#but I’ve managed to only talk about 1/5 of what happens in the pilot here I think
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Far Cry: Cull the Herd #0 review
The first issue of the manga is out! Here are my thoughts on it :)
Spoilers for Primal’s ending below and slight spoilers for the manga itself, but it’s pretty short and just the prologue so not much happens anyway.
You can download this pilot here for free. Remember to read it from right to left!
So, I was wondering who the two teenagers on the cover were, and the answer is Antón Castillo on the right (who looks more like Diego, I think), and on the left… his sister Valeria.
Valeria Castillo is a new character, never mentioned in Far Cry 6 and created for the manga. We aren’t told if she’s older or younger than Antón, but it’s clear she has a strong and caring personality. I’m not sure she can be considered canon since it seems the game’s writing team wasn’t involved (their names don’t appear anywhere), but the idea of Antón not being an only child actually makes sense since he has a nephew!
As explained in the official description, Cull the Herd is about Batari, one of Primal’s two main antagonists, magically abducting some of the franchise’s iconic villains when they were still teenagers, making them fight against each other in prehistoric times, and… this is pretty much all that happens in this free “prelude”. In fact, the “battle royale” hasn’t even started yet.
The comic opens with Batari’s demise at the hands of Takkar, and I think the scene looks a little graphic for the manga’s rating (13+), but maybe it’s just me. As she’s mortally burnt and wondering why “evil always wins”, a mysterious, goddess-like being (possibly Suxli) speaks to her and decides it’s time to “play a game” to determine what the “nature of evil” is.
We then see a 13-year-old Antón working in Yara’s tobacco fields in 1967, as we know he was forced into labor by the revolutionaries. There are differences between the story told in the game and what we see in Cull the Herd, though, but it’s probably because canon doesn’t really matter in the manga.
Aside from the fact that Antón has a sister, it appears his father is still alive in the comic when, in Far Cry 6, he had already been executed at this point. On the other hand, although she only died in 2007 and always remained close to him, his mother Yolanda is never mentioned. We don’t see Antón’s pruning knife either, but maybe we will in future issues.
That said, again, I’ll have to refrain from focusing on the accuracy of the events presented in Cull the Herd too much since it’s just a semi-official crossover alternate universe, much like Captain Laserhawk (which I really enjoyed). Not everything is going to be faithful to the games, but since the manga series is a supernatural retelling of some of the characters’ stories, it’s not supposed to be.
This pilot is only a taste of what’s coming next, and in my opinion, it’s an effective teaser. I don’t know if the other issues will be free and fully colored as well, but I’m curious where the story is going to go, which characters will be involved, and what will happen to them. In my opinion, the story looks promising.
Don’t read Far Cry: Cull the Herd if you’re just interested in gathering more information about some of the Far Cry antagonists’ pasts; it’s clearly not canon. Now, if you’re a fan of the franchise, want to read a crossover story featuring reinterpretations of your favorite characters as teenagers, see how they survive in this nightmarish scenario, discover what “evil” is, and if it truly always wins, this manga may be for you :)
#maybe it’s for me I guess I’ll decide later when they release the rest#but for now I do want to know what happens next#far cry cull the herd#I’m the only person in the tag haha#it’s hard to talk about the story without saying too much because it’s so short and just an intro#but I’ve managed to only talk about 1/5 of what happens in the pilot here I think#antón castillo#anton castillo#valeria castillo#far cry 6#gabriel castillo#yolanda castillo#far cry primal#batari#suxli#maybe#I have no idea but the figure is feminine and it seems batari knows her so...#far cry primal spoilers#far cry cull the herd spoilers#anyway it’s dispensable and basically fanfic but still cool
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The 5 Times Steve Felt Betrayed - bonus
and the 1 Time He Felt Like He Was Betraying You
Type: mini-series to a series (part 1 & part 2 & part 3), Avenger!reader AU.
Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader Word count: 3400
Summary: Steve might have abandoned you and his friends in Germany, but Steve Rogers does not give up on people. Do you?
Set shortly after the rescue from the Raft.
Warnings: mentions of violence and fights, mentions of the Raft, language...fluff
A/N: This part of Melting Hearts’ verse follows the events of CA: Civil War, sometimes only referencing them and kinda expecting the readers to know what’s up ;)
Posted in double chapters (1st & 2nd time, 3th & 4th, 5th+1... and the bonus, because my brain clearly doesn’t understand the concept of 5+1)
Previous part
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Seeking Shelter, Finding Home
Clint had been kind enough to replace Steve in the pilot seat – with a significant look sent your direction. You were sitting away from the others, watching your hands as if you couldn’t quite believe they belonged to you. Steve’s lips automatically press a thin line at the sight – you still looked so small as you had when he had found you in the cell.
Just the memory of The Raft made his stomach turn over. The prison was just inhumane – the way a power-restricting collar had been pinned around your neck, your hands trapped in a straitjacket just in case you would somehow manage to remove the collar. And then there had been the tiny thing in the straightjacket, ready to deliver an electric discharge if you would have left your cell despite all the barriers.
Sure, Wanda had been in the same… outfit, and it was sickening, but seeing you crumbled in the corner of the cell, tied and broken like that – it had made him unable to breathe in or out, his chest just too constricted. And knowing you had gone through all this because of him made it even worse.
Now, you were at least free of your cuffs, in a comfortable hoodie that was two sizes big for you, and yet you seemed absolutely lost.
He approached you hesitantly, his heart jumping to his throat and making it almost impossible for him to speak.
“Uhm… hey,” he greeted you softly and you immediately raised your head to him, a faint unsure smile appearing on your lips. Your absent eyes found his, missing its usual spark. He beckoned to the seat next to you. “May I?”
“Of course,” you whispered, apparently a bit baffled. Steve sure as hell didn’t like the resignation in your voice. “This is your jet.”
He shrugged, seating himself by your side. Your shoulder almost brushed his and it was as pleasant for him as unnerving. So close and yet too far.
“You helped me steal it.”
You eyed him timidly, fumbling with your fingers nervously. Heavy silence fell and for several moments; he just stared into your eyes, drinking in the feeling of being able to do that again. To look into your soul and see all the emotions playing in your head; until you lowered your gaze again, hiding from him.
He sighed, not knowing how to even start, not knowing how to talk to you; you had barely exchanged few words about Bucky’s whereabouts since the rescue from the prison and it had been… awkward, to put it mildly.
God, where should he start? He wanted to apologize. He wanted to ask million questions and most of all he just wanted to wrap his arms around you and hold you close, not saying a single word, because words only made things messy.
That was if someone bothered with forming them – or receiving them.
He gulped and pulled out the folded envelope. He would swear he could hear your heart skip a beat as you drew in a sharp breath.
“Uhm… I didn’t read it. I’m sorry. I… I was angry with you, disappointed. I thought… I thought you left me in a lurch and then you were just… trying to make it better with few words. And after, I didn’t want to… to waste any time. I wanted to find you, all of you, because I left you behind and I knew you suffered for it. And…” he took a deep breath, setting the letter aside, taking your restless fingers in his hands. You looked up at his face, your eyes wide and glassy. It made his throat even tighter. “And I was hoping you could just tell me what you wrote. That you could tell me everything.”
You pressed your lips together, blinking your tears away as you avoided his gaze once more. It was driving him insane, but he couldn’t say he blamed you.
“There’s not much to tell, Steve. I… I agreed with the Accords. With someone watching over us, maybe to be held responsible for--- but all I wanted was someone watching over me. Because I can do so much damage-“
He grimaced, a cold hand squeezing his guts as you stumbled over your words. Forever and always guilty. He underestimated sometimes how deeply your guilt ran.
“That’s not-“
“-and… I hated we couldn’t agree on that. But I never got myself to sign it. Didn’t really have the time and after what they did to Wanda – I couldn’t, it was just wrong. So wrong to hold her prisoner, throwing her under the bus. She made a mistake, yes, but we all did-- and… it wasn’t right. It was when I decided I couldn’t do it.”
“Why didn’t you come with Clint then?” he asked, confused. He was recognizing you now, the motivations you had had suddenly feeling much more like you than he would expect.
You smiled wryly.
“I couldn’t. It was… I figured that maybe at least I could make myself useful. I knew where that was heading. I had to stay with Tony to know their plan.”
Steve closed his eyes, exhaling shakily, your hands in his weighting a ton all of sudden. You had really been playing double agent. That had been such a stupid and reckless move. And kinda brilliant, but that was implied.
“God, Snowflake…”
You freed one of your hands to wipe the tears from your cheeks; Steve gripped your other hand tighter, so you wouldn’t get the idea of stopping touching him for a goddamn second.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about the arrest too, but I saw what kind of a task force they sent after you, Steve. You would stand no chance, there was no way you could escape. The heavy guns, Rhodey, snipers, helicopters. It was-“
Steve’s eyes snapped open at the realization.
“You were trying to protect us,” he whispered incredulously.
Oh god. Had you gone completely insane? Had you lost your mind? Had you lost the last pieces of self-preservation somewhere along the way?
“I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t my call and I swear I was waiting until the last moment, I waited until I was sure that they would get you anyway. And I am— I’m so, so sorry for--- for-”
You hand was shaking in his, your voice cracked and you were now wiping the tears uselessly, because new ones were coming constantly. You weren’t able to finish the sentence, but Steve knew exactly what you were trying to say.
And it made him snap.
He threw away stupid ideas like approaching you carefully and wrapped his arms around your trembling form, cradling your face to his chest to hush you. He was taken aback when your weak fingers grabbed the edges of his leather jacket and you melted into him. He tightened his embrace.
“Hey, I know. It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry you had to use your powers against me. I’m sorry,” he mumbled into your hair and you stiffened, you breath hitching.
“What?”
He caressed your back, his previous certainty wavering. “You hated it, didn’t you? You hated it so much, but you did it anyway, because you thought it was the only way to keep us from getting shot.”
You didn’t speak up, unable to find your voice, but Steve could feel your furious nods. He inhaled deeply through his nose, wishing he could just take the feeling tearing you apart away.
“You did the right thing.”
“Right things suck.”
Steve huffed out a surprised laugh and pressed a shameless kiss into your hair. “Yeah. Sometimes they do. But you did it anyway, which makes you the bravest person I’ve ever met.”
You stopped shaking by then, and you fumbled with his jacket this time. Your face was hidden in the crook of his neck, but Steve would swear your face felt hotter even when he couldn’t see your cheeks. It was a little piece of happiness for him in this huge mess and he couldn’t be more grateful for you being here with him – finally in his arms.
“Can I ask you something?”
He wanted to slap himself the moment you tensed in his arms again. You nodded stiffly anyway.
“After… after Nigeria. Why— why did you start going to Matt? What happened? Were you… were you disappointed in me?”
You retreated, escaping his embrace, and Steve scolded himself for being so stupid. Why had he poked you again? Words always made things messy…
It was only a little comfort that you were still holding onto his jacket. Your baffled face confused the hell out of him – but at least you didn’t seem angry.
“Why would I be disappointed? What… what?”
“Uhm… well… because I froze. I didn’t handle the situation-“
“Jesus, Steve,” you choked out, shaking your head, your eyes finally finding his willingly. The look in them warmed Steve’s heart even when he wasn’t sure what exactly it was supposed to mean. “Is that what you think? That I was… disappointed that you didn’t perfectly keep your cool when Rumlow mentioned Bucky? Did you think I was… thinking any less of you? Judging you? Oh god, Steve. How could I?”
The sincerity of your voice struck him straight in his gut and he was honestly feeling like an idiot in an instant. Of course you hadn’t judged him. You weren’t one to judge people – you hadn’t said a word against Wanda after she had messed up. The only person you ever had been hard on was yourself. How could he have believed anything else even for a second?
Jealously, whispered the intrusive voice in the back of his mind and he shushed it angrily – mostly because it spoke the truth.
“But… why did you go to— uhm, to Matt then?”
You arched an eyebrow inconspicuously and Steve felt a blush creeping up his neck. Yeah, he had been jealous and wounded at the time and it was stupid, okay?
“Because I needed a lawyer,” you explained hesitantly and it was Steve’s turn to be perfectly shocked. Again. What? “A good one. A smart one. An outsider too, at least to certain extent. I wanted to ask him about the possible consequences of the Avengers messing up. I wanted to know his opinion and I didn’t want to ask him over a phone. He predicted the Accords with scary precision, by the way. And he said hi on several occasions, but I never got the nerve to actually deliver the greetings, because I was afraid you would pry why I was going out.”
Steve’s jaw went slack, his eyes widening in awe. That— that was pretty much the only thing he hadn’t seen coming. Shit. You-- you were incredible. You had been thinking ahead. So much. You had been afraid of the consequences so you had gone to a lawyer to be prepared.
Yes, you had sought out the one friend, who had happened to find too much liking in you, but… while he and Wanda had been figuring out their guilt – and Steve was still sure you had taken some of the blame too in your head – you had sprung into action. And his ego had been too wounded to see it.
He tilted his head back, pleading heavens to give him strength.
“Oh god, I am such an idiot…”
“No, you’re not,” you protested immediately, finding his hand to cover it with yours. Oh, how quickly your roles reversed, you soothing him now.
He looked at you, still not quite believing you had done all that. His eyes scanned your form, your face still damp from the tears you had shed, your eyes red-rimmed from crying, dark bruising under. But regaining at least a little of your confidence, you had grown right in front of his eyes. You were incredible. How had he ever doubted that? How had he ever deserved you?
“Really? Because I was being jealous instead of asking what was the visit about, my ego was hurting and I was hurting, and I was too blinded by my petty feeling of betrayal to see what you were doing. And then I honestly thought you just left me – that all we had meant nothing to you all of sudden. I thought the worst of you and I was too damn proud to comply with the single wish you had. I didn’t even read your letter. Which part of that does not make me a complete idiot?”
You bit your lip, lowering your gaze to your joined your hands, caressing it softly. It made Steve’s heart grow in size – but it still didn’t make him less of a jackass, it actually made him feel worse at the same time, because it wasn’t your place to offer comfort to him, it was supposed to be the other way around.
“The part in which feelings aren’t petty and make us human,” you whispered hoarsely, a tiny spark appearing in your eyes, disappearing all too fast. “I wanted to drop it all – the moment you looked at me when I-- when I froze you and the… the look in your eyes at the airport. It was the worst part of it all. You thinking… thinking that I’m a scum.”
Steve had never shaken his head so abruptly as the moment you called yourself a scum. His hand slipped from under yours, only to frame your face with his palms, making you look into his eyes. He was the one feeling like a scum at the moment, because… you hadn’t been that far from the truth and he didn’t think he had ever felt so ashamed for his previous thoughts like at this very moment.
“No. Hey, look at me. You— I was-- I wasn’t thinking straight. I was hurt and felt betrayed and I was disappointed, yes, but never ever-” he emphasized, staring into your eyes as if there was nothing more important in this world. And it wasn’t. “-have I thought you were--- that. And I’m sorry that I doubted you for even a moment.”
Your eyes turned glassy again under his intense stare, so many emotions written in it. You couldn’t bear it, you wanted to look away, but he wouldn’t let you, holding your gaze.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated firmly and you finally managed to close your eyes to escape.
It was when he did one of the boldest moves ever. Without a single hint of permission, after your relationship had suffered an enormous hit and with him not having a clue how you felt about him now, he pressed his lips firmly to yours, stealing your breath away.
He didn’t know what he had expected, but the hesitant response turning into an eager one within few seconds was not it. Your hands flew to his hair, interlacing in them and pulling him closer, your mouth opening for him almost immediately. He sighed at the unexpected sensation, a shiver of excitement running through his body. Your mouth was hot and wanting against his, one of your hands trailing down his chest; when it stopped above his navel, he found himself silently groaning in disappointment.
It was also when he realized where the hell you were and how much audience you had. His fingers twisted in your hair – god, he missed that – and he withdrew just slightly, setting a slower pace and putting some distance between you two. You seemed to get the memo, because you gently caressed his abdomen over the fabric of his t-shirt, separated from his lips and rested your forehead against his. You were both out of breath, panting.
Steve opened his eyes first, only to see your lips kiss-swollen and parted as you fought for a little air, your eyes still closed as if you were trying to regain some composure. His lizard brain whispered more and he listened, kissing you one more time; but at least wary of keeping the kiss socially acceptable this time. It was next to impossible to part again.
“I’m sorry,” you breathed out and Steve looked at you, once again confused.
“For?”
You licked your lips, the movement utterly and unfairly distracting. He retreated and your eyes snapped opened as you cleared your throat.
“I honestly don’t know where we go from here – and now I mean… like… the two of us, but… I’m sorry. They took all of our personal belongings,” you whispered, embarrassed and pissed off a bit.
Steve tilted his head to side, not following. Yeah, he knew that. Why were you pointing it out?
“…okay?”
“All of it. Including… including jewellery.”
“Oh,” he let out intelligently, his heart expanding in his chest with hope.
Really? Was it possible that-… really? Sure, the kiss you just shared was nothing sort of loving, you had cleared things out and maybe it should hint him, but…
“I mean... I know you're probably angry with me-“
“Would you still want it?” he breathed out, astonished. He was trying to fight the euphoria creeping into his voice, no doubt showing on his face, but he couldn’t help it. “After what happened? After I... thought you turned your back to me, after I left you behind even when knowing you actually didn't? After I became a criminal?”
“I am a criminal too, Steve. And… I told you to go. You didn’t want to, because you're not leaving people behind. And you came back. I… I love you. Of course I���d still want it.”
He felt his lips curl up in a smile that mirrored only a fraction of the surge of joy in his veins. You didn’t seem to follow why. The declaration alone would be enough to make him feel like this, but… well. At least the little delay in the rescue had been worth it.
“Why are you smiling like that?” you asked him warily, hesitant raise of the corners of your lips lighting up your face as well.
Steve reached into his pocket, drawing a thin chain with a ring out, holding it out between the two of you. You gasped in awe, watching the chain you had bought to protect your ring while fighting wide-eyed.
“How-?”
“When I asked the guard about it, he looked at me as if I was crazy. Maybe I am,” he explained with a shrug and you chuckled incredulously, biting your lip.
“May I... may I wear it?”
Steve had honestly no clue how you could be asking such a stupid question. He observed your features that seemed to come alive, finally back to your usual self – the sunshine in even the darkest place.
And that thought gave him a stop; he was in a pretty dark place at the moment and he didn’t think it would get any better any time soon.
“I… I’m in a terrible mess, Snowflake. I’m probably the most wanted criminal in the world now. Are you sure?”
You cleared your throat significantly. “Steve, allow me to remind you that I am a fugitive too. That’s the first thing. The second thing… you’ve done nothing wrong – the whole criminal thing is just a word, a label someone gave you. And the third thing… I know what I’m signing up for. I knew you were trouble – for a good cause – when I said yes the first time. I knew you were trouble long before I fell in love with you. So yeah, I’m pretty sure.”
“God, I love you so much,” Steve murmured before he could even think of anything else.
As he freed the ring so he could slip it back on your ring finger, you held out your trembling left hand for him. It wasn’t fear – it was excitement all over again. Too many emotions to contain. Steve felt the same. He was stunned, moved, and felt so incredibly loved and strong with you by his side that there weren’t any better words to say anyway.
He enclosed your hand in his when the ring was on place, bringing them to his lips only to plant a kiss over the thin metal. It made you smile like a madwoman.
From the corner of your eyes, you saw Sam Wilson fist-bump with Scott Lang. You hid your face in Steve’s chest with silent laugh.
You had no idea what the future held for you now – you could only guess that it wouldn’t be exactly pretty. But as long you were not about to face it alone, you were ready and determined to fight all the battles coming your way.
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S.R. masterlist
Hell Froze Over (next in the series)
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Thank you for reading!
Someone once told me that fluff is my default setting. They weren’t wrong. I know mini-series was a bit different and with shorter chapters, but hopeflly, you enjoyed nevertheless.
Sequel ahead, this one a longer one! Title’s Hell Froze Over... I can promise you a new enhanced on the scene, some fluff, some angst... the usual :-*
#fanfiction#steve rogers x reader#steve rogers x you#captain america x reader#captain america x you#steve rogers imagine#captain america x imagine#steve rogers#captain america#mcu#marvel#avenger reader#melting hearts#5 times steve felt betrayed#anika ann
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A List of All of Dean Winchester’s Injuries
Yes. I did. I did go through every single episode of Supernatural and recorded every time Dean got injured. Do not question me, I know what I did, I had no one tell me ‘no’ so I did it, and now I’m done.
Now, this list might not be the most accurate. I did not sit down and watch every single episode in full, eyes glued to the screen for every time Dean got injured. I only skimmed. Here’s a gif I made to show how I did it:
(sorry it’s bad quality it’s the first gif I’ve ever made) I skimmed through the episode and used the little preview screen to look for any time there was fast movement, blood or a spell that might require someone cutting their palm. I also kept an eye out for angel-banishing sigils. Since I only skimmed, there’s a chance I missed some injuries or even times that Dean was magically healed. So again, might not be an accurate list but I did my best. Feel free to tell me anything I missed.
Here’s a key to help you through the list: - most of this lists the actual injury, e.g. “cut on left temple” but other times it’ll list an action that may cause injruy, e.g. “thrown into wall” - “thrown into/against” means that he impacted the object, but the object did not break / he did not go through it - “thrown through” means that the object broke on impact and he ended up on the other side - “internal pain” means that someone used magic to do something to him, but I have no idea what, all I know is that he looked in pain and was mostly gripping his stomach - “handcuffed” means actual handcuffs were used, “tied around wrists” means either rope or zip-ties were used - “punched” means just punched in the face, any other area on the body will be specified - any episodes that aren’t on the list means he wasn’t injured in them
Some misc notes: - I do not include any injuries that don’t actually happen, e.g. future visions, nightmares, hallucinations or a fake reality - I might be inconsistent with the amount of times I specify what was used to knock Dean out, and not listing what was used. Sorry about that. It’s because I either just couldn’t see the object, or I was lazy that day - I don’t usually specify the size of the injury either, I usually just say “cut”, sorry. I only realised like 6 seasons in that I probably should be specifying the size, and also taking screenshots, but I couldn’t be bothered going back and fixing it, nor could I be bothered specifying the size from then on. I’m sorry, it was just going to feel weird if 6 seasons in I only then start specifying - I don’t include possessions, but I do specify when injuries happen while possessed - I include some commentary of what kind of injuries I thought should’ve happened based on the action - There will also be a list for Sam’s injuries posted later, but there will not be one for Cas. Going into this, I only wanted to know Dean and Sam’s injuries for some redesigns I want to do, I didn’t feel it was necessary for me to know Cas’ because he won’t have scars in my redesign (at least his vessel won’t). Please don’t expect me to go back and make a list for Cas, this already took up so much of my time and I don’t want to do it again.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Season 1
1x1: Pilot - jumps off a bridge 1x2: W*ndigo - wrists tied above his head - cut on left side of forehead - cut on right cheek - cut on right side of neck 1x5: Bloody Mary - infected by Bloody Mary 1x6: Skin - tied to a chair around his chest, hips, wrists and ankles 1x10: Asylum - shot in the chest with rock salt - mind almost influenced by Ellicot, manages to burn the corpse before he can, but it did cause him pain 1x11: Scarecrow - knocked out with the butt of a gun - wrists tied up above his head 1x12: Faith - electrocuted, passes out - heart attack - heart is damaged (their words not mine) - healed by a reaper - life drained from him, process is stopped before completed 1x15: The Benders - cut above right eye - knocked unconscious with a pan - punched - burn on upper left pec 1x16: Shadow - cut on edge of right eyebrow - wrists tied - four claw marks down the left side of his forehead 1x18: Something Wicked - cut on left side of hairline 1x22: Devil’s Trap - thrown into a windshield - diagonal cut across his chest
Hey! Under the cut this post is really long!! Please be sure you want to read the rest before clicking because you’ll be scrolling for a while!
Season 2
2x1: In My Time of Dying - in a carcrash - vertical cut on right side of forehead - cut on right ear - cut on left cheek - bruised and cut knuckles - head truama - cut on left forearm 2x2: Everybody Love a Clown - punched 2x3: Bloodlust - punched - thrown into a table 2x7: The Usual Suspects - handcuffed 2x10: Hunted - knocked unconscious by the butt of a sniper rifle - tied around his wrists and ankles 2x12: Nightshifter - choked - punched 2x14: Born Under a Bad Sign - knocked unconscious with a gun - shot in the left shoulder - thrown against a wall - punched - cut above left eye 2x15: Tall Tales - thrown around - punched 2x16: Roadkill - cut along the right side of his jaw / cheek - thrown against a wall 2x19: Folsom Prison Blues - handcuffed on wrists and ankles - punched - cut on left cheek - hit in the gut 2x20: What is and What Should Never Be - strangled - put to sleep by a Djinn - wrists tied above his head - drained of his blood 2x22: All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2 - thrown into a gravestone - diagonal cut on the right side of his forehead
Season 3
3x1: The Magnificent Seven - hit in the face and stomach 3x2: The Kids are Alright - thrown around - punched - kneed - elbowed 3x3: Bad Day at Black Rock - stumbles and falls into a table - hit in the chin with gun 3x4: Sin City - thrown around - strangled 3x5: Bedtime Stories - strangled - thrown into a cabinet (probably has cuts since the cabinet had glass) - punched - cut on left side of his hairline 3x6: Red Sky At Morning - thrown into a gravestone 3x7: Fresh Blood - slash on inner left forearm - thrown into a wall - bit on the right side of his neck 3x8: A Very Supernatural Christmas - head banged against a wall and knocked unconscious - tied to a chair by his wrists and ankles - slash on inner left forearm - slash on inner right forearm - cut on right side of hairline - punched 3x9: Malleus Maleficarum - either hexed, sick by voodoo or a spell, they never really specify, but he vomits blood (healed by a potion) - thrown into a picture frame (likely bleeding at back of head) 3x12: Jus in Bello - handcuffed - shot in the left shoulder - punched - thrown against wall 3x13: Ghostfacers! - thrown around 3x14: Long-Distance Call - punched - cut on right eyebrow 3x15: Time is On My Side - thrown into a cabinet 3x16: No Rest for the Wicked - kneed - punched - cut above right eye - thrown onto a table - torn to shreds by a hellhound - (3 long slashes on left thigh) - (4 long slashes down chest) - (1 long slash from right shoulder to hip, back and front) - DEAD
Season 4
4x1: Lazarus Rising -(resurrected by Castiel, clean slate, no scars) - handprint burnt into his left shoulder - cut on inner left bicep - bruised and cut knuckles - bleeds out of his ears from Castiel trying to talk to him 4x2: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Dean Winchester - punched - kicked in the face - kicked in the gut - Victor’s ghost hand in his chest 4x3: In the Beginning - thrown into a wall - punched - kicked - thrown into a bookshelf 4x4: Metamorphosis - thrown against a wall - strangled - slammed into a table and knocked unconscious - cut above right eyebrow 4x5: Monster Movie - shoved into a wall - drugged - tied down in a metal contraption - punched 4x6: Yellow Fever - crashed into a shopping cart - infected by “ghost sickness” - three scratch marks on inner left forearm - punched - both inner forearms scratched up (disappears once the ghost is killed) 4x7: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester - internal pain - thrown into a wall 4x8: Wishful Thinking - super punched into some trash cans - possible broken knuckles - strangled 4x9: I Know What You Did Last Summer - shoved into a wall - punched - jumped out a window - dislocated shoulder - cut on outer right forearm - possibly some cuts along his torso - slash on outer left forearm 4x10: Heaven and Hell - punched - choked 4x11: Family Remains okay so I literally could not see a thing this episode, it was a very dark episode, but I think Dean got punched 4x12: Criss Angel is a Douche Bag - hung by his neck 4x14: Sex and Violence - infected by a siren - punched - thrown around - stabbed in the back of his right shoulder 4x15: Death Takes a Holiday - thrown into a gravestone and knocked out 4x16: On the Head of a Pin - punched - cut across nose - cut above left eye - strangled 4x17: It’s a Terrible Life - thrown into a shelf - thrown against a wall - cut on left side of hairline 4x18: The Monster at the End of This Book - hit by a car (he’s fine) 4x19: Jump The Shark - thrown through a glass door - punched 4x20: The Rupture - cut above left eyebrow - punched 4x21: When the Levee Breaks - punched - kneed - thrown face first into a mirror - thrown into a glass table - strangled 4x22: Lucifer Rising - punched Cas, hurt his knuckles
Season 5
5x1: Sympathy for the Devil - punched through wooden railing - kicked through a door - kneed - drew an angel banishing symbol so there is a cut either on his left forearm or left palm - stage 4 stomach cancer (healed) 5x2: Good God, Ya’ll! - kneed in the groin - punched 5x4: The End - knocked unconscious - handcuffed - punched 5x5: Fallen Idols - punched - knocked unconscious - tied around wrists 5x6: I Believe The Children Are Our Future - thrown into a wall - strangled 5x7: The Curious Case of Dean Winchester - aged rapidly into an old man 5x8: Changing Channels - grabbed on right bicep with super strangth - shot in the back (possibly healed by Gabriel? they don’t specify what happened) - shoved into a door 5x9: The Real Ghostbusters - thrown against a wall - strangled 5x10: Abandon All Hope - punched into a tree - cut on edge of right eyebrow 5x11: Sam, Interrupted - thrown against a wall - punched 5x12: Swap Meat - thrown into a wall - thrown into a mirror 5x13: The Song Remains The Same - strangled - thrown through a window - knocked unconscious - thrown around 5x14: My Bloody Valentine - punches Cupid - thrown into a door - cut above left eyebrow 5x15: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid - handcuffed 5x16: Dark Side of the Moon - shot in the chest - DEAD (resurrected by Joshua) 5x17: 99 Problems - bruised and cut knuckles - strangled 5x18: Point of No Return - drew an angel-banishing sigil so he must have cut himself somewhere but it isn’t visible - shoved against wall - punched - kicked into chain-link fence - cut on left cheek - handcuffed - split lip - cut on his chin 5x19: Hammer of the Gods - thrown into a shelf 5x20: The Devil You Know - cut on left side of hairline - kicked 5x21: Two Minutes to Midnight - affected by pestilence (stopped later on) - faints - fingers stepped on, possibly broken - left palm burnt 5x22: Swan Song - thrown into windshield - punched - cut on right cheek - broken nose - cut above left eyebrow - (all healed by Cas)
Season 6
6x1: Exile on Main St - stabbed in the chest with a syringe - poisoned by Djinn 6x2: Two and a Half Men - thrown around - strangled and passes out 6x3: The Third Man - there’s an angel banishing sigil that I’m assuming he drew, so there might be a cut on one of his forearms or palms 6x5: Live Free or Twihard - thrown into a dumpster - punched - forced to drink blood of vampire - passes out - cured of vampirism 6x6: You Can’t Handle The Truth - knocked unconscious - tied by his wrists 6x9: Clap Your Hands If You Believe - abducted by fairies (don’t know if he was knocked out or if something else happened) - punched - handcuffed - thrown into iron bars - cut by right eye 6x10: Caged Heart - knocked unconscious 6x11: Appointment in Samarra - DEAD (brought back by Dr. Robert and Eva) 6x13: Unforgiven - tied up with webs - strangled 6x15: The French Mistake - thrown through a window - punched - internal pain 6x16: ... And Then There Were None - infected with the khan worm - electrocuted on his left outer forearm, leaves a horizontal burn mark 6x18: Frontierland - jumps through a window 6x19: Mommy Dearest - bit on the lower left side of his neck, near the nape (healed by Cas) 6x20: The Man Who Would Be King - punched 6x21: Let It Bleed - thrown into a car - strangled - punched 6x22: The Man Who Knew Too Much - in the impala when it’s flipped over - thrown over stairs and impacts onto a metal table (that honestly should have straight up broken his back)
Season 7
7x1: Meet the New Boss - horizontal cut on right forearm - thrown into a metal table and glass jars 7x2: Hello, Cruel World - left palm cut, maybe back of hand - broken right leg 7x3: The Girl Next Door - cut on left eyebrow - cut on left ear 7x4: Defending Your Life - possibly knocked unconscious - chained to a chair 7x5: Shut Up, Dr. Phil - thrown through a glass door - punched 7x6: Slash Fiction - handcuffed - thrown into a trophy cabinet 7x7: The Mentalists - window exploded next to him (he should earn some cuts from that) - punched 7x8: Season 7, Time for a Wedding! - thrown into a column - strangled 7x9: How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters - poisoned by goo (nothing serious, he’s just unconcerned with everything for a bit) 7x11: Adventures In Babysitting - horizontal cut on his left outer forearm - strangled 7x12: Time After Time - handcuffed - punched - strangled 7x15: Repo Man - stabbed with a syringe on the right side of his neck - tied around his wrists - vertical cut on his left outer forearm 7x16: Out With the Old - kicked in the face - thrown into a glass cabinet - thrown into a table with glass on it - thrown through a glass door 7x17: The Born-Again Identity - head banged against glass - thrown into a shelf 7x20: The Girl With the Dungeons and Dragon Tattoo - somersaulted through glass 7x21: Reading is Fundamental - drew an angel-banishing sigil, so there is a cut on one of his forearms or palms 7x22: There Will Be Blood - cut on left palm - thrown around
Season 8
8x1: We Need to Talk About Kevin - horizontal cut on his left outer forearm - horizontal cut on his left inner forearm - honestly cannot tell what’s meant to be his injury and what’s meant to be someone else’s blood. He might have cuts on his ears, head and neck, right cheek, and nose. Maybe along his chin and jaw too - bruised and cut knuckles - strangled 8x2: What’s Up, Tiger Mommy? - cuts around his right eye - cut on his upper lip - thrown into a wall 8x3: Heartache - punched - slammed onto his back - five holes in chest from fingers 8x4: Bitten - thrown into a wall 8x5: Blood Brother - cut on his left cheek, though I’m not sure if it’s new or from the last Purgatory flashback 8x6: Southern Comfort - punched - strangled - thrown into a table - infected by a coin? I’m not completely 100% sure what happened there - thrown into glass 8x7: A Little Slice of Kevin - horizontal cut on left inner forearm - rolled down a hill - thrown into some chains 8x8: Hunteri Heroici - hard impact on floor - hit in the face with a pan 8x9: Citizen Fang - punched - handcuffed - cut above right eyebrow - thrown into some wood planks - slice on the left side of his neck 8x10: Torn and Frayed - threw himself against a door multiple times - thrown against a window - strangled 8x12: As Time Goes By - handcuffed 8x13: Everybody Hates Hitler - thrown into a car - punched 8x14: Trial and Error - possible claw marks on left side, he puts his hand there but injury isn’t visible and not treated after 8x15: Man’s Best Friend With Benefits - thrown into a bedside table and knocked unconscious - thrown into a painting and tables 8x16: Remember the Titans - tripped and tossed onto the ground - flung back against ground - thrown against column 8x17: Goodbye Stranger - thrown into a wall - either broken or twisted right arm - punched - cut on left eyebrow - cut on bottom lip - cut on left cheek - cut near centre of forehead - cut on left temple - cut on nose, nose also probably broken - (all healed by Cas) 8x19: Taxi Driver - thrown into a tree 8x23: Sacrifice - handcuffed
Season 9
9x1: I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here - head banged against boot of impala - windows exploded around him, might earn him a few cuts - strangled - cut on left side of hairline - cut on left eyebrow - cut below left eye - possible cut below lip, can’t tell if it’s meant to be a cut or if it’s just a lot of blood - either a cut on his left ear or his ears bled from the sound of angels - possibly went unconscious for a second - two cuts on right cheek - cut near his left temple 9x2: Devil May Care - punched - arm twisted - thrown through a window 9x3: I’m No Angel - thrown into a counter and hits a trashcan when he falls off 9x4: Slumber Party - punched across room - kicked in groin while possessed by a witch 9x5: Dog Dean Afternoon - punched - kneed - elbowed - tied around wrists 9x6: Heaven Can’t Wait - thrown against a wall 9x7: Bad Boys - thrown against a wall - choked - thrown into a table - handcuffed 9x8: Rock and a Hard Place - enveloped by blue flame - thrown through table and knocked unconscious 9x9: Road Trip - punched unconscious - thrown against column 9x10: Road Trip - thrown into a bookshelf 9x11: First Born - thrown onto a table x2 - kneed - punched in the chest - shoved into a shelf, counter and wall - Mark of Cain transferred over to him 9x13: The Purge - passes out 9x14: Captives - knocked unconscious - cut on left eyebrow - tied around his wrists - cut on right side of neck, under jaw 9x15: #THINMAN - tasered unconscious - handcuffed 9x18: Meta Fiction - cut up knuckles 9x19: Alex Annie Alexis Ann - knocked unconscious with a piece of wood - punched through a chair 9x21: King of the Damned - thrown into a glass frame painting 9x22: Stairway to Heaven - handcuffed - punched 9x23: Do You Believe in Miracles - vomiting / coughing up blood - thrown into a concrete wall x2 - kicked in the face - crushed wrist - cuts along hairline - cut on right eyebrow - cut on left cheek - stabbed in the centre of chest with angel blade - cuts on chin - possible split lip - cut above left eyebrow - DEAD (wakes up as a demon)
Season 10
10x2: Reichenbach - cut on left palm (heals itself) - cut on left cheek (heals itself) - handcuffed 10x3: Soul Survivor - tied around ankles (still handcuffed) - needle in right inner forearm x 4 - needle in back of neck 10x4: Paper Moon - hit on the back of head with gun - punched 10x5: Fan Fiction - thrown into a wooden set piece - backhanded a few feet 10x6: Ask Jeeves - thrown into a bedside table and lamp - hit shoulders against doors multiple times 10x7: Girls, Girls, Girls - punched - hit in the face with a gun - hit in the gut - cut on left cheek - cut on left eyebrow - cut on right side of cheek 10x8: Hibbing 911 - knocked unconscious - tied around wrists - punched 10x9: The Things We Left Behind - bottle smashed over his head - cut on left side of head - kicked in the face 10x10: The Hunter Games - bruised and cut knuckles 10x11: There’s No Place Like Home - strangled - punched - kicked - kneed - thrown - cut across nose - cut on right eyebrow - bruised and cut knuckles 10x12: About a Boy - strangled - elbowed - hit repeatedly against tiled floor and fridge 10x13: Half & Catch Fire - thrown into a brick column - thrown through a door and into a shelf - strangled 10x14: The Executioner’s Song - hit in the right side - thrown around - punched - thrown through a window - lots of small cuts around right eye - strangled - split lip 10x15: The Things They Carried - thrown onto a table and into the edge of a fireplace - tackled into a table 10x16: Paint it Black - backhanded across a room - strangled 10x17: Inside Man - hit in the back - tackled into a wood column - tackled onto a pool table - strangled - punched 10x18: Book of the Damned - tackled by someone who just jumped through a window - punched 10x19: The Werther Project - cut on right side of hairline - possibly a cut or two on or behind right ear - cut on left side of hairline - bruised and cut knuckles - tied to a chair by wrists, middle and ankles - horizontal cut on right forearm 10x20: Angel Heart - kicked - punched 10x21: Dark Dynasty - kicked in the back - strangled - thrown into a dumpster 10x22: The Prisoner - handcuffed - plastic bag over head, suffocated - tied down to a table by wrists and ankles - maybe some cuts on his head, arms and knuckles but honestly I think all the blood on him belongs to others, I don’t think he was injured at all while killing the Stynes 10x23: Brother’s Keeper - punches a mirror - cut on left palm - punched - struck by lightning that removes the Mark of Cain
Season 11
11x1: Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire - pushed to the ground 11x2: Form and Void - headbutted - thrown through a door and into a wall 11x3: The Bad Seed - thrown into a concrete wall - thrown through wood pallets - thrown into a chain-link fence - punched - cut above and below left eyebrow - split lip 11x4: Baby - punched - strangled - cut above left eye - two cuts below left eye - handcuffed - three cuts on right cheek, close to jaw - cuts worsened from the impala crashing - cut on or behind right ear - shoved against impala - bit on left side of neck - cut on right temple - cut on nose - cut below lip - (all is hinted to be healed by Cas later on) 11x5: Thin Lizzie - knocked unconscious - cut on left side of hairline - tied around wrists - hit in head by gun 11x6: Our Little World - thrown through a mirror - thrown against stone pillar - thrown against wall 11x7: Push - face smashed against bars - thrown against desk - thrown through glass door - strangled 11x8: My Imagination - tied around his wrists - cut on left cheek - cut on left ear 11x10: The Devil in the Details - vomited - kicked - strangled - cut above and below left eye 11x11: Into the Mystic - eyes and ears bleeding from Banshee’s screech - head bashed into wooden column multiple times - cut on right side of hairline 11x13: Love Hurts - target of the “Kiss of Death” curse - wrist either broken or twisted 11x14: The Vessel - head banged on table - thrown onto table and lands on floor - shoved against stone column 11x15: Beyond the Mat - thrown against a metal beam - thrown through a door and into a wall - thrown down onto concrete ground - punched - tied around wrists 11x16: Safe House - hit by something and impacts the ground - knocked unconscious - cut on left palm - punched (while possessed by Soul Eater) - elbowed (while possessed) - thrown into table (while possessed) - chair smashed over him and knocked unconscious (while possessed) 11x17: Red Meat - punched - tasered unconscious - skid marks around left eye - broken ribs - overdoses on barbiturates (resuscitated) - handcuffed - strangled 11x18: Hell’s Angel - either internal pain or choked 11x19: The Chitters - punched 11x22: We Happy Few - thrown against a metal... cage, thing (I don’t know what it’s called) 11x23: Alpha and Omega - absorbs a couple hundred thousand souls that are later extracted by God
Season 12
12x1: Keep Calm and Carry On - arm pulled - foot pressed against throat - arm twisted - punched - knuckles punched with brass knuckles - thrown into car 12x2: Mamma Mia - handcuffed - hung by his wrists - punched with brass knuckles - cuts behind left ear - punched - (possibly healed by Cas seeing as he’s completely fine in the next shot) 12x3: The Foundry - throws himself against a door multiple times - elbowed in the face - choked - almost frozen - thrown against wall 12x5: The One You’ve Been Waiting For - tackled into a metal cabinet - punched - headbutted - thrown through a window 12x6: Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox - thrown into a table - thrown through a glass door 12x7: Rock Never Dies - thrown off a stage 12x8: LOTUS - handcuffed around wrists and ankles 12x9: First Blood - DEAD (ressurected by Billie) - cut on left palm 12x10: Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets - momentarily blinded - thrown into a wall x2 - right palm cut 12x11: Regarding Dean - blasted with a spell and knocked out - gradually loses his memory (restored by Rowena) 12x12: Stuck in the Middle (With You) - elbowed in the face - flung backwards - hit in gut with base of spear - headbutted - hit in the face with base of spear 12x16: Ladies Drink Free - shoved into a shelf 12x17: The British Invasion - flung back and hard impact on ground - thrown into big wheel 12x18: The Memory Remains - fell off railing and onto floor, knocked unconscious - cut behind right ear - wrists tied - head hit onto tiled wall 12x19: The Future - broken arm (healed by Cas) - elbowed in face 12x20: Twigs & Twine & Tasha Banes - internal pain 12x21: There’s Something About Mary - kneed in the groin 12x22: Who We Are - stone dust in eyes - really bad gash in left knee - sedated (needle in left side of neck) - thrown into bookshelf - punched - injured leg kicked - elbowed in face - cut on right cheek - cut on left earlobe - injured leg hit with a piece of wood - hit with piece of wood - strangled with a piece of wood 12x23: All Along the Watchtower - previous injuries healed by Cas - hit in the face with gun - punched - kicked
Season 13
13x1: Lost and Found - thrown into a wall and knocked unconscious - cut on lower lip - cut knuckles from punching wood sign - handcuffed - punched - hit in the face with base of angel blade - punched in side - kicked into desk - headbutted 13x2: The Rising Sun - punched in the back and face - shoved into table - tackled through wood room divider - choked 13x4: The Big Empty - knocked unconscious x2 - handcuffed - hit in the face with gun - cut on left cheek 13x5: Advanced Thanatology - thrown into chain-link fence - kills himself (resurrected by Billie) 13x6: Tombstone - thrown back into trolley 13x7: War of the Worlds - punched - strangled 13x8: The Scorpion and the Frog - middle finger pricked 13x9: The Bad Place - headbutted 13x10: Wayward Sisters - hit in the face with base of spear and knocked unconscious - tied around wrists 13x12: Various & Sundry Villains - hexed with love spell - hexed to stay in one spot - thrown into wall - thrown into glass frame picture - strangled - hammer to the back of left knee 13x13: Devil’s Bargain - thrown through door and into wall - internal pain 13x14: Good Intentions - kicked by big strong man - choked 13x15: A Most Holy Man - handcuffed 13x17: The Thing - shoved into wall - strangled - knocked unconscious - tied down to a table by wrists and ankles 13x18: Bring ‘em Back Alive - shot in the right shoulder - poisoned by bullet (antidote applied by Ketch) 13x19: Funeralia - hit in neck / face not sure which one - punched - cut on left cheek - strangled - elbowed in face - punched in gut - thrown into table - headbutted - thrown around - kneed - cut on left side of forehead - right side as well - cut on nose - bruised and cut knuckles 13x20: Unfinished Business - whipped - super slapped by Loki - punched in gut - punched 13x23: Let the Good Times Roll - windows exploded near him - arm twisted and punched - strangled - cut on bottom lip - elbowed in the face - hard impact onto ground - punched in the gut and face (while Michael possessed him)
Season 14
14x3: The Scar - hit in the face with hilt and base of spear - tackled into wood column - headbutted - kicked in the face - punched - strangled 14x4: Mint Condition - headbutted - thrown into morgue drawers - strangled 14x5: Nightmare Logic - thrown across room - strangled 14x6: Optimism - tackled into bookshelf 14x9: The Spear - elbowed in face - punched in gut - kicked - strangled 14x11: Damaged Goods - hard impact against floor 14x13: Lebanon - either jumped back and hit the wall or he was thrown back by the force of the fire - elbowed in the face x2 - kicked - headbutted - thrown onto counter and hits ground - super backhanded - punched - thrown into shelf with glass cups - strangled - cut on bottom lip 14x14: Ouroboros - backhanded - face slammed into wood pillar two times and knocked unconscious - cut on right temple - not able to breathe - temporarily blind - internal pain 14x20: Moriah - thrown into bookshelf - thrown through gravestone
Season 15
15x1: Back To The Future - thrown against dumpster 15x2: Raising Hell - thrown through shelf 15x5: Proverbs 17:3 - shoved against wall - strangled - thrown back - cut on left cheek - cut on right cheek - cut on left side of torso - cut on either right side of torso or front of right thigh 15x6: Golden Time - thrown across hallway and into wall - internal pain 15x7: Last Call - knocked unconscious - tied to a chair by wrists and ankles - blood being drained from left arm - punched in side - punched - bottle smashed over head - cut on left eyebrow - hit with pool stick 15x8: Our Father, Who Aren’t in Heaven - cut on left palm (healed by Cas) - punched - kneed - thrown - strangled 15x9: The Trap - knocked unconscious - super backhanded by God 15x10: The Heroes’ Journey - kneed in the groin - headbutted - strangled 15x12: Galaxy Brain - hit on wrists and face with stick - strangled 15x14: Last Holiday - thrown back - hard impact on ground - thrown back into wall 15x16: Drag Me Away (From You) - slammed onto ground and strangled 15x18: Despair - thrown into wall x3 - elbowed in the face - thrown back - pain in heart 15x19: Inherit the Earth - headbutted - thrown into wall - thrown back across beach - internal pain - punched - kicked - broken right arm - broken right leg - two cuts beside left eye - cut on nose - cut on bottom lip - cut above left eye - (all healed by Jack) 15x20: Carry On - slammed to ground - impaled on a piece of broken rebar - DEAD (permanently)
#I'll upload Sam's list tomorrow I'm going to SLEEP#spn#supernatural#spn ref#supernatural ref#Dean Winchester#Dean Winchester ref#blood tw#blood mention#Jensen Ackles#long post
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5 Times Tony Said I Know A Place + 1 Time Rhodey Said It
-1-
It started small, which, contrary to popular belief, is something Tony can start with. Maybe only when he was a fifteen year old kid with no experience or confidence, and not the billionaire persona Tony developed, but still. When it first happened, Rhodey and him didn’t know each other very well, but still felt concocted due to their early admissions and having to shout to be heard. But they weren’t best friends who knew each other so intimately back then. They were just roommates slowly going through becoming friends.
So it started with Rhodey frowning at his C.
“What’s the matter, sourpatch?” Tony asked, and unconsciously, Rhodey hid the paper away from his eyes. Tony glanced at the paper Rhodey hid. “You seem… concerned?”
“It’s nothing,” Rhodey dismissed, not wanting to admit to getting a bad mark, “do you want to get take out tonight?”
“It’s not nothing!” Tony ignored his question, “you’re upset!”
Rhodey pursed his lips, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Tony’s shoulders slumped, “oh. Okay.”
Rhodey folded the paper neatly and put it in his drawer, trying to put the mark and conversation behind him, “okay, so do you want take out?”
“Actually, I know a place,” Tony said and then offered him a hand for Rhodey to take, “let’s eat out.”
~~~
In the next half an hour, Tony actually managed to bring a smile to his face, “I can’t believe you took me to Chuck E. Cheese!”
“Hey, say what you want about my methods, but I get results,” Tony grinned back at him, “I-I get to see that beautiful smile.”
Rhodey couldn’t help but have his smile spread at Tony’s downright adorable attempt at flirting. Then his smile dimmed slightly, as he brought his hand to his mouth in curiosity, realizing what that meant, “you did this to cheer me up?”
Tony snorted, “no, this is where I bring all my dates to.”
“Shut up,” Rhodey shoved him but didn’t object to this being called a date, “why here?”
Tony shrugged, “it’s where my butler used to bring me as a kid when I was upset. Always managed to make me forget what made me cry. Thought you could use this place too.”
Rhodey shook his head. It didn’t make sense how Tony managed to effortlessly understand him. Some people might have forced him to talk about what made him upset or took him anywhere else that wasn’t used to cheer a child up. But not Tony. Tony knew just what he needed.
“You’re ridiculous,” is what he told Tony and brought into a one armed hug.
-2-
“Hey, you’re back!” Tony cheered, “how was the test?”
“Good, I think,” Rhodey shrugged, “c’mon, you know me. And it’s physics. I’m good at it.”
Tony stuck his tongue at him, “don’t rub it in.”
Rhodey only smirked in response. “Okay, I'm studying for chem now, so be quiet.”
“What did you just say to me?” Tony gasped.
Rhodey chuckled, “I’ve only got a window for an hour. I gotta use it.”
“You just aced a test and you’re studying again?” Tony shook his head and stood up detremindly, “unacceptable. We, Rhodey Rhodes, are going out to celebrate. And I know just the place.”
“Tony, I can’t-”
Tony put a hand over his mouth, “I won’t hear it.”
Rhodey rolled his eyes but didn’t try objecting again.
~~~
“No, you’re wrong, the pool is way better than the beach!”
“I can’t believe you’re standing in front of this beauty and saying this!”
Rhodey glanced at the beach, “but the water is salty.”
Tony snorted and he sarcastically drawled, “okay, you win.”
“You know, you should be taking my side,” Rhodey pointed out, “out of the two of us you’re more likely to get a visible sunburn.”
Tony bristled, “yeah, but waves.”
“That’s a con.”
“No, it’s not!”
Rhodey smiled at him, “I’m not having a yes no argument with you.”
“Okay, then I win.”
Rhodey laughed. Rhodey went on to ace both of his tests and Tony grinned and said, “I take credit for giving you a much needed break.” Rhodey pinched him playfully but didn’t tell Tony how he was running on only coffee at that point.
-3-
“Honeybear, you’re gonna love me,” Tony announced to him.
“I already love you,” Rhodey told him and showed his point by rubbing his nose against Tony and briefly pressing a kiss to his lips.
Tony giggled, and what a wonderful sound it was. “No, I mean really love me. Like trying out that thing I keep suggesting love me.”
“Impossible,” Rhodey said and dropped what he was doing.
Tony smirked and said, “I got us two tickets to Guns n’ Roses.”
Rhodey gasped, “no!”
“Yes!”
Rhodey lunged at him and cupped Tony’s face in his hands, “oh my God, I do love you.”
Tony pecked him, “told you.”
“But wait,” Rhodey paused, “they’re all sold out. I made my sister camp out. How did you…?”
Tony bit his lip, “yeah, about that...”
Rhodey looked at him suspiciously, “what did you do?”
“Don’t worry, I just know a place.”
~~~
Tony ended up finding them the best car to drive them to the concert almost halfway across the country. He told their teachers they were sick with a high fever. Rhodey chastised him for it, but it was still the best concert he ever went to so it was half hearted. He was forever grateful to Tony for letting him see his favorite band live.
-4-
Rhodey felt like crying his eyes out with frustration. His CO wouldn’t let him do anything important, his CO didn’t believe he could do anything important and most importantly, his CO wasn’t letting him prove he could do anything important. He didn’t know what to do and he felt helpless and at loss. Rhodey hated feeling like that.
He burrowed his face into his boyfriend’s neck, the safest, most comforting place on Earth, “will you still date me if I quit MIT?”
“No actually, I have three other back ups I know won’t flunk,” Tony quipped but at the way Rhodey’s hands tightened around his middle he said, “just kidding, honeybear. You know you’re the only one for me. MIT or no MIT.”
Rhodey hummed, feeling warmer at the praise, “what if I go to CalTech?”
“Don’t even joke, Rhodes,” he rubbed his hands comfortingly around the arms on his waist, “why do you think you’re flunking?”
“I’m not flunking,” Rhodey mumbled, “but my CO sure wants me to.”
Tony groaned, “that guy’s a jerk. He doesn’t know what he has in his hands.”
Rhodey smiled into his neck, but he didn’t feel any less frustrated or any more hopeful.
“Hey, I think I have something that might cheer you up,” Tony said, “I was saving it for your birthday, but I think you might want it now.”
“I’m not in the mood,” Rhodey grumbled.
Tony chuckled, “get your mind out of the gutter. I know a place.”
~~~
Tony took him to a small airport. All through the drive Tony teased him about wearing a blindfold, so to not ruin the surprise, which did not ease Rhodey’s anxiety one bit. But when they got there… Tony showed him the most amazing plane. “It’s your favorite model, right?” Tony asked, “you told me so.”
Rhodey started at him and then at the plane and then back at Tony, “you remembered that?”
“Course I did,” Tony scoffed at him, “I needed something for your birthday. Come, this isn’t all.” Then Tony took him by the hand and introduced him to the pilot, “he’s gonna take you for a spin.”
Rhodey couldn’t believe what Tony was offering him, and it took him a while to recover enough to nod and get into the plane. The pilot flew him, twisting and turning and going upside down with the aircraft, making Rhodey shriek in delight. When they were done, the pilot allowed any and all questions, even letting Rhodey touch the controls to “test fly” the plane while it was turned off.
When he came to land Tony told him, “you’re not going to flunk.” He cupped Rhodey’s face gently, “you’re going to pass ROTC with flying colors, go on to get an amazing position that will make your CO jealous and fly a plane just like this one day. Just you wait.”
Little did Rhodey know by then, but Tony was right.
Rhodey kissed Tony with a smile still stretched on his face, “I don’t think you can find another gift for my birthday to top this.”
-5-
Rhodey was homesick. He hadn’t seen his family in a long time and he was starting to miss them. What put him in an especially sour mood was when his sister got a part in a play she was excited about, and Rhodey couldn’t come and watch it.
“I hate you when you’re in this mood,” Tony complained, “just want to make you feel better.”
Rhodey sighed, “I know this is hard for you to understand because your dad is an asshole. But I don’t know… I just miss them. And Philly too. God, I miss Philly.”
Tony looked thoughtful before a grin showed on his face, “I have an idea.”
“Oh no,” Rhodey teased.
Tony stuck his tongue out at him, “I think I know a place that will cheer you up. You trust me?”
Rhodey wanted to say something teasing but what he ended up saying was, “with my life.”
~~~
Tony took him to the Charles Hayden Planetarium because Rhodey once told him it reminded him of the Franklin Institute back at home. They watched the stars together and Rhodey nuzzled his neck and told him, “the stars in your eyes are more beautiful.” By the end of the night, Rhodey still missed home but he felt he was just as lucky to be with his other home, with Tony.
-+1-
Tony wiped the tears from his face, embarrassed that Rhodey saw his outburst of emotional weakness. Voice shaky and watery, Tony looked away from Rhodey’s concerned gaze. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Rhodey didn’t say anything and Tony didn’t watch for his reaction. Eventually, Rhodey sat beside, pressed himself against Tony and nudged him gently. “I think I know a place,” he joked.
Tony laughed quietly, the laugh coming out broken. The line had long since become an inside joke for them, as Tony had a habit of repeating it too much. Rhodey usually wasn’t serious when he said it, but this seemed like more than a joke. He wondered what place Rhodey could be talking about. A burger joint? A robotics lab? Maybe a music store?
But instead, Rhodey brought him to his arms and hugged him tightly, hands on Tony’s back drawing comforting circles.
Tony frowned, confused, “what’s the place?”
Rhodey hugged him tighter, “right here,” he said, kissing the top of Tony’s head, “home.”
#userpavi#userduckyy#usersae#ironhusbands#iron husbands#rhfe#rhodeytony#tonyrhodey#james rhodes#james rhodey rhodes#rhodey#tony stark#druwrites#ironhusbands fic#rhodeytony fic#Iron Man#war machine#iron patriot#Tony is 15 at the start but rhodey is just one year older than him in this fic. some parts are when they're 18
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Part 10 of the other side AU concept! Next up will be the epilogue scenes. As a reminder from Part 1, the current state of the New Republic here takes more from the EU than it does from the new canon (though has some nods in that direction), because I’m more familiar with the EU and like it more.
Previous: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9
About 6.5K below the break.
***
Only General Airen Cracken, the head of Rebel Intelligence, and Leia Organa were present when Hera did her post-mission debrief. She suspected that this op was going to be the kind whose reports were mysteriously lost – that if they ever existed at all – but as it was she gave Cracken and Leia the truth as best she could.
When she had finished, Cracken and Leia glanced at each other. The small office was quiet for a long time, broken only by the hum of the air filters on the big warship and the sound of steps in the corridor beyond the closed door.
Cracken turned the data card with the Cluster-Prism files over in his fingers, frowning to himself. He was a human male with graying fair hair, his mild expression belying the sharpness in his eyes. After a few moments, he said, “I would say that none of what you just told us leaves this room, but I assume under the circumstances you’ll be informing members of your old crew the details.”
“I could hardly not,” Hera said, forbearing to point out that most of them had been there when she had returned. Luke and Ahsoka had taken Kanan off to talk to him privately; since Hera hadn’t heard any alarm klaxons yet, either they had all killed each other quietly or it was going as well as it could under the circumstances. Luke and Ahsoka didn’t get along at the best of times and this wasn’t those.
Cracken tapped the edge of the data card on his desk, then shrugged and said, “This should get us a step ahead of Warlord Zsinj – several steps ahead, with any luck. Will you be transferring back to the Lodestar? You’re due some leave that I assume you’ll want to take under the circumstances.”
“Airen, you know as well as I do that a general never really gets to go on leave,” Hera said dryly, which made the corner of his mouth quirk up in a grin.
“I do that.” He pulled open a desk drawer, removed something, and tossed it to her. “By the way, the Council vote was four days ago. Alliance commissions are automatically transferred to the New Republic, but if you did want a new assignment, this would be the time to ask.”
Hera caught the neat circle of embroidered fabric and inspected it; the new insignia was the Rebel Alliance starbird surrounded by fifteen starbursts. She turned the patch over in her fingers, thinking.
“Hera?” Cracken said, when she had been silent too long for comfort.
Hera put the patch down on the desk in front of her, smoothing her fingers over the starbird, and looked up at Cracken. “I’m going to resign my commission.”
His sandy eyebrows shot up. “Why?”
“There’s something I’ve needed to do for a long time,” Hera said slowly, “and I’ve put it aside for far too long. I can’t do that anymore.”
“You’re talking about Ezra Bridger,” Leia said.
Hera glanced at her. “Yes.”
Cracken rubbed a hand over his chin. “I’ve read those files. Vanished off into the Unknown Regions with Grand Admiral Thrawn and what was left of the Seventh Fleet.”
Hera nodded.
“I met Thrawn, back in the old days,” Cracken remarked. “If he ever returned, we could be in for a bigger fight than Zsinj and Isard and the rest of that lot have been giving us. Do you have any reason to think they’re out there? Bridger, Thrawn, the Chimaera, any of the other ships from the Seventh?”
“No more reason than to think they’re not,” Hera said. “I won’t be alone.”
“Mmm.” Cracken tapped his fingers on the table. “Not being from Starfighter Command or representing High Command in this case, I can’t accept your resignation, General Syndulla. I will say that since the Council vote, we’ve already had a rash of personnel resigning, officers and enlisted alike. Some of them aren’t interested in going legit, others believe that the Council vote means the war is over.” He shook his head. “As long as there’s even one Imperial Remnant ship or base out there, the war will never be over. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t believe that, though.”
“No, I wouldn’t.”
He snorted. “No, you wouldn’t. You’re like the rest of us old-timers. We saw too much. Kills our credibility as far as the kids who joined up after Yavin or even Endor think, let alone the ones who lived through Cinder.” He leaned back in his chair, sharp eyes considering. “You’re too good an officer to lose, Hera.”
She stiffened, but he held up a finger to silence her before she could protest.
“Let me finish before you tell me to go to hell and flounce off with that resurrected boyfriend of yours.”
“I never flounce, Airen. And it’s fiancé.”
His eyebrows went up. “Congratulations are in order, I suppose.” Then he frowned. “Is this for the damn pension? Because as I recall, technically Jarrus was never an Alliance officer –”
Leia stirred and said, “It’s in the Articles that members of informal rebel cells have the right to apply for retroactive status if they couldn’t formally join the Alliance due to captivity, distance, or other reasons –”
“Such as being dead?” Cracken said.
Hera met his gaze. “Prove it.”
He massaged his forehead. “Oh, for love of the Force.”
“The last formal rank he held was commander,” Hera said.
“In the Grand Army of the Republic, I assume.”
“There’s precedent. Rex –”
Cracken waved a hand. “I’ll sign the datawork if that’s what you want. If it’s just for the pension rather than actually finding him a command –” He tapped a finger on the data card. “This does count for something, but we’re a bit short of commands at the moment.”
“What, even with officers resigning left and right?” Hera asked.
“That’s not the problem. The Governing Council wants to reduce the size of the military, despite the fact that nothing actually changed after they had the vote and we’ve still got Zsinj and Gideon and half a dozen other warlords out there.”
Her voice very dry, Leia said, “There’s a faction in the Council that believes that once we have an established government again with a senate and maybe a chancellor or a president or whatever we decide to call it that most of the Remnant holdouts and the independents will fall in line.”
Hera rolled her eyes. “Has Borsk Fey’lya actually talked to any of the independents?”
“You can tell me if you think your father would pick up his calls.”
Hera snorted softly. Ryloth had refused the offer to formally join the Rebel Alliance until certain conditions were met, which the Alliance Council had been refusing to grant for the past year. With the Curia in disarray after almost twenty years of the Empire doing its best to delegitimize it, Cham Syndulla had managed to get the bulk of political power on Ryloth in his own hands, for better or worse. “Not the last time I spoke to him, which was only two weeks ago. We’re getting off-topic, Airen. And yes, the pension would be useful; just use the carbonite forms and leave the being dead part out of it; it isn’t like it’s never happened before. But that’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Starfighter Command won’t accept your resignation without a good reason, and maybe not even then,” Cracken said, with a wince at the words “carbonite forms.” They hadn’t been used often, but they were a datawork nightmare for everyone involved.
“Why not? I’m a decent combat commander, but there are plenty of others who are just as good or better, and you can’t tell me that some of the people thinking about retiring wouldn’t be just as happy training pilots, so I’m not exactly necessary there.”
He ticked off reasons on his fingers. “You’re young, you’re pretty, you’re a woman, you’re not human, you’re a general – for that matter, you’re from one of the independent worlds in the Outer Rim and in high society back on Ryloth, even if most Core Worlders see that as the back of beyond – because most Core Worlders see that as the back of beyond –”
Hera frowned. “What does any of that have to do with it?”
“Apparently Ackbar had this conversation with Wedge Antilles while you were gone over some hot new project Antilles has in mind – nothing to do with you, but Antilles pointed out that most of the best-known officers in the Alliance – excuse me, the New Republic – are human, and mostly male. Except for you,” he added to Leia, who grimaced. “You, General Hera Syndulla,” Cracken went on, pointing at her, “are a PR officer’s dream. I guarantee that whenever you get back to the Lodestar there will be a message waiting for you with orders to report for a HoloNet interview and probably a photoshoot. All very reserved but sexy, to make it clear that the New Republic is open to everyone and that we’re not the Empire; even a Twi’lek woman can rise high.”
Hera fought down the memory of the younger Hera’s anguished voice saying, Most humans just think certain things about Twi’lek women. I’m sure even your Rebel Alliance is like that. “If you’re trying to convince me not to resign, it’s not working.”
“It won’t matter, because Starfighter Command won’t accept your resignation, and Ackbar won’t for the same reason if you try to go over their heads to him. He doesn’t look good on the front of a holomag unless you happen to be another Mon Cala.”
Hera rubbed a hand over her face. “Please just stop talking or I won’t even bother with resigning and just desert.”
“Yes, please do,” Leia said dryly. To Hera she added, “You’re not the only one, but I don’t work as well for it because I’m human and a princess of Alderaan. And married, but a really good reporter could spin that if they wanted to.”
“I’m trying to get married,” Hera pointed out. “Get to the point, Airen.”
“You were seconded to Intelligence for this operation,” Cracken said. “I can’t accept your resignation, but I could give you a new assignment. And right now no one’s going to notice if you’re transferred here permanently, with all the datawork chaos from the transition.” He held up a hand to still her protest. “You may need a New Republic general’s authority if you’re out in the Unknown Regions searching for a missing Imperial fleet. We’ve had rumors about Thrawn for years; he’s been the bogeyman beneath the Alliance’s bed since well before Endor. Since Jakku, more than a few Imperials have vanished, claiming they’re off to find him. If he’s out there, then we need to find him before they do, and they have a head start.”
Hera leaned back in her chair, frowning. “Starfighter Command is not going to like you poaching me anymore than they’ll like me resigning.”
Cracken and Leia exchanged a glance. “I can handle the fallout,” Leia said. “There’s enough else going on right now that no one is going to notice for a while, since you’re seconded already.”
Hera turned her frown on Cracken. “What do you get out of this?”
“We get someone out in the Unknown Regions looking for Thrawn,” Cracken said, raising an eyebrow. “Which I’ve been asking for since Endor, but we’ve never had the resources to send anyone out there. We still don’t, but if you’re going anyway –” He tilted his head.
Hera suspected there was a trap in here somewhere, but as it went Intelligence didn’t have so many generals in it that anyone but Cracken could give her orders. “I agree with conditions,” she said.
“What are those?”
“I don’t answer to anyone but you – or Ackbar,” she had to concede, since as the commander-in-chief of the New Republic military he had precedence even over divisional commands, “– and my crew draws a salary.”
Cracken closed his eyes briefly, clearly annoyed, but just said, “Agreed. We’ll discuss the specifics later.”
Hera and Leia left a few minutes after that, letting the door slide shut behind them as they stepped out into the corridor.
“I have something for you that I didn’t want to give you in front of General Cracken,” Hera told her quietly, drawing her aside into an empty room. She withdrew the box Bail Organa had given her from the bag slung over her shoulder, holding it out to Leia.
For a long moment Leia just looked at it. Eventually, she reached out, her fingers hovering just above the silver insignia inlaid in the fine wood of the lid, then she snatched her hand back as though she couldn’t bear to touch it. Hera didn’t protest, just waited patiently as Leia stared at it.
She hadn’t left her meeting with Bail Organa out of her report, though she hadn’t conveyed the exact content of their conversation either, not having a Jedi’s near-eidetic memory.
Finally, Leia reached out with shaking hands and took the box from her. She didn’t open it, just drew it in against herself, cradling it against her chest. Her voice a little shaky, she said, “He was…well?”
“Yes,” Hera said. She started to reach out, then hesitated, not certain if Leia wanted the comfort or not.
Leia didn’t seem to see her. She whispered, “They’ll live. They’ll all live. Somewhere else, even if not…here. They’ll live.” She bit her lip, then looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’d like to be alone now.”
Hera nodded. She touched Leia’s shoulder briefly and found that the younger woman was trembling; Hera squeezed her shoulder and then left her alone, letting the door slide closed behind her.
*
She was on her way back to the Ghost, docked in one of the massive warship’s several bays, when she ran into Ahsoka. Hera stopped at the other woman’s gesture, stepping aside into a mostly empty wardroom. The only two officers already there cleared out when they saw Hera’s general’s insignia, saluting her briefly before they left.
Hera eyed Ahsoka a bit warily. While they had been friendly in the old days with Phoenix Squadron, Hera had never been able to feel anything other than resentful of Ahsoka’s return from Malachor, nor had she been able to shake the suspicion that the other woman was keeping something from her. Something had changed there, something more drastic than the circumstances had suggested. Hera was vaguely aware that that was more than a little unfair, given what those circumstances had been, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. It helped that since her return Ahsoka had avoided her and most of the other members of the Rebel Alliance, preferring to go off on her own rather than take any formal role.
“Before you ask,” Ahsoka said, “it was my decision to bring Jacen here. Sabine went to get him from Ryloth. I spoke to General Syndulla before she arrived.”
Hera felt the muscle in her jaw twitch. Political reasons meant her father couldn’t set foot on a New Republic ship and thus couldn’t have come with Jacen; Ahsoka must have been very convincing to get him to agree to this. “I hope you have a good explanation for why you thought my five-year-old son ought to be on a warship.”
Ahsoka tucked her hands behind her back, frowning. “Believe me, Hera, if I hadn’t thought it was necessary I never would have brought him here. Rex didn’t find me until after you had already left.”
“That still doesn’t explain why my son is here,” Hera said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Because I didn’t think we would be able to get you back without him,” Ahsoka said. “And we nearly didn’t even with him here.”
Hera frowned at her. “Explain.”
Ahsoka sighed and looked around, then dropped into the nearest armchair and folded her legs in front of her. Hera sat too, a little stiffly; the chairs and couches in the room were all mismatched and hard-worn, but comfortable enough compared to the inside of a cockpit.
“When Luke sent you away – sent you over there – he had to have a – for lack of a better word, an anchor, a target. That was why they had to use you and not someone else.” She rubbed briefly at her forehead, suddenly looking every day of her thirty-odd years.
Hera nodded warily. “No one else with a high enough clearance for this op could be relatively certain of being able to access the same place they probably were before Scarif. We weren’t even sure just using the Ghost would work, except it did.”
“She – the Hera Syndulla from that universe, I mean – was there when you arrived?” Ahsoka inquired, looking briefly curious.
“Not in the room. She said she was just outside the ship – the Ghost was docked in a hangar on Naboo.”
“Hmm.” Ahsoka smoothed the side of her thumb over the armor plate resting across her crossed legs, her expression academically curious for an instant before she drew herself back to the subject at hand. “Having her there, in the Ghost, in a specific time span, gave Luke something to aim for. It could have been any number of other universes, too, other – other possibilities.”
Hera nodded. “Kanan – the other Kanan – said that the reason Luke had to use those constraints because he wasn’t aiming for anything very, very specific. He had to have a range, but not one which was too wide.”
Ahsoka frowned in thought. “I suppose. I didn’t think about it like that, but the dialect on the artifact is very archaic. My grasp on it is better than Luke’s, but I came to the same conclusion he did.” She looked up, her brows drawing together. “The…other Kanan. He didn’t use an artifact or a focus of any kind?”
Hera shook her head. “He said he didn’t need to. He said that Jedi didn’t use artifacts like that for anything they couldn’t do naturally, those just made it easier, but he also didn’t think he would be able to manage it if he didn’t know who he was looking for or if I wasn’t there, because otherwise he would have to – to sort through all the options, and he didn’t think he could do that.”
The other woman nodded slowly, her frown deepening. For a moment she looked like she was considering commenting on that, then she shook her head and said, “Anyway, that’s going there. Coming back is harder, especially since you’re not a Force-user and can’t direct yourself. Going there, the other Hera Syndulla could act as an anchor for you, to – to pull you into that universe. But to come back to this universe – well, you’re not here. You’re already gone. One of the holocrons Luke found talked about people getting lost in the transition.” She flattened her palms on her knees. “We didn’t find the reference until after you had left.”
“What does Jacen have to with any of that?” Hera asked, deciding to worry about that later.
“Jacen is your son,” Ahsoka said. “Blood of your blood, bone of your bone, to be old-fashioned about it. Your father probably would have worked just as well, but –”
“But he can’t set foot on an Alliance – a New Republic ship unless Ryloth joins the New Republic,” Hera said, rubbing a hand over her face. “You could have taken the Ghost to Ryloth instead of bringing Jacen here.”
Ahsoka shook her head. “The same reason but the other way around. And General Cracken wouldn’t allow it, since this was an Intelligence operation. I did ask.”
Hera ground her teeth and bit back her first few responses to that. When she didn’t say anything, Ahsoka went on, “We thought that Jacen would be able to serve as an anchor for you in this universe, especially because he’s Force-sensitive. We weren’t counting on –”
“Kanan?” Hera filled in for her when she hesitated, and Ahsoka winced.
“No. He…probably helped you along, but it’s hard to tell. It’s not like any of this has been done in living memory.” She glanced aside, clearly uncomfortable.
“Jacen is Kanan’s son too,” Hera pointed out.
“Yes,” Ahsoka admitted, looking even more uncomfortable. “I’m sure that helped. I don’t know what would have happened if your father had been here instead of Jacen.” She added with the ghost of a smile, “You should probably comm your father when you have a chance.”
“I’ll do that,” Hera said dryly. “He’d probably like to know that Kanan’s back and we’re getting married, too.”
Ahsoka sat up so abruptly that Hera heard her back pop. “What?”
“We’re getting married,” Hera repeated, raising an eyebrow.
Ahsoka pushed to her feet and paced the room, as if she suddenly couldn’t bear being seated any longer. Hera turned her head to watch her, frowning. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, of course not,” Ahsoka said, her voice strained and the words seemingly automatic; almost in the same breath she finished, “Yes.”
Hera felt the muscle in her jaw jump. “You and Kanan used to be friends.” You and I used to be friends, she thought, but held back the words. They weren’t enemies, but it had been a long time since they had been friends. Some of that was due to Hera’s inability to look at any Force-user without thinking, it should have been Kanan, but Ahsoka had pulled away from everyone except Rex after she had come back from Malachor.
Ahsoka stopped pacing. She was still facing away from Hera, but Hera could tell that she had her arms crossed over her chest, her shoulders hunched in. “We were. We are.”
Hera rubbed a hand over her face. She wanted to go back to the Ghost, reassure herself of Kanan’s presence, hug her son, and comm her father, but apparently she had to deal with this first. “Do you have something against my son?”
“Jacen’s a very nice boy,” Ahsoka said without turning around. She was quiet for a long moment, then she said, “Do you know who Luke’s father is?”
“A Jedi Knight who was killed during the Purge,” Hera said. She and Luke had talked about it a little when they had been stationed on Hoth together; he had sought her out after someone had told him about Kanan and Ezra.
“Anakin Skywalker,” Ahsoka said, a wealth of pain in her voice. “He was my master. And he didn’t die during the Purge.” She took a deep breath, then turned around to face Hera. “You might know him better as Darth Vader.”
Hera blinked rapidly.
“I don’t think – I know Kanan. I knew Kanan. The situation isn’t the same. I just –” Ahsoka bit her lower lip.
“You had better not be saying what it sounds like you’re saying,” Hera said quietly.
Ahsoka closed her eyes briefly. “After – Malachor – I did some digging. During the Clone War I’d made assumptions – well, we all had. It’s not as though Jedi never had affairs, though we weren’t permitted commitments outside the Order. And Padmé – Luke’s mother – had been a friend of mine. We all knew they were having an affair. Except it wasn’t an affair. They had been married in secret just after the war started.” There was agony on her face as she looked at Hera. “Anakin broke his vows, and because of it the Order died. They all died.”
Hera got to her feet. “Kanan isn’t him.”
“I know that!” Ahsoka snapped. She took a deep breath, putting one hand on the back of the chair nearest her.
“And the Jedi Order is a generation in its grave. There’s no one left but you and Kanan.”
“I know that too,” Ahsoka said. She was clutching the back of the chair so tightly that Hera heard the suede of her gauntlets creak.
Hera crossed her arms over her chest. “Does Luke know you knew his father?”
Ahsoka shook her head. “Knowing wouldn’t serve any purpose. The Anakin Skywalker I knew…” She let the words trail off, then shook her head again. “I can’t look at him and think of anything but what Anakin did, and I won’t burden him with that more than he is already. That’s not a ghost he needs to carry with him.”
“Is it one that you need to?” Hera asked her quietly.
“If I could set it aside I would,” Ahsoka said. She sounded unspeakably weary. “But everyone I know died. That isn’t an exaggeration. Everyone I know – except Rex – died because of him, because he decided to break his vows and we all loved him so much we let him.” She rubbed a hand over her face, briefly dislodging her headband. “Hera, it’s nothing against Kanan, truly, or you, or Jacen. But Anakin was a good person too, and so was Padmé. And – and everyone died. All of them. Padmé, Obi-Wan, the Order, the clones, the Republic – they all died because of Anakin. The Emperor as well, but – Anakin sided with that. And I’ll never know why, not really. I did what I could to find out, but – but everyone is dead. There’s no one left who knows. They’re all dead. And Anakin did that.”
She looked up at Hera. “That’s what I see every time I look at Luke. I won’t give him that burden, but I can’t set it aside either.”
“Is that what you think about Kanan and me?” Hera asked her. “That we’re on the knife’s edge of everyone dying?”
“No,” Ahsoka said. “No. But when you said it –” She hesitated, then went on, “– when you said it, it was the only thing I could think of. And I know you and I knew Kanan, but I knew Anakin too.” She looked at the chair she was gripping, then sighed and moved around to drop into it. “I knew you and Kanan were involved before, but I didn’t – I didn’t have to know it, if that makes sense. And I didn’t know about Anakin then. When I came back, I did know, and – and you had Jacen. And Luke was there too, and I couldn’t…I couldn’t bear it. I know it’s not fair,” she added defensively as Hera glared at her.
“No, it’s not.” She tried to bite back the sarcasm in her voice, but suspected she didn’t succeed. She stood there, looking at Ahsoka’s slumped form in the armchair, and said the first thing that came to mind, “Did you tell Kanan you were worried about him snapping and murdering us all?”
Ahsoka looked badly startled. “No, of course not. We had other things to discuss.” She grimaced, then added, “And Luke was there, and some of what I have to say to Kanan I won’t say in front of him.”
Oh, this should be good, Hera thought. She had always thought of Ahsoka as fairly even-tempered, but the handful of occasions where she hadn’t managed to avoid Luke had been memorable for everyone with the misfortune to be in the vicinity. “Then if you’re not going to say it to me, I need to go comm my father.”
She was almost at the door when Ahsoka said slowly, “Hera –”
She turned back. “What?”
Ahsoka bit her lower lip. She was quiet for a long moment, then she said, “Ezra could have brought Kanan back six years ago, when he brought me back, and I stopped him.”
Hera froze.
Ahsoka looked back at her, her gaze weary. “There was a reason –”
“I don’t care,” Hera said. Her mind felt as though it had gone blank with either shock or rage; she wasn’t sure which at this point. She balled up her fists at her sides, not certain either whether she just needed something to do with her hands or if she was trying not to hit Ahsoka. “I don’t care,” she said again, and was surprised to find that it was the truth. She took a shuddering breath, because Kanan was here now and it really didn’t matter as long as Ahsoka didn’t try to remedy what she clearly thought of as a mistake. Then her mind caught up with the rest of what Ahsoka had said and she snapped, “Do you know where Ezra is?”
“No,” Ahsoka said. She had sat up straight, but not risen. “This was before he went missing – from what Sabine’s told me, from when he went inside the Jedi Temple on Lothal.”
Less than a day after Kanan had died.
Hera stared at her, trying to think of something to say. She only realized she had put her hand over her stomach when she felt the edge of her belt buckle pressing into the side of her hand. She had been pregnant then and only just beginning to realize it; she wouldn’t be certain for another few weeks.
Hera still had nightmares about that day.
“I told Ezra I would find him,” Ahsoka said.
“Don’t bother,” Hera said. “We’ll do that.”
She turned and left.
She felt as if she was having an out of body experience, her hands still shaking, the ordinary ship sounds around her strangely muted, even the recycled air moving across her face every time she passed a vent seemingly alien. Whatever expression was on her face seemed to warn anyone off; passing crew members or pilots veered around her.
Slowly – painfully slowly – reality reasserted itself, and by the time she had reached the hangar bay where the Ghost was docked she was breathing normally again, the sound of her footsteps on the durasteel floor familiar instead of muffled. When she tapped her code into the Ghost’s locking mechanism and waited for the ramp to lower she almost didn’t feel like screaming anymore.
Once inside she raised the ramp again, then just stood with her forehead tipped against the ladder leading up to the cockpit, aware of the sound of voices from up above. Kanan’s was one of them, though several layers of deck and closed doors made it impossible for her to make out the words. She let the cool metal of the ladder leech out her remaining anger until she finally felt calm enough to climb up and follow the voices into the common room.
She stopped in the doorway, fighting back her instinct to burst into immediate tears. Kanan was sitting on the floor with Jacen, his expression somewhere between stunned and awed. Jacen had brought out the box of toys Hera kept on the Ghost, as well as some that he must have brought with him from Ryloth, and was gravely showing them to Kanan. He did this by putting each one into Kanan’s left hand, then guiding Kanan’s right hand over the toy – at the moment it was a large stuffed anooba plush that Numa had made him several years earlier. Sabine and Zeb were sitting at the holotable, watching them and looking like they weren’t terribly far from tears either. Chopper was watching too, and somehow managed to look as emotional as it was possible for an astromech droid to get, though at Hera’s approach he chortled a greeting.
“Mama!” Jacen said gleefully, abandoning the anooba in Kanan’s hands, and scrambled up to run to her.
Hera hugged him, kissing his hair. “Hi, baby. Are you and your father and Auntie Sabine and Uncle Zeb having fun?”
Jacen nodded enthusiastically and tugged her towards Kanan and the pile of toys. “Look what Grandpapa gave me!”
Hera sat down next to Kanan and leaned over to kiss him, then turned her attention to the delicately carved nunas-and-gutkurrs set Jacen showed her. After he was certain she had seen it, he took each small animal out of the case to hand to Kanan, who inspected it solemnly with his fingers before passing it back and accepting the next one. Hera had had a similar set when she was a child, but had lost most of the pieces by the time she was ten.
“So are you heading back to Starfighter Command now?” Zeb said eventually, his voice elaborately casual. Chopper echoed the question, curious.
“No,” Hera said. “I’m transferring permanently to Intelligence, and there’s something I need to talk to all of you about.”
Sabine, who had been slouching and picking at some peeling paint on her knuckle plates, sat up straight. “We’re going after Ezra?”
Hera stared at her. “I didn’t even say anything!”
Sabine waved a hand. “It’s the only thing it could be, now that Kanan’s back.” She grinned happily at him. “Unless you wanted to stay and help Luke with his mission to restore the Jedi.”
Kanan grimaced. “He seems like a nice kid, but I just spent three hours in the middle of a doctrinal dispute and I didn’t even think I still had standards for heresy.”
They all stared at him.
“…what,” Zeb said eventually.
He winced. “Don’t ask. I was afraid to because I’m pretty sure I disagree with both of them, but pointing that out just now seemed like it was asking for trouble.”
“Amateurs,” Sabine sniffed. “No one’s dead yet. By Mandalorian standards that’s barely even a spirited debate.”
“To be fair, two of us were dead,” Kanan pointed out dryly. “We just happened to get better.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t die from the doctrinal debate, so it doesn’t count.”
“That’s because every time the Jedi have a doctrinal debate that results in someone dying it also results in a galactic civil war that lasts for years and kills hundreds of thousands of other people,” Kanan said. “So we try to avoid getting to that point.”
Sabine shrugged. “Maybe if you had those more often you’d have smaller civil wars.”
Zeb frowned at her. “Isn’t that why all you Mandalorians hate each other in the first place?”
“Not as much as we hate anyone who tries to interfere in our civil wars.”
Zeb gave Hera a pained expression.
“Don’t look at me,” Hera said, gathering Jacen into her lap. “Ryloth was still having blood feuds between clans three generations ago, and even now you shouldn’t try to get a Fenn and a Kru in the same room together if you don’t want trouble.”
Sabine pointed at her. “See, someone who understands me.”
“I don’t think anyone understands you,” Zeb muttered. “Back on Lasan – and Lira San – we all just sued each other.”
“Well, that sounds boring.”
“And dueling, but that’s been illegal for a century – two on Lira San. And that’s only for extreme cases anyway.”
“Now we’re talking,” Sabine said, sounding more satisfied as Chopper chuckled agreement. “I was starting to get worried for a moment there.”
“About what?” Kanan wondered out loud. “It’s not like there aren’t lawyers on Mandalore.”
“Well, not anymore,” Sabine said.
Kanan raised an eyebrow at her, then visibly decided not to pursue that line of questioning any further and went on, “And I’m pretty sure under the circumstances trying to kill either Luke or Ahsoka would have been a bad idea.”
Hera felt the muscle in her jaw twitch again. Jacen turned his face up to her, feeling her sudden tension, and Hera hugged him. Kanan picked up one of Jacen’s discarded toys, a small stuffed Loth-wolf, and balanced it briefly on the palm of his hand. Then he turned his hand sideways, the Loth-wolf remaining suspended in mid-air, and sent the Loth-wolf galloping towards Jacen. He bounced with glee, making Hera let out a soft oof, and caught it.
“I can do that too!” He narrowed his eyes in concentration, then sent the Loth-wolf back to Kanan. It wobbled a little in mid-air, but Kanan caught it easily, grinning. He picked up the anooba Jacen had shown him earlier.
Jacen put his hands out gleefully, not waiting for Kanan to send it to him. It sailed through the air to him and he hugged it, then he caught the Loth-wolf that Kanan sent after it.
“Hold that for a few minutes, love, we need to talk,” Hera told him. She settled him more comfortably in her lap – he was heavier than she remembered him being, but then again she hadn’t seen him in person for several months – and looked at the rest of her crew.
Her crew.
She, Zeb, Sabine, and Chopper had only been in the same place a handful of times over the past six years, and Kanan hadn’t been there at all. Hera had served with a number of people whom she had gotten along with, many of whom she had liked, but none of them were the three beings and one droid in the room with her now – in the Ghost with her now. She had thought that she would go to her grave without ever having this again.
Hera swallowed past the lump in her throat. “There have been rumors about Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Seventh Fleet for years,” she said. Zeb knew some of this, but she didn’t think Sabine did and Kanan certainly didn’t. “Rebel Intelligence has never been able to confirm that they’re still out there or that Thrawn was in touch with the Emperor – or anyone from the Remnant, for that matter. Because we’ve been busy dealing with the warlords since Endor, General Cracken – that’s the head of Intelligence,” she added for Kanan’s benefit, “– hasn’t been able to send anyone out into the Unknown Regions to investigate the rumors.”
“What happened to General Draven?” Kanan asked, startled; the previous head of Rebel Intelligence had been on Yavin while they had been there.
“He died,” Hera said. “Five years ago.”
Kanan winced.
“So since we’re going to be out there anyway, we might as well do it with Alliance – Republic – authority?” Sabine said. She cocked an eyebrow at Hera. “That is what you said to Cracken?”
“More or less,” Hera said. “Doing it with Republic authority was his idea. I was just going to resign.” She hesitated, then added, “I can’t order you – any of you – to come. But I’ve let this go long enough and I won’t wait any longer.” She couldn’t help but look at Kanan as she went on, “Ezra is family, and we’ve all lost enough family to the Empire.”
“I’m in,” Sabine said.
“Me too,” Zeb said. Chopper chortled agreement.
Kanan just leaned over and kissed her.
Hera let out her breath, relief making her shoulders slump. “All right,” she said. “Make your arrangements. We have to take Jacen back to Ryloth.” She smiled at Kanan. “And we’re getting married.”
That got them a round of back-slapping and congratulations and promising not to actually do it until both Sabine and Zeb could be there. By the time they were all settled down again, Hera was flushed with happiness, leaning against Kanan’s shoulder with her other arm around her son.
We’re all right, she thought, looking around at her crew – at her family. We’re all going to be all right.
#cut scenes and concept writing#other side au tag#also a peak example of 'I prefer to work things out in fic versus writing meta' re ahsoka here
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* adapted from @librajiminn on twitter
A fun game to celebrate 2020 ending! The rules are simple: recommend your favorite OMGCP fics so everyone can enjoy them, while trying to fill in enough slots to get a bingo!
This is going to get long, so I’ll put it under a cut. Also, I’m too orderly to try to shoehorn my favorite fics into these particular prompts, so I’m just going to go right to left, top to bottom, taking the prompts literally, until it’s bedtime.
1. first fic you bookmarked: “Here Comes the Sun” by @doggernaut, 19k, G, no warnings, Zimbits
For the past month, the man with the baby and the sad blue eyes has been stopping in for a cup of coffee an hour before closing. He always sits in an overstuffed chair in the corner and drinks his coffee while his baby sleeps next to him in the stroller. Sometimes he pulls a book out from the diaper bag he carries with him; other times he just stares straight ahead as if in a daze. He never asks for a refill, always respectfully gathers his things and leaves ten minutes before the shop officially closes. Eric desperately wants to ask him what his story is.
My notes: I read Check Please over the course of two days in June of 2019. On the second day, right after catching up, I looked at @peppermintfeminist‘s AO3 bookmarks and found a fic by @doggernaut. Then I read just about everything @doggernaut had ever posted. It was glorious. This fic in particular is so cute.
2. most recent fic you bookmarked: “Flight Check” by @edgarallanrose, 15k, E, no warnings (though there is a creepy/handsy guy at a club to watch out for), primarily Zimbits with most of the other popular pairings in the background
Flight attendant Eric “Bitty” Bittle has been working his way up at Samwell Airlines for the past four years, and his new promotion has provided him the opportunity to work with a brand-new crew. Unfortunately for Bitty, that crew includes an incredibly handsome but equally grumpy pilot, Captain Jack Zimmermann, who seems to want nothing to do with Bitty. Even worse, Jack refuses to eat any of Bitty's baked goods. Will Bitty be able to win the captain over? Or is there another reason Jack has been avoiding Bitty?
My notes: There are a lot of great things about this fic--Jack’s character arc, Lardo’s dialogue, that scene in Seattle--but the reason I bookmarked it is the scene where Bitty’s basically slut-shaming himself and Jack gently but firmly tells Bitty not to do that and that it was the creep’s fault.
3. a fic that made you cry actual tears: “a little bit more” by @ivecarvedawoodenheart, 14k, T, no warnings, Holsom
“I just wanted,” he says, “a perfect day. With you. Because it’s our last day together and our last day being here as undergrads and we’re kissing the ice tonight, and the weather’s supposed to be beautiful, and you’re moving tomorrow and Holtzy I just — I don’t want to be missing you already.” Holster wipes his eyes before he even realizes he’s crying. Behind him, Ransom sighs. “One more day where everything’s the same,” he says, feeling around blindly for Rans’ fingers. He feels Rans nod as he laces their fingers together. “Yeah. Yeah, Rans. I’d like that a lot.” __________________________
Holsom after graduation and throughout the subsequent six months after Holster signs to an expansion team in Oregon, and realizes his feelings for Ransom too late. Holster's POV :) kinda angsty, but there's a happy ending :)
Inspired by shitty-check-please-aus: "Holster moves to Oregon while Ransom stays on the east coast. The time difference makes it difficult to talk and one day they wake up and realize they aren’t best bros anymore."
My notes: I almost never cry at fics. I searched “tears” in my fandom email account and only a handful of my fic comments came up, but Syd is a literal master of Holsom angst, always.
4. longest fic you’ve read: “Like Real People Do” by @xiaq, 153k, M, No Warnings, Kent Parson x OC
Parson gestures with his spoon toward Hawke. “So am I allowed to ask about the service dog or is that not PC?”
“My medical history is more of a 3rd date conversation," Eli says.
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“Because. No one sticks around afterward and I like to live in glorious denial for a short period beforehand.”
It comes out more self-deprecating than he intended.
Parson looks…thoughtful. “Well, does this count as one or two?
“Pardon?”
“This. Ice cream. I mean, technically it’s a second location, but still the same night. So is this one date or two?”
“One,” Eli says firmly. “If it’s happening within the same three-hour period.”
“You’re the expert,” Parson says, which, he’s really, really, not, but ok.
“So still two dates to go then?” Parson continues.
“I—what?”
“We’ve got a roadie coming up but then we’re home for almost two weeks. When does your semester start?”
“You want to do this again?” Eli asks.
Parson stops idly twirling his spoon.
“You don’t?”
He does, Eli realizes. He really does. Because apparently he actually likes Kent fucking Parson.
My notes: Okay, this fic has my whole entire heart. I’ve read it multiple times in its entirety, and it’s almost twice as long as the full-length novel I’m querying. Eli is one of my favorite OCs I’ve ever seen in a fic (probably tied with Damian Navarro and Ari Paxton, both brainchildren of @fozmeadows). Anyway, this is probably going to be the next thing @themeaningoflifeischeese and I read out loud to each other.
5. a fic you almost didn’t read: “when all else fails (i’ll still be right here)” by @whoacanada, 6k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (and I don’t remember if I think there’s stuff to warn for, sorry), Zimbits
The National Hockey League is resurrecting the Quebec City Nordiques, and the expansion draft hits the Falconers much harder than expected.
My notes: Given that this was for @omgcpheartbreakfest, I was worried this would be all angst--all hurt and no comfort. Which made me sad, because I love @whoacanada‘s writing but I wasn’t up for reading unresolved angst. But @doggernaut reblogged the fic, so I asked if the ending was sad, and it’s NOT! There is quite a bit of angst but the ending isn’t sad.
6. a fic that convinced you on a ship you didn’t ship before: “it drops with the gravity of rain” by @geniusorinsanity, 16k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (attempted sexual assault by an OC), Nurseydex
It happens like this:
“I don’t--this is a bad idea,” Dex says, his lips still tingling, his hands shaking on Nursey’s hips where he’s shoved him away. “This is a really bad idea, Nurse. I can’t--We can’t do this.”
And there’s hurt in Nursey’s eyes and his bottom lip is swollen from Dex’s teeth, but he says, “Okay.” And then, “It’s chill, Dex. Just friends, then.”
It happens like this:
“Actually,” Nursey says, talking more to his granola than to them, “I kind of have a date.”
It happens like this:
When Nursey calls, Dex almost doesn’t pick up the phone.
My notes: So I was really confused and a little disturbed when I first found out people shipped Nursey and Dex. Like, Dex just wasn’t someone I trusted. But then I was moving out of the house I’d been living in, and I needed stuff to listen to as I packed and cleaned, and @khashanakalashtar‘s podfics came in clutch. I gave this one a try even though I didn’t like Dex, and @geniusorinsanity blew. My. Mind.
7. a fic from an unusual POV: “Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy” by @porcupine-girl, 8k, G, no warnings, Zimbits
Jesse Snowden knows all the best restaurants and gourmet food shops in Providence, so when Jack Zimmermann starts bringing in incredible baked goods, he's eager to find out where the new bakery is. When he meets the man behind the pies, he decides that there's no way Jack could really appreciate this guy's talent the way he does, even if they are friends. He starts hiring Jack's chef on the side, in the hopes that maybe once Bitty's done with college he'll come work for Jesse.
Good thing there is absolutely no way whatsoever that Jesse could possibly be misinterpreting this situation.
My notes: Oh my gosh this is so funny. The secondhand embarrassment factor is huge, but like, the hilarity.
8. a comfort fic: “Don’t Need to Compromise” by @khashanakalashtar, 11k, E, no warnings, PB&J
“Hey,” said Kent, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that would change his entire life, “you said that like you know from experience. Have you done this before?”
Jack and Bitty have not done polyamory before, but they do know Ransom and Holster’s polycule, which contains March.
And March?
March is trans.
My notes: I’m in love with @khashanakalashtar‘s entire Directionverse series (and honestly a lot of their other writing), but “Don’t Need to Compromise,” which is the second fic in the series, just makes my heart swell especially much. The gender feels are so good, and all the characters are so good to each other, and when I listen to this on walks I have to actively try not to arm-flap.
9. a fic you wish could be a movie: “Ice Crew Please!” by @petals42, 61k, T, no warnings, Zimbits
Jack Zimmermann was drafted first by the Providence Falconers when he was eighteen years old. He is good at hockey. Very good. His team won the Cup his second year and now, in his third year, they are looking good. Jack should be on top of the world. And some days, he manages to convince himself he is.
He’s not, of course.
Enter the Ice Crew.
AKA: The Ice Crew AU
My notes: This fic has its tender moments, but what I love most about it is the sheer goofiness. Ransom and Holster and Shitty are HILARIOUS in this one. I’d love to see their shenanigans in movie form.
10. a WIP you read as it was updated: “Something Borrowed” by @fozmeadows, 48k, M, no warnings, Kent x OC
All things considered, Ari did his best to prepare himself for the advent of Kent Parson, Potentially Difficult Housemate and New Star Liney. The problem was that his best was an idiot.
My notes: So technically I didn’t start reading this until the first 19 chapters were posted. But there was still plenty of anticipation for the final few chapters. And like, @fozmeadows (as mentioned above) makes EXCELLENT OCs. And I love how their fics consistently convey that having bad things happen to you does not mark the end of your story.
Okay, it’s bedtime, so have 10 excellent fics. I got bingo twice, because I went straight across on the top two rows.
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Sisyphus: The Myth Ep 1- A Dissection
Okay, so I’ve had some time to process what I subjected myself to today, so I’ve decided to list everything in episode 1 that is just completely insane and an example of how Not To Do it.
I’m not an expert on Film Theory, but i’ve watched a shitton of media, plus I watch a lot of Youtube Video essays, so clearly I’m half
The episode starts off okay enough even if we get a weird exposition dump and “tense” parting scene between a father and daughter.
We start in what presumably is the time travel terminal where people stand around in pyjamas waiting to get through.
Okay, fairly interesting if unspectacular but I’m guessing that’s the point, this is now an industry. We zoom in and get this line that made me laugh, because well...
a) humans are living creatures and b) the amount of microbial organisms on human skin is estimated to be at hundreds of billions, or more. And this kind of time travel/teleportation is always hinky because well if you think about it, how does that even work without getting into The Fly territory. I’m willing to cut this drama some slack here and maybe it’s an awkward translation besides.
This gets... exceedingly long, but if you want a (too) in-depth summary of what happens in ep 1 and why it doesn’t work (for me) read on :D.
But then the real trouble starts, because PSH’s dad (I’m not bothering to learn the character names) says he’s not going with her and this is apparently very sudden. He then makes her repeat some lines that are supposed to create tension? Be exposition? Idk.
“Don’t trust anyone.”
“Don’t get involved with [CSW]’s character.”
PSH get’s teary eyed, because her dad is not coming with her, but the problem with scenes like these is: I don’t know either of them and do not have an emotional connection to their parting. Sure, it tells us something about PSH (she likes her dad and is worried about him) but I also don’t know how important her dad is going to be down the line. So when PSH asks about her mom and what if her mom dies and her dad just replies everyone dies at some point I’m a bit weirded out, but not to the point where I necessarily want to know more.
We then smashcut to PSH waking up in a world that’s more similar to ours and she does what her dad told her to do. She grabs her (very inconvenient) suitcase and runs along the tracks she woke up next to. We see that she is somewhat surprised by the running trains and also hardy enough to track on despite bleeding feet.
Alas, creepy people in gas-masks with guns and drones are waiting for her, so she runs even harder and after some near misses (they are able to track her by some sort of radiation meter) makes it to safety.
On top of a train car that the TWO DOZEN PEOPLE WITH GUNS AND DRONES are too stupid to check apparently. Clearly if she’s not under the train car, the detecting devices must be mistaken. So she just chills on top of the train car, sitting on her suitcase and those goons trundle off after 5 minutes presumably like they’re Assassin’s Creed Enemy NPCs.
Now we get introduced to CSW in the most insane scene i’ve ever witnessed. Honestly.
He is just ~chilling in 1st class in an airplane, filming a douche who is rude to the plane staff and epically owning him because he’s So Smart.
First of all, I don’t know what that has to do with soggy noodles(which the other asshole complained about), since by that measure the noodles should be *undercooked* (lower boiling point means longer cooking time after all) and secondly good lord I already hate this guy. He then proceeds to Epically Own (tm) with a convenient Forbes (sorry “Eorbes”) Magazine that he is on the cover of and flirts with the plane hostess.
So right off the bat, our impressions of CSW are supposed to be: He’s Cool (look at his hoodie and general bearing), he’s Smart (debatable), he’s nice to The Help (I guess???) stands up to bullies, and most importantly he’s fucking rich. I guess we’re also supposed to get the impression that he’s arrogant, maybe a bit of an asshole, but still cool and everything.
If this had been where the scene had stopped I would have rolled my eyes and then just continued on watching. But no, the writers thought: “Schooling some sexist rich asshole isn’t enough to show off how Cool and Smart and Cocky our main character is. Also he likes the ladies.” Look at him, he’s Tony Stark only from South Korea!!!
So shortly after he sits down, and we have the first moment with CSW where he connected with me emotionally (he sees the ghost of his dead brother and the way he says “because ... you’re dead.” and I thought OOOH this I can work with), the cockpit windshield is hit by what looks to be a suitcase (DUN DUN DUUUN) and something crashes into one of the engines, causing it to explode and catch fire.
The pilot is knocked out and unconscious and even the co-pilot loses consciousness (after conveniently unlocking the cockpit lock). CSW is the only one who goes to check on the pilots, having grabbed a fanny pack from his onboard luggage and quickly assessing the situation he revives the copilot and welds the hole in the windshield shut with some ducttape out of his fannypack and a plastic notepad. IT’S VERY EFFECTIVE! They did it in WW2, or so CSW tells us so you know it’s true.
I’m not sure that ‘s how plane windshields and duct tape and plastic notepad thingies work, but well the plane is still in freefall we have more important things to worry about :).
The electrics are all on the fritz, the copilot cannot get control of the plane and so CSW takes a seat in the captains chair (having foisted the captain out of it, not even he is so crass to sit on some unconscious dude’s lap i guess) and quickly calculates that they have 3 min and 30 secs for CSW to restart the electronics before the plane crashes. So he hands the co-pilot HIS PHONE with a timer on it for 3.5 minutes so the co-pilot can tell him when 30 seconds have passed. Instead of idk, contacting Air Traffic Control or ANYONE he just sits there and lets his big boy brain work.
After 30 seconds he has an idea, because he’s Tony Stark-ing it up like crazy now and can just figure out the electronics of a plane cockpit in 30 seconds, but guess what. HIS PHONE RINGS. AND HE ANSWERS IT, because he’s devil-may-care and “haha look at this, friend, i’m in the cockpit of a crashing plane we have 2 minutes before i’m dead.”
Said friend is calling him from the board meeting of CSWs company, bc of course the board is ~unhappy with CSWs antics (I gotta say I can’t blame them) and the friend doesn’t believe it at first, when he says he’s in a crashing plane, but checks on the news to see it’s true.
I ... I don’t think news work like that, we’ve gone 5 minutes from the initial troubles till now, there won’t be news reports all over the media yet. THEY’RE NOT EVEN TALKING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL YET. Hell he even tells his friend to call 119 or the airport for help. I just... I’m very forgiving of a lot of things in a drama when it comes to writing. I’m willing to ignore obvious blindspots in a narrative, if I think the narrative is strong enough to support whatever it’s trying to say. At this point what could calling the police or the airport do, they have like 90 seconds left...
I don’t know what the writers are trying to tell me with this scene though? It’s so stupid, so unrealistic and CSW is so unpleasant and weird in it, because he tells his friend that he has to confess to taking out the friend’s college girlfriend on a date while they were still together.
Well since the drama is longer than one ep, they do make it out alive, but the fact that the co-pilot managed to safely LAND the plane (which is insane to me) gets skipped over and we just get news snippets that herald CSW as a hero who singlehandedly saved the planes passengers.
We then get to see him in his natural habitat “convalescing” in his giant apartment where he is being showered with gifts by worshippers basically. He continues to be an asshole, but his friend tells him, one more stunt and the board will kick him.
The board will kick the guy who just saved a plane full of lives????? Yeah right, I’m sorry but that’s just fucking stupid from the writers. Why would anyone do that, even if the board hates him, kicking him now, when he’s literally a national hero would be the worst thing they could do for the stock prices. It’s only here so the writers can shoehorn in that CSW is close to OD-ing on pharmaceuticals and that the board wants to monitor his therapy and they have a way of “forcing” him to comply.
Also he has what looks to be a dental x-ray machine next to his bed. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but lol what’s up with these set design choices.
His friend tells him to go to fucking therapy or else and the next scene he is actually at a therapist.
Who’s his ex-girlfriend (they have a whole tangent about that).
Who writes a report about his therapy to the board.
But hey at least the therapy gets us a flashback of the last time he saw his brother. Big surprise he was an asshole to him as well, so no wonder he’s traumatised by that.
After therapy he *conveniently* runs into the co-pilot who’s incoherent and beaten up and hands CSW a usb-drive. It contains video of the cockpit on the day of the crash and it’s obvious what struck the plane was a suitcase and what crashed into the engine was a human being (DUN DUN DUUUUUUN maybe someone forgot to convert feet to meters when setting up the time travel thingamabob).
As he looks at the (very pixelated) figure of the person about to crash into the engine, he suddenly sees his brother’s face and honestly this scene just made me laugh? I know it’s supposed to be haunting and more evidence of CSW’s deep trauma, but I guess at this point my brain was just completely checked out.
And that’s what we end our introductory phase of CSW. What the fuck was that plane thing even for. To show us he’s callous in the face of danger? He’s an asshole even when he’s about to die, so he’s got a long way to go? He’s haunted by the spectre of his dead brother and the guilt he feels for not being there when he died? I got a lot of that before we had the insane Plane Adventure!!! There are literally millions of ways they could have gotten this information to the viewers and not made an absurd spectacle of the plot that means that everything afterwards just feels lame, because you already had the insanity that was this plane ride, so it can only go down tension wise.
Now we’re back to PSH, but honestly her parts are kinda boring and bog-standard “UwU I’m unfamiliar with this way of life, I don’t even know how to eat a banana (that looks *nothing* like a banana btw), so I just eat it peel and root and all. Also I’m from the Future, that means I obviously know todays LOTTERY NUMBERS.”
I know kdramas like clichés and tropes, I like them too, that’s why I watch kdramas, but you gotta give me a bit more if you want me to at least invest in PSH, because I’m sure as hell not invested in CSW.
She gets taken in by some guy, because we can’t have her homeless all the time, and she needs someone to explain this world to her and also how to eat bananas properly and she opens her suitcase. It’s got both future-tech-y looking stuff and a pink notepad that seems to hold specific information on what needs to happen on certain days.
She also makes this expression and I don’t know if we’re supposed to laugh because she’s not threatening or if we’re supposed to laugh because she’s not threatening, but we know she’s gonna kick ass later, haha you just thought she was harmless. I gotta say it’s the former for me.
Rarrr fierce Elite Warrior PSH coming to get you.
She tries to get in touch with CSW, already breaking one of her dad’s three commandments. Oh, I guess staying with this guy breaks the other two. Welp, so much for that then. What even was the point of that first scene...
Anyway she tries to get in touch with CSW but ofc you cant just call the richest person ever (Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos would get very angry voicemails from me if that were the case), but she manages to get his voicemail. Or a voicemail he spoke for. But oh no, she is just Not Familiar with this world and keeps having a conversation with the voicemail as if it’s CSW himself.
CSW who has scienced his way to finding the suitcase that crashed the plane and as she begs his voicemail not to open the suitcase, of course he opens it and gasp the combination for the suitcase lock is his birthday!!! Something his brother used to do!!!
MAYBE THAT MAN WAS HIS BROTHER AFTER ALL!!!! OH NO!!
But thank fuck the episode is over now.
VERDICT:
Just no. Don’t do this. The latter half of the show is more standard fare, but the first 25 minutes destroy any capability of this show making sense. I can see what the writers are trying to do, but it’s so hamfisted and badly written I’m just not willing to go along.
If you want a show that also has a fantasy action aspect (and this show is all fantasy no matter how much it tries to science it up), watch LUCA instead. That show at least knows how to set a tone, how to get us invested in the characters and does exposition in a way that doesn’t feel obtrusive.
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My Choice [3 / 3]
Summary: You are Anakin’s twin sister and Mace Windu’s apprentice with forbidden kind of interest in Master Kenobi. You’re there to witness your brother’s turn to the Dark side and have trouble dealing with the consequences. Five years later, you visit Obi-Wan on Tatooine…
PART 1 | PART 2
Word Count: 5.8k
Pairing: Obi-Wan Kenobi x reader
Warnings: !MyEnglish!, ptsd talk, talk about regrets, angsty!reader, but also comforting!Obi and fluffy!Obi and baby!Luke + one more character has a cameo and overly fluffy ending the reader is a bit of a crybaby in this one, sorry
A/N: THIS TOOK ME SO LONG - I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE!!! Also I haven’t read the comic about Obi-Wan and his time on Tatooine so… I just hope all of you are doing the best you can and enjoy 💖💖💖
Tagged: @retrobhaddie @multi-madison @treestarrrrrrrr @fandoms-pizza-wifi-ym13 @lysawayne
Five long years since the tragedy of the Jedi. Since their failure and the purge. After all those years, here you were. Flying in your stolen ship, fleeing away from your inevitable destiny. You ran out of supplies and had to take a break, stop somewhere safe. You had a planet in mind, it was close and you were certain no one from the Empire would be looking for you there if you don’t stay for long. It was the hole of the universe after all. But somethin- no, someone was calling for you to land there. So you set the coordinations to Tatooine. You used your connection to the Force to find the perfect place to hide your ship nearest the pull you sensed. You shut down all systems and took a deep breath. For the first time in years, you would step into the harsh, dry and sandy grounds of the planet you were born on. It wasn’t your home for a long time and you felt bitter and nostalgic looking outside. Yet as you were sitting there in the cockpit, you saw a familiar cloak walking towards your position from behind a mountain. At that moment, all your worries and doubts faded like a mist.
You ran out as fast as you could and stayed staring at the figure few feet away from you. Your heart was beating quickly from the excitement and when he pulled his hood off and looked directly into your eyes, it definitely felt like coming back home.
“Y/N?”
“Obi-Wan…”
Your voices were nothing but a whisper. A whisper that told a million words and more. Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing there in front of you and it was like yesterday when you said your last goodbyes. And he was stunned. He came to the conclusion that it was very likely he would never see you again in his lifetime after Order 66. He never quite made his peace with that and couldn’t believe in what was happening. He thought he was hallucinating. There you were, in all your beauty and grace. Your y/h/c hair was messy, y/e/c eyes red from fatigue and your brown robes dusty. Even like that you still managed to look as elegant as always.
Kenobi took a hesitant step towards you, fearing that you might disappear any second. You didn’t. He took another step closer and you jumped into his arms.
“I’ve missed so much, Obi-Wan!” You blurted out as tears of joy started streaming down your face. You held onto him tightly and sobbed and cried your heart out. As he came to reality, he too embraced you and buried his face in your neck. It wasn’t just a dream. You were indeed here. In his arms. Right where you belong.
“Y/N… I am so happy you’re actually here. You can’t imagine how bad it was being alone like this!” He lifted you up and spun around before putting you back on your feet.
You dried your tears, while he was holding you close to him by your waist. “Master Jedi, I… You… Just… Me…” You spent hours thinking about all the things you wanted to talk about with him but now as you finally had the chance to express yourself, your own mouth was failing you. You could not even make up one proper sentence.
“I-I’m… Umm… It’s been so long.”
“I know, I was afraid I would never see you again. I’m so glad that will not be the case.” He said with a blissful expression. You smiled at him and he kissed your forehead, sending a warm feeling to rush through your body.
“Obi… I could sense you. With the Force, I sensed you. I think.”
“I sensed you too. That’s why I came. I thought I was losing my mind. What would you be doing here, right? But now I see that my senses have not abandoned me yet.”
“No, they are still pretty decent.”
“Oh, decent you say? Well, what are you doing here anyway? I guess you’re not just stopping by to say hello to an old friend.”
“Actually, I ran out of supplies so I need to get some food and stuff. And I think I need to check this beauty for any damage.”
Obi-Wan frowned and touched his beard. “That is not the ship Bail Organa had given you. What happened to it and how did you get this one? It looks ancient.”
“Yeah, you really don’t wanna know how I got that. Maybe I’ll tell you later but it’s a long story that I don’t wanna get into right now.”
“If you think that would be for the best, I’ll leave it be. But come on. We’ll go to my little house and I’ll get you something to eat.”
“That would be so nice! I am starving! Um, but I shouldn’t leave her here unguarded.”
“Don’t worry about it. Nothing will happen to it. Trust me. And if anything does happen, I have my methods of getting it back.”
“Alright then. But um, I actually call her Soka. Because of the blue and white stripe there on the side.” Obi-Wan paused for a second, then smiled. With one of his arms around your shoulders, you two walked over to the house that he was apparently now living in. The place looked poor and you couldn’t help but think about the Jedi quarters you spent half your life in.
“That’s a whole another level, Kenobi. Even for you.”
“There wasn’t really much to be picking from.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s okay. I’ll get you some soup.”
You sat down near a tiny window and pulled your legs to your chest. The heat reminded you of your childhood. How you used to help your mom with cleaning, cooking and then would go to play with Anakin and the other local children. Looking back at it now, you could tell that as much as it sucked, those were good times. Just you, your mamma and your big brother Ani. You signed at the thought, pictures from the past running through your head. Padmé, the handmaidens, Qui-Gon and young Obi-Wan with his cute padawan braid. He certainly did not enjoy it when you hopped next to him and started playing with it, asking him questions why is he letting grow only so small piece of his hair. A sad smiled appeared on your lips as you remembered the moment you met. He didn’t really believe in neither you or Ani and none of you could see how important you would become for each other. What a wonderful team you would make in the future. It wasn’t fair that it all fell apart out of nowhere.
“Here you go,” Obi-Wan said, holding out a bowl of soup, waking you up from your trance.
“Thank you.”
After you finished your meal and your stomach felt better and you and Obi-Wan were sitting next to each other, both trying to get a grasp of this situation. You haven’t seen each other in 5 years and it didn’t look like you accomplished much. Quite the opposite. Former Jedi Master looked dragged from his current life, you could see the wrinkles forming on his face. He looked a lot older now. For you, it was your eyes. Obi-Wan remembered how they would always light up whenever you had some crazy idea or simply when you were happy and oh, how he loved your smile! Your eyes had a sparkle in them whenever you smiled or laughed. Now? Your eyes felt cold, tired and filled with sorrow. As if you’ve grown tougher during the time of your separation. He pointed that out.
“That’s because I had to grow up. Suddenly I had no one to look after me and as you know my entire life I had someone by my side. Whether that be my mom, my brother or my master or… Padmé or you. Life had been hard on me, Obi. That’s just how it is. In my core, I feel the same but on the outside, I lost a lot of my faith. But don’t play it on me. You’re damaged too.”
“I am not denying that.”
“Speaking of which, how do you like living on Tatooine?”
He laughed. “Like isn’t the word I would use. More like tolerate. But as you can see, I manage. Nobody’s visiting but sometimes I go to check up on Luke - much to your step-brother’s distaste when he notices me.”
Obi-Wan would swear on the Force that as he mentions Luke’s name, for a split second your eyes filled with that spark he thought you lost. Maybe you weren’t that doomed after all.
“Luke? My nephew? How is he? Is he tall already? I mean, I know, he’s 5 but is he okay? Are they taking good care of him?”
“Not to worry, milady. They are maybe too protective of him but he’s not actually lacking anything. He’s in good hands.”
“What does he look like? Does he have brown hair like Padmé or is he blonde?”
Obi-Wan was amused by your interest in your nephew. He knew you would ask him about Luke but he didn’t realise how eager you would be to find out more about him. “As far as I am concerned, he is blonde. He’s just like his father with blue eyes and I am sure he’s going to be an excellent pilot. Not like someone.” He gave you a side-glace and you looked at him in disbelieve. Is he really challenging me like this?
“Of course! Make fun of my flying skills! You know, I got better since the Clone Wars and I no longer crash-land as you could see back there.”
“I am never going to forget the moment when you almost killed us while landing and Anakin turned at me and said: ‘See, master? And you complain about my flying!’ I will always remember the face you made! And you didn’t want to talk to us the entire day.”
“You two totally deserved it! Don’t try to sugar-code it!”
“Silent treatment never resolved anything, Y/N. Besides, you could have us all killed.”
“No, we are not going down that road. I did save you so shut it, Jedi! I too have some tricks up my sleeve - you are not as perfect as you think you are.”
“Oh is that so? I thought I was being completely irresistible!”
Your body unintentionally reacted with a flush on your cheeks to his statement. Mostly because it was absolutely true and thanks to the fact that you ran out of ideas of how to out-sass him, you just proclaimed: “Okay, I give up.”
“And what were you doing this whole time? I suppose, you still don’t want to tell me the story behind the ship.”
“Well, no. But I was mostly just moving around the Outer Rim. Nothing too special. I wanted to stay off the radar for as long as possible and I think I was quite good at it. You know, putting my stealth-mastery into practice once again. You wouldn’t be proud of me though. I tried to be true to what I was taught since I was nine. To be a good person and to protect peace in the places I went to and I tried to suppress my emotions about all this but… I couldn’t do that. I thought that the Republic were the good guys and I thought that the Jedi, although not exactly always right, were too the good guys. We had each other’s back and now all of that is gone and call me stupid or naive for having hart time adjusting to that. Sometimes it just gets too rough and too much to take, knowing that all of what I was fighting for tumbled down… I’m sorry, it’s just been getting to me lately.”
Obi-Wan put a hand on your shoulder. “I understand. It wasn’t easy for neither of us but it was worse for you. I know how miserable you were when Yoda told you that you should stay out of Luke and Leia’s lives.”
“That’s not the only thing that’s bothering me.”
“What is it then? I am here, you can talk to me about anything. I might not have the solution but I am listening. If that’s enough?”
You were tense. How would you tell him this? How were you supposed to say it out loud? You could still see it in front of your eyes and it was haunting you in your dreams. Never in a million years would you thought that this would happen. After all that you’ve been through you thought he knew better and a part of you still felt like he didn’t deserve it. You closed your eyes to calm yourself down.
You swallowed. “Have you felt… something? Even if it was just in the back of your head…Do you know anything about Anakin?”
Now Obi-Wan knew what you meant. His hand rubbed your back as he sighed. He heard about him a couple of weeks ago. Anger, sadness and helplessness were boiling inside him. He thought Anakin died on Mustafar and when he overheard that Darth Vader was actually causing some problems out there in the Galaxy, he was horrified.
“I found out some time ago. I couldn’t believe it.”
You bit on your lip to stop the sobs coming out from your throat. Salty water blurred your vision. Your heart was aching. You somehow always felt that he wasn’t killed, the feeling of your brother was still present but to learn that he is now a huge threat in the galaxy was not only shocking but also tragic and traumatizing. You blinked and teardrops fell down. You quickly brushed them away and took three deeps breaths.
“Forgive me my sentiment but… It’s hard to deal with that because I remember all those times during the Clone Wars and despite the fact that it was a war, it was actually… Some of the best time of my life. We lost our friends, we were shaken and not once and we risked our lives for a better cause and we were heroes thanks to that but we… We had each other. Me, Anakin, Padmé and you. Even Ahsoka and Rex and Cody! It felt like a family. Yeah, a very dysfunctional family but… It was something to let you know where you belong… Where home is. If I wasn’t on a mission with Ani and Snips, I’d be with Padmé or you, just having the time of my life. It wasn’t perfect but if I knew what was to come, I would certainly more appreciate it then! Now I just…” You covered your face in your palms, crying. “I wish I could just forget that this is happening.” Echoed your voice from behind your hands.
Kenobi felt your despair and pulled you into him, letting you cry your feelings out while holding you in his arms. He himself didn’t exactly process the events yet, but he knew that you needed his support right now much more than he needed yours. He waited for you for five long years and he was ready to wait for next 50 if it meant he could see you one more time. Now he didn’t want to make your issues seem smaller because he felt betrayed too. He wanted to help you get through this so he kept on rocking you back and forward until you looked up. He caressed your cheek and lightly kissed your forehead. He was well aware of what your supposed family meant for you so he decided to let you feel like you still have at least a part of it. Because you do. Dispite his Jedi teaching, he would never let you go.
“Tomorrow I’m going to take you to see Luke. Owen will probably throw us out but if it is going to help you, I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you, Obi-Wan. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it, Y/N.”
You melted into his embrace and listened to his heartbeat. He was a soothing presence to you. He’s always been. After getting over your depressive emotions, you found a warm feeling creeping up from inside you. You buried it deep down so it wouldn’t bring you pain while you and Obi were apart. As you were so close there, it was coming back up to the surface. This time, though, there was no Code, no Jedi Council, no forbidden attachments to make you feel wrong about what you felt. Obi-Wan sensed this change in mood and smiled to himself. He felt it coming back too.
After you both showered - separately, may I add, we’re not there yet - and changed into more comfortable clothes, you decided to go to sleep. He insisted you keep the bed to which you replied: “Obi-Wan, there’s no way you’re sleeping on the floor and I want to feel like I am not alone in here so just… Are you up for cuddles? Please? I need my cuddling buddy back.”
He just shook his head in amusement and didn’t say anything. He couldn’t reject you at this point. Not to mention that when you were together on missions to deal with some Jedi business with no one around, snuggles were on a daily basis. Although I must say, there was one time when Anakin appeared out of the blue, saw you two getting way too close for friends and wouldn’t shut up about it for a week. It was kind of cue though.
Obi-Wan tugged himself under the sheets next to you on his not-so-comfortable bed and lay on his back. You put your arm around him and placed your head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady and calming. Even though you were tired, you couldn’t close your eyes to fall asleep. You had to wonder what is Luke like and what will you feel when you see him. You held him once when he was born and couldn’t help but wonder if he is Force-sensitive too. It would be only logical.
“Obi-Wan?”
“Umhm…”
“Do you think that Luke and Leia should be raised to be Jedi?”
“Well, I hope so. I don’t know about Leia but Luke is so much like Anakin when he was a child, it would surprise me if he wouldn’t grow up to be one.”
“Who’s going to show him?”
“I am. If you’ll stay, you can help.”
You tighten your grip around him. “I don’t know. The problem is that I and Ani had such a bond through the Force and I still feel him and I fear that if I stay here, he may be able to find me.”
“Why would he come back to the planet that represents everything he despises? Slavery, his mother’s death, sand.”
“I know but he had the chance to kill me before as a Vader and he didn’t. What if the Sith have some plans with me? What if they want me to turn to the Dark side?”
“I highly doubt that would happen.” He protectively put his arms around you. “Mace Windu taught you about the Dark side and when they could turn you to it completely, they had no interest in doing that. Why would they suddenly change their minds?”
“I don’t know. I guess you’re right but the possibility of hurting you or Luke is making me go nuts.”
“I understand that but again, Anakin knew that even with your knowledge of the Force and with our feelings for each other being strictly against the Code, you stayed loyal to the Order. Even now when things are so uncivilized, you still decided not to turn, that shows your strength and even if Vader senses you, he will see that.”
“You mean he would rather kill me than try to turn me? Yeah, cool, can’t wait.”
“You know what I meant. You don’t need to worry about him. If he comes, which he won’t, he’ll have to get over me first, anyway.” He kissed your hair and whispered: “Good night, my love.”
You spent so much time in space and on cold planets that now walking around the sands of Tatooine was an absolute horror. You were sweating and thirsty and the two suns high on the sky were blinding your vision. You and Obi were on your way to Owen and Beru’s moisture farm. You never saw or met them but Ani told you about them. He blamed them a little bit for not searching for Shmi and you couldn’t help but feel the same. You were sure they were good people but at the same time maybe if they did something more, your mom would be still alive. You knew these thoughts were not the Jedi way but let’s face it, you and your brother were never the perfect examples of the Jedi.
Obi-Wan stopped and pointed into the distance where you could see a small dot on the horizon.
“That is where they live but maybe you should go on your own. Owen isn’t really fond of me and if you arrive alone and say that you are his step-sister, he’s probably gonna let you in. I’ll wait for you somewhere here.”
“Okay. Thank you, Obi-Wan. I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome but umm, I changed my name.”
“You changed your name? To what?”
“I call myself Ben Kenobi now.”
You sighed. “Satine used to call you that.”
He just nodded and you smiled at him. She meant so much for him when they were young that you understood why he did that. He wanted to pay her some tribute. Besides, you would have done the same if you were at his place.
“Well, Ben, wish me luck.”
He squizzed your hand and started to walk away. You swallowed and walked the other way, towards your distant family house. You were nervous and excited at the same time. You desperately wanted to meet Luke but you didn’t know what would Owen and Beru think about you being there. As you almost reached your destination, a sight in front of you made you stop in your tracks. There was a little blonde boy sitting in sand playing with some droid parts. He didn’t seem to notice you so you stood there amazed. He looked exactly like his father. You felt tears of happiness mixed with nostalgia burn in your eyes. You covered your mouth as Luke’s toy fell apart and he mumbled under his breath. You sniffed and made your way to where he was sat.
Luke turned around startled. “Hello. Who are you?”
“Hi…” you whispered, gaining strength to speak more. “Umm, you’re Luke Skywalker, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am. But I asked you first.” He made a grimace of childish anger and you had to smile. You dropped to his level and held out your hand. “My name is Y/N Skywalker.”
His expression changed. Obviously he knew that name and kept on wandering his eyes between your hand and your face.
“You are my dad’s sister?”
You nodded.
“Uncle and aunt told me about you. They said you would never come.” He took your hand and held onto it.
“I am sorry. For everything. I am so sorry, Luke. You were supposed to live with your parents somewhere else and enjoying your life very differently.”
“I like it here.” He was genuine but you knew that one day this place would be too tiny for him.
“Okay.” You stroke his cheek and you sensed the Force in him but he pulled away.
“I shouldn’t talk to strangers.”
That hurt. You were a stranger. He didn’t know you and even if you loved your nephew so much, this was the first time he saw you.
“That’s right, you shouldn’t. I hope that one day I won’t be a stranger to you anymore but for now… It was lovely to meet you, Luke.”
“Sure. It was lovely to meet you too, umm…Should I call aunt Y/N?”
“That’d be great.”
“What would be great?”
Both your heads shot up as you heard a voice. There was a man with scruffy in grey robes and he looked mad.
“Luke, come here.”
“It’s okay, uncle. This is Y/N. She’s my dad’s sister. You told me about her.”
You stood up and Owen frowned at you. He shook your hand, though he was suspicious.
“Luke is telling the truth. I am Anakin Skywalker’s sister and just came to say hello. I never had a chance to properly meet him and I stopped by and I couldn’t go without meeting my nephew. You too. From what I understand, you are my step-brother. Thank you for taking care of the boy.”
Owen crossed his arms over his chest. “Kenobi told you where to find us?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. I’m glad that we finally met but I don’t want your Jedi stuff anywhere near Luke. His parents had life bad enough and I don’t want him to get hurt like they and you did.”
You blinked confused. You sensed Luke’s connection to the Force and you knew he would become aware of it sooner or later. “We got burned. Many times, I admit but neither Ben Kenobi nor I mean any harm to him or to you.”
“I believe you. On the other hand, why add insult to injury?”
A sandstorm was raging outside. You were supposed to be on your way by now but something always came into it, making it impossible for you to leave the planet. You’ve been living with Obi-Wan for 9 days now and as much as you were scared something unfortunate was going to happen because of your sibling bond, you couldn’t deny how your mood improved over time. You finally had a moment to breathe, to live, to drop the worries because when he was around simply being himself, it was so easy to forget the reality. It would come back to hit you later but when he was telling you stories, he heard in the Mos Eisley Cantina and you two would laugh, it didn’t matter. When you two cooked and tried to combine both of your (anti)talents, sometimes it resulted in friendly arguments and spilt tea. At night, you would fall asleep in each other’s arms only to wake up to the warmth of the body next to you and the calming feeling of safety. If there would be anyone to witness it, they’d say they’re watching a married couple doing normal things. It felt right being there, being like that, although it was a bit strange at first. It made you feel wanted, welcomed and loved. It gave you a sense of much-needed belonging. Little did you know that Obi-Wan felt the same.
It was already late at night but you couldn’t sleep and the sandstrom made you feel uncomfortable. It had been 15 years since the last time you experienced one and you didn’t like remembering it. It brought up old fears to the surface. Lucky for you, though, former Jedi Master managed to stay up as well to keep you company.
“Will you finally tell me where did you get the ship?”
You smirked. “From a friend.”
“A friend? What friend?”
“Don’t be jealous.”
“I am not! I am just… curious.”
You turned to sit on the bed face to face with him. “We’re not the only survivors of the Purge. There are more Jedi in the galaxy.”
“I knew we couldn’t be the only ones!” His eyes filled with hope.
“I met a guy called Kal Cestis. He was a padawan when it happened. He helped me to get my new ship. Not exactly new but better than nothing since my original one broke down.”
“Hmm… Interesting. Do you know anything about Ahsoka?”
“Unfortunately no. I haven’t seen her anywhere. Not that I’ve been to many places but if she’s alive, she’s hidden well.”
“I don’t think she gave up like that. She must be somewhere out there.”
“I really hope that she is. I miss her.”
“We both do,” Obi replied and caressed your cheek. You leaned into his touch and closed your eyes. It was an intimate moment that you decided to delve into.
Obi-Wan was watching you, trying to print this image in his memory. He never wanted to forget you and the way you made him feel. It was precious and sacred to him. You were captivating, graceful and he was thanking the Force every day for bringing you back into his miserable life. He didn’t deserve you and yet he never wanted to let go off you. He couldn’t. He knew it was selfish of him to want you all for himself but he was too attached.
“Y/N?”
“Um?” You opened your eyes to look into his. You were cantured by his intense gaze and your lips parted. You weren’t used to him staring at you like that as if you were the most devine creature in the galaxy and your cheeks turned the deepest shade of pink.
“Can I kiss you?”
Your stomach flipped and your held your breath for a second. You blinked several times before placing your hand over his, still resting on your cheek. “Yes.” was a simple word but there was so much more behind it.
Obi-Wan lowered his head to your level and cupped your face to pull you to him. You couldn’t believe it. After so many years of loving this man and having to hide it, you were able to finally express it. You waited for him to softly press his lips to yours. It was sweet, slow and filled with so much emotion. All of the unsaid ‘I love you’s, all of the suppressed feelings, all of it finally blossemed into this special moment. Electricity ran through both of you at the slight touch. It was new and you couldn’t quite put a finger on this feeling inside you. It was your first kiss after all! Obi-Wan was your first crush, first love, now first kiss and most definitelly he was going to be your first also in another way.
He pulled away to see your reactions but you didn’t let him. Your hands shifted to his neck and brought him back to you. He started kissing you properly this time and let himself loose. Deepening the kiss, he found himself hovering over you and soon you were lying under him. You both laughed as your back hit the bed. He kissed you one more time and lay down onto his side next to you. You stared in his eyes that reflected all the kindness in the world.
“Y/N, I know where you stand, I know Master Yoda told you to stay away from Luke and Leia and I know that you’re afraid what would happen if you stay here longer but please. We’ll figure it out somehow… I love you, Y/N. I have for years now.” He brushed your hair out of your forehead and played with it for a while. “I can’t let you go after this. I won’t. I wanted to be with you for so long and now that we are finally allowed to be ourselves freely, I am begging not to go. Please.”
“I have already made up my mind and I am not backing up.”
He kissed the tip of your nose to shut you and took your hand in his. “Yes. It is up to you in the end. I can’t make decisions for you, I know. I don’t want you to go but the last thing that I do want is to be forcing you into something. Even if you'll leave… I promise that I will wait for you. I have waited ages, I can wait a little longer. I’d really rather not but you are worth it, stars.”
“Obi-Wan…”
He smiled sadly and it broke your heart. He was giving you freedom even when he was lonely. He was fully aware of your stubborness but this time you gave in.
“You are the love of my life. You’ve always been. I have loved you so much all this time and I always will. I want to stay but I am too scared that something’s gonna happen to you or to Luke so I… I thought about it and…” You squeezed his hand. “I decided to cut myself of from the Force so that I could have a life with you.”
“What?!”
“I have made my peace with it. I am like a beacon to Vader if he decides to search for me, this is the only way I can have what I want. You.”
Obi was staring in disbelief. You just decided what your faith was going to be and Obi-Wan was the happiest man alive. He was shooked at first but soon happiness and pure joy took over him and he hugged you, nuzzling his face in the crook of your neck. You pulled him even closer to you as you let the sandstorm outside be completelly forgotten.
It’s been about a week since you and Obi were living officially together in your new home. It wasn’t ideal nor perfect but hey! What is in this galaxy, right?
You were walking hand-in-hand from a town where you successfully sold your ship, Soka. It was a little sad since she reminded you of your adveture with Kal and of your friend Snips but at the same time, you were most likely never going to need her again. Hopefully.
The two suns were shinning bright, tanning your skin. The course and rough sand was cracking underneath your weight as you walked. The dry air made you thirsty and at some point you couldn’t help but cough. You two were wandering around the place without putting much thought into it and before you knew it, you pauzed.
“Won’t we reach the spot were you first landed on Tatooine if you continue walking that way?”
“I think we will.”
“So this is where it all started. The Skywalker’s journey straight to the botom!”
“Not straight.”
You gave him a you-know-what-I-mean look.
“I’m just teasing. Sorry, Y/N.”
“You always are, I don’t mind but... Actually, you know what? I think I want to change my name too.”
“What? Why? Your name is so lovely!”
“Because it is my choice, not yours, mine. I guess I want to asociate myself with something different. I want to disconnect from my past and focus on the future. Luke’s gonna carry on the Skywalker legacy. It wouldn’t fair if no one carried on yours. Besides, Y/N Kenobi sounds pretty great, doesn’t it?”
Obi-Wan was staring at you with open mouth. “You want to take my last name?”
You put your arms around his shoulders. “I do. I mean, you’re not getting married but still you can take this as a sign of my devotion. I truly, deeply love you and I want to be all yours - body, soul, even the surname.”
He didn’t know exactly how to react to that, so he just crashed his lips onto yours. He was astonished. “I love you so much, my sweet Y/N. You are the greatest thing that happened to me. Although not the name, I am yours too. Body and soul.”
You pulled him into a tight embrace. People passing you by were giving you strange looks but it’s not like any of you cared. You simply stayed in the moment, forgetting all your worries. It was a promising day for you two, after all. Promising for your relationship but most importantly it meant a new start. It was an enterance to a brighter state of existance and a new stage in life. A stage where you could finally be a little selfish and build a life for yourselves. A life where your and Obi’s love, was the only thing that mattered.
#obi-wan x reader#star wars#fanfic#fluff#ewan mcgregor#kenobi#prequels#obi-wan kenobi#obi-wan fanfiction#obi-wan x you#star wars x reader#star wars x y/n#obi-wan x y/n#ewan mcgregor x reader#ewan mcgregor x you#ewan mcgregor x y/n#luke skywalker#kal cestis#reader insert fanfiction#ptsd talk#part 3 of 3#angst turns into fluff#no more jedi#this took me so long to write#corona sucks#so stay home#stay safe yall
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RebelZ Chapter 8
Invader Zim fanfic
While analyzing Zim’s PAK for weaknesses, Tak discovers strange coding that sends her on a search for answers. The clues lead her to uncover a conspiracy that governs all of Irken society. When the truth sends her on the run, she has no choice but to return to the one place the Tallest would never willingly go: Urth.
Meanwhile, Dib has noticed odd changes in Zim’s behavior. Has the invader simply grown bored of his mission over the last few years, or is there something more interesting going on?
People who asked to be tagged: @incorrect-invader-zim , @messinwitheddie, @reblogstupids, @cate-r-gunn, @agentpinerulesall
If anyone else would like to be added to the tag list feel free to message me. Also, if you’re on the tag list and you changed your name, please just let me know.
Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 4. Chapter 5. Chapter 6. Chapter 7. Chapter 8. Chapter 9. Chapter 10.
[-]
The problem with back-seat space travel was, Dib decided, you couldn’t really tell where you were going. This was especially concerning with Zim at the helm. In fact, leaving Earth with Zim, having to rely on Zim to get home, was probably not the smartest move in the first place. But he did manage to get them to Ecore. The first leg of their mission was complete. All that was left was to go home. That should be the easy part.
However, Zim was concerningly quiet since the ship took off from Ecore. There was no scolding Gir, no boasting of his pilot skills, and not even a peep about whatever Kristlotch had said in the temple. Tak was able to explain the basics. Krislotch told them the secret history of the Control Brains, called rebellion hopeless, and insulted Zim multiple times. Perhaps Zim was just stewing over it. But, if that was all, why did he feel this crushing tension?
Something on the console beeped and Zim scrolled through a sea of Irken text, eyes darting between Dib and Tak. He hadn’t used the voice command system, which was especially odd. From what Dib learned operating Tak’s ship, voice commands was the standard for Irken tech. Zim had to have switched it off manually. The question was, why?
“Hey Zim,” Tak snapped, “that was Zorgad 16.”
Zim kept his eyes straight ahead. “So?”
“So we’re going the wrong way.”
“I know exactly where we’re going,” Zim countered.
“Clearly you don’t. Keep going this way and we’ll…” Her eyes grew wide as some horror dawned on her. “You scum!” she screamed, launching herself at him. “You traitor!”
“It is you who are the traitor!” Zim declared, barely holding her off.
Dib’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. “Zim, what did you do?”
“Gir!” Zim commanded. “Hide and seek! Now!”
“Okie Dokie!” Gir’s robot arms wrapped around Dib and Tak and threw them in the back of the ship with the cargo. “You hide!”
Before they could recover, a metal door slid down, blocking them off from the cockpit. On the other side, they heard Zim command Gir to count to 1 million.
Tak let out an enraged scream and pounded on the door. “Coward! Liar! Boot-licking little worm!”
Dib let his face drop into his hands. “I should have seen this coming. I’ve fallen for his schmoopy act before.”
“No, I should have.” Tak punched the door one more time before leaning her forehead against it. “When I discovered the truth, my first thought was of freeing my people. For that, I was branded traitor and my life clock went off. His never did. That is only possible if he was still loyal to the empire.”
“Can’t you blast through the door with your lasers?” Dib suggested.
A digital monocle popped out of the mechanism on her head and covered her eye. She examined the door for a moment before letting out a sigh. “If I set it powerful enough to penetrate the metal, it’ll also pass through the windshield, exposing us to vacuum space.” Defeated, she leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor.
“So,” Dib said, sitting down beside her, “what now?”
[-]
Some time later, the ship approached the Massive. They noticed the change in gravity as a tractor beam grabbed hold of the Voot and sucked the ship onboard. They heard voices talking outside. One was certainly Zim, but Dib couldn’t make out what was being said. A few minutes later, the doors to the cargo hold opened and Irken soldiers dragged them out.
Dib found himself surrounded by tech he could only dream of, though the situation left him little room to marvel. The hanger held space craft so strange, he couldn’t being to imagine how they worked. The soldiers held weapons he’d never seen before. And above them all loomed the Tallest, living up to their title.
“Hmm… Urth humans really are tall,” the Purple one observed. “Not as tall as us of course but…” Dib assumed the reason for this one’s perfect English was that it was, in a way, talking to him.
“Yes and, as reported, dumb,” Zim added, “as evidenced by the fact he fell for my cunning trap. And, of course, I brought the traitor, Tak, as promised.”
“Yes, these two truly must be dumb if they fell for your plans,” the Red one said. Dib waited for Zim to react, but nothing happened. Unbelievable. Did Zim really not notice the insult, or did he just not care?
“Good work, Zim,” the Red one went on. “We knew we could count on you to bring in the traitor.”
Zim nodded solemnly. “Yes, she tried to sway my loyalty with her treasonous lies, but I never bought them for a second.”
Tak let out a growl and jumped to her feet. “Zim, you know damn well I never-AH!” One of the guards struck her with an electrified weapon, sending her back to the floor.
“And still she persists. Tragic.” Zim tsked and shook his head. “Now, about my reward?”
“Oh yeah, right,” the red one said. “We’ve got a party set up for you in the main snack hall.
Seriously? “You sold us out for a party?” Dib seethed, moving to get up. “You egotistical son of a-AH!” He was also hit by the same weapon, forcing him back to his knees.
Zim snickered and stood above him. “Zim is son to no one but the empire, Dib-stink.”
“Alright then,” the Purple one chimed in. “Now that everything’s settles, let’s execute these prisoners and get this party over with.”
“Wait!” Zim shouted. Everyone stopped and looked at him while Dib raised an eyebrow. What was he doing? “My Tallest, I humbly request to keep these two prisoners alive as trophies for my party.”
“But then we execute them after?” The purple one asked.
Zim nodded. “Oh yes, sure, of course.”
The Red one shrugged. “Okay, fair enough. Stick those two in a cage in the main snack hall until after the party.”
“Excellent!” A wide grin appeared on Zim’s face. “Gir, come with me,” he said, starting down the hall. “We must begin preparing my special punch.”
[-]
In short order, Dib and Tak were placed in a cage and forced to watch as Irkens mingled amongst themselves. They all took to it with the enthusiasm of the scientists in Membrane Labs attending the annual, mandatory, holiday party. They wore forced, uncomfortable smiles and attempted small talk. Every one of them looked like they were counting the seconds until they could drop the charade and return to their normal lives.
Suddenly, Zim’s robot popped up in Dib’s field of vision. “Want some punch?!” Gir shrieked, shoving a cup of purple liquid in Dib’s face. “It’ll make you sick!”
Dib cringed as he looked in the cup. “Uh… no thanks.”
“Gir! Get away from there!” Zim shouted, stomping up toward them. He grabbed the cup out of the robot’s hands and began pushing him away. “Humans and traitors don’t get punch,” he tossed over his shoulder as they walked off.
Dib watching Zim head up to the high table at the front of the room and sit down with his Tallest. Much like his dad at those holiday parties, these two were likely the ones who least wanted to be there.
Dib gave the bars another pathetic shake before giving up and turning to Tak. “So, you got any ideas?”
“What’s the point?” she asked, laying flat on the ground.
“Uh, the point is, if we don’t get out of here, we both die.”
“Is dying a prisoner any worse than living as a mindless slave?” She sighed and turned her head to look at the crowd. “Look at them all, human. They don’t even know what they lack. Every one of them is going to die serving the empire and none of them will be thanked or even remembered. Hundreds will be sent to their deaths and hundreds more will take their place. The smeeteries will replace them as fast as they’re killed off. That thing doesn’t care about sacrificing its own food because it can always make more. Kristlotch was right. It is hopeless.”
“You know, sometimes I feel like my people are slaves too,” Dib said, sitting down next to her. “Not to a hive mind parasite, but to other things. The media, corporate greed…”
“I know. I specifically targeted that flaw in my first conquest plan.”
“Right…” Dib rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about how well that almost worked. “Anyway, sometimes I think Zim is right. Humans stink.”
Tak shrugged half-heartedly. “Eh, Irkens are particularly sensitive to smell. You probably smell fine for a human.”
“No, I meant metaphorically,” Dib went on. “Anyway, my point is, just because humans stink now, it doesn’t mean I should give upon them. It’s one of the reasons I want to prove aliens exist so bad. I want people to know what’s out there. I want them to be a little better, a little smarter. I want them to stop worrying about petty problems and work together to improve the world. If they do, who knows? Maybe we can actually join this greater universal stage.”
Tak’s face stayed impassive as she considered his words. “Dib…” she began, sitting up, “not all humans stink.”
He smiled. “And not all Irkens are mindless slaves.”
“No…” Her eyes narrowed and the Tak he knew returned. “And none should be. Dib,” she said, jumping to her feet, “we’re breaking out of here.”
“Great!” he said, jumping up as well. “What’s the plan?”
“I…” she paused and her enthusiasm melted away, “need to think about it.” She sat back down on the floor, but her schmoop was gone. She sat with her back straight and one hand on her chin, thinking, plotting.
They were interrupted by a clinking sound from the high table. They looked to see the Red Tallest flicking the side of his glass with one long finger. “Alright everyone, Zim wants to give a toast with his punch. Everyone get a glass so we can get this over with.”
Gir handed out cups of punch to every Irken in the room.
“Did everyone get one?” Zim asked accepting one cup from Gir. The robot nodded. “Excellent!”
Dib shook the bars and let out a groan. “If only I knew what he was saying.”
Tak sighed, tapped her PAK, and a small microchip floated into her hands. She then reached up and shoved it into Dib’s ear.
“Ow, what was that?” Dib said, rubbing his ear.
“Back-up universal translator,” she explained with a groan. “I’m speaking Irken. You hear better now?”
“Yeah, why didn’t you do that earlier?”
“You didn’t bring it up.”
Dib shrugged, conceding her point, and they turned their attention back to the crowd.
“Come on,” the Red Tallest sighed, impatiently tapping his cup. “Make your speech so we can end this party and get back to important things.”
“Right.” Zim cleared his throat. “Friends, I stand before you today proof of what a true Irken can accomplish. Genius, ingenuity, ambition, these are the things that make an Irken great. With these an Irken can become whatever they want and crush their enemies. To victory!”
“To victory!” the crowd answered back and drank.
Dib kept his eyes glued to Zim though the speech. When Zim lifted his cup to his lips, Dib’s eyes went wide.
“Tak did you see that?” he whispered.
“What?”
“It's Zim. He didn't drink?”
“How can you possibly know that from all the way over here?
“He didn't tip his cup back far and he didn't swallow.” Dib explained. “And look.”
Zim's eyes scanned the crowd and he quickly checked something on his wrist.
“Is he checking the time? Look at him. He's up to something.”
Tak only responded with a skeptical look.
Dib sighed. “Listen, if I can be considered an expert on anything, it's obsessing over Zim, and you may not guess it from the everything-about-him, but he can be cunning when he wants to be.”
Tak got up and joined him at the bars. Her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Zim’s expression. “If you're right about this,” she mused, “then the question is, why does he want to be?”
The Irkens lowered their now empty cups, except for Zim who still held him onto his. “Yes, Irk is mighty and prosperous,” he went on, tapping a sharply clawed finger against his cup. “It's such a shame Spek couldn't share in our prosperity.”
“Spek?” Dib turn to Tak. “What's a Spek?”
Tak could only shrug. Dib looked back over at the crowd. They looked just as confused as he felt.
“Spek?” the Purple Tallest mumbled to the Red. “I don't remember any Spek.”
“Spek!” Zim shouted throwing, his cup down and jumping on the table. “The smeet who died in the Death Melee because of your attempt to have me killed! It wasn't your first attempt either. You sent me on my mission to Urth, hoping I’d get lost in the vastness of space.”
“Zim…” The Red Tallest said in a warning tone.
“You sent me to hobo 13 and bet on which drill would kill me.”
“Zim that's…”
“You lied to me about the true nature of the Death Melee so I would die for your entertainment. You gave me a smeet, one who hadn't even seen his first cycle yet, as my partner, just to lower my chances of survival. Do you deny it?”
“Enough, Zim!” the Red Tallest roared. “You can't speak to us like this!”
“I can! I am!”
“Remember you are speaking to your Tallest,” the Purple one shouted back.
“I have no tallest!” Zim declared proudly. “I don't take orders from you anymore, and I haven't since the Death Melee! For 0.3 cycles, I've dreamed of nothing but my vengeance and I shall have it!”
The Purple Tallest laughed. “Ha! Vengeance? Look around you. You're surrounded by the top tier of the Irken Armada. How exactly do you plan on getting past them?”
“Aww, too bad Zim,” the Red Tallest said with a mocking pout. “Looks like you failed, just like you always do. Your vengeance is over before it's even begun.”
Zim looked down on the device on his wrist. He smirked and looked up at his Tallest with the cold fury in his eyes. “My vengeance has already begun.”
At that moment, a General dropped to the floor and began convulsing. More and more Irkens followed him. Zim’s smirk grew with each new body that hit the floor. Finally, the Tallest started convulsing as well.
“You won't get away with this,” The Red one choked out before collapsing on the floor.
He flashed a wicked grin. “Oh, I think I just did.”
Zim’s pack legs deployed as he jumped off the table. He scuttled over to the cage and, after hitting a few buttons, freed Dib and Tak. “Follow me,” he yelled and led them out of the snacking hall.
#invader zim#invader zim fanfiction#parasite au#iz fanfic#invader zim fanfic#dib#zim#gaz#tallest red#tallest purple#tak#gir#rebelz#rebel zim#rebel leader tak#sweetiepiewrites#sweetiepie writes#sweetiepie fanfic#zadf#zatf#iz au#iz parasite au
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Top 10 Females from my Fandoms
This is all my opinion. It’s also from the fandoms I’m in (which are pretty popular). Your opinion of course will be different from mine. But I like sharing what I think and I like hearing your opinion, too. Also we’re doing ladies first because why not. Also I’m not good at explaining my opinion. So without further ado, here’s my top 10 females. Spoilers!
10. Meg (Supernatural) Meg is definitely my favorite female character from Supernatural. She’s a villain turned anti-hero. Also a demon. And being a recurring demon in Supernatural is a quick way to earn a spot in my favorite characters list. Apologies for Ruby for not making the cut though. Anyway, Meg is tough as hell (no pun intended). She starts by working for her dad, but that’s she’s not working for her dad because she’s a daddy’s girl. She works for her dad so she can get this apocalypse started. Her real loyalties lay with Lucifer. So when Lucifer was sent back to hell, she became a lone wolf. Season 6-8 Meg is my favorite, when she’s a lone wolf against Crowley. And I think the Winchesters have always been a little intimidated by Meg. Only 5′6″ to their 7′ but still has got fire.
9. Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel (MCU) I couldn’t just leave out the first woman to ever get a solo movie in the MCU. It was a long time waiting, but we still got it. I was pondering for a while between Natasha and Carol. I decided to go with Carol really just because I’m so excited for Phase 4 of the MCU. I’m the kind of girl that looks ahead. Captain Marvel is for sure one of my favorite solo movies in the MCU. Carol was a air force pilot from the 90′s who was told all her life that she couldn’t become a pilot. Like you see in the trailer, she picks herself back up time after time. And then she loses her memory, but she doesn’t lose that fighting spirit. She just has superpowers from the space stone. She knows her rights and her wrongs better than most people. It’s what makes her an amazing superhero. And she literally destroyed a huge spaceship in Endgame. I can’t wait to see what Brie Larson has in store for us because she is not done for sure.
8. Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter) I know there’s a lot of controversy with the Harry Potter fandom right now, but I just can’t help but place Luna on this list. She’s an amazing character. As a fellow Ravenclaw, she really showed us what Ravenclaw was all about: wisdom and having an open mind. She knows her spells, too, and does her homework (I think). I think more people would expect Hermione on the list, but she didn’t resonate with me the way Luna did. She’s bullied for thinking differently, which really resonated with me. But she’s got her close friends and that’s all that really matters to her. She was the first character I saw myself in, even if she’s just thinks differently than I do.
7. Eleven (Stranger Things) I really did not want to put Eleven this low. But I really just couldn’t put her higher because the girls above her are just better. However, Eleven is awesome. Truly awesome. We gotta respect the only character in Stranger Things that has superpowers. Nothing holds Eleven down. She escapes from a crazy laboratory and finds her new friends who she will literally do anything to protect. And she was messed up in that lab. But she still knows good from evil. She knew that her friends were not going to screw her over. And when she thought they were going to screw her, she kinda just said no. Like okay. She’s brave and kind and badass and everything I want in a superhero. I she’s a little intimidated by the world around her, but I would have run right back to what I knew if I were her. I think her bravery really shone in the third season. I’m sad about what’s happening to her powers, but I think they’ll find a way to get them back. Even if they don’t, I think Eleven will still prove to be everything she is without them. And just look at her. She’s just so cute.
6. Hazel Levesque (Riordanverse) I told you this was my list and I think Hazel deserves a spot. I mean, the youngest person on the Argo II, daughter of Pluto, can control the Mist and all the jewels in the earth, and tamed an untameable immortal horse. What more do you want? Yes, yes. I love Annabeth, but I really resonated with Hazel more, mostly because she just seems sweeter than Annabeth. I’m a sweet and shy person. And I love horses. And the 40′s. Speaking of which, a POC in the 40′s in Louisiana? If I ever make a top 10 POC characters, we’ll brush up on that. Anyway, let’s talk about when she died. Did I mention she died? She gave up an eternity of happiness so her mother (who was not good to Hazel) wouldn’t have an eternity of misery. Gotta thank Nico, though, for bringing one of my faves back to life. But when Nico was in trouble, there was nothing that Hazel wouldn’t do to help her brother. And when Hazel learned how to control the Mist in couple of weeks? What a display of power. She’s had a hard life, but she’s come out stronger because of it.
5. Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games) What? Why is Katniss so low? Mostly because it’s been a while since I’ve read the Hunger Games. I never even finished it. I stopped halfway through Mockingjay. I really like Katniss, though. She’s never had a lot. Let’s just start with the obvious that she takes on the Capital. Like you’re taking on the government? Okay go off. Of course, it’s not for no reason. They’re slaughtering everyone. But let’s just talk about when she’s in the Hunger Games the first time. I don’t think I could start to go into detail about everything that Katniss has done. She’s a badass in summary. She took on people that train for the event. She dropped a... what are they called? *googles hunger games bees* Tracker jackers! She dropped a nest full of tracker jackers on to those stuck-up kids. And Rue. Rue helped. Rue’s the best. She’s not on the list, but still. I love Rue and Katniss’ friendship, even if didn’t last. I’m sorry Rue you had to die if Katniss was to win. Anyway, Peeta got her in sort of a weird romance, but I think Katniss saved Peeta more times than Peeta saved Katniss. I love gender role reversals. Also I’m such a sucker for girls who can shoot a bow. So, yeah, Katniss gets her spot which is very well earned.
4. Vanya Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) The second season recently came out so she’s fresh in my mind. The most powerful sibling in the Academy uses sound to harness energy. And does she do it in style. Yeah, she kind of causes the apocalypse, but that’s not her fault. It’s Luther’s. And Reginald's. Vanya had a rough childhood. She was told all her life that she was ordinary in a house where there where only the extraordinary. But she powered through it. And wrote a book as revenge. Like Five said, that took guts. She’s such a complicated character. She’s shy and kind. But don’t make her mad. She might stab you. I really couldn’t believe how hard I cheered when she killed Harold. Like it was bad. Also she blew up the moon. Do you want more? She’s dating a farm frau. If I ever make a top 10 canon couples, that’s going on the list. You know, if you can’t go straight, go gay. Also she’s a human bomb. I’m a sucker for human bombs. And memes.
3. Morgana Pendragon (Merlin) I really love good girls turned bad. I was a little worried that Morgana was just going to be Merlin’s love interest in season 1. But man was I wrong. Going from a ward with bad dreams to a witch determined to be queen. I was actually kind of rooting for her. But that just could be because Katie is a phenomenal actress. But anyway, Morgana really has issues, which is why she’s top 3. Also the fact that she didn’t have a girlfriend, so disappointing. But she’s a villain, and villains don’t have lovers. Or they’re not supposed to in my book. Also she can go toe to toe with Merlin, who is supposed to be one of the best sorcerers of all time. What a show of power.
2. Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time) My favorite redemption arc. From good to evil and back to good. Honestly one of my favorite characters to watch. And Lana just does such a good job with it. Do you see the trend that I have with my favorite characters? Tragic background is the base requirement. Magical badass gives you an improvement in the list. But Regina has had a horrible life. The fact that she is classified as a villain is heartbreaking sometimes. But she did kill a ton of people so she’s definitely a villain in the storybooks. And that sass. Only Regina could pull off that sass. But I think the fact that she tries to be good when it is not in her nature, I think that speaks volumes.
1. Kara Danvers / Supergirl (Supergirl) I feel like people just got thrown for a loop. It’s like wait a minute. Didn’t you just say that your favorite kind of character is a “magical badass with a tragic background?” Um maybe. But Kara has her own tragedies. She just doesn’t show it. She lost her parents when she was 12. Not just her parents, but almost her whole family and all of her home. But she learned to have a new home on Earth. But she manages to figure out how to save the world with all of these conflicts in her life. Shoutout to Alex for being an awesome sister. And she has a great social life, something I aspire to have. I’m so upset that the show is ending after season 6. I love Kara so much. Kara is the most amazing woman in the Arrowverse so I’m so sorry to see her go.
#supergirl#regina mills#vanya hargreeves#morgana#katniss#hunger games#Hazel Levesque#eleven#stranger things#luna lovegood#carol danvers#captain marvel#meg#supernatural#:)
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Country Roads, Take Me Home: Chap. 5
Fandom: NCIS LA
Characters: Marty Deeks, Kensi Blye
Read chapters 1-4 here
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Arches National Park was next on their list so off to Utah it was. They passed Bill and Carol at the additional campsite and ducked low in their seats to try and avoid direct eye contact. “Are they following us?” Deeks asked as he drove, glancing furtively in the rearview mirror.
Kensi turned around. “No, looks like one of the dogs got loose.” She raised her eyebrows. “With a string of sausages in his mouth. Gosh who are these people? It’s like being in a cartoon.”
“People we are going to forget about,” Deeks said firmly as he pulled onto the highway.
She turned back to look at him. “Oh really? You’re giving up on the ‘Carol and Bill are criminal masterminds’ theory?”
“Eric said they cleared, so they cleared. He’d never miss something like that.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” she agreed. “Now, let’s get back to our Bill and Carol free vacation. What are we doing in Arches?”
Deeks grinned. “Rocks. Lots of rocks.”
They spent the next two days in vacation bliss. After they arrived they did a major hike with a rock climb and got some pretty spectacular pictures among the red rocks.
The next morning dawned sunny and they ended up with a perfect day for an aerial tour of the park. The pilot answered all their questions and they got some spectacular views of the landscape.
From there they moved onto Rocky Mountain National Park where they rented bicycles and had a romantic picnic with incredible views of the mountains, valleys, and wildlife.
It was everything they’d dreamed a vacation could be, and neither Bill, Carol, nor their pack of wild hounds made a single appearance. But if they had known what was going to happen next, they never, ever would have driven to Yellowstone. They would have gotten in the RV and driven east until they hit the Atlantic and then they would have started to swim. Yellowstone was an unqualified disaster.
It started out pleasantly enough. They rolled into the park, parked the RV and got everything set up for a couple days of sightseeing. “I can’t believe it’s almost time to go home,” Kensi said as she washed up their breakfast dishes.
“We still have another entire park after this,” Deeks said.
“I know, but remember when we talked about packing up our kids and living life on the road?”
Deeks raised his eyebrows. “You mean when I was nearly blown up and you saved my life by dragging me me out on a door?”
She smiled. “Yes, that time. I was just babbling, but this road life is kind of nice.”
“You’re telling me you don’t miss work at all? Running down bad guys? Kicking ass?”
“I kicked your ass pretty good last night,” she said coyly, coming to sit in his lap.
“That’s true, you did,” he conceded. “I have the bruises to prove it.”
“You liked it.”
“Touché”.
She kissed him once. Then again. “Oh are we going another round?” Deeks asked as she reached for the hem of his shirt. “I thought we were going to see Old Faithful?”
“Later,” Kensi said, kissing his neck.
“Are you saying you want to see my Old Faithful instead?”
She stopped abruptly and wrinkled her nose.
“Too far?” he asked. She patted his shoulder and slid off his lap. “Yeah, too far. Moment over.”
They stepped out into the campground, looking for signs to guide them toward the geyser. They were walking toward the trail when Deeks grabbed Kensi’s hand and pulled her behind a car.
“Deeks! Ow! What the hell?”
“Sorry,” he said, eyes searching the parking lot. “Stay down.”
“What? Why?”
“Just…I thought I saw something.”
“Saw what? Deeks what is going on?”
“Oh shit!” Deeks grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him, scuttling past a few more cars.
She wrenched her hand away and glared at him. “Deeks, I don’t know what the hell this is but—“
“Shh!!” Deeks pointed past her. “It’s the Weekes’!”
“What?!” She whipped around and spotted two sets of legs and a pack of very familiar dogs between the wheel wells. “Oh god. We have to hide.”
“What do you think this is?!” Deeks hissed, gesticulating wildly at their crouched position.
“Why are they just standing there?” Kensi asked. “Why can’t they decide where they’re going?”
“I’m more interested in why they’re here in the first place! I thought we lost them in Nevada!”
“Apparently not!” Kensi said. “What are we going to do? We can’t just stay here, somebody’s going to see us.”
“I’m thinking,” Deeks said, looking around. “Okay, there’s a big, blue pickup over there. If we can get behind that I don’t think they’ll be able to see us before we make it to the trailhead.”
“On three?” Kensi asked.
He nodded. “One, two, three!”
They stayed crouched low and moved quickly between the cars. They were almost to the blue pickup when they heard, “Marty! Is that your ragamuffin head I see over there?”
“Run!” Deeks hissed.
But it was too late. Out of nowhere PD came flying at them, grabbing onto Deeks’ pant leg like a vice.
“Go on without me!” he said desperately, trying to shake free.
“I am not leaving you behind!” Kensi hissed.
“It is you!” Carol cried as she bustled over, holding two of the dogs. “I should have known when PD took off if was you for sure. He just loves you!”
“I can’t say the feeling’s mutual,” Deeks said with a wince.
“PD come here you little rascal,” Bill said, finally managing to dislodge the beast’s jaws. “Well it sure is good to see you two. We thought maybe you were hiding from us when we didn’t see you after Nevada.”
“Oh, nope, just must not have crossed paths,” Kensi said through gritted teeth.
“Well I am absolutely tickled you’re both here because we never did get to have that dinner. Tonight. You must come over. I’m making my world famous chicken and dumplings,” Carol insisted.
“Oh we really don’t want to impose,” Kensi protested.
“Nonsense, nonsense!” Carol cried. “The more the merrier!”
“Well we kind of had plans—“ Deeks said.
“Cancel ‘em!” Bill roared, clapping Deeks so hard on the shoulder it knocked the wind out of him. “You don’t want to miss dumpling night. Trust me.”
Deeks shot Kensi a look that said he fervently disagreed. “We won’t take no for an answer,” Carol insisted. “We have an excursion planned all afternoon, but we’ll see you at five!”
Kensi and Deeks trudged toward the trailhead, all joy of exploring the park gone. “We could fake falling into the geyser,” Deeks suggested.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Kensi said.
“That is the third time their dog has nearly chewed my leg off!” Deeks said. “It might be murder!”
“Deeks, we have faced down armed robbers, terrorists, and Hetty on a full moon. We can get through this.” She reached for his hand. “At the very least let’s try and forget about it for a few hours while we go check out the geyser.”
The geyser was impressive, going off three times while they watched, but Deeks seemed distracted, giving only monosyllabic answers and fake smiles. Finally Kensi rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re not going to let this Weekes thing go, are you?” He looked at her and wrinkled his nose. “What? Me? What are you talking about? I let that go weeks ago.”
She gave him a pointed look. “I saw you googling this morning.”
He looked at her guiltily. “I had a hunch.”
“Well detective, what did you detect?”
“Did you know there’s been a small to moderate sized robbery near every park we’ve visited on this trip? Which just happen to be the same parks Bill and Carol have visited?”
“Okay, all right. Fine Columbo. Let’s investigate.”
He stopped and stared at her. “What? What does that mean ‘let’s investigate’?”
She shrugged. “You can’t let this go. I’ve never known you to be wrong about your gut. Let’s go back and check out their RV.”
“Are you serious?”
“They’re gone for the afternoon, this might be our only shot.”
He shook his head. “I knew there was a reason I married you.”
They hustled back to the campsite and found the Weekes’ still out. “Are you sure about this?” Deeks asked. “I mean technically we’re breaking and entering.”
“They’re our ‘friends’. We’re just checking to see if they’re home,” Kensi said with a guileless smile. She tried the door and it opened immediately. “Besides, it’s not breaking and entering if the door’s open, right?”
“You know you’re a little scary when you’re up to criminal activity,” Deeks said, following her inside and closing the door. “I’m glad you chose NCIS and not bounty hunting or something.”
“Deeks, focus,” she said. “You’re the one that’s been in here. Anything look different?”
He flipped on the light and whistled. “Uh, yeah. That,” he pointed to an Xbox. “That.” Two MacBook Airs. “And that.” Several unopened DSLR cameras.
Kensi shook her head. “Maybe they’re just shopping. Taking things home for their grandkids?”
“Right.” Deeks reached into a drawer and pulled out a very heavy, very expensive looking necklace. “Just what every lady needs when hiking and camping.”
���Okay, you’re right. But it’s still circumstantial.”
They both continued looking, trying to leave everything the way they’d found it. “Whoa,” Deeks said when he reached the bathroom. “Either they hoard like you do or…”
Kensi peeked inside and found the shower full to the brim with electronics and other high end, expensive items. “Okay, either they have a lot of grandkids or…”
“PD you come back here you little rascal!”
“They’re back!” Kensi hissed.
“Out!” Deeks said. “Go, go, go!”
They stumbled out of the RV just as Bill and Carol rounded the corner. “Did they see us?” Deeks asked breathlessly.
“I don’t think so,” Kensi said, looking back over her shoulder. “No, they’re inside, I don’t think they saw anything.”
“We need to call Eric,” Deeks said. “See if he can match what we saw in there to the robberies.”
Eric didn’t answer, not surprising considering it was the weekend and he’d had plans to visit a convention in Sacramento. Deeks left a message with a detailed description along with the couple of pictures Kensi had snapped.
Unfortunately, they still had to go to dinner. “Well it doesn’t smell poisonous,” Deeks muttered as they approached.
“Why would they poison us?” Kensi asked. “For all they know, we’re just a happy-go-lucky couple on vacation. It will be fine. Eric will get back to us and we’ll get this whole mess sorted out.”
Bill and Carol had set up dinner on a picnic table next to the camper and refused any and all assistance bringing food back and forth. And Bill had been right, Carol’s dumplings were award worthy.
There was also peach cobbler and after dinner Bill pulled out a bottle of port. “That’s uh, that’s some pricey stuff there Bill,” Deeks said, eyeing the bottle. “You sure you want to use that tonight?”
“Well you know, when you get to be our age you learn that you gotta live a little,” Bill said, pouring generous glasses for each of them.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to use the restroom,” Kensi said, shooting Deeks a meaningful look as she rose from the table.
“Don’t mind the mess!” Carol called.
Kensi stepped inside the RV, honestly a little surprised that they’d allowed her in at all considering what they’d found earlier in the day. But again, Bill and Carol had no reason to believe Kensi and Deeks would be suspicious.
At least, that’s what she thought until she walked out of the bathroom and straight into the barrel of a rifle.
#NCIS LA#NCIS Los Angeles#Densi#Marty Deeks#Kensi Blye#Country Roads Take Me Home#Densi Summer Vacation#Chapter 5#Arches National Park#Yellowstone National Park#Fanfiction#It's fall now#Oh well
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Kacxa Week Day 5 - Conversation in the Black Lion
Icebreaker
SUMMARY: What happened between Keith and Acxa between the time they blew up the Pirate cruiser and they made their way to Acxa’s base camp?
AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26892517
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Teen and Up Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Acxa/Keith (Voltron) Characters: Acxa (Voltron), Keith (Voltron), Keith’s Wolf (Voltron) Original Child Character(s), Original Galran Character(s), Keith's Family (Voltron) Additional Tags: Kacxa Week 2020, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Dynamics
---------------
Keith checks the star charts as he maneuvers his way through the asteroid field. Acxa comes forward, looks over his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
“Does this area look familiar, Acxa?”
“Yes, it does. I spent the better part of two decaphoebs here. Androse should be just ahead.”
From the rear of the shuttle Keith and Acxa’s sixteen-year old daughters step into the cockpit. “So, Mom, you’ve been here before?”
“Yup. Back when I fought with the Voltron Coalition. Your father and I were…reunited here after he was missing for three decaphoebs.”
“NO WAY! This is where you fought with the Voltron Coalition? Where did you meet up with Dad? On some super-secret mission where you swept him off his feet and you fell hopelessly in love with him.”
“Well…Not quite. We met up on a pirate ship…run by Zethrid and Ezor.”
“NO WAY! Aunt Zethrid and Aunt Ezor were pirates?”
Keith chuckles, his attention still fixed on the asteroid field. “So was your mother at one time.”
“NO WAY!”
Acxa gives Keith a light smack on the back of the head for that wisecrack. “I was a pirate for about two movements. Then I joined the Voltron Coalition. When Voltron returned after being missing for three decaphoebs, your father and the other Paladins managed to get themselves captured. I broke into the pirate ship and got them out.”
Keith loudly clears his throat. “Acxa…love…if you’re going to tell them the story, tell them the whole story of how creative we were when we got off that ship.”
“Creative? NO WAY! That’s dad-speak for blowing something up! Mom did you blow something up?”
“No…but your father certainly did. He had the Paladins blow up some Synthian Nitrate canisters in the cargo hold. He blew a large hole in the side of that ship. We were lucky we got out alive. In fact, that’s how I got my first and only ride in the Black Lion.”
“NO WAY! YOU RODE IN THE BLACK LION?”
Keith glances over his shoulder at his daughter. “Do you know any words other than ‘no way’?”
Mireya stands erect before her father, folds her hands in front of her, and speaks formally to Keith. “Why yes father. Thanks to mother I am endowed with a large vocabulary of extraneous and sizable words of dubious import that no one knows the meaning of that I use when the situation requires it. Indubitably, people are impressed by my syntax and the breadth and intellectual depths of my comments.”
Keith turns and stares deadpan at Mireya while Acxa and Cataleya do everything in their power to keep from splitting their sides with laughter.
“You got the sarcasm gene from your mother, didn’t you?”
Having made her point, Mireya resumes her usual demeanor. “Maybe. I got the stubborn gene from you. So, Dad, are you going to tell us about how you and Mom took your first ride together in the Black Lion?”
“You want a story? Here’s one for you…”
---------------
He grips her hand tightly as he and his fellow half-Galra jetpack at full speed away from the exploding pirate cruiser. Ahead, the Black Lion awaits them, its jaws open in anticipation of their arrival. Keith looks back at the woman who just risked everything to save the Paladins.
“I’ve got you. Don’t let go.”
She grips his hand tighter, an expression of determination on her face, and trust in her eyes. “I won’t.”
They land in the jaws of the Lion. They close, and after a moment the atmosphere within the jaws is restored and the hatch to the interior of the Lion opens. Still holding her hand, he looks back to her and smiles, a lock of his hair hanging down in front of his eyes.
“Welcome back to the Black Lion. Come on, we need to get to the cockpit.”
---------------
He leads her to the cockpit, where he checks in with the Paladins.
“Keith, where are we going?”
“I’m not entirely sure yet, Hunk.”
Acxa puts her hand on his shoulder. “I have a base camp about three vargas away from here.”
Lance overhears the conversation, guesses what the Black Paladin is thinking, and calls him on it. “Keith, can we trust her?”
Keith looks Acxa squarely in the eye. “We can trust her. She risked her life to help us.”
Acxa pulls up a star chart on her wrist device and shows it to Keith. “Set a course for Androse. There is a ruined base there. Just below it is a plain where the Lions can touch down. My base is in a cave in the hillside just off that plain.”
Seeing movement in the rear of the cockpit, Acxa spies Cosmo, and greets him.
“Hello…I don’t suppose you remember me?”
---------------
It has been just over three decaphoebs since she last saw Keith’s loyal Cosmic Dire Wolf. Following their last fight against one another, just before Lotor’s meltdown, Acxa critically wounded the Black Paladin. Establishing contact with a semi-conscious Keith following the battle and realizing what she had done, she pleaded with Cosmo to teleport her into the ship so she could tend to the rapidly fading Paladin’s wounds and save his life.
Suspicious of her motives at first, Cosmo watched Acxa carefully and saw that she truly had Keith’s best interests at heart. Cosmo asked her why she was so concerned with saving his life after she tried to kill him.
Her emotional reply was telling.
“I wasn’t trying to kill him. I never wanted this. I just…wanted to scare him away.”
Watching the care that Acxa took with Keith and listening to the remorse in her voice on the recording she left for him told the perceptive wolf one thing. Before taking Acxa back to her ship, he shared his thoughts. “There is more here than meets the eye, Corillian. Hopefully, some day you will see what I see. For your sake and for his.”
---------------
Cosmo saunters over to greet her. “I remember you, Corillian.”
Acxa scratches Cosmo behind his ears with both hands, an act that the giant wolf greatly appreciates.
Not wanting to overdo it, Acxa sits back on her haunches and admires him. “A Cosmic Dire Wolf. Before Braylar IV I had never seen one.”
Keith is grateful to have an icebreaker to get Acxa talking. Something that does not involve pirates or exploding cruisers. “Neither had I. I had a dog when I was a boy. I loved him. He was really attached to Dad. The dog fell into a funk when he died, and I was separated from him when I was taken to the orphanage.”
Acxa detects the sadness in Keith’s eyes and reaches out with her words to offer empathy. “I’m sorry about your father, Keith. I lost my parents as well. My father when I was 2, my mother when I was 9. I too spent time in an orphanage.”
“Sounds like we have a few things in common.”
Acxa gives him a wry smile. “Yes, it does.”
So much for the icebreaker. They fall into silence for a varga, as Keith focuses on piloting around the minefields laid by Zethrid and Ezor. Acxa gives him the information he needs to navigate through them then moves away so as not to crowd him.
She sits back and watches him, trying to understand the feelings she has for the Black Paladin. Feelings that drove her to sneak onto the pirate cruiser to free him. He was gone for three decaphoebs. She expected any feelings she had for him to have faded.
They have done anything but fade.
Sensing she is feeling blue, Cosmo comes over to comfort her. He speaks softly so only she can hear him. “Still haven’t figured it out, have you Corillian?”
“Obviously not, since I’m still trying to figure out what I haven’t figured out yet. I don’t suppose you could call me Acxa? That would go a long way to making me feel better. At least I’d know I had one person on my side.”
Cosmo curls up next to her and places his chin on her lap. “Don’t sell yourself short, Acxa. Keith over there…he is your biggest advocate. Cheer up. He really is glad to see you.””
Acxa scratches the wolf behind his ears. “Thank you. That’s good to know.”
Keith, blissfully oblivious to the dialog between Acxa and Cosmo, looks over his shoulder at the two of them. “I think he likes you. I always knew that wolf had good taste.”
---------------
Finally clear of the minefield, Keith puts Black on autopilot. “It’s going to take about a varga for us to get there. The power in the lions is low, or we’d be there by now.”
“It’s ok. I doubt those pirates are coming after us. You badly crippled them by blowing up that cargo hold.”
Keith notices something about her. “Your uniform. I didn’t notice it in all the excitement. That’s a Voltron Coalition uniform.”
“It is. I was part of Matt Holt’s rebel cell for two decaphoebs. I joined them after I split away from Zethrid and Ezor.
“Wow…so, you fought against the Galra Empire? With Matt Holt of all people?”
“Yes. We fought together for almost two decaphoebs. It was not an easy life. We were constantly on the run. At the end it was almost as if we were being hunted. As if somehow the Galra military and the factions knew where to find us.”
“Interesting. How did you wind up with Matt Holt? I seem to recall the first time you two met he wanted to throttle you for kidnapping his father.”1
“After I left Zethrid and Ezor, I put feelers out that I was interested in joining the Coalition. After a few phoebs with no response, Matt suddenly showed up. He did not trust me at first. I had to prove myself on my first mission. I guess I did that. He let me stay on.”
“So, I hate to bring up bad memories, but why did you leave Zethrid and Ezor?”
Acxa stares at the floor, silent for more than a few ticks. “I had my reasons.”
Before she can go any further into her explanation, they come upon a dense asteroid field. She perks up and stands behind Keith to get a good head-on view of the navigational screen.
“We’re close to my base. Pull up the star chart and I’ll guide you in.”
The Lions approach the ruined base on Androse. The buildings have the look of being abandoned for decaphoebs. Several of them have collapsed from neglect or the impact of meteors.
“At one time this was a forward listening post for the Empire. When they conquered this sector, they didn’t need it anymore and they abandoned it.”
She points to a flat plain at the foot of the hill on which the base rests. “Set down over there.”
---------------
Acxa greets the Paladins and the rest of Keith’s entourage once they are safely on the ground. Everyone seems standoffish, which is what she expected. Trust is something that take time to develop. Still, she cannot help but notice the critical in not outwardly hostile eye Keith’s mother uses to look her over. Acxa wonders if it will ever be possible to win Krolia’s trust.
Keith notices Krolia’s hard stares at Acxa and he cannot help but see that Acxa is bothered by it. He approaches her and whispers in her ear. “Don’t let Krolia’s stare get to you. She’ll come around.”
After showing the Paladins around the area Acxa turns to Keith, the one person in the whole group she knows trusts her. “It gets cold here on Androse at night. I have some firewood we can use to start a fire. We’ll need to gather more to make one big enough to keep all of us warm.”
“I can help with that. I just need to check the Lions first. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll bring it when I come back.” Getting directions to the firewood source, Hunk excuses himself to check on the Lions.
Keith gently takes her arm and looks her in the eye. “You’ve done so much for us today. Take a break. I’ll start the fire; Hunk and the others will bring the wood in to keep it going.”
Acxa gives Keith a shy smile. “Thank you.
---------------
“That sounds cool, Dad. So, what did you guys talk about at the campfire on Androse?”
Before Keith can answer, a notification pops up on the star chart. “We’re getting close to Braylar IV. About a varga out.” He looks to Acxa and smiles, then he turns to his daughters. “The story about what your mother and I talked about during and immediately after that campfire is one we’re happy to share, but on another day. It’s too long to tell with the time we have left in this trip.”
“Ok, I guess we can cut you some slack this time. But you’re not getting out of it. No way! Deal?”
Seeing the mischievous look in Mireya’s eyes, Keith can only chuckle. “Deal.”
Acxa studies the star chart carefully as Keith makes his approach to Braylar IV. “I wonder what Ashira and Soran have been up to all these years. And Cosmo. I wonder what Mr. Sassypants has been up to since he left to go home to rejoin the Sonai. Well, I guess we’re about to find out. Everyone, get ready to strap in. It’s time to pay a visit to some old family friends.”
1. Rise of the Black Paladin, Chapter 4, Blood Duel
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Under the General (Part 3)
Word Count: 2435
Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader
Summary: About a year after The Rise of Skywalker, peace in the galaxy is fragile. The Resistance is faced with new diplomatic problems as they try to maintain the peace. Trade routes are especially tricky and has forced Y/N to test her abilities as a negotiator. Due to tirelessly, negotiating with different planets and systems, Y/N has become the new face of peace and hope. Does this make General Poe Dameron jealous?
Genre: Adventure / Fluff / Angst
Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 5 Epilogue (Complete)
The first time you woke up isn’t awful. Your head hurts, your mouth is dry and you feel disoriented. However, once you become fully awake, you realized that you are strapped to a comfortable and cushioned chair. Before you is a table set with herbal drinks and little pieces of food. The last thing you notice is Nix sitting across from you.
Your first thought was one of relief. Nix Altross, your friend, would help you. Nix, your fellow comrade, would explain what’s happening. Nix, master spy second only to you, would keep you safe. These thoughts were second nature to you but they began to evaporate as you remembered that Nix shot you in the alley. The emotions you were feeling must have been plain on your face because Nix sighed as your expression became one of betrayal.
He began talking. His voice was charming, hiding his guilt. It seemed to lull your attention in and out of focus. Your head was too fuzzy for you to properly follow the conversation. Bits and pieces of Nix’s words were sticking in your mind. Nix was explain something. He didn’t like General Dameron. He wouldn’t tolerate a new galactic order lead by a hot headed pilot. Nix felt like he was undervalued by the Generals. He had the backing of the outer rim bounty hunters. He had two old battleships under his command. With his small armada, he controlled the farming planets. He was the reason the negotiations didn’t workout on Coruscant. He was gathering support from underneath the Resistance’s nose.
“It wont- Nix, this will not work,” you managed to get out. Your mouth felt like dried cotton. Nix’s face pinched in anger, but he quickly regained his charming demeanor. He stood and helped you drink something. You didn’t know what it was but the liquid felt soothing and cold. You heard Nix saying something as you began to slip into unconsciousness again. He wanted you to join him.
The second time you woke up was promising. You were tucked in a bed, free of restraint. The door was open. The room was empty besides a bed, a table and you. You felt safe enough to take your time trying to clear your mind. You noticed that on the table was a small cup of something warm. There was steam rising from the glass. Someone must have just been here. Where were they?
You had to leave. Without thinking about a plan, you threw yourself out of bed and began running down the halls before someone came back to the room. Luckily, the halls were empty. You were still unsteady on your feet and you tripped every few yards. The world was reeling but you knew you had to contact the Resistance. You tried to sort out your thoughts and form a plan. If only you could think clearly.
A siren began to ring throughout the long hallway you were in. Something must have happened. Did Nix realize you escaped? The doorway at the end of the hall began to close. Running, you threw yourself through the small opening but found that you were in another dead end. Voices were nearby. Someone was calling your name. Instinctually, you threw yourself into one of the many rooms in the dead end hallway.
It was a bedroom. You didn’t know whose nor did you care. Like the room you woke up in, this bedroom had a single table and a small bed. However, luck finally seemed to be on your side because you noticed a comm sitting on the table. It wasn’t much but it was enough to send a message to the Resistance. You cleared your head enough to punch in the code that would ensure your message made it to the Assembly of Generals.
“I don’t know where I am,” you began, “Nix took me from my undercover mission on Coruscant. He does not serve the Resistance. There seems to-” you were cut off by the door behind you opening. You hid the comm behind your back. You prayed that you could hit send on the message without seeing the buttons.
“What have we here?” Standing in the doorway was Nix, armed with a blaster in his hand, another strapped to his hip and two bounty hunters you didn’t recognize. They weren’t human and in the dim light of the room, the shadows made them seem menacing.
With your free hand you checked to see if your blasters were still strapped to your thighs, but Nix was smart. He must have taken them from you already. Like a wolf cornering it’s prey, Nix strolled towards you.
“Little girl,” Nix cooed as he grabbed you by the arm, “we’re going to have to take care of you. Perhaps a good memory wipe will do the trick?” Nix dragged you out of the room by the arm. You allowed the comm to slip out of your gloved hand and onto the floor, hoping no one noticed. You tried to distract the bounty hunters and Nix by fighting back with everything you could. Yet, you were still weak and Nix was much taller and significantly stronger than you. Still, you fought against him. He tried to drag you through the hall but you were not making it easy for him. Finally, he threw you on the ground in front of him and leveled a blaster at your head. Nix’s snarl was the last thing you saw before you hit the ground.
The third time you woke up was much, much worse than the first two. You were suspended a few feet in the air. Your bare arms and feet were restrained so that your body formed an x in the air. The anti gravitational cuffs made you feel weightless but your shoulders ached. You only felt worse when you met Nix’s gaze. He was almost eye level with you and he sneered when he saw you were conscious. His dark clothes and elegantly kept hair only added to the chilling demeanor that seemed to surround him.
“I’m glad you’re awake,” Nix taunted, “we are going to discredit the Resistance and General Dameron’s attempts at uniting the galaxy under him.”
“We are going to do no such thing,” you spat, “Poe isn’t uniting anything ‘under him’ he’s just trying to lead the galaxy to peace!” Your voice was rough and you suspected that you were dehydrated. You hoped that Poe had made it off of Coruscant safely.
“Oh? We’re calling him ‘Poe’ now?” Nix’s voice was cold. “Perhaps more things have been under him than I realized.” You could feel your cheeks turn scarlet at Nix’s implication. He rolled his eyes and patted your cheek.
“Don’t worry,” Nix said, “I’m sure the General is very seductive - you wouldn’t be the first to fall under his spell. You know how mad he was when he found out you weren’t where he left you on Coruscant? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so angry. Even at the most recent Assembly of the Generals, General Dameron was more tense and hot headed than usual.” There was a meeting of Generals and you weren’t there? How long has it been since Nix took you from Coruscant?
“Poe is safe?” You knew you shouldn’t have asked but you couldn’t stop yourself.
“Not after the stunt you pulled with the comm,” Nix answered, “The good General Dameron received your message about me and presented it to the whole group. I had no choice but to make an escape. I took your precious General as my hostage at gunpoint. He’s a few floors below us in a similar prison.” Nix gestured at your restraints and continued. “You are going to announce that the Resistance has been infiltrated by old Empire agents. As the new face of the Resistance and the Politician of Peace, people will believe you. You will accuse the Resistance leaders of betrayal. Chief among them is the war hero, Poe Dameron. You will urge all free planets to follow your fellow diplomat, yours truly. We will broadcast this message throughout the systems and you and I will rebuild the age of peace to our liking.”
“We aren’t going to do anything!” Your words came out as a cry more than a declaration of defiance.
“Yes, we are, dear,” Nix cooed as though he were talking to a youngling, “Do you remember that memory loss weapon I told you about not so long ago?” You knew what he was talking about. In fact, you had mentioned it to Poe on Coruscant.
“Do your worst, Nix,” you said with a grimace. Nix said something to you. A word, or a phrase, you weren’t really listening. You watched as Nix nodded to someone behind you and the next thing you felt was pain. Unadulterated pain filled your whole body but it felt particularly concentrated in your head. Your skull was going to fracture into a million little pieces but it was over before you could draw breath to scream.
“What did I just tell you?” Nix held your face in his hands, forcing you to look at him.
“I was the last one to speak,” you panted through gritted teeth, “I said, ‘do your worst’ and then you…” you trailed off. Something wasn’t right. Nix looked triumphant and you felt disoriented again.
“What you just felt were the effects of memory loss weapon. Painful, no?” Nix asked with a sweet smile. You began to shake with fear because you understood that Nix was going to wipe your memory clear. Still, you wouldn’t give in to his demands.
“I endured Kylo Ren’s wrath,” you hissed, “do your worst, Nix.” As if remembering what you had endured during the war, Nix traced the scars along your forearms. The sensation of his skin against yours was enough to make you sick. He took a step towards you and spoke softly in your ear.
“Ah, but see,” Nix said with a pur, “I know you can take it. But what about your dear General? Will the great leader, Poe Dameron, be able to last long under that kind of stress? Do you think - if he survives that is - that Dameron will be the same man without his memories? Y/n, if you do not do as I tell you, dear, I will break his mind. I will broadcast it to all systems in the galaxy instead of your confession. The image of the broken General will leave the Resistance in pieces and people will flood to my side. So, we can dismantle the Resistance without harming your General or we can do it by destroying him.”
You knew, as well as Nix, that you were thoroughly trapped.
What you did not know was that Nix was lying to you.
Poe Dameron was safe in the resistance base. During the first twenty four hours of your disappearance, Poe became very busy. After you disappeared from the street on Coruscant, Poe went to the meeting place to find the farmer, dead and you were nowhere in sight. Poe sprinted back through the streets and towards his ship, BB-8 on his heels.
After calling Finn on the comms and confirming that you were MIA, an emergency meeting of the Generals was called. It took Altross the longest to arrive and to Poe’s annoyance, action had been delayed for more than a day and a half. Nix entered the meeting just as Poe’s comm began to buzz.
“Y/n is missing,” Poe blurted out as Altross strolled towards his seat. Altross’ steps didn’t even falter. Of course the diplomatic prick was emotionless. What had Poe expected from this slimy politician? Yet, while Altross and Poe had never gotten along, Poe knew that he was close to you. He hoped that Altross would be willing to set aside their differences to bring you home. Finn picked up his comm, which happened to begin buzzing at the same time as Poe’s. Altross stood by his seat, looking down at Poe. Still ignoring the buzzing of his own comm and that of a few others in the room, Poe met Altross’ gaze.
“You lost her?” Altross’ words were icy to say the least. Poe knew he deserved it. You were his to protect and he had failed. Before Poe could utter an apology, Finn interrupted. He held his comm in the middle of the table to show a transmission of none other than you. Poe’s eyes were glued to the hologram and he took little note of Altross’ muttered excuse to leave the room.
“I don’t know where I am,” you began. Poe watched the small blue hologram of you flicker in and out. Judging by the quality of the recording, this was made on a low grade piece of tech. This transmission may have taken hours to arrive. Poe began to shake his head as you hurriedly spoke. “Nix took me from my undercover mission on Coruscant. He does not serve the Resistance. There seems to-” Poe was horrified when you were cut off by Altross in the doorway of the hologram. His voice was as sharp as daggers and Poe watched as he crossed to you.
“What have we here?” he asked, armed with a blaster in his hand, another strapped to his hip and two bounty hunters Poe didn’t recognize. Altross continued to walk toward you. You seemed so defenseless.
“Little girl,” Altross cooed as he grabbed you by the arm, “we’re going to have to take care of you. Perhaps a good memory wipe will do the trick?” Memory wipe? Poe remembered you talking about some form of interrogation that involved memory loss. He remembered that you claimed it was incredibly painful and most did not live through the procedure. Poe was livid by the time he watched Altross grab you. The transmission ended just before Altross laid his hand on your arm.
“Nix took me from my undercover mission on Coruscant. He does not serve the Resistance.”
The whole room was silent. Poe was running out of the room before anyone could stop him. Although, from the footsteps he heard behind him, he knew he wasn’t alone. Poe was going to wring Altross’ neck.
Connix watched as Poe and Finn dashed out of the room. BB-8 whirled after them. She and General Calrissian shook their head. They knew Altross would be long gone by now.
“Can we trace the location of the transmission?” Calrissian asked Connix.
“Only if we work quickly,” Connix dashed out of the room to bring the comm with the transmission to one of the hackers on the ship. The Resistance only had a few trust worthy hackers, but they were the best in the galaxy. If anyone could find your location, it would be them.
Calrissian was left in the meeting room alone.
“May the force be with you, y/n,” he muttered under his breath.
PART 4
A/N: These chapters just keep getting longer and more fun to write! Thank you guys for all the kind words. Chapter 4 and 5 may take a little longer to write, but they will be here before you know it. Let me know what you think, please!
#poe dameron#poe DAMNeron#poe dameron x reader#poe dameron x oc#Poe Damn son#star wars x reader#star wars: the rise of skywalker#star wars imagine
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TØP Weekly Update #134: Hey Kids (5/15/20)
Howdy, folks! Last Friday, your boy had the chance to either spend time with his girlfriend that he hadn’t seen in a month due to a global pandemic or spend two hours writing an update on the goings-on in the Twenty One Pilots world. It really wasn’t that hard a choice. I hope ya’ll understand.
But boy if it wasn’t a rough time to sign off, because there was so, so much content to go through. So much that I won’t even be able to list it all here to my usual level of depth. But I’ll do my absolute best to sum up everything that’s gone down the last few weeks.
Zane Lowe on Beats 1. What else is there to say? Two hours of Tyler Joseph talking to one of the most artist-focused interviewers of our time, listening to his favorite artists and going in-depth about his process. From hearing him talk about how Ben Folds’ albums taught him how “the piano returns back the energy you give it” to him showing his pretty deep knowledge the cyclical history of music, there’s a lot to satisfy a guy who gets a little sad every time that Tyler says he barely listens to new music anymore. He talks about going out on a limb with “Jumpsuit” and getting “frustrated” when picking apart Radiohead. He shares really small artists that Zane has never heard of. They watch a clip of his first ever performance. He talks about making formative memories with Death Cab as the soundtrack in the same way that we all did with Twenty One Pilots.
And speaking of new music: Tyler mentioned in this interview (as well as a few other places) that he is actively working on a record right now that will come out “sooner than we planned on releasing a record”. He elaborated that it’s probably not going to be part of the Dema story, emphasizing that our presence at live shows is too important in shaping that and that this will most likely be a sort of ‘in-between’ project. I’d love to go in-depth speculating what that project will look like... but there’s just too much. We’ll save that for a less busy week.
Zane Lowe didn’t give us the only sweet bit of Tyler content from the last few weeks. Tyler dropped into a Zoom chat with the Columbus Music Commission. Tyler’s contribution is great, but the whole 1.5 hour conversation is really worth listening to, as managers Chris Woltman and Brad Gibson have a lot of great stories to share about how they got the band started in the early days, and exec Peter Ganbarg gives great insight into how they got involved. Tyler himself acknowledges that the band doesn’t happen without these men. Really, really fascinating stuff.
One of the most special bits of Tyler content was even more direct: a Q&A he participated in with Mark on Discord Clique. This was Tyler at his most relaxed and honest: sarcastic, funny, hilarious, and genuinely kind. He teased us that we haven’t found everything about Dema yet, and talked about projects like the original “Migraine” video that never saw the light of day. Perhaps most significantly, he finally talks about just what exactly the religion of Vialism is: a worship of self-glorifying suicide. Tyler talks about how “Neon Gravestones” was the only song he received real push-back from the label on because of the content.
There have been more than a few other interviews with the band over the last two weeks. There’s not really much in them that’s new, but there are some good details about diaper changing, and it’s always nice to hear Josh’s voice. This one with Josh is really very good because the interviewer has a mutual friend and goes out of his way “to avoid monotonous questions”- we get info about how he built his first home studio, how he takes care of his body, and- most importantly- what his favorite pizza crust size is. He even calls back when the call drops- what a sweetheart. Over with ol’ pal Stryker, Tyler talks about Rosie’s disinterest in his talent and ranks his own songs.
The chart trajectory of “Level of Concern” has been a little interesting. On the one hand, it reached Alternative #1 faster than any song since “Jumpsuit”. That said, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to become a massive hit, as it’s been falling down the Hot 100 pretty steadily and tons of Covid-related songs from more mainstream artists have been steadily streaming out. But that’s ok- as I’ve said countless times since the release of Trench and will continue to say until the sun burns out, they made their money, now they making their art.
Besides, Trench went Platinum this week, and Blurryface has been on the Billboard 200 for five years. Just saying- they’ll be fine.
Tyler and Jenna have continued to be pretty open about their time at home with Rosie. After sharing a picture of his latest hairstyle, Tyler went nuts on Instagram and recreated old Vines. Josh is in the filmmaking mood too, as he’s been trying to launch his TikTok career with videos about apple cutters or something.
Whew. I know that’s not even close to everything. I know that Tyler’s dad’s been giving a bunch of interviews to Pop Song Professor about old music, and I haven’t even had time to watch them. I know there’s details and morsels from all of those interviews I’ve yet to pick out. Listen, homies, I’ve got papers to write and grade. I’ve given y’all plenty to chew on... until next week.
Power to the local dreamer.
|-/
#twenty one pilots#tyler joseph#josh dun#level of concern#trench#zane lowe#beats 1#billboard#top weekly update
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Pretend (Epilogue)
| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 |
Series Masterlist
Carol Danvers Masterlist
A/N: So I really missed this series and I thought I’d write a bonus since I started this series almost the same time as this blog. We can all use a little more of this series in our lives
“Y/n, if you don’t stop pacing I will propose for you.” Wanda groaned, leaning back on the couch in front of where you have been pacing for the past half hour. You turned to glare at her slightly, still fidgeting with the small velvet box in your hand.
“Why the hell isn’t she back yet?” You demanded, flopping down on the couch next to Wanda. “Rhetorical.” You added before Wanda could say anything
Ever since you had told Wanda you were going to propose to Carol, she reminded you everyday and eventually managed to force you to today. She somehow found out today was when you’d asked Carol to be your fake girlfriend, Three years ago.
Three years sounds like a long time to be with someone, but with Carol it felt more like three weeks. She was gone a lot but for you she had installed some sort of facetime with holograms for you to talk to her on and she made as much time for you as she could.
The two of you had fought more times than you could remember, most of those fights were over misguided love. Like your first major fight was because you were going to talk to your ex, Carol thought he would hurt you again. It happened more times than you’d like to count, communication wasn’t really Carol’s forte.
Those fights had usually ended up with you trying to get the real reason out of Carol, finally getting it out and Carol spending the next few hours apologizing out of guilt. God, the two of you already acted like a married couple.
“Y/n, for the last time, relax.” Wanda comforted, resting one hand on your shoulder. “She’s gonna say yes, the two of you already act like a newlywed couple.” You slapped wanda on the arm lightly and continued fidgeting with the box.
You’d known Carol was the only one for you a year back, she made you happier than you had ever been, you wanted that feeling for the rest of your life. Though, a week back, you knew you needed to propose. The moment was simple, overly simple probably.
The two of you had just come back from another mission, you were too tired to really care about anything and went on the bed instantly. You watched Carol talk to others though, you watched how tense she was and how straight her posture was even though it didn’t need to be. For everyone else she was the great Captain Marvel.
The second she came into your shared room, it all melted. She put on the wrong moisturizer and spent half an hour complaining about it while brushing her teeth. Carol put on mismatching sweatpants and your hoodie and fuzzy socks you’d given her and cuddled into you instantly, murmuring sweet nothings into your ear until you fell asleep.
You stayed awake through all of it though, a soft smile on your face as you gently stroked her knuckles until she fell asleep. Once she did, you turned around to face her, you knew she would have a nightmare after a mission so you stayed awake for it.
Carol had started to glow in the middle of the night, a nightmare, she had started muttering your name and something along the lines of ‘please don’t go’. You knew this would happen and were about to wake her up when she suddenly reached out for you and spooned you tightly. You had felt her inhale your scent before falling back into a peaceful slumber, leaving you smiling the entire time.
It was as if even in her subconcsious, she knew you were safe and you loved her. Even though to everyone else she was a superhero, to you she was just Carol Danvers, an almost crazy pilot who loved her with everything she had.
“Here she comes.” Wanda whispered, breaking you out of your thoughts, you shook your head and got up.
Carol walked in wearing a light blue t-shirt with black and gold patterns on the side and sleeves, paired with dark blue jeans, black vans which you’d bought for her and your black hoodie tied around her waist with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder as she chatted with the rest of the team.
“Y/n!” She exclaimed with a grin, running over to you and hugging you tightly, you hugged her back with a nervous grin on your face. She pecked you on the lips quickly and slid a hand around your waist, planning to head to your room.
“Can we talk outside for a second?” You asked timidly, Carol shrugged and nodded, dropping her bag next to the couch and missing the thumbs up Wanda was giving you.
The plan was set, you were going outside to propose on the hill you had stargazed with Carol hundreds of times.
“About that,” Tony commented, clearing his throat. “The hill was burnt from a crash landing when you were on a mission.” You groaned loudly, what the hell were you supposed to do now, nervousness started to get the best of you as you fidgeted with the box through your jean pocket.
“Talk whatever you need to talk about here.” Wanda suggested with a wink, Carol frowned and turned to you, arms crossed. The entire team stood next to the couches, seemingly knowing what was happening next. You heard Wanda’s voice in your head telling you she had told them already, you scolded her slightly before starting on an improvised speech.
“OKay this really wasn’t supposed to be this way but,” You began, Carol felt anxiety start to bubble in her chest, she couldn’t help but think you were going to break up with her, she fidgeted with the velvet box in her pocket nervously, thinking it was too late.
“Carol, I love you with all my heart, you’re the person who I’ve spent some, no, all of my best days with. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” You confessed hurriedly, getting down on one knee, almost banging the knee on the ground.
“Will you do me the honor, and possible horror,” Everyone laughed, you grinned and looked up at Carol. “Of being my wife?” You opened the box to reveal an intricately done rose gold ring with a gold diamond solitaire in the shape of a teardrop in the center. The band had ‘My Phoenix’ engraved in the center.
There was a long silence while Carol considered what to do, she had one hand clamped over her mouth to prevent sobs from breaking out as tears slipped down her face in happiness of the situation, but she needed to react. She was a little too stunned too.
“If not my real wife, at least my pretend wife?” You pleaded jokingly, the entire team laughed their asses off behind you but you could feel your chest starting to constrict out of anxiety, thinking you’d moved too fast and this isn’t what Carol wanted.
“I can’t believe you beat me to the proposal.” Carol muttered, getting down on one knee and pulling her ring out. It was strikingly similar to yours, but instead of a band it was woven strands of rose gold.
You could barely hear the entire team cheering for the two of you as a single tear slipped down your cheek.
“I told you I would.” You answered, your grin matching Carol’s. She rolled her eyes and gave you her left hand for you to put the ring on. You quickly slid it on, letting Carol do the same before tackling her in a hug, tucking your face in the crook of her neck.
“I swear I thought you were going to break up with me.” Carol confessed, pulling you on top of her as she sat on the couch.
“I kinda did the opposite.” You joked, looking down at Carol who looked up at you with teary hazel eyes. “I love you Carol Danvers.” You whispered, settled comfortably in her lap.
“I love you too y/n Danvers.” Carol whispered, forehead touching yours.
“I think I like the ring of Carol y/l/n better.” You joked before kissing your girlfriend, no, your fiance, Carol grinned but met you halfway for your first kiss as an engaged couple.
A/N: Started this series with like 30 followers, ending it with 330, i feel accomplished, feedback is amazing
Tag list: @capcarolsdanver, @versdan, @lesbian-girls-wayhaught, @lovebotlarson, @dhengkt, @5aftermidnight, @hstoria, @natasha-danvers, @veryfunnyal, let me know if you’d like to be in any of my tag lists!
#marvel#marvel x reader#marvel x female reader#marvel x you#marvel x y/n#marvel imagine#marvel one shot#captain marvel#captain marvel x reader#captain marvel x female reader#captain marvel x you#captain marvel x y/n#captain marvel one shot#captain marvel imagine#carol danvers#carol danvers x reader#carol danvers x female reader#carol danvers x you#carol danvers x y/n#carol danvers one shot#carol danvers imagine#my writing#my fic#MYC's writing
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Two Cursed Detectives in Paris: Landing
Chasing down their suspect has lead Connor and Eerie, two detectives cursed with animal-like qualities, to France. There they find two kids madly in love with each other, even if they don't realize it yet. But with the help of two American detectives, love might just find a way...
Based on the Chouette! story and artwork that can be found here.
(If you haven't seen Chouette! before, then don't worry - I explain everything that matters for the plot.)
Hello and welcome to this fic that I have been very much looking forward to for the past month! I've been obsessed with Chouette since I first saw it in April of last year, so combining my two favorite obsessions into one gloriously fluffy fic felt only natural. And if I can get you to join me in this fledgling fandom, then I'll be absolutely thrilled!
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 (Final)
Enjoy!
Read on Ao3
Broadly speaking, she was cursed.
Although not in the sense that most people thought of when they heard the word “Cursed.” ‘Oh, my hair just won’t cooperate! I must be cursed!’ ‘My TV is flickering, it must be cursed!’
No, she really was cursed. If the talon-like nails, the head that swiveled three hundred and sixty degrees, and a host of other little abnormalities were anything to go off of, then probably cursed by the spirit of an owl. Or maybe she was possessed by an owl spirit? Honestly she had never been too clear on how it all worked despite living with it since middle school. It’s not like she’d been given a handbook or introductory pamphlet to help her through those first few rough months. Or the rough years that followed.
The ‘owl horns’ in her hair could be held down by her bow and the talons just looked like well manicured nails, but the red eyes and orange marking around her eyes like a mask were a dead give away. Not to mention the mossy green hair. At twenty two years old, it hadn’t been a long life so far, but it had certainly been full of struggle.
But that was who she was to the people who just saw her curse and decided not to look any further.
More specifically, she was Eerie. Eerie Escamilla, top of her class out of law school, junior detective and intern at the Cursed Special Unit, filled with people with a similar… background to her. A snore drew her attention to her left, toward one such person.
Connor MacThomas was cursed, like her, but with a raccoon rather than an owl. They hadn’t let him bring his favorite pillow with him into their first class seating, but he managed with his soft and bushy tail. She had to bite her lip to keep from aw’ing at the way his little raccoon ears twitched ever so slightly in his sleep. It wouldn’t do to be cooing at someone who was debatably her boss but unquestionably the more experienced detective between them.
Evidently, he could feel her eyes on him since he chose that moment to wake up. He yawned and stretched, his gloved hands grasping at the roof of the airplane. His hands were his greatest strength and his glaring weakness - so sensitive he could read the mood of a person by touch, which also made them so vulnerable he kept them in sturdy leather gloves worn thin by constant use.
His eyes, with their light blue sclera, opened up as he blinked at her, a bleary smile on his lips. Those eyes stood out all the more for the black mask, so similar to her own orange one, surrounding them. Another person might have thought that his crumbled, messy appearance was because he’d just spent the last five hours sleeping curled up on himself. But Eerie knew that was just how he always looked.
He adjusted himself, pulling down his shirt since it had ridden up a little. Her eyes followed the movement and she felt her cheeks heat up. Her heart fluttered and she quickly looked away, towards the window. A bad idea, given her fear of heights and suddenly her heart was fluttering for a different reason entirely. Her eyes widened and her breathing started to come in short bursts.
“Eerie?” Connor seemed to pick up on her panic quickly, if the concern in his voice was any indication. “Eerie. Boss. Look at me.” With a force of effort, she tore her eyes away from the window. “I didn’t pay much attention to the briefing. Why don’t you tell me about this mission?”
That was a blatant lie, but she was too grateful to call him out on it. She took a deep breath and gladly switched into lecture mode.
“We’ve been on this guy’s tail for the last couple months, picking apart his forgery operation back home.”
Connor grinned and stretched his hands. “Most of which was spent convincing rich people to let me get my paws all over their fancy but fake statues and busts.”
“And the rest of it was me doing meticulous art research,” Eerie said, rolling her eyes with a smirk.
“Of course, boss.” Connor didn’t break eye contact as he reached behind him to close the window with one hand. “And then what?”
“Well, I noticed that all the pieces had one thing in common - all the authentic ones are currently housed in the Louvre. And considering a lot of them aren’t even on display for the public-”
“Explaining why the fancy art people didn’t know they were being had.”
“-that means that the guy we’ve been after is in Paris, France and likely works at the Louvre. The local authorities have it up to their necks just trying to handle some crazy stuff happening in the French capital, so when the Chief offered to send the detectives already on the case...”
“...They were more than happy to accept,” Connor finished. “And luckily, we both know French, so this works out à la perfection.”
Eerie made a disapproving sound. “About that last part…”
“Yeah, boss?” A stewardess handed him a package of peanuts which he quickly tore into.
“I learned French because it was the only foreign language they offered in high school and I thought being bilingual would be good for a resume.” Eerie propped her elbow up on their armrest and put her chin on her hand, staring at Connor. “But you never seemed the type to care about stuff like that. Why did you learn French?”
To her surprise, he blushed. “It’s, uh… it’s not important.”
“Really?” Eerie blinked innocently at him. “So you wouldn’t mind telling me then. Right?”
Connor stuck out his tongue at her. “Nosey.”
“Comes with the detective territory, boss. Spill.”
After watching her for a long moment, he slumped his shoulders and groaned. “I did it to impress a girl, alright?”
Eerie’s eyebrows flew up. “Wow, really?”
“It was middle school okay?” Connor crossed his arms as his tail twitched in irritation behind him. “It didn’t work either, obviously. That was, uh, just before the whole curse thing happened. But I stuck with it!” Connor paused. “Well, mostly.”
“What do you mean, ‘mostly’?”
“Well, I’m conversational at least…”
“Connor! You said you were fluent!”
“No,” he replied. “I said I can speak it.”
“That-” Eerie stopped herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was a complication, but if anyone could manage to get by without knowing the native language, it was Connor. He was more resourceful than he looked. “Okay, fine.”
Their conversation was cut short as the pilot announced that they would be landing soon. They glanced at each other, Eerie locked eyes with him as he began eating the package the peanuts came in. Both of them reached the same conclusion. With more people waking up around them, it wasn’t as safe to talk about their assignment. It would have to wait until the hotel.
----------------
Connor's hand hesitated at the door to their shared hotel room. Knowing their mission designer, he’d half expected her to get them a room with only one bed. Jemina was great and all, but sometimes she was even more pushy about his relationship with Eerie than his own mother was. He opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, this room did have two beds. With some big business event happening in Paris at the moment, two rooms was out of the question.
“As much as I appreciate being stuck staring at your fluffy butt, can you get a move on?” Eerie’s voice brought him back into the moment. “This stuff is heavy.”
“Right, sorry.” He stood still for another moment and looked behind him. “...So you like what you see back there, huh?” His tail swished back and forth happily.
She rolled her eyes and pushed him with her foot. Snickering, he stepped forward set to work turning the bed into something almost like home. Before long, he heard her speak up again.
“...How did you manage to pack your giant banana pillow?”
“Very carefully,” Connor said in what he hoped was a cool and mysterious way. “I figured you wouldn’t let me build a nest of pillows and blankets-”
“Accurate. I don’t want to get the house keepers annoyed with us. We’ll be here for the next few weeks after all.”
“-so this is the next best thing. Thankfully for me, Nanners here is a cuddlebug.” To prove his point, Connor laid down on his bed and spooned the person-sized banana. He opened one eye to see Eerie hiding a smile with her hand. His heart melted at how cute she was in this moment.
His eyes widened at the thought. She’s your intern, he mentally chastised himself, get ahold of yourself. He quickly sat up and put his legs over the side of his bed, facing Eerie.
“So now we’re in Paris. You remember the next part?”
“Yup, some of us pay attention to the mission briefing.” Eerie rolled her eyes, but a smirk still played at her lips. “Tomorrow, we’ll be setting up our covers. Chief managed to get us some part time jobs. Apparently I’m going to be doing deliveries for a local bakery.”
Connor frowned. “That sounds delicious. Is it too late to switch?” He asked with a hopeful lilt to his voice.
“Way too late. But hey,” she said, squeezing his shoulder. “You’re going to be an English tutor for some rich kid, I’m sure they’ll keep you well fed.” She pursed her lips. “With actual people food. So no digging around in the garbage.”
Connor feigned a gasp. “Boss, this is Paris! They have the finest, most gourmet trash in the whole world. How can you ask me not to try the local cuisine?”
“It’s not- No! We’re going to actual restaurants, I’m not letting you dumpster dive while we’re here. We’re supposed to be undercover, remember? And that’s exactly the sort of thing that will draw unwanted attention.”
“You’re just using that as an excuse ‘cuz you don’t want me eating garbage.” He waggled his finger right below her nose. She gently pushed it aside, but even with that brief touch he could a vague feeling of her emotions - a mix of exasperation and amusement.
“You’re exactly right. Is it working?”
His tail flicked back and forth irritatedly behind him. “...Maybe,” he grumbled.
“Good,” she said with far too much pep for his liking. “Now, it’s been a long day and we don’t start our new jobs until tomorrow. I’m going to take a nap.”
Connor yawned. “I think I’ll do the same.”
“You slept for most of the trip here!”
“And that was very exhausting!”
Eerie stared at the ceiling for a few long moments before laughing and soon enough he joined her.
“Good night, boss.”
“Night, boss.”
#Chouette Fanfic#Miraculous Ladybug#Connor MacThomas#Eerie Escamilla#ml fanfiction#my writing#Two Cursed Detectives in Paris
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