#but i guess i just have to acclimatize now a bit.

[suusoh]

gonna b slightly honest here. but i've been losing my writing flow lately because of how terribly shy i've gotten..... which, is really ironic and no bueno for a blog that's built and thrived on being shameless at the start 💀

[hertwood]

.

[hyenahunt]

Bogie Time: The Jeering of the Jesters - 13

Writer: Akira

Season: Summer

Characters: Hajime, Mitsuru, Nazuna, Jun, Hiyori, Ibara, Nagisa

Proofreading: royalquintet (JP) & Sophie + Skyress (ENG)

Translation: nazunyan427 & haranami & hyenahunt

Hiyori: "One morning, while Nazuna-kun was still half asleep, he mistook me as his very own pet rabbit and—"

Time: A few days later. The final day of Bogie Time — the Minigame Decathlon

Hajime: (...So much for all that. Ah, I sure sounded full of myself.)

(Of course I’m too caught up in everything around me to worry about anything else on top of that!)

(Ugh, why am I like this?!)

Jun: "Alrighty! Today's finally the last day of Bogie Time, so we'll spend all of it playing mini-games!"

Hiyori: "And that's the kind of program Bogie Time originally was: a show where up-and-coming idols endlessly battle it out in minigame matches."

"In this way, it's a throwback to the original Bogie Time."

Jun: "Actually, it just straight-up raises the question of just why exactly this new and improved Bogie Time has to go on for so long, doesn't it~?"

"Was it seriously necessary to hold it over nine whole days?"

Ibara: “Yes, I’d say so.”

“It would’ve been difficult for those who are inexperienced with variety shows — namely, the members of Ra*bits and Adam — to behave in sufficiently amusing ways without rehearsing beforehand.”

“We needed to be forced into acclimatizing to the vicissitudes of such programs.”

Hiyori: "I believe they also wanted us to show our genuine selves, in having us live with each other for eight days."

"That's what variety shows are all about, no? After all, it's great fun to discover sides of people you'd never expect them to have."

"This is especially true for us of Eden, as we have been like transcendental beings all this time."

"And thanks to Nazuna-kun's overprotectiveness, Ra*bits too have shown surprisingly little of their private lives."

Nazuna: “...What’s so bad about being overprotective?”

“Guess it’s ingrained in me to focus exclusively on the art of performance too...”

“I just end up thinking that it’s not really necessary to show our fans what happens offstage too.”

Hiyori: "That's the usual with Yumenosaki students, isn't it? Up until this year, none of you belonged to an agency, so you've all been pretty lax about protecting your privacy."

"I'm sure you must have thought it'd be safer to keep everything under the wraps."

"However, things will be different from now on. We’ll show ourselves off in front of everyone ♪ "

Nazuna: “You might enjoy flaunting yourself for all the world to see, but I’d rather keep private stuff private.”

“Although I guess everything there is to see about me has already been exposed over these past eight days.”

Hiyori: "Nevermind the times Nazuna-kun forces himself to act cute — I believe we now have confirmation his genuine side is even cuter, such as when he's half asleep."

Nazuna: “Wagh, no, don't put my half-asleep face on TV! I’m telling you! I’ll die!”

Hiyori: "On the off-chance it doesn't make it onto the screen, I'll tell the viewers a little about what happened!"

"One morning, while Nazuna-kun was still half asleep, he mistook me as his very own pet rabbit and—"

Nazuna: “AGH! AGH! Cut it out! Not another word outta your mouth!”

Ibara: (What on earth did he do…?)

(I’m not too sure what the other teams have been up to, and there’s not much I can do but wait for the program to be broadcasted.)

(However, for caution’s sake, it would be best for me to go through all the footage beforehand.)

(I’m sure there’s an enormous amount; it certainly won’t be an easy task. But I might be able to obtain some useful information.)

(...His Excellency confiscated my phone, so I was unable to check for updates in real time.)

(I suppose this was a lesson — I realized that I need to perceive the events unfolding before me with my senses, like any other living creature, instead of focusing solely on the statistics and figures I find on the internet.)

(Additionally, I had to constantly operate on the assumption that I was being filmed 24/7, so I couldn’t employ any of my usual tactics...)

(Be it meticulous negotiations or behind-the-scenes maneuvering.)

(I wasn’t able to contact any of my subordinates, either. These past ten days have certainly tested my true strength. Yes, this was an invaluable experience.)

(...I used to be a brat who despised all the world — I wonder how much I’ve grown?)

(In the past, I would lash out and attack you, only to have you turn the tables on me time and time again. Am I still that same weak, foolish child… Instructor?)

(No. Even if that were true, I’m changing. And so are you — you’re in the middle of discovering your talent as an actor, growing by leaps and bounds.)

(...From now on, I’ll do the same. I’ll grow, just like you.)

Mitsuru: BAM!☆

Hajime: “Eek—w-wah?!”

Ibara: “Are you alright, Jimenyan? Please do your best~”

Hajime: “Oh, yes! Ehehe, it’s already the next day, but you’re still calling me by that nickname—”

“Waaagh?!”

Mitsuru: “Come on now! You can’t go lookin’ at somethin’ else! I don’t wanna do something mean to you, Hajime-chan, but this is a battle and you’re the enemy so I’ll do whatever it takes to win!”

“I’m not gonna take it easy on you!”

Jun: "Alright, then! As you can all see, the pool we have at our venue here has been turned into a floating sumo stage!

"Ah, as a note to all our performers: we'll be explaining everything again since this'll come right after a commercial break!"

Nagisa: “...Yes, we know. We’ve grown accustomed to the ways of variety shows by now.”

Jun: "Since this is the final day of Bogie Time, we'll be playing ten minigames in a row!"

"'Water Sumo Wrestling' is our third minigame, and just as the name implies, we'll be wrestling in the arena floating atop the water!"

Hiyori: "It might be called 'sumo wrestling', but you won't lose even if your knees or elbows hit the ground!"

"The one and only way to lose is to get tossed out of the arena and into the water!"

Jun: "Additionally, everyone's gonna take part at the same time, meaning all eight of us will be trying to shove each other off!"

"Basically, it's just Super Smash Br*s Ultimate!"

Hiyori: "Talk about a blatant reference! By the way, whichever team the last man standing belongs to shall receive 3000 points!"

"And on the flip side, the losing teams will all lose 1000 points each!"

Jun: "Team God's in the lead after racking up around 50000 points in the days running up to the final, so it's not gonna make much difference, though~"

"Well, every little bit counts, I guess?"

Hiyori: "Yes, indeed! All the teams lagging behind shouldn't throw in the towel just yet — you all ought to continue doing your best!"

Jun: "You're making it sound as if you're already winning."

"As it stands, the ranking right now is Team God in first place, followed by Team Snakey, Team Hyena and then Team Bunny—"

"Considering how your ass is dead last, you should be following your own advice, yeah?"

Hiyori: "How vulgar! But no matter, I'm sure that a show like this is bound to have some way of turning the tables eventually!

"So now's the time to conserve our strength, and sit tight in wait for that very opportunity!"

Jun: "Y'know, you're kinda contradicting yourself..."

"But well, that's your strategy, huh? Gonna wait for the other teams to tire themselves out first by giving it everything they've got?"

"That's one way to pave an easy path of turning things 'round for yourself."

Hiyori: "But of course! That's why I've retired so soon from this considerably physical trial of strength that is Water Sumo Wrestling!"

"After all, wobbling to and fro atop this floating arena as you rush back and forth to knock each other off... It's certainly rather inelegant! What foul weather!"

Nazuna: “I just lost when someone pushed me in… I’m the oldest in Ra*bits, yet the least blessed when it comes to physique, huh.”

“Nah, that’s not it. Everyone’s gotten stronger. It’s hitting me these days more than ever.”

✦✦✦✦✦

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[hongjoongtrasher]

the beauty and the beast (chapter 2)

word count: 5k around

angst, fluff, smut

triger warnings: mention of child abuse, violence etc.

series masterlist

Synopsis:

When you move to a new city due to your father's job, you don't expect to stay for a long and so decided not to get attached to the world around you.

But still, you are "the new girl", unwillingly attracting people's attention because of your family's background. Your strict father expects a lot from you, not to say perfection. And when you are sit next to a certain Jung Yunho, you didn't expect your life to take a radical turn

Yunho always have been hating wealthy people. Or just people who were boasting about all the damn money they had and he hadn’t. Oh maybe it was childish to hate richer than himself, but he didn’t hate them for no reasons. He always felt disgusted by their pity, the way they would just «burn some cash » because they could, because they had too much. He concluded every rich guy was like this, and you weren’t an exception. At the very moment his eyes landed on your person, he could instantly feel this familiar aura. A daddy’s girl, probably richer than everyone’s parents in this school. And just the fact of you sitting next to him was driving him crazy.

He ignored you all the time. And he was glad in a way you didn’t try to talk to him, because he would have snapped all his hatred he was feeling towards people like you. But for a fact, he could admit that you weren’t acting like other rich kids around. The way you flinched when his friend was about to lift his hand at you, also the fact you were lonelier than he thought. Oh yes he indeed noticed you being the silent girl around, and at first he thought it was because you were the new girl, and that it was just a facade and soon or later you would just boast like the others.

It’s already been two weeks since you arrived here and yet you were as quiet as usual. You tried to acclimatize to every thing but as the good girl you were, your father thought it was a good opportunity for you to get into extra classes. Last night, you came back home near midnight, exhausted by this long day after studying like crazy. That’s why you didn’t even care to look at Yunho this morning when you sat down, as usual not peeping a word to him since the incident on the rooftop. Actually you tried to flip over and over again the same problem. Why he hated you this much ? But after some days, you understood he was hating every one the same way. Skipping classes, or when he was making act of presence just sleeping on his desk became the routine but today he was here. You quietly opened your bag to settle your pencils and workbooks. Yunho’s back facing you while he was probably taking a nap. Your English teacher came and when she started the class, she stated. « Alright guys, today you’ll be paired up. I want you to improvise a short sketch with what you learnt this past week. Just pair up with your neighbor. You have fifteen minutes »

Your eyes widened at her statement as you felt your heart throbs violently into your chest. Being in a team with Yunho was probably the last thing you thought which could become true today. And speaking of him, you heard a groan next to you, making you freezing as he slowly turned to you before staring at you.

« Just telling you, I don’t have a clue of what she said, so don’t expect me to do well »

How nonchalant he was at this moment almost made you scoff.

« You should have been here then. » you groaned back while opening your notebook.

His brows quirked at how you answered to him.

« Someone got more brave huh ? » he said before straightening on his chair and looked at the textbook of yours on your desk and took it to read the last two pages to your astonishment.

« Didn’t bring it, so I’ll just use yours. » he explained as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

« Great. » you answered and just scribbles some words on a page. You didn’t want to waste your time for such a jerk like him? At least you would have done your task by yourself, just for yourself and not him. You couldn’t let Yunho drag your grades down…You couldn’t just relax yourself.

Some silence installed between you two while others students were trying to do the task your teacher asked, but instead, Yunho took time to actually look at you. Somehow you looked exhausted, non to say to the verge of fainting. Your lips were pale, and dirk circles could be seen under your eyes.

« Didn’t sleep well last night ? » he asked randomly as he pretended to read the book under his eyes.

You badly wanted to ignore him. What the heck ? Just few weeks ago he openly said he hated you so you just accepted this fact and now he was chatting like you as nothing happened ?

« Studied late » you answered drily.

« Ha, I see you went to those extra classes which are costing your butt’s skin. »

You offered him a dark glare, making him look into your eyes. If course he wasn’t attending any of this, so he couldn’t really understand the situation you were in.

« And ? Is it going to change your life ? »

He shrugged.

« No, but I guess you’re a hardcore student » he hummed before he took his pencil to write down some words on his own paper. « Must be so boring » he added mockingly.

You wanted to answer back to him and spit how rude he was from the first place. You acknowledged the fact your life was boring as fuck, you were the first one to say it, but there were limits to making fun of this matter. Soon your teacher clapped her hands to catch everyone’s attention.

« Alright guys, it’s time. Who want to go first ? »

It was the usual game of « I don’t know what you’re saying », essentially based on avoid your teachers’ eyes and doing as you was busy enough not to make her choosing you. Your teacher smirked. « I see everyone’s eager to go, soooo…Y/N and Yunho, you go first. »

You panicked a bit, because except this little conversation you both hadn’t talked at all about your coed work. But Yunho didn’t seem bothered by this at all and stood up with his paper and just nudged your shoulder so you could stand up and go to the front with him. What was he playing at ?

Actually you thought Yunho was someone who didn’t give a shit to studies. His consecutive absences were not helping for his case but surprisingly, he opened the sketch with a good English. So good that you were surprised, making you go blank for a second. He looked at you before moving his lips silently « Y/N. » You shook your head and continued this weird play. At the end, your teacher seemed satisfied by your work and allowed you to go back to your sits so the next pair could go on.

When you sat down again, you looked at Yunho again.

« I thought you would’t do well » you mumbled.

He laughed lowly and it troubled you. It was the first time you heard him laugh. The first time he wasn’t showing hostility to you.

« You may think I’m a lazy ass, but I got some things stocked in this » he whispered, pointing at his head before leaning back on his chair.

Classes ended soon for the usual lunch break. Yunho got up and got out of the room without a word for you, as usual. Today you decided to stay into the classroom to eat. You never went back on the rooftop since you met the three boys. As you were unpacking the lunchpack you got from Sookja, you just took some time to think about this morning. Was Yunho being nice to you a sign to be more suspicious of him ? You were into your thought when you heard a voice calling your name.

« Y/N ? »

You looked up and saw a girl standing at your desk.

« Huh…Yeah ? »

She smiled to you and said.

« I’m Jisoo, erm…we’re in the same class and…I…Would you like to eat lunch with me ? » she asked shyly.

You were flustered by this sudden proposition. It was the first time someone was reaching out for you since you were in this school. Jason was a petite girl, with shorts hair and pink round cheeks. She looked nice so you couldn’t say no.

« Of course, but…mh, are you sure ? I’m not a good company » you confessed, embarrassed by this.

« I figured out you were eating alone every day and mhhh, I…just want to know you better you see ? I mean, don’t get me wrong ! I’m not approaching you because you’re the newbie or rich girl around ! »

You chuckled at her answer and made some space for her to eat your lunch on this tight desk.

« Thanks…actually I don’t feel like eating with a lot of people » you mumbled, peeling a boiled egg.

Jisoo looked surprised by your statement.

« Why not ? Well, people aren’t trying neither but…It would be a pity to let you out right ? You seem nice, so… »

Jisoo unpacked her own pink lunchbox where cherry tomatoes and egg roll and others nice things were lying inside.

« That’s cute ! Are you cooking it yourself ? » you said, trying to make a conversation.

She nodded with a proud smirk.

« Yes ! I like cooking, but since I’d pack too much I’m doing basic things. You ? Looks good as well. »

« Mh…Actually I don’t know how to cook » you answered uneasily.

« Oh must be your mom then ? »

It was a slippery subject, but since Jason made the genuine effort to come and talk to you, you didn’t feel like making up lies.

« I don’t have a mom…Huh, I mean I have one, but my parents divorced when I was little and…never seen her since » you mumbled, eating piece of kimchi.

Jisoo’s expression went bad and you could easily know why, so you quickly said.

« It’s fine, don’t worry, I don’t try to see her neither so I’m used to. Instead we have a housekeeper. She’s making my lunch every day, so I guess it’s like a mom. »

« Oh…I’m sorry still. I didn’t know »

You gave her a comforting smile as you two ate your lunch peacefully, getting to know each other’s better.

« Say, I saw you this morning with Yunho… Is he nice with you ? » asked Jisoo out of the blue.

You almost had forgotten about your gloomy classmate, so you hummed in hesitation.

« He’s a jerk, the first day I arrived he just openly said he hates me » you groaned, packing back your empty box.

« He hates every one outta here » Jisoo added, not seemed surprised. « But…there are a lot of rumours about him » she said lowly as if she was scared someone would overhear her words.

You arched a brow, curious about those said rumours.

« What kind of rumours ? »

« He’s fighting a lot with other people, basically a bad boy. You’ve seen it already, but he’s skipping classes a lot and no one really knows what he’s doing. » Jisoo explained. « I’ve never seen him hitting someone myself, but …be careful ? I don’t want him to hurt you or anyone else around »

Was he this terrible ? The image of Yunho laughing this morning was still lingering into your head. So you just nodded at her advice. It was almost time for classes again so Jisoo left you and friendly waved her hand at you before going back to her desk while other people were coming back. You expected Yunho to skip class again, but surprisingly his tall figure appeared before the bell rang. He got back to his desk and again laid his head on the desk, ignoring you in the process.

It was Korean history class, and it would be a lie to say it was boring as hell. Although you were still taking notes of every thing, Yunho was still acting like a dead body. He didn’t say a word to you for the rest of the day. And at 5pm sharp, you got out from school to go to your extra classes. You’re still drained from your day, and the idea to study more was giving you a headache. By chance, you were allowed to go alone there, taking the bus.

That’s how Yunho saw you walking to the bus stop while he was going to his motorbike, helmet in his hand. You were a weird girl. Never before he got interested into a girl, all being the same when it comes to approach him for his bad boy vibe like. Bullshit. He hated those childish girls, but surprisingly you didn’t have this side into your attitude. Again, Yunho was shocked to think about you from time to time. « Get yourself back Jung Yunho » his conscious told him before he saw the bus passing by his eyes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days were flying by and your first mock exams were coming at the corner. You had worked like a slave for this days, sleeping few hours a night to study more and more, the menacing shadow of your father planning above your head. Jisoo was eating lunch with you every day since. You girl got closer after few days and you considered her like your friend. She was the first person to hear about your familial situation and the gape, or more the ravine between you and your father. You must say it was a relief to be able to confess every thing to someone exterior to your house.

Jisoo seemed pissed off when you told her you were used not to get attached to people due to you moving almost every year to another city.

« That’s so awful ! » she cried, grabbing the carton of fruit juice you got from the machine.

« Yeah…My father is a stone cold asshole » you mumbled, the straw between your lips.

« Girl, when exams are over, let’s have fun alight ? Fight me if your father says no ! »

Jisoo was so cute. You couldn’t imagine this little girl tossing her fists at your father, but somehow the image was funny. That’s how you promised you would.

This day again you had to go to extra classes, and today was really a day you wished someone would ditch you from this living hell. Waiting at the bus stop, you were spacing out when you heard the sound of a roaring engine before it stopped right before you. The man on the moto lifted the smoked visor on his helmet to reveal his face. You heart stopped when you recognise Yunho. You didn’t know you he could drive such a thing but he seemed proud of it as he smirked to you.

« Need a drive ma’am ? » he asked.

What the fucking hell ? One day he was ignoring you like a ghost and another day he was talking to you and now proposing you to ride his moto ?

« Wha- I don’t understand, what are you trying to do here ? » you groaned back as he stabilised himself and just throw at you another helmet.

« Wear this. » he ordered without answering your question.

You looked at him in hesitation. Was he serious ? Or was he trying to drag you into another salty problem ? As he could read into your head, he rolled his eyes.

« I won’t throw you over a bridge you know ? »

« Huh…So tell me what are you trying to do ? I’m utterly sick of your hot and cold game. One day you’re saying you’re hating me, fine. And another one you’re actually trying to convince me to ride on a motorbike with you. »

« Get on, we’ll talk later » he groaned, glaring at you which intimated you.

Soon enough you were at the back of the motorbike, and before he drove, he took your arm to make you hug his waist tightly.

« Don’t ever let it go. If we fall I’d rather you fall with me than the motorbike » he explained.

You were about to protest, but he drove, making you instantly hold him tightly. It was the first time you were being driven on a moto, and the air going through your hair, the warmth of Yunho’s back against your chest was a total discovery for you. You were scared, not to say terrified. But Yunho was really driving carefully, although he liked to make his engine roar when the road was clear. When you weren’t scared enough to focus on his back only, you tried to see where he was going, and soon recognise the way to your extra classes. How did he know ? After some more minutes of furious roars, he stopped in front of a building you could recognise. He waited for you to get off the engine so he could as well get off.

Taking off the helmet you took a giant breath, your heart beating like crazy.

« How was the ride ? » he asked in a tease, watching you regaining strength.

« You’re crazy. Absolutely crazy » you hissed, shoving his helmet in his arms. « And how did you know it was here I was going ? »

Yunho couldn’t tell you he once followed you until there. Actually, he didn’t know himself why he had followed you, but after some days when he came back there, he saw your figure through a window, totally exhausted almost dozing on your work. Something made him stay here for a while, just watching you from afar this day. You were the representation of what he hated the most, and yet you were just a normal girl, acting like a normal girl. Moreover you looked so tired every day, and he was just wondering until how far you’d push yourself to be this perfect student.

« I just figured it out when I came one the neighbourhood with Hongjoong and some friends. We are hanging out quite a lot here» he grumbled. It wasn’t really a lie right ? Hongjoong and Yeosang were living in this area, so they were meeting quite a lot after classes in the neighbourhood.

You rolled your eyes before staring at him in confusion. Why was he being nice all of the sudden ?

Anyway, you needed to go, having enough of this nonsense.

« Thanks for the ride, but don’t hope to get me on this bike from hell any sooner » you groaned before taking your lead inside the building, not paying a look at your classmate.

Yunho smirked and shook his head.

« Bike from hell… »

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours passed, and when the clock showed around ten, classes ended. You sighed and rubbed your eyes from exhaustion, slowly getting out the building to see the motorbike was still here. But not Yunho. Looking around, you tried to see if he was around. Seemed he was not. While admiring his black shiny engine, you got lost in your inner thought again. It was so strange for him to act this kindly but none without saying dangerously toward you. And the fact he discovered where you were studying was still a mystery for you, not totally convinced by the total luck of him running on this place.

« It’s maybe a bike from hell, but still pretty right ? » a voice exclaimed at you, making you jump.

Yunho was back, a bag in his hand from the CU, the nearby convenient store. You crunched up your nose. Why was he still here ?

« I met the guys, and was about to go home. » he explained again as if he could read your thought.

« Oh what a coincidence ! » you mimicked still not convinced if he was lying or not.

« Y/N I’m not lying, Hongjoong literally lives two blocks away from here. » he said seriously.

You sighed and turned around to leave. But when you walked past way his position he asked in a relax tone:

« I got some ice cream, want some ? »

It was going from dumb and dumber. Seriously you couldn’t put a finger on his weird behaviour. With a suspicious look you were about to say no, but he cut you.

« Your brain needs sugar. It’s past ten, and you’ve been studying for four hours straight. I guess you didn’t have diner too huh. »

« And what does it concern you ? » you snapped, turning to face him. « It’s not as if you would be this concerned for someone you hate right ? I don’t understand Yunho, I don’t understand you and your attitude. »

Yunho bite his lower lip, knowing himself he got in a weird situation.

« Yeah I know I said I hated people like you, but I didn’t say I hated you » he mumbled.

There was this embarrassing silent again, only the noises of the city filling the icy atmosphere between you.

« People like me. What do you mean ? Did I do something wrong to deserve this attitude ? » you crossed your arms, decided to cleared this shit.

Yunho felt uneasy to talk about it, but somehow he didn’t want to stay in a bad relationship with you. Instead, he took a ice cream from the bag and handled it to you.

« Eat, I will explain it to you after. » he mumbled, looking away.

You gave him a glance but finally took the ice cream, your stomach making you remember you were starving at the moment. It was a vanilla strawberry ice cream. You almost laughed by seeing this.

« Didn’t know you had so girlish tastes » you said ironically putting the ice cream into your mouth.

« I got mine, what do you mean ? I knew you would maybe get out at this hour and I just felt like buying you this » he justified himself by taking his own ice cream, green tea flavoured.

You both sat down on the empty academy’ stairs to eat your ice creams in silence. There were so much questions you wanted to ask, trying to figure out how to deal with him.

« I’m living alone with my mom. My dad and her divorced when I was ten or something. He was violent dude and was hitting my mom, so he got arrested by the police when the neighbours got fed up by the every day fights. But the thing is…we always had financial problems because of this bastard. He borrowed money from loan sharks, an astronomical amount and got my mom in trouble even after he got arrested. » said Yunho, blankly staring at the floor.

All you could do was listening to him. Surprisingly, you never imagined something this horrible would have happened to him.

« My mom sold everything she had to give the money back, so we lost our house and now we’re living in a small studio. Even though she’s working, her salary is just enough to cover the rent and the rest is going to those loan sharks. »

His voice was weak, almost silent as he felt his barriers falling down. He looked so fragile, his broad shoulders shuddering slowly, his dark hair covering his eyes. You felt your heart sinking at his reflection.

« Of course I wanted to help her as soon as I could get a job, getting some part time jobs but she wants me to focus on school. » he laughed bitterly, watching his ice cream melting. « I’ve soon been taught that school wasn’t going to make things better. And people knowing about my family matters were just doing things out of pity for us. It drove me crazy. I hate people boasting about how nice it is to have money, how nice it is to be a normal happy family and just feel the others like shit. »

That’s how you figured out why Yunho hated rich people. And how he probably thought you were the same as the others he could have seen before. The bitterness you were feeling towards him vanished in an instant. How such a tough guy like him could appear so broken ? How hard must it have been for him all those years ?

« I…I’m sorry. » you muttered, not really knowing how to carry on.

« No, it’s fine. I’m aware you’re from a wealthy fam, but I figured out you weren’t like those bitches gossiping around. » he said, taking back some composure as he ate a part of the leaking ice cream.

« But…How are you doing ? I mean, are you eating correctly ? » you asked, genuinely worried about his health at the moment.

He chuckled and looked at you.

« My grand parents are supporting us. » he said, ruffling his hair with his hand. « The only time I worked during summer break, they refused the money. That’s how I got my moto »

There was another long pause, before you felt the cold liquid from your ice cream falling on your hand, making you yelp in surprise. Yunho smirked and laughed lightly, watching you fighting with your ice cream.

« Eat, I’ll drive you back home…If you let me to, I mean » he said, rubbing his nape after finishing his own snack.

« Alright, but don’t even think of doing the rodeo on the way back. » you grumbled and get on.

Once again on Yunho’s motorbike, you watched the city streaming before your eyes, neons of all colours leaving particular marks in the dark night. The cold air now hitting your body made you hug Yunho’s tighter. You didn’t know how to feel towards him. But you understood the situations he got through and up until now, you thought you’d have done the same if you had to be in the same game. But it wasn’t a game. You knew Yunho wasn’t a real bad guy. Things forced him to do tough tasks. You were ready to forgive him, as long as he promised at least to be this hostile to you.

When you arrived near your big complex, you made sign to Yunho to stop right before the actual building. He turned the engine off and let you get off his moto. Taking off the helmet, you gave it back to him but he stopped you.

« Keep it. »

« What ? But .. »

« It won’t be the last time you will get on this Y/N » he said with a smirk. « But anyway, why did you make me drop you here ? I could go to the right building »

« Erm…I rather not. My father could see this and…I guess he wouldn’t like seeing his daughter riding a motorbike with a boy he doesn’t know. » you spurred out.

Yunho raised a brow at your comment about your father. He barely saw him at your first day but he seemed like a strict man. He nodded.

« I see, well…See you around ? »

« Yeah…if you don’t skip classes » you giggled, relaxed by this friendly or at least less hostile conversation.

Yunho scoffed and ruffled your hair, which surprised you.

« Maybe. »

Then he sent you off, waiting for you to go inside the building before driving back to his empty home. He mostly had said the truth to you, but he voluntarily omitted to add his mom got admitted to the hospital weeks ago. And he didn’t want you to pity him furthermore.

When you stepped inside the silent apartment, you noticed your father’s shoes weren’t at the entrance, meaning he wasn’t home. You sighed in relief, hurrying yourself to hide the helmet in your room, under your bed. Only Sookja got a glimpse at you rushing at your room.

« Y/N ? Is everything alright ? » she asked while she was in the kitchen.

« Yes ! Every thing is alright ! » you shouted back at her before going back to the kitchen to eat the late diner she prepared you.

Sookja took a look at your face. You were indeed tired, but something had changed. She could feel you were less, stressed ? The old woman sweetly smiled to you watching you eat.

« Did something nice happen today at school ? » she asked innocently, aware you normally aren’t really openly talking about your school days.

You looked at her, enjoying the warm soup after the cold weather you faced on Yunho’s bike.

« Erm…Yeah we can say that » you mumbled, slightly embarrassed but yet excited.

Sookja was a confident. You could tell her anything, she would never repeat to your father. She waited for you to keep on.

« There is a ..classmate of mine. At first we were like cats and dogs you know ? But today we sorted things out and I guess it’s fine now »

« I’m glad to ear this sweetie » she said in pure relief and joy for you. « Have you made friends ? »

« There is Jisoo ! She’s a part of my class as well. She’s a really warm person » you said, after taking more bites of rice and others side dishes.

Your housekeeper was happy to know you were getting a better life than you have had until now. She hoped some day you would be free from your father’s influence and fly by your own wings. That’s how she was thinking and wished the most for you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After this strange night, days have been more packed. The day of your mock exams, you gave it all, knowing that although it was only a mock one, your father wouldn’t let it pass. After giving back your sheets, you and Jisoo were talking at the cafeteria. The petite teenager stretched and sighed.

« Y/NNNNN ! What should I do ? I’m sure I’ll fail ! »

« Don’t say that Ji’, I’m sure you’ll do well »

« It’s easy for you ! You always have good grades. » she pouted.

« I wished I could have less than 100 believe me » you groaned.

From the corner of your eyes, you glimpsed the tall figure of Yunho with Mingi and Hongjoong. He was sitting with them with the same expressionless face he used to put on at school. But when he was sitting next to you during class, he didn’t ignore you anymore, nor tried to nap. He was surely warming up to you, but it seemed he wasn’t ready to let his friends see him this way with you.

« - today ? » you heard Jisoo’s voice.

« Mh ? Sorry, I wasn’t listening » you said, going back to your friend.

Jisoo pouted again before following your gaze and leaned near to your face with a teasing face.

« Guuuurl, it seems you and Yunho got closer or is it me ? »

« Gosh, Ji ! It’s not what you think ! We just sorted things out, but we’re not friends or things like this » you mumbled back, embarrassed by her behaviour.

« Well, that’s not really the impression I have. Did you remark he’s not skipping classes lately ? »

« Maybe he got enlightened by God to study ? » you suggested in a grin.

You both laughed and today, you felt relieved as you didn’t have to go to extra classes, the academy being closed for the spring break that was soon arriving. Somehow, you convinced your father to let you go to Jisoo’s house for the weekend, heavily pretexting she wanted you to tutor her for the real exams. He seemed suspicious, but since your school grades were good so far, he didn’t have any objections to make.

While for packing your bag, you received numerous notifications on KakaoTalk. Jisoo created a group chat with the others kids who were going to come at her house for the weekend. Mostly girls and maybe some boys, but it didn’t really matter for you only the fact you had the chance to spend time with your friend, making some other friends ?

You happily answered to the text saying you’d come by yourself at the indicated address and time before locking your phone again. When you were almost done packing, your phone vibrated again but this time wasn’t the group chat. « Jung Yunho » appeared at your screen, leaving you speechless for a moment.

윤호

Need a ride for this weekend ?

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[coulson-is-an-avenger]

Good evening tma fans I’m back with more ace jonmartin content (that is also posted to AO3). Set during the safehouse because it’s good for Conversations. Have at thee:

Jon loves Martin. He has for so long now that it feels like it’s always been the truth, like if you were to go back to the start of the world, there would lie a stone with two names carved side by side, belonging there even millennia before their existence. It feels like a fact etched into his very bones, so deeply grounding that the force of it alone was enough to tear through the veil of fog and supernatural loneliness and bring him out unscathed, and with his prize. Orpheus reversed. A love stronger than Loneliness. A truth imprinted on his heart. Jon loves Martin.

And Martin knows, too. He saw the way Jon felt about him, the way he knew him with such love, the way he remembered him so thoroughly it was able to bring him back to himself after months of nothingness. He knows the curtain of the Lonely doesn’t part for just anyone. And then, of course, Jon has taken his hand and held it to his chest and wept his affections not a day later, when the tide finally broke and all of his despair and trust came tumbling out at once, and Martin’s still fog-rimmed eyes spilled over with tears and they held each other as confession after confession poured from each of them. Jon had told Martin he loved him so many times his throat had hurt, and Martin had held him so tightly his arms had shaken. Jon loves Martin, and Martin loves him in return, just as fiercely. Being loved is slowly starting to come naturally to Martin again.

The point is, though, that Jon loves Martin. And Martin knows. Which means at some point, they are going to have to talk about It.

Jon has avoided talking about It for years. He talked about it with Georgie, of course. She had been the one to help him gather more words to describe it. Asexual, sex repulsed, uninterested, etc.

It hadn’t always mattered, though. Not everyone was willing to care about something they saw as trivial, something he was still desperately trying to convince himself wasn’t trivial. And there were always the rare few who saw it as a challenge. Some days, the hope that he would be fully respected and loved for who he was seemed like a lost cause.

But he knows better now. He knows himself well enough to be certain, even these days, when grasping onto his very humanity feels like trying to drink from a mirage. He is certain about this, though. This has been long, long something he’s known about himself; a truth that he will acknowledge as nothing but the truth. A part of him. It is something to be proud of. Something he deserves to be loved for. And it is also something he very much so needs to communicate with Martin.

It hasn’t really come up yet, not since their frantic packing and desperate drive all the way to Scotland, Jon clinging onto the passenger assist grip as Martin does his best to get them there quickly, and then their exhausted unpacking in the safehouse, and the emotionally draining last few days they’ve had. It’s overwhelming, being in each other’s constant company, in a way that largely feels utterly mundane.

They gather groceries together at the shop, brush hands over plates at the sink, curl up together to ward off the nightmares in bed, do their best to clean every inch of the house they can reach, and try to acclimatize to each other as the days continue. Martin is still breaking himself into connection; sometimes halting too sharply in his words, sometimes forgetting to speak for hours at a time, shifting invisible when he gets distracted enough, and Jon is still hesitant, not quite sure what to do to make it better, not quite sure if a false step will make it worse. He’d go back into the Lonely for Martin a thousand times if it meant saving him, but he doesn’t want Martin to lose himself again. Most times, Martin is as vibrant as his early days at the institute, but on others Jon still catches whiffs of the sterilized smell of the Lonely in Martin’s wake. Those times, his hands always linger on Martin’s as they brush. Every moment has been full of comfort, of the reassurance that they are both still there, of light topics, and of forgiveness when it is needed.

Jon loves Martin. He wants Martin to know. There just hasn’t been the right chance for it yet.

He’s convinced himself to just let it come up naturally whenever Martin is free enough of the fog to let himself sink into open affection, but, as it turns out, he needn’t have agonized about it.

It’s a good day for Martin, today. He’s been talkative, warm, and his eyes are shining with that look that’s so hopelessly earnest and alive it makes Jon’s heart want to beat entirely out of his chest. They’ve taken the day to trade questions and answers over cooking and cleaning and relaxing, and now, as Martin slides tonight’s meal into the oven, he decides the questions aren’t quite over. 

“So, Jon,” Martin begins from the kitchen, in a tone that’s so genuinely casual it's almost surprising. “What are your thoughts on sex?”

Jon blinks in utter surprise, torn away from his book with a start as the words register in his head. His traitorous stomach drops out of habit. Oh, Christ. Is this it? Are they doing this now? Is he ready for this? His hands hesitate over the page he’s bookmarked with his thumb, not sure if this is just going to be a simple answer, or if Martin means this as a gateway to a full conversation about the topic. “L-Like, in general?”

“I mean, there was gossip at the Institute,” Martin offers apologetically, ducking his head and wiping his hands on a towel. He looks slightly sheepish from where Jon can see him. “Some talk about you and Basira awhile back, for a bit, and later Melanie mentioned something about you just not, but both of those were, y’know, gossip, and I just realized I’ve never actually asked you personally what your feelings were on the matter, so… yeah. In general.” As he rambles, he makes his way over to the couch where Jon is sitting, bending down to rest his arms on the back of it. His face is open and curious, but not oppressively so. Jon has to fight the familiar urge to set all thought and action aside to simply stare at him. 

Jon instead puts his book off to the side and inhales. This is a conversation that deserves his full attention.

“Well,” he fumbles for a place to start. He hasn’t perfected a speech, doesn’t have all the proper sources planned, but he might as well start by giving Martin the honesty he deserves; the kind Jon has been preparing for. “I… suppose generally opposed? I-I mean, not for-“ He bites back the word “normal” as he stutters over his explanation, trying not to feel like he’s pulling his own teeth as he speaks. His own words feel somehow foreign to him, even more so these days, but for Martin, he’s trying. “Not for other people, I mean, but for me? I’m really just not interested. Too much …touching and exposure and- and noises? Not to mention all the expectations it comes with. Honestly, it… sounds kind of dreadful.”

Martin makes a small noise of attentiveness. “Never tried it, then?”

Jon goes sort of cold, all over, a bone deep chill curling deep inside his gut, and he has to manually force himself to unfreeze and choose his words carefully. “I have not. And I can’t quite say I’d have any interest in doing so.” His tone is clipped, defensive, and cold. He tries to keep himself from glaring out of habit.

“Why do you sound so—“ Martin’s tone starts teasing, and then breaks off as he catches a glance of Jon’s terrified expression and his eyes widen. “OH!! Oh, no, I wasn’t- sorry, that came out wrong. I was just curious to sort of… compare experiences, I wasn’t implying any sort of… no.” He waves a hand as if to physically dismiss Jon’s anxiety. “Never having tried it is fine. Good, even! Good on you for knowing your boundaries. I’m happy for that.” He rambles. “That’s wonderful. Sorry.”

Jon flushes slightly in embarrassment that he misread the tone, but his chest loosens a bit. No one has ever told him that before, and it feels… nothing short of radical. Safe. “It’s- it’s alright, Martin.” Jon drums his fingers against the book cover resting against his belly for a moment, his thoughts shifting to wonder what the point to the conversation is if not to… well… he shoos away theories. This is Martin, he can just ask. “What do you mean ‘compare experiences’?” He sits up more, now curious himself. “Martin, do you… what are your thoughts on it? Sex, I mean. In general.” It always comes out sounding much more academic than he intends, and he pursues his lips against his own pronunciation, even though Martin doesn’t seem to notice. 

Martin blinks a bit. “Oh! Hm. Well, it’s— I suppose a bit complicated? I dunno.” He rubs a hand over the back of his head, brushing through the regrowing hair at the nape of his neck. “If it makes the other person happy then, yeah I’m all for it, but it’s more of just… an activity to me, I guess? Never really been quite my favorite one either, to be perfectly honest.” The chuckle he gives sounds just shy of self-depreciating, and Jon finds himself reaching a hand up to catch Martin’s for reassurance. Martin takes it, gives a slight squeeze. “That’s not to say that I’ve had a bad experience, necessarily? I just… I’d rather be closer in other ways.” He shrugs, and his eyes drop. “Feels kind of weird, honestly. Knowing I’ve done it. I mean, I always figured I’m not really the kind of person you’d assume to be having it, and I’m fine with that. I dunno.”

The loosening thing in Jon’s chest unfurls completely, melting into affection. “Oh, Martin.” He hesitates, thinking, before looking up and giving Martin a very curious look. “You’re… like me, aren’t you?”

Martin looks up and meets his eyes dead on, as a small, shy smile pulls at his lips, his eyes going warm and soft before he ducks away, somewhat hiding his face. “Yeah, I think so.”

Jon loves Martin.

“What’s…” Jon’s face flushes, but he’s already spoken the first word aloud, and he doubts his curiosity will allow him to back out, so he clears his throat and continues on. “You said you’d rather be closer to people in o-other ways?” He fidgets with the hem of his shirt. “What might those be?”

Martin squishes his face in that adorable way he does when he’s thinking, lips pressing together in a little motion that Jon can’t help but find hopelessly endearing. “I guess… doing things for people? Something to let them know that you really see them,” his eyes dart to Jon for a half a moment as he says that, before continuing on. “or… I dunno. Activities together? Spending time with someone is always nice. And…hugs, honestly.” He laughs at himself, but Jon is listening intently. “I know that sounds kind of silly, I know, but…”

“It’s not silly,” Jon interrupts, pushing himself up into a standing position, a look of softness coming across his face as he latches onto an idea and softens with everything in him. “In that case, Martin, can I…?” He’s standing up from the couch, and walking around to the back, arms opening in a hesitant invitation. Martin’s eyes widen, and then soften.

“Oh, sure. Yeah, of course.”

Jon loves Martin. He wants to show him in all the ways he can, and so Jon wraps his arms around Martin, one hand reaching up to stroke through his hair, fingers catching on his curls, while the other pulls his chest tight with Jon’s, heartbeats resonating in sync. Martin’s hands come to rest on the small of Jon’s back, and, despite his height, he exhales slowly in relaxation.

He fidgets after a second, signaling the polite time for an embrace to end, but Jon just wraps his arms around him tighter, pressing his nose into Martin’s neck, and running his hand through his hair until Martin finally stops waiting for it to end, and lets himself relax into it. His arms loosen around Jon’s waist, but he drops his head against Jon’s shoulder, and Jon does everything he can to make Martin feel wrapped up in the enormity of his own affection. Martin lets out a sigh into his shoulder, and Jon’s heart swells in its lopsided rib cage. He wishes he could replace the missing ribs with Martin, to keep him closer to his heart, or better yet, to do away with the whole thing altogether, and simply trust Martin to take his chest in his hands.

Safe. He wants to keep Martin safe. And he trusts Martin to keep him safe as well. He drags a hand over his back, trying to fit as much protectiveness he can into the gesture. You are so loved, he wants it to say. Nothing can hurt you. There’s no expectations in the embrace, no pressure or next step. It’s just this moment, just heartbeats, just Jon making space for Martin in his arms. It’s perfect.

“This is nice.” Martin murmurs, nothing more than a soft exhale, and Jon loves him more than he knows how to understand.

[castellankurze]

Nier: Valentine

(art by @rashkah​)

Short crossover/expy fic from Yours Truly, based on a running gag between friends about Jack-O’s look for GG Strive.

-----------------------------------------------------------

4514 - Among the androids appear "Independists", who hold no loyalty to mankind. They garner much support.

4519 - Strife begins between conservative androids and the Independists.

...

Reports of the renegade android had led them to the mountains of Alaska, close to the day/night terminator where the sky turned an ominous orange.  In that endless dusk, with no more warning than a sudden shout of "TRICK OR TREAT!" the pair had been assaulted by a ball-and-chain wielding android that struck the ground with explosive force, separating the pair.

Devola got her staff out just in time to block a thunderous blow from the weapon that shook her frame all the way down to her feet and sent her flying backwards, forcing her to scrabble for her footing and dash to the side as her attacker rushed after her, that macabre glowing-green mask fixing its jagged smile on the android.

"Hey!  Cut that out!" she said, doing her best to sound annoyed rather than scared as communications protocols overlapped and competed in her processor.  The attacking figure halted, tilting her head so that her shaggy red hair fell over one shoulder.  "Come on now," Devola said in a forced calm tone.  "We don't have to have a fight, right?"  At least, they wouldn't if her distraction gave Popola time to hack the renegade's OS.

There was a high-pitched giggle from behind the mask.  "You Observer units are all the same!" the female android taunted.  "Hold out one hand with a nice piece of candy and keep the knife in the other!"  Without warning she spun the ball and chain at a clip high enough to make the air shake and then sent the weight flying, letting it drag her along into the air to smash into the rocks above.  A concealed Popola leaped away just before the crazed android slammed into her hiding spot and demolished it in a spray of fragmented rock and dust.

The twins rejoined one another as they looked up at the chain-wielder.  "I thought they'd put you all away!" she crowed.  Then, abruptly, her posture changed, a thoughtful hand stroking at where her chin should have been behind her mask.  "Though I suppose from a psychological standpoint it does make sense that they would keep one twin-pair around for use as a sort of sin-eater figure, permitting androids to vent their more negative emotional impulses on a controlled target.  Such an experiment might even prove useful in slowing the fragmentation of androidkind."

"Excuse me?  Who the hell do you think you are?" Devola snapped as her rage index spiked all the way up.  On an impulse, she gripped her staff and channeled as much Maso energy as she could gather into the form of a fist, and with a swing and a roar of anger she sent it flying towards the renegade.  But instead of dodging, the masked figure merely raised a hand, the nail of her pointer finger braced against her thumb, and as the giant fist came hurtling towards her she flicked her finger.  The moment her fingertip touched the dark fist, it shattered like mere sugar glass, the crimson light sputtering out in a chain reaction all the way down the swinging ‘arm’ that had been conjured from Devola’s staff.

"What the - how can she manipulate Maso energy?" Devola breathed, eyes wide.

"And how does she know so much?" Popola demanded from beside her.

"Heh heh heh..." the figure's taunting tone was back.  The hand she'd lifted to her chin spread its fingers to grip her mask and, with a clink of metal, she pulled it down to reveal her face.  A face that made Devola's fear impulse skyrocket.  A face that she'd seen before.  Every time she'd conferred with her fellow Observer units.  Every time she talked to her sister.  Every time she looked in the mirror. 

"Holy shit," Devola whispered.

"Observer Number 48, to give my manufacturing number," said the green-eyed woman.  She kicked a foot and spun as if winding up for a dance, but instead crossed her arms and leaned into a controlled fall, landing on her elbows with her back bent and feet braced, grinning down at the pair from her new chinrest.

"Bullshit!  There was no 48!" Devola yelled back in defiance of the evidence.

"Where is your sister?  Did you lose her?  Is that why you're behaving like this?" Popola peppered her with questions.

"Sooooo predictable," the renegade Observer said with a giggle, popping back up onto her feet.  "You know who else was predictable?  Humans.  Couldn't stop tinkering with our line.  Every new set of Devola and Popola, just a teensy-weensy bit different from the last."  Her smile dropped, her cheery tone changing once more.  "Minor variations in the production run would allow for a wider variety of acclimatization to stimuli, and would permit a shuffling of assets if necessary.  Diversity within a limited set of parameters would make the Observer line more robust and allow for experimentation with regards to in-situ behavioral responses.  However it also notably increased the Observer line's potential for erratic behavior which could lead to catastrophic failure.  In the end the possibility was considered to fall within acceptable parameters and the variations were authorized."  The tonal change came again as the grin returned.  "Faaaaiiiiluuuuuures," the figure singsonged.  "The Observer series were all failures!"

"Fuck you!" Devola shouted, feeling her eyes well up.

"The point is, every set of twins was a little bit different," the renegade said, tossing her mask to herself.  "And for one set, well, they decided to put a Devola and a Popola together....forever, never to be parted!" she laughed, bouncing onto one foot and spreading her arms as if about to give someone a big, sugar-sweet hug.

"You have two sets of personality implants," Popola breathed, scandalized.  Devola felt a cold shock as her processor commanded the internal release of nitrogen to cool her overclocking OS.  It was unconscionable - an android's internal structure wasn't built to accommodate two full personalities laid overtop one another.  A small wonder the android was so erratic - as the decades had turned into centuries the two distinct sets of emotional and logical subroutines must have fused, intertwined, overlapping and becoming inextricable from one another.  Had that cackling, sing-song persona started as a gregarious Devola pattern?  Had that detached, analytical assessment come from an astute Popola matrix?

Devola shivered.

The figure replaced her ghoulish mask and cackled, backlit by the orange sky.  "Yep!  Humankind!  They jacked things up but good, didn't they?  Ever heard the human legend of Jack O'lantern; left behind to wander forever?  Well, call me Jack-O'la!"  She began to swing the ball and chain once more, and Devola and Popola braced themselves.  "And you two might be willing to trudge on as the walking hatesink for androidkind, but me?  I WANT OUT!" she screeched.

“It doesn’t need to be like this,” Devola heard her sister say.  Popola’s voice was filled with regret.

“Didn’t need to be, sis, but guess it is,” she replied, readying her staff.

“You two ready to find out if androids have a heaven or hell?” the dysfunctional Observer yelled, hurling the ball once more and screaming as she came at the pair.

“LET’S ROCK!”

[artifydstudios]

Prologue | A Shadowed Galaxy |

Here it is! The Prologue for Stardust! Please Comment, Like, and Reblog! 😄 ………………………… “GENERAL BILLABA,” LYDIA SAID, dipping her head in greeting to Mace Windu’s former apprentice.  The frigid breeze of Kaller swirled around her, and, for a minute, Lydia temporarily shuddered as the crisp wind adjoined her skin; but forthwithly became used to it.  The auditory of clones allocating orders and the shooting of guns heartbeat after heartbeat were two foundations of war Lydia was acclimatized to since her first mission with Master Kenobi as well as her brother when they were twelve years old.

She and Anakin were both assigned as Padawans to Master Kenobi, an enervating task indeed, for in their youth years they stirred the pot of trouble constantly.  There were times, however, that Lydia noticed Obi-Wan found exultation with his apprentices.

She recalled the countless nights when she and Anakin would furtively leave their dorm room, spar in the training area, and sometimes certifiably behave like responsible Padawans.  Oh, how she missed him.  He was out on a mission, though, just like her.  His stint was to save Chancellor Palpatine from his incarceration after being imprisoned by Count Dooku, the apprentice to the cryptic Darth Sidious, and the Seperatist Army commander, General Grievous.

I’ll ask Obi-Wan about Ani after this mission, she thought.

Lydia artificed her surroundings, familiarizing herself with the vast snow-layered forest, and later consolidating her eyes when she saw facilitating Separatists battle droids steadily paving a way to eventually reach their goal of discarding Billaba and her clones off the battlegrounds.  A hand rested on her shoulder, a touch she instantly knew the owner of.  She diluted a bit, but was still rigid.

For some reason, whenever she embraced the Sergeant, she felt a hundred times more prudent than normal (including Anakin).  She divulged everything to him— her anxieties, her strains, her nightmares, her visions (plus Anakin, too).  But he didn’t pillory her.  He listened.  Honestly listened, and donated her advice she didn’t know subsisted.  She will forever be in debt to him.

“Lia,” Hunter said.

Lydia could sense his apprehension about the dilemma in front of them, but she dismissed it.

“I don’t like the odds we’re parrying against.  I-”

“Hush, now,” Lydia murmured frailly, lacing her hand with his.  The feeling of his hand on hers always brought succor.  She gazed at him sideways, coercing an attesting smile.  Their faces were mere inches away from each other to the point where she could feel his breath undulating on her face, consigning pulsates of an inkling that was nonnative and that Jedi were verboten to experience.  ���It’s going to be okay,” she said, disbelieving her own words, but covertly stowed her indecision.  “I promise.”

After a minute, she recurdesced her focus to Billaba.  “General, I’d like to introduce you to my squad, Clone Force 99.

“This is Hunter.  He has amplified senses.  He, just like the rest of the boys, have genetic mutations that make them atypical from your average clone.  Wrecker here, well, I’m sure you’ve guessed what his mutation is.  Superlative brawniness.  He can lift a thousand pound boulder without difficulty.  Tech, given his name, is basically a living dictionary.  There isn’t one topic he doesn’t know too paltry about.  If you want facts, he’s your man.

“Crosshair’s mutation is sophisticated eyesight.  He can tell you the intricate details of — to us, what seems like a silhouette — a person as if he was there.  He’s definitely an introvert, though, but we all dalliance with having him on our team.  Also, he’s a sniper.  A damn gnarly one, too.

“And lastly, Echo.  He originally served under my brother’s Legion, but was later taken captive after we escaped and were all compelled to come to terms that he had perished at the Citadel.  However, during the Battle of Anaxes, Rex connected the dots and said something damning: he believed Echo was alive.

“He told me and Anakin that the gambits the Separatists were utilizing were ones he and Echo formulated, and the only reason that they would have known that information is if he were being held prisoner.  So we went to Skako Minor to disentangle him.  Now he’s one of us and is truly the definition of a soldier.”

In her peripheral vision, Lydia noticed Tech typing away schematics or whatever the hell he inputs into his holopad, Crosshair plucking at his toothpick dangling from his mouth, Echo trying to shove Wrecker off as his brute brother pretended to punch him, and Hunter standing passively behind her.

“Wow,” Billaba countered.  She observed Lydia’s squad, contemplated, and queried, “I have one question for you, Miss Skywalker.  Why did the Council assign you to this elite group?”

“Because she has the skills necessary to lead us,” Hunter snapped bellicosely.  “If it wasn’t for Lia, Lord knows where we’d be right now.”

Billaba’s eyes widened.  “Well, Miss Skywalker, the battle is yours.  My apprentice will be here any minute.  I must converse with my Captains now.  May the Force be with you.”

Lydia sauntered over to her friend and embraced her.  “And may it also be with you.”

They stood like that until Billaba’s Padawan, Caleb Dume, arrived coasting down a snowbank whilst the forest distended behind him.  This was going to be an intriguing battle.

~~~~~

Barraging through the droid army with Hunter at her side made the fight seem like a simulation.  His vibro-knife severed through the mechanical configuration of the droids, its hummmmmm matching the harmony of her own weapon that lingualed the same sound.  Lydia channeled the Force to hoist several incoming droids in the air and effortlessly flung them aside, each one lashing into the other, sparks later disgorging out due to the impact of the clonk.

“Yah!” she exclaimed as she pressurized her lightsaber into the head of a droid.  She whirled around, anticipating more opponents to advance on her, but most of them were destroyed.  Only a sporadic amount of opponents remained.  She and Hunter eliminated the last couple of droids, and the battleground fell silent.  Lydia smirked at the Sergeant as she turned off her teal-blue lightsaber.  “Well, that was easy.”

He grinned back, putting his unique knife back in its holster on his arm.  “What can I say?  You and I together are invincible.”

Her face reddened faintly at the comment and glanced away momentarily, trying to compose herself.  She only prayed that his enhanced hearing wouldn’t notice her heart beating so cursorily.  Why in the stars do I feel like this when I’m around him? she thought.

Without any warning, her vision blurred and felt deficient as an overwhelming sluice of outlying, harrowing screams accompanied by a chilling, abrupt silence flooded her mind.

“Cyar’ika?” Hunter quipped, but she could marginally hear him.  Instead, an inauspicious voice replaced the Sargeant’s alarmed inquiry.

“The time has come… execute Order 66.”

Nurrgghh, Lydia thought.  She pinioned her hands into her forehead.  What was this?  What was wrong with her?  Most significantly, what was this ‘Order 66’, and who said that?  A heartbeat later she collapsed into the arms of Hunter as if she was stunned, her entire body assimilating as a prodigious waft of mental pain continued to pour into her skull.

“Lia, my dear,” Hunter murmured, wiping away her tears that spilled from her eyes like a river.  “What is going on?”

“I don’t know,” Lydia coughed.  “We were just standing there and suddenly I felt lightheaded.”

“Lia, Hunter, this is Tech.  Do you copy?  Something has happened!”

Hunter tapped on the shining quartz-white button to enable the microphone on his commlink.  “This is Hunter.”

“It’s Billaba!”  the pilot of their starship wailed.  “Her own clones murdered her in broad daylight!  I need to know if Lydia is okay!”

Hunter was about to reply but Lydia cut him off.  “No,” she said muzzily, timidly caroming aside a stray lock of his hair.  “Let me respond.  He wishes to hear my voice, not yours.”

Hunter steadily nodded and lowered his arm to let her speak to his quick-witted brother.

“Tech, listen to me.  I am alright.  I promise.”

Hunter glanced at her with a gander that told her everything he was thinking.  He already knew she was being fallacious.

It’s because of those goddamn enhanced senses he has, she thought.  She always wondered why — of all other possible mutations — the Kaminoans chose Hunter to be the one who was born with abnormal senses.

“That doesn’t sound very convincing,” Tech chided.  The way he said it reminded her like that of a mother scolding her daughter for unscrupulous behavior.  She inwardly groused.  Sometimes she wished Tech wasn’t so cerebral.  Truth be told, Lydia dreaded she was mislaying her wits.  This fervent, sharp, mental affliction was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

It felt as though her fellow Jedi Knights stationed across the Galaxy were gnawing at her soul, ejaculating for help that would never arrive.  Prior to the eerie silence that followed the disturbing screams, the utter feeling of utmost betrayal dusted the Jedi’s suspicions until they ultimately were murdered by their own clones, just like General Billaba.  Lydia wondered if she was next.

But wait.  Would her team really betray her like that?  After all those years of training, bonding, celebrating mission victories, and mutual, wholehearted laughter; would the Batch just throw it all away as if it never happened?  Her flight or fight instincts incited, and adrenaline jostled her body.  She jumped to her feet and rounded Hunter, igniting her cobalt-blue saber.

“Stay back!” she howled, a tear stinging her cheek.

Hunter blinked, upheaving his hands in metaphorical surrender.  “Cyar’ika, what is going on?”

“You know,” Lydia flared.  “You know what those clones did to Billaba.  You might as well just kill me now.”

“Lia, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Stop lying to me!” She shouted.  “You can stop acting oblivious.  You knew exactly what was going to happen to my dear friend.  They murdered her.  Murdered her, Hunter!  Just kill me.  I know I’m next.”

Lydia could’ve sworn she saw unobtrusive tears streaming down his face.  Hunter toiled to keep his voice .  “Cyar’ika, I understand why you think I’m going to turn on you.  I’m not.  I’ve always been on your side.  And I always will be.  Please trust me.  I improtune you.”

Lydia paused.  She channeled the Force to search for any traces of disloyalty about his aura.  There was nothing.  All there was was a chasmic sense of unadulterated disquietude and… and… something else that took her aback.  There was also a profound feeling of unarticulated love for her.  The kind of love that Jedi were prohibited to discern.

“Hunter,” she bawled.

He ran to her, embracing her tenderly.  She sobbed flamboyantly, viscuding to his shoulders, not caring about her dropped lightsaber that laid between their feet.  After a while, she tranquilised.  When she lifted her head up, she gulped at how close their faces were.

His eyes traveled to her lips, breathing laboriously.  “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you but never found the words for it.”

Lydia held her breath.  She knew what he was going to say.  She felt the same way, too, and she couldn’t harbor it anymore.  She cupped his cheeks and pulled his head forward, syncing his lips with hers, closing her eyes in sheer euphoria as they kissed each other cordially.  Little did they know something ruinous within their own squad was about to occur.

[elecman108]

Man, I forgot to post 90% of my art here for the past while. I’m gonna do an art dump in this post under the cut. Enjoy the bonk emoji if you don’t click the read more, and man am I dumb and forgetful lmao.

Includes: OCs getting names, a Sonic impression, a D&D map, homosexual energies, a sheep floating in the astral sea, a birthday drawing I already posted, Hex Maniac Ender, D&D Characters, D&D Characters as Miis in Miitopia, Little Hater Axel, local Demon in the consciousness of my D&D character yelling at him, illegal plants, a necromancer being cute, an actual event that happened in a D&D game two days ago, and Mermay drawing.

That’s everything in here as a TL;DR, I guess. Enjoy your day!

I’m gonna try and sort of have them in chronological order, oldest first, but I may end up putting them in the wrong order. If I do... Whoops, I guess?

[04/14/21] - This isn’t really new art, but I started to work on giving the four OCs of mine without a full name full names... I have not finished this bit, though. So Hunter and Akira have full names, and Warlock and Assassin only have temporary names. This may end up like Seven where I put in their names as a temporary name (7th OC I’d made at that time) and it just kind of... sticks. Lmao.

[04/20/21] - Alone on a Friday Night? God, you’re pathetic. I didn’t colour this one because it was a half-attempt at a meme image I still like it, though, so I might end up colouring it. It’s gonna appear again whenever I do my “unfinished drawings art dump” at some point probably in... June? I know I said I’d post them last month but forget it, lmao, it’ll happen eventually.

[04/20/21] - A D&D Map! This was to help me visualize the layout of my D&D character’s ship he used to be on. Also for my DM if they ever put us aboard the ship. The little fella in the corner is just there to vibe. This map is made of free to use assets from This Website, so while I’m gonna say DONT USE MY MAP WITHOUT PERMISSION, feel free to make your own!

[04/26/21] - Lesbian Day of Visibility drawing of yours truly, the disapointment! That’s... really all I have to say about this, honestly. It was just for that one day and that was it, lmao. I mean, I accidentally lined it in dark pink, so.. .That’s different, I guess?

[04/30/21] - Do Astral Seas dream of Ensorcled Sheep? Does the City know what Sheepleb is going to do? What crimes he may commit? Who knows! This was fan art of Critical Role ep. 134 if I remember correctly, right at the end when they jumped into the portal into the astral sea and Caleb was a sheep. Using my knowledge of the German language, I knew the word for “shit”, and had to use it.

[05/07/21] - This was already posted, but it’s going in here to dilinuate that it was drawn at this point. Also, aside from playing Miitopia, this is all I have to show for myself until the 12th.

[05/12/21] - Hex Maniac Ender challenges you to a Pokemon Battle! WIll you win against my team? My sis, who loves fairy types, pointed out to me that there’s a fairy girl and hex maniac duo, so I’d be the hex maniac. I spent... Over a week drawing this, because I basically had to redraw the Hex Maniac art from scratch in a higher quality size, and then draw myself over it. So... You can excuse the low-effort background for once. It was basically this, and then my birthday doodle from May 1st to May 12th, and then I took a break to draw up several D&D characters quickly for fullbody references.

[05/12/21] - Remember this art I made several months ago? I finally added my other two completed characters! I have three more named but without character sheet D&D characters, so for now this is just Kara, Axel, Golden Shadow, Kau, Cecillia, and Miri. Kress, Tempest, and Melia will have to wait until I make character sheets for them to be posted, and... For when I probably make more D&D characters. I have at least 9 additional, incomplete character ideas floating around, so... I’m never gonna be done this art, huh?

[05/12/21] - Speaking of D&D characters, did you know I’ve been making them as Miis in Miitopia? So here is their finished full body art next to their Miitopia self! Some of them look a little off (Golden Shadow, Cecillia) because of limitations of the editor and shading issues, some of them look a little off (Kau, Kress) because this is a human face canvas that I’m using to make a non-human face, and some of them (Melia, Axel) look REALLY GOOD. Common traits among my D&D characters include green eyes and tall. You wanna know why? Because I am tall and... despite having red eyes, I do have green eyes under the coloured contacts.

[05/15/21] - More D&D stuff! This is based around my D&D group’s current Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign where our Goliath Fighter, Nioh, ends up getting a little bit of hate for being cocky, and our little (well over 6′) hater, Axel, is just a man full of irritation. These are the tallest two characters of the group at the moment. Someone send help. Nioh belongs to one of the other D&D players, Axel (and his stupid additude) belongs to me.

[05/15/21] - This is what me playing D&D feels like. Me, the demon entity trapped inside the head of my D&D character, yelling at them to do things while the dice decide that they’re gonna get bopped a hundred times by a yeti and somehow still survive. This is also a reference to our first or second game where I just ran off like sixty feet to one side of the battle map to fight a Crag Cat and was just in Gay Baby Jail until like two turns later when I could run back to the others. I also drew him not in his winter gear even though this is a bit from when we were atop Kelvin’s Carin in an icy cave, so maybe that’s why he’s at low HP.

[05/15/21] - Melia has good gardening tips, such as Use A Mars Mii Trap To Hide A Body Because They Are Endangered And It Is Illegal To Dig Them Up. I love her a lot, because she’s the youngest of four, all four sisters based around the different seasons. She’s based around Autumn, so she’s all orange and yellow and brown and is so cute. Also she’s Chaotic Neutral, as if she didn’t need to be mildly more threatening.

[05/15/21] - Cecillia is my Tiefling gal who lived in a very northern town plagued by cold weather and snow, and Axel is my Pirate guy who spent most of his time further south on the high seas and warmer weather. So, naturally... I’ll use the guy more acclimatized to the hotter weather in the campaign where we spend 99% of it in the snow. She uses Tarot Cards as her spell focus, and I decided to sneak my other D&D characters onto her Tarot cards so naturally, Axel is The Hanged Man, given his backstory and personality. She’s a very cheerful and friendly Tiefling Necromancer of the Hexblade, so she’d for sure take care of those around her to ensure their success. Especially if they’re on her Tarot Cards, and their spirit comes to her aid when she asks for them.

[05/16/21] - Content Warning; Ryma thinks too much into local stupid moron’s lack of knowing how to answer a question and thinks too much into the reputation of Pirates. Poor Axel, man doesn’t know how to socialize with people who aren’t pirates and is used to being hostile towards everyone, so when he’s asked a question that his answer to is “uhh... no?”, he panics and ends up making a mistake that leads him to think that Ryma can read his mind. Ryma belongs to another of the D&D players. I guess me drawing all those spicy Cow Costumed OCs earlier just brought me to drawing Axel being a bottom in this, huh?

[05/16/21] - It’s Mermay, which means more OC drawings! Here’s Theo after drinking some potion that turned him into a mermaid, and Seven, tiredly, collecting his stupid boyfriend so that Lailah can fix the fact he’s turned into a mermaid. Mer!Theo is based around his sword’s colours of indigo-purple with red accents, which looks a little weird since Theo is the Blue one of the group, but... it looks cool, I guess. Seven’s just the same outfit as always, just no gloves this time.

--

And that’s it for the art dump! This was, frankly, MASSIVE. I’ll try and remember to upload both on Twitter and Tumblr at the same time, but... Ah... I have been drawing a fair bit. Just mostly sketches and linework that I haven’t finished and may not actually finish. If they’re not completed, I’ll dump them all into something at the end of the month or whatever. Maybe you’ll get the old sketch of the Axel face in panel 3 because in the sketch phase it was an Ahegao face, in the clean sketch it was a lip bite, and in the linework and final it’s just horny face. lmao.

Top ten things I have to remember for drawing: AXEL HAS A SCAR AND GREEN EYES. I remember his eye colour now, but if you look at his fullbody ref, he’s got brown eyes. And, naturally, I keep forgetting to put in his scar. He has more, but most of them are located in areas covered by his clothes. So if I ever draw him shirtless I guess I’ll have to place them somewhere.

Also maybe finish the reference sheets I have left to finish so I can post more of them, since I have two “Pets” completed (Roko and Mona’s nameless pet), but I have to do up Hunter, Warlock, Assassin, Akira, Myuut, and Stella. I’m betting when I do complete two more, it’ll be Hunter and Akira. Those two are the most fun to draw, at least.

[fireopal-tash]

First of all, an explanation about certain words that I will use: - things like 'daughters', 'mother' and 'sisters' is not in the sense of family, but of creation, superiority in a more friendly way, and closeness.

After all, gems have no family. Not until Steven. It is a simple connection that has no words, that's why I use those. If it bothers you, my apologies. You can change the words for others, if that is what you prefer.

Also, as always, sorry if there are mistakes ^w^'

Chapter 5: Era 0

It was a warm and bright morning when Steven Universe was woken up by a commotion below. Still a bit sleepy, but worried about what might have happened, Steven ran down the stairs, almost hitting the wall. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary at first, until he saw smoke coming from the kitchen. He headed there, somewhat amused by what he saw. Amethyst, Pearl, and Spinel were covered in bread dough, flour, and... something he guessed was cream. The smoke was coming from the oven, apparently.

"What are you doing?" He asked, holding back his laughter. The gems looked at him somewhat embarrassed. Well, Amethyst seemed to be having fun more than anything, and Pearl seemed worried, trying to get rid of the smoke. Spinel, however, looked at the ground with a really red face.

"I... I just wanted to make you the brakefat" she mumbled, trying to explain.

"Don't you mean 'breakfast'?" the purple gem snickered, one hand over her mouth. She couldn't resist, really. That pink gem was very... cartoonish. And funny.

"Ha ha ha" Spinel mocked her, annoyed by the other's attitude "It was your fault it ended up like this. You told me to..." Their discussion stopped short when they heard Steven's free laugh. When was the last time he laughed like that? None of them remembered. And the heart-shaped gem was very captivated. Amethyst snickered again at the sight of Spinel's face, which brought her out of that state.

"S-shut up!" she complained, he cheeks flushed. Ame laughed again.

"Ok, ok. I'll stop now." she got off the counter, brushed off the food scraps and headed in front of Spinel "To make it up to you, how about I take you to the funniest place in all Beach City?"

That invitation was... very tempting, she had to admit. And Spinel smiled enthusiastically, forgetting the disaster that surrounded them.

"Now, Amethyst? Really?" Pearl pointed at the mess, almost hoping they would understand her. She knew better than that tho.

"I don't see what's the problem. Spinel still needs a tour of the city" the purple shrugged, completely unconcerned.

"Amethyst!" Pearl yelled annoyed.

Spinel, once clean, approached Steven, arm in arm, watching the scene in front of them. It was funnier than her misfortune on her first attempt at cooking.

"We better get going, before Pearl makes us clean everything up too" Steven whispered, walking in the direction of the door.

"Wait! Steven...!" Amethyst yelled running after them, ignoring Pearl, who kept talking about how irresponsible she was. Ah, the old days...

It didn't take long for the three of them to get to the Big Donut. After running part of the way, of course. Breathing somewhat ragged, Steven looked at Amethyst.

"Amethyst, why, ah, this sudden interest in being a guide?" He asked somewhat curious, still catching his breath.

"Eh, no reason. Someone has to do it" she replied absently.

Noticing how the smaller gem got all of Spinel's attention, Steven snorted, somewhat irritated. He could be a guide too. He had done it many other times, after all, hadn't he?

"Hey Ame-" He was interrupted again by the purple who made a loud exclamation as she pointed to another place, managing to capture Spinel's attention even more.

Steven grunted. The purple gem kept walking, showing and pointing at everything in their path, Spinel behind her as she looked at Steven with concern. It hadn't escaped her attention how very dejected the boy looked. The brunet's good humor seemed to have vanished the moment Amethyst had offered to accompany them.

"Spinel, look over there!" Amy exclaimed again, pointing to one of the buildings there. They were in Little Homeworld now "There are the gems I mentioned earlier. Come on"

Steven hadn't realized, until now, that she had been talking about other gems, or that they had arrived at Little Homeworld. They both approached the center, Amethyst calling out to said gems, while Steven lagged behind. Today nothing was going well. It was too early for this. He sighed, his hands fisted in his pockets. He did not want anyone to see him in that state. And it was ridiculous, to be honest. There was no reason to be upset. He should be happy for Spinel.

"Lapis! Peri! Bis!" she called again. The three mentioned gems appeared shortly after, Bismuth carrying a heavy weight on one of her shoulders.

"Hey Amethyst!" The smallest gem greeted, being caught by one of the arms of the purple gem "Stop it!" she complained, managing to get rid of it "You know how much I hate when you mess with my hair"

"Heh. Whatever you say dwarf" she stuck out her tongue. Peridot hid behind Bismuth, her cheeks puffed out.

"And who is this gem?" Lapis Lazuli asked, noticing the pink one.

Spinel looked away, seeming to be looking for something, or someone, before approaching Steven and wrapping her arm with his. She was feeling nervous again.

"It's okay" Steven reassured her, and turned his attention to the blue gem, at whom he smiled "Lapis, this is Spinel. She is new, and today she is here to learn a little about our planet, right?" He looked back at Spinel. Spinel nodded, implying that it was true.

"Nice to meet you, Spinel. I am Lapis, Lapis Lazuli. The dwarf gem is Peridot. And the gigantic gem over there is Bismuth.

"Diamonds are bigger" Spinel commented on impulse.

Well it was true. Bismuth was small compared to the matriarchs. Lapis snorted, especially when she saw the shocked faces of her companions.

"I like this gem~"

Spinel beamed at her accomplishment. Even if that was not her intention. She wasn't as rusted as she had originally believed. Steven was an exception.

The rest of the day they took a detour. The gems were telling stories, taking again all Spinel's attention. Amethyst was the one in front of the entire group, leading animatedly. Steven stayed behind once more, noticing how Spinel was acclimatizing. Soon she wasn't going to need him... It was Bismuth who noticed this, heading back, until she was next to Steven.

"Hey, buddy? What's wrong?"

"Bismuth?" he was surprised to see her there. He shook his head and with a forced smiled said "it's nothing"

The multicolored gem frowned, not believing him at all. It was clear that the hybrid was upset about something.

"Come on, tell Aunt Bis what's wrong?" she insisted.

The boy sighed again, knowing that the other was not going to give up. His gaze fell on Spinel, who was talking to Lapis, as she showed her one of the trees. Spinel seemed amazed.

"It's just that I thought I could help her" referring to the gem with two pigtails.

"I don't see the problem, it seems to me that you're already helping her"

"That's what it looks like, isn't it? But I didn't do anything. The others are the ones helping her. Showing her everything. Telling her everything she needs to know. And I don't know how..." he complained hands in his hair.

"Steven. You, better than anyone, know that you cannot pressure others to do what you want, even if your intentions are good" she admonished him.

The hybrid was embarrassed to notice that this was what he had been doing.

"Besides, isn't it your presence that makes her feel so relax around us? If you look closely, you will notice that you do more than you think. Give yourself more credit, Steven. You deserve it. "

She patted him on the shoulder, before returning to Lapis's side, changing the subject, noticing Peridot and Amethyst were about to start an argument.

"I guess you're right..." Steven whispered, relieved.

(In Beach City)

It didn't take Pearl long to clean up the mess in the kitchen, plus Garnet was waiting for her on top of the portal, so she didn't have time to lose.

Today they were going to visit the diamonds. Cleaning helped her with her nervousness.

"Pearl, we don't have all day," Fusion reminded her patiently. She didn't want to go either, but it was for Steven's good.

"Yes. Of course. You're right, Garnet" the pale gem sighed, before putting away her cleaning supplies. Better to get this over with as soon as possible.

They both immediately traveled to Homeworld, appearing in front of the gigantic thrones. The diamonds were nowhere to be seen.

"Well, here we are. How do we do this, Garnet?" Pearl asked, her hands entwining between them. She still didn't like the place, tho this was her first home.

"We have to find the Diamonds. Or the pearls. They will know where to find the Diamonds" replied the fusion calmly, noticing the room full of other gems.

"Right, come on then!" exclaimed the other nervously. The fusion followed her, preferring to keep quiet. Some things never really change, do they?

They had been walking from hall to hall for at least half an hour trying to find someone who could help them before finding that someone.

"Blue Pearl..." Pearl whispered. The last time they saw each other, not counting what happened two years ago, was shortly after the war began.

The blue pearl seemed to have a good hearing, because she turned in their direction, her hands clasped as they usually are. She tilted her head slightly, before speaking.

"Blue Diamond is busy with a meeting with Yellow Diamond" she said, intuiting in part the reason why two of the members of the Crystal Gems were present.

"Ah...! Yeah? T-then we'll go talk to White Diamond" replied Pearl nervously but almost challenging.

"Wait" Garnet looked closely at Blue Pearl "Maybe you can help us" she finally decided.

"Me?" she said softly.

"Garnet?" Pearl questioned her friend.

"I'm curious. I've heard of a very interesting story about the first Era" she lied easily "and I would like to know more about it"

A few seconds passed, before Blue Pearl decided to give them an answer. By way of following them, because all she did was walk in another direction. The palest gem had her doubts, but trusted her friend's judgment. They spent some time going through the corridors, before reaching their objective. Pearl gasped, immediately recognizing the place. The Great Library about Gems and their History. She believed her entry had been forbidden before she was created. She must have said that outloud, because Blue Pearl replied with a:

"It was reopened recently. It has been several millennia since I was last here..." her dreamy gaze under her bangs was positioned over the other Pearl "Something you never could" Pearl felt irritation bloom inside her. She knew she was teasing her, even if neither her tone of voice, nor her words, showed it.

"Right. That's why I'm here" she admitted with difficulty. The hand on her back made her feel better. At least she had someone's support "Come on, Garnet"

In Homeworld, things like night and day didn't exist. There was always light, albeit artificial. The library that Pearl and Garnet were in was no different from the rest of the planet. It was huge, cold, and empty, apart from the few gems, and many, many files. All in the form of a somewhat old and difficult to read writings - more by the method of recording such information than by the language itself. Time didn't seem to pass.

"We've been here for many hours, I think, Garnet. And we haven't found anything! Are you sure this is the right place? It would be quicker to ask the diamonds." Pearl kept complaining. If she was on Earth, she would have been excited about this research. But she was too uncomfortable.

"No. This is the place. Here we will find our answers. If at some point the Diamonds give us information, we can contrast it with what we find here."

"But the Diamonds were the ones who created this place. They are the ones who have lived the history of the gems since the beginning. Or at least White did." the last thing was mumbled, a little unsure.

"Mmm"

The two kept silent, still searching through the sea of information, their patience wearing thin.

"Aha! Here! I found it!" Pearl exclaimed with a shout of joy. At last! "Let me see..."

The pale gem began to read aloud:

"Entry XXXXX - 6

This writing is a testimony of the times. ERA 0.

Thousands of years ago, the Guardians were created, formed by the great authority, White Diamond. The Great Creator, that's what they called her in those days.

This was an opportunity, a new community, created from the power of The Great Creator. Our Queen, in her benevolence, gave each gem created from her light her own gems, and thus create great cities and discovered more worlds. A whole colony. The First of many others.

Tourmaline. Tanzanite. Moissanite. These were the three great Guardians. The first gems created by The Great Star. Powerful as they were, they weren't perfect. They made mistakes, being punished by The Great Creator, turned into permanent statues to maintain their eternal vigilance over the entrances of each new world. What did their 'daughters' do to receive such a destiny, you ask? Breaking the only law that existed during the Era 0: The separation of two Gem Mates.

Shortly after another law was created: Vindicta.

[ Gem Mates are gems that are made to be together forever. Made to be understood. Made to never feel alone. Their bodies of light, their music, everything in them is in sync. Much more than a fusion could ever be. They call it: The Final Union. If for some reason a GemMate is destroyed or is too far from its half, its lights will fade, agonisingly slowly. Some take longer, others turn off suddenly. There are records of these events in entry XXXXVI - 19 ]

Tourmaline was jealous of the closeness between Tanzanite and Moissanite, her sisters. They were both Gemmates, so it wasn't a surprise. But, as the story goes, Tourmaline was madly 'in love' - that's what she called it, that feeling - Painful but the most wonderful thing she had ever felt.

One day, she saw them together sharing their light. Fusion. That moment of intimacy was what made her act impulsively, pulling out her sledgehammer - a weapon that was created to protect, not to destroy - and take down one of her sisters. Tanzanite. When the Guardian came back to herself, The Great Creator was present. Moissanite, hurt by the loss, asked for one last wish to her Queen, before she herself ceased to exist. Their wish was granted with the idea that they would give up, or lose the will to commit such a crime. Such was her mistake...

The fighting was fierce and devastating. All the gems present were watching from a distance, shouting, asking for the tragedy to stop. They had never seen anything so devastating as the fight and separation of their Guardians. They asked for mercy. White Diamond granted their wish. She had had enough.

"For having broken the universal law, for separating what should never have been separated, and for the use of the Vindicta, I condemn you to an eternity as statues" said this, the Great Authority threw a powerful light, turning their companions in what today are known as statues, objects of admiration; and soon after, historic art walls were created to never forget what happened.

Some time later, perhaps due to the loss of her daughters, The Queen created two more gems. Blue and Yellow Diamond. The New Authority. Welcome to Era 1.

End of Entry

White Sapphire, the Queen's Clairvoyant "

That was all. It was not the only entry on this same topic, but the first of many others. Apparently they were going to spend a lot more time in the Great Library about Gems and their History than they thought.

They both looked at each other with a triumphant smile. At least now they had knew where to start.

What did you think of my entry? I have my own version of the Gems history, something that will be part of my Fic.

It will not be 100% well done, sure, but I hope you find it interesting, and you like it~ xP

[silenceofthecookies]

Dekiai Temptation

Pairing: Kotobuki Reiji x female reader

Word count: 944

Warnings: A little angsty at the end, use of alcohol, hinted suggestive themes

Summary: Inspired by Reiji’s song ‘Dekiai Temptation’. Reiji attends a gala with Quartet Night, and comes across a woman that catches his eye. 

Reiji entered the room and looked around. All around the room were people in fancy dresses and suits, sipping their expensive champagne, standing around tall tables or dancing in the middle of the floor. Classic music was heard throughout the room, loud enough to hear, but silent enough for conversations to be held without shouting too much.

This wasn’t usually his kind of event. Camus was much more at home here, and even Ai seemed to acclimatize well. Ranmaru on the other hand was, just like Reiji, not at home in this super fancy setting. Both of them preferred their parties to be a bit more loose and easy going, but Shining Entertainment required them to attend. The gala was organized by a perfume manufacturer who had hired Quartet Night to help them promote their newest line. The gala was mainly for shareholders and sponsors, though because of their great work, Quartet Night was invited too.

People did recognize them fairly quickly and started talking to them. All of them were professionals and knew perfectly well how to behave, but that didn’t make it any less boring for Reiji, and it sapped his energy. By the time he managed to get away from the rest of Quartet Night, it was nearly midnight. Out of boredom, he had drunk quite a bit, leaving him a little tipsy. He decided to walk around a bit, and hopefully find a more relaxed place to sit out the rest of the party.

While searching, one woman caught his eye. She was wearing a dress which accentuated her figure perfectly, her hair was put up, showing her neck and shoulders, and her makeup put the focus on her eyes, which seemed to stare right through everyone in the room. There was a dangerous air around her, but he felt himself being drawn in by her. As if she noticed his stare, she looked at him, smiled, and walked over to him.

“Good evening, you’re Kotobuki Reiji, right?” “I am, can I ask your name?” “It’s L/N Y/N.” “Nice to meet you.” “I caught you staring, what did I do to deserve the attention of one of the members of Quartet Night?” “Looking the way you do, it’s hard not to stare. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” “Oh you didn’t, quite the contrary.”

She grinned at him, and Reiji thought the room got hotter for a moment. He was surprised at his own bold words, but even more at her reaction. He felt a spark between them, and as if the universe had felt it too, the music switched from the usual classic music to something a bit more sensual. Judging from the look in her eyes once the music changed, she had the same idea. He grinned and held out his hand, she took it, and they both walked to the dancefloor.

The two of them stuck together like glue, dancing the same dance that the other on the dancefloor did, yet they felt like they were the only ones there. Y/N was grinning, and Reiji found himself caught up in the moment. For as long as they danced, Reiji forgot he was at a party or that he was an idol, and he had a reputation to uphold. He forgot about paparazzi and rumors, and instead focused on the fire in her eyes, and the fire she was lighting inside him.

Was the alcohol part of all this? Probably. Reiji generally kept up his reputation and thought twice about doing things like this, but not today. He knew this was going to bring trouble, and he knew he should thank her for the dance and leave now, but he brushed reason away for now. The party was big enough for people not to notice, right?

“You know, Reiji, I’m actually a really big fan.”

Y/n looked at him from under her eyelashes, still grinning. The look in her eyes felt like a spell was cast over him, as if to draw him in further.

“Oh really? Well then, I guess I should thank you for being my fan.”

Reiji leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kept the kiss short and sweet, a voice in the back of his mind was already scolding him for even leaning in. Y/N, however, didn’t seem to mind.

“Do you do that to all your fans?” “Only those who catch my eye.” “I that case, maybe we should spend a bit more time together? Maybe away from all the other eyes in the room?” “That sounds good.”

She took his hand and guided him away from the party, as the clock struck midnight. He followed her in a daze, not sure if it was the alcohol or just her effect on him. She pulled him into an empty room and put her hands on his tie.

“How about we get to know each other a bit better?”

---

Reiji sat on the couch in the apartment he shared with the other Quartet Night members, hands in his head. Y/N turned out to be a reporter, and he had spilled too much information while they were in that room alone. Of course, the very next morning, everything he told her was on the internet, for everyone to read. Camus had just given him a good scolding on his behavior, and Ai told him the possible effects his would have on the group.

He truly believed yesterday that there was a connection between him and Y/N. He decided that hit must’ve been the alcohol making him think that, hoping that would help make him and his broken heart feel better.

[thehikingviking]

Thor Peak, A Winter Hike from Whitney Portal Road

With limited snowfall throughout California, I had the opportunity to climb in the High Sierra in mid January. I wanted to climb Thor Peak because it resides in the Whitney Zone and it was outside permit season. I called the Lone Pine ranger station all week, and while it was clear that the road to Whitney Portal was closed, no one was able to give me a clear answer as to where the closure started. I spent the day before climbing several desert peaks, and since I was kind of in the area, I decided to drive to the visitor center in Lone Pine to see for myself. Upon arriving, I found a reduced staff due to Covid, and the only person there was a cashier who had no knowledge of the road conditions. Apparently it was safe enough to have someone onsite to sell merchandize, but not safe enough to have someone onsite to advise on the latest mountain conditions. Alas, I decided to drive all the way up Whitney Portal Road to see for myself. There is one giant switchback on the road to the trailhead. At the base of the switchback there was a Road Closed sign, however there was no gate. I decided to drive past this sign, and while I felt a little uneasy at first, I found many cars parked along the road up above. There were some sections of road covered with snow and ice, so 4WD and snow tires were definitely good to have. I finally reached a closed gate at 7,549 ft. Starting here would add an extra 3 miles and 800 ft of elevation gain to my day, but I felt this was well within reason. I sat at the road closure sign and meditated for an hour, doing my best to acclimatize over that short period. I drove back down to town where I booked a room and informed Asaka that I planned to stay one more night. I was exhausted from a poor nights rest the night before, so I got an early dinner and retired to my room. I cranked the heater and watched some playoff football before going to bed.

I woke up in the dark the next morning and packed the car. I ate some leftover pizza for breakfast as I drove the lonely road up towards the portal. Judging by the large amount of cars parked alongside the road, it was clear that I would not be the only one on the mountain that day. I was able to find a parking spot within a hundred yards of the locked gate. I started off up the pavement under headlamp just after 5:30am. After a half mile or so, snow completely cover the road. I alternated between walking on icy and snowy sections, finding the easiest stuff to walk on somewhere in between. After a mile and a half I made it to the usual parking lot, and shortly after I took a right up the Whitney Trail. The snow dissipated as I switched back up the canyon. I guess most of the snow resides at the bottom of the canyon where there is minimal daytime sunlight. Light began to crest over the Inyo Mountains shortly after I began up the trail.

I had been up the trail five weeks earlier, so much was familiar. This time I had the luxury of getting a later start so I had plenty of light before reaching the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek.

There was snow up the canyon, but the trail was well trodden and it was obvious to know where to go. The snow cushioned each step. It was the best type of snow to walk on.

-Ebersbacher Ledges

As I ascended the Ebersbacher Ledges I got my first view of Thor Peak.

I saw my first group as I neared Lower Boyscout Lake. I asked the group of three where they were coming from, but this question is almost meaningless here since almost every time I am told Mt Whitney. I asked if they summited and the one who I assumed was the lead sharply said no. The other two he was with had big smiles on their faces. I could only shed sympathy on the disappointed hiker as I myself had been in similar situations, not making it to the summit due to going with a group that was not up to task. Mt Whitney peered down on us from above.

I made it to Lower Boyscout Lake and was surprised to find almost no snow on the northern facing aspect of Thor Peak. I know snow makes steep climbing easier at times, but I was thankful that I didn’t have to deal with taking out any extra gear. I said hello to a backpacker meditating on a large rock in the fresh morning air then crossed the creek.

I left the trail shortly after and began up the talus field leading towards the ridge above me. I looked back at the route to Cleaver Col, which I used to access Tunnabora Peak the month prior.

-Mt Whitney

-Mt Russell, Mt Carillon, The Cleaver & Gambler’s Special.

At first I was having an okay time scrambling up some large boulders, but as I got higher, the boulders thinned out and I was stuck in some loose scree. This was a bad case of two steps up, one step down, and in some cases it was even two steps up, two steps down. I found myself on all fours and by this time I was wishing that there had been snow on this section. After suffering for a bit, I finally found myself back on rock and was able to scramble the remaining distance to the top of the ridge. I had a front row seat for views of Mt Inyo, Keynot Peak, Voon Meng Leow Peak, Survivor Peak & New York Butte.

The summit was now clearly in sight.

What ensued was about a thousand feet of slowly steepening hiking. I followed a use trail at first but this disappeared as I neared the top. There was some easy scrambling on the final section and I reached the summit at 10:20am. To the west was Mt Whitney.

To the northwest were Mt Russell, Mt Carillon and Gambler's Special.

To the east were the Inyo Mountains.

To the southeast was Lone Pine Peak.

To the south were Mt Irvine and Mt McAdie.

I could see why the peak is recommended by the Sierra Peaks Section. While this peak doesn't have much prominence, it provides a nice perch in the middle of the surrounding giants. Rather than return the same way I came, I decided to make a loop out of it. To my south were cliffs and the ridge towards Mt Whitney didn't look trivial. I followed this for a while, looking for the opportunity to drop to the southern slopes below. I couldn't find anything that looked easier than class 4, so I kept on searching. I recalled a trip report which described descending through a notch. I was able to find a window, and while I'm not sure if this was the aforementioned notch, I was able to downclimb from here down to class 2 sandy slopes below.

Once on sandy slopes, I plunge stepped down towards Mirror Lake. I remember trip reports highlighted some cliffs, and I was able to avoid these pretty easily.

From there I walked down grassy slopes. I was enjoying my day and then wham, I was on the ground. I slipped on some ice underneath the grass and slammed myself on the hard rocks. Damn that hurt. I continued again, but this time more carefully, and I again slipped and fell. Luckily I didn't break anything but I had some big bruises afterwards.

I considered walking across the ice, but instead went around the right side of Mirror Lake. This ended up being a mistake. I found myself bushwhacking and breaking trail through waist high snow. If it weren't for that half mile section it could have been a perfect day.

I reconnected with the trail soon after. I put on my MICROspikes to get a little extra traction for the icy sections of trail, and powered myself downhill towards the car.

Prior to reaching the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, I spotted the old Mt Whitney Trail. While unsigned, the trail looked pretty decent. I felt like a true veteran as I hiked down the steep switchbacks. I continued my quick pace down the road, and I wore my MICROspikes until there was no more snow on the road. I tried a light jog, but in the end was content to walk. I chatted with a lady for the last half mile. There was some rockfall on the road that needed to be cleared before reopening.

It took me 7 hours and 45 minutes to complete the hike. My total mileage was 13 miles so doing this hike from Whitney Portal would be a cinch. I grabbed a coffee in Lone Pine then drove back home to San Jose that afternoon.

[abundanceofsoph]

SkyFire 3: Chapter 2

New York & Saturday Night Live: April 2017    

Word count: 4.8k

SkyFire 3 MASTERLIST

Sorry it's been so long since the last chapter but I'm finally back at work after 75 days in lockdown. Updates will probably be a bit more spaced out than they were in Parts 1 & 2 but please know that I am still working away at it and I already have so many future chapters planned out that I'm really excited for.

This chapter is a bit of a long one and I thought about splitting it in half but figured you deserved the treat after waiting patiently.

Don't forget to leave a comment if you're enjoying the series and let me know what you think.

>Instagram posts

By the time Aurora woke up Monday morning, Harry’s side of the bed was cold, and he had long since left for the day. Since he would be appearing in multiple sketches on the upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live, he was needed for rehearsals all week. Aurora was thankful that she and the rest of the band weren’t needed until Friday and instead she was able to sleep in. Their flight had arrived in New York well after midnight and by the time they made their way to the tower they had both decided to head straight to bed. Aurora was fairly certain her father would have still been awake, working in his lab but she was far too tired for a reunion after hours on a plane.

Once she managed to roll herself out of bed and get dressed for the day ahead, Aurora made her way down the hall to the open plan kitchen/living area of the penthouse with its wide, floor to ceiling wall of windows looking out over the sprawling expanse of Central Park. Both Tony and Steve were sitting on the stools at the kitchen’s island bench, waiting for their daughter to wake up. Steve had seen Harry earlier that morning as he was leaving, and Steve had been coming back from his early morning run. Both he and Tony were eager to have their daughter home for an entire week and while Steve was happy to sip on his tea and read the morning while they waited, Tony was practically vibrating in his seat with barely contained excitement. Steve’d had to stop him twice from having JARVIS ‘accidentally’ wake Aurora up, so Tony was unsurprisingly the first out of his seat when she finally appeared.

Aurora was grinning widely and broke into a fit of giggles as her father rushed over and lifted her off the ground in a crushing hug. Despite having seen each other only two weeks ago, the craziness of the wedding hadn’t really allowed them much time to just hang out together and prior to the wedding they had spent a solid 5 months apart given the last minute changes to their Christmas plans in the wake of Johannah’s death.

“Missed you Dad,” she said, returning the tight hug.

“Missed you too Kiddo,” Tony replied, finally setting her back on her feet and allowing her to cross the room and fall into Steve’s arms.

The small family spent the entire day together, watching a movie and then moving down to Tony’s workshop in the afternoon so that he could work on a prototype for Stark Industries while Steve and Rori sketched on the sofa. It was reminiscent of how they had spent many evenings shortly after Rori first came to live with her fathers, the memories of those long nights brought a soft smile to her face as she sketched Dumm-e and Butterfingers, where they were attempting to help Tony, but instead were causing more problems than they were able to solve. Harry found them all there when he arrived back to the tower later that evening, grinning excitedly as he launched into his recounting of his first day with the SNL cast.

xXx

Since first meeting her father’s childhood best friend, James ‘Bucky’ Barnes, three years ago, Aurora had slowly come to see him as a member of the family. For the first year that they had both lived in the tower together, they had coexisted amicably but had been far from friends, nothing close to the way Aurora was with the rest of the team. Even as her relationship with Sam had flourished quickly as he acclimatized to life as an Avenger she had struggled to be around Bucky. He hadn’t held her distant behaviour against her, knowing that while most of the team had been able to separate the actions of the Winter Soldier from Bucky himself, Aurora had struggled to accept into her home the man who had tried, on several occasions, to assassinate one of her fathers. Following the Columbia Shooting, she had surprised him by seeking him out during her recovery and their friendship had bloomed after her amputation surgery. Now, many years later Bucky easily filled the role of another uncle in Aurora’s life, a shift that had made Steve overwhelmingly happy.

It was late Tuesday afternoon and Steve went in search of his daughter, having not seen her since they’d shared lunch together. He expected to see her in the workshop with Tony, however his husband said he hadn’t seen her since breakfast. With the help of JARVIS he finally found her on one of the lower floors, the one shared by Sam, Bucky and Rhodey when he was in town. She was in the living room sitting across the table from Bucky, a game of Battleship between the pair. Steve suppressed a chuckle as he joined the pair, well aware by now of how much his best friend and his daughter enjoyed playing a variety of tabletop games together. Many arguments had been started over a game of backgammon or canasta.

“Who’s winning?” he asked, pulling up a chair beside Aurora and throwing an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m kicking his ass,” she smiled.

“She’s getting cocky,” Buck replied, “and it’s going to backfire on her in a minute.”

“Of course it is,” Aurora said, her tone dripping in sarcasm.

The game continued for a while, Aurora cheering and taunting when she sunk another of Bucky’s ships, mocking him mercilessly when he continued to miss her own turn after turn.

“I don’t understand why you always beat me,” he moaned when she won. “I mean surely your luck has to run out eventually.”

“It’s not luck, Bucky,” Rori laughed. “It’s about strategy and reading your opponent and I hate to tell you, but you are entirely predictable.”

“I’ll have you know I’m an excellent battle strategist,” Bucky retorted.

“Apparently you’re not,” Aurora bit back, a wide smile gracing her face. Steve let out a loud peel of laughter at their bickering.

“Excuse me,” JARVIS interrupted. “Miss Stark, you requested that I alert you when young Mr Styles returned to the tower.”

“Thanks J,” Rori replied, kissing her fathers’ cheek and jumping to her feet, ready to head towards the elevator.

“Miss Stark?” Steve asked.

“He said that Dad programmed him to call me that and no marriage certificate is gonna change it,” Rori explained with a roll of her eyes. “Dad could probably get him to stop but honestly I like it. I didn’t get to be a Stark for very long so it’s nice to be one when I come home.”

“You’ll always be a Stark, bug,” Steve promised, returning the kiss on her cheek and watching as she left the room in search of Harry on the upper floors of the Tower.

“Enjoying having her home?” Bucky asked.

“Absolutely,” Steve answered. “I miss her when she’s not here. Tony does too, even if he won’t admit it. She grew up too fast on us.”

“Can’t have been easy not meeting her until she was practically all grown up,” Bucky pointed out.

“No, you’re right,” Steve agreed. “Sometimes I wish we’d got to raise her, but I’d also never want to have taken away any of the time she got with her mom.”

“You and Tony ever think of having another kid?”

“We’ve talked about,” Steve said. “It’s not very easy process. The worlds come a long way since the 40’s Buck, but it’s still hard for two men to adopt. It certainly doesn’t help that we’ve got such dangerous jobs.”

“Guess that makes sense,” Bucky replied. “Never known you to back down from something just because it’s hard or because someone tells you no, though.”

“You might have a point there. Seems we’ve managed to accidently adopt Peter over the years so maybe we’re just meant to keep collecting teenagers.”

xXx

Something Aurora loved about the city was the way that New Yorkers didn’t care about anyone around them. Everyone was busy getting from one place to another and had very little time or care to look at those surrounding them on the crowded sidewalks. Aurora could easily wander the streets without being hassled as she went about her day. Occasionally a tourist would recognize her, but more often than not, a large pair of sunglasses and a hat pulled low would hide her enough to avoid all but the most astute fan. She wore a loose oversized cardigan which hung over the tips of her fingers completely concealing her prosthetic hand as she headed through the streets of midtown Manhattan, her hands full of shopping bags as she walked back towards Avengers Tower. She could have halved the time to get home by taking the subway, but the weather was nice, so she enjoyed the walk, reaching the towers lobby a little after 2 in the afternoon.

By the time she stepped out of the elevator and into the penthouse, she noted Steve, Clint and Bucky sprawled out on the sofas in front of the tv. She dropped her shopping bags onto the floor and launched herself onto the sofa cushion next to Steve, curling herself into his side as his arm fell around her shoulders, hugging her tightly against him.

“Where’ve you been all day?” he asked.

“Went shopping,” Rori explained.

“Do I want to know?” he asked with a soft chuckle.

“I bought wigs.”

“Why on earth are you buying wigs?” Clint butted in.

“Because with the tour coming up,” Rori said, “I want to try out some different hair colours, but I’ve never bleached my hair before and I’m honestly terrified of ruining my hair. So, wigs.”

“Do we get a fashion show?” Steve asked.

“Maybe later,” she mumbled, yawning widely before resting her head back against Steve’s shoulder and staring, glazed eyes at the tv.

xXx

The following day, Sam found Rori sitting alone against one of the large windows, hugging her knees tightly against her chest as she stared out over the city.

“Hey, you,” he said as he took a seat next to her on the floor. “You ok?”

“Yeah I’m good,” she replied, her voice soft and a little distant, her gaze remaining on the view spread out beneath them.

“Remember when you promised me you wouldn’t lie about how you were feeling,” Sam reminded her.

She sighed, her shoulders sagging and her head leaning forward to rest against the cold glass. “I had a panic attack last week,” she mumbled.

“When you got home to London?” he asked.

She shook her head. “On the last day of our honeymoon. This thunderstorm came rolling in out of nowhere the day before we flew home, and I just freaked out and ruined everything. I thought I was getting better.”

“You are getting better,” Sam argued. “This is the first panic attack you’ve had in months. That’s a huge improvement.”

“But I thought they were gone,” Rori sobbed. “I was just starting to feel normal again but I’m never going to be like I was.”

“No, you’re not,” he agreed. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but PTSD isn’t something you just get over. It’s going to be with you for the rest of your life, but that doesn’t have to mean there’s anything wrong with you and I’m sure Harry didn’t think you ruined the trip.”

“Of course he didn’t, he’s Harry,” she said. “He’s always so supportive and just wants to help me through it. It’s not even really about last week,” she admitted. “It’s more about what it says about the rest of the year. The rest of my life. When Harry asked me to join his band, I was terrified that somehow, I would do something to ruin it all, like that somehow my prosthetic would malfunction, and I’d ruin a show. Now I’m wondering what will happen if I have a panic attack at a show? There are so many things that can go wrong, and he’s worked so hard for all of this. I’ll never forgive myself if I do anything to damage that.”

“What happens if Mitch slips over in the rain and breaks his hand and can’t play the guitar? What if Sarah gets the flu and has to sit out a few shows? What if something happens with Adams kids and he has to leave the tour?” Sam asked. “There are so many what ifs and things that can go wrong but did you notice how none of those things had anything to do with anyone’s disabilities? There are things in your life that are going to be more challenging for you than they would have been if you hadn’t been shot. You can’t let that stop you from living. I’m sure Harry and Jeff have all kinds of plans in place for what happens if one of you gets sick and can’t perform, so maybe you should talk to them about your concerns and you can have some plans in place and that will help with the anxiety of it all.”

“You know I really hate when you’re right Sam,” Aurora mumbled, the corners of her lips twitching.

“I know,” he smirked. “But one of these days you’ll learn to accept that I’m never wrong.”

Aurora stuck her tongue out at him before letting out a tired sigh. “I’m just so exhausted. Like, my brain just never stops stressing over these tiny little things and it’s so exhausting to constantly be worrying about everything. I mean Christ, I chipped my nail polish at lunch and it’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last few hours which is ridiculous because who cares if my nail polish is chipped, but I’m going to be on live tv in two days and what if they want a shot of my hands while I’m playing and it’s not like I have time to go get them redone now.”

“Why not just tell the camera operators not to set up that shot?” Sam asked, always the rational voice.

“Yeah,” Rori nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Having said his piece, Sam stood up after giving her shoulder a quick squeeze and then walked away, leaving her to think about what he’d said. She was still sitting on the floor beside the window deciding how to bring her anxieties to Harry without adding to his already full plate when Nat appeared beside her. “Heard you could do with a manicure,” she said.

She extended her hand, helping Aurora up off the floor and then led her to the elevator and down to her personal floor. Nat didn’t press Aurora to talk as they settled down in her living room and set about removing the chipped polish from the nails of her right hand. Rori was grateful for the silence, not sure that she had the energy to carry a conversation but also glad that she wasn’t alone. Where others in the tower felt that they needed to distract her from her anxiety, it was always Nat that provided what she needed without her ever having to ask. Her thoughts whirled in her head as Nat applied the new pale yellow polish to her nails in slow, methodical strokes, Sam’s advice echoing in Aurora’s ears.  

“You seem stressed,” Nat finally said as she finished the topcoat on the last nail.

“Just nervous about the show on Saturday,” Rori replied softly. “Live TV doesn’t leave any room for error.”

“I’m sure you’ll all do great,” Nat promised with a warm smile. “Now lay back and I’ll do a face mask and help you relax. You’re way too tense for a 22 year old.”

Aurora did as she was told without argument, laying back and closing her eyes as Nat spread the cool clay over her face and then she started massaging her long fingers into Rori’s scalp. Once the mask was finished and Nat had cleaned it away with a warm cloth, she set about rubbing moisturizer onto Rori’s face, soothing the pinched muscles between the younger woman’s brow until she fell asleep under Nat’s hands.  

When Harry arrived back at the tower a little over an hour later he found most of the team in the penthouse, however his wife was conspicuously absent from the group. He asked JARVIS if she was downstairs in either of the studios, his brow furrowing when the AI informed him that she was in Agent Romanoff’s private quarters and he headed for the elevator.

Nat was sitting on the other sofa across from where Rori was sleeping peacefully, a book in hand when JARVIS’ voice filled the room and she was thankful that she had asked the AI to lower its volume when Aurora had fallen asleep.

“Mr. Styles is requesting access to your floor Agent Romanoff,” JARVIS announced in a hushed whisper.

“Tell him to come in,” Nat replied in an equally soft tone.

A few moments later, the elevator doors opened at the end of the hall and Harry strolled into the room, his eyes immediately falling to his sleeping wife. “Hey,” he whispered to Nat. “Everything ok here?”

“She was getting a bit anxious about Saturday, so we had a bit of a spa day to help her calm down,” Nat explained.

Harry nodded and then headed over to the sofa, sitting on its edge next to Aurora’s hip and reached out to trace his hand along her cheekbone. “Rors?” he soothed. “Time to wake up love.” As she began to stir, Nat left the room allowing the couple to have some privacy.

“You’re home,” Rori mumbled, her voice thick with sleep and a soft smile lifting the corners of her lips. “Missed you today.”

“Heard you had a bad day,” Harry said, pulling her up and into a tight hug. “Sorry I wasn’t here.”

“S’ok,” she replied as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. “Just got in my head a bit and spiralled.”

“Feeling better now?”

“Much,” she promised. “Always feel better when you’re here.”

“Mitch text me about 20 minutes ago that their flight landed so they’ll be here soon. Wanna come upstairs with me? Think Steve’s cooking a massive dinner.”

Aurora nodded her head and laced her fingers through Harry’s as the headed for the elevator doors.

xXx

Aurora tried to hold back her anxiety as she walked through the door with Harry, Jeff and the rest of the band Friday morning. She knew she was doing a poor job of it when Harry squeezed her hand tightly in an attempt to comfort her. She was angry at herself for her nervousness, knowing that she had performed on bigger stages in front of live audiences in the past, but she couldn’t seem to overcome the fear that she would make a mistake that would make Harry look bad. She could always deal with embarrassing herself, but the idea of screwing up everything that Harry had worked for was what truly made her terrified.

The set was a blur of activity and Harry led them down the halls towards the set where their equipment had been set up. Sarah headed straight to her drum kit and the boys picked up their guitars while Rori and Harry walked over to where the keyboards where a grand piano was waiting for her.  

“You look like you’re going to be sick babe,” Harry said. He kept his voice low, whispering in his wife’s ear as she sat down on her bench seat, not wanting draw anyone’s attention to their conversation. “I know you’re going to nail this. Just gotta trust me.”

“I know,” she replied. “God anxiety is such a bitch.” Harry chuckled at her little outburst and then he kissed the top of her head before walking over towards the microphone stand.

They spent the rest of the day running through the two songs they would perform the following evening. They discussed the lighting and camera set ups, making sure that everyone in the band and the crew knew exactly where they would stand and which way the equipment would move during the live broadcast. Occasionally they would take breaks for Harry to go work on the sketches he would be appearing in or they would stop so that Aurora could remove her prosthetic for a while. In the year since she had started wearing the prosthetic hand, Tony and Peter had redesigned the original many times, constantly upgrading and improving it’s coding to make it easier for her to wear for longer periods of time. Despite these upgrades, she still found it hard to wear for too long and after about 4 hours of prolonged use she would start to get horrible tension headaches from the transmitting device she wore behind her left ear. It was for this reason that the majority of their soundchecks were happening on Friday so that Aurora wouldn’t be required to play before the show was ready to go to air. She was always uncomfortable whenever plans had to change in order to accommodate her disability, but Harry had  assured her repeatedly over the course of the week that it was not a big deal and that they wouldn’t have been needed much on Saturday afternoon anyway, so it wasn’t even that much of a change to the schedule.

By the end of the day, Aurora was exhausted. They had taken plenty of breaks throughout the day, but she knew that she had definitely pushed herself, never wanting to be the one to call for a break and know she was paying for it. She had her prosthetic off and stuffed into her bag before they even reached the car that would take them all the few short blocks back to the tower.  She sat in the back seat beside Harry and let her head fall against his shoulder, closing her eyes for the quick 10 minute drive.

“You alright love?” Harry asked quietly as they pulled up in the underground carpark of the tower.

She hummed in response, letting him lead her out of the car and into the waiting elevator. “Just tired,” she promised. “It was a long day.”

“It was,” Harry agreed, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. “Went great though. Think tomorrow’s going to be amazing.”

Aurora wasn’t the only one who was tired and after such a long day of rehearsals, everyone in the band was happy to return to the tower, the inviting smells of dinner greeting them as they stepped out of the elevator to see the entire team crowded around the dining table, waiting for them. Aurora’s eyes lit up as she saw Peter at the table and immediately rushed over to him, pulling him out of his seat and into a hug, her exhaustion evaporated in the wake of seeing him again for the first time since they’d arrived back in town.

“God, where have you been all week?” she asked.

“Sorry been busy with school and patrols,” Peter replied. “I usually only have time to come over Friday nights and on the weekends.”

“Lucky we’re not leaving till Monday then,” Rori smiled. “Otherwise I wouldn’t get to spend any time with you at all. Now talk to me, how’s it feel to almost be finished with High School?”

Harry watched them with an amused smile as they sat next to each other, talking excitedly about Peter’s upcoming graduation and which colleges he had been accepted to. They barely stopped talking throughout the entire meal, completely oblivious to anyone else at the table. Harry hadn’t spent a great deal of time around Peter, given how much time he had spent on the road with One Direction or off filming Dunkirk while Aurora had still been living in the tower full time, but it didn’t really take a lot of time to understand why Tony, Steve and Rori had all rushed to absorb Peter into their little family. He was such a nice kid, always energetic and excited about anything going on everyone’s lives and he was joy to be around. He had so seamlessly fit into the family dynamic that everyone considered him a Stark in all bar name. Harry had once asked Rori about his place in the team, and she had smiled brightly, explaining how happy she was that while she and Steve had always had their art to bond over, she was relieved that Tony now had someone that could keep up with him in the lab and that he could teach Peter and watch him improve. She’d always wanted a little brother and now she had one in Peter. Tony and Steve had already experienced the emotional minefield of establishing parental roles without stepping on the memory of Rori’s mother, to it had been so easy for them to find a way to fill those same roles with Peter over the last few years without diminishing May’s place in his life or erasing the importance of Peter’s parents. The Avenger’s had always been a messy, happy, found family, and with the addition of Peter and May, and then with Mitch, Adam and Sarah, the family just seemed to keep expanding and Harry could see how much Aurora loved having each and everyone of them crowded into the penthouses dining room.

xXx

Saturday was a blur of activity and rushing around, and before Aurora realised someone was yelling that they were going live in 10 minutes. She was sitting out of the way with Sarah on one side of her and Adam on the other, waiting for their time to perform. Harry was off getting ready for the first sketch and they had a small tv hanging on the wall nearby so that they could watch the show while they waited. The first half of the show went off without a hitch and all four of them simply tried to keep out of everyone’s way until a technician came over to heard them towards the set. They were all situated behind their instruments by the time Harry joined them and he quickly ducked over to Rori for a good luck kiss before taking his place at the mic stand and waiting for the signal to start. One of Aurora’s knees was bouncing beneath the piano and there was a slight tremor in her right hand as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes on the darkened set. She tuned out the camera’s and the studio audience, her attention narrowing down to her instrument and Harry a few steps in front of her as she began the opening chords of the song. For a few brief seconds her piano was the only sound as the lights began to lift, and Harry’s voice rang out through the studio. As they hit the pre-chorus Rori and Sarah added their voices to the mix and then all of the other instruments joined as they entered the chorus. All of Aurora’s nerves disappeared as Harry belted out the lyrics of the chorus, and in the brief moment right before the second verse he turned, catching her eye and winking before returning to the microphone. In the final lines of the song, right in the middle of the most difficult notes, Aurora heard Harry’s voice falter and he missed a line. She tried to hide a grimace, knowing that he would be kicking himself for slipping at the end of the song. The moment the camera’s cut away she was at his side, arms wrapped tightly around his waist and he pecked her lips quickly. She attempted to comfort him before he was quickly whisked away to change into the costume for the next sketch.

By the time they returned to their little set for their second song Harry appeared to have shaken off the slip up and everyone, including Aurora, was buzzing with adrenaline and ready to go with their second performance. This time the grand piano was gone, and Aurora’s keyboard was positioned behind Harry’s spot at the centre of the stage. With all the sketches out of the way, Aurora watched happily as Harry allowed himself to enjoy the performance. As they finished the song and the audience cheered, Harry quickly pulled his guitar strap over his head and walked over to where Rori was seated behind the keys. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her softly. “That one was for you my love,” he whispered as their lips separated.

“So proud of you,” she whispered in reply. “You absolutely killed it tonight.”

NEXT CHAPTER

OR CONTINUE READING ON AO3

[avengerscompound]

The Grind House - Chapter 8

The Grind House: A Bucky Barnes Fanfic

Series Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x  F!Reader

Word Count:  2166

Rating:  E

Square filled: @star-spangled-bingo - Playful Relationship

Warnings:  Smut (F/M, oral sex, vaginal fingering and sex)

Synopsis:  When Bucky Barnes stops to get coffee and warm up at your coffee shop, he had just expected that caffeine might lift his mood a little. He didn’t expect to fall head-over-heels for you over a game of chess.

Chapter 8

He came into the Grind House the following Monday.  It was during lunch so you made him a white chocolate mocha, toasted a panini and brought them over to the table by the fire with your own lunch and a caramel tart.  The two of you had played a game of ‘Codenames Duets’, which he completely annihilated you at.  While you had both played you talked about the plans for the week.  He thought he had a mission coming up.  You were considering buying some more games for the store.

In the final 10 minutes, you'd asked him if he'd come to.game night again.  He said the only thing that would keep him away was HYDRA.  He’d asked if you might like to go out on Saturday.  You had said you'd love to.

That's how it was dating you for the most part.  Playing games over lunch at The Grind House most days.  He'd come to the game night, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends.  Dates on the weekend that were often casual and always involved long makeout sessions.  You hadn’t had sex yet.  Not because either of you was waiting, but because you were being patient.  You were leaving room for his body to catch up with what his mind wanted.  He wanted to have sex with you, but the intense way his body reacted to just making out, he worried that there was no way he could get from there to sex without blowing his load.  So you did other things.  Kissing, dry humping, erotic massage.  You showered together.  You took baths.  He got you off and oh god did you get him off as you patiently went through every kind of intimate touch so he could acclimatize to it.

It had only really been a few weeks since he’d officially asked you on a date but he was falling for you fast.  He still had these huge worries about being with you.  You were just a normal person who had lived an average life.  There had been good and bad but you owned a coffee shop and played board games.  You weren’t average by any sense of the word but you were good and untouched by the kind of life he had experienced.  He worried that at some point the burden of the things he carried or the life he led now as a hero trying to clean up his past was going to be too much for you and in the end, you’d either get hurt or pull back before you let yourself be hurt.

Only it was exactly all that stuff that he was attracted to you for.  You weren’t touched by this.  He relaxed when he was around you.  He smiled.  God damn it, he let himself laugh with you.  When he was visited you part of the world, the non-Avengers world, he felt a little bit like the guy he had been before he’d ever put that army uniform on all those years ago.

Which was really odd because he knew for a fact that that guy wouldn’t have been caught dead drinking salted caramel lattes in a place like The Grind House.  He was too cool for things like that.  He always had to be moving.  He always had to show girls how extremely cool and talented he was all the time.

Now though…

Well, now he loved the Grind House.  It was like it had been designed just for him.  He loved how almost none of the chairs matched.  He loved all the different board games and card games.  He loved how it smelled.  He loved the fireplace.  He loved the different coffees and the sandwiches and the cake selection that never seemed the same from one day to the next.

He also thought he might love you.

Or at least he had that first little sparks of what could be love.  Those little things that he definitely did love that led to actually falling in love with a person.  He loved when you teased each other.  He loved when you won a game and got all smug about it.  He loved when he won you were always genuine with your congratulations.  He loved how patient you were.  How funny.  How kind.  God, the depth of your kindness seemed infinite.  He’d never known anyone like that.  He’d never known anyone so fearless and yet so absolutely determined to give to those who needed it.  Steve came close he guessed, but where Steve had always solved problems with his fists you always went the pacifist route.

So it was there and he was falling hard and fast.  It was scary and exciting.  Like being on a rollercoaster where the risk was real but the reward was real too and just might be worth it.

Steve, Sam, and Natasha all seemed to think so.  They were always pushing for more information.  While not everyone always came to the game nights, if those there were in the city, they went with him.  They talked him up to you even though, he kind of thought that wasn’t necessary.  He wasn’t sure why still, but you seemed to genuinely like him.  You didn’t act like you were feeling sorry for him.  You weren’t scared of him.  It was affection and it was real even if he wasn’t sure he deserved it.

You touched him on the tip of the nose and he blinked at you.  “Where’d you go?”  You asked.

He chuckled.  “Space.”

“Oh yeah?  That sounds fun.  What were you doing in space?”

He pulled you tighter to him.  “Oh, you know?  Flying around in a spaceship at light speed.  Meeting aliens.”

“Aliens like Thor?”  You asked.

“Nope.  More bit gelatinous blob monsters.”

You both started laughing and he pulled you against him.  “Pity.  Thor's hot.  Maybe he could have given you some hot alien booty.”

Bucky completely lost it.  He couldn't remember the last time he has laughed as hard or as genuinely as he was now.  It had to have been before he was taken.  Likely before the war.

He tightened his arms around you and nuzzled into your neck. “I love you so much.”  The words were out before he realized he'd even said them.

You pulled back and smiled down at him, cupping his jaw.  It felt like his heart had stopped.  He was sure that was too soon to say it.  Even if he did feel it as strongly as he did.  You couldn't possibly feel the same way.  Taking out the paranoia of no one loving him because of the monster he'd become.  Saying ‘I love you’ too soon was relationship suicide.

Your smile was soft and reassuring and you caressed his cheek with your thumb.  “I love you too, Bucky.”

It took a moment to process the words.  To process that you’d said them back.  Not only had you said them back but you had meant them.  It wasn’t you trying to placate him or manipulate him.  He loved you and you loved him right back.

A smile spread slowly over his face and he leaned in and kissed you.  Slowly and tenderly at first before deepening it quickly.  Your tongues dancing together as you moved your lips against his.  He moaned softly, pulling you into his lap and you rolled your hips against him, his already rock hard cock rubbing through his clothes.

He groaned and bunched a hand in your hair as the other ran down your side and gripped your hip.  You pulled back and looked down at him.  “Let’s go to the bedroom.”

“Mmm good idea.”  He teased and got up, lifting you with him.  You squealed and kissed him hungrily as he carried you down to the bedroom he tossed you onto the bed and you let out another squeal as you bounced on the mattress.  He laughed and climbed up on the bed after you, crawling over your body and leaning in to kiss you.

You cupped his jaw just before he did and looked into his eyes.  “We can go at the pace you want.  I have no expectations right now.”

He nodded.  “You are too good to me.”

You shook your head.  “Nope, you deserve the world.”

He leaned in and kissed you again, deeply and passionately.  He wanted you now.  His body ached for you, but he knew he was going to need to slow down at least a little.  He rutted his hips, grinding down against you.

He broke the kiss and trailed his lips down your neck.  Peppering your skin with kisses.  He pulled back and lifted your shirt over your head before kissing his way down your body.  He wanted to taste you.  To make you come.  To drink it up before he sunk his dick deep inside of you.

You squirmed under him and ran your fingers through his hair as he kissed down your stomach and pulled your pants down.  He softly kissed the inside of each thigh before sucking hard enough to mark them.  You moaned loudly and lifted your hips off the bed.  Almost presenting your cunt to him, glistening with your arousal.

He hummed and breathed you in as he spread your folds with his fingers and licked his tongue over the exposed pink of your pussy.  Wide at first, coating his tongue with your juices.  Savoring the sweet and salty taste of them.  As you squirmed and moaned and tugged on his hair he focused in on your clit, drawing random patterns over it.  Sometimes large and sloppy, sometimes small and focused.  Your moans got louder and you pushed him down into your cunt more.  He chuckled and sucked your clit into his mouth and sucked on it as he pushed his fingers inside you.

He fucked you with them, curling them and stroking them inside you as he fucked you with his fingers.  His senses were being overwhelmed.  The sound of your moans filled the room as the scent and taste of your cunt filled him.  His cock was hard and throbbing and he wanted to be inside you, but he needed you to come in his mouth.  He wanted it badly.

He kept working your cunt, his fingers dragging over the soft spongy surface of your g-spot as he held your clit between his lips and flicked his tongue over it.  You arched up suddenly and came.  He kept pumping his fingers as he drank up what he could, your fluids running down his wrist and your body shuddered.

You sat up and guided him up with you, still breathing heavily, your eyes blown out with lust.  He kissed you deeply and you pushed him back against the headboard of the bed without breaking the kiss.  You unfastened his pants and pulled them down, his cock, sprang up and lay against his stomach, rock hard and throbbing.  You hummed when you saw it and gently ran your fingers up its length.  It jumped and twitched at your touch, sending a shiver up his spine.

“God, your dick is so fucking big.”  You hummed as you climbed into his lap.

“I’ve noticed.”  He teased and you both started giggling.  “It’s partly the serum.  Are you worried?”

You shook your head and slowly sunk down on it moaning as the wet warmth of your cunt enveloped him.  You squeezed around his cock, sending a shock of pleasure through him, making him moan and buck up into you.

You relaxed your core muscles and slowly began to twist your hips on him.  He groaned and looked up into your eyes.  It felt like ecstasy.  So good compared to anything he’d felt for so long.  Even with the gradual build up, it still felt so much better than he had remembered.  He leaned down and nuzzled at your breasts.  He sucked on them.  Pulled your nipples into his mouth and bit gently on them.  He moved up, capturing your lips, kissing you hungrily.

His balls tightened and he started to thrust up into you.  You rubbed your clit as he fucked you and you moaned into the kiss.  Just as he was sure he wasn’t going to last any longer you came again, crying out and throwing your head back.  The sudden clenching of your cunt was more than he could handle.  He thrust hard up into you and came hard, grunting and burying his face in your neck.

The two of you collapsed down on the be and you curled up in his arms, resting your head on his chest.   “Well, I got what I wanted,”  You teased, running your hand over his chest.

He laughed.  “Just that?  I’m sure I could do better if you stuck around.”

You broke down into giggles.  “Alright, alright.  I guess another time might be okay.”

He chuckled and leaned down and kissed you.  He wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve you, but he was definitely holding on to you now he’d found you.

// NEXT

[siribear]

turns out: she doesn’t know if she can do this. two steps outside of sanctuary hills (the old neighborhood sign dilapidated, covered in vines) and everything seems so.. vast. codsworth has obviously acclimatized himself to the change in - she swallows - centuries, perhaps she should have asked him to join her.

instead, claire takes another step, then another, eventually reaching the bridge out of the neighborhood. the wood creaks underfoot, but she makes it, hand ghosting over the railing like she used to when she and nate used to walk the area. the first sight that greets her: another corpse, not yet decomposed, head bashed in by a tire iron. another scavenger, likely, body already looted for anything valuable save for a leather jacket and jeans.

half an hour later, she reaches the gas station. a wrecked and hollowed out car sits just outside it. claire figures two hundred years in the future, they don’t use cars. she pays the building a wide berth just in case whoever killed the scavenger outside is still inside.

she’s stopped by a sudden bark. a dog runs up to her, and she isn’t sure if she can shoot a dog, but is saved when the dog stops before her, wagging his tail.

‘friendly, huh? thank goodness.’ claire drops to a knee. ‘where’s your owner, buddy?’

the dog barks again, turning to look down the road. claire laughs softly to herself, thankful, at least, for the company.

‘let’s go find your owner then.’

the dog leads the way, down the road, into concord. again, she’s hit with a wave of knowing but not knowing as her memories of the place overlap with what she’s seeing. the only things keeping her going are the short, excited barks from the dog in front of her.

the dog turns a corner ahead. claire follows, only to see him with his ears flat against his head, teeth bared, growling at a group in the distance. she ducks behind a nearby car, scoping out the area.

on the ground: a group in mismatched and patched together armor, shooting up at the balcony of the old museum of freedom. on that balcony: a lone man firing what looks like lasers at his assailants below.

‘which side do we support, boy?’ she asks. in response, a deeper growl, and the dog moves further ahead. he jumps one of the people below, teeth digging into their shoulder, pulling them down to the ground. ‘okay,’ she sighs and readies her pistol. ‘let’s do this.’

one shot pierces the assailant’s neck, ending the scuffle. the dog charges forward, this time yanking another’s leg out from under them and tearing into the limb. they take out the rest of the attackers in the same manner - the dog distracts, claire shoots. between the two of them and the man on the balcony, the gang lies dead in the street.

‘hey, you!’ he calls down to her when the others are dead. ‘there are more raiders in the building. i’ve got civilians in here. please, help us,’ he pleads.

if she helps them, maybe they’ll help her. ‘we’ve got you!’ she calls back up to him. even from the ground, she sees his shoulders sag with relief.

‘thank you,’ he half sighs. ‘take that laser musket, there.’ he leans over the railing and points at a body near the door. ‘please, hurry.’ and he returns inside.

‘here we go,’ claire says to herself. briefly, she allows a hand to comb through the dog’s fur as he waits next to her. 

-

shooting paper targets or cans in their backyard is different from shooting actual people. even the giant bugs in the vault were easier. claire shoots two raiders on the upper floor of the museum. the bodies tumble from the walkways, down to the bottom floor. through a locked gate, she sees the floor collapsed in, leading straight to the basement.

the pair make their way through the museum, and another raider dies to the dog. he bleeds out on the floor, throat torn to shreds. they move on.

on the other side of the gate, she carefully follows the newly made ramp into the basement. below, the generator still hums, powered by an old fusion core. curious, she accesses the computer. it isn’t difficult to hack into - a few guessed passwords and she’s in. with the security door open, she removes the fusion core, watching the generator power down. if nothing else, codsworth can use it when she gets back -

‘open the door!’ a rough voice shouts. ‘or we will!’ a dull thud. then another. a swear -

claire hurries through the rest of the museum, making her way up familiar stairwells and hallways. at the top, she and the dog take a pair of raiders by surprise.

‘it’s me,’ she says when they lie dead at her feet. ‘i took care of the raiders.’

the door opens slowly. the dog pushes past her into the room to rest at the feet of an old woman sitting on a couch. the man from before grins at the sight of her. beside him, another man in workman’s overalls smiles at her as well. then, at the fusion core in her hand.

‘well, i’ll be damned, preston. that’s the FC we need.’

the man with the laser musket, preston, nods. ‘first of all, thank you. i didn’t think we’d make it.’ he lowers his weapon, butt against the floor, and leans it against his hip. ‘i’m afraid there’s more we have to ask of you.’

claire tilts her head to the side. ‘how can i help?’

again, his face brightens. ‘there are more raiders on the way. the others were just the group that caught up to us first.’

‘shit,’ she whispers.

the other man laughs. ‘yeah. but there’s a suit of power armor and a crashed vertibird on the roof with a minigun still attached. use that power core on the power armor, tear the minigun off, and you are good-to-go.’

‘hold on.’ she holds up a hand. ‘who are you people? why are raiders even after you?’

‘have you heard of the quincy massacre?’ preston’s dull tone answers her.

‘the - what?’

‘wow.’ a sigh. ‘i thought everyone knew about that. the minutemen were betrayed at quincy. most of them were killed, but we’re the survivors. sturges,’ he looks to the man next to him, who waves. ‘jun and marcy long.’ he gestures to a couple on the other side of the room - the man curled in on himself on the floor, the woman pacing. ‘and mama murphy.’ the old woman on the couch. ‘and i’m preston garvey, commonwealth minuteman.’

‘minuteman,’ she repeats. then, quieter, ‘now i’m going backwards in time.’

‘i’m surprised you haven’t heard of us. everyone knows about what happened at quincy.’

she shrugs. ‘i’m.. new to the area. it’s a long story.’ she smiles. ‘so about that power armor.’

preston nods and quickly leads the way.

-

dogmeat will keep you safe, mama murphy had said. and the dog - dogmeat - happily followed them out.

‘dogmeat.’ claire shakes her head. she had a little dog when she was younger. her parents named him rex. but dogmeat - ‘okay. dogmeat,’ she says, louder. dogmeat perks up at his name. ‘ready for this?’ he barks, tail wagging.

claire steps into the power armor, movements jerky and awkward. two steps, each one rumbling underfoot, then she rips the minigun off its stand. it should be heavy, but the mechanized limbs of the armor hold it easily.

a bullet pings off one of her legs. a raider steps out from behind the radiator on the opposite roof. the minigun spins up, the raider falls with a spray of red, the minigun spins down.

the battle is wholly one sided, after that.

claire jumps down, armor frame absorbing the shock of falling as well as the resulting gunfire from jumping into the fray. any raiders that attempt to flank her are charred by preston, and any that take her head on are turned into a red mist.

when it’s over, all she can hear is her echoed breathing.

and the loud bang, bang, bang of a metal hatch being broken open. ‘preston?’ she calls up behind her. all she gets is an answering, ‘oh no.’

the thing barreling toward her makes no sense. large roaches she could recognize, but this thing. this creature towers over her by at least a foot and is larger than even her power armor.

she fires, and watches as the thing soaks up the bullets and lasers fired into it. she’s slow to backpedal, and the creature still doesn’t slow. before she knows it, she’s looking at the sky, heads up display reading the integrity of the chest piece has taken a hit. then, the thing is over her, clawing at the chest armor further, trying to tear it apart.

claire lifts her arms, fits the minigun under the creature’s jaw, and fires. she doesn’t stop until the head is gone. a beat. the body falls to her side with a heavy thud.

she exhales a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and tosses the empty minigun to the side. carefully, she picks herself up. when she looks up, preston is gone.

-

he and the others are gathered in the lobby of the museum when she finally enters. she exits the power armor, unsteady on her feet, and approaches.

‘that really was... something else.’ he pulls a pouch out of one of his pockets. ‘here, this is for you.’

she takes it. ‘i didn’t really do it for the - ’ upon opening it, she tries to hide her confusion, ‘bottle caps.’

‘sorry, i’m used to others only helping if there’s something in it for them.’ he shrugs, but doesn’t move to take it back. ‘thanks to you, we survived. mama murphy knows a safe place to the north, called sanctuary. you’re welcome to join us.’

sanctuary. what are the odds?

‘i know who you are.’ mama murphy takes her by surprise.

‘i’m sorry?’

‘you’re looking for someone, kid. and i know how to find them.’

claire shakes her head, confused. ‘what’re you saying?’

‘go to diamond city. you’ll find your answers there.’ her eyes, though cloudy, seem to clear.

‘diamond city? i don’t... understand,’ claire says, trying to steady her voice.

‘sorry, kid. the sight isn’t always clear. find me some jet and i can help you further.’

preston saves her from asking what jet is, but by his reaction, she can only imagine it’s some kind of drug. diamond city. diamond city? the only city she knows is boston.

‘thank you anyway,’ claire says softly. mama murphy nods, knowing.

-

though preston had offered for her to come with them, she hangs back in concord for only a bit longer. taking advantage of the backpack attached to the power armor, she scavenges the dead - a short rifle, another pistol, and ammo for each. she also pockets the leather armor from one of the raiders in the museum.

finally alone, claire exits the armor and vomits on the floor.

-

she hauls the power armor back up to sanctuary hills. an alert beeps in her ear the moment she crosses into the neighborhood proper: power core charge 5%. figuring it’s close enough, she exits the power armor for the last time. her legs buckle underneath her, but a pair of arms hold her up.

‘not used to walkin’ in power armor, huh?’ sturges removes the backpack before she can. ‘takes some gettin’ used to, is all. mighty fine shootin’ back there though. can’t believe you took down a deathclaw by yourself.’

a deathclaw. apt. claire doesn’t even want to imagine those claws actually tearing at her flesh. without the power armor, she’d be dead.

‘preston definitely helped.’ she takes the backpack when her legs finally stop shaking. ‘so, you guys are going to settle here, then?’

‘yup.’ he gives her a cheery grin. ‘or try to, anyway. preston’s off setting up a perimeter. there’s not much here, yet, but at least we have a roof over our heads.’

she catches sight of preston in the distance, examining the area around the neighborhood.

‘look, i know you’ve done a lot for us. but i gotta ask another favor of you.’

claire shifts the pack on her shoulder and grins. ‘shoot.’

‘the rest of us are workin’ on gettin’ some of this rubble out of the way, but we’re gonna need the bare necessities if we’re gonna settle down here. beds, food, water, and the like.’

‘i’m sure i can find some mattresses in these old houses.’ she bites back a sigh. ‘we can tap into the well system running from the river - ’ she knows one of her neighbors had a well pump in their back yard. ‘ - sustainable food, though...’

‘well, one thing at a time.’ he claps her on her shoulder. ‘we appreciate it. thanks, uh - ’

‘don’t worry about it.’ she skips over his fishing for a name. it feels to strange, still. unreal. ‘i’ll get myself set up and get to it. thank you, sturges.’

if he catches on to her diversion, he doesn’t let it show. they part ways: sturges to a nearby house and claire to her home.

[ultrahpfanblog]

My thoughts on Crisis on Infinite Earths

Having been under Quarantine, I had the opportunity to watch the COIE crossover all over again in my free time. I loved it the first time around when it had first aired. Having rewatched it, while I still enjoy it a lot, its definitely not as smooth of a crossover as say Crisis on Earth X. I think its evident that the vision outweighed the CW’s grasp and budget and I can sympathize.

I think the first two episodes are fairly clunky. The Supergirl episode has a lot of good stuff. Loved things like the scene between Kara and Clark at the balcony, the scene with Sara and alternate Oliver, scene between Oliver and Mia, Oliver’s death scene, but there is also some clunky stuff. For one, was I the only one who found Jesse Rath strangely annoying as Brainy. I have seen him in the role on Supergirl but it was as if he was just hamming it up like crazy, over enunciating everything. It was rather grating. While I did enjoy the scene between Sara and alternate Oliver, it doesn’t really add much to the story, a common complaint with the crossover in general. I guess its supposed to show Sara as someone who embraced her destiny and therefore be the Paragon of destiny, but it eats up a decent amount of screen time and there was probably another way to do it. Also, as a Flash fan, its a little frustrating to see Barry get shortchanged in the first two episodes given he is the one who has set up Crisis for years now.

The Batwoman episode is maybe my least favorite because not a lot of consequence actually happens. I think this is the most fan servicy of the episodes with more cameos. Tom Welling’s cameo is a fun one because his frustrated reactions were a fun one. I didn’t mind the fact that he gave up his powers because he had canonically at least been Superman for over 10 years, likely more. The Kevin Conroy cameo doesn’t completely work even though hearing his deep baritone is a joy as a BTAS fan. But we don’t get enough of an understanding of why he is the way he is and his death is kind of poorly executed. And the whole interaction really doesn’t given a proper understanding as to why Kate is the Paragon of courage. The Kate and Kara dynamic is pretty fun, but its kind of tainted now given everything that has happened with Batwoman because we will likely never see it again. Then there is the substory of reviving Oliver using the lazarus pit which doesn’t really lead anywhere in the long run. I liked Mia and Sara’s interaction though Mia was initially very insufferable. I wish we had seen more Barry and Mia interaction. The highlight of the episode is really Brandon Routh returning as Superman. He kind of naturally plays Superman as if he never left. The fight scene between Superman’s could have been better but it was still a breath of fresh air to have him. I do feel that Iris being there was kind of random. She didn’t really have much of a role. 

The Flash episode is where the crossover starts clicking properly for me. For one, I think because Crisis has been built up so much on the Flash that the emotions and character behaviors feel more earned. Certainly, everything that happens with Barry, Frost, Cisco, Pariah, Jefferson, and E90 Flash is really good. The scene between Barry and Jefferson are probably some of my favorites in the crossover. Certainly the scenes with the two Flash’s good. They have E90 Flash a pretty nice swan song and it was surprisingly touching. Yes, the fact that they used the whole “Monitor didn’t say which Flash has to die” excuse is a bit of a cop out but I guess I was already expecting that for obvious reasons, so I didn’t really mind. I think the only part of this episode that’s a little clunky is Kate and Kara just walking around the Waverider. I like their confrontation but its the sort of thing that could have happened in the previous episode. Maybe given more time to the heroes trying to save people from the other Earths. I like the Ryan Choi subplot and Iris is more effectively used here. However, I must admit that eventually, they could have just used Ray instead of Ryan because he looked kind of silly battling the shadow demons in dawn of time battle and he didn’t end up being a set up character to be used after Crisis on one of the shows. Loved the Lucifer cameo though the trip to purgatory didn’t end up being particularly substantial. Overall, it left on an interesting cliffhanger. Admittedly, I was bummed that Lex replaced Routh Superman as a Paragon but its a very Lex thing to do. 

The Arrow episode is really the main ending of the crossover with the Legends episode acting as an epilogue. I think this episode largely succeeds at it though there is definitely a missed opportunity in some of the speed force scenes. I felt that the speed force scenes could have been a fantastic moment for them to revisit some key moments in all the show’s history and see them from a different perspective. But they end up visiting some random scenes and I’m not sure why the memory selves were interacting with Barry. He should have been an onlooker to everyone other than the actual people trapped in the memories. I love all the scenes between Oliver and Barry. That is kind of the heart of the episode and since it is such a strong relationship, it really helps anchoring the episode emotionally. The whole subplot with Novu was very unnecessary since it again leads to nothing. I wish they had instead some more time into the whole Monitor vs Anti-Monitor conflict and how it came to be. For an Arrow episode, this one had a surprising lack of Arrow characters. I suppose it is handicapped by being the finale, but I would say probably Barry gets more screen time than Oliver in the episode. The supporting cast are basically not there barring a brief cameo by Diggle and E1 Laurel in the memory. The battle is fun, if a little too brief and Ryan does look a little goofy just waving his fists at Shadow demons. Oliver’s second death scene is certainly better than the first and its quite well acted by Grant, Stephen, and Caity. Overall, it was a strong ending.

The Legends episode is basically an epilogue. Its genuinely fun and mostly, pretty lighthearted. Kara’s initial awakening, her horror at the new status quo with Lex, reuniting with Barry, and Wolfman cameo is pretty fun. There’s also a fun sense of irony in the scene where he’s asking for Barry and Kara’s autograph since he was the one who killed them off in the COIE comics. The Beebo sequence is again pretty Legends and its fun to watch Arrow characters reacting to this. It is a shame that budget clearly prevented a larger gathering of superheroes. Clearly everyone should have been involved at the end, but they weren’t able to get everyone. I did really like the scenes between Barry and Sara. They are clearly being set up as the lynchpins of the Arrowverse going forward. Its a dynamic that is largely unexplored so it was nice to get a few solo scenes between them. The unveiling of the table at their new HQ also was great and it was nice to see BL, Frost, and Heatwave kicking butt together. This episode is really the one which doesn’t have any filler. However, its also largely just everyone just getting acclimatized to the new status quo. The final fight is ok. Could have been better and larger, but I get the budget restrictions. I hope the future delivers on some JSA action. I wouldn’t mind a simpler crossover such as a team of heroes fighting against team of villains. 

Anyways, that was a long writeup. Overall, its still a fun crossover though the budgetary restrictions and some clunky writing is clearly visible throughout the crossover. I would say The Flash episode or the Legends episode was probably the best of the crossover. I would say, given this is Stephen’s last crossover, I was surprised by how little he was in it. He basically is in only two episodes, because he’s basically a corpse in episode 2 and he has one fairly brief scene in episode 3. I would say episode 1 is maybe his most substantial episode. Grant, Melissa, Caity, Brandon, David, and Ruby are there throughout all five episodes so they clearly had a heavy workload, so good on them for committing. I would say I probably rank this under the Earth X crossover, probably on par with Elseworlds.

[katevidal]

Quarantine Q&A

Well, @serioussamiam​ tagged me like years ago and now I finally remember doing this. Thank you so much for tagging!

I have no idea who has done this already, so I tag randomly and hope anyone of you wants to do this. As always, no obligation... @randomlygeneratedstring​ @obvidalous​ @ainzaphir​ @miceenscene​ @garrus​ @starsandskies​

Are you staying home from work/school?

Yes I’m staying at home but still have to work a little bit.

If you’re staying home, who’s there with you?

My partner is still working, meaning he is away most of the day. But I like that, having the flat for myself most of the time. I guess, if he was here all the time, working from home or whatever, everything would be a LOT more difficult and my mood would probably be even worse.

What movies have you watched recently? What shows are you watching?

We watched the HALO 4 movie recently, oohhhh and I finally got to watch Frozen. After having Let it go stuck in my head repeatedly for months. The song is nice, alright, but really annoying after a little while.

I rewatch the Madalorian and we just finished season 2 of altered carbon.

Are you a homebody?

Yep, totally. That my life hasn’t changed besides going outside for PT says a lot, no? I enjoy finally being the good girl by staying on my couch and reading fanfic all day long, maybe gaming a bit, soaking up the sun on my balcony. No guilty conscience - awesome.

An event you were looking forward to that got cancelled?

Most definitely the wedding of dear friends in 2 weeks time. I dreaded that I had to aquire a dress, but I would have loved to see all my friends again, especially those who life not in my city. Well, and I know it would be a splendid party.

What music are you listening to?

Sometimes piano and classic stuff, mostly recent pop/rock music.

What are you reading?

I’m still somewhere in GoT-fanfic hell, while reading a little mass effect fanfic on the side. And in hardcover I have a book on selfmanagement and a business psychology for dummies book around here somewhere. Maybe between all those 145 DnD books my bf littered our living room with.

What are you doing for self-care?

Considering I wasn’t the best when it comes so selfcare before all this Covid-19 shit I work hard to have more routine in my days. I make a point to enjoy the sunny hour on our balcony and do a bit of exercise. Furthermore I watch out for what I eat and how much. The basics really: More fruits and vegetables, not so much chocolate and carbs. Especially for a couch potatoe like me there is no need to comsume much energy, really.

Actually, since I acclimatized myself I feel I have a lot more power over how my days go and what I do. I guess less (social) pressure suits me well. :-)