#but who is also watching their peers meet and surpass those milestones long before them

[lovethygoalie]

Noooo you didn't tell me about the fic you were thinkin about with koledennis??????? (And sleepy kole IS effervescent i love him he's soooo much) ~~ ts

@tapedsleeves SO it was a like. i think you saw this post, which is the general premise of it. originally i was inspired by learning that kole and tristen robins follow each other on instagram and this picture from the cuda flickr

which i think is literally the only picture of the two of them in the same frame, let alone next to each other

ANYWAY. the idea was, like. kole and dennis are long-distance this year, right. dennis is having a fine ? year with bridgeport, but also bridgeport is pretty mid this year. whereas kole is uhhhh fucking killing it (and so are the firebirds, criminy) like.

gp | w | rl | ot/sol | p | p% 67 | 46 | 15 | 6 | 98 | 0.731 (firebirds, 2nd in league) 68 | 32 | 28 | 8 | 72 | 0.529 (islanders, 21st in league) 69 | 29 | 33 | 7 | 65 | 0.471 (barracuda, 28th in league)

gp | g | a | p | ± | pim | league standing (for position) 67 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 14 | 85 (kole, 7th[g] 45th[a] 12th[p] 28th[pim]) 67 | 1 | 35 | 36 | -6 | 26 (dennis, 191st[g] 11th[a] 25th[p] 156th[pim]) 62 | 17 | 21 | 38 | -10 | 16 (tristen, 102nd[g] 125th[a] 111st[p] 394th[pim])

numbers ! anyway. kole and dennis are both 24 and tristen is 21, kole and tristen just missed each other in the WHL. in this !verse soulbonds are uncommon and usually romantic - maybe one in fifty people have a soulbond. like, they're supposed to be this giant blessing, you're supposed to be happy about a soulbond, right ? you share emotions a little and always have a sense of where your bondmate is, the longer you're bonded the more you share and by the time most people get married or whatever you can usually read emotion really well and feel where your bondmate is over long distances. despite stories you cant share physical pain or thoughts.

but like. kole and tristen run into each other during a game and there's just enough skin exposed for their wrists to touch and the first emotion tristen feels from kole is something along the lines of "oh fuck no" horror. kole already has a life planned. he loves dennis a lot. kole kind of wants to marry him one day. kole doesn't want a soulbond, especially with someone he doesnt even know except as a cuda. kole wants his boyfriend !!! he's worked really hard to keep their relationship through the past year and a half !!!

i think i'd have tristen in his weird little polycule with william eklund and thomas bordeleau, even if that means i'd have to learn things about thomas bordeleau, who has so many fucking vowels in his name. like, he's 21, he's worked really hard to play professional hockey but he's maybe a little idealistic about the soulmate thing ? like, he cares about his boyfriends/linemates, and maybe kinda just thinks he can fold kole in to that !!! and that's not actually what happens. it's super undefined but like.

i dunno !!! trying to navigate, how do soulmates work when they arent romantic ? how do long-distance relationships (platonic AND romantic) find balance in communication and expression of affection ? how do you manage resentment when the person the universe decides is (grey's anatomy voice) Your Person isnt the person you want (or doesnt want you ?) and resentment when you're already in a relationship and you're told this new person is supposed to be your/your partner's whole world ?

there's a lot of koledennis cuddles ! and protective dennis ! and maybe sad kole ! it's all vibes !

[kinghoranshit]

The Watchers (1D) - 00 Hours

Part 1

I watched the names light up on our hologram. You never wanted to see your name listed. It meant someone put down a sum of money to have you killed during the 24 hour purge. If your name's not on the list, you're free to join in on the hunt or stay in your house; no one could kill you, but the sounds of screams were deafening. The amount of people who turned their backs on their loved ones, both figuratively and literally by killing them, was disgusting. There were even those "friends" who thought it'd be funny to list you.

Now, you're thinking that a purge is such a dumb idea. Want to know what's more stupid?

A bounty purge.

It's the government's way to keep the crime and gambling rates down, and those who may not be fortunate in their social class have a way to level up and gain funds. It became a sport for some. This was the 100th annual year and the names being listed were a lot of celebrities; normally the ratio of high and low status didn't fare this much.

My family and I were in resistance; my mom died trying to protect someone, now it was just my dad and I. We helped those whose names were on the list, not for free of course. We're like bounty hunters, but the opposite. A guard or babysitter sounds so lame though, so don't call me those.

I felt my eyes go wide when I saw all five names that formed One Direction. Who...would do this? They weren't even technically a group anymore; they only just started a virtual reunion tour. They all went solo long ago, so it didn't make sense as to why they would be grouped together. The amount of money put on their heads was ridiculous. Sadly, I didn't see them making it through the 24 hours, unless they have some great body protection, or are suddenly kickass in combat.

The blue hue to the hologram disappeared and it was silent darkness for a while. There were so many bounties this year. It was obvious that they didn't have a limit for the 100th year. There wouldn't be enough of us. Our organization, The Watchers, dropped by a third because it was such a significant milestone year for the bounty purge. I guess people became afraid again.

"Katie," my dad stated.

I sat up and looked at him. "Yeah, what's up?"

"You're being assigned to Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Liam Payne."

I blinked my eyes a couple times then cupped my ear for dramatic effect. "I'm what? Say that again."

"Modest!, their management, has contacted The Watchers and asked for you specifically. I guess they must've seen how well you kept Selena Gomez safe last year."

Yes, this work has lent to meeting celebrities, but the conversation doesn't tend to get that far. Last year was Selena Gomez, and the previous was Brie Larson. Both were troopers, especially Brie, she was fun to hang out with when we weren't fighting others. She still messages me every now and then when she's not working.

I cleared my throat. "That's...dad, they've got the largest sum I've ever seen for a bounty. You know how many people will be going after them?"

He smirked. "Is...Katie Lee..scared of hunters?"

I scoffed. "No, I'm not. I just know when my odds of keeping said assignment safe are high or not."

"Sorry, kiddo, there's no getting out of this one. They've prepared to set you up on a hidden bunker and arm you with anything you need if someone happens to find it."

A hidden bunker? Any weapons I want? That doesn't sound like a bad negotiation. I've definitely been dealt with less advantages.

The hologram started up again and it was one of the leaders, Rump. A cynical grin played on his lips. This couldn't be good. It was never good when his face appeared.

"Hello everyone, now that the names have been presented, we would like to bring in a new factor to the 100th year of the bounty purge. Instead of 24 hours, it will be 72 hours. That is three whole days to find your prey and get your prize. Let the purge commence in 48 hours."

For once, I felt sick to my stomach. Is this what fear felt like? Three days to keep these five boys alive? Let's hope no one trying to kill them were great trackers or hackers; if the base was hidden well enough, I could set traps outside and inside. That was going to be a must with the new circumstances.

My teeth clenched and I let out a deep breath into my fists. I sat there thinking for a little bit longer. If I was going to even manage to keep a few of them alive, I needed to leave tonight.

I stood and went upstairs to pack the essentials; I don't care if I have the weapon vault of my fucking dreams, I will never leave my crossbow at home. Every save I've had over the last eight years has been with this crossbow. When I came back into the living with my duffel bag slung on my shoulder and crossbow in hand, my dad actually had a look of worry etched into his face.

"Be careful. I know The Watcher's word is 'assignment comes first, you come second', but if it becomes too much, you get yourself out of there, okay?"

"Dad..." I trailed, at a loss for words. I've never heard my dad speak against The Watcher's word.

"You hear me?" he pushed.

I cleared my throat with a nod. "Yeah, dad. I do."

He pulled me into a tight hug. "Good. Your transport should be here any moment."

I pulled back with a small smile. I was well aware this could be the last time I saw him, but I couldn't bring myself to say the three words. It was a mutual thing we both had. We knew we both loved each other.

I peeked out the front window to see the black sudan parked in our driveway. I gave my dad a peck on the cheek before I slipped out the front door and jogged to the sudan. I opened the driver side passenger door and threw my bag and crossbow in first.

"Please state your ID number," the driver ordered.

"Watcher 402, Katie Lee, reporting for duty."

Carl smirked. "Perfect."

"That never gets old for you, does it Carl?"

He shook his head. "Never."

I laughed and buckled myself up. I pulled out my tablet to find the recent file sent to me. It was everything I needed to know about my transport, the bunker we'd be hiding away in, and the contact info for the supplier.

"So...who are you babysitting this year?"

The driver's never get told who a Watcher's assignment is for reasons. But I've known Carl for years; he was always the one who took me to the helicopter.

I still answered, out of precaution, "An important band. That's all I'm saying."

"Really? A certain boy band?" he mocked.

"You know I won't say the name, but yes that one boy band."

"That'll be fun, I'm sure."

I rolled my eyes in response.

I busied myself with contacting the supplier to get my vault sorted. This was definitely the most reinforcements I'ved used. I felt probably an unsettling amount of excitement to get my hands on everything. I knew that in the line of action I would be less thrilled.

***

The helicopter landed on the last minute created pad. It was a circle created by rocks; a majority of them were like this. I knew that we were in upper Minnesota, near the lakes. I snatched my duffel and crossbow as I got out of the helicopter and followed the other Watcher that had been waiting for me. Now, I was guided to a different car that drove off deeper into the forest.

It looked secluded enough by the trees; the bear traps were going to hide perfectly in the bushes. And if that didn't stop them? I knew that the wiring, jumper cables, and car batteries were going to work wonders for every door and window, along with strips of nails at the edge of the entrance if they happened to surpass everything else. And if they also bypass that? Well, they'll have to go through me.

I'm going to Home Alone this motherfucker up.

I was guided to the front of the house and my jaw dropped at the beauty of the steel siding and roof. Okay, the blueprint did not mention the steel exterior. And from where I stood I could see the small security cameras. There's no way they just built this in a matter of a day. This has had to be used in prior purges.

I walked up the stairs and through the front door. It was...way too fancy. Glass tables and lighting fixtures everywhere, grey couches, a fucking duve in the bathroom, and multiple bedrooms.

What was I so worried about?

I dropped my bag off in the room that had my name on the door and then saw that the rest of the members also had their own rooms. There was one name that I didn't recognize so I went to the door and knocked. It just slowly opened by itself and I peered in.

There stood, a bubbly redhead. She jumped from being startled. "Oh! Hi, I'm Maddy, the onsite medic. You must be Katie, our Watcher."

I furrowed a brow. "Uh...Yeah, I am. This place is a fucking fortress. Why am I here?"

She laughed under her breath and continued to unpack her items. "Every fortress has a fault, and they always like a backup plan."

They must be Modest!. It was clear that this wasn't Maddy's first purge hired under them. Who else has been under their company that they had hidden here? I've never been on an assignment where they had an onsite medic ready.

"Fair...do you know where the band is at? I'm going to need their help."

"In the kitchen, I believe. I will be down to help as well. My station has already been cleaned and prepared."

That was eerily comforting to hear.

"Okay," I replied and left her to her own devices.

I didn't bother unpacking yet. I probably wouldn't to be honest. Getting comfortable never sits right with me. The voices grew louder and louder as I grew closer to them. It was clear they were having a good laugh despite the circumstances as to why we were all here.

I cleared my throat and they all stopped to look at me. I gave them a small wave. "Hi Niall, Louis, Harry, Zayn, and Liam. I'm Katie, your Watcher for the duration of this purge."

"A girl? They hired a girl, who looks to be younger than me, to keep us safe?" Liam remarked.

"Mate," Niall and Louis breathed and shook their heads.

I chuckled and stalked up to the brunette who currently had his hair looking like 2014 Harry.

"I can't make you like me. In fact, that's not part of my job description. But you should reconsider... My crossbow can manage a mile range and shoot three arrows at once. I can also build a gun in under a minute, have practiced in the art of knife throwing...and I have been known to get my hands dirty in a physical fight. What can you do to keep yourself safe, Liam boy?"

The other four held in their own snickers. Liam didn't flinch in the slightest. If anything, his "tough" exterior only hardened, which just made him look even weaker in my eyes.

"I don't buy it. Modest has to be messing with us."

I smirked. "I know your ass will be calling my name, begging me to protect you, as someone tries to machete your body to pieces. You better start playing nice, mate." I stepped back and gestured to the rest. "Come on, troops. We need to set up the traps."

Luckily, Zayn, Louis, and Maddy quickly picked up on how to set up the bear traps so I put them on that duty while the rest of us stripped the entrances with nails. Of course, I knew the risk of having them set the traps rather than myself, but there was a lot to do before tomorrow morning. An hour before the purge starts, I'll set up the electrical traps. Since there were steel doors that locked down, I planned to set the electric currencies in other spots.

I familiarized myself with the layout of the rich bunker as much as I could and the security camera room. Yes, there was an entire room dedicated to the security cameras. My vault was hidden in four different locations so I'd have something at any given moment.

That evening, we were all chit chatting at the dinner table, eating the grilled chicken and potatoes Niall cooked. This was probably one of the best meals I've had the night before a purge; it was weird to feel so at ease. I knew not to get too comfy.

"So Katie, how old are you?" Louis prompted as he took a swig of his beer.

"Yeah, you seem too familiar with all of this. How long have you been a Watcher?" Niall concurred.

I laughed under my breath and dropped the fork onto my plate. "Uh, well...I'm twenty-four, and this has been my life for as long as I can remember. Both of my parents were Watchers themselves. I started assignments when I was fifteen."

"Woah," Zayn remarked. "How many have you killed?"

"That..." I coughed into my hand and ran a hand through my hair. "Hard to say...I don't like to keep track."

Louis leaned back in his chair and looked down at his lap. "How many do you think you'll have to kill for us?"

I raised my brows in surprise. "With that sort of bounty over your heads, your guess is about as good as mine."

"Fuck," Niall scoffed and jugged the rest of his beer.

"To be honest, I've never felt this confident going into a purge. And we've got Maddy for any injuries, it doesn't seem like her first rodeo either."

She smiled sweetly and shook her head. "It's not, but...I've never actually had to jump in. This bunker has always held up."

"Hear that?" I asked. "It'll be..." I trailed off. I couldn't make any promises, even if our odds did seem to be in our favor. "It'll be just another purge."

That wasn't what I mean to say either. Their facial expressions right now broke my heart.

I clapped my hands as I stood up. "Okay, I say we all get to bed now. It will be an early start."

They all nodded and put their dishes away before going to their assigned rooms. Liam sat on the couch by himself. He didn't join us for dinner, nor did he eat. If he wanted to be a loner during this, then I'll treat him as such.

I padded over and sat down next to him.

"You know I'm only here to help. If you hate me, that's fine, but you need to be a team player for the rest."

Once again, he stayed silent. I truly didn't know what his deal was. I wasn't the best at reading that side of a person's mind. I pursed my lips before I got up and went to my own room.

I slipped into my own pjs before I did a few meditations. I set my alarm for six in the morning, the purge started at eight. This is all I have ever known. Preparing every single year to risk my life for someone else's, to defy against this ridiculous event, and if I died this year, it wouldn't be in vain.

Next part: 24 Hours

[Masterlist]