehand."

I gave her a look. Leave it to Ava to find a way to spice things up. One thing I can say for sure was that my life would definitely be boring without her.

"So, what would you like?"

"Um, I'm not sure." One particular ice cream stood out to me though I wasn't sure it'd be my cup of tea. "I kinda want to try the Maple Bacon Ice Cream but I don't know if I'll like it."

"First of all, that's the whole point of this! We won't know, it's a game of luck. Second of all, you haven't tried Maple Bacon before?" she asked incredulously.

"And you have?"

"Of course! Who hasn't?"

"Ava, that's not a regular ice cream flavour, weirdo."

"It is in my house...," she muttered as she pouted, eyebrows furrowing. I couldn't help but giggle at how cute she was being. "What if we share it? Since you're too chicken to actually get a whole scoop for yourself."

"Hey! That's not true!" I protested but she was right on some regards. I didn't want to waste it if I didn't like it. "But since you insisted, sure, I guess."

"Don't pretend you're not relieved that I offered to share," she smiled teasingly at me.

After much persuasion, I finally let Ava pay for the ice cream and we found an empty booth in the corner. It was far away and secluded enough from the other patrons to give us some privacy.

We sat across from each other with the cup of ice cream in between us. I noticed that they only gave us one spoon. We've shared food and cutlery before but this time, it made me nervous.

"They only gave us one spoon," I pointed out.

"So?" Ava questioned. "We've shared before, here!"

She scooped up some ice cream and brought it up to my lips. I looked at her and cautiously leaned forward to let her feed me. I saw her gulp as I accepted the ice cream.

She shook herself out of her daze and asked, "How is it?"

I licked my lips and gave her a smile. "It's actually really good!"

"See? You should listen to me more often," she bragged.

"Yeah, yeah, now let me feed you instead, it's only fair."

We continued to feed each other, giggling and laughing every time we smudged ice cream against the other's cheek. At first I did it by accident but Ava wasn't having it so she did it back to me on purpose.

We were attacking each other with ice cream, almost screaming at one point and only stopped when we noticed the ice cream server glaring at us.

We quiet down, trying to hold in our giggles and I couldn't help but get distracted by Ava. I saw her mouth moving, saying something but I wasn't listening. Last night was the first time I really got to look at her but right now, in the daylight, I could see every detail of her face that I missed under the dim streetlight. And now that I know my feeling weren't entirely platonic, I could properly appreciate them.

Her perfectly shaped eyebrows, her almond eyes that were a beautiful shade of chestnut brown, accentuated by her eyeliner and mascara and her soft lips that were painted in a darker shade of red today, perfectly complimenting her features. Her gorgeous hair, her high cheekbones, her strong jaw, her freckles. God, her freckles. They scattered all over her cheeks and nose making her look absolutely adorable. All these combined together to make the absolute masterpiece that was Ava.

I've always liked her freckles. I liked how prominent they were in the summer and I knew sometimes she was insecure about how obvious they were but I've always thought that that was ridiculous. If anything I thought it made her look extremely pretty. Not that she isn't without them but there was something about them that caught my attention.

I was broken out of my reverie when I say Ava waving a hand in front of my eyes.

"Hellooo? Earth to Emma?" she said, laughing. "You completely blanked out, what are you thinking about?"

"About you," I replied without a second thought.

I saw her looking a bit flustered and blush a little but she countered back. "Oh? And what about me?"

"I was just thinking about how stunning you look," I admitted.

She bit her lip. "We've known each other for years, you know how I look like, dork."

"Yeah, but I've never gotten a chance to properly look at you and appreciate your face. You're so breath-taking."

I moved to slowly cup her face in my hands and I felt the warmth from her cheeks. I saw her let out a shaky breath and close her eyes for a while before looking back at me. My own heart was doing flips. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, you flirt," she joked.

We talked as we finished up our ice cream. Well, I ate most of eat but on our way out I bought one for Ava since I felt bad for stealing most of it. We walked out of the shop, passing the cone of ice cream back and forth to share.

"Where to next?" I asked her while licking the ice cream.

"Just keep walking, we'll be there soon," she replied while reaching out to take the ice cream from me.

I shook my head at her refusal to tell me but I complied. We walked down the sidewalk, shoulders brushing ever so slightly every now and then. I felt her hand ghost over mine a couple of times before I looked up at her. I could almost sense the conflict going on in her head. I silently giggled to myself before grabbing her hand, interlocking our fingers together.

Just like she did the night before, she looked at our hands and then into my eyes. I saw a twinkle in them as she gave me a shy smile.

"Thank you," she spoke softly.

I gave her hand a squeeze in response as we continued to walk down the street, hand-in-hand and sharing the ice cream.

I loved the way her hand fit in mine. It felt different from Mason's and Noah's hand. Their's were slightly calloused, maybe from playing football, and much bigger than mine. I liked the way their's made me feel protected and secured.

However, Ava's hand, while just as strong, was smooth and smaller. It felt comforting and familiar, like someone you've known for a long time who'd always be there even on your worse days. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't prefer this over their's.

"I like holding your hand," Ava spoke out. "It's nice."

I let out a small chuckle and nodded. "I was just thinking the same."

We walked a few more steps before Ava announced, "We're here."

She brought me to a park that was filled with trees and flowers. The park wasn't too crowded but there were a decent amount of people minding their own business. Being autumn, most leaves on the trees were a fiery yet serene combination of red, orange and amber. We walked down a pathway lined with the trees and covered with fallen leaves.

"The scenery is amazing!" I stated in awe. I looked around to take in the view and turned back to Ava to only see her gazing at me.

"So are you," she added. I don't know how many more times she was going to make me blush but I wasn't complaining.

After walking a little more, we spotted a bench. We finished up the ice cream and threw the wrapper and tissue into the trash can nearby before I pulled her by the hand to sit.

She sat a few spaces away but I scooted closer to her. I took her hand in both of mine and placed it on my lap, caressing it. We've always been physically affectionate with each other and I'm not going to allow that to change now. I still wanted her to be comfortable around me despite our recent revelation about our relationship.

Once I saw her relax a bit, I placed my head on her shoulder. I could tell her heart started to race and I had to admit that her nearness was making my heart do the same. The smell of her perfume wafted up to my nose and made my mind hazy. I was finding it hard to focus on anything else with her so close to me. But the again, why would I want to focus on anything else?

I closed my eyes and heard her speak. "I don't think you know how painful it was seeing you with Noah yesterday at homecoming. I kept trying to tell myself that it wasn't my place to be jealous but I couldn't help it. I'm sorry."

"If it makes you feel any better, even though I was with Noah, I couldn't stop myself from staring at you," I confessed. "When I saw you, I thought I was looking at an ethereal being, you didn't look like you belonged on earth, let alone at some crappy high school gym."

She lets out a radiant giggle and I felt her shoulders shake in laughter as I continued, "I realised last night that it's been like this for some time now. I hope you know that this has been long time coming, it's not just some fluke thing that happened last night."

She wraps an arm around my waist, letting it rest against my hip. "I get it, I feel the same way. I've liked you for some time now but it was time I finally admitted it to myself."

I swallowed, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill. Hearing her speak like that made me indescribably happy. "Yesterday, at the dance, I was secretly hoping you'd cut in and ask me for a dance," I confessed.

"I was hoping you'd ask me!" she revealed and we both laughed.

Ava gently nudged me off of her and stood from the bench. I looked up at her, puzzled. She stretched out an arm, offering it to me. "Since I didn't get to ask you for a dance yesterday, I'm doing it now. Would you like to share a dance with me, darling?"

I giggled at her antics. "Ava, we're in the middle of the park! People will think we're mad!"

"I don't care about them, only you. Do you care?" she challenged back.

I didn't have to think twice about my answer. "When I'm with you? Never have and never will."

I placed my hand in hers and she brought it up to her lips kissing it before pulling me up to her feet. I crashed into her, laughing and holding onto her to stabilise myself. She chuckled along with me and guided us a few paces away from the bench. She positioned a hand on my hip and the other still clutching mine. Instinctively, I brought one hand to rest on her shoulder.

"There's no music," I stated.

"Looks like we'll just have to make our own."

Ava began humming a random tune and we started spinning around as if we were ballroom dancing. We stepped onto the grassy area as my laughter and Ava's humming increased in volume.

She twirled and dipped me. She placed both her hands on my waist and lifted me, spinning me in circles as I giggled uncontrollably. If anyone was staring, I didn't notice or bother. All I cared about was that I was in Ava's arms and I felt like I was flying.

She set me down and we both just looked at each other, smiling wider than we've seen each other grin before. I pulled her into me to hug her, resting my cheek against hers. Our heavy breathing and racing hearts began to subside. I moved back slightly in her arms to still see her smiling at me.

She looked back at me and seeing her so happy made me ecstatic in return. It made my heart sing to know I'm the reason for her happiness. The way she was looking at me made me feel important. It made me feel as if I was the best thing that's ever happened to her and it was then that I knew that the feeling was mutual.

Her mesmerising eyes gazed into mine and I thought back to last night, right before we kissed. I really wanted to kiss her then and I wanted it again now.

As if she could read my thoughts, she leaned in closer to me. Inches before her lips met mine, she stopped, hesitating if she should close the gap between us. I could feel her heart start pounding in her chest again against mine.

"Kiss me, Ava," I whispered, quietly enough so only she could hear.

She placed a hand behind my neck and tugged me into a kiss. Our lips met and it felt just as spectacular as last night's. I grabbed onto her harder, not wanting to let her go in case she pulls away but by the way she was clutching onto me made it clear she wouldn't dare dream of it.

Kissing Ava felt like the most wonderful thing in the universe. Mason and Noah were great kisser but even they couldn't even begin to compete with Ava. The small fluttering feeling in my tummy whenever I kissed them was nothing compared to the overwhelming sensation I was experiencing right now. Electricity was surging through my body, energising my entire being. It was entirely intoxicating. It was other-worldly.

I've never understood why people referred to their significant others as their weaknesses because right now, kissing Ava, I felt more alive than I ever did. She wasn't my weakness, she was my strength and...

Did I just refer to Ava as my significant other?

Like all good things, it had to come to an end. But it wasn't by choice, though. So enraptured in the kiss, I leaned further forward, causing Ava to lean back until she stumbled backwards and tripped over a rock. She crashed to the ground, taking me with her.

"Oof!"

"Ouch!"

We looked at each other and burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" I asked her in between giggles.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied in a similar manner.

Ava was flat on her back and I was still on top of her as I buried my face in the crook to muffle my laughter. Ava tossed her head back, still laughing.

After a while, the laughter died down and I lifted myself to look at her once again. We couldn't help it. We started giggling madly, so much so that I let out a snort that only made us more hysterical.

"Oh god, I can't breathe," Ava wheezed.

It took us at least a good three minutes to fully calm down. I rolled off Ava and laid beside her.

"C'mere," she said and pulled me closer.

I rested my head on her shoulder and draped an arm over her torso. She wrapped an arm around me while our legs intertwined. She was staring at the sky as I closed my eyes. It's amazing to think that just the day before yesterday I was worried about choosing between Mason and Noah but now, it's never been clearer that there was only one person for me. And ironically, it was neither of them.

Being here with Ava made me recognise that the reason I couldn't choose between either of them was because my heart already belonged to someone else without me even realising.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's presence when I finally broke the quite.

"It's crazy how so much can change in a day." I said softly. "I admit, ever since day one, I would catch myself looking at you. I thought I was staring at you because that's just what people do when they find beauty in something. I know now that while that's true, there's more to it. And it's because I like you, Ava. I really like you. It might have taken us years for us to get here but I wouldn't have had it any other way."

I felt her hold her breath for a while before slowly exhaling.

I spoke again, "I think I'm gonna call it quits with Noah and Mason."

"Are you sure? That's pretty fast."

"I've never been more sure. I can't help but compare how much better everything feels with you. I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend yet, we don't have to rush it, but why lead them on when I already know you're the best for me. You, Ava Lawrence, are my first choice."

I opened my eyes. I still couldn't see Ava's face but I felt her inhaled deeply before gently, tenderly uttering, "You are my first choice too, Emma Price."

I felt the joy bubbling in me at her words. I smiled and let out a contented sigh.

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered, "My feelings were never complicated, I was just to blind to see them for what they actually were." And it was true.

I couldn't help but think how glad I was that I didn't take on Mackenzie's bet. She was right. It always was and always will be Ava.

She may not have been my first love but she was my soulmate.

(More fics!)

#ava lawrence #ava x mc #mtfl: ava #ava mtfl #mtfl #my two first loves #noah harris #mason jennings #choices: mtfl #mtfl choices #choices #choices: stories you play #pb #pixelberry #mtfl fanfiction #choices fanfiction #the amount of googling i had to do for this fic lol

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squadron-of-damned-writes · 4 years ago

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tagged by @thiswaycomessomethingwicked. Found this sitting in my drafts after third of a year later. No time like the present, right?

Rules are: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line.

(how convenient that AO3 shows 20 works per page by default!)

1. It most certainly is a morning and the doorbell rings. Like the beginning of a horror movie, Sam thinks as he makes his way from his room to the front door. (The Night In Gale, 2019-10-11, Good Omens x Supernatural)

2. The remnants of the stained glass creak and shatter under the heavy plate sabatons. The men clad in deep red robes watch the armoured figures walk through the raided monastery in careful silence. (Moon And Destiny, 2019-08-24, Les Misérables x Wizardry)

3. “Alright squad! Who are we doing this week?” (One Gay at a Time, 2019-08-31, Les Misérablex x Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)

4. Light. Everything is is spinning. Light, even behind closed eyelids. It’s omnipresent. Radiant, blinding, magnificent light. (Like A Teen Girl,[1] 2019-11-15, W.I.T.C.H.)

5. Witches have pricking in their thumbs, Varen had his stomach worms, and Lyris had her teeth. She could feel them vibrating in her gums. It usually went away with a couple of flagons of mead, but apparently not tonight. If anything, it made it worse. So here she was, Lyris called Titanborn, tipsy but not yet drunk, sitting by the campfire with the two of Companions and a growing feeling of dread as her teeth planned to run for the hills. It made her only more irritated. (Mind How She Goes, 2019-11-30, Elder Scrolls Online)

6. “Well, are you going to stand there the whole night?” (The Past, the Present, the Death, and the Devil, 2019-12-19, Les Misérables)

7. There is this thing they don’t tell you about dying – it gave you mother of all headaches. In all those tomes and epic sagas there could had been at least once mentioned that the brave heroes and mighty beings who returned from the Other side felt like a horse kicked thorough their head. This terrible pain was usually why your freshly resurrected dead scream in agony and want to destroy things. (The Many Deaths of Me,[2] 2017-04-30, World of Warcraft)

8. As strange as it was, Lyris finds an odd sort of peace here. It is not her old home – she doubts she could ever return there – but her cabin near Riften is a new home. At first it was a house, but she made it a home. It was a hard work to get there, and she is rightfully proud of it all. (To Be Found, 2019-12-09, Elder Scrolls Online)

9. Say what you want about the Tribunal and Vvardenfell, there is something that draws a good hero to the city of Vivec. That something might be a divine presence, but most likely it is simply the presence of a quarter with publicly accessible forges and looms in the close proximity to a bank and the drop site for commissioned works. (The Battlespire, 2020-05-09, Elder Scrolls Online)

10. “Your Majesty, a message for you.” The chamberlain presents the envelope on a silver tray with a gentle bow. Queen Ayrenn picks it up with her delicately manicured fingers, and the soft warm breeze of early autumn attempts to snatch the piece of creamy paper from her as it hurls large honey and amber coloured leaves before finally settling them on the ground. (War Ends, 2020-07-26, Elder Scrolls Online)

11. “Allow me to ask you again for clarification, Your Ex-” “Charles, dear brother. Simply and plainly Charles, for we all are equal in the eyes of the almighty God.” “- Charles: I have died.” (The Man Who Saved A World, 2020-08-12, Les Misérables)

12. So that’s it, you suppose. You are going to sit down on this chair, because someone has to. (The Tale of Two Fates, 2020-09-05, Death and Taxes)

13. There is a saying in Ferelden: When you think you’ve reached the bottom, the Maker shows up with a shovel. Like most farmer wisdom, even this one applies in Orlais. (Land Turned Red, 2020-12-29, Dragon Age)

14. So you come to the supermarket on Friday morning and in the ice-cream isle is a poorly paid and even poorerly shaven retail worker unloading boxes of frozen pizzas, eyeing them like man who’s missed out on breakfast and his contract doesn’t include lunch break. (Observations of an Unconcerned Bus Driver, 2021-03-07, Stardew Valley)

15. They are giving him that look. He knows it well and hasn’t seen it in a long long time. It is the look that says: “I can’t believe that out of all the people in Thedas, he was the one to save us.” (Fine Literature, 2021-03-14, Dragon Age)

16. A young woman stands in a garden. It is a beautiful garden, very lush in spite of all damnation raining from the sky lately, now that the Veil is gone and… And all that. (Houserite, 2021-03-29, Dragon Age x Homestuck)

17. If you asked Solas, it was the most predictable outcome, blatantly staring you in face, shoving middle finger into your nose and blowing a raspberry. However, nobody asked Solas and even less people cared for his issues with Sera’s behaviour, and thus when Dorian goes missing, almost everyone is surprised. (The Excellent Week of Dorian Pavus, 2021-04-09, Dragon Age x Doctor Who)

18. Talent. A short and complicated word. What is a talent? (Necromancer’s Virtues, 2021-05-06, Dragon Age)

19. Fucked.That’s what they are. Fucked. Completely and thoroughly. The Trade Tongue is a limited and insufficient language and lacks any imagination whatsoever when it comes to cusswords. (The Wolves Breach Through, 2021-05-29, Dragon Age)

20. There are a lot of ways to tell that you’ve woken up the wrong way in the morning, and I was pretty certain that I’ve hit three of them at least: Every fiber of me was aching, two men were looming over me with worried expressions, and the sky was dark. Especially the last bit was extremely worrisome, since I was fairly certain I fell asleep in my bed at home under a solid ceiling above which is mum’s room and after that is the attic and after that is a roof and only then you get to see the sky. (Real Feeling of Sharing,[3] 2021-01-10, Dragon Age)

Observations:

I use the opening lines of a story like most people use headlines; luring in the reader by making them think “Hold on, what’s going on?” and hoping it ignites strong enough curiosity for them to read further to figure it out. For that reason more often than not the opening lines are not exactly related to the story.

A surprising amount of mu openings also clearly say: “The story you know is over.”

Also very specific thing which is less about opening lines and more about the trope of my fics: A suspicious number of beginnings based on the fact that the person of focus is dead or implied to be, or implied to be really close to it.

I also don’t like long introductions to the story, so it’s either “Things are happening now, figure it out dear reader” or “This is a thing I am going to focus on because it’s my thing, deal with it, plot will come later.”

Favourite opening line is from The Wolves Breach Through, especially because it quickly evolves into a rant about langauges. The Night In Gale is a close second, because I love to take a piss on the source material. For this reason The Battlespire also comes close to the top, although the fic in itselfwas shit.

[1] Like A Teen Girl should get renamed, because the story evolved from “Parody of the Magic Highschool Girls premise” to “Drama With the Lads”, but I eh, who cares anyway, right?

[2] The Many Deaths of Me deserves to be rewritten by older and more experienced me. It could be a great fic.

[3] Probably going to get renamed to Original Real Feeling of Sharing, but only when I start the next story from the series.

tagging: @timesthatneverwere @thewronglong

#writing

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electriscar · 4 years ago

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“Excuse me! Sir Knight!” Her voice is small when she runs him, choked with heaving breaths — his head turns, a brow raised, as the green - haired woman reaches his side. She pauses to catch her breath. “Oh, thank goodness I caught you!”

“Can I be of assistance?”

She nods. “I — yes. I’m sorry, I...could we speak in private?”

The concern on his face deepens. “Is everything all right, miss? Are you in danger?”

“Yes, I — criminals are hunting me. But I — I don’t know who else to go to for help. I worry that some of the Knights may be in on it, but I thought, since you’re a new recruit, you might not have —”

“In on it? Miss, are you suggesting that there’s —”

“Yes, corruption. Please, this is why I can’t discuss it in public.” Her eyes well, shining, afraid. His gaze softens. “Please. We don’t have to go far. Just — out of the middle of town. Everyone could be watching. Please?”

His hand settles on her shoulder, and her green eyes raise, hopeful — he nods to an alleyway not far from where they are, and she nods, tears finally tracking down her cheeks at the sheer relief. He guides the trembling woman to a more private enclave and speaks only once they’re alone, voice low and gentle.

“All right, miss. It’s okay. you’re okay.” She nods and inhales deeply. “All right. Take a deep breath. I’m going to need your name first.”

She manages a watery smile. “I’m Niya. Thank you so much.”

He nods. His smile is so gentle. “Niya. It’s good to meet you. Now, can you tell me about what corruption you believe you’ve discovered in the Knights?”

Niya nods. “Yes, of course. Can I ask one question first, though?”

“Of course.”

“Which of them sent you here?”

He starts, head tilting, confusion reflecting across the young knight’s vision. She wipes at her eyes while he asks, “I’m sorry?”

When those eyes raise back to his, hers are remarkably free of pain, none of the fear that had been there mere moments ago reflecting at all. She smiles, hands tucking behind her back.

“Well, obviously your orders came directly the top. You’re ranked too highly to be getting orders from anyone but a Harbinger.” His eyes widen. “And that’s my second question, actually, good Sir Knight. What in the world is a Pyro Agent doing infiltrating the Knights of Favonius? You’re so far past petty reconnaissance missions, after all. They could just as easily send footsoldiers for this.” A finger taps at her chin. “And you’re no longer undergoing the kind of constant training that would keep your skills at blending in as sharp as they’d need to be for any kind of long - term integration. So you must be aiming for something more short - term and immediate that requires someone of more skill than any of the average soldiers they typically send for this sort of shit.”

He laugh uneasily. “Miss, I think you’re confused. I have no idea what you’re talking abo —”

“Oh, I think I got it! You’re here to assassinate the Grand Master.” He inhales and her smile widens. “Acting Grand Master, as it were but I’m sure you know she’s far more competent than her predecessor. So I get you alone, promising to offer you some potential dirt on the Knights, and you think that you’re about to get something that can be of use diplomatically; even some way to pin her eventual murder of some of the other knights I’m about to implicate.”

“Miss, I don’t —”

“Oh, please. I could smell the Delusion on you the minute I walked into this city.”

His face cracks into empty surprise; and then folds into cruel dismissal, anger, all the warmth from his pretend - persona fleeing with ease. He sneers. “Who are you, really?”

“I told you. I’m Niya.” She grins and leans against the wall behind her. “Let’s cut to the chase. We both know the rules. Whichever Harbinger who sent you here will be furious if they find out that you got found out. And so easily, too! I don’t even want to imagine how you’ll be punished.” He winces. Niya knows she should feel empathy, but she doesn’t. “But. Nobody has to find out. For the right price.”

One of the agent’s brows arch. “You’d sell out your own Grand Master?”

She snorts. “I’m not a native. And she’s interrupted my business as sure as she’s interrupted yours. You’re doing me a favor. And if you pay up — and promise not to tell your friends about me — I’m more than happy to look the other way.”

He thinks on it for only a moment; then he digs through the satchel around his shoulders and tosses her a bag of coins with a grunt. She catches it, eyes shining. “Will that do, Niya?”

She opens the bag and lets out a low, pleased whistle. “Pleasure doing business with you.” She bows too - low, all dramatics. “You ever need a hand, feel free to look me up.” His scowl deepens.

——

He wakes up when she opens the window, like she knew he would. The dark room is empty, but she can feel his movements; hears the flick of that familiar knife. Her polearm blocks it a moment before it can meet her neck, a moment before the agent reveals himself, and a moment before the knife bursts into flames.

Idiot. Pyro against electro? They don’t train ‘em like they use to, she supposes.

Her polearm bursts to lightning light; only the ends of it. None of the fallout hits her flesh; the same can’t be said of the poor man gripping his knife, the entire weapon wreathed in flames. Overload occurs and he’s thrown back with a shout — she winces, hopes he hasn’t just woken any of the other knights in the adjacent rooms — and hits the ground. She’s upon him lightning fast, polearm snapping in twain.

“Bye,” she whispers, before she plunges one of the daggers into his throat. He gasps around his splitting windpipe, blood spilling onto the floor and her hands, and then stops gasping when she twists the weapon. He stills. She sighs, pushing herself to stand, wiping her hand across her brow as her polearm reconnects and finds its way to her back.

She’s silent for a moment but, when she hears no approaching footsteps, breathes a sigh of relief. “Now. Let’s see if you stiffed me with that buy - off.”

Going through his things is quick. Nothing that could identify him as Fatui — aside from the Delusion she finds on his body while turning out his pockets. More mora, of course, which she happily borrows. A few very - nice knives. A picture of a little girl — his real daughter, or the daughter of the name he’d adopted for this mission, she wonders only briefly. She makes her way to his desk. Nothing atop it aside from a few coins and quills. One of the lowers drawers, though — a letter, apparently from the agent, not yet sent.

“Have they changed the cipher since the last one?” the woman wonders quietly, using a match to light a lamp that rests upon the desk. She used to be able to read in the dark. It’s good that she can’t these days. “Ugh. They have changed it.” She casts a glance over her shoulder at the corpse. “You really couldn’t make things easy for me, huh?” She looks back to the letter. “Let’s see here — mmm, okay. Based on playfair...” One of the coins resting on the desk finds her fingers and spins idly between her knuckles.

“‘My Lord...integration into the Ordo is going as planned...blah blah blah’...oh!” Eyes scan a few paragraphs down. “Let’s see here. ‘Came into contact with a woman I believe to be a deserting agent.’ Naughty, naughty. Didn’t you promise not to snitch on me?” If he mistook her for a Pyro Agent, that at least explains why he’d thought that fire was anything other than a horrible idea. “‘Requesting permission to engage and eliminate.’ Hah!” She stands from the desk, snuffing out the lamp with one hand while she stuffs the letter into her pocket with the other. She spins on her heel and rests a foot on the dead agent’s chest. “Oh, poor man. How’d engaging me go? Pfft.” The woman bends and lifts the man over her shoulder, grunting at the weight. She eyes the wooden floors still stained with blood. Oh, well. If she’s fast, she’ll have time to come clean that up before anyone thinks to check. “C’mon, sweet thing. Let’s go dispose of the evidence, shall we?”

——

She doesn’t worry about getting far outside the city — she knows the knight’s routes well enough not to fear getting caught. Besides, he’s a heavy man, and her skill has always laid more in speed than strength. They get out into the wilderness before she sets him down with a groan and a muttering about how she really needs to work out more. Niya builds a pyre atop the corpse — glancing at the pyro delusion still on his body only once before shaking her head — and lights it with her blade against stone. Then, lightning follows, and — there’s nothing much left afterwards. Except for the charred Delusion.

“Should really be charging Jean for doing her job for her.” Calloused fingers lift the Delusion lightly, tossing it a few times experimentally. “Or maybe Diluc. This seems more his kind of bullshit.” It’s only a short walk to Starsnatch cliff, where she hurls the Delusion into the sea. The sky’s going just barely orange. Not long ‘til the sunrise.

“Better go clean up after myself.”

——

"Did you hear?” Paimon asks, hovering beside them at the bar as Niya starts her third Death After Noon ( gods, she wishes that literally anything here could get her drunk ) and Lumine finishes her second juice. Niya’s head tilts. “One of the new knights just disappeared!”

Niya laughs. “Really? Bet Jean’s thrilled.”

“She’s suuuuper worried!” Niya laughs again. “He just up and left. All his things were gone. He was a really promising new recruit, too, but it looks like he deserted.”

Niya’s head shakes. “Lotsa people get into stuff like the military and figure out too late they hate it.”

“Yeah, I guess. Jean had Paimon and Lumine doing rounds looking for him just in case, but we didn’t find anything.”

“Boo. Sorry some lazy deserting jerk made you guys work more.”

“We did find something,” Lumine murmurs suddenly. “There were some faint elemental traces leading from his room. Disappeared in the forest.”

“Oh, yeah! Paimon forgot all about that!”

Niya’s head tilts. “You think he had a secret Vision or something? Dunno why somebody like that would wanna leave. That’d put you up for promotion way earlier than the rest of ‘em.”

Lumine’s gold eyes rest on Niya’s face for a long moment; the assassin raises a brow, smiling patiently, and holds their gaze. Lumine must accept what they find there, because those eyes lower. “I don’t know,” they murmur. Niya’s smile softens.

“Don’t worry so much, Lil’ Lumi. If he deserted, finding him would be sad, anyway, right?” A hand loops around their shoulder. “I’m sure he’s happier wherever he is.”

#drabbles.#this....was fun #its long but a good time #do not tell me abt how many spelling errors im sure i missed. khgjsdflsgf

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fiction-in-my-blood · 5 years ago

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A Dark Past Eisuke’s Side (Eisuke x MC) Continuation

So I’ve had these prepared for a while now and have ideas for the other guys in kbbtb. It won’t be the same concept but similar. This one’s a little shorter, but I don’t want to drag it out longer than needs be. You can find the first part from MC’s side here.

Trigger Warnings: Miscarriage, angst, jealousy

~~~~~~

Suddenly, I'm woken up by the sound of running. My eyes dart open and I find that ____ isn't beside me, where she should be. I frowned, noticing the light to the bathroom on. It wasn't long before I heard groaning of someone throwing up. I sat up, concerned about where ____ was and walked towards the door that was opened a gap.

Through the crack, I saw my girlfriend hunched over the toilet bowl. I cringed at the sight of her hurling her lunch up, but overall I was concerned. We hadn't had seafood lately, it couldn't be food poisoning, we always ate the same meals.

As I pondered on why she was this sick, I heard her whimpering. Returning my gaze to her, I noticed her shoulders shaking as cries escaped from her mouth. It took everything I had to not run to her, but I thought it would be best to wait for the morning and ask her how she is then.

~~~~~~

The next time I woke up, ____ was asleep beside me, wrapped in my arms. Knowing the night she had, I skillfully removed my embrace without waking her up and got ready for work.

"You," I called ____'s friend as she emerged from the breakroom.

"Y-Yes, sir?" She panicked, straightening her back to attention.

"How has ____ been lately?" I kept my expression stern so it wouldn't alarm her to any care I may have. She looked a little surprised by my request before she answered out of fear.

"Sh-She said she's felt fine, sir. But she hasn't been able to sleep." She nodded, standing there until I dismissed her.

Worrying about ____ was all I could do while I worked around the hotel. In the afternoon, Kisaki approached me.

"Hey, have you talked to ____ today?" His face was too worried for my liking, but I explained that I hadn't.

"Why are you worried about my girl?" I scowled at him and he quickly laughed at my evident jealously.

"I just invited her to play a game but she ran in the opposite direction! Normally she joins in." He smirked, probably thinking about the embarrassing scenarios he and Baba get her into when I'm not there to protect her. I scowl at him. "Come on, boss! I'm only joking around. Just keep an eye out, would ya?" He quickly left to his own work, but I couldn't brush it off the same way he had. What could be going on with her?

~~~~~~

The night I came back from the auction, ____ was already asleep when I traipsed in. She's normally awake when I get home. I frown, peering into her face as she faced away from my side of the bed. Her expression of screwed up in hurt, tears falling down her face. It pained me to see her so distraught even in her sleep. I rubbed her cheek, cupping her chin in my hand as I kneeled beside the bed.

"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" I felt myself get angry, annoyed she's being stubborn about herself. I thought we had gotten passed the stage where she doesn't trust me? But, maybe she just doesn't want me to worry?

I spend most of the night waiting for her to wake up. She doesn't get up in the middle of the night as she had previously, but maybe the fact that I'm holding her the entire time, her stomach is eased. Once I had started holding her, her expression eased as well, but I was still too nervous to allow myself to sleep. I watched her shoulder slowly rise and fall as she breathed. When her fringe fell into her face and tickled her , I brushed it away as her nose twitched. I rarely had time for this at the moment, I was making major strives for the expansion of the auction, but it was nice to watch her with her guard down now and again.

When she did wake up, I wasted no time in trying to find out what had been wrong with her lately. When she brushed off the inquiry, I grew annoyed. She was being stubborn and knew how much that angered me, so I tried to compel the truth out of her with a kiss. Instead of the feeble truth she would normally disclose, she forced me off her. This pissed me off, so, instead of pushing her further, I went to take a shower to calm down.

She was gone when I returned to the bedroom.

"Mamoru!" I exclaimed as I saw him lounging around in the penthouse. He groaned and looked away from the window he was smoking out of. "Follow ____. I need to find out what's going on with her." Once I had found out she had booked a vacation day all of a sudden, I grew anxious about what she was planning. Normally, she'd freak out if I suddenly took her out of work, but now she's doing it all on her own? Kishi complained at first, but I quickly compelled him to go out searching for her.

~~~~~~

In the afternoon, I was sitting in the penthouse with Ota and Baba. They were chatting carelessly, but I couldn't get my mind off ____. She had been out for most of the day and I had yet to get a report from Mamoru.

"Hey, boss, what's on your mind?" Baba slid up beside me, but I only scowled at him.

"____'s been avoiding him," Ota exclaims teasingly and I throw him a warning glare.

Before this can continue, the elevator door pings open. Instinctively, my gaze darts toward whose there. ____, looking frail and tired, stepped through the doors before they could close on her. When she made no move to walk towards us, I avoided her gaze and returned to the man-children's conversation.

Soon after ____ returned, Mamoru appeared next to us.

"Well?" I asked, secretly terrified of what he had found out. Mamoru grew nervous, lighting a cigarette to distract us from my question.

"She was out with a guy I know. He's a detective. Looked close. Kept hugging each other. She started crying at one point." He avoided my intense gaze as he explained. The air in the room got cold as I jumped up, storming towards our room.

Is she cheating on me? Why would she go around hugging guys? Wait, is she ratting us out? I thought back to the guy I was told she had gone to see as I stood outside the bathroom door. It was locked, but I couldn't hear anything on the other side.

Annoyed about my feelings and her actions, I slammed my fist on the door until she opened it. "Where did you go today?" Just to see if she would tell the truth, I pinned her against the wall and kicked the door closed with my foot. The shower wasn't on and the toilet lid was closed, so I couldn't think of any other reason she would be in here except to hide from me. At first, she was shocked with how forceful I was, and then she grew shy.

"Did you follow me?" She looked offended after I asked her who she had gone to see. Even though she seemed hurt, I was in more pain. Why couldn't she just come out and say it? She had to be hiding something.

I'll prove to you that I'm the only one you can love. I'm the best man for you. My hands snake down to the bottom of her white shirt and I try to lift it up as I slam my lips into her's, but she pushes with all her might to get me away. She struggles to say my name, but all I want to do is stop her from talking. I don't want to know the truth. What if she really is cheating on me?

"Enough! I'm not going anywhere!" She screams, taking advantage of me parting our lips to speak and drive me off her. Tears were in her eyes, she looked terrified as she held her body.

"He was my fiance."

The words echo in my head and I turn away, too scared of what I'll do if she continues to explain that she loves another man. Why can't she realise I am the best man for her? That she is the only woman I will ever love?

"...I had a miscarriage." I was brought back to our conversation by her emotional admission and I freeze up. Why hadn't she just told me about this before? I listened to her tearful explanation of her outing as my eyes travelled the room.

There, on the countertop between our matching sinks, was an object I didn't recognise. Stepping towards it, I picked it up to see the markings of a positive pregnancy test. I thought back to all the nights I woke up to her throwing up and how tired she had been lately. It would definitely account to why she's been so secretive. But... Why didn't she trust me to be happy?

"If you don't want a baby... That's okay-." I cut her off by wrapping her in my embrace. Pride filled my heart for the joy I was feeling. Never had I thought of starting a family, I fooled around with too many women to want to settle down.

But, with the way I felt about ____, I could see us raising children together. Whether in the city or in the countryside where she grew up, I could see her cooking massive meals for our kids and us both picking them up from school. We would have to have girls because there is no way I'm sharing ____ with another man.

"I love you too." I planted a soft kiss on her lips as she trembled in my embrace.

#kbtbb eisuke #eisuke x mc #kissed by the baddest bidder eisuke #eisuke ichinomiya #voltage games #voltage fanfic #kbtbb #kissed by the baddest bidder

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because-im-write · 5 years ago

Text

The Beloved Big Sister of 1-7 feat. Number Five

1 2 3 5

4/7

“Allison would look to her for help when she was stuck with no way out. She knew, always, that her big sister would get her out. I used to get woken up at night by her running through the halls, sneaking out of the house to drive to her sister’s. When she left home, the first place she lived was there. They were closer after Five vanished.” -Luther

X walked through the cold night, flicking her collar up over her neck, clambering up the stairs to the Academy. She opened the door and moved through the house, nodding to Pogo when he came to see who it was.

‘Allison?’

She peered around the bedroom door, seeing Allison on the bed, wiping her eyes.

She looked up when her big sister entered. ‘X.’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I...’ Allison’s face crumpled into tears again. ‘I miss Claire. I messed it all up. I used my power to tell her to go to sleep, and...’

X frowned. ‘What’s wrong with that? That’s one of the few things I’d say you could use it on her for.’

‘Patrick saw me. And...’ Allison dissolved beyond words and curled up.

X softened further and sat on the bed beside her.

It was a long time before Allison recovered, but she did. Sniffling, she looked up. ‘Did Five get a coffee?’

‘Yes,’ X replied, smiling, putting her head on top of Allison’s. ‘Get some sleep. Claire will be fine, don’t ever give up hope, Allison.’

Allison nodded and scooted out from her hold, lying under the blankets on the pillow and closing her eyes.

X turned the light off and closed the door, smiling softly as she felt disorientation making her unsteady.

With Five back, and Allison in her room she felt a little like time had warped again.

---

She was three steps out of the house the following morning after a long sleep in when Klaus appeared, dragging her backwards back inside.

‘What on Earth are you wearing?’ she asked, glancing behind her.

‘A pinstriped suit from Dad’s closet.’

‘It looks horrible.’

‘Oh goodie! You can come with us! Someone was looking for you!’

‘Oh god, now who?’ X groaned, allowing Klaus to guide her up the steps.

‘A little number I like to call-,’

‘Five,’ X smiled, laughing.

They walked through the doors and Five appeared right next to X, standing an inch away.

‘We’re going to return an eyeball,’ Klaus declared, clapping his hands.

‘You what?’ X returned, perplexed.

‘The glass eye I found in the Apocalypse,’ Five explain with a sigh. I went this morning and because I look seven apparently I’m going to have to go back with someone that looks like a parent.’

‘I see.’

‘I found Klaus before I found you, but please come along; Klaus is disturbing me.’

X nodded and Klaus offered her an arm. She linked her own through it and put the other around Five’s shoulders, pulling him to lean on her as Klaus skipped them out.

With Klaus driving, they got to the factory in less than ten minutes. While Five feared for his life in the back, yelling every time they went around the corner, X was laughing the whole way, urging Klaus on and betting him he couldn’t make the lights, or get around the corner without hitting the footpath.

Five had groaned and pressed himself into the corner of the car.

‘This is the only time I get to drive!’ Klaus had cheered back, ‘lighten up, little Five!’

‘Don’t call me “little”,’ Five roared back.

X laughed again.

They got out of the car and Five shook his head, a brave attempt to stop it spinning. Klaus put an arm through his sister’s again and led them up to the front door. Five marched ahead into the lift, punched the button and stormed out the second the doors had opened, moving straight past the receptionist and into an office.

X altered her age to match Klaus’ and they sauntered after Five in time to hear him angrily declare he’d summoned his parents.

Klaus sat down on a chair and X the other, Five angrily standing at the front of the desk.

The man behind the desk sighed. ‘Like I said to your son earlier, any information about the prosthetics we build is strictly confidential, without the client’s consent, I simply can’t help.’

Five leant forward and snarled. ‘But we can’t get consent if you don’t give us a name!’

X tilted her head, thinking of a way around while Klaus was starting at the snowglobe staring at him from the desk.

‘Well, that’s not my problem, I’m sorry. Now there’s simply nothing more I can do, so...’

Five’s angry attention was ripped from staring daggers into the man when Klaus, one leg over the other and hands clasped together, spoke in a shaky, offended voice.

‘And what about my consent?’ he said poetically.

Five blinked at him, glancing at X to see a suspicious but amused expression on her face.

The man blinked. ‘Excuse me?’

‘Who gave you,’ Klaus continued, descending further into whimpers and dramatics, ‘permission... to lay your hands.... on my son?’ He finished by pointing at Five, who was frowning at his brother quizzically.

The man and Five blinked. ‘What?’

X fought to keep her face impassive.

‘You heard me,’ Klaus affirmed.

‘I didn’t touch your son!’ The man glanced at Five, then to X, then back to Klaus.

X put on an outraged expression, pulling Five backward toward her protectively as she joined in Klaus’ act.

Feeling rather like a rag-doll, Five surrendered the situation to his siblings.

Klaus lent forward. ‘Oh, really, then how did he get that swollen lip then?’

X was the first to react, blinking wide, eye shooting to Klaus, somehow unable to be surprised.

‘He doesn’t have a swollen-,’

In one swift movement, Klaus stood up and punched Five in the mouth, who stumbled back against X.

She responded by gasping dramatically and bending down to study Five’s face.

‘I want it,’ Klaus said, leaning his hands on the desk, ‘name please, now!’

The now highly startled man shook a finger at him. ‘You’re crazy!’

‘You got no idea,’ Klaus said, staring him down.

X watched Klaus almost proudly, reminding Five once again that the duo was an absolute nightmare of chaotic influence.

Klaus picked up the snowglobe with a smile. ‘Peace on Earth? That is so sweet!’

Before he could break it over his head, X warned; ‘careful with that, dear!’

Klaus turned to her. ‘You’re right, I should be!’

Their eyes met, glowing with mischief, and several things happened at once from Five’ perspective.

He frowned, X put both both her arms over his head as a shield, Klaus hurled the globe toward her, a loud smashing sound took centre stage of the room and the smashed snowglobe rained around him, glass falling harmlessly around him as X grunted and yelled in pain.

When he looked up, Klaus’ throw had cut through her face in multiple places, blood streaming from under her eye and hairline.

He felt his blood beginning to boil before letting it go; it had been Klaus, after all.

The sibling in question was currently breezily smiling at the stunned worker, who was staring unblinking at the three of them.

He picked up the phone. ‘I’m calling security!’

Klaus wrenched the phone from his grasp with an angry exclamation and Five frowned up at his sister, still unable to grasp anything.

While Klaus angrily wrestled the phone away, he wiped a little blood away from her face as she was busy cheering Klaus on.

‘What are you doing?!’ the man yelled in a wild attempt to stop Klaus.

Klaus showed no cares and leaned against X, wailing down the phone; ‘There’s been an assault! In Mr Big’s office and we need security now, sh-now!’ He slammed the phone down, pulled X forward and indicated her face. Five stood behind them, resorting to blinking as he thought they might finally have lost it.

‘Now here’s what’s gonna happen, Grant,’ Klaus said, as snow and glitter streamed down X’s face, who was still wincing.

‘It’s... Lance...’

‘In about sixty seconds, two security guards are going to burst through that door, and they’re gonna see a whole lotta blood on my son’s mother’s beautiful face!’

Five caught on and grinned, watching the two of them leaning down over the desk menacingly, proudly watching the consequences of their stirring each other on.

‘And they’re gonna wonder what on Earth happened, and we’re gonna tell them that you... beat the shit out of them!’ Klaus finished with a dramatic intake of breath.

X began to cry, leaning onto Klaus.

Lance was faced with an incredible scene. A man gasping and comfortingly putting an arm around a woman with a bleeding face, while a young boy stood behind them with a bruised lip, grinning at him smugly over their shoulders.

Klaus stood up. ‘You’re gonna do great in prison, Grant, trust me, I’ve been there. Little piece of chicken like you... oh my god you’re gonna get passed around like a...’

At this point Klaus was shaking his hips, Five was frowning at him and looking off out of the window with a slightly squeamish expression and X was wiping blood away from her eyes, blood covering her smirk.

Klaus waved a hand. ‘You’re just- you’re do great.’ He ended it with a smile. ‘That’s all I’m saying.’

‘Jesus,’ Lance blinked, glancing around, ‘you two are some sick bastards.’

‘Thank you,’ they said in unison.

Klaus tapped X’s forehead, picking off a little piece of glass and Five grinned at Lance once again.

Lance, without a word, stood up and escorted them to the filing drawers.

Klaus waved like royalty at anyone that stared at them and Five kept glancing at X’s face in concern as he triumphantly walked after Klaus.

X noticed and put a hand on his shoulder, standing him in front of her when they reached the drawers. Klaus plonked himself on top of them and Lance hurried to dig through the drawers.

He pulled out a file as Five watched him intently.

‘Huh, that’s strange.’

‘What?’ Five breathed impatiently.

‘Uh, the eye hasn’t been purchased by anyone yet.’

Klaus jumped off the drawers, hovering inches away from Lance’s highly uneasy face. ‘What do you mean?’

Lance looked at the file, anywhere but Klaus, Five and X. ‘Well, our logs say that the eye with that serial number... this can’t be right, it hasn’t even been manufactured yet. Where did you get that eye?’

‘Aaaaargh,’ X groaned, tilting her head back, ‘I should be having coffee right now.’ She looked back at Lance. ‘Okay. So same time next week? You might want to purchase a new snowglobe. Wait we know where the records are, we can just break in.’

‘Ooo,’ Klaus clapped his hands, ‘how fun!’

‘Who... who are you people?!’

‘Oh god nevermind.’ X grabbed Klaus and Five and bundled them out into the lifts. Klaus pressed the button and X set about swearing and pulling glass from her hair and face.

‘Jesus, Klaus, that was one hell of a throw.’

‘Oh, thank you! I played a little baseball in rehab, you know, getting my swings in.’

They continued like this all the way outside, by which time X had healed herself and returned her age down.

Five sighed when they made it out. ‘Well this is not good.’

‘Nothing normally is,’ X replied, pulling glitter from her hair.

‘I was pretty good, though, right?’ Klaus asked happily. ‘Yeah, what about my consent, bitch?!’ He giggled and turned around, noticing Five had stopped walking.

‘Klaus, it doesn’t matter!’ Five growled.

‘What, what’s the big deal with this eye, huh?’ Klaus asked, swinging his arms carelessly.

‘There is someone out there who’s going to lose an eye in the next few days. They’re going to wipe out life on Earth as we know it!’ Five set off past Klaus, who turned around and followed him, helping X with the glass in her hair.

‘Yeah, can I get that twenty bucks like, now, or...?’

‘Your twenty bucks?!’ Five echoed in disbelief, staring him down.

‘Yeah, my twenty bucks.’

Five took an angry step forward, frustration seeping deeper and deeper into him. ‘The apocalypse is coming and all you care about is getting high?’

Klaus was very unperturbed by Five’s in-credulousness and put his hands over his stomach. ‘Well I’m also... quite hungry. Tummy’s a rumbling. Rrrrr!’

‘I could eat,’ X said, preoccupied, staring at the hair she was holding in front of her face.

‘You’re useless,’ Five breathed, still staring at Klaus, ‘you’re all useless!’

‘Five...!’ warned X.

‘Oh, come on, you need to lighten up, old man!’ Klaus groaned as Five sat himself down on the steps, pulling X down to sit beside him as she continued to pick glitter from her hair.

‘Hey, I’ve just now realised why you’re so uptight, you must be horny as hell! All those years by yourself, it’s gotta screw with your head!’ Klaus sat beside Five, on his other side.

‘Well,’ Five said, looking up into the sky, ‘I wasn’t alone.’

‘Oh? Pray tell!’

‘Her name was Delores,’ Five said, grabbing X’s attention, ‘we were together for over thirty years.’

X blinked, remembering Five mentioning her the night before.

‘Thirty years?’ Klaus asked while Five nodded. ‘Wow! The longest I’ve been with someone is... two weeks, and that’s only because I was so tired of looking for a place to eat and sleep...’

Five made to disappear at that moment, but a distracted, restricting hand forced him back into place.

He turned to glare at his sister, until her realized she wasn’t paying him any attention, half her mind on her hair and the other half on listening to Klaus. He groaned and listened to Klaus talk, before suddenly the man jumped up.

‘What are we eating?’ he declared.

‘I don’t have time to ea-,’

‘Burgers?’ X suggested, making Five stop in his tracks and stare at her, like a child does when its parent betrays a plan.

‘Ooo,’ Klaus bowed, ‘a perfect suggestion, my dear X. And at which place shall we eat?’

‘You said you’d help me!’ Five hissed at her.

‘I’m not going to last the eight days before the apocalypse without eating, Five,’ she replied, finishing her hair. ‘And Klaus, I’ll pay for lunch, not the drugs.’

‘As always, you drive the best bargain, my dearest eldest.’

Realising there was nothing he could do anyway, Five sighed and followed them to lunch.

The place was busy and filled with people, making Five a little cross.

‘I’m going to find Delores tonight, I’d like you to meet her,’ he said to X when Klaus went to order.

X nodded. ‘Anything I should know about her?’

Five looked down for a moment. ‘Only... that I met her in the apocalypse. And I was the only one alive.’

X let this sink in and nodded, not knowing what to expect, but not wanting to ask anything further.

---

She waited outside when Five went in to find Delores, lying on the roof and staring at the sky.

‘My sister’s here,’ Five said warmly, nodding upwards as he spoke to Delores. ‘X. She’s here. It was nice to see her again. I’m sorry you couldn’t come with me to see her when I did.’

Hazel and Cha-Cha appeared, and Five screeched out a “no!” and ran, grabbing the broken half of Delores and jumping through the clothes of the store.

On the roof, X heard the shots. Her eyes snapped open and she rolled up, jumped off the roof and looked through the windows, seeing the two masks and guns. They had to be looking for Five.

She winced a little as she rearranged her feet and put her arms protectively over her head, before surging through the window to the back of the shop.

Hazel and Cha-Cha turned at the noise and fired frantically at the doors.

Five heard the window smash and knew X had come after him, tasked with finding her among the bullets, debris and clothes. He ran further into the store, back from Hazel and Cha-Cha and stuck his head up for a second, looking around. The back was filled with clothing racks.

He ducked down and lay flat on the floor, rushing.

He scanned the ground before he saw X, also on the floor. They saw each other at the same time and the clothes all moved, creeping Hazel and Cha-Cha out as she immediately surged to Five under the clothes, grabbing him and surging down the aisle away from the moving clothes to the back wall.

‘What happened?’

‘The Commission, they found me.’

‘You can’t shift?’ She had begun to age herself to 24.

‘No,’ Five panted.

X nodded, keeping her hands on his arms to calm him down.

He’d survived the apocalypse and the agency by himself, but faced with one of the more dangerous situations he’d ever found himself in, the part of him that was a child felt very happy to have his big sister there to protect him. Which was exactly what she was doing, keeping him calm, looking around and assessing their surroundings.

It had been a very long time since Five had seen her that focused, that strong. Despite the chaos, he smiled a little.

‘Where’s Delores?’ she asked over the gunfire.

‘By the front.’

She nodded a couple of times, thinking. Then she grabbed a black scarf and tied it around her face. ‘I’ll get you to the front, get your bag, get Delores and get out.’

Five agreed, grabbing her hand. ‘And what are you doing?’

‘I’ll take them down if I can. If not, I’ll keep them busy until you get out.’

They raised themselves a little to be able to run and held their hands as tightly as they could.

X looked up and immediately ducked down as bullets scaled over her head. ‘Shit.’

‘Who the hell is that?!’ came a yell.

‘They’re everywhere,’ she said, ‘close your eyes and just run,’ she said.

Five nodded, automatically trusting X with his life and waited until she moved.

They sprinted down the aisle, gunfire hailing around them, X steering Five.

She raised her head above the the clothes, and surged to a different aisle, then another and another and another until Five had no idea where they were, but wasn’t disorientated like he would be if he could see. He felt like he was running down a very long corridor.

X surged again, getting faster and faster until they were sprinting through the store, at which point she began to look for Five’s bag.

When she found it she slowed, Five mirroring her speed, and let go of his hand. He opened his eyes and ran to his bag, knowing where he was.

He didn’t bother looking back; he knew she’d be gone.

X ran straight up full force behind Hazel, who had stopped near a wall.

Cha-Cha had seen her and fired, getting Hazel to turn around. When he did, X surged to the wall behind him before he could fire, kicked off it and landed, leaping the one step to Hazel at speed and kicked him in the back. He was heavy, but he stumbled enough for X to land on his back, sending him to the ground.

She was a moment away from getting his head in her hands when Cha-Cha appeared, gun pointing straight at her.

X growled and surged straight into Cha-Cha, sending the woman flying backwards, gun firing into the air.

Five whittled his way through the clothes and shoved Delores into his bag and looked up. He couldn’t see anything, but heard the yells of Hazel and Cha-Cha.

He tried to jump again, but still couldn’t and, with a last look in the direction of X, ran out through the broken window, Delores on his back.

He stopped in a garden nearby and looked back, hearing the gunshots. He waited.

X healed her arm while she backflipped and surged straight up to the ceiling, right above the confused Cha-Cha.

Hazel was searching for his gun and didn’t see X fall through the air and land feet first on Cha-Cha, crouching and punching the cut Five had made in Cha-Cha’s arm.

The woman yelled in pain and grabbed X, who growled in retaliation and looked up, surging to the furthest corner of the store, to the ceiling. Cha-Cha was below her and was dragged against a shelf, loosening her grip and she landed on her back when she hit the ground, hand flying away from X, who surged back to the roof in the middle of the store, saw Hazel as she fell and surged to the next aisle. She waited for him to run past and kicked out, sending his gun flying. She surged after it, caught it and immediately had to throw it behind her as Hazel reached for her.

The heavy shotgun hit him in the face and he stumbled back, blocking the kick X sent with his arm.

‘HAZEL?!’

He blocked every blow that came his way and X hissed in annoyance, turning around, surging as far back as she could and then aiming straight at Hazel again.

She collided with him, and he was blown back to the wall with a yell.

Once again, she was seconds away from being able to snap his neck when Cha-Cha appeared, woozy and unsteady on her feet. She hit Hazel as hard as she could in the head and vanished, getting ready to go for Cha-Cha when the sirens rang through the air as the police arrived.

Cha-Cha looked toward Hazel and fired randomly though the air. X ducked to the ground and swore multiple times before the bullets stopped.

The silence nearly killed Five. He’d seen her dead once.

She needed more time than she had to take them down and so yelled a final time and jumped high into the air, surging to cover near the doors, angled to get a long shot to the garden and surged forward, landing with a breath and a grunt and coughed, rolling onto her back.

Immediately, Five was beside her, or on her rather in a bear hug before he realised he’d moved.

X blinked and put an arm over him, catching her breath. ‘Five? What is it?’

Five closed his eyes and lowered his head, letting it drop and rest on her.

She frowned, and put her other hand in his hair. ‘Five.’

‘Nothing.’

X lifted his head up, searched his eyes and let it go.

@woohoney @i-think-you-are-gr8 @maiabiovillage @catvader101 @theamazinghana @livinlifelikeishould @itsintothegreatbeyondstuff @reallysparklychaos @queenmissfit @shadowsndaisies @papacola @pawsitively-purfect

#the big sister of 1-7 #klaus #five #hargreeves #the umbrella academy #the umbrella academy x reader #the umbrella academy imagine #tua #luther #diego #allison

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devolusion-a · 4 years ago

Text

“Can I be of assistance?”

She nods. “I — yes. I’m sorry, I...could we speak in private?”

The concern on his face deepens. She looks so small. “Is everything all right, miss? Are you in danger?”

“In on it? Miss, are you suggesting that there’s —”

“Yes, corruption. Please, this is why I can’t discuss it in public.” Her eyes well, shining, afraid. Her teeth grind behind her lips, all tense and kinetic. His gaze softens. “Please. We don’t have to go far. Just — out of the middle of town. Anyone could be watching. Please?”

“All right, miss. It’s okay. You’re okay.” She nods and inhales deeply. “All right. Take a deep breath. I’m going to need your name first.”

She manages a watery smile. “I’m Niya. Thank you so much.”

He nods. His smile is so gentle. “Niya. It’s good to meet you. Now, can you tell me about what corruption you believe you’ve discovered in the Knights?”

Niya nods, hands trembling where they curl near her chest. “Yes, of course. Can I ask one question first, though?”

“Of course.”

“Which of them sent you here?”

The man starts, head tilting, confusion reflecting across the young knight’s vision. She wipes at her teary eyes while he says, “I’m sorry?”

When those eyes raise back to his, hers are remarkably free of pain, none of the fear that had been there mere moments ago reflecting at all. She smiles, hands tucking behind her back.

He laugh uneasily. “Miss, I think you’re confused. I have no idea what you’re talking abo —”

“Miss, I don’t —”

“Oh, please. I could smell the Delusion on you the minute I walked into this city.”

His face cracks into empty surprise; and then folds into cruel dismissal, anger, all the warmth from his pretend - persona fleeing with ease. He sneers. “Who are you, really?”

“I told you. I’m Niya.” She grins and leans against the wall behind her, arms acrossing. “Let’s cut to the chase. We both know the rules. Whichever Harbinger who sent you here will be furious if they find out that you got found out. And so easily, too! I don’t even want to imagine how you’ll be punished.” He winces. Niya knows she should feel empathy, but she doesn’t. “But. Nobody has to find out. For the right price.”

One of the agent’s brows arch. “You’d sell out your own Grand Master?”

He thinks on it for only a moment; then he digs through the satchel around his shoulders and tosses her a bag of coins with a grunt. She catches it, eyes shining. “Will that do, Niya?”

She opens the bag and lets out a low, pleased whistle. “Pleasure doing business with you.” She bows too - low, all dramatics, one hand pressed to her chest while the other splays out. “You ever need a hand, feel free to look me up.” His scowl deepens.

——

He wakes up when she opens the window, like she knew he would. The dark room is empty in an instant, but she can feel his movements; hears the flick of that familiar knife. Her polearm blocks it a moment before it can meet her neck, a moment before the agent reveals himself, and a moment before the knife bursts into flames.

Idiot. Pyro against electro? They don’t train ‘em like they use to, she supposes.

Her polearm shifts to lightning light; only the ends of it, the blades. None of the fallout hits her flesh; the same can’t be said of the poor man gripping his knife, the entire weapon wreathed in flames. Overload occurs and he’s thrown back with a shout — she winces, hopes he hasn’t just woken any of the other, actual knights in the adjacent rooms — and hits the ground. She’s upon him lightning fast, polearm snapping in twain.

“Bye,” she whispers as she straddles him, leaning close, eyes huge and fever - bright — and then she plunges one of the daggers into his throat. He gasps around his splitting windpipe, blood spurting onto the floor and her hands, and then stops gasping when she twists the weapon. He stills. She sighs, pushing herself to stand, wiping her hand across her brow as her polearm reconnects and finds its way to her back.

She’s silent for a moment but, when she hears no approaching footsteps, breathes a sigh of relief. “Now. Let’s see if you stiffed me with that buy - off.”

Going through his things is quick. Nothing that could identify him as Fatui, of course — aside from the Delusion she finds on his body while turning out his pockets. More mora, of course, which she happily borrows. A few very - nice knives. A picture of a little girl — his real daughter, or the daughter of the name he’d adopted for this mission, she wonders only briefly. She makes her way to his desk. Nothing atop it aside from a few coins and quills. One of the lower drawers, though — she finds a letter, apparently from the agent, not yet sent.

“Have they changed the cipher since the last one?” the woman wonders quietly, using a match to light a lamp that rests upon the desk. She used to be able to read in the dark. It’s good that she can’t these days. “Ugh. They have changed it.” She casts a glance over her shoulder at the corpse leaking blood onto the floor. “You really couldn’t make things easy for me, huh?” She looks back to the letter. “Let’s see here — mmm, okay. Based on playfair...” One of the coins resting on the desk finds her fingers and spins idly between her knuckles.

“‘My Lord...integration into the Ordo is going as planned...blah blah blah’...oh!” Eyes scan a few paragraphs down. “Let’s see here. ‘Came into contact with a woman I believe to be a deserting agent.’ Naughty, naughty. Didn’t you promise not to snitch on me?” If he mistook her for a Pyro Agent, that at least explains why he’d thought that fire was anything other than a death sentence. “‘Requesting permission to engage and eliminate.’ Hah!” She stands from the desk, snuffing out the lamp with one hand while she stuffs the letter into her pocket with the other. She spins on her heel and rests a foot on the dead agent’s chest. “Oh, poor man. How’d engaging me go? Pfft.” The woman bends and lifts the man over her shoulder, grunting at the weight. She eyes the wooden floors still stained with blood. Oh, well. If she’s fast, she’ll have time to come clean that up before anyone thinks to check. “C’mon, sweet thing. Let’s go dispose of the evidence.”

——

She doesn’t worry about getting far outside the city — she knows the Knights’ routes well enough not to fear getting caught. Besides, he’s a heavy man, and her skill has always laid more in speed than strength. They get out into the wilderness before she sets him down with a groan and a muttering. Niya builds a pyre atop the corpse — glancing at the pyro delusion still on his body only once before shaking her head — and lights it with her blade against stone. Then, lightning follows, and — there’s nothing much left afterwards. Except for the charred Delusion.

She bends over top of it with a sigh. “Should really be charging Jean for doing her job for her.” Calloused fingers lift the Delusion lightly, tossing it a few times experimentally. “Or maybe Diluc. This seems more his kind of bullshit.” It’s only a short walk to Starsnatch cliff, where she hurls the Delusion into the sea. The sky’s going just barely orange. Not long ‘til the sunrise.

“Better go clean up after myself.”

——

Niya laughs. “Really? Bet Jean’s thrilled.”

“She’s suuuuper worried!” Niya laughs again. “He just up and left. All his things were gone. He was a really promising new recruit, too, but it looks like he deserted.”

Niya’s head shakes. “Lotsa people get into stuff like the military and figure out too late they hate it.”

“Yeah, Paimon supposes. Jean had Paimon and Lumine doing rounds looking for him just in case, but we didn’t find anything.”

“Boo. Sorry some lazy deserting jerk made you guys work more.”

“We did find something,” Lumine murmurs suddenly. “There were some faint elemental traces leading from his room. Disappeared in the forest.”

“Oh, yeah! Paimon forgot all about that!”

Niya’s head tilts, resting in her palm when her elbow hits the bar. “You think he had a secret Vision or something? Dunno why somebody like that would wanna leave. That’d put you up for promotion way earlier than the rest of ‘em.”

Lumine’s gold eyes rest on Niya’s face for a long moment; the assassin raises a brow, smiling patiently, and holds their gaze. Lumine must accept what they find there, because those eyes lower after a few moments more. “I don’t know,” they murmur. Niya’s smile softens.

“Don’t worry so much, Lil’ Lumi. If he deserted, finding him would be sad, anyway, right?” A hand loops around their shoulder. “I’m sure he’s happier wherever he is.”

#drabbles.#reposts this from my niya blog..........#also a few minor cosmetic edits but #blood /#gore ment /#death /

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wrathofthewind · 4 years ago

Text

vii. Curse

Arnalt came in and out of consciousness, and every time he came to, the world was upside down. It was only after several days of being steadily administered with a continuous flow of spiritual energy and heavy dosages of anesthetic tea that he finally had the strength to peel his eyes open. His arm was bandaged and splinted, but it hurt like a bitch when he tried to move.

Ithana hadn’t just injured his shoulder, she’d also fractured a line in his spiritual power, causing a momentary break in his spiritual flow that made him hallucinate or faint with vertigo.

He must’ve tried standing in his haze several times because his arms were now held down by ropes.

As soon as he looked conscious and stable, and after answering a few questions to the attending medic to confirm his state, the ropes were released and the attendant sighed with relief.

Bael was there, a drink in his hand, and behind him Pallax was giving instructions to that servant girl Pagytha. Something, something, he likes them with a sprinkle of cinnamon, oh, they were probably talking about his breakfast. It was hard to feel starved though when you were so nauseous.

“Ugh.” Arnalt grumbled and an attendant quickly came to help him sit up. “What’s the status?”

Pallax immediately reported. “Compound fracture on your scapula, swelling and trauma to the glenohumeral joint, and some ugly bruising but nothing your highness hasn’t healed from before.”

He lowered his head.

“It’s not your fault I’m so behind on my training.”

“I am your teacher. This is my responsibility.”

“You can’t hope to compete with the Lioness of—“

Crack.

“CAN YOU NOT— ugh, I’m too nauseous for this shit.”

Pallax had easily dislocated his shoulder with a single chop from his hand, and just as quickly…

Click crack.

He adjusted it back in place. His face clenching and unclenching as he did so.

“In penance for my oversights.” He kneeled down and lowered his head, ashamed.

Arnalt had barely woken up, he rolled his eyes. “That was unnecessary,” he winced again, “but fine, fine.” He waved his left hand a bit to dismiss it. “Stand.”

“Ok if I had a Pallax in my state I would not be this fat.” Bael said this just as he reached for a plate of biscuits and scarfed them down. “You know?” He had his mouth full but kept talking a bit. “Or moobee I coulth conk urr sum villages or sumthin…” he wiped his mouth and took a large drink from a half-full glass that was laying by his side. He seemed to think for a minute then look at Arnalt’s shoulder seriously. “Good thing it’s not a permanent injury.”

Arnalt nodded, and smirked, even though he was deathly pale, nauseous and still a bit damp from the pain sweats. “Hmf, how could it be?”

“Ithana really has a soft spot for you, I once saw her crush Gildegad’s whole hand. Before she smashed his nose in.”

And Gildegad never got that hand back. It was eventually cut off and replaced with a metal one.

Tyssen came into the room and Arnalt quickly felt his surroundings shrink. “Bael, could you leave us for a minute?”

“Alright, I just wanted to check if you’d be ok. I’ll leave you to your business.” He gathered his things and finished his goblet. “Try not to start unnecessary duels again?” Once more, Bael’s face felt momentarily serious before that wide smile and mirth rippled through it once again and he hopped off to go. “Have a good one! Don’t get more bones broken while I’m gone! I can’t always have my Chef on hand to make your recovery meals gourmet you know? And…” his voice trailed off in the hall and Tyssen quickly shut the door.

The attendant had already left.

Arnalt immediately looked at him with a satisfied smile about to form, but his face quickly fell. Tyssen didn’t look happy.

“They caught him.”

Well, he hadn’t counted on that!

“Didn’t he memorize the map last night?”

“He did, but, he was a little overzealous and I believe he didn’t actually sleep, I woke up to find him in the same position, still reading the thing. I don’t think he slept.”

Arnalt wanted to scream for very different reasons now.

“An exhausted brain leads a fool to his grave. Where are they keeping him? And how… where did he get caught?”

“He somehow ended up close to Ithana’s stables, they found him on his way to steal a horse.”

If Arnalt could use both his hands he would’ve cradled his whole head. As It was, he just cradled his forehead with the one.

“As for where they’re keeping him… They’re not.”

“Don’t tell me…”

“The Prison Wagon departed to the Winterlands that very same day.”

A failure. All for naught.

Arnalt extended his arm and Pallax handed him a bowl of soup. He took one look at it and sneered. Pallax chose another plate, one of the many Bael had left behind, and this one was a bruleed toast with with fresh ham and melted cheese, a dab of marmalade peeping through the crust.

Arnalt shook his head again.

Finally he settled on the plate of sautéed sliced potatoes with chives, warm grains with fried bacon slices and a vegetable concasse.

Arnalt ate silently until the plate was clean.

An hour passed. Tyssen and Pallax didn’t move a muscle.

“I should let him rot up there. He deserves it.”

…

“I don’t care if he’s a stupid teenager.”

…

“I’m not that far from his age I wouldn’t have let myself get caught like that.”

…

“He’s so bloody dumb, he really is only muscle and no brain.”

…

“Your Highness your injured.” Tyssen simply mumbled.

“Your Highness I can’t recommend this.” Pallax quickly trailed.

“Pass me the toast, and we depart in a week.” Arnalt finished.

“Why do you bother keeping it alive? He’s already lived an enchanted life for any Kurian!” Tyssen finally spoke his mind.

“He is my ward!” Arnalt said simply. “I’m responsible for him. They said he wouldn’t grow more than a few inches and look how tall he’s gotten, they said his brain would be addled by the curse yet look what he’s become, DUMB SURE, but smart enough, they said he was weak and he would die and if anything he eats like TEN men combined, weak is NOT what he is. He’s not cursed, he’s like any other boy with potential for greatness. And I, Arnalt Azuria, am the first in the history of Aegeria to successfully raise a Kurian. Isn’t that something!”

Pallax rolled his eyes but Arnalt didn’t catch him, thankfully.

“Your Highness, he is 15 now, fast approaching maturity and his curse is catching up with him, with us! You saw what happened! He decimated that hall. The mission was perfectly under control and his impulsiveness nearly killed us all! He may not be getting weaker, or smaller, but it’s worse because he’s becoming stronger, and even more dangerous! That magic…”

Pallax interceded. “I must agree with Lord Tyssen your highness. Sometimes the best mercy with a ferocious animal is to eliminate it, prevent the destruction of many with the sacrifice of one. I had often heard that children cursed by the Kur especially would naturally die before age 16 and their death was marked by a burst of malicious energy. It could very well be that he’ll unleash the poisons at Tahr and perhaps that’s why—“

“…”

“Go on, say it. Speak your mind Pallax.” Arnalt spoke sharply.

“Perhaps this is the real reason he’s being sent to the Glaes, and, this might’ve always been the fate that was planned for him, even if you granted him your Mercy.”

Silence enveloped the room.

“And what of it?” Arnalt insisted. “If this was my family just waiting for an excuse—“

“They didn’t need to wait!” Tyssen cut in, finally losing his patience. “He gave them one! And he’s been giving several the more we approach his 16 suns! This is what the Opal spoke of, and you—“

“I KNOW WHAT THE OPAL SPOKE OF.”

…

Arnalt felt that pain and numbness again in his arm, and took a deep breath to both control the pain and control himself. He’d long put the plate down. “I heard the Opal. It was my coronation of course I heard the Opal. But a prophecy is just that, a prophecy, predictions, possibilities, and not all of them come true, or if they do, not the way anyone ever thinks. In the end we can only guide ourselves by our own code and our own nature and let Fate fall where it may. You were both there, and all you heard the Opal saw was that among us had risen a blight. That this blight would cause a devastation, that the heavens would split… You know what I heard?”

Neither Tyssen nor Pallax answered.

“I heard him say I—“ he slammed his fist on the night table next to him, “ARNALT THE EAGLE AZURIA, HAVE THE POWER TO PREVENT THIS.”

He swallowed the bile in his stomach, as any extertion made him want to hurl. But he kept his back straight and bore through it.

“So trust me. Because this is what I see right now. I see a 15 year old boy, with enormous potential, who is mostly scared and vulnerable and needs guidance. That boy could very well become the destruction of our realm if we keep treating him this way. It will be our fault, not his if he destroys us in the future!”

Tyssen and Pallax glanced at each other and nodded. Whether they agreed or not, there was nothing else to say.

“In a week then.” Tyssen echoed.

“We’ll need a good reason to take his highness away from the palace. And the healing facilities.” Pallax finished.

“I think it’s time to pay a visit to my dear Lady Olandra.”

Understanding reached the two knight’s faces. Pallax rubbed his chin. “This, this might work.”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a young woman was shoved inside with a yelp! Just as quickly the door slammed shut and when Pallax jumped to push it open he found it impossible, someone was holding it in place from the outside.

A bolt slid across and locked all them all inside abruptly! A few steps were heard and then faded. They couldn’t get out.

“YOU!” Arnalt stared at the young woman.

The young woman lifted her face and it was covered in black dust!

“Sire!” She cried. “Help!”

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grither55 · 4 years ago

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The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic) - Chapter 86 - Below

Team Azula’s shouts rang into the air as they rolled to a stop in a damp cavern panting for air.

The two noblewomen rasped with sweat on their brows as they frantically gazed down at their unconscious little sister.

Only for the two of them to sigh in relief when they saw that the handmaiden was unharmed.

Just as Azula dropped to the ground with her dark hair sticking to her face.

While Nako sat on her knees with a hand over her chest as she breathed heavily while her fearful golden eyes glanced around the darkened cavern.

Just as blue fire lit up the large cavern.

“Damn that wretched freak! I am going to kill her slowly!” Azula snarled as she swatted her hair from her furious golden eyes while she glanced about the cavern.

“Thank you, princess.” Nako breathed as she sat up beside Azula while she gazed at the royal woman with a small smile.

To which she simply received a curt nod while the princess’s golden eyes swept about.

Just before her cold gaze landed on her prone handmaid with her lips pursed into a regal scowl.

And even though she wouldn’t say it out loud.

She couldn’t help but breath quietly in relief to know that her young girlfriend was unharmed.

‘Why hasn’t Elle woken up yet! Did the puppeteer interrupt the ritual by attacking the sage? Or is it something else?’ The princess thought with her callous eyes staring at her serving girl’s sleeping face while her childhood friends fretfully gazed around the cavern.

Just as they spun around to watch Saro drop onto the cavern floor with a light stream of blood dripping down his cheek.

As he took a heavy breath while the princess called out to him.

“Saro! Where is Zoe and her peasant?” Azula questioned sternly as she with her katana in hand as she stood up while the man turned to face her.

“We got separated in the fall!” Saro stated in a rushed voice as quickly stood up while they gazed warily around the now dimly lit cavern.

In an upper cavern Zoe dropped through the bursting earth with her line swinging high above her while Jiao held onto her neck.

Just as the sound of another round of explosions rocketed off below that prompted Team Azula to gaze up in returning alarm.

Boom!

The cavern shook with a distant tremor while the captain soared through the air with her focused hazel eyes gazing behind her.

While a slew of armed puppets chased after her with astonishing precision.

All the while with their mouths open as they released another flurry of bombs as the soldier rapidly swung out of the blast radius.

‘How do these things move with such dexterity? She’s controlling them somehow…but how?’ Zoe thought with her fire illuminating the tunnel just as her companion shouted in fright.

“Zoe! Up above!” Jiao called out with her blue eyes gazing above them in fear as another slew of puppets leaped down at them from overhead.

Just as the mighty warrior propelled herself forward with her hazel eyes taking on a colder tint while the horde surrounded her on all angles.

Only for her heavy combat boots to suddenly rebound off a rock wall as she backflipped with her partner crying out in alarm.

And then not even a second later the firebender blocked the swing of a puppet’s blade with her unsheathed katana.

Before she savagely smashed her boot in the face of a dimly lit puppet soldier while it crashed into the wall with a resounding thud.

While the captain flew through the air with puppets besieging them from every corner.

And just like that the noblewoman and the puppets were locked into a fierce bout of airborne combat.

Zoe’s battle cries rang out through the underground caverns while the fearsome firebender warded off one puppet after another.

While her hazel eyes danced about in the flame lit tunnel as she quickly caught the arm of another mechanized puppet.

All the while as she slammed her into the chest of another as it was rammed straight through exploding rocks.

Only to rapidly gaze upward when a cloaked puppet slammed its blade into hers as she gritted her teeth while they swung through the tunnel network.

While her narrowed hazel eyes now gazed back into expressionless green eyes from beneath its hood.

All the while as she fended off the swings of two more puppets with her alert eyes never leaving the cloaked puppet’s shadowed face.

Slam!

Another puppet was sent hurling back into a slab of rock while the noblewoman clashed with the hooded puppet.

‘There is something different about this one…it is stronger than the others…’ The captain thought with her cold eyes staring back into the masked puppet’s darkened green eyes.

Then and that very moment she watched with marginally widening hazel eyes as the walls around them began to earthbend once more.

While her eyes flickered about in the tunnel with the younger woman’s arms still wrapped around her neckline.

Just as more puppets plunged down at them from above!

The nimble warrior swung in a rapid circle as she quickly kicked another puppet out of her way.

Before a powerful stream of flames finally sent the hooded puppet soaring with its back into a mound of dirt.

All the while as she gazed about with her still widening eyes observing the earth rapidly shifting above them.

Before she propelled herself through the volley of puppets with a stream of fire bursting forth from her booted feet.

Just as her fist grasped a flailing puppet by the face as they dropped through the plummeting rocks below.

While they fell through cavern after cavern before they crashed down into the wet floor of the lower cave with the rest of the group quickly turning to notice their fall.

And not even a second later Jiao jumped off the noblewoman’s back as she slid down upon the damp floor.

All the while as she and the others watched with guarded eyes as the mighty captain straddled a struggling puppet.

Just before the warrior’s slammed its head into the cavern floor while a resounding crack split into the air.

“Zoe! You caught one. Well done.” The princess spoke as she brushed herself off with the others following after her.

Just as they all came to a stop before the captain while all but the princess gazed down at the destroyed puppet in growing discomfort.

“Those things give me the creeps…just like that lunatic puppeteer.” Mai stated in a disgusted voice as she gazed down at the puppet in unease.

“Yeah. This isn’t pink. Not pink at all.” Ty Lee muttered with her passed out baby sister resting over her shoulder once more.

“As they should…because I have bad news. I could have sworn I saw one of them earthbend.” Zoe announced in a grave voice as she turned to gaze into her companions completely stunned eyes.

There was a moment of unsettling silence while the pilot shuddered as she knelt over the puppet to inspect its structure.

“What? You saw it…earthbend?” Azula inquired in a taken aback voice with the two noblewomen gazing down at the puppet in rising fright.

“I am almost certain of it. It tried to crush us in the tunnel above.” The captain spoke in a serious voice with the others staring back at her in shock.

While blue flames lit the vast cavern as they all gazed eerily back into each other’s eyes.

“Puppets…that can bend?” The lieutenant repeated in a disbelieving voice as he swallowed quietly.

“H-how is that even possible Azula?” The brown-haired woman blurted out in shaken voice while the princess still gazed down with widened golden eyes.

It was unsettling to say the least.

“How…how is she doing this?” The princess hissed once more with her callous golden eyes expressing uncharacteristic frustration.

Only for all six of then to spin around in alarm when the pilot cried out in fright.

“B-by Agni! What sort of twist of nature is this!” Nako exclaimed in a terrified voice as she fell back on her rear while the others gazed down at her in confusion.

“You’ll have to be more descriptive Nako.” Azula snorted with a momentary roll of her eyes while all but Zoe shivered once more.

While all eyes gazed between the pilot’s unnaturally pale face as she pointed down at the puppet’s busted skull.

“T-the inside of that thing…is made of human flesh!” The royal pilot shouted in a terror-stricken voice with her words striking the entire team into a horrified silence.

And for once even Azula and Zoe were rendered speechless.

“Human…flesh?” The markswoman asked in a clearly frightened voice with her widened tawny eyes gazing down at the puppet’s flame lit countenance.

“Y-yes! This…puppet is composed of hardened human remains.” Nako stammered as she knelt over the puppet while the group stood in a floored disbelief.

Zoe could only gaze down with her hazel eyes taken on a rarely unnerved gleam while Jiao shook behind her.

Just as the pilot turned to gaze into their eyes one after another before she turned to meet Azula’s stunned golden gaze.

“P-princess…by the look of it. I can only conclude that this puppet…was once a living…breathing human being.” The royal pilot concluded with a gulp while the others stared on with widened eyes.

And just like that a newfound sense of horror for their new enemy spread down their spines.

They were all beginning to understand that the puppeteer was even more twisted than they had taken her to be.

“So…this is what the old sage meant by patchwork.” Zoe remarked in a soft voice from where she was crouched over the puppet while her companions stared down at it in revulsion.

“Harvest…this is what she implied…by harvest!” Nako exclaimed in a shaken voice as she gazed up into Azula’s unusually perturbed golden eyes.

Before the princess regained her composure soon afterward as she stared down at the destroyed puppet with her eyes agape in boiling rage.

“She…thinks that she can harvest our bending and convert our corpses into puppets.” The princess spoke with her regal voice trembling in fury while her childhood friends gazed on in horror behind her.

“We’re not dealing with someone that’s killing for a cause. And there’s no way that she is working with the rebels. This is someone who is killing for the sake of pleasure alone.” The captain remarked in a stoic voice as she arose while turning to gaze intensely into the disconcerted eyes of her comrades.

“Azula…” Ty Lee trailed off in a nervous swallow while Azula still scowled down at the broken puppet with an expression of fury in her eyes.

“And these puppets are trophies.” Zoe declared in a hardened voice while her compatriots listened in rising unease.

“Trophies?” Mai pondered in a disturbed voice while her paranoia eyes darted about in the darkened cave.

“Yes. And I think it should be obvious by now…that we are facing a ritual killer whose preferred victims just happen to be benders.” The captain announced bluntly with her grievous words cutting through the suspenseful air while she gazed into her companions widening eyes.

A simultaneous shudder spread throughout the damp air while even the proud Fire Nation Princess stared on with widened golden eyes.

“W-we...we need to get out of here Azula.” The brown-haired woman pleaded in a rightfully terrified voice as she turned to gaze imploringly into the princess’s recovering golden eyes.

"How dare this peasant think that she can sully the Princess of the Fire Nation in such a vile manner.” Azula snarled with blue fire burning from her clenched fists while her team gazed down at the puppet in an uneasy silence.

And not even a second later the puppet erupted in azure flames that lit the cavern.

While the princess turned to gaze into her captain’s hazel eyes as they shared a momentary look with one another.

Only for the silence to be broken by the sound of the poor pilot crying out in terror.

“My mom was right! I should have stayed in the family bakery!” The royal pilot cried out as she pulled at her hair while the princess’s golden eyes now twitched in aggravation.

While the two noblewomen gazed at the panicking woman in sympathy.

“Nako.” The princess stated in a stern voice with her cold eyes staring down at her pilot’s pitifully distraught face.

“And now I’m going to get cut up underground by some psycho! We’re all gonna die! We’re all gonna-!” Nako wailed only to cry out in pain when two fists pounded down upon the top of her head.

While the others sweatdropped as they watched the princess and the captain loom over the recoiling pilot.

“Shut up Nako!” Zoe and Azula ordered in unison as Nako now meekly nodded her head while she nursed her pained skull.

“Y-yes princess…captain.” The royal pilot whimpered while Saro offered her a pitying glance.

“Get ahold of yourself Nako. Right now, she is trying to play a twisted game with us by saturating us with terror to make the kill more pleasurable. Panicking will only give her the advantage.” Zoe advised as she gazed into Nako’s shaken golden eyes while the pilot hurriedly nodded her head.

“I-I uh…will try to keep that in mind Zoe. Thank you.” Nako agreed in a sheepish voice as she scratched at her cheek while Azula let out an annoyed sigh.

“Ugh. Let’s just keep moving and kill this irritating puppeteer already.” The princess scoffed as she turned away with her icy eyes glaring ahead in the vast cavern while her childhood friends shivered as they nodded in agreement.

All the while as her harsh golden eyes glanced at her girlfriend’s slumbering face through the corner of her eye.

“Captain! Look down that way! I can make out some tunnels!” Saro exclaimed as he pointed towards the other end of the cavern while the others followed his fingertip.

And then the group turned to gaze at the tunnels in the distance as they shared an uncertain look with one another.

“It could easily be a trap.” The markswoman commented with a frown on her lips while the captain scowled in concurrence.

“House Lin has a point. As rare as that may be.” The captain quipped with a hand on her shapely hip while the other noblewoman glared at her through the corner of her tawny eye.

“It looks like there four different tunnels.” The brown-haired woman spoke with the blonde over her shoulder while she gazed warily at the poorly lit tunnels.

All the while as their eyes remained peeled for any sight of the morbid artist.

“Well then the solution is obvious. I saw the benders could one way and the nonbenders go the other way. After all it’s the benders that she is after. Not us nonbenders.” The seductress stated with her arms folded over her chest while the two noblewomen sweatdropped beside her as the princess now glared her way.

As Zoe and Saro just let out a slight sigh as they continued walking much to the confusion of pilot and the two other noblewomen.

Once again it was clear that Jiao had known the two for quite a long time because neither of the two soldiers seemed to take any offense to the woman’s words.

“Filthy peasant! I strongly advise you to watch your tongue! If not for Zoe’s loyalty I would have had you imprisoned the moment I laid eyes on you!” Azula barked in a terribly unsocial voice as she glared daggers at the smaller woman’s annoyingly defiant face.

The girl never ceased to grate on her nerves.

Because she damn well knew that she would not have the courage to talk like that without Zoe standing beside her!

“Do we really have to do this right now Azula?” Mai asked as she strode with her guarded tawny eyes gazing about while Azula proudly scowled at the commoner’s face.

Just as the captain turned to glance down at her younger lover when she felt delicate hands grasp a hold of her arm.

“Zoe…” Jiao spoke quietly as she walked close to the taller woman while Zoe placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“It will be alright Jiao. I’ll protect you.” Zoe replied with a nod as she felt soft hands slide around her waist while Jiao’s head fell forward into her chest.

The others gazed at the two for a moment before they continued on.

But not without the princess casting the other woman another annoyed stare.

“It is sweet of you to say that Zoe.” The seductress muttered with her bangs shadowing her eyes while she sunk into the warrior’s muscular stomach.

Just as the others were torn from their own thoughts when they suddenly heard the captain fall to the ground with a thud.

Only for their eyes to nearly fall out of their heads when they saw the seductress sprinting away with Zoe’s explosives in hand.

“Jiao! What the hell are you doing!” Saro shouted as he groaned with a hand over his face while Nako shivered as she watched the other woman run off.

While Azula’s golden eyes grew wide in both anger and unbridled irritation as she now glared down at her captain’s chagrined face.

All the while as both noblewomen snorted with the markswoman now gazing mockingly down at the embarrassed woman.

“That was pathetic Zoe! I expected much better from a warrior of your caliber! I can’t believe you let her swindle your weaponry!” The princess yelled out as she turned to stare frigidly after the fleeing woman.

And just like that any prior regard for the seductress’s well being went flying right out the metaphorical window.

Within seconds her fingers began to crackle with lightning only for her golden eyes to grow wide in fury when a powerful fist seized a hold of her wrist.

Zoe held out an arm while she stared into her eyes with a stern stare of her own while the rest of the group observed in uncertainty.

“Jiao! I know what you’re thinking! And you are not safer on your own!” The captain called out with a twinge of worry in her voice while the monarch still glared at the back of her head.

“She’s after benders! She isn’t after me! By that rational benders are a danger to be around!” Jiao yelled from over her shoulder as all but Zoe shuddered while Azula stared after her with simply murderous golden eyes.

“There’s probably some truth to that.” Mai commented in a deadpan voice while Ty Lee flinched when Azula sent a venomous glare their way.

“How dare you openly prioritize your own safety over your Crown Princess!” Azula snapped in a glacial voice as she shook in offense while her friends wisely kept their mouths shut.

Only for Mai, Ty Lee and Nako to cringe when the woman shouted back in response.

“I am not getting slaughtered by some maniac for anyone! Not even my Crown Princess!” The seductress hollered in a frantic voice just as she ran into a tunnel while the princess’s jaw clenched in her fury.

All the while as the others wisely kept their mouths shut in fear of the angered princess’s wrath.

Only for all but Saro to watch in surprise when Zoe rushed after the younger woman as if she hadn’t just confessed to wanting to cut them loose.

“Come back Jiao! It doesn’t matter if you are a nonbender! She’ll kill you all the same!” Zoe protested as she fired her line into the ceiling of the cavern while she bounded after the other woman.

While the others shifted nervously as they tried their hardest to ignore the look of unfathomable displeasure in Azula’s imposing eyes.

“Uh…what now princess?” Nako inquired in a still shaken voice while Azula briefly glared down at her with icy golden eyes that made her wince.

Just as the monarch’s callous gaze grew a sliver less cruel in recognition of the pilot’s loyal service.

Only for all of them to rapidly spin their heads around when they abruptly heard the seductress’s scream ring out into the air.

The rest of the group froze up in renewed fright while the sound of Azula’s lips curled into a cruel smirk.

“Serves that peasant right.” The princess remarked in a sneering voice while the acrobat cast a chiding stare in her direction.

Only for Azula to watch with annoyed golden eyes when Saro too shot towards the tunnel.

Before Zoe and Saro leaped to the ground not even seconds later as they gazed on with surprised eyes to see Jiao backing out of the tunnel.

The seductress took a terrified step backwards with the explosives dropping to the floor of the cavern while her fearful blue eyes gazed into the darkened tunnel.

Just as Zoe’s strong hand pulled her back by the shoulder while the warrior now glared into the tunnel with focused hazel eyes.

All the while as the entire group tensed as they grew ready for combat.

And not even seconds after that…

The flames in the cavern suddenly blew out.

Their eyes widened in succession as the three firebenders quickly reignited their flames while they spun about the cavern in alarm.

‘Did she just…firebend!’ Azula thought with her golden eyes glaring about the cavern only for her golden eyes to widen when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

And just like that they all reeled around in shock to see the masked artist standing behind the princess with her hand on the royal woman’s neck.

“Is that fear that I sense Azula?” Silah spoke in an eerie voice with her masked face lingering in the monarch’s dark hair.

While Azula’s golden eyes grew wide in renewed boiling rage just before an explosion of bright azure fire lit the enormous caverns walls.

The group shielded their eyes from the blinding light of their leader’s flames while they gazed out past their elbows in amazement.

All the while as they watched in astonishment when they saw that Azula standing in the center of an azure inferno once more.

“Don’t flatter yourself freak. I hold no fear of you.” The princess hissed with fire spewing from her regal lips while she glared at the retreating woman’s masked face.

While the puppeteer elegantly leaped through the air only for the captain’s katana to suddenly swing down above her.

Only for Zoe’s eyes to narrow in annoyance when the artist skillfully flipped out of her reach.

And then she gracefully landed upon the cavern floor not a moment later.

One by one all seven of them gazed at their demented enemy with alert eyes while twisted blue eyes now gazed back at Azula’s sneering countenance.

Just as Zoe jumped down beside Azula while the two powerful firebenders gazed at each other through the corner of their eye.

Before they turned their cold gazes back to their mysterious enemy.

While Jiao quickly fled to the other side of the cavern with her fearful blue eyes never leaving the artist’s masked visage.

“Now isn’t that ironic…coming from a monster like you.” The puppeteer taunted in a distorted voice with her sleeves hanging at her sides while the princess’s golden eyes glared back at her.

“Please. If your goal is to hurt my feelings…you’ll have to do better than that.” Azula scoffed with a roll of her pompous eyes while she watched Ty Lee carry her serving girl away through the corner of her eye.

“Are you here to talk or fight Silah?” The captain questioned with her hazel eyes piercing the woman’s masked face while her subordinate rushed over.

Saro wordlessly stepped up behind his two superiors’ while his golden eyes glared at the cloaked figure through the flame lit cave.

“To the contrary Azula. My intent is not to disparage you…rather I praise you. Your sheer cruelty and ruthlessness is truly something to behold.” Silah stated as she stood with her heartless eyes now gazing back at Azula’s smugly smirking face.

While Mai and Ty Lee shared an exasperated look over their friend’s swelling ego.

“Indeed. My reign is absolute and I show no mercy to those that stand in my way…as you will soon find out.” The princess spoke in a frigid voice with her icy golden eyes staring back at the wooden mask while the artist tilted her head.

“No. You certainly do not. As a monster myself I can’t help but admire the horrors that your gluttonous family have inflicted upon the world.” The puppeteer remarked with a smile on her lips while the princess smiled proudly despite her childhood friend’s now disgusted faces.

And the two noblewomen and the pilot could not help but shudder over the way that the demented artist was expressing such a deep admiration for the cruelty of the Fire Nation Royal Family.

“So, we have…. for it is our divine right to rule this world. But I fail to see where you are going with this.” Azula replied in an uncaring voice while Ty Lee stared at the back of her head in disapproval.

“My thoughts exactly. What is your point?” Zoe asked with a noticeable edge to her voice while she studied the artist carefully.

‘Just what is she planning?’ The captain thought in a composed manner while she glanced about the cavern.

While her hazel eyes briefly passed over Jiao from where the younger woman hid in the corner of the cave.

Before turning her focused eyes back to her enigmatic enemy.

“Over the past century your family has done nothing but enrich themselves off the sufferings of countless hundreds of millions. Even your own people cry rivers of sorrow under your relentless rule.” Silah commented as she took a step forward while Azula’s golden eyes now flashed with a flicker of surprise.

The prideful monarch pursed her lips into a thin line while she tried to ignore the horrified stars of her childhood friends.

And the more emotional look from her skittish peasant pilot.

There was a moment of suspenseful silence while even Zoe gazed on in puzzlement before the twisted artist continued.

“You tax your people until they bleed and you send them to get slaughtered in war after war. And then when a widowed mother pleads for a single coin to feed her hungry child because her husband died in your war…you tell her to get lost!” The puppeteer praised in a distorted chuckle as she clapped her hands.

While the princess scowled when her fellow noblewomen stared at her with judging eyes that angered her.

Perhaps most infuriating of all was the way that Zoe was now staring at her with a rare look of great anger in her hazel eyes.

And just like that the princess’s lips fell into a regal scowl as she clenched her teeth in renewed fury.

“Would you quit looking at me like that? It was just one peasant! Elle gave her an entire bag of gold anyhow!” The princess snapped as she glared at her captain’s scowling face through the corner of her eye.

All the while as the two noblewomen continued to stare at the artist in rising horror.

The woman was truly completely and utterly deranged!

‘What a twisted monster! She takes pleasure in watching Azula inflict cruelty upon our people!’ Ty Lee thought with her lips forming a scowl while Elle slept on her shoulder.

‘How long has this lunatic been watching us?’ Mai thought with her tawny eyes wide in disgust while she clutched her knives in hand.

“You and your friends bask in luxury while you prosper off the bloodshed of your downtrodden peasants. Which is to say nothing of the barbaric international slave trade that your families have perpetuated for generations! You four…truly are worthy of being called monsters. I commend each and every one of you.” Silah declared with her robed hand pointing back at their now speechless faces while the noblewomen’s eyes flashed in delightful horror.

And just like that an unspeakable tension swept over the cavern.

And each of the three core highborn women of Team Azula suddenly found themselves glad that their innocent friend was not awake to hear the artist’s cruel words.

The acrobat’s eyes welled up with tears as she angrily turned away with guilt in her brown-gray eyes.

‘And you wonder why people want to put Zuko on the throne.’ The markswoman thought with her lips curled into a revolted scowl as she gazed away with shame in her eyes.

And Nako could only stare on with her golden eyes flashing with a spark of uncertainty as she swallowed under her breath.

But it wasn’t her place to question the Crown Princess.

‘What am I thinking? The princess told me that she would help my village! She’s…not all bad! I know she isn’t!’ The royal pilot thought as she quickly shook her head with a frown on her lips.

While Saro gazed on with a much calmer look in his eyes but he couldn’t help but admit that Silah had a point.

And Jiao could only stare on with a look of boredom in her blue eyes.

All the while as Azula now shook with her crimson lips in an aggravated scowl as she exhaled fire through her nostrils.

Only to be torn from her thoughts when she turned around to gaze on in surprise when her captain shouted in anger.

“I will not stand here and listen to you mock the sufferings of my people!” Zoe bellowed in a livid voice with her hazel eyes wide in rage before she broke out into a blinding spring towards the cloaked woman.

While the others watched with suspenseful looks in their eyes as the captain swung her blade over the artist’s throat.

Only for everyone to gaze on in shock when the puppeteer caught the blade between her fingers.

“No, you won’t Zoe. But you will stand idly by like the good soldier you are while they starve! Just like the revolting peasants that are starving under House Yao!” The puppeteer mocked in sadistic laughter before she swiftly kicked the enraged warrior backwards.

All the while as all but Jiao gazed on in worry over the reminder of the newly formed revolt under House Yao.

While Azula’s lips still adorned a regal scowl as she glared back at her enemy with callous golden eyes.

“You are starting to bore me Silah. I assure you I will amend this little…peasant revolt. But first I will destroy you!” Azula stated in a much colder voice with her fingers churning in hot lightning once more.

All the while as Zoe slid back with her jaw clenched as her hazel eyes continued to bubble over in fury.

“As soon as we are finished here, I will rectify House Yao. And I don’t give a shit if you or your father have a problem with it.” The captain spoke in a beyond pissed off voice with her hazel eyes forming a truly monstrous death glare.

While her princess now stared at the noblewoman with flashing rage in her golden eyes over the not so subtle manner in which her warrior just told her that she would disregard her will.

All the while as Saro grinned as he sunk into a combat stance.

It was just like his captain to take matters in her own hands.

Just as they all turned to the puppeteer’s eerily masked face as a muffled chuckle flowed into the air.

“I still don’t quite think you understand who you are dealing with but perhaps it is time that I showed you.” Silah called out as she began to walk forward with her cloak swaying behind her while seven pairs of eyes never left her wooden face.

Just as a tower of azure fire shot to the ceiling of the vast cavern while the princess stared back at her with imposing golden eyes.

“I could say the same to you…but you too shall soon find out.” The princess responded in a merciless voice with a smug smirk on her lips while great plumes of azure fire burned into the air.

All the while as her subordinates gazed on at her intensely hot flames with their eyes widening in awe of her natural born talent.

“Now…that is a truly magnificent flame…such a searing heat…hot enough to burn bones into ashes. Is that a flicker of white fire that I see in your blue flame?” The puppeteer conversed in a strikingly relaxed as she stepped forward while her predatory eyes gazed into the burning blue flames.

While Azula held her head high with a beyond proud smirk on her lips as she watched the mysterious woman advance.

All the while as the others gazed on in shock to see barely perceivable traces of white embers amidst the azure inferno.

“My firebending is unrivaled. And there are no limits to what I am capable of. And it is mine alone.” Azula commented with her arms folded over her breasts while she glared at the approaching artist.

‘Incredible…and yet she is so calm….’ Zoe thought with her hazel eyes narrowing as she watched Silah’s bizarrely shaped cloaked body stride towards them.

While a giant blue inferno poured out into the depths of the cavern while the onlookers covered their eyes.

All the while as they watched with captivated eyes as Silah continued to saunter towards the towering wall of blue fire.

“I have to say that your flames are absolutely beautiful…just like you.” Silah purred in a twisted voice as she strode forward while the princess watched her advance with a flicker of surprise in her golden eyes.

Only for the princess to recover not a second later while she glared out of the corner of her eye when she heard Zoe and Mai sound as if they were failing to suppress a snort of laughter.

“Of course, I am. My beauty too is unparalleled.” The princess scoffed in a snobbish voice with a smile on her lips while her childhood friends rolled their eyes.

All the while as all eyes remained glued on the cloaked puppeteer as she continued to walk towards the dome of fire.

Just before the princess’s flames swiftly expanded with azure embers pouring into the air while the others gazed on in astonishment.

“However, you are still weaker than me.” The puppeteer commented in a cold voice while the princess’s golden eyes now grew wide in revived rage.

Only for Azula’s eyes to widen in disbelief when she watched the woman take a calm step into her flames.

While the entire group watched in a shellshocked silence as the ominous artist strode through the fire with her cloak now burning behind her.

And yet she didn’t appear to be harmed in the least!

“How…is that possible?” Azula hissed under her breath as she leaped into the air with her fists burning in blue fire.

While Zoe and Saro jumped backwards with their widened eyes gazing back at the burning puppeteer in shock.

“Poor Azula. You are so full of yourself. But then…I suppose that is why I have become fond of you.” Silah announced in a casual voice with her cloak slowly falling off her body while the princess glared daggers back at her.

“Fond?” Mai repeated with a shudder that was shared by Ty Lee while Azula glared at her through the corner of her eye.

“Yes. It is true. In all of the hundreds of victims that I have killed…none have fascinated me quite so much as you two. But I confess that you are more my type…Azula.” The puppeteer stated with a monstrous grin forming under her mask while the royal woman’s eyes burned in humiliation.

While the others gazed on nervously as they caught the meaning behind the woman’s morbid words.

‘It really is a good thing that Elle isn’t awake to hear this…’ Ty Lee thought with her arm wrapped around Elle’s slumbering shoulder while she protectively held her little sister into her side.

“Well princess…it would appear that you have another admirer.” Zoe remarked as she leaped down beside Azula while her monarch glared a hole through her skull.

“Shut up Zoe!” The princess snarled with fire spewing from her beautiful lips before she turned her wrathful eyes back to her enemy.

Only for her golden eyes to widen marginally as she watched the last of the cloak fall to the ground.

The artist was clad head to toe in what appeared to be some sort of puppet armor.

While her malicious blue eyes now gazed back at their bewildered faces.

“I must say I have never seen anyone quite so hubristic as you. But I suppose that’s what I find so appealing about you. It really is a shame though…I have no choice but to kill you just like all of the others.” Silah confessed in a twisted voice with her demented eyes never leaving Azula’s scoffing golden eyes while the others gazed on in a taken aback silence.

“W-well that’s creepy…” Nako trailed off from beside the two noblewomen while they shivered in agreement.

“Please! You are the one deluding yourself if you truly think that you are a match for me peasant.” Azula sneered in a proud voice with her fist crushing the hilt of her katana.

Only for the sound of Zoe shouting to tear through the air once more as she turned to gaze in surprise in her captain’s still enraged hazel eyes.

“Enough about the princess’s body! I am through with talking! I am going to make you pay for what you did to my subordinate!” The captain bellowed in a voice of rapidly escalating rage while she sunk into a combat stance.

“Damn right we are!” The lieutenant exclaimed with his fists burning in orange fire while he dropped into a bending pose.

While the princess gazed at the two with faintly taken aback golden eyes while the puppeteer laughed loudly in response.

Feeling anger over the deaths of her soldiers wasn’t something that she was used to.

“I’ll be taking the Component from you Azula. Fear not though…I’ll treat her well.” The puppeteer purred in a sadistic voice as she licked her lips beneath her mask.

While the princess’s tyrannical golden eyes now grew wide in pure rage as she stared back at her with fire escaping her nostrils.

All the while as the noblewomen glared back at her with equal fury in their eyes.

“No, you will not!” Ty Lee shouted with great anger in her sisterly voice as she shook in her outrage.

“The girl belongs to me! I own her! And you cannot have her!” The princess boomed in a possessive voice with hot lightning exploding from her mighty fists.

“We’ll just see about that won’t we! In the meantime, I suppose that I will entertain your struggle! Now feast your eyes my prey on my perpetual artwork!” Silah yelled out in a psychotic voice as she held out her hands at her sides while the group watched her with narrowed eyes.

“Artwork?” Zoe questioned in a confused voice while Azula snorted pompously alongside her.

While all of the others observed closely as the pilot gulped in fear with her limbs already starting to shake once more.

“Gaze upon art that is eternal.” The puppeteer called out in an unhinged voice as she slammed a palm into the cave floor while a white light shot into the air.

All the while as the princess’s forces stared on in bewilderment as they watched with alarmed eyes as the bright light lit up the desolate cavern.

Only for all of their eyes to nearly fall out of their heads in disbelief at what they saw.

All throughout the cavern floor they stared on in shock as they witnessed what appeared to be corpses emerging from the ruptured earth.

“W-what the…are those Earth Kingdom s-soldiers?” Nako stammered in fright as she took a terrified step back beside the mutually horrified Mai.

While the three firebenders stared on with shellshocked eyes as they watched the puppets arise from the flooring.

“Those soldiers…are the ones that we killed on the isle.” Zoe spoke in a stunned voice with her wide eyes gazing on ahead.

“But…how!” Azula growled out with frustration in her voice as glared back at Silah’s masked countenance while the artist’s twisted laughter echoed into the air.

“Do you have any idea how much the world hates you Azula? As you can see…I recruited some rebels from the Earth Kingdom. I could only fit fifty aboard my ship…but once I told them that they would get to torture and kill you…they lined up in the hundreds!” Silah shouted as she gestured back at her puppets while the princess’s golden eyes now trembled in seething rage.

While the rest of the group gazed on in a horrified silence as they watched more soldiers emerge from the earth.

“You will scream for your defiance Silah! These toys of yours will not keep you safe from my wrath!” The princess snapped with her icy eyes gazing on at the emerging soldiers.

Only for her mouth to drop open in disbelief when she saw the faces of the new arisen puppets.

And just like that all of their eyes nearly fell out of their heads to find themselves gazing back at Fire Nation soldiers!

While Zoe’s hazel eyes grew as large as they could get with her mouth falling open in horror.

“That’s…our platoon!” Saro exclaimed in a voice of ghastly horror as he gazed on wide eyed at the sight of his comrade’s lifeless faces.

“W-what a monster.” The brown-haired woman protested in terror as she took a shaky step backwards.

“S-she…weaponized our dead.” The royal pilot breathed in a tone of quiet voice as she cowered in terror once more.

“By…Agni!” The markswoman cried out as the puppeteer’s monstrous cackles tore into the air.

While Jiao continued to gaze on with her blue eyes expressing her growing fear as she backed into the wall.

All the while frantically pondering how she will get out alive if captain and the princess fall in battle.

“She…slaughtered my soldiers…and desecrated their remains…” The captain trailed off in a voice of brimming rage while her fists balled up at her hips.

Just as a lone tear dripped out of her right eye while all but Saro and Jiao gazed at her face in surprise.

Azula gazed on with her golden eyes agape in disbelief as she watched in shock as the tear fell to the floor below.

While Mai stared on with her lips in a grimace as she clutched her fistful of knives.

‘I hate to admit it…but she’s not as horrible as I thought.’ The markswoman thought with her tawny eyes briefly flashing in a sliver of remorse.

“Now gaze upon your future! You’ll be joining them soon enough!” The puppeteer cackled in a delighted voice with her fingers coiling before her while they glared back at her in boundless disgust.

All the while as the princess exhaled fire from her nostrils as she snarled back at her.

Only to turn to her captain once more as she gazed at the noblewoman’s face in rising bafflement.

“I…I should have been there!” Zoe hissed with her jaw clenched in a tense line while blood trickled down her chin.

“Zoe…” Azula spoke in a genuinely puzzled voice with any further words strangely dying in her throat.

While she found herself telling herself not to tell her serving girl about the soldiers’ fates.

For reasons that she couldn’t explain she didn’t want to see her handmaiden break down in tears and blame herself for their deaths.

The air was ripe with tension as the others stood in a horrified silence.

No doubt floored by their newfound enemy’s sheer depravity.

While another tear streamed down Ty Lee’s cheek as she stared at Silah’s masked face with limitless revulsion in her brown-gray eyes.

“You amuse me Zoe. You carry yourself like you think you’re a hero and you claim to oppose the cruelties of the Royal Family…and yet…you follow them like a blind tool. It’s quite pathetic really.” Silah commented in a cruel voice as she stood smugly gazing back at the captain’s beyond enraged countenance.

"I do not fight for Princess Azula alone! I fight for the people of the Fire Nation! Remove her from the equation and my duty wouldn't change in the least!" The captain roared in a voice of bubbling rage while the princess gazed at her out of the corner of her eye with her eyes flashing in offense.

Yet the monarch chose not to comment on the matter.

Only for her callous eyes to gaze on closely when she saw a faint steam emitting from the noblewoman’s furious body.

While the warrior bellowed at the top of her lungs with her stunned comrades gazing on in awe.

All the while as Silah stared out from beneath her mask with fascinated blue eyes watched steam rise into the air.

While sparks of red embers now burned off the captain’s body as her hazel eyes grew wide in murderous rage.

‘What…is that! Is that the technique that Zoe was talking about?’ The princess thought with her golden eyes wide in genuine astonishment while she gazed at her captain in shock.

Just as the rest of the group shielded their faces as stared out at the noblewoman’s body in amazement to see that she was giving off an intense heat!

“That’s an impressive power that you have there Zoe. But it is nothing compared to my immortal artwork!” The puppeteer declared in a psychotic voice with her words echoing throughout the cavern.

While the infuriated captain raised her razor focused hazel eyes as she glared back at the artist as she slid her boots back along the cavern floor.

“I am going to fucking kill you Silah!” Zoe bellowed in a raging voice as she sunk into a crouch while Azula gazed at her with still astounded golden eyes.

And just like that the captain broke into a blinding sprint with her line firing across the vast grotto while the others watched in suspense.

Only for each and every one of them to gaze on in surprise when the puppeteer extended her hands behind the fallen soldiers.

Just as they watched wide eyed as the legion of slain soldiers leaped into battle!

The army of puppets sprinted across the cavern in all directions as they all balked in disbelief.

Just as Zoe now bounded high above the others as she soared high in the air with her furious hazel eyes staring down at the masked puppeteer.

While Silah licked her lips underneath her mask as a demented grin formed upon her lips.

“You will try Zoe. And then you will fail…just like all of the others. And then each and everyone of you…will become a part of my collection.” Silah declared in an unfathomably unhinged voice as she held out her hands at her sides.

While a unanimous shudder traveled down the spines of the princess’s forces as they stared at the masked woman in horror.

All the while as her joyful laughter split into the air.

Azula glared back at Silah with callous golden eyes as she watched the army of puppets leap in the air above her.

Just as she dropped into a firebending stance while her crimson lips pursed into a regal snarl.

And then blue fire exploded over the roof of the tunnel while the Fire Nation Princess kicked up fireballs at the attacking puppets.

While Zoe plummeted from the skies with her hazel eyes wide in an utterly enraged stare.

Before the captain dropped like a meteor above the masked puppeteer.

And just like that a thunderous explosion of fire shook throughout the vast grotto.

While the mighty captain’s enraged howls echoed in the tunnels and into the ears of all present.

And then…impact.

#Azula #Avatar The Last Airbender #yuri #ty lee avatar #mai avatar

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what-the--curtains · 5 years ago

Text

Braving the Elements

Chapter 17: Gone Girl

Part 1/2

Tw: Swearing, fighting

(Driving to the farm/following him into the woods)

(Fight scene)

“It was him, Apocalypse. Vision heard him I’m assuming on purpose. He wanted something, but I don’t know what.” Wanda explains frantically to Tony after detailing what she had just told you a few minutes ago.

“Shit.” Sam says from the kitchen, where he had gone to get coffee after being woken up by Wanda.

“What?” Wanda asks as she and Tony enter the kitchen. “She’s gone,” he says holding up the note stuck to the fridge.

Bucky, who had just gotten back from securing Roman with Steve, feels his heart drop.

“Idiot.” Wanda whispers

“At least she left a note.” Sam says

“Where’d she go?” Bucky asks, trying not to sound panicked.

“She must have gone to find him.” Wanda says

“How does she even know where he is?,” Nat asks. Wanda shakes her head, at a loss for words.

“Whose car did she take?” Steve questions.

“God damn that woman. MINE!” Sam yells closing the cupboard where the keys were kept. Tony manages to locate your coordinates with the help of the tracking device implanted in the car, “There she is.”

Wanda eyes are wide “He’s going to kill her I should never have told her. That must be what he wanted, he wants her powers.”

“Well that’s just not going to happen.” says Nat, loading up a gun “Not if we have anything to say about it.”

“We have to go. Now.” Bucky stresses grabbing his own set of keys and proceeding down to the garage with the rest of the team in tow.

You speed along the road to the abandoned farm house where you first went to find Apocalypse. You’re about half way there when you find yourself thinking about the possibility that this was some kind of trap, but his voice continues to taunt you and so, against your better judgment, you continue. You pull up just outside a rundown barn parking in an empty field filled with old farming equipment. You exit the car, not bothering to lock the door you make your way towards the barn.

The air is crisp, the night still. Crickets chirp and the summer breeze rattles a wind chime made of old shards of stained glass as the wheat growing in the nearby fields rustle against each other.

“Apocalypse!” you scream, “Come out and face me you fucking coward.” Your voice piercing through the silence of the night.

“We’re close.” Vision says, giving Wanda’s hand a reassuring squeeze, as Bucky speeds along the winding road.

“Hello, (y/n).” Apocalypse says from the tree line. “You’re much stronger than I remember I can feel it.” He turns walking into the forest.

“How do you know who I am, what do you want with me?” you ask, stopping at the edge of the forest, but with no reply you follow him into the woods.

“I don’t want something, I need something. You.” He maintains his pace despite the density of the forest.

“For what?” you’ve lost sight of him amidst the branches and vines which you move out your way with your powers.

“To help me restart the world. Get rid of all these people who want to hurt us, to kill us, to wipe us out entirely.” His voice echoing around you, disabling you from identifying his exact location. He was getting louder with each step you take, he must be close.

“Haven’t you already tried that once? Besides why would I want to do that?” you ask, as you happen upon a small clearing.

“Because it’s your destiny. I have foreseen it, planned it from the day you were born.” You can see him clearly now, he’s larger than you expected, more threatening up close. The x-gene has evidently affected his physical appearance, he’s unlike anything or anyone you’ve ever seen.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Think, you're smarter than this, or have I misjudged your intelligence.”

You tried to piece it together “You stole me from my family?”

“Try again.”

You feel ill, It seems impossible, but you say it anyway, hoping, praying you’re wrong. “You sold me. You’re my father. I don’t have elemental control. I have multiple powers, ones that you stole from the mutants you murdered. ”

“Partially, pyrokinesis and aerokinesis, they were a gift from me, but your mother was a powerful mutant as well, she controlled water, and all things made up of it.” He explains.

“Why would you sell me?” you spit out tears forming in your eyes.

“In order to unlock the full potential of your powers, we needed you to feel abandoned, we needed to foster your anger. Xavier put a hole in my plan by giving you a home, but we knew you would still come when you turned 18. Despite his teachings you're anger only festered and your powers continued to grow. Magneto got in the way by showing you how I achieved my powers. That night was supposed to be the beginning of the end. Then Roman failed, he managed to free you from the prison, but you slipped through his fingers. So now I’ve sent the only person who can get the job done.”

“And that’s you? You know what screw this, Charles stopped you once he’ll do it again.” You remark, any sadness you had felt a moment ago had manifested into rage. You turn to leave.

“Do you even realize how powerful you are? Stop trying to control it, let it take over. Join me and together we will rule over a new world. A free world, where you will be loved by all. That's all you ever wanted isn't it? To be loved.” You turn back to face him.

‘You’re not the first man who promised me that." you say through gritted teeth. Your nails dig deep into the skin of your palms causing blood to drip down onto your wrists as you try to suppress the rage and resentment coursing through your veins.

‘No but I am the first one who's meant it. Face it you cannot defeat me, if you will not join willingly then I will take what I need.”

“You would kill your own daughter?”

“Only if you refuse me and I’m not the one who killed a member of this family. After all, how do you think your mother died?” Then something that hasn’t happened in years occurs, you lose control

As they pull into the field they see Sam’s car, but they don’t see you. They park the cars and split into two groups, one searching the field while the others head into the barn. Bucky searches the wheat fields with Nat and Tony, before entering into the barn where the rest of the crew was. His mind can’t focus, where were you , why had you left, where you okay.

“Anything?” Sam asks. Bucky shakes his head holding back tears.

“Y/N” Wanda yells pausing for a response before shouting again.

As Steve looks up through the rotted roof he sees you rise above the treetops, a pale blue aura glowing around you as bright as the stars in the sky. “What the?” He starts, before seeing a second figure appear across from you. You move towards the figure hitting your fist against his, a flash of light erupting upon contact and a battle ensues above. The team runs back out into the open field.

“We have to help her.” Bucky says trying to make his way into the woods but he’s stopped by Wanda who grabs his arm.

“We can't, it's too dangerous. She’s lost control, she could kill any one of us.” She yells above the noise.

“So we just have to sit back and watch her die!” he shouts back, she quickly releases him taken aback by his harsh tone.

When she doesn’t answer he storms off.

“I’ll go see what that was all about, shout if anything changes” Steve says exiting in pursuit of his best friend.

In the sky blow after blow, and hit after hit echo throughout the forest, each connection lighting up the sky creating the illusion of a thunderstorm.

‘Hey!” Steve yells after Bucky, jogging to catch up to him.

“What?” he snaps, not slowing his pace.

“You can’t do that, you can’t just yell at people! Wanda was just looking out for you!” Steve huffs, grabbing his friend's shoulder.

“Well who's looking out for (y/n) huh Steve?” He hadn’t seen this much anger in Bucky since he was the Winter Soldier.

“Seriously Buck you need to calm down no one forced her to come out here.”

“So she deserves to die?” His voice wavers, turning to face Steve, eyes wide.

“Bucky that is not what I’m saying. What is wrong with you?” Bucky doesn’t respond, avoiding his gaze.

“Bucky,” he says, moving to stand next to him “tell me what’s going on, I’m worried is all, have you been going somewhere dark recently?” No answer. “Please Buck, talk to me.” Bucky’s shoulders relax slightly, his rage subsiding, suddenly feeling very small.

“I know. You’re right. I’m sorry it’s just,” he falters, “I just can’t lose her.” Suddenly Steve gets it.

“You won’t, she’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”

“What if he’s stronger?” Steve hugs his friend not really knowing what to say next.

“So those articles were true then, you’re welcome by the way me and Nat set that up. Man, who would have thought I’d be the one helping you with the ladies?” Bucky manages a small chuckle patting Steve’s back as they break their hug.

Upon returning to the group Bucky apologizes to Wanda realizing her best friend was currently up there. She takes his hand in hers and squeezes it.

The air goes still, the temperature drops and they see you float towards Apocalypse, trees surging upwards behind you. A wind tunnel forms beneath you dredging water up from the ground and into the sky. You scream, the trees around you turn to ash, collapsing down onto the forest floor. The water turns into shards of ice which hurl towards Apocalypse, impaling him all over. He falls slightly, but catches himself in time for you to deliver the final blow. Lighting flies from your hands hitting him square in the chest causing him to plummet to the forest floor. The light around you begins to dim and you regain consciousness for a split second before passing out.

#bucky x oc #bucky x reader #bucky x you #avengers fanfiction #braving the elements #bucky barnes #bucky barnes slow burn #james buchanan barnes #Spotify

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