#captain crow u were so right her captain IS an ass
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The Royal Navy in the Sea Beasts had NO BUSINESS trying to hunt sea monsters - even aside from the propaganda in the background
the first-ever time the movie introduces us to the Navy, its through an Admiral bragging about a ship built to kill sea beasts which Captain Crow pretty quickly sizes up as not the right tool for the job
"fixed cannons are useless (and her captain is an Ass)"
But its not just that they didn't know how what kind of ships and weaponry would efficiently take down massive ocean critters!! They also didn't seem to bother giving their men any drilling or training to prepare for the job itself!
This guy:
saw Red pop over the crest of the island and immediately went to shoot *without alerting anyone else* on the shore that the Red Bluster was in charging range of them! Note how as he goes to shoot at her, most of the other soldiers in the background remain unawares
aside from like the one (1) guy (bottom left) who also sees and actually goes "hey there's the Red Bluster!" the soldiers and the ship remain unaware that Red is there until she's actually charging them because this chucklehead shot at her
So by the time these poor sods find out that this massive, pissed-off unicorn seal thing is coming for their asses, she's already halfway to them and it is way too late to take effective precautions! The musketshot and cannonfire doesn't slow her down at all - it just seems to smother the ship in her own smoke so nobody can see anything at all by the time Red hits them
Like from the top down, nobody in the navy was given adequate preparation or training for this job, and it shows
POV: u fucked up
like for my part-time job I work with heavy and dangerous machinery, and one of the things that was really emphasized when I started was: tell someone if something's not right: mechanical problem, something breaks, whatever it is, communicate it to someone
and this is just for working with industrial machinery! which is a lot less unpredictable than a giant, powerful animal that can and will tear you and your ship a new porthole. It highkey seems like Admiral Hornagold literally didn't do any training or prep for this mission with his soldiers, and just assumed that they'd suceed "because we are
The Royal Navy
Bruh.
like what a massive waste of time, money, manpower, and lives for such a stupid oversight!! 'cuz....they HAVE people who've been successfully hunting beasts for centuries!!! if even one commanding officer in the navy had been like 'hmmm, perhaps I should hire some retired hunters or off-duty hunters to do some consulting before I commission a ship and assign recruits to man it" the whole thing could've been avoided!!
it was SO STUPID TO NOT DO THAT whether or not the naval officers in charge were in on the propaganda machine!
#like i cannot stress how important it is to Know if you Don't Know something when the relevant context includes shit that could kill you#the sea beast#admiral hornagold is trying to substitute authority for expertise and that why he didn't survive the movie kids :D#i would be SO MAD if i was one of his soldiers#the red bluster#admiral hornagold#it is so weird to me that this guy didn't even think of doing any research from field experts before building a ship and sailing off#like the hunters have been doing the job for a couple hundred years but u didn't think to consult them at all???????? BRUH#captain crow u were so right her captain IS an ass
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JAY & Y/n | entry 5 : i ramen u + half written
SYNOPSIS : two people with complete different lifeâs learn about each other with the help of a small little read book
You shrugged off your jacket as Bellâs car came to a stop.
âTime to suit up soldiers!â. Bae saluted to you as she helped you out of the car.
âWeâre not going to war stupidâ. Haewon said flicking Bae, you tried to stifle a laugh, while Bae pouted.
âFeels like we are..â. Natty said as you walked to the bleachers.
You found some spots in the front right next the the cheerleaders. One of them you think is named Lia looked you up and down, before proceeding rolling her eyes.
âWhatâs her problem?â. You asked as Haewon sat next you blocking your view of the the blonde girl.
âOne of her friends drunkenly told other people Jay rejected herâ
âWhoâs Jay?â
âSoccer captain I think? Heâs right thereâ. You turned to the direction Haewon was looking and tilted your head.
Jay was talking to his teammates. He looked very tall and attractive.. but he wasnât really your type so you turned your attention to Bae who was playing subway surfers.
âNOW LETS GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO THE HYBE TEAM!â. The crowed cheered loudly as the announcer continued to yell, and finally the game had started. You were so interested in the game you almost forgot what you were there for.
So during one of the very short breaks you went under the stands looking for the book. âLooking for this?â. You slowly turned around to see Ni-ki playing with the red book in his hands.
âNo.. I.. I was waiting for my boyfriendâ
âReally? Whatâs his name..â
âScottâ. Ni-ki laughed before tossing the book to you.
âGood luck with Scottâ. The boy teased putting quotations around the name.
You quickly ran back to your seat after the tall boy was out of sight.
âThere you are!â. Belle said as she ushered you to sit down.
âYou found the book what he say now!â. Natty said moving to your other side. As Belle laughed.
âFirst we donât know if they are a guy! and second I donât know we can see together.â Natty rolled her eyes and nodded as you opened the book.
Dear, chicky
I can call you chicky right? I know you probably found the book and are ready to leave but youâre gonna have to stay a little bit longer. To find out my name or should I say nickname. Youâre gonna have to keep an eye out for the nicknames the soccer team uses. Now your the Star of todays game enjoy it and enjoy the game too.
Sincerely, ???
âI like him alreadyâ. Natty said as you glared at her. Ok if he wanted a player you were gonna plays his little game. You watched and listened intently at the soccer boys ever time the seemed to be chatting. You heard names like sport, reggie, and other stupid ass names. Even a.. âsussy bakaâ which Bae crack up at.
You almost gave up until you saw the tall Japanese boy pass you and wink at you slyly.
âYou think our little star boy will get any numbers today?â. Didnât they say âyouâre the star of todays gameâ.
Oh now you couldnât wait to write your little star boy back.
entry 5 : i ramen u
masterlist | entry 6 !
taglist ! OPEN for now you can ask anytime to be added, by commenting or asking :)
@bilagee@a-yn-wannabe@teyiti@kittyhaerin1@muhwaa@pchaebro@1luvkarina@grayscorner@wandering-gigi@ryuxjiiii@iam-y0u@haehyuv98@yelenabelovasgf
#kpop fanfic#kpop#kpop idol x reader#kpop imagines#kpopidol#kpop gg#kpop smau#kpop girls#reader x idol#reader insert
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House Isekai: Shadowbringers - Act 1 Finale: The Warrior of Darkness
House Isekai Shadowbringers AU Masterlist Here
â
Most of House Isekai have finally reunited, with the help of the Ashen Wolves, The former Blue Lions, and Black Eagles class. Leaving Claude and the Investigation Team unaccounted for.
However, as they are discussing the nature behind Sitriâs resurrection and the plans of Lahabrea, they notice something terribly wrong...
â
Outside the Monastery, Present Day...
Byleth walked towards the Monastery alone, the winds blowing back his white hair.
One hand held Saraâs pistol while the other held the Sword of the Creator.
It had been five long years since he saw any members of House Isekai.
He hadnât even seen the Investigation Team with Claude, even though he knew they were alive.
So much has happened since that first battle at Garreg Mach. He wasnât even sure what to say when he saw them again.
As he kept walking, he noted something was off.
The wind had just stopped blowing completely.
He looked up into the air and his eyes went wide.
The skies had just went almost completely white.
(Byleth) âShit.â
He held his weapons tightly and began running towards the Monastery.
...
(Yuki) âU-Um, excuse me.â
Everyone turned to her.
(Megumi) âYuki-chan? What is it?â
(Yuki) âWhat time is it?â
Ryuji pulled out his phone and checked.
(Ryuji) âHmâŚAccording to the phone, time in Fodlanâs about 9 in the morning. You forget something to do, Takeya?â
(Yuki) âShouldâŚit be THAT bright outside?â
Everyone paused for a moment before slowly turning to the door behind them.
The outside shone an eerily bright white on the grass, and the wind appeared to stop blowing against the trees.
And the sound of footsteps seemed to be approaching from the main hall.
Megumi got the School-Living Club and Sitri behind her as everyone slowly stood up and reached for their weaponsâŚ
The clothes of the Phantom Thieves suddenly switched from their school uniform into their metaverse forms.
(Bernadetta)Â âUm...D-Donât your clothes only do that when-?â
(Akechi)Â âOh SHIT.â
KABOOOOOM!
[Holminster Switch - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]
The wall exploded into chunks of concrete, monstrous four legged creatures cloaked in white erupting from the main hall and reducing the entrance of the mess hall to rubble.
Albedo, Sebas, and Sara and Darkness jumped to the front, hitting back the debris that was about to hit them.
The monstersâ mouths separated into four jaws, looking something akin to a horribly mutilated dog.
Soldiers began to flood in behind the monsters, drawing their weapons.
(Edelgard)Â âDamn it, the Church found us!â
(Yuri)Â âTch, brought the war right to us, didnât ya?!â
(Dimitri)Â âIt was going to reach you regardless, now quit complaining and help us kill the angels!â
Edelgard, Yuri, and Dimitri ran forward to meet the soldiers head on.
(Minato)Â âWhatâs the plan here?!â
(Kazuma)Â âWE GET THE HELL OUT, THATâS WHAT!â
Kazuma motioned the others to himself before trying to head out the exit, before more soldiers started to flood in.
(Felix)Â âThatâs just great!â
(Sitri)Â âWhat about the entrance near the lake?!-â
Right as they spun around, more angels blocked the doorway.
(Balthus)Â âWell, IF ITâS FIGHT THEY WANT!â
(Junpei)Â âNot sure fighting them head on is our best idea, man!â
(Millium)Â âThen weâll make an exit out of here! LAMMY!â
Her golem materialized behind her and charged the soldiers, and with one swipe sent them into the air.
(Megumin)Â âThink our best bet is to move our butts to Abyss!â
(Sharon)Â âVery well! We will take point!â
Sharon jumped above everyone and towards the entrance along with Doomguy.
More soldiers were on their way from the direction of the classrooms, forcing Doomguy to pull out an assault rifle.
As he began to unload the gunâs ammo into the Church soldiers, everyone began to retreat.
Edelgard, Dimitri, and Yuri sheathed their weapons and quickly got behind the group running away.
(Church Captain)Â âDONâT LET THEM ESCAPE!â
The Captain turned to the angels and nodded.
(Church Captain)Â âCut them off at all entrances!"
The angels nodded and charged away, leaving the soldiers to pursue the others.
The Phantom Thieves, Machias, Crow, Towa, Aigis, and Doomguy covered everyone as they ran from area to area with their guns, dropping soldier after soldier.
(Machias)Â âThis is absolutely insane! Just how much people did they send after us?!â
(Aigis)Â âAccording to my scans, there are currently over a hundred-â
(Towa)Â âI-I DONâT THINK I WANT TO KNOW THAT NUMBER, AIGIS!â
(Ann)Â âJUST GO AWAAAAAAAAY!â
(Megumin)Â âW-Wait a second!â
It was then everyone realized that the group was shooting to kill.
(Kazuma)Â âThe hell?! I thought you guys didnât ki-â
The fallen soldierâs bodies began to twitch violently as they exploded into pure white winged bats.
(Kazuma)Â âOKAY, WHAT IN THE FUCK?!â
(Constance)Â âKeep moving, Kazuma!â
Sharon and Doomguy turned the corner to the entrance of Abyss before Hapi realized something.
(Hapi)Â âWait a second, we never saw their bodies do that when we were leaving. Crap, does that mean?-â
Hapiâs question was answered when several more of the white bats flew out of Abyssâs entrance.
An angel was there waiting for them, charging full speed.
(Albedo)Â âOUT OF THE WAY!â
(Darkness)Â âEXCUSE ME!â
Albedo in an instant transformed into her black armor and shoved the others out her way, Darkness standing beside her.
They both blocked the monster and shoved them both back into the ground.
Its jaws unhinged and was about to devour them before the two of them drew their weapons and cleaved the side jaws, making it recoil back in pain.
Mercedes, Annette, Linhardt, and Dorothea raised their hands and all cast a fire spell, flying straight into the creatureâs mouth and setting it ablaze.
It made an almost ear piercing screech as it inelegantly flopped over, immediately lying dead.
(Linhardt)Â âHm, these angels appear to die from our attacks than the one we encountered at Enbarr.-â
(Annette)Â âD-Donât think nowâs a good time to conduct research, Linhardt!â
(Linhardt)Â âIâd beg to differ but eh, youâre probably right. Gotta waste our energy escaping.â
Felix, Sylvain, and Ingrid slashed apart the bats following behind them.
(Sylvain)Â âLESS TALKING, MORE RUNNING!â
(Ingrid)Â âI donât think we can get to the stables in time!â
(Felix)Â âNot gonna help anyway, thereâs too many of us to escape on horseback!â
Petra and Ashe shot two out of the air with a bow as Dedue grabbed one and slammed it into the floot.
(Petra)Â âThen we are hard of pressed for decisions!â
(Ashe)Â âAll the exits are covered by these things right? Then that means they got us surrounded!â
(Dedue)Â âAnd going into Abyss seems like a good way for us to get separated and picked off!â
(Bernadetta)Â âS-SO WEâRE JUST GOING TO BE TRAPPED HERE THEN?!â
(Caspar)Â âCalm down, Bernadetta! Iâm sure we can punch our way outta here!â
(Ferdinand)Â âThen they will simply follow us! I am not sure we have the stamina to nor the manpower to stave off an entire army!â
(Miki)Â âWait a second, what about Valimar?! He can teleport us out of here with that spirit portal thing!â
(Rean)Â âWeâre going to need a huge area for all of us to get teleported!â
(Sitri)Â âI-If the Cathedral is still here, we could try that!â
(Aqua) âWHAT?! Thatâs like, the number one spot they would be in!â
(Hubert)Â âThen we will need to secure the area inside first.â
(Yuuri)Â âBesides, the Entrance Hall is too dangerous to push towards there, and if weâre out in the courtyard then weâll be right in the open!â
(Futaba)Â âEnemies closing in behind us!â
(Fuuka)Â âMore coming from Abyssâs entrance!â
(Pandoraâs Actor)Â âMMMM, IF WE MAKE OUR CHOICE, WE BEST DO IT NOW!â
(Kazuma)Â âBRIDGE IT IS, MOVE YOUR ASSES PEOPLE!â
...
Byleth cut down the angel blocking the entrance to the Monastery, and shot down any soldier trying to approach him.
The angel began to fade into nothingness before its energy was absorbed into Byleth.
(Soldier)Â âI-ITâS THE WARRIOR OF DARKNESS!â
(Soldier 2)Â âGET THE CAPTAIN, WEâLL TRY TO-â
The soldier was interrupted when his head exploded and fell to the floor.
When the other soldier looked back at Byleth, the sword slashed across his chest, sending him flying back.
Their bodies started twitching as Byleth raised a hand towards them.
His hand shot out a wave of a black and purple aura, completely enveloping them.
The bodies had disintegrated completely, leaving no trace of them on the ground.
Byleth saw the path of destruction from the main hall, to the Mess Hall.
After running to the room, he looked at the debris and bodies left in the groupâs wake and followed the trail towards the church.
...
(Narberal)Â âLord Ainz, the main hall is secure for now!â
The Pleiades and Sharon killed the soldiers inside and collapsed the other entrances leading inside.
(Ainz)Â âUnderstood, DEMIURGE, COCYTUS!â
Demiurge opened his hands and flicked his wrists, summoning a massive flame wall in front of the bridge.
Everyone else made it inside, and Cocytus created a freezing mist cloud in front of their entrance, letting ice shoot up into the air forming another wall.
(Cocytus)Â âIT IS DONE, LORD AINZ.â
(Shalltear)Â âGet on with it, Schwarzer!â
(Rean)Â âRight. Heed my call...
VALIMAR, THE ASHEN KNIGHT!â
Valimar stood up from the forests nearby and flew into the air, towards the Monastery.
Byleth finally cut his way to the bridge when he saw several winged bats pick up a specially dressed Church soldier.
(Byleth)Â âDamn it!â
He aimed the pistol at it and squeezed the trigger.
More bats flew in to intervene and took the bullet, the bat dropping below the bridge. Byleth fired several more shots only to have the same result.
A massive shadow enveloped Byleth, and he spun around with his sword expecting another angel.
Instead, it was Valimar stopping its flying to float next to Byleth.
(Valimar) Instructor Byleth. Please get on.
Valimar held a hand out for Byleth to hop on, to which Byleth responded with a nod.
(Rean)Â âValimar, where are you?!â
(Valimar) Awakener, the Instructor is here.
(Rean)Â âInstructor- Wait, Instructor Byleth?!â
(Minako)Â âHEY, INCOMING!â
Minato and Minako put their Evokers to their heads and summoned Thanatos, and it casted a massive sphere around them as the ice wall exploded.
From the mist, a massive angel stepped in, roaring and shaking the entire Cathedral.
It had four legs and jaws like the others, but the tail appeared to be some sort of snake-like creature.
(Yuri)Â âTsk, must be that captain!â
(Aqua)Â âCome on, weâll kick your ass!â
(Edelgard)Â âThis is bad!â
(Albedo)Â âWhat do you mean, with all of us here it stands no chance!â
(Akira)Â âThatâs what we thought at Enbarr too!â
(Rean) âWe have no idea what the hellâs empowering them, but an âInquisitorâ or whatever turned into one of these, not even Slayer laid a permanent scratch on it!â
(Megumi)Â âC-Come again?!â
(Bernadetta)Â âWHAT CHANCE DO WE HAVE THEN?!â
(Ingrid)Â âIf I die today, I die for Faerghus!â
(Hubert)Â âAnd I for the Empire!â
(Kazuma)Â âREAN, WHERE THE FUCK IS YOUR GIANT ROBOT!?â
A massive figure dropped in from the ceiling and landed in front of the angel who was approaching the group.
(Angel)Â âWHO DARES-...!!! YOU.â
Valimarâs hand went loose as it flew back behind everyone.
(Valimar)Â Preparing Spirit Portal. Please secure time for me to allow us a safe transportation.
(Bylethâs Voice)Â âSara, catch.â
A pistol flew out from the dust and Sara caught it, and a smile grew on her face.
(Sara)Â âYou took your time, didnât you?â
[Boss Theme #2 - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]
(Sitri)Â âByleth...!â
(Futaba)Â âCheesy reunion dialogue later, enemies are starting to come from behind!â
(Angel)Â âI WILL NOT PERMIT THE WARRIOR OF DARKNESS TO INTERFERE ANY LONGER! YOU DIE NOW!â
(Byleth)Â âIâll worry about the finishing blow, whoâs helping me?â
(Cocytus)Â âI WILL ASSIST YOU, BYLETH.â
(Sharon)Â âI as well!â
Doomguy nodded as he threw a few of his smaller guns at the School-Living Club and unsheathed his sword.
(Sara)Â âWell, looks like this is a good way for the staff to reunite!â
(Angelica)Â âWeâll join in the fight another time, weâll take care of our kids!â
(Towa)Â âGood luck, Instructors!â
Byleth couldnât remember the last time he smiled. Hearing their voices again brought him a calmness he hadnât experienced in five years.
He also noted Sitriâs presence with them, but those questions will come later. For now-
The angel roared again, readying its tail.
(Byleth)Â âWith me!â
(Sharon)Â âUnderstood!â
(Sara)Â âGot your back!â
(Cocytus)Â âFOR THE GLORY OF NAZARICK!â
(Doomguy)Â â...â
The angel spun around and had its snake-like tail lunge at the five.
Cocytus was the only one not to jump out the way, grabbing it with three of his arms.
It spat poison on the floor, which quickly began to spread into a wide area.
Cocytus stabbed it through its head with the arm holding the halberd and moved aside before the poison could reach him.
(Cocytus)Â âTHE TAIL IS DOWN.â
Doomguy didnât bother to look at the area he was jumping to as his shoulder cannon fired a grenade behind him, setting the poison ablaze.
He jumped onto the angel, which begun to flail wildly, trying to get him off.
Doomguy jammed his wristblade into it, but couldnât do anything else other than hold on.
Sara kept its attention by repeatedly shooting it in the face with her pistol, which didnât seem to do much other than annoy the angel.
Byleth appeared to be doing something with his sword and made it glow a black and purple aura.
(Sharon)Â âArcus, activate!â
Sharon smiled and used her wires to wrap around the angelâs legs, making it slower and almost trip.
She dashed from leg to leg at high speeds, using her knife to slice open the parts behind its legs, then pulled the wires closer to her, making them shift into the open wounds.
The angel screamed loudly, flailing even more violently and finally flinging Doomguy off.
The wires broke off which made Sharon frown. It was still moving far too much for her liking.
And just as she expected, the wounds began to heal.
(Sharon)Â âMaster Byleth, I trust you have a solution to our problem?â
Byleth didnât respond and instead held his hand out, shooting out a wave of dark energy at the creature, making it howl in pain as the wounds suddenly stopped regenerating and caused miniature explosions.
He activated the whip function of the sword as he jumped onto the angel, and swung at the head, dicing many parts into pieces.
(Sara)Â âArcus, activate!â
Purple lightning shot back and forth around the angel, slicing off entire limbs with Sara finally appearing where the lightning ended, right in front of the beast.
Byleth jumped off as Doomguy took his place, putting his sword between its neck and slicing downwards, severing the head.
The head was still alive and was about to lunge at Sara with its jaws before Cocytus used the top part of his halberd and impaled it to the floor.
Bylethâs eyes glowed red for a moment before deactivating the whip and looking at the angel.
He raised his hand into the air and began to absorb the light from the angel.
It then was enveloped by a dark aura which covered the floor they were standing in, making everyone take a step back.
When the dark aura disappeared, the angel was completely gone. Even the head Cocytus had impaled left no trace of any gore.
(Cocytus)Â âHMPH. I CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED AFTER WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE LAST ENCOUNTER WITH ONE OF THESE.â
Doomguy shrugged in response as Sharon dusted off her dress.
(Sara) âWell, this one didnât seem to be an inquisitor. If it werenât for Byleth, Iâm not sure we couldâve killed it.â
She smiled and turned to face him.
(Sara)Â âSpeaking of which-â
That smile went away when she realized Byleth was heavily panting and on one knee.
(Sara)Â âCrap, Byleth!â
The four ran over to him and helped him up.
(Sara)Â âRean, status?â
Rean sliced apart the last bat with his tachi and took a quick look around.
(Rean)Â âNowâs a great time to go!â
(Valimar) Opening Spirit Portal. Destination required.
(Dimitri)Â âTake us to Derdriu!â
(Rean)Â âRight, what Dimitri said!â
(Valimar) Acknowledged. Beginning transport now.
Everyone in the room was quickly teleported away from Garreg Mach.
Soldiers flooded into the room alongside the lesser angels but saw no trace of anyone left.
(Soldier)Â âW-What happened? I thought the captain was here?â
(Soldier)Â âGoddess save us...!â
They saw several burn marks on the ground that wasnât caused by fire. Some of the energy was still emanating off and that's when they came to the conclusion:
(Soldier)Â âThe Warrior of Darkness is with House Isekai!â
Several Agarthans were watching from a distance as the soldiers began to move out of Garreg Mach. The men and women in black robes looked at each other.
(Agarthan)Â âThis is going to be a problem...â
...
Zanado, the Red Canyon, Present Day...
[Sands of Amber - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers]
Hilda yawned as she exited the tent she was sleeping in.
(Hilda)Â âUgh, we gotta wake up so early...â
The skies hadnât even turned blue yet and was still a crimson red over the horizon. Hilda groaned as Marianne exited the same tent and stretched.
(Marianne)Â âWell, at least weâll just be exploring today right?â
Hilda rolled her eyes as she picked up her axe.
(Hilda)Â âPsh, my butt. Claude always says that and it ALWAYS escalates into a skirmish.â
The two walked beside each other as they moved down the resting area and towards the rest of the group.
Naoto and Rise were already up, staring at the same thing.
(Rise)Â âMy Persona still isnât picking anything up.â
(Naoto)Â âThat canât be right. Perhaps we need to-...Oh, good morning.â
(Marianne)Â âHello. Still nothing?â
(Rise)Â âNot a thing. I still canât believe none of us ever noticed this beforehand during the academy!â
(Hilda)Â âWell, I donât think it was there to begin with...â
Hilda put her hands on her hips as she examined it.
The Golden Deer and Investigation Team had set up camp to examine a massive tower that went up into the sky, something that definitely wasnât there before.
Or, maybe it was. Every time they stared at the tower, their memory got a bit fuzzy.
The tower stood out from the rest of the area, looking half natural formation, and half man-made. It had glowing blue lines throughout the entire structure.
Records seemed to indicate it had been there prior, yet earlier in the year when the Houses were sent to this canyon, it wasnât present. Nor was it present during the previous five years.Â
Or, at the very least no one was aware of its existence until just recently.
(Marianne)Â âPerhaps we should wait for everyone else to wake up?â
(Claude)Â âWow, Hilda up early. Didnât think that was possible.â
Claude tossed everyone a canteen of water as he looked up at the tower.
(Hilda)Â âSpeak for yourself! You used to sleep in all the time back in Garreg Mach!â
(Claude)Â âWell, I like to think Iâm a changed man. Though sometimes I wish I hadnât. Growing up sucks.â
His smile faded as he continued to examine the tower.
(Claude)Â â...Ugh, looking at this is just giving me a headache.â
(Naoto)Â âPerhaps this tower is messing with our memories and causing us to perceive things differently?â
(Claude)Â âToo early to tell, Naoto. And uh, little too early to start conspiring when we havenât even gone inside the thing yet.â
When he looked at Naoto and Rise, another thing was starting to give him a headache.
They had been here for at least 3 years, yet not a single one of the Investigation Team showed any signs of having aged.
A velvet door appeared next to them with Yu and that strange girl Marie stepping out.
(Yu)Â âMorninâ.â
(Marie)Â â...Hey.â
(Rise)Â âAny luck, senpai?â
(Yu)Â âNo. Margaret, Theodore, Elizabeth, and Lavenza had no idea what it was either.â
Yu held out the sample from the tower and Naoto put it near the crates.
(Marie)Â âMost weâre really able to tell is itâs definitely from this world. Other than that, Iunno.â
(Claude)Â âThen weâre really left with the worst plan we got...â
He sighed as he turned to the others.
(Claude)Â âLetâs get everyone up and grab some grub. After that, weâre going inside.â
Everyone nodded and turned around back to camp. Claude was about to follow them when-
âI see. Right until the very end, I've read this whole thing terribly wrong... All my hopes have fallen to ash...âÂ
Claude first checked his throat. He was positive that he hadnât spoken, yet...
He then looked behind him, and there was nothing other than a few crates facing the tower.
That was definitely his voice he heard clear as day, but there was no one around him.
(Claude)Â âThe hell...?â
Shaking his head, sure he hadnât gotten enough sleep and went back with the others.
Town outside Derdriu territory...
[Return of the Night - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]
The townspeople watched from their windows as the massive ball of light began pulsating and eventually flickered out, revealing a group of people they had never seen before materialize into existence.
(Valimar) Apologies Awakener. This is as close as I am able to get.
(Yuri)Â âHuh? Why canât you get us into the city directly?â
(Valimar) I cannot teleport anywhere without the magical currents in the area being high enough.
(Kazuma)Â âSo, you just happened to teleport us in the middle of some backwoods town and had us scare the shit out of everyone here?â
(Megumi)Â âW-What about Byleth? I think heâs injured!â
(Byleth)Â âN-No, Iâm not...just...so...tired.â
Byleth gently shoved off Sara and Doomguyâs arm and stood on his own.
It was then everyone realized what was different about Byleth.
He looked more jaded than anything, but what stuck out most was his white hair.
It was some form of green the last time they saw him, but...
(Byleth)Â âItâs good to see all of you again.â
Byleth made a weak smile, and Megumi was the first to hug him.
(Megumi)Â âThank goodness youâre safe!â
She began to cry as Byleth hugged her back.
(Byleth)Â âWords cannot describe how relieved I am to see everyone okay.â
(Sara)Â âOh come on, donât start crying too. You might make me tear up too.â
(Rean)Â âWelcome back, Instructor!â
(Yuuri)Â âIt must have been a long wait, Byleth-sensei!â
(Minato)Â âItâs only been half a year and thatâs already been too long.â
(Minako)Â âWe almost got the whole gang together!â
(Akira)Â âNice to see you again.â
Dimitri and Edelgard wanted to say something, but thought it best to keep quiet for now. The Black Eagles and Blue Lions watched the class all speak to each other again.Â
House Isekai was as close as one could be, and seeing almost everyone reunited was a sight for sore eyes.
It reminded them of a certain missing House that could really make this feel like a proper reunion...
Sitri wiped away some tears, finally getting to see her son all grown up.
Megumi let go and motioned towards Sitri, and the two finally met face to face.
(Sitri)Â âHello, Byleth.â
(Byleth)Â âSi...Sitri?â
She slowly reached out her hands, and Byleth grabbed hers.
Both of them made the same response, their eyes going wide.
(Sitri)Â âLook at you, hah...Youâre all grown up...!â
Some of the group began sniffing and wiping their eyes but the rest smiled as they watched.
(Hapi)Â âKiiinda feels like weâre intruding here.â
(Yuri)Â âShut up, youâll ruin the moment.â
(Balthus)Â âNah, she doesnât mean on Byleth and Sitri, dumbass. I meant the fact weâre doing this in the middle of a town.â
(Ainz)Â âWait a second, Valimar said that he can only teleport us to areas with high magical energies. Whatâs so special about this town?â
(???)Â âOh nothing. I just made enough energy to where youâll teleport here.â
[Bedlamâs Brink - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers]
Everyone turned around to see Lahabrea leaning against a nearby building.
Sitri put Byleth behind her as everyone had a hand over their weapons.
(Lahabrea)Â âOh, spare me the dramatics, would you?â
He got off the wall and looked at the group standing.
(Lahabrea)Â âAnd take a look at this! At...!....A-At...â
Lahabrea was cut off as he reached for his head.
(Kazuma)Â â...The hell is he-AGH, FUCK!â
Kazuma and his group were the first to reach for their heads, wincing in pain.
The next was the Phantom Thieves, Class VII, the School-Living Club, S.E.E.S, then the denizens of Nazarick.
Byleth and the Blue Lions and Black Eagles quickly followed, leaving Sitri the only one unaffected.
After a few moments, Byleth collapsed to the ground while Lahabrea fell to one knee.
(Sitri)Â âBYLETH!â
Lahabrea shook it off and looked back up to see everyone slowly recovering.
(Rean)Â âWhat...What was that?!â
(Fie)Â âUgh, nearly split my head open...â
(Elliot)Â âUm...W-Was I the only one who heard voices during that?â
(Mare)Â âYou too?!â
(Albedo)Â âThat voice was my own, it was-Ugh...!â
(Yukari)Â âI donât remember saying those things at all, yet...â
(Ken)Â âC-Clear as day? Yeah, same here.â
(Ryuji) âHey, asshole! What the âeffâs going on with...us?â
Lahabrea slowly got up look back at everyone.
(Morgana)Â âYou better have a good explanation of what you did to us!â
(Lahabrea)Â â...â
(Kurumi)Â âTch, what?! Nothing funny to say now? No sass in ya all of a sudden?!â
(Emma)Â âGuys, heâs not alone!â
Everyone looked at Emma then back at Lahabrea who was still standing there, staring at them.
(Kazuma)Â âSold us out to the Agarthanâs didnât you?! Made them put shit in our heads!â
(Darkness)Â âYou will pay for that, fiend!â
She was the first to draw her weapon, and the rest followed suit.
(Ainz)Â âHang on a moment.â
Ainz finally took the time to scan Lahabrea with a magic detection spell.
As he was doing so, Megumi stepped forth.
(Megumi) âYouâre putting a lot of time into people youâre supposed to hate. No more dodging the question, who are you, and why are you so invested in us fighting the Church and the Those who Slither?!â
(Minato)Â âGive us another stupid answer, and you wonât like what happens!â
...
(Lahabrea)Â â...They deserve to know.â
(Everyone) ?
(Lahabrea)Â â...Yes, I know what might happen if we do.â
(Towa)Â âWhy is he just talking to himse-â
It was then Towa noticed the faces on Emma and Aqua. Megumin was quick to notice what she was looking at and caught on.
(Megumin)Â âEh? Aqua?â
Kazuma had the same face as well. Akira, Morgana, Minato, Minako, all of Nazarick, Doomguy, and Sitri included.
(Edelgard)Â âWhatâs happening to them?â
(Dimitri)Â âCan someone give an explanation or-â
(Kazuma)Â âWhat. The. Fuck.â
[More than Truth - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers]
(Sothis?)Â â...Hello, everyone.â
She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head.
(Sothis?) âI forgot that not everyone can see me.â
Sothis had appeared next to Lahabrea, though she was wearing slightly more ragged and darker clothes.
Compared to the normal Sothis, she had a dark red dress and looked slightly older and more tired, but it was still undoubtedly Sothis.
(Albedo)Â âWhat sort of trickery is this?!â
(Emma)Â âS-Sothis was infused into Byleth such a long time ago! How are you here?â
(Aqua)Â âNo...No! Youâre not Sothis! This is some sort of magic that-â
(Lahabrea) âWould the Agarthans really go through the lengths to make an exact copy of Sothis that only certain offworlders can see, Aqua?â
By the tone of his voice, he had dropped any pretense of disguising his voice.
He took a deep sigh and shook his head.
(Lahabrea)Â âNo...You and all of House Isekai have every right to doubt our motives.â
(Yuki)Â âT-That voice...â
Everyone started listening closely and realized what Yuki was hearing.
(Lahabrea)Â âGood, I can end this charade. Felt annoying as hell to keep up.â
Lahabrea reached for his mask and slowly took it off, putting the hood down and revealing his full face.
Everyone lowered their weapons, some gasped while some held their breath.
Sharonâs smile had went away a while ago but this was the first time anyone had seen her shocked.
Doomguy took off his helmet for a brief moment to make sure his visor wasnât acting up, and saw the look of utter confusion on his face as well.
(Lahabrea?)Â âSothis, go ahead and make yourself visible to everyone.â
Sothis nodded and did as he asked, making most of everyone jump.
(Sitri)Â âYouâre...also Byleth? How is that possible?!â
(Kazuma)Â âHey, donât fall for it! The Agarthans did some crazy shit with Monica and Thomas way back! This has got to be the same thing now!â
(Sothis?)Â âKazuma, itâs-â
Sothis floated towards Kazuma, but everyone quickly went back on guard.
(Kazuma)Â âBack off, asshole! You arenât Sothis! This is some really clever trick so you can stab us in the back!â
Lahabrea looked at the Sword of the Creator and grabbed it.
(Alisa)Â âS-SITRI! GET AWAY FROM HIM!â
Megumi got in front of Sitri and stretched her arms wide.
Lahabrea motioned a hand upwards, motioning them to wait.
(Crow)Â âNice try, that thing only responds to people with a crest of!-â
The sword glowed in response, activating in the exact same way as if Byleth held it.
(Crow)Â â...Flames...â
(Ainz) âEveryone...That is Byleth and Sothis.â
(Lahabrea?)Â âI guess I shouldnât be surprised at this reaction...â
He looked among the group, but all he felt were the eyes of complete strangers.
(Sothis?)Â âI told you this wouldâve happened...â
(Lahabrea?)Â âI promise, I will answer any question you have. For now, letâs get to Derdriu and get your Byleth some rest.â
(Rean)Â â...Fine.â
Rean was the first to sheathe his Tachi, and Valimar stood up and began to walk with him.
Class VII eventually followed, then the rest of the group.
(Lahabrea?)Â â...â
(Sothis?)Â âI told you they wouldnât remember us. They never do.â
(Lahabrea?) sigh â...I know, Sothis. I know.â
He put on his mask and hood again and followed behind everyone, Sothis floating behind.
(Lahabrea)Â âHopefully in due time, theyâll remember us.â
PART 4: END
---
[Escape - Darling in the FranXX OST]
The forecasted rain wets us
What should I say to you, as you tremble? My soaked blazer is cold and heavy
I feel as helpless as a chick whoâs left its cage. I felt that my dreams were on the other side of the heavy clouds
I digested only the sweet pain that spread in my chest
I wonder if itâd be better if Iâd never met you
Hey, I canât even see the stars
Hey, my tears wonât fall either
---
EPILOGUE:
The first thing anyone would notice stepping into the Hearing Chamber was that it was a blinding white.
The floors, the wall, and even the guards were dressed head to toe in white, with gold accents highlighting the armor and edges of the room.
Catherine never liked this room much, but whatever made Rhea happy. She guessed.
Catherine knelt down before Rhea, joined in by Alois, Shamir, Seteth, Flayn, and Cyril.
(Cyril)Â âLady Seiros, the Warrior of Darkness has made a reappearance at Garreg Mach Monastery.â
(Rhea)Â âAnd?â
(Cyril)Â â...He has rejoined House Isekai. It would seem that this third party is making its move.â
Rhea frowned and looked back at her loyal subjects.
(Rhea)Â âThen we will make ours as well. Do not fail me, Inquisitors...â
...
Claude took a deep breath, opening the door to the tower.
The Golden Deer and the Investigation Team stood behind him, weapons at the ready.
(Yosuke)Â âDude, you REALLY didnât have any other plan than just walk through the front door?â
(Teddie)Â âThis is a very terrible idea!â
(Leonie)Â â...No bear pun?â
(Teddie)Â âNO, CAUSE THIS IS A TERRIBLE PLAN!â
(Chie)Â âDaaamn, didnât think Iâd ever hear that!â
(Lorenz)Â âI, for once, agree with Teddie.â
(Lysithea)Â âAnd I didnât think Iâd hear THAT.â
(Yu)Â âEveryone keep quiet and...listen...?â
âYouâre not me!â âThe dreams of men don't amount to much. Sorry, but... it's up to you now.â
The voices flooding in gradually grew louder and louder, everyone being able to recognize their voice as they stood there.
(Claude)Â âWhat in the hell did we just find...?!â
...
Everyone continued walking towards Derdriu silently, unable to make words of any kind after what they just saw.
Lahabrea and Sothis continued to stay behind, unable to approach any of them.
(Sothis?)Â âSo, what do you plan to tell them when they ask?â
(Lahabrea?)Â âThe truth. They deserve to know everything...Even everything that Iâve done.â
He looked at his hand and clenched it into a fist.
(Lahabrea?)Â â...How many years have come and gone, since that day, Sothis?â
Looking back up, he saw House Isekai, the Black Eagles, and Blue Lions standing side by side.
(Lahabrea?)Â âHow many years have we waited for this moment?â
Sitri was next to Byleth with the Pleiades carrying him.
(Lahabrea?)Â âFor the House that stood alone against the storm?â
(Sothis?)Â âI suppose youâre not wrong. What about the Sothis of this time?â
(Lahabrea?)Â âIâm sure sheâs watching us as we speak.â
Lahabreaâs attention turned to Sitri.
(Lahabrea?)Â âEven if they donât know it.â
ACT 1: ENDED
[Shadowbringers - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]
One brings shadow, one brings light Two-toned echoes tumbling through time
Threescore wasted, ten cast aside Four-fold knowing, no end in sight
One brings shadow, one brings light One dark future no one survives
On their shadows, away we fly
The road that we walk
Is lost in the flood
Here proud angels bathe in
Their wages of blood
At this, the world's end, do we cast off tomorrow
One brings shadow, one brings light To this riddle all souls are tied
Brief our moments, brazen and bright Forged in fury, tempered in ice
Hindmost devils, early to rise Sing come twilight, sleep when they die
Heaven's banquet leavened with lies Sating honor, envy, and pride
One brings shadow, one brings light
Run from the light
Authors of our fates
Orchestrate our fall from grace
Poorest players on the stage
Our defiance drives us straight to the edge
A reflection in the glass
Recollections of our past
Swift as darkness, cold as ash
Far beyond this dream of paradise lost
HOME
RIDING HOME
DYING HOPE HOLD ONTO HOPE
HOME
RIDING HOME
HOME, RIDING HOME HOPE, FINDING HOPE
One brings shadow, one brings light One more chapter we've yet to write
Want for nothing, nothing denied Wand'ring ended, futures aligned
One brings shadow, one brings light One brings shadow, one brings light
You are the lightÂ
We fall
We fall
We fall
We fall unto the end
ONE WORLDâS END (The end)
OUR WORLDâS END (The end)
WE (Our world)
END (We wonât end)
I am shadow, I am the lightÂ
#House Isekai#House Isekai Shadowbringers#fanfic#crossover#byleth eisner#fire emblem three houses imagines#sothis#akira kurusu#minato arisato#minako arisato#satou kazuma#aqua#ainz ooal gown#dimitri alexandre blaiddyd#Edelgard von Hresvelg#Claude von Riegan#yu narukami#megumi sakura#yuri leclerc
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"Cuff me, officer.â Gavin (NSFW)
âFinally!â MC triumphantly crowed.
She slammed down the top of her laptop and began to pack up for the evening. MC glanced at the clock and groaned when seeing it was a little after midnight. Gavin was not going thrilled when he found out she had broken her promise of leaving work at a reasonable hour for the third time this week.
âMaybe he wonât find out,â MC gulped, and toyed with the gingko leave bracelet on her wrist.
âThat you ended up staying late another night, even after I left you off with a stern warning after the last incident?â a stern voice she recognized called out from the window.
MC spun around to find Gavin standing there with his arms crossed, shooting her a glare that could only be described as intense.
âU-Um,â MC stuttered, while awkwardly avoiding his gaze as he moseyed on over to where she was standing.
Gavin reached out to tilt her head, allowing him to confront MC directly. He saw her guilt-ridden expression and sighed in exasperation. Didnât she realize that he wasnât mad at her, but that her well-being was his main priority?
âHey, you know Iâm not trying to be a jerk, right? Upsetting you couldnât be further from my true intentions,â Gavin comforted.
His face was now directly in front of hers, and MC could feel the warmth of his breath tickle down the front of her neck. Distracted by the golden tint in his eyes, MCâs cheeks began to flush and a bead of sweat dripped from her forehead. Gavin was SO painfully close; she couldnât help but sneak a peek down the crevice of his white shirt. The slight glimpse of his rippled chest only made MC more aware of how alluring the evolver was.
âIâm aware,â she remarked. MC leaned in closer and fiddled with the drawstrings of the sweatshirt Gavin was wearing. âI know youâre always looking out for my prosperities."
The way MC was looking at him didnât go unnoticed by the ever-observant police captain. Gavinâs hand tangled in the wavy locks of the producerâs hair, as he pushed her head closer to collide with his parted lips. His tongue danced along MCâs, and the copâs free hand trailed down the cotton fabric of her dress to fondle the curve of her ass.
Not caring that they were in her companyâs office, she pushed Gavin down onto one of the chairs and climbed onto his lap to straddle him. MC grinded her hips down onto Gavinâs newly formed erection, and she sucked hard on the side of his neck until a bright red mark was visible.
âYou donât mind that I left my mark on you, do you?â she purred.
MCâs lips crashed with Gavinâs, and he panted in a wild desperation, as she reached into pockets to pull out the handcuffs that he always had handy. Gavinâs eyes glazed with desire, and his trousers grew even tighter seeing MC dangle his handcuffs in front of his face.
âIs my naughty girl asking for a punishment?â
Gavinâs thumb pressed against her lip and MC obediently sucked on it, evoking a loud groan from her boyfriend. He could feel the dampness of her panties through his pants and Gavin impatiently thrusted his pelvis upwards, grinding through the fabric of their clothing, while pressing up against the sensitive nub of her clit.
âYes, sir,â MC huffed. âCuff me, officer.â
Gavin didnât need to be told twice. He snatched the handcuffs from MCâs grasp, and promptly snapped the links onto each of their wrists. MC held up her wrist and experimentally tugged Gavin towards her while taking in her new restraint.
âBondage suits you, Mr. Gavin,â she chuckled, before omitting a small shriek when Gavin firmly grasped the sides of her waist.
âStand up,â he ordered. âStand up and put one of your legs over my shoulder.â
MC reluctantly executed his command and inclined between his thighs. Trying to balance herself on the chair, the handcuffs joining them together clanked, and MC grabbed the hair on the back of Gavinâs head. Following his instructions, she threw her leg over his shoulder and quivered when Gavinâs teeth tugged away her underwear to the side.
âJust relax,â he murmured. âIâve got you. Iâm not letting you go anywhere.â
His tongue rubbed against MCâs clit before entering her slippery opening. The way he delicately stroked every inch of her sodden heat, and sporadically wringing the sensitive bundle of nerves longing to be touched was nearly enough to push MC over the edge. She tried to prevent herself from bucking like a madwoman, but the feeling of pleasure was overwhelming. And GOOD. There was no way MC could stop herself from humping his face.
âOh, yes! Donât you dare stop, Gavin!â MC urged amidst her satisfied mewls.
Ignoring her whines of complaint when he pulled away, Gavin temporarily abandoned his mission, and instead mischievously glinted at his lover.
âThis is supposed to be a punishment, remember?â
Gavin and MC precipitously rose into the air and he tightened his grip on her. She anxiously squirmed while Gavinâs connected hand solidly supported her back, and the other shuffled his pants down to his ankles.
âEver have an orgasm in the air before?â
âObviously n-AH!â
MCâs voice hitched into keen hisses and her body violently convulsed from the sensation of Gavinâs member stretching her narrow walls. There was something erotic about the fact that they were making love in the air in the middle of her companyâs office floor. The immodesty of the situation intensified MCâs arousal, allowing Gavinâs gliding movements to be brisker than normal. Her fingers entwined into his linked hand, and she whispered sweet ramblings of affection, enjoying the sentimental intimacy of becoming one with him.
âI love you,â MC muttered, as her stomach somersaulted signifying she was close to reaching her peak.
âMe too,â Gavin grunted, whilst the walls of the woman he loved fluttered around him.
Gavin soon reached his own climax and moaned in gratification from the explosive release of his load. He floated back down onto the chair, allowing MC to burrow into his warmth by closely snuggling up. She was reveling in the sound of his soothing heartbeat, when the sight of Gavin beginning to unlock the handcuffs distracted her.
âWait!â she protested with a pout. âCanât we stay together like this for a little while longer?â
Gavin bopped the tip of her nose with his finger, before leaning his own nose in to nestle against hers.
âWith or without the handcuffs, weâre always going to be together anyways,â he affirmed. âI would never let anything stand in the way between us.â
âPromise?â she asked and stuck out her pinky for confirmation.
Gavin twisted his pinky around hers and nodded.
âAlways and forever,â he pledged. âAlthough, we should probably go be together forever somewhere else rather than your office.â
Giggling, MC resignedly allowed Gavin to remove the handcuffs from their wrists. Resting her head on his arm, her fine gentleman escorted her to the elevator, but not before whispering into her ear with a vow of all the torturous ways his punishment would continue later.
#mlqc#mlqc gavin#mlqc gavin smut#mlqc fanfic#mlqc bai qi#mr. love gavin#mr. love queen's choice#love and producer#evol and love#follower appreciation
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idk what sort of a prompt you're looking for so starry skies and the sea <3
So in the depths of my heart there lives a highly romanticized, completely historically innaccurate pirate story that is probably also a lesbian romance that will almost certainly never see the light of day, so hereâs a bit of what that might look like that hopefully give u what u were lookin for
~*~
Captain Mara Marquette is of the rather strong opinion that anyone who would chose to be something other than a sailor is horribly misguided at best and purposefully acting the fool at worst. Sure, there are other lots in life that provide more comforts; the warmth of a bed over the swinging of a hammock, air that never stings with saltwater, labors that leave your hands uncalloused and your backs unbent, but she simply doesnât see the point of something as fleeting and unnecessary as comfort over the true majesty of the sea. Even when she betrays you, her fury is wonderfully unmatched, no other force of nature could even hope to match her passion. And when sheâs still, deciding to be generous to your ship and your crew? There is no kinder lover in all the galaxy, and who could possibly give that up. Who could possibly not bother to seek it out in the first place?
Captain Mara Marquette is also of the rather strong opinion that should you chose to take flight on the glory of the ocean (which is the only chose she can deign to respect), and you chose to be a privateer rather than a pirate, then youâre simply a bastard through and through. Ironically, much more of her crew is made of those born out of wedlock than any of the governmentâs fleet, but she has significantly more respect for any born to unmarried mothers (and the unmarried mothers themselves) than any pompous ass that so desperately tries to gain the favor of the queen.
No, sheâll take her crows nest underneath the proudly waving jolly roger over any of that crownâs glory nonsense any day of the week. After all, perched up here, slowly sipping at a whiskey and watching the seemingly endless horizon, is the finest place on the whole of Earth. That is, except when the waves decide to settle their stirrings and the night has decided no cloud shall cover its presence. Then, sheâs convinced, that she has been transported to the very heavens, if only for the few hours that can last before her home planet gets impatient with her time spent in the celestial realm.
Right now is one such night, the sea mirroring the sky so perfectly that sheâs unsure whether her ship is steadfastly moving through water or stars. Itâs not a completely unheard of phenomena, and technically speaking, nothing she hasnât seen before. Yet, she thinks she could see a night like this one a thousand, a million, a countless number of times, and each time it would take her breath away.
Underneath her she feels the motion of someone climbing up the ladder to join her, and sheâs knows that unless she made a jump that could only end badly, sheâs been caught favoring sight-seeing over sleeping. Luckily, her status as captain means thereâs little than can be done to her for such a transgression, so she feels no particular drive to make her presence unknown.
Turns out her instinct to relax was correct, as itâs simply her beloved first mate Nia. Even better, itâs her beloved first mate Nia, carrying a bottle of wine. One of the finest things about their crows nest, other than the view, is that it is built to be able to accommodate two. Mara is fundamentally opposed to the concept that the sea must be a lonely place, even when someone is serving their duty as lookout, and did her best to ensure that her ship was made in such a manner that, if desired, you can always exist with a partner. Itâs not something she herself always seeks, knowing the incredible value of time with oneâs self, but the option certainly seems to boost morale.
She thinks there is nothing grander than her current view, except for that current view to be shared with another. When her first mate tosses her a lazy smile, waves the bottle by its neck, and greets, âCaptain,â she matches the easy affection with a matching smile. âFirst mate.â
âI knew that when those clouds cleared out this evening that I would find you here moping far past your bed time.â
âAh, you have me mistaken, my dear, for I am doing the opposite. Iâm revelling. How could I not, on a night such as this?â
Nia settles in beside her and pops the cork. Thereâs a twinkle in her eye as she takes a swig and offers, âMy apologies, capân. The two often look the same on you.â
Mara nudges her first mate with her shoulder, and takes the proffered wine though she is already more inebriated than advisable. âNo apologies necessary, for youâre not the first to tell me as much. They both often result in me getting lost in thought, itâs just the tint of said thoughts that is so starkly different.â
âWell I think you think to much. Hopefully liquor will make quick work of that particular affliction.â
Mara snorts. âHardly. I wouldnât have lasted this long if alcohol had any ability to slow my thoughts. One of the advantages of this life, youâre always quicker than most would think.â
âYeah, okay, whatever. Iâve been on this ship nearly as long as you, and the wine makes my limbs heavy in exactly the way youâd expect, so I think youâre full of it.â
Mara laughs, loud and unapologetic, even though it certainly disrupts the fragile peace of the midnight hour. âYou got me there. Let an old salt dog have her little stories though, wonât you?â
âI donât think someone whoâs 37 can properly count as an âold salt dogâ, but sure. Whatâs caught your thoughts so throughly now, anyway?â
âItâs going to sound terribly whimsical.â
âI like whimsy.â
âIn that case. I was simply, marveling, I suppose. Of all the places in all of the world, thereâs no where Iâd rather be than right here, right now, seeing all of this. You could offer me countless riches, a thousand marriage proposals, beauty that would rival Aphroditeâs, and I wouldnât take any of it over this.â
âI know exactly the feeling. Delightful, isnât it?â
Mara hums her agreement, then manages to tear her gaze away from the stars and over to her first mate. Sheâs surprised to find that, while her eyes are as reflective of the universe above them as the sea itself, itâs not the sky that Nia is looking at. Instead, sheâs looking directly at her captain.
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Title: It Almost Seems Like Yesterday Collaborator Name: ceealaina Card Number: 3088 Link: AO3 Square Filled: S2 - Happily Ever After Ship: IronHusbands Rating: T Major Tags: Canon Divergence, Memory Loss, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort Summary: When Tony gets hit with an amnesia spell that leaves him unable to remember anything past 1990, Rhodey's right there to help him through it. (Now if only Rhodey could remember how the hell he's managed to hide his feelings for Tony all these years.) Word Count: 11,698
Rhodey walked into the room, already feeling tired. He knew he should have stayed home. Heâd had a bad feeling before heâd left on vacation, had almost cancelled the trip, but Tony had insisted. Heâd gone on and on about how heâd been an Avenger longer than Rhodey (by a whole three years, and look how well that had gone for him) and how if Rhodey missed this trip, it would be Tonyâs ass that his mother would be coming after. Then heâd demanded that he bring back some of her chocolate chip cookies and practically pushed him out the door, promising everything would be fine.Â
What a fucking liar.
âOkay. What do we know?â Rhodey asked, rubbing at his temples in a futile attempt to ward off the headache he could already feel starting.Â
Rogers had the grace to look guilty, which he fucking should; Captain America or not, Rhodey was going to kill him if he had let something bad happen to Tony on his watch.Â
âOkay. Rhodey, first off all weâve been assured repeatedly that this isnât permanent.â
Rhodey managed to contain his groan. If thatâs what they were starting out with, there was no way that any of this was good news.Â
âWhatâs not permanent?â he asked, not even caring that his voice slid into a tone that would have had him being written up for insubordination if he was still serving in the Air Force. He didnât miss the way Steve swallowed at the sound, felt the vaguest hint of happiness at the sight, although it was quickly overshadowed by his concern for Tony. Beside Steve, Natasha looked like she was going to speak up, but he settled a hand against her arm, apparently willing to take on this particular burden alone. Rhodey resisted the urge to roll his eyes.Â
âWhatever weird spell Tonyâs been hit with, itâs given him some⌠Memory loss.âÂ
Rhodey felt his heart stop. âWhat kind of memory loss? How bad are we talking here?âÂ
Steve winced, and Rhodey felt his heart sink further. âWe donât know yet, but uh. In the brief moment I saw him, he didnât recognize me at all, called me a âbad Captain America porno rip off,â and then he tried to hit on me, soâŚâÂ
Despite the shitty situation, Rhodey smiled; that sounded like Tony, alright. At least there was something of him still in there.
Natasha rolled his eyes. âThe doctors said he didnât make any mention of the Iron Man suit, or seem bothered that he doesnât have the arc reactor, so Iâm guessing his memories predate 2012.âÂ
Rhodey nodded. Clearly these two were absolutely useless to him, and it was time to take things into his own hands. âRight, Iâm going to go see him. What did they tell him?âÂ
âJust that heâd been in an accident, and that he may have suffered some side effects.âÂ
Rhodey managed to keep his eye roll to himself. âWell, if youâll excuse meâŚâ He pushed past them, taking half a beat to steel himself before letting himself into Tonyâs room. Tony was frowning at the medical equipment beside him, none of it actually attached to him, but his head popped up at the sound of the door opening and Rhodey held his breath, abruptly terrified that Tony wouldnât know him either.Â
He neednât have worried. A split second later, Tonyâs face was breaking into a wide grin. âRhodey!â he crowed. âFucking finally! Did you come to spring me free?â Then he tilted his head slightly, eyebrows furrowing. âDid you dye your hair? Itâs kind of⌠grey.âÂ
âUmâŚâ Rhodey hedged a minute, trying to think how best to handle this, but he knew Tony, knew heâd always dealt best with hard facts. Moving closer, he took a seat on the side of Tonyâs bed. âOkay. They told you youâd had an accident, right?âÂ
Tony nodded, wincing a little. âWas it in the lab? I know you threatened to kill me after the last one, but you also know how I get, so⌠Really this is on you, leaving me unsupervised like that.â
Rhodey huffed out a soft laugh. âNo, Tones, not a lab accident. The thing is, youâre apparently suffering from some memory loss.âÂ
Tonyâs smile faded, eyes going wide. His eyes tracked over Rhodeyâs body again, taking in the little differences, the grey hair, the extra few wrinkles around his eyes. He swallowed hard, and Rhodey could already see his brain working overtime, putting it together. He swallowed hard, breathing picking up, and Rhodey closed a hand over his.Â
âHey, easy,â he told him, feeling his own flare of panic when Tony frowned down at his hand in confusion, like he wasnât used to Rhodey touching him like this. âEverythingâs going to be okay, Tones. Itâs not permanent, and Iâm gonna help you get your memories back. I just need you to tell me the last thing you remember, and we can start from there.â
âUm.â Tony scratched the back of his head. âThere was that party we went to. When the drunk guy knocked me into the pool, and you punched him?âÂ
For a moment, Rhodey couldnât even place what he was talking about, racking his brain for anything even remotely like that. And then it clicked.Â
âAt MIT?â he yelped, cursing internally when Tony jumped a little at his voice. âSorry,â he said quickly. âSorry, I just. Thatâs fine. We can work with that.âÂ
âRhodey?â Tony reached out, tentatively touching his upper arm. âI really need you to tell me what year it is.âÂ
Rhodey took a moment. He really didnât want to say it, but Tony was a genius, he was already putting it together, and Rhodey really didnât want him coming to the conclusion that there was something he was hiding. He swallowed.Â
âTony, itâs 2015.â
***
Once Tony had gotten over the shock of missing nearly thirty years of his life, and Rhodey had finished convincing Pepper that for now, at least, she and Happy were better staying in California and not overwhelming Tony with people that he only knew he was supposed to know, Rhodey had given him a rundown of what he was missing. He knew he was supposed to get his memories back eventually, but he couldnât think how they would even begin that process without Tony at least knowing about Iron Man and the Avengers.Â
Telling him had been well worth it. In Tonyâs mind, DUM-E was still a work in progress. So finding out that heâd succeeded -- and that DUM-E was still kicking around thirty years later -- Tonyâs entire face had lit up.Â
âHoly shit,â he breathed, shifting closer to Rhodey on the bed. âYouâre telling the truth? DUM-E works? Youâre not just fucking with me?âÂ
Rhodey hadnât been able to help laughing. âTones, thatâs not even half of it. After you cracked the AI code, you built JARVIS.âÂ
Tony frowned. âJarvis?â he repeated, a flicker of sadness crossing his features, and Rhodey winced as he remembered that, for Tony, Edwin Jarvis had died only the year before. Still, Tony managed a smile, though it was fainter than before. âTell me you didnât let me Frankenstein my butler back to life.âÂ
Rhodey snorted, but he laid a hand over his arm anyway, stroking a thumb over his skin. He, more than anyone, knew how much more than a butler Jarvis had been to him. âNot Jarvis,â he told him softly. âJARVIS. Stands for Just A Really Very Intelligent System.âÂ
Tony blinked. âAnother robot, like DUM-E?â
âAnd U,â Rhodey added, even though it was just adding to the confusion; heâd always been partial to U.Â
âMe?â Tony repeated blankly before he caught on and his eyes went even wider. âI built three robots??âÂ
Rhodey couldnât help laughing. He had absolutely no idea. âNo, Tony. JARVIS isnât a robot. He doesnât actually have a physical form. Heâs⌠Fuck man, heâs the most sophisticated machine ever. Heâs a fully functional learning AI. Heâs smarter than most humans Iâve met, he manages to keep you on your toes. I swear to god, Tones, he has emotions. As soon as we get you out of this SHIELD safehouse, Iâll get you back to the tower, and you can talk to him yourself. Itâs gonna blow your damn mind.âÂ
Tony leaned back against cushions, looking overwhelmed in the best kind of way, bright-eyed with wonder. He looked young, despite the laugh lines and the grey in his goatee, and for just a moment Rhodey felt his stomach twist with a funny sort of nostalgia. Rhodey had fallen in love with Tony when he was twenty years old, and he had never stopped being in love with him. Heâd long ago accepted that it was unrequited, that he was never going to love anyone the way he loved Tony, and that was fine. It didnât even hurt anymore, it was just⌠How it was. He wouldnât trade their relationship for anything. But seeing Tony like this, smiling all bright and open like he was eighteen, he felt like he was falling in love all over again and it ached.Â
âHoly shit,â Tony breathed, shaking his head a little. âI canât believe I did that. I mean, I can, because itâs me, but⌠Holy shit.â He shook his head again. âWait, SHIELD? Like⌠The SHIELD that Aunt Peggy runs?â He looked around the room, like it would give him some sort of clue. âDo I work for SHIELD?âÂ
Rhodey puffed out his cheeks and he blew out a long breath. âNot exactly,â he admitted. âYou work with them sometimes, but⌠Youâre an Avenger.âÂ
Tony blinked back at him, expression blank, and Rhodey realized that, right. That meant absolutely nothing to him.Â
âUhh. Youâre a superhero?âÂ
Tony blinked again and then started laughing, so hard that he couldnât hold himself upright, bright giggles filling the room. Rhodey couldnât help laughing too, the sound contagious, and it was several minutes before Tony managed to speak again.Â
âA superhero,â he repeated, wiping actual tears from his eyes. âWell, at least your stupid sense of humour hasnât changed in the past thirty years. What, am I the new Captain America?â he asked, snorting again.Â
âNo,â Rhodey told him. âDefinitely not Captain America. But you do know him.âÂ
Tony stopped laughing abruptly as he caught the look on his face. âWait, are you serious? Are youâŚâ He trailed off and flung his arms in the air. âHow is any of that possible?âÂ
And so Rhodey had told him about Afghanistan, how heâd been kidnapped but come out of it with a shiny metal suit of armor, how theyâd found Thor, and then after that Steve in the ice, and then about the Battle for New York and how that had led into them becoming a team.
âOh my god,â Tony breathed when he was done. âIâm not going to lie, that sounds completely unbelievable, but also, way too convoluted to be anything but real.â He leaned back, thinking, and Rhodey watched him mouth the words âIron Manâ to himself. Then he shot forward again, grabbing at Rhodeyâs arm. Rhodey shivered at the little thrill of pleasure he always felt when Tony was all close and in his space like this. âCan I see it?â he asked, like a little kid trying to sneak a cookie. âThe Iron Man suit?âÂ
Rhodey couldnât help laughing. âSuits,â he told him, snorting as Tonyâs eyes got bigger still. âAnd of course you can see them. Theyâre yours. Just gotta get the all clear to get you out of here.âÂ
âWait, so then⌠Those people that were here before? Theyâre Avengers too?â His eyes were still wide, but they took on a horrified expression. âOh my god, was that actually Captain America?â Tony made a ridiculous âeepâ noise and actually pulled the blanket over his head. âRhodeyyyy,â he whined through the fabric, giving Rhodey a flashback to Tonyâs first date at MIT. âYouâre going to have to resign on my behalf, because I canât ever go back to being an Avenger.âÂ
Rhodey patted his knee consolingly, taking advantage of the fact that Tony couldnât see him to drink in his fill of him. âOf course you can, Tony. Weâre your team. We all love you. And Steveâs your best friend, after me obviously. He doesnât care, I promise.âÂ
âYou donât understand! I told Captain America he belonged in a porn.âÂ
âIâm pretty sure youâve said way worse to him.âÂ
âAnd Iâm pretty sure the words âwet dreamâ were used. How do I ever look at him again?âÂ
âJesus,â Rhodey muttered as something that was definitely not jealousy twisted in his stomach. Heâd forgotten about Tonyâs weird Captain America hero worship phase. âTony, youâre fine. I know you donât remember, but Steve knows you. He wouldnât have expected anything less. Do you want me to call them back in so you can see for yourself?âÂ
The face that Tony made was hilarious. âNo!â
âCome on, man. I know you. You donât rip the bandaid now, itâs just gonna get harder and harderâŚâ He nudged him teasingly. âTones. Theyâre your teammates. Theyâll want to see that youâre okay.âÂ
âI hate you,â Tony grumbled, but Rhodey could already tell he was relenting. Patting his knee once more, he gave him a wink and got up to the door. Steve and Nat were, unsurprisingly, lingering outside, and he gestured them in.Â
âCome on,â he said, trying not to sound too grudging. He knew deep down that it wasnât their fault Tony had gotten hurt, but theyâd still been the ones with him when it happened, and he couldnât help feeling a little resentful.Â
Natasha, at least, didnât seem to care in the slightest. She brushed past him to sidle right up on the bed beside Tony, tugging him close and stroking a hand through his hair. âHey baby,â she purred, a teasing smirk on her lips, and Rhodey resisted the urge to snort. âHowâre you feeling?âÂ
Tony stared up at her with wide eyes and Rhodey bit back his fond smile. âUh.â Tony ducked his head and cleared his throat and then his gaze snapped back up to her like he couldnât look away (not that anyone would really blame him for that). âYouâre one of my teammates, I guess? Iâm Tony.â He winced then, and stared up at the ceiling. âBut⌠you⌠already know that.â He shook his head. âAmnesia is fucking weird.âÂ
âOh my god,â Natasha crowed. âMIT Tony is fucking adorable.â She wrapped her arms around his neck in a sideways hug and glowered at Rhodey. âYou never told us,â she tsked, kissing Tonyâs cheek. Nobody missed the blush that crept over Tonyâs cheeks.Â
âNatasha.â Steve rolled his eyes, but he was looking amused. âStop tormenting Tony when he doesnât remember you enough to shoot back.âÂ
Tonyâs eyes darted in his direction before immediately flickering away again, and Rhodey felt something sour roll in his stomach as Tonyâs blush deepened. Nat had noticed it too, hiding her smile to keep from completely embarrassing Tony.Â
âUm, thanks,â Tony managed, looking up again to give Steve one of those mega-watt smiles that Rhodey had first fallen in love with. It was bright and open, from before heâd even needed to learn his press smile, and the jealousy in Rhodeyâs stomach grew. It felt ridiculous to even think it, but those smiles were supposed to be just for him.Â
âDonât worry about it,â Steve told him, laughing a little.Â
âAnd, uh. Sorry about what I said before,â Tony blurted out all in a rush. âThe whole⌠porno⌠thing.â He looked like he wanted to sink through the floor, and Rhodey very much wanted to hug him. âI didnât, I mean⌠I hate hospitals, so I was kind of not myself, and then, you know, obviously if Iâd known you were the real Captain American, I wouldnât haveâŚâ He trailed off, hand rubbing at his sternum in the same nervous tic heâd had since 2008; his body, at least, seemed to remember. âAnyway.âÂ
âWow.â Steve grinned. âHe really is adorable. Can we keep him?âÂ
Tony gave a startled laugh at that. âYou can definitely keep me,â he promised, a hint of flirtation in his voice, and when Steve had looked away he caught Rhodeyâs eye and mouthed âoh my god.âÂ
Rhodey forced himself to give a normal smile in return. Heâd forgotten about this mix of shy, and awkward, and weirdly flirtatious that Tony had been, barrelling from one extreme to the other, and while he was loving getting to see this side of him again, he couldnât help wishing that more of it was directed at him.Â
âI still canât believe youâre the actual Captain America,â Tony continued. âI mean, I have all your trading cards at home, and I--,â He cut himself off abruptly, flushing again. âGod, Dad must have shit a brick when he finally found you.âÂ
Tense silence filled the room, and Rhodey felt his stomach drop. How had he forgotten to tell Tony about his parents? To be fair, thinking about Howard still made him want to put his fist through a wall -- or the manâs face -- so he did it as little as possible. And it was so far behind them now that it hadnât even come into his mind.Â
Tony was looking back and forth between all three of them now, obviously picking up on the fact that something was wrong and Rhodey knew he wouldnât want to get this news in front of two essential strangers.Â
âYou two out. Now,â he told them, voice booking no argument. To their credit, Steve and Nat didnât look inclined to argue anyway, Nat giving Tony one last kiss on the cheek, softer this time, before the two of them slipped out the door.Â
There was silence for a moment after the solid click of the door closing, Tony staring down at his hands. âDadâs gone, isnât he?â he asked, though it didnât sound like a question.Â
Rhodey sighed, moving closer to the bed again. âTonesâŚâÂ
Tony looked up at him then, and his eyes were shimmering. âDid he at least get to see me become a superhero?â he asked softly. Rhodey just shook his head, wishing not for the first time that he could bring Howard back to life just to kill him himself. Even after everything heâd done to him, all Tony had ever wanted was to make the man proud.
âNo,â he told him. âThat came a lot later.âÂ
Tony nodded, looking back down at his hands. âMom?â he asked, just the one word. There was a crack in his voice, and Rhodey felt his heart break.Â
âIâm so sorry, Tony.âÂ
Tony made a soft sobbing noise, and without stopping to think about it, Rhodey was up on the bed beside him, tugging him into his lap. Tony moved into it easily, comfortable with Rhodey in a way he hadnât even been remotely close to with Nat. He shifted until he was half sideways, arms wrapped around Rhodeyâs waist and face pressed into his upper abdomen and Rhodey just leaned back against the pillows and rubbed over Tonyâs back, letting him mourn his motherâs death for the second time. He knew the circumstances werenât anywhere near ideal, but Rhodey felt his breath catch and couldnât help feeling something inside him settle with Tony against him like this, couldnât help thinking that he could stay like this with him forever.Â
Eventually, Tonyâs sobs evened out, the shivers that had been going through him coming to a stop. He didnât make any move to get up though, just squirmed a little to get more comfortable against Rhodeyâs side as the other man continued to stroke through his hair.Â
âThis is super gay,â he mumbled, still making no move to to pull away. Then he froze, body going tense and tight. âI mean, uh⌠Not that youâre gay. Or Iâm gay. Itâs not, likeâŚâ He was flustered, stumbling all over his words, and Rhodey couldnât help laughing.Â
âItâs okay, Tones,â he told him. âI know you like men, too. Itâs totally fine. Completely acceptable now, even.â
âOh,â Tony said softly, and his arms tightened around just a little around Rhodeyâs waist. âOkay.â Â
They stayed there in comfortable silence until Rhodey knew he couldnât wait any longer.Â
âTony,â he said quietly, still rubbing his head to keep him calm. âThereâs more.â
He could feel Tony take a deep breath beneath him, steeling himself. âOkay,â he said again, voice quieter still. âTell me.âÂ
âYour parentsâ death⌠It was set up to look like an accident, but. It wasnât.â
Tony pulled back then, staring at Rhodey, and the expression in his eyes was enough to make something catch in Rhodeyâs chest. He cleared his throat, and it took him a minute before he could speak. âIt⌠Itâs sort of hard to explain, but Hydra -- you know Hydra?âÂ
Tony gave him a look like he was stupid, and Rhodey tried not to roll his eyes.Â
âOkay, well Hydra didnât die out in World War II. Theyâve been here, all along, working behind the scenes to do their evil Nazi thing. And they took your parents out, made it look like a car accident.â He drew in a deep breath, because he barely believed this shit, and heâd watched Rogers take out the helicarriers live on television. Trying to explain it all now was bonkers. âBut they didnât send just any operative to do it. It was their most feared shadow assassin and all that other fun Nazi propoganda bullshit, except in this case it wasnât all bullshit. They called the asset the Winter Soldier. Who we found out after the fact was actually one Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.â
Tony blinked at him, mouth hanging open. âJames Buchanan Barnes,â he repeated. âLike Bucky Barnes? The Bucky Barnes who died in 1945?âÂ
Rhodey nodded. âThatâs the one. Except, you know. He didnât die, obviously. There was this whole thing with Russians, and brainwashing, and horrible, life-altering torture. I want to be clear here, Tony, it wasnât really him. He was brainwashed, he didnât know what he was doing. It was pretty tense here for awhile, after we found everything out, but we think we can help him break through the brainwashing, so youâve been helping Steve try to track him down.âÂ
Tony just nodded, still staring at him. âOkay,â he said, voice a little distant. He looked completely overwhelmed, and Rhodey nudged him.Â
âHey, you alright? I know itâs a lot to take in.âÂ
âYeah,â Tony admitted with a faint laugh. âItâs⌠A whole lot.â He looked down at his hands for a minute. âThis is embarrassing, but⌠CanIhaveanotherhug?â he asked, all in a rush.Â
Rhodey didnât laugh, although he was tempted for a moment. âOf course, Tones,â he told him, opening his arms wide. âYou donât ever have to ask for that.âÂ
Tony tucked himself back in under his arms, and Rhodey resisted the urge to kiss the top of his head, not wanting to freak him out anymore than he already was. There was silence for a few moments as Tony processed all the new information.Â
âI suppose it makes sense,â he said finally. âIf Bucky was brainwashed, it wasnât like he was the one who killed mom and dad, not really.âÂ
Rhodey didnât bother telling Tony that he was accepting this a lot faster than he had the last time. He had a funny feeling that none of this was quite real for him yet, even if he was understanding the words.Â
âAnd if Steve is my teammate, and Bucky was his best friend, of course Iâd help him track him down. And well, Bucky always was my favourite Howling Commando.â Then he squirmed a little, flustered. âUh⌠Donât tell Steve I said that. That was when I was a kid, I mean.â
Rhodey did his very best not to tense up as jealousy flared through him, not wanting Tony to notice, or pull away, or think something else was wrong. âDonât worry, handsome. Your secretâs safe with me.â
***
Rhodey was pretty sure that he had Natasha to thank for the fact that the wealth of additional, likely unnecessary tests the doctors had wanted to run were suddenly forgotten (it was magic, for fuckâs sake. What did the doctors think they were going to find?), and after a final check over to make sure Tony was all healthy (memory loss aside), they were able to take him back to the tower.Â
Tony had blinked as he spotted it on the drive over, eyes going wide as he took in the giant âAâ shining in the waning light of the day. âIs that the Avengers Tower?â he asked, and he was trying to sound casual, like it was just a vaguely interesting conversation point, but Rhodey could hear the burning curiosity in his voice, could tell he was only pretending not to be impressed. âThey built their own building?â
âYep. Well, technically itâs your tower, but youâre nice enough to let us all live there.âÂ
Tony turned to stare at him, mouth hanging open, before he remembered he was pretending to be cool and quickly turned back to face the window. âStark Tower,â he breathed, even though nobody had referred to it that way since heâd woken up. Then he shook his head. âYou mean itâs Stark Industriesâ tower,â he corrected. âSo technically itâs dadâs tower, since he started the company.âÂ
Rhodey fought back a wince. âNo, Tones,â he told him softly. âThis is all you. As someone whoâs been your best friend for thirty years now, youâve gotta trust me on this. Youâve accomplished things Howard couldnât even dream of.âÂ
Tony didnât answer, still trying to play it cool, but Rhodey could see his pleased little smile reflected in the tinted glass of the window.Â
His attempts at playing it cool only lasted until they had pulled into the tower garage and stepped into the private elevator that would take them to the avengersâ floors, at which point JARVIS greeted them with a, âWelcome back, Sir. Captain Rogers has already apprised me of your current situation. Let me assure you that I am here to assist you in every and any way possible, and that Dum-E, U and I are all hoping for your speedy recovery.âÂ
Tonyâs jaw had dropped and heâd stared at Rhodey with absolutely enormous eyes. âHoly shit,â heâd gasped. âI thought you were exaggerating!â And then he had promptly forgotten Rhodeyâs existence entirely as he bombarded JARVIS with question after question, wanting to know about everything from JARVISâs operating system, to the power set up for the tower, to finding out how theyâd managed to miniaturize the arc reactor. For the first time in this whole insane situation, Rhodey hadnât minded losing Tonyâs attention; it left him free to watch him, to take in his excitement and enthusiasm without worrying that Tony would catch him staring with that stupid, besotted smile that he knew was plastered across his face. It was uncanny how young Tony managed to look despite still being in his 45-year-old body, and it was wreaking havoc with Rhodeyâs heart. God, he was so fucking in love with him.
Tony was still bantering with JARVIS when the elevator doors opened and he stepped out automatically, not even looking where he was going. Then the lab lights came on and Tonyâs cut himself off mid-sentence, staring around the âshop with wide eyes.Â
âHoly. Fucking. Shit,â he managed. âIs this⌠Am IâŚâÂ
âItâs yours, baby,â Rhodey told him, unable to keep the grin off his face; it wasnât often that he got to see Tonyâs mind blown like this. âItâs all yours. This is where the magic happens.â He gestured around the room. âHave at it.âÂ
With a final, disbelieving stare at Rhodey, Tony was running deeper into the lab, immediately trying to negotiate about six different things at once. He was poking at the latest iteration of Samâs wings when DUM-E came rolling up with a curious little chirp. Tony whirled around, pure joy on his face.Â
âOh my god,â he breathed, patting DUM-Eâs strut. âYou really do work.â He positively beamed, and Rhodey swore he saw a glimmer of tears in Tony's eyes. âLook at you, you big, dumb thing. Youâre so beautiful.âÂ
Fighting back a laugh, Rhodey moved across the room to give U some love too. âDonât worry, gorgeous,â he hummed. âHeâs gonna love you too. DUM-Eâs just his baby.âÂ
Tony did, of course, cooing over the two of them like they were actual babies. Rhodey couldnât do much more than stand back and watch, absolutely captivated by watching Tony discover twenty-five years worth of technological advancements at once, looking completely overwhelmed in the best possible way. The noise he made when re realized that his entire system was holographic was the greatest thing that Rhodey had ever heard. He immediately had JARVIS record it and send it to him so that he could set it as his ringtone. Every move that Tony made seemed to remind him all over again why he had fallen in love with him.Â
Tony glanced up then, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he looked Rhodey over. âWhat are you smiling at?âÂ
âNothing,â Rhodey answered just a bit too quickly, hoping his expression had been more âamusedâ and less âhopelessly in love with you for all of eternity.â âNothing, man,â he repeated. âI just forgot how precious you are when youâre all excited.âÂ
Tony rolled his eyes. âShut up,â he grumbled, but his cheeks flushed a little and he gave Rhodey a bright, sweet smile before turning back to whatever was spread out across the table in front of him. Rhodey whistled to get his attention back.Â
âHey Tones!âÂ
Tony whirled back to look at him, holding up one of Clintâs new prototypes. âAre these exploding arrows?â he demanded.Â
âYeah, man, probably.â He arched an eyebrow at him. âThought you wanted to see the Iron Man suits though?âÂ
***
It was hours later that Rhodey got a notification from Steve, letting him know that theyâd ordered in food from Tonyâs favourite Italian place and that the rest of the team was up in the common area, if they wanted to join them. Rhodey couldnât help making a face at his phone; he knew theyâd have to meet up eventually, but he was kind of enjoying their little bubble, just the two of them and the bots in the workshop. It wasnât like he was jealous of Tonyâs Avengers status, or his friendship with Steve -- really, he was glad that he had someone else in his corner -- but sometimes he missed the days when it had just been the two of them.Â
âHey. Why so glum, chum?âÂ
Rhodey nearly jumped; he hadnât realized that Tony was even looking at him. When heâd glanced over a minute earlier, Tony had been fully absorbed with the HUD in one of the Iron Man helmets.Â
âNo,â he said quickly. âIâm not. Just distracted. Uh⌠Theyâve got Italian for you upstairs, if youâre hungry.â
âOh, uhâŚâ Tony quickly ducked his head, suddenly fascinated by the HUD display. âIâm okay,â he mumbled, just as his stomach growled loudly. Rhodey folded his arms across his chest, arching an eyebrow, and after a long moment of silence, Tony looked up to give him a sheepish look. âOkay, maybe Iâm a little hungry?â he admitted. âMaybe you could bring some food down?âÂ
Rhodey snorted. âNope. I know what youâre doing.âÂ
âIâm not doing anything,â Tony protested, but he was pouting a little.Â
âCome on. I know itâs intimidating, but theyâre still your team, man. And hey, Iâll be right there with you.âÂ
Tony rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile at the corners of his lips. âPromise?â he asked, the pleading in his voice probably a little more genuine than heâd meant it to be.Â
Rhodey gave him a wink, couldnât keep the fond smile off his face. âPromise,â he assured him.Â
Tony dragged his feet, saying goodbye to all the bots and promising to come back down to hang out with them again after head. Rhodey felt his heart swell, his stomach melting into something warm and gooey, and he turned for the elevator before Tony could see the stupid look that he knew was all over his face.Â
When the elevator dinged open on the common floor Clint was standing there, waiting for them. Rhodey rolled his eyes at the sight, but before he could warn him off, Clintâs face dropped into a pout. âAww, Tony, no,â he protested. âHe looks the same.â He turned his head, hollering somewhere behind him, âHe looks the same!âÂ
âI said his memory deaged, Barton!â Nat hollered. âNot his entire body!â This was followed up by some creative Russian cursing that made Clintâs frown deepen.Â
âWell thatâs just rude,â he protested, getting him a shy smile out of Tony. Clint tilted his head at that. âOh, wow. I didnât know your face could look like that.âÂ
Tony blinked back at him. âThanks?âÂ
Clint beamed in return, then shoved his hand out. âIâm Clint, by the way. I guess you donât know that anymore. Or⌠Yet? This is confusing.âÂ
Nat came out of the kitchen, laden down with serving dishes of food and an unusually soft smile for Tony. âItâs really not that complicated, Clint. Itâs amnesia, not time travel. I donât know how many more times I can explain this.âÂ
âUh, itâs Clint,â Sam offered, following her out with a giant basket of garlic bread. âSo at least three more times.âÂ
âFuck you,â Clint shot back without any real heat. âMan, you donât even go here. You just followed Cap in, what, three days ago?â
As the rest of the team slowly trickled in to join them, Tony took a half step back, moving a little further into Rhodeyâs space. Nobody else even noticed, except probably Natasha, but Rhodey grinned, giving Tony a reassuring pat on the back before he stepped further into the room.Â
âCome on, Barton,â he said, deflecting the attention further from Tony. âDonât be jealous just cause youâre not the only birdbrain on the team anymore.âÂ
In slightly different circumstances, it could have been any other team bonding night, everyone bantering, and jokily arguing and fighting over the last serving of spaghetti. But Rhodey was hyperconscious of how quiet Tony was, watching the exchanges with wide eyes, rather than jumping to join in. He had tucked himself on the shorter couch beside Rhodey, on the far side of everyone else, clearly trying to pretend that he wasnât overwhelmed. Rhodey knew him though, could read that awkward little smile. He may have liked the team, but Rhodey was the one thing he knew right now, and so he was sticking close. And judging by the way heâd grin into his tomato sauce every time Rhodey would run interference, his hand brushing appreciatively against Rhodeyâs elbow, that wasnât going to stop any time soon.Â
***
By the next week, Tony showed no sign of regaining any of his memories. It was a messy situation; magic meant that there was no medical reason that they could determine for his memory loss. On top of that, Tony had been the only one around when the witch or whatever-theyâd-been-fighting had cast the spell on him. And since Tony couldnât remember anything past 1990, nobody had any clue exactly what the spell was, or how to break it.Â
It didnât help that Thor, the only one of them who had any actual experience with magic, was currently off in one of the other nine realms, doing his god thing. (Although, judging by the way Tony had started warming up to Steve, and was now shyly flirting with him every time he walked into a room, Rhodey couldnât say he was too upset that Thor wasnât around.)Â
Heâd thought that if anything, the lab would be the thing to jumpstart Tonyâs memories. But while heâd been fascinated by everything there, and it had taken him mere hours to get everything up and running (despite having his memories stuck in a time when pagers were the height of technology), it hadnât helped him remember. Rhodey was ready to try anything, so heâd called Pepper, and made some arrangements with JARVIS, and when everything was ready, enlisted Steveâs help to carry four enormous boxes down into the lab.Â
Tony looked up from where he was soldering something onto one of the Iron Man suits. Rhodey winced a little because if Tony had fucked something up on the suit he was going to kick both Rhodey and himself later. Tony flushed a little when he spotted Steve, who didnât even have the grace to be straining under the weight of carrying three of the boxes himself. Rhodey resisted the urge to roll his eyes and mutter something about show offs.Â
âWhatâs this?â Tony asked, looking at the boxes curiously and blinking when Steve winked at me.Â
âDonât ask me. It was Colonel Rhodesâ idea. Iâm just here to be the muscle.âÂ
Tony grinned back at him, waggling his eyebrows. âAnd what a fine job you do.âÂ
âI hate you both,â Rhodey grumbled. Heâd liked it better when Tony had been all shy and nervous and had to look away every time Steve walked into a room. âThese,â he added, dropping his one box down on a table with a bit of spare space. âAre your memories.âÂ
Tony arched an eyebrow at him, though he set down the soldering iron and moved around to peer down at the box. âOh good,â he said dryly. âYou found them.â
Rhodey elbowed him, hard, grinning when Tony yelped and then laughed as he tried to shove him in return. âItâs pictures and photo albums and videos and things from when we were at MIT, and then afterward. Itâs sort of all mixed together. You keep insisting that you donât want to put them out because itâs ârelic technologyâ and youâre going to digitize them instead. But you havenât yet, so itâs just been sitting in a heap in storage. I had Pepper send them out. And then of course JARVIS has a bunch of more recent photos and video clips when youâve worked your way through these.âÂ
âWhat?â Steve made a ridiculous noise, staring at Rhodey accusingly. âYou didnât tell me I was carrying around photos of baby Tony!â He grinned wickedly and immediately set down all three boxes, starting to paw the top one open. âI wanna see!â
Tony actually screeched, rushing around the table to try and wrestle Steve away from the boxes. âNooo,â he wailed, trying to peel Steveâs hands away. He was doing a terrible job, except that Steve was too busy laughing at him to put much effort into fighting back. âI was such a dweeb when I first got to MIT! I donât need Captain America seeing that.âÂ
âYouâre still a dweeb now,â Rhodey pointed out helpfully, getting a beam out of Steve in response. Rhodey told himself to calm down. He liked Steve. It wasnât his fault that Tony was so obviously crushing on him.Â
âSee!â Steve said. âWhatâs the harm in letting me see?âÂ
Tony narrowed his eyes at Rhodey. âTraitor,â he grumbled. âSeriously, Steve. Out. Only MIT graduates allowed.âÂ
Steve frowned. âI feel like thatâs a roundabout way of calling me stupid.âÂ
Tony rolled his eyes, so much like now-Tony that it was hard to believe that he had no memory of the last few years. âIâll make you a deal. Let me go through them, and Iâll let you look at some of the least dorky ones after.âÂ
âFine,â Steve sighed, like he hadnât just been hassling Tony for the fun of it. âSam and I were gonna grab coffee anyway. Have fun!â he added, heading for the door and leaving them to it.
Tony waited until he was sure Steve wasnât coming back before immediately yanking open the tape on the first box and practically falling headfirst into it. âGet over here, Rhodeybear,â he hollered, voice slightly muffled by the cardboard. âWeâre in this together.âÂ
Even with Tonyâs memory loss, Rhodey had to admit that the afternoon was the most fun heâd had in awhile. Pepper had sent along an old VCR that she found with all the pictures, so they were able to play the VHSs, and for the millionth time this week, Rhodey found himself falling in love with Tony all over again. He thought he had a pretty good memory, but heâd somehow forgotten how adorable Tony had been, that bright, open giggle that he hadnât bothered to hide back then, the way heâd go all wide-eyed in excitement, not trying to temper himself. Rhodey hadnât even realized how much he had missed it. And it was even better when he had Tonyâs giggle in stereo, the Tony beside him laughing just as hard over terrible jokes and lab accidents and everything else. Several times he had caught Rhodey staring at him with probably a dumbass look on his face, giving Rhodey a moment of panic that heâd figure it out and know exactly what that look meant. But Tony didnât seem bothered, would just give Rhodey a soft, sweet smile in return before turning back to whatever was in his hand.Â
Theyâd gone quiet for a bit, Rhodey searching for a particular photo from the Halloween party theyâd gone to in â97, when Tony made a soft noise across from him. Rhodey looked up to see him perusing a red, leather-bound album.Â
âTones? You okay?â God only knew what else Tony might have had tucked in there.Â
But when he looked up, Tony didnât look upset at all. In fact he was smiling, eyes shimmering a little. âOhhh,â he breathed. âI get it now.â He ducked his head a little, shy but still pleased, and then leaned over to give Rhodey a soft kiss on the cheek, the beard that heâd immediately fallen in love with (of course) ticking Rhodeyâs skin.
Rhodey felt warm all over, Tonyâs kisses always making him melt, and it took him a minute to realize that this version of Tony hadnât quite reached that level of casual affection -- the cheek kisses were still another couple years away. Feeling like heâd missed something, Rhodey blinked at him. âGet what?âÂ
Tonyâs smile was growing into something completely goofy and he rubbed at the back of his neck. âThatâs why you were so cool with me before, right? Because you like me...n too.âÂ
âYeah?â Rhodey offered, because his sexuality was never something heâd hidden from Tony.Â
This just made Tony smile wider. âWhy didnât you just tell me?âÂ
âTell you what?â Rhodey asked.Â
Tony held up the album, showing off a page of pictures of the two of them draped all over each other. âThat weâre married!â he proclaimed.Â
Rhodey choked on air. âWeâre what?â he asked. His voice was weak, and he could feel the blood draining from his face. Panic twisted in his stomach, sharp and bitter. He fucked up, heâd done something to give Tony the wrong idea entirely.Â
Tony just gave him a look. âCome on, Rhodes. I know Iâm a little behind the times now, but Iâm still a genius.â He waggled the photo album in the air. âI have an entire photo album devoted just to you, titled âHoneybear.ââ He flipped it closed, revealing the nickname titled on the front in gilt cursive letters. âWhat, have we not told the team or something, is that why you didnât say anything? Oooh, secret marriage! Thatâs kind of fun!â He grinned at Rhodey. âWhy havenât we told them? Would they not react well? I know Steveâs from the 1940s, but he was also an artist living in like, the gayest part of Brooklyn. Doesnât exactly scream homophobic to me. Wait! Is that why youâre so jealous when Steve gets all friendly with me?âÂ
âIâm not jealous,â Rhodey said weakly.
Tony arched an eyebrow at him with a look that was painfully familiar. âSure youâre not. I can read you like a book, hot stuff. Oh!â His eyes lit up and he gave Rhodey a smirk that was half teasing and half unbearably pleased. âNow you know I mean it when I call you stuff like that.âÂ
Rhodey had long since gotten used to Tonyâs rambling when he got excited about something, but right now he was having a hard time focusing on what Tony was saying. âWh⌠Where are you getting all this?âÂ
âWhat? You said gay was okay now. Or⌠Bi, anyway.â Tony beamed at him. âI've been doing my research.â He got distracted then as a loose picture fell out of the album. It was a later one of Tony and Rhodey in the Iron Man and War Machine armors respectively, faceplates up and arms around each other as they grinned at the camera. âAww, did I make you that? We match! Cute!â
âTony.â Rhodey opened and closed his mouth a few times as Tony looked up at him, not knowing how to explain. Tony tilted his head, frowning at him.Â
âRhodey? You okay?âÂ
âWeâre not married,â Rhodey blurted out. He immediately winced; that wasnât how he had planned to tell him. And then he winced harder when Tony blinked, looking like Rhodey had just told him that the world was flat after all.Â
âWhat?âÂ
âWeâre not married, Tones. WeâveâŚâ He swallowed, the admission hard for all heâd thought heâd accepted it. âWeâve never been like that. Iâm so sorry, Tones. I fucked up. I didnât mean to give you that impression.â
Tony went suddenly, perfectly still, all his manic energy just⌠Stopping. âWeâre not?â he asked, voice soft. Rhodey shook his head and Tony looked away, suddenly unable to even meet his eyes. âRight,â he said softly, and for a truly terrible moment Rhodey thought he was going to cry.
âTonesâŚâ He reached out, curling a hand around Tonyâs wrist because everything about this was awful but comforting Tony was ingrained in his blood. âCome on, youâve never felt like that about me, and that hasnât changed,â he told him, and Tonyâs eyes snapped to his again. âWeâre friends, nothinâ else. This is just⌠A crazy situation, and youâre unsettled, and youâre latching on to whatâs familiar.â He wasnât sure if he was trying to convince Tony, or himself. âRight?âÂ
And it was completely crazy, but for a brief moment Rhodey found himself hoping against hope that Tony would tell him he was wrong, that he did feel that way for him, always had.
But after a too long moment, Tony nodded, scratching at the back of his neck and giving Rhodey a tight smile, fake in a way that it hadnât been all week, that it had never been for Rhodey. âRight,â he agreed. He gave a strained laugh. âWell, donât I feel stupid?â
âNo, Tones, donât--,âÂ
âAnyway, uh⌠Thanks for all this.â Tony cut him off as he gathered up an armful of photos and videos, not even bothering to look at what he was collecting. âI appreciate it, but Iâm feeling kind of tired now, so Iâm gonnaâŚâ He nodded his head toward the elevator. âIâll finish looking at these later.âÂ
Before Rhodey could say another word, he was on his feet, scrambling for the door. It went against every instinct Rhodey had, but he didnât stop him, didnât try to follow him. This was his own fault; thirty years of wanting and heâd managed to give it all away in a week. Some space between them probably wasnât a bad idea.Â
And as it turned out, t was fairly easy for Rhodey to avoid Tony, when it seemed as though Tony was doing his level best to do the same. Rhodey wasnât going to pretend that it hadnât hurt when Tony had walked into the kitchen, spotted Rhodey, stared at him with painfully wide eyes for a too-long minute and then spun on his heel and left again without even grabbing whatever heâd come for.Â
He knew theyâd be alright. Theyâd had distance and rough patches in their friendship before. Heâd always joked it was the mark of a healthy relationship, that theyâd been able to come back from whatever life threw at them. And, presumably, Tony would eventually get his memories back, and theyâd be able to look back on this whole thing and laugh about it -- if he even remembered it at all. They still didnât know how this amnesia thing worked.Â
But in the meantime? It really fucking sucked.Â
***
Steve had slipped into the rarely used library, in search of the sci-fi novel heâd lost somewhere. He spotted it on a side table and was just planning to head for the deck and enjoy some sunshine when he heard a faint noise, a sniffling sound that sounded suspiciously like crying. He hesitated a minute; he wasnât known for being the most emotionally intelligent member of the team, preferring to punch his feelings away. But if one of his team members were upset, or hurting, it was his job to check in.Â
Wincing, he made a point of clearing his throat in case they hadnât heard him come in. âHello?â he called. âSomebody there?âÂ
There a sharp inhale, and then a soft, quiet voice came from the armchair facing the window. ââS just me.â
âTony?â Steve followed the sound of his voice. âWhat are you doing in here?âÂ
âSorry,â he said, voice still soft. âJARVIS said this was the least used room in the tower. I just⌠I needed a minute.âÂ
Steve came around the front of the chair, and his eyes went wide at the sight of Tony curled up in a tiny, miserable ball in the chair, arms folded across his chest, face red and damp with tears. âJesus Christ, what happened?â he asked; heâd seen Tony cry before, of course, but never anything like this.Â
âItâs nothing,â Tony said quickly. âNothing happened. I was just leaving anyway.âÂ
Not for the first time, Steve felt the stirrings of resentment, thinking about Howard and what heâd done to make Tony think he had to hide something like this. âTony⌠Talk to me. Something must have happened.âÂ
But Tony shook his head, still not meeting Steveâs eyes. âItâs nothing,â he insisted, starting to slide off the chair. âDonât worry about it. Itâs fine, everythingâs fine. Iâm fine.âÂ
Steve had been trying to be good about respecting Tonyâs boundaries; teasing him was fun, but he knew Tony didnât really know him right now, and the last thing he wanted was to make him uncomfortable. But as Tony started to slide past him, Steve couldnât seem to let himself do that now. Without thinking, he carefully grabbed Tonyâs arm and pulled him in against his chest, hugging him close. For a split second Tony went stiff and tense him, and Steve wondered if heâd made entirely the wrong choice. Then, with a deep exhale, Tony crumpled against Steve, pressing his face into his shoulder as his tears started fresh. Steve tightened his arms around Tonyâs back, running a hand up and down his spine in a way that he hoped was soothing. The little shudder Tony gave against him suggested that it was helping at least a little. Â
They stayed like that for a while, Steve taking Tonyâs body weight easily, mumbling soothing nonsense phrases like he vaguely remembered his mother doing for him when heâd been sick. Eventually that shifted to actual humming, which got him a sad little giggle out of Tony, his hands squeezing against Steveâs sides.Â
âUhh, no offense, Cap,â he said, pulling back a bit. âBut youâre truly terrible at singing.âÂ
Steve shrugged, unbothered. âYou say terrible, I say I got a laugh out of you, so thatâs another win for Captain America.âÂ
Tony snorted and rolled his eyes, but it was a little less sad this time. âWhatever you say, Steve.â He rubbed at the back of his neck, ducking his head a little. âUh, thanks for that.âÂ
âSteve shrugged. âThatâs what Iâm here for. Now, you gonna tell me whatâs wrong?âÂ
âOh. You donât have to⌠Iâll be okay.â He gave Steve a wry smile. âFor real this time.âÂ
âTony⌠I know you might not remember this right now, but you really are one of my best friends. Iâm not asking because I think I have to, or because Iâm Captain America and itâs what I do. Iâm asking because I love you, and I care about you, and Iâm here for you. I want to help if I can, or just sit here and listen if I canât.âÂ
âUm. Okay.â Tony fiddled with his hands a moment before flopping back into one of the arm chairs and running a hand through his hair, leaving it even more unruly than usual. âYou better be cool about this, Rogers. If you storm out of here in an offended 1940s huff, youâll break my heart.âÂ
Steve gave him a look as he dragged another armchair over, positioning it he could sit opposite Tony. âRight. Because Iâm known for definitely being a stickler for those 1940s sensibilities,â Steve told him with a crooked grin. He reached out, patting Tony on the knee. âCome on. You can tell me.â
âOkay.â Tony bit his lip. âItâs just⌠I love Rhodey. I mean, obviously I love him, everyone know that. But Iâm in love with him. Like the get married, and buy a house, have lots of babies in love⌠Or adopt them, I guess. Iâm justâŚâ He trailed off, shrugging helplessly. âIâm in love with him.â
Steve grinned then, but it was soft and reassuring. âTony⌠I know.âÂ
âYou do?âÂ
âYouâve been in love with Rhodey for as long as Iâve known you. Weâve talked about it ad nauseum.â He laughed, not unkindly. âI canât tell you how many times youâve told me how wonderful he is, all the things youâve done together, how much you care him⌠How hot he is in his dress uniform, which personally I don't get. Itâs an air force uniform.â He shook his head. âYou used to tell me that how so much of what youâve done was to make yourself the kind of man who would be worthy of a man like Rhodey. Iâm pretty sure that being in love with Rhodes is just a part of who you are now. Itâs not news.âÂ
âOh.â Tony smiled faintly, but this didnât seem to make him feel any better. There was a shimmer in his eyes again. âThatâs⌠great.â
Steve tilted his head, frowning. âOkay, what am I missing?âÂ
Tony gave him a pained look. âI did a stupid thing, Steve. We were looking at the pictures, and I had these albums that were all just Rhodey, and he didnât even flinch at him, and I donât even know why now, but I thoughtâŚâ His voice trailed off to a whisper, so soft that if it wasnât for the serum, Steve wasnât sure if he would even have heard him. âI thought we were married.âÂ
Steve felt his heart break at the raw pain on his face. âOh, Tony.â
âI know, okay? I know. It was so fucking stupid, like why did I jump to married, we donât even have rings, I donât know why I said it, I should have just kept my stupid mouth shut. Dad always did tell me I talked too much. But the point isâŚâ He made a choked noise. âThe point is, he doesnât love me back. And future me might be okay with it, but right now it really sucks knowing for a fact that youâre never going to get that happy ending that you donât admit to daydreaming about. And, and itâs worse. Because for just a minute, I thought I had it. I thought I had everything I could have wanted, and then it was all just yanked away again andâŚâ His voice cracked. âAnd that really fucking sucks,â he concluded. âNot to mention, Iâm pretty sure I just ruined five years -- or thirty years -- of friendship in the process.âÂ
âHey, hey no.â Steve shook his head rapidly. âTony, it may not be the way you want, but Rhodey loves you. Heâd throw every single one of us under the bus if it meant helping you. I know it feels awkward now, but no way has this ruined your friendship. Youâll get through this.âÂ
Tony huffed out a bitter laugh, face tight as he met Steveâs gaze. âI may be an idiot, but I know Rhodey. I can tell when my best friend is avoiding me.âÂ
And there wasnât really anything Steve could add to that to that, nothing he could offer except to sit in companionable silence with Tony, until he looked up at him with a sad, tentative smile.Â
âDonât suppose you wanna watch a movie with me tonight?âÂ
Steve gave him the most reassuring smile he could manage. âOf course, Tony. Any time.âÂ
***
It had only been a couple days, but it felt like an entire week before Steve came to him. Rhodey hadnât missed the way Steve and Tony had been spending more and more time together, had been trying to press down the overwhelming jealousy every time he spotted them together. He wasnât being fair, and he knew it. Tony didnât trust him now, couldnât trust him right now, that wasnât his fault. Rhodey should have been glad that he had someone in his corner, he just⌠Wished it didnât have to be Steve.
Not that there were a lot of other options at the moment. The entire team had been pretty scarce lately, probably sensing the tension even if they didnât know exactly what was going on. Clint had made it a habit to glare at Rhodey every time he passed, because Hawkeye had realized Tony was avoiding him, and apparently Clint was the only one who was allowed to be a shithead to Tony. It was exhausting.Â
Heâd been in the kitchen, making a snack, when Steve had stormed in. Rhodey would never admit it, especially not to Rogers, but for just a moment heâd felt genuine terror. But he hid it well, turning back to the sandwich he was making. âCaptain. What can I do for you?â
Steve didnât answer at first, moving to lean against the counter beside him. âYou need to go talk to Tony,â he told him.
Rhodey pinched the bridge of his nose. âSteveâŚâÂ
âNo,â Steve told him firmly. âRhodes, heâs a mess. Iâm trying, but youâre the friend he wants. Talk to him.âÂ
Rhodey felt guilt twist through his stomach, tangled up with the same thrum of fear heâd been fighting off since the whole marriage exchange had happened. âYou sure heâll talk to me?â he asked skeptically, the words slipping out without his consent.Â
Steve made a pained noise. âYou two deserve each other,â he muttered before promptly stealing Rhodeyâs sandwich right off the plate in front of him. âGo. Talk to him,â he repeated before taking an enormous bite and walking right out of the kitchen.Â
Rhodey sighed. âWorst. Team. Ever.âÂ
***
He found Tony, surprise of surprises, in the lab. At least, he reasoned, he hadnât ruined that for him.Â
He still had full access, apparently, the doors opening for him automatically, but Tony didnât look up and so Rhodey hovered inside the doorway, tapping his knuckles against the frame. âTones?âÂ
âI know itâs you. JARVIS told me.â Tony flicked his eyes at him for a split second, but Rhodey couldnât help noticing that his expression was less angry and more sad and nervous.Â
âI, uhâŚâ Rhodey didnât know where to start or what to say. âI just wanted to make sure you were okay. I know we havenât seen much of each other the past few days.â
Tony looked up again, eyes wide. âIâm sorry,â he blurted out. âI know I freaked you out, and of course you wouldnât want to be married to me. Iâm really, really sorry. I promise, Iâll get over these feelings. Itâs just a crush, probably⌠Maybe⌠Well, Steve said--.â He cut himself suddenly, skin flushing. âWell, anyway. I mean weâre, weâre still friends thirty years later, right? And you donât know how future me feels, so I must have gotten over it, or at least used to it, or adjusted at some point, right? I promise, I wonât make it weird, just⌠Youâre my best friend. Please donât go.âÂ
Rhodey blinked, across the room and beside Tony before he was even conscious of the movement. Tony had dropped his eyes back to the table in front of him, but Rhodey caught him by the upper arms, pulling him away so they were facing each other. âWhoa, whoa, hey. First of all, Iâm not going anywhere, Tones. Not ever. Second of all. What??âÂ
Tony gave him a pained look. âCome on, Rhodey. I know youâve been avoiding me.âÂ
âBecause⌠I thought⌠Tony, you thought we were married. And I⌠Thatâs on me. The truth is.â He drew in a long breath, ignoring the pang in his stomach at the thought of confessing. âThe truth is, Iâve had feelings for you for a long time. Like three decades worth of a long time. And obviously I was doing a shit-ass job of hiding them, so I just⌠I just thought you might want some space.âÂ
Tony was staring at him, face unreadable. âWhat?â Then he shook his head frantically. âNo, no, no! Rhodey, are you kidding? Iâve been crushing on you for so long. Since⌠Well, since we met, really. I walked into the dorm room and you were wearing this old, thin t-shirt and it was so tight around your biceps and I kinda melted a little, and IâŚâ He winced a little, coughing to clear his throat. âWell anyway, thatâs kind of too much information, but the point is⌠The point is, Iâm into you too. And then, when I saw the photos, and the videos, and there were all the other little things. You kept touching me, and looking at me, and you said that being gay was accepted now, and I guess I just⌠I wanted it to be true so I totally misread the situation.â
He ran out of steam then, going quiet as he stared at Rhodey, and for a minute Rhodey just stared back, feeling a little like he might pass out. âOh,â he said faintly. âOh, shit.âÂ
Tony smiled at him, soft and tentative. âYou⌠you like me too?â he asked, hopeful and nervous like Rhodey hadnât just said as much.
Rhodey grinned, feeling like he was buzzing with happiness. âTony, I am completely and absolutely in love with you,â he told him, watching as the biggest grin bloomed across Tonyâs face in response.Â
âI, umâŚâ He ducked his head a little. âIâm a little in love with you too.âÂ
Rhodey arched an eyebrow at him. âJust a little?âÂ
Tony rolled his eyes at him. âShut up.â
âCome on, man. Get on my level.âÂ
Tony snorted, the sound turning into a full-on laugh. âYour level?â he replied. âWe just confessed our undying love and you havenât even kissed me yet.âÂ
âOh, really?â Rhodey focused all his attention on Tony, watching as his tongue darted out to swipe over his lip a little nervously. âThat what youâre waiting for?âÂ
Tony shrugged, trying to play cool. âMaybe,â he offered, like it was no big deal, but his fingers were fiddling anxiously. Rhodey shrugged.Â
âAlright then.â He moved forward, covering Tony's hands with his his to still their nervous twitching. Then he shifted one hand to curl around the back of his neck, stroking his thumb over his skin. Tony stared up at him with those big, beautiful eyes, lips parted slightly in anticipation, and Rhodey grinned at him before closing the distance between them and kissing him gently. Tony almost immediately melted against him, hands shifting to grab at Rhodeyâs hips, clutching them tight as his lips parted and Rhodey deepened the kiss. He slid his hand down Tonyâs back, pulling him in close, and grinned at the startled, pleased noise Tony made against his mouth.Â
They were both breathing hard when he pulled back again, curling his other hand around his neck so he could stroke his thumbs over his pulse points. âThat good, baby?âÂ
Tony blinked at him a couple times. âHoly shit,â he breathed, eyes round and huge. âThat was⌠Holy shit.âÂ
Rhodey smirked at him. âWhat? Donât tell me you donât remember kissing.âÂ
Tony gave him a mock glare. âOf course I remember kissing! But it was never like... That. Jesus Rhodes, whereâd you learn to kiss like that?âÂ
Rhodey couldnât help laughing, shaking his head and ducking his head to give Tony another quick kiss. âPractice,â he told him, waggling his eyebrow.Â
âYeah? Wanna go upstairs and practice some more?âÂ
âSmooth, man.â Rhodey laughed harder, not wanting to admit how much Tonyâs terrible line delighted him. He hummed consideringly, and then yelped when Tony pinched his side. âCome on, like Iâm going to turn down making out with you.âÂ
Tony beamed at him. âAnd then, maybe, you could⌠Stay? Even if we donât do anything. I Just⌠I missed you the last couple days.âÂ
Rhodey slid his arms down over Tonyâs back, pulling him in and hugging him tight. âI like the sound of that.âÂ
***
They ended up stretched out on Tonyâs massive bed, stripped down to boxers and t-shirts. Tony was sprawled out on top of him, making contented little noises against Rhodeyâs mouth as they made out lazily for what felt like hours. Rhodey was particularly fond of this angle, as it let him drop his hand down to Tonyâs ass and squeeze whenever he felt like it. The little giggle that Tony had made the first time was Rhodeyâs new favourite sound.Â
âHey,â Tony pulled back, blinking at Rhodey with sleepy eyes. âYou know what we should do?âÂ
Rhodey hummed, running his hands over Tonyâs back. âWhatâs that?âÂ
âYou should take my virginity.âÂ
Rhodey burst out laughing, tipping them onto their sides. He shook his head, beaming at Tony. âOkay, I know for a fact that youâre not a virgin, even at your memory age, or whatever.âÂ
Tony gave him a scandalized look, but he was laughing now too. âNot for butt stuff!â he insisted. âIâve never done that!âÂ
Rhodey laughed harder. âOkay. The fact that you just called it butt stuff? Means weâre not fucking doing it tonight. Or at all, until you get your memories back.â
Tony giggled, pushing at Rhodey until he shifted onto his back, letting Tony snuggle up against his side. âFine,â he sighed, not sounding particularly upset. âWhat about blow jobs? Weâll split the difference! Iâve gotten them before, but Iâve never given them before⌠We can 69!âÂ
Rhodey snorted, wrapping his arms around Tony. âYouâre hopeless,â he informed him. He traced long fingers up and down his spine. âAlso, no. Itâs just⌠I get that you might be fully onboard--,â
âI fully, absolutely am,â Tony informed him, biting at his chest through his t-shirt just to be a shit.
âBut that doesnât mean that youâll feel the same way when you get your memories back.âÂ
Tony lifted his head to give him a skeptical look. âWell, I donât think thatâs likely to happen.âÂ
âProbably not. At least I hope not. But we wonât know for sure until you get them back. I donât know, Tones. Itâs a weird situation. Iâm just not totally comfortable with it.âÂ
Tony hummed. âThatâs fair,â he acknowledged. âAlthough, I do feel obliged to point out that you did just spend the last hour making out with me.âÂ
Rhodey shrugged. âHey man, Iâm only human.âÂ
Tony giggled again, settling in closer. âHey, youâre gonna stay though, right?â he asked, a little bit of nervous energy sliding into his voice again. âHere, I mean? Tonight?âÂ
Rhodey hummed, pressing his face into the soft curls on the top of Tonyâs head. âNowhere else Iâd rather be.âÂ
***
Rhodey woke up the next morning to bright laughter beside him. He rolled over to find Tony sprawled out on his back, laughing up at the ceiling. âWhat the fuck are you giggling at?âÂ
Tony turned to grin at him, and oh. âTones?â he asked, because that face was all his Tony. Well, every Tony was his Tony, but it was now Tony.
Tony smirked at him. âHey handsome. Guess who got their memories back.â Then he was shifting forward, kissing Rhodey with all his extra years of experience. âGod, your morning breath is terrible,â he informed him, still grinning.Â
âYours isnât exactly candy floss,â Rhodey replied automatically, setting Tony off laughing again. âOkay, laughing at the man you just kissed isnât a great start.âÂ
âItâs not that!â Tony said quickly, sliding a hand up under Rhodeyâs t-shirt to splay his hand out over his abdomen. âItâs just... â He snorted. âThe spell. Itâs so fucking stupid, but the key to getting my memories back? True loveâs kiss.â He buried his face in Rhodeyâs chest, body shaking with laughter. âWeâre such cliches, baby.âÂ
Rhodey grinned, running his fingers through Tonyâs hair. âI wouldnât expect you to be so pleased by that idea.âÂ
Tony lifted his head to give him a dopey grin, shrugging a little. âI donât know. Nothing in my life has exactly been what youâd call normal. If it means youâre my one true love, absolutely, I kind of like the idea of being a cliche.âÂ
Rhodey felt his face go soft and soppy. âYouâre the sweetest damn thing Iâve ever seen,â he said, earning him an eye roll even as a pleased smile crossed Tonyâs lips.Â
âShut up,â he muttered, before wriggling his way down Rhodeyâs body. âNow, about those blow jobs you promised meâŚâ
@tonystarkbingo
#tonystarkbingo2020#tsb2020#ironhusbands#tony stark#james rhodes#steve rogers#memory loss#canon divergence#fluff#hurt/comfort#fic#my fic
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Title: The Pirate Queen Pairing: Kacchako Part 1 Rating: T Word Count: Â 4,017 Summary: Admiral Bakugou Katsuki is tired of the "Pirate Queen", Uraraka Ochako eluding him and his captains. Slowly, she becomes all he can think about. But only because he vows to chase her down and capture her once and for all.
AO3
This is for the @kacchakosecretsanta event for @intheafterall !! I did a pirate AU! With Pirate!Ochako and Admiral!Bakugou I hope you enjoy this!! This is part 1/4 and all of it is written I just split it up to be an easier read. Thanks to @liziscribbles for betaing!
The knife slammed down into the table, tearing through the map. Smacking both of his hands against the table, Bakugou growled in frustration.
"The fuck are you idiots doing!?" he snapped.
Neither of the young officers wished to answer, too scared of the wrath they were certain to incur. Bakugou's red eyes immediately narrowed, his fingers trembling with rage as they dragged along the map and slowly curled into fists.
"Admiral..." Kirishima began softly. "You know how she is... we-"
"Let me fucking guess... you tried," he hissed. "You tried to catch her, even though the spot was marked perfectly on the map. Our informant gave us all the damn information you needed."
"W-We're starting to think they might not be as reliable as we think. Or... she's feeding information purposefully," Kaminari stammered.
"I should've gone my fucking self. I've got fucking Todoroki breathing down my neck. This pirate situation isn't getting any better and the last thing I need is him questioning what the hell we're doing over here!"
Bakugou flipped the back of his jacket up as he took a seat in the chair and rubbed his forehead. "This is the fourth time we've failed," he growled. "What the hell is happening?"
"Her ship is fast," Kaminari explained. "It's like it floats on water!"
"I know what her fucking ship is like," Bakugou hissed. "I still don't know where the hell it came from, but I know it's fast."
"Her crew is strong. Talented. They're the best of the best! I would almost guess you trained them yourself, they're so strong!" Kirishima snorted.
Bakugou's grip on the chair tightened. "Do you want me to pull my pants down so you can kiss my ass harder, Captain?" he hissed and Kirishima's face turned as red as his damn hair.
"N-No..." he stammered.
"I mean... they call her the Pirate Queen for a reason," Kaminari added.
"I don't care what people call her. I will dethrone her and behead her for all to see. No pirates will roam my waters," he hissed.
"Well... technically the waters belong to the Prince," Kaminari hummed softly.
"Does the ocean really belong to anyone?" Kirishima asked, tapping his finger against his chin.
Bakugou grumbled, squeezing his hands against the arms of the chair. "I'll kill you both..."
"S-Sorry, sir..." Kaminari laughed softly, rubbing his hand against his neck.
"Gather your crew, Kirishima," Bakugou muttered, pushing himself out of the chair. He reached towards the map and grabbed his knife. "We're going after her."
"But Bakugou... we don't even know where she is anymore! No one hasn't sent word, and we've been unable to track her ship at all..." Kirishima spoke quickly, rushing his words as Bakugou brushed past him.
"I don't care. I will find her ship and destroy it. If we kill the 'Pirate Queen', we'll set an example for all to see. Pirating will not be tolerated by myself or the Prince..." he growled.
"Since when have you cared so much about what the damn Prince wants," Kirishima folded his arms. "It could be dangerous and costly to take a crew out if you don't know where you're going."
"His coronation is coming up..." Bakugou growled, tucking his knife away. "He's spoken openly about making the waters safer for travel and exports, and I don't feel like listening to him yell at me when we can't handle one puny pirate ship! The guy is annoying as fuck." He spoke the last words quietly. Slandering the Prince's name was something he knew he could get away with in front of these two, but didn't particularly care to get in trouble if anyone overheard.
"Right... but getting rid of her isn't going to get rid of all pirates," Kirishima said. "With... all due respect sir, I think we should consider waiting-"
"WAITING!? I'm tired of waiting for you morons to get shit done when I could've done it myself months ago!" he snapped.
She appeared seemingly out of nowhere... Uraraka Ochako was the name provided to him when Prince Todoroki Shouto's ship was attacked on return from visiting his fiancĂŠe, the Lady Yaoyorozu Momo. The Lady was meant to travel across the sea for the coronation ceremony, but the prince was hesitant to have her do so with so many pirates on the loose.
As Admiral of the Todoroki fleet... Bakugou was in charge of taking care of this problemânamely Uraraka Ochako.
Pirates existed before her, but most of them were far too scared of the Admiral's fleet to actually try anything. He was respected amongst his men, and considered one of the best Admirals the fleet had ever seen. He captured pirates and protected the seas. It was his duty to do so, and he did a damn good job.
But Uraraka Ochako was different. She laughed in his face, speeding around his ocean in her ship, which appeared to float atop the water.
And she was immediately dubbed the Pirate Queen, for being able to constantly outrun various ships in the fleet.
According to reports, she never actually killed anyone. She stole money, jewels, and treasure, but she rarely harmed a soul. How she could do that was beyond him. In fact, her whole being was mystery to Admiral Bakugou Katsuki. Though Kaminari and Kirishima were two of his most trusted comrades from his early days in the fleet, they continued to prove if Bakugou wanted something done correctly, he had to do it his damn self.
Indeed, Pirate Queen Uraraka Ochako never had to deal with the Admiral Bakugou Katsuki himself, and he was going to give her a helluva time.
"Get your crew together," he hissed again. Just thinking about her made him want blow some shit up.
"But..."
"Kirishima! Don't make me pull rank with you," Bakugou growled. "I will be getting rid of this... Pirate Queen once and for all!"
"I just really don't know if this is going to solve all the pirate problems we're dealing with..." Kirishima begged. "Let's at least try and get some word-"
"You're an idiot if you don't think I have some sort of plan." Bakugou snapped, cutting Kirishima off. He didn't wish to deal with the idiocy anymore.
Bakugou clenched his fists at his side. "She is the main problem⌠Uraraka... Ochako."
~~
The ocean breeze was always calm in the morning, her brown locks brushing over her round, pink cheeks. The salty air tickled her nose and she hummed softly, enjoying the relaxing sway of the boat while she lay in the crow's nest.
"Captain!" A frantic voice called out and she shot up, her hair tossed about every which way.
She blinked, realizing the sun was far higher in the sky than she initially realized and she probably shouldn't have been lazing around all day. She gently stroked her finger over the golden locket around her neck. No, she was never one for being lazy.
"Captain!" the voice repeated, "Are you up there!?"
"Ah! Deku!" she called back, leaning over the edge. "I'll be right down!" Leaping forward, she grabbed one of the ropes from the sail and swung down, her body twirling around the large mast as she dropped to the deck.
Deku blinked, watching as she stood up, looking completely unfazed. "You know you can just call me Ochako if you want," she said. "I know I'm technically your Captain, but at this point, it's safe to say we're friends."
"But... you're the Captain," Deku mumbled, biting his lip.
"Oh, you and Iida need to stop doing this," she snorted. "I know you're ex-navy but we don't have to be so formal here!"
"I know, I know, you always say this!" he chuckled.
"And one of these days you two will listen!" she giggled. "Anyway, what's up?"
"A-AH! Right!" Deku gasped. "The Prince's fleet... word is... Admiral Bakugou isn't happy with you."
Uraraka couldn't help but smirk. "The Admiral himself?" she hummed, rocking back and forth on her feet. The sash around her belt swayed against her leg and she hopped to the side, bouncing in her boots. "I guess he's finally tired of sending his crew out to do his dirty work."
"Well... according to my sources," Deku began, flipping through the log book he held, "it seems the Prince's fiancĂŠe will be traveling across the sea for his coronation and their wedding very soon."
Uraraka's eyes lit up. "Oh?"
"U-Uraraka..." Deku stammered, already disliking the look in her eyes. Her entire crew was familiar with that particular look...
"Deku! Don't you realize the kind of treasure that would be on those ships?!" she said, rubbing her hands together.
"The second Iida hears about this he's never going to approve," Deku sighed.
"Mmm. I'm the Captain of the Uravity!" she laughed. "Iida's gonna have to do what I say!"
"I know..." Deku said, twisting his lips to the side.
She clasped her hands behind her, walking to the edge of the ship. "I know it's risky," she whispered. "But think... of all the people we could help with that money."
Deku walked to stand next to her, watching the small waves gently lap against the side of their large ship. He pursed his lips, nodding. "Yeah I know."
"Other people deserve that money more," she said. "It's not like I think the Prince or the Lady are bad people. As far as rulers go, they seem very... kind actually. But why can't we distribute it more..."
"And this is why you're the Queen," he smirked, gently tapping his fingers against the book.
"Please, I'm not a Queen," Uraraka replied quickly, her pink cheeks flushing. She waved her hand back and forth. "Deku... I just want to help people, even if it's not the most, uh, legal way to do so!" she laughed. "This is... what I'm good at. Might as well embrace it right?"
Uraraka never expected to be the 'queen of the pirates'. In fact, she never planned on doing much of anything. As the daughter of poor farmers, she expected to inherit the land and work for her parents for her entire life.
However, it all changed when her village was attacked by a band of rogue pirates. They plundered the land, stealing everything from the poor. The only thing left from her village Uraraka owned was the small golden locket she wore around her neck. And, being the young girl she was, Uraraka was taken by the pirates.
Assuming she would be sold off, Uraraka wasn't going down without a fight. She impressed the captain at the time through her diligence and hard work as a kitchen girl and lookout. So instead, he took her under his wing.
Uraraka learned quickly to follow his instructions if she did not wish to die. She watched silently as they stole money and greedily hoarded it for themselves over and over. Poor folk were left even poorer, and Uraraka knew she couldn't let it stand.
She made a pact with herself; if this was to be her life, she would find a way to make it good.
When the captain finally died, Uraraka was one of the first to strike up her sword. After spending years practicing her swordsmanship skills, she struck down his crew, banishing them from what was now her ship.
The Uravity.
It was then she assembled her own crew of like minded people. Her mission was a simple one. They stole from the wealthy and gave it back to the poor. And though what they did was illegal, she knew it was also right.
It was why so many people chose to join her.
She smiled at Deku. "I just... want to do what's best for people like my parents. People who deserve to be... taken care of."
"I know," Deku nodded. "And while you may not consider yourself a Queen... we all know you're one of the kindest, most thoughtful people around."
"Maybe," she giggled. "But I still could go to prison!"
She turned her gaze back out the sea, watching the waves rise and fall gently. The open ocean was a strange entity. One moment it was like this, calm, soft rolling waves, and then next it could eat you alive with it's angry storms and thrashing waves. But, right now, enveloped by the salty sea air and bright sun, Uraraka never felt more alive.
This was her home. Her ship was a beautiful thing, and Uraraka had come to respect the water surrounding them. Even if she didn't technically choose this life, she like to think it chose her.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with what you do-well, okay..." Deku hummed, rubbing the back of his neck. "There are some things wrong but... I do think... helping people... even if you are stealing... is a good thing."
"Well... I don't ever want anyone to live like I did... like my parents did," she whispered.
"At this rate they won't," Deku said gently.
"Right!" Uraraka clapped her hands together. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my quarters. Got lots of planning to do! And tell Iida, I won't be changing my mind," she called out, waving to Deku as she hopped down towards the entryway to the living quarters. Knowing Deku, he probably wouldn't tell Iida a thing and by the time they approached the ships, well, it would be far too late to turn back.
She stepped into her quarters and placed her long jacket over the chair. She smoothed her hand over the map laying on her desk. "The Admiral, huh," she whispered. Was she really so infamous the Admiral had to come after her himself?
Uraraka had never met the man, but she heard stories. He was young, but he climbed the ranks with his sheer tenacity. He was apparently an unstoppable force, that she indirectly stopped. She couldn't imagine he liked her very much, and she reveled in the fact.
Going after the ships the Lady Momo would be traveling with was a risky move. Surely, she would be guarded by various navy ships. Thinking it over, Uraraka could only assume it would be a trap.
A smirk pulled across her lips. "All the more reason to go."
~~
"I don't like it," Todoroki huffed, folding his arms across his chest. "You'll be putting the Lady in direct danger. She is my fiancĂŠe and I wish for her to be protected."
Bakugou clicked his tongue. "We won't be putting anyone in danger. The entirety of the royal naval fleet will be there."
"And why should I have any faith that you can keep her safe when you haven't been able to catch this woman?" Todoroki stated bluntly.
Clenching his fists by his side, Bakugou bit down hard on his lip, not wanting to say anything rude to his Prince. Why the fuck was this asshole in charge?
Todoroki stepped down from his throne, glaring at Bakugou. "I need to get the Lady Momo here. We are to be married soon and I wish for her to be by my side during the coronation," he explained. "However, having her travel in this very public fleet doesn't seem like such a good idea. I don't... like it."
"I can assure you," Bakugou said, his voice slipping through his grit teeth, "nothing will happen to your woman. This is a good fuckin' chance to catch this bitch. Don't let me lose this opportunity Todoroki," he growled.
"Hm..." Todoroki hummed, pressing his finger against his chin. "I don't wish to put the Lady in danger, but I do recognize the problem this... Pirate Queen is causing," he sighed. "I believe the best solution would be to use a decoy ship. The Lady can travel in the smaller ship far behind the main fleet."
"You're not such an idiot after all," Bakugou muttered.
Todoroki was quick to roll his eyes. "I really shouldn't allow you to speak to the Prince like that-"
"Shaddup Half and Half!" Bakugou snapped. "I'm getting shit done for you, you should be fucking grateful!"
"Bakugou..." he muttered.
"We'll do the decoy ship plan. I'll send one ship with my strongest men to escort your woman, and the rest of them will follow the decoy. I'll stay with the decoy and finally take that bitch down."
A smirk pulled across his lips. What he didnât tell the Prince was that he thought Uraraka would be smart enough to guess this would be their plan. He would stay with the Lady and keep her safe himself. Todoroki didnât need to know Bakugou expected Uraraka to find Momoâs ship.
"I swear," Todoroki hissed, stepping towards him. "If anything happens to Momo because of your goddamn plan, I will kill you."
"Calm down," Bakugou said, rolling his eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to your damn woman!"
A sigh slipped from Todoroki's lips. "I really wish you wouldn't talk to your Prince like this."
"Oh shove it," he snarled, folding his arms across his chest.
Ignoring Bakugou's obnoxious behavior, Todoroki walked past him. "Everyone knows the Lady will be traveling to me. It isn't exactly hidden information. The 'Queen' will obviously go after the decoy," he lied quietly. "I do believe this is our best option for us both to get what we wish. Lady Momo will arrive on the mainland safely, while Uraraka Ochako is apprehended and taken into your custody.
"I will hang her and make an example of her for all pirates to see. I will not let her make a fucking fool of us any more," he hissed.
Todoroki raised his eyebrow. "A harsh punishment."
"Would you want me to spare her?!" he frowned.
"Not necessarily. Though I guess... I am curious what you think of the rumors."
"The fuck you talkin' about Prince" he asked angrily.
"They say she only takes treasure from wealthy ships, and apparently she redistributes the money among... poorer citizens. That's why they call her a Queen."
"What Queen has ever done shit like that?" Bakugou snorted.
"Touche," Todoroki nodded. "I wonder where her moral compass falls exactly. Apparently she hasn't even killed anyone."
"Does it matter?" Bakugou growled. "She's committing crimes! She's stealing! Shouldn't you be more concerned with this? Shattering your order or whatever the fuck?"
"Hm," Todoroki twisted his lips. "Maybe I should be. However, I am more concerned with violent pirates."
Bakugou resisted every urge to slap him. "I'm going to fucking kill her. She might be 'a good person', but that doesn't mean all pirates who follow after her will be as good," he hissed.
"...Keep Momo safe." Todoroki stated flatly. A tired sigh left his lips. "And if you catch Uraraka, do with her what you will."
"Oh, I fuckin' will," he growled, storming out to leave Todoroki alone in the throne room.
~~
"The Admiral probably thinks I'm not very intelligent," Uraraka began with a laugh. She ran her finger over the edge of her locket, pursing her lips.
Ashido raised her eyebrow leaning against the desk. "What makes you think that?"
"Well there's no way the Prince would simply send his Lady across the ocean so publicly. He's practically asking for her to be attacked!" she said.
Everyone was well aware of how much the Prince seemed to adore the Lady Momo. Though they were betrothed at a young age, the two seemed close and happy, at least to the public.
"I believe this grand fleet they've set up is a decoy."
"Well," Ashido sighed, "you did say the Admiral is out to get you."
"Mhm. I think he's trying to set up a trap. He probably plans to have one ship with guards following behind this main parade of ships," she said, pointing on the map where she believed the ships would be.
"I agree, it is obviously a trap." Iida said, moving his hand up and down rigidly. "I think we should avoid this altogether."
"Boooooring," Ashido snorted. "Ochako, why did you let these losers join our crew again?" she asked, leaning towards Iida to bop him on the forehead.
"Ashido! I would like to ask you to refrain from hitting me on the forehead," Iida scoffed, folding his arms across his chest.
"Because Iida and Deku are good people. They're both very intelligent and I trust their opinions," Ochako smiled.
"Yeah Mina, calm down," Sero teased, nudging her side.
"Do you plan to follow the smaller ship?" Iida asked, ignoring Ashido and Sero playfully arguing in the corner.
"Mmm..." Deku tapped his chin. "It might be a good idea to send another ship towards the main fleet as a decoy."
"But we don't have another ship," Ashido was quick to point out.
"If we had another ship, I would agree with you," Uraraka nodded, adjusting her hat on her head. "But as it stands we only have the Uravity. I don't want to involve another crew and have to potentially split treasure with them! Or have them take it for themselves..."
Admittedly, Uraraka wasn't very trusting of other pirates.
"Right..." Deku muttered sadly. "Then, we should head directly for the Lady Momo's ship. I do think it'll follow behind in case of ambush. It's most likely safer farther back."
"You're right," Uraraka said, and slid their small boat replica across the map, pushing it towards the back of the fleet she drew up.
"Do you think the Admiral will be with the fleet?" Sero asked, "Or will he stay with the Lady?"
Deku twisted his lips, looking deep in thought. Of her entire crew, Deku and Iida were the only two to actually have any sort of contact with the Admiral. Deku always spoke highly of him, though he also explained Bakugou never was very well liked in the fleet. "I don't know..." he admitted. "The thing is... he's very intelligent. It just depends on how smart he thinks you are, Uraraka. Given your history... I have a feeling he'll be with the Lady."
"Then we'll prepare for a battle," she said.
"I still say it might be best if we all... stay away from this. Other ships will be around and the navy will be completely distracted with this task... wouldn't it be a good idea to go after others right now?" Iida suggested.
"That would probably be the safe thing to do." Uraraka nodded sagely, then giggled. "But since when have we ever done the safe thing?"
"That's my girl!" Ashido cheered.
"Prepare the ship," Uraraka said. "We don't have much time and I want to be sure to make it to the ship route by dawn."
Iida rubbed his hands together. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"
"Positive," Uraraka nodded. "I'm not scared of the Admiral and I'm not going to back down from his very obvious challenge!"
"You are a brave woman, Uraraka," Deku stammered. "The Admiral is strong and a talented tactician. He's young and climbed the ranks due to his ruthless ways and intelligence."
"Yeah? Well... he could be an old fart and I'd still go after him," she giggled. "I'm not scared of him! We're the best pirates on this ocean, and I refuse to be scared off by some Admiral who has been too lazy to come after me himself until now."
Ashido laughed. "I know you're both kinda new here, so maybe you don't fully understand why Uraraka is the Pirate Queen?" she smiled, rocking back and forth on her feet. "But she's gonna kick the Admiral's ass. Just you watch." She winked, tossing her pink hair back over her shoulder, as she followed Uraraka out of the main cabin.
"You really don't have to call me a queen," she said, shaking her head, making her way towards the front of her ship. She wasn't scared; in fact the challenge really did excite her. Things had been getting a little boring as of late. "I will be showing The Admiral I'm a force to be reckoned with!" she smirked, looking out over her crew.
"Hoist the sails!"
And with Uraraka's command, they were off.
#kacchako#kss18#bakugou katsuki#uraraka ochako#BNHA#boku no hero academia#pirate AU#secret santa event#part 1 of 4#I'm sorry this is so long auewfijsd
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Trailer Reaction
My detailed thoughts and spec. Includes filming spoilers:
Rick: Itâs been awhile since weâve had one of these talks.
Heâs obviously talking to Negan. Snore. Iâm already sick of his ass.
Shot of Maggie in a white button up overlooking construction of the Hilltop. Still wears her wedding ring. :(
BABY RHEE!!!!!!! MY SKIN IS CLEAR! CROPS ARE FLOURISHING!
More Rick VO of him rubbing in how much better off they all are without Negan. Shots of Rick smiling at Judith frolicking in a field.
Next shot is of Richonne on horseback and Daryl on his bike riding into Hilltop. Supposedly Maggie is refusing to send food to the Sanctuary and Rick and Michonne have to come talk to her about it. Think it might be this scene.
Judith, Michonne, and Michonneâs AMAZING GUNS in a field growing shit:
Rick VO: Blah blah blah Negan u suck and we rock.
Walker. Rick and Michonne riding through the abandoned capitol, Rick takes out a walker with a mace and Michonne takes out another with her sword and AMAZING GUNS. *sn: this is the day I went to stalk the filming and spotted the AMAZING GUNS in person.
Shot of sexy AF Aaron strolling through a construction site. Heâs bearded and sweaty and in a tight shirt. Daryl is there. Later in the trailer they show a bridge thatâs been destroyed, Iâm guessing this is all the communities grouping together to build a new one.
Shot of Rick at the Sanctuary, telling them heâll give them what they need to get on their feet. Random Savior says âBless you Rick Grimes.â Iâm guessing this is when Rick finds out about Maggie starving the Sanctuary.
Shot of Zeke, Carol, Daryl, Sydney, Anne, Father G, Maggie, going into what looks like a museum. Walking over a glass walkway over a pit of walkers. According to spoilers Zeke falls through and nearly dies, Carol freaks out, he is rescued by Daryl.
Shot of Michonne using her AMAZING GUNS to lower an old wagon down the museum stairs. Sheâs aided by Daryl, Sydney, Carzekiel, Siddiq, Anne, Maggie, Father G, Rick, and Enid. Iâm guessing this is right before Zekeâs close call. We know they manage to get the wagon out since there were BTS shots of them driving it out.Â
Rick walks through a tent city. TSDF said that this was a group of Saviors whoâd abandoned the Sanctuary but I think itâs the construction site since we see Tara and Anne walk by.
Negan: blah blah blah Iâm a waste of carbon
Walkers.
Shot of a windvane. I point this out because it looks like it has âCOMMONWEALTHâ written on it. Easter egg/foreshadowing?
Old Man Rick in a rocking chair talking to Maggie. She gives a callback to Rick saying heâd be following her, but didnât. (sheâs wearing the same blue plaid shirt as the scenes in the capitol) Walkers. Maggie fighting walkers in a blue button up shirt over a white tanktop, wearing the same one when sheâs walking with Daryl down the road.
Rick at tent city/bridge construction site. Carzekiel are in the background snuggling by the fire (Carolâs wearing a light gray shirt)
Michonne tells Maggie sheâs out of line (Iâm guessing for starving the Saviors)
Who wore it better? Ha, trick question, the answer is Michonne.
Rick moving through tent city. Anne and Gabriel are hanging out in a tent, Arat and Laura the Saviors are being Sapphic, this shot of Rositaâs butt in these leggings made me gay:
JERRY AND NABILA!!! PURE!!! WHOLESOME!!! INVENTED LOVE!!!
Daryl punches Zach McGowan so hard he goes flying back into a tree. Carol emerges from the tent where Ezekiel was going down on her for hours last night (same gray shirt as when she was cuddling him by the fire) and tells him to stop beating up Captain Vane. Daryl does not stop, instead he picks up a frying pan and bashes him over the head with it.
Daryl VO talking about how back when they were a small group they could do anything. Badass guitar music kicks in. King Rick and Queen Michonne riding through Hilltop looking badass AF. Maggie in the same white button up looking Done and grabbing a wicked looking crowbar. Carol in her gray shirt walking through the woods with a knife raised. Daryl on his bike wearing his boyfriendâs bandana and throwing spears at walkers. Construction site lets loose a stack of logs to roll over some walkers. Rick fighting walkers at the site, in the background are Father G and Anne, Sydney, and Laura the Savior.
Rickyll in a dark, candlelit room having a loversâ spat. Henry gets in on the Captain Vane disrespect, using the sweet moves that Uncle Morgan taught him to beat his ass with a staff. An asshole Savior dares to lay his hands on Aaron. Wider shot of the same scene shows Daryl fighting Captain Vane right beside him.
Michonne looking radiant, saying that she doesnât know if âtheyâreâ ever going to forgive each other, followed by a shot of Richonne and Carzekiel walking through the Sanctuary. Spy pro-Negan graffiti. Guessing that Banksy prick is responsible. Asshole Savior who dared to harm Aaron is in a Mexican standoff with Carol. Jerry creeps in holding a gun to back her up. Rick looking pensive. Father G sees a drawing that Anne left him of what looks like the same woman implied to be his wife/GF in his introductory episode. Boots that look like Rickâs shown stumbling with blood dripping. Shot of Daryl sharpening his knife, and I wonder if thereâs an in-unverse explanation for his BBH logo tattoo.
Negan continues to waste my and Rickâs time talking.
Shot of the collapsed bridge with the group on one side. Looks like itâs on the way to or from the capitol since theyâre wearing the same clothes. Desus stand next to Richonne and Carzekiel. Anne looks creepy AF as she takes a helmet off a walkerâs head. Enid looks worried. Arat and (maybe?) Captain Vane erect a crucified walker to act as a scarecrow. Eugeneâs first appearance in the trailer, I did not miss him. Maggie and Jesus walk through Hilltop. The latter looks, like, distressingly beautiful. Heâs been working out, you can tell, and itâs fucking glorious. Group at the museum, walkers, crossbows, etc. Michonne at Casa Grimes looking at her sword. Tara looking through a pair of binoculars and giving a subtle middle-finger while doing so. Flock of crows taking off in a cornfield from Rick(?) and someone else. Daryl and Carol alone on a loading dock, she puts his head on his shoulder. Iâm guessing this is when they have the teased convo about their relationship, and Iâm hoping itâs based on comics!Rick and Michonne, where the former calls the latter his âbest friendâ and says he doesnât want her to be miserable.
Bridge construction. Rick on his knees out of breath, while behind him group including Dianne, Jerry, Daryl (still dual wielding), Eugene, and Carol charges. Shot of Carol unholstering her gun while the Kingdom squad backs her up. Anne on a walkie talkie with that damned helicopter in the background. Rickyl riding a motorcycle together. Shot of Alden, random Hilltopper, and Jesus looking solemn at Maggie under a scaffold. Spoilers say that the blacksmith Earl Suttonâs son is killed on the museum trip, Gregory gets him drunk and convinces him to attack Maggie, and when she finds out has him executed. Looks like Earl and Brett Butlerâs character are there as well. Girl fight between Rosita and Laura. Ladies, just kiss it out.
Anne returns to her junk yard. Graffiti that reads âfinal warningâ. Aaron-attacking-asshole-Savior signs his own death warrant and holds Carol hostage at knife point. Rick and Daryl get off the bike. Daryl looks like heâs having a tantrum. Walkers. Sydney struggles with a walker while Daryl uses the sweet moves he learned from Jesus to take out two walkers with his knives. Walkers menace an unconscious Rick. Maggie fights Gregory. Michonne takes out some walkers with the moonlight glinting off her AMAZING GUNS. More bickering Rickyl. Michonne finds what looks like Lucille but could be Rickâs mace.
MAGNAâS AMAZING GROUP OF LESBIANS YâALL. I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MYSELF.
The token dude/honorary lesbian says he was a music teacher. Magna is hot AF and says she waited tables at a truck stop. Connie is a beautiful Deaf woman who communicates via ASL that she was a journalist. Her butch girlfriend interprets for her. Quick shot of Yumiko, sheâs gorgeous. MAGNAâS AMAZING GROUP OF LESBIANS fights walkers and creeps into Casa Grimes.
Finally, Eugene and Rosita are running from a herd of walkers. They cover themselves in mud and lay still as they pass overhead. Hear a creepy voice whisper âWhere are they?â Eugene looks like he just shat himself.
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My Attendance Is Bad, But My Intentions Are Good
A/N: My last piece is for day 2 of @glaiveweek! Permission to write my Kingsglaive babies having a happy time. Written in Croweâs POV, because. My girl. Deserved. Better. :) Inspired by the entire team dynamic in Brooklyn Nine Nine (I want to explain this further but gosh I think it merits a different post) and governed by most of my headcanons with these cuties (again, to be explained probablyyyy on a separate post), so please expect lots of crack, shenanigans, a truckload of pop culture references, etc.Â
Ahhh and tagging some folks again: @eternallydaydreaming2015 @hypaalicious @louisvuittontrashbags @cupnoodle-queen @theyearofdiamonddogs @nifwrites @themissimmortal
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM Glaives, we have a situation.
Crowe was still awake in the comfort of her bed when she caught Nyxâs message in the Glaive group chatâone that Tredd renamed lil fuckaz for the heck of it earlierâand she followed the trail of messages that popped in her phone screen.
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM I know you guys wonât believe this but
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM Check the captainâs calendar
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM and get this: heâs free tomorrow
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM AND HEâS NEVER FREE
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM And then I remembered
Nyx Ulric 3:02 AM WHY OF COURSE
Luche Lazarus 3:03 AM yes nyx we know itâs the captainâs bday tomorrow
Crowe smiled at Nyxâs overeager message thread; knowing Nyx, she immediately assumed her good lad of a friend was somewhere in downtown Insomnia, drinking his stress away. Also, she didnât expect Luche to be awake at this hour. In any case, something about this conversation confused her. Apart from Nyxâs rowdy chat etiquette��which she was fairly used toâwhat bugged Crowe was her memory of things: she clearly remembered getting partied out a couple of nights back thanks to Drautosâs birthday party hosted by no less than the Glaiveâs personally-dubbed veteran party animal, Clarus Amicitia.
There was a brief minute of pause in the group chat commotion, and then:
Nyx Ulric 3:03 AM Nobody asked you Luche stfu
Nyx Ulric 3:03 AM Anyway. As I was saying.
Nyx Ulric 3:03 AM Yes, itâs the captainâs birthday tomorrow
Luche Lazarus 3:04 AM iâm willing to bet my ass youâre planning an outrageous surprise party
Nyx Ulric 3:04 AM You can bet your pasty ass i will and WE SHALL DO IT
Before Crowe could even chime in, Pelna already butted in the conversation, and started wrecking his own havoc:
Pelna Khara 3:05 AM count me the fuck in
Pelna Khara 3:05 AM iâll buy the cake
Pelna Khara 3:05 AM clarus didnât let me buy the book cake last Year :(
Pelna Khara 3:05 AM *boob
Pelna Khara 3:05 AM ***boobs
Pelna Khara 3:06 AM had to correct that so yâall know the cake was shaped as a pair of boobs not just one
Of course, where there was trouble, Crowe already thought that Tredd was close by, raring to add to this steaming pile of shenanigans.
And when Crowe saw his name pop into her screen, she grinned. When it came to her personal assessment of her friends, Crowe was always right.
Tredd Furia 3:06 AM lmao
Tredd Furia 3:06 AM iâll go buy the booze my fam
Tredd Furia 3:06 AM also is it just me or nyx is using punctuation marks or am i just 2 high
Nyx Ulric 3:07 AM Fuck you Tredd
Nyx Ulric 3:07 AM I was trying to drive a point
Pelna Khara 3:07 AM nah tredd just too high i can secondhand smoke your joint even from here
Tredd Furia 3:07 AM fuck u pelna :) :) :)
Nyx Ulric 3:07 AM Anyway thanks guys, weâll do this in briefing room A
Luche Lazarus 3:08 AM i didnât agree to the alcohol losers but whatever
Nyx Ulric 3:09 AM u scared daddyâs gonna dish out some disciplinary action, leader? ;)
Luche Lazarus 3:09 AM fuck u
Axis Arra 3:10 AM i canât believe tredd woke me up for this shit
Nyx Ulric 3:10 AM And Crowe, I know youâre awake I can see your tiny bubble just lurking in this convo
Pelna Khara 3:11 AM wow axis just responded to a group chat conversation
Pelna Khara 3:11 AM blessed be the stars
Tredd Furia 3:11 AM this surprise partyâs gonna be litttttt af
Nyx Ulric 3:12 AM hi there axis you and sonitus take care of the food
Axis Arra 3:13 AM ok
While the conversation rolled along, Crowe still had this nagging feeling that the entire arrangement was too⌠odd. Luche easily joining this nonsense was already out of the ordinary, but Axisâquiet and soft-spoken Axis Arraâreplying to this mess and just agreed to help organize this shitstorm? Crowe had seen her friends do strange things, but this one weirdly made her queasy. Not to mention, they have been acting rather funny around her these past couple of days. She stared at her phone screen, trying to rake her thoughts on that last party. She was definitely sure that party happened. She could still taste the acrid smoke from that sordid bar, and she could still remember hooking up with that heavily tattooed man whose name was the only thing that she lost in her nebulous memory.
Just when Crowe was about to protest for a clarification, another message arrived from Nyx:
Nyx Ulric 3:15 AM btw where tf is Libertus at
Luche Lazarus 3:15 AM Poor Libertus Ostium, he is missing action
Luche Lazarus 3:15 AM So now Iâm facing Nyx Ulric with his own faction
Pelna Khara 3:16 AM heâs very attractive in the north, Lucians like his chances
Tredd Furia 3:16 AM heâs not very forthcoming on any particular chances
Nyx Ulric 3:17 AM Gdi you all have been making hamilton references for a MONTH
Nyx Ulric 3:17 AM Can we get back to the task at hand please
Crowe sighed in exasperation as she scrolled away to more chunks of messages. Before the chat group could spiral into a new brand of trouble and out of its original topic, she finally managed to type her response:
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM libertus ran an errand with the crown princeâs advisor glasses boy
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM anyway
Nyx Ulric 3:19 AM THEREâS OUR FAVORITE MAGE
Pelna Khara 3:19 AM hi crowe moon of our lives
Tredd Furia 3:19 AM our khaleesi is here
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM you guys are fucking idiots
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM ANYWAY wasnât the captainâs birthday three days ago???
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM pelna you even posted photos on your instagram acct
Crowe Altius 3:18 AM With the caption âtoday the Big D was born let us rejoiceâ
Crowe sat up on her bed and waited for a reply, but she later realized that she just unleashed a treasure trove of disaster with her last statement:
Pelna Khara 3:19 AM hey u gotta love that caption
Tredd Furia 3:19 AM and u gotta love the Big D
Nyx Ulric 3:20 AM i know luche does ;)
Luche Lazarus 3:20 AM haha very funny nyx
Tredd Furia 3:22 AM hahahahahahaha nyx gdi i choked on my fucking beer
Pelna Khara 3:22 AM that was some mighty fine dish that got served
Luche Lazarus 3:22 AM u sure u didnât choke on some big d tredd :)
Tredd Furia 3:22 AM nope. but hey luche
Tredd Furia 3:22 AM ur ass is grass
Tredd Furia 3:22 AM and imma mow it
Axis Arra 3:23 AM eyyyy
Nyx Ulric 3:23 AM LMAO OK SEXUAL TENSION ASIDE
Nyx Ulric 3:23 AM Relax you guys
Nyx Ulric 3:23 AM I know we all love our big captain drautos so much
Crowe Altius 3:24 CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE ANSWER MY FUCKING QUESTION YOU BAGS OF HELPLESS DICKS
Pelna Khara 3:24 AM as you wish khaleesi forgive our brethren
Pelna Khara 3:24 AM to answer your question: yes, but that party was from the higher ups
Pelna Khara 3:24 AM his actual birthday is tomorrow
Pelna Khara 3:24 AM crowe my sun and stars trust me on this
Luche Lazarus 3:25 AM i can confirm pelnaâs statements
Tredd Furia 3:25 AM same
Axis Arra 3:25 AM ^^^
Sonitus Bellum 3:25 AM hi
Nyx Ulric 3:25 AM i confirm pelnaâs statements as well
As well? Nyx hated attaching that in any phrase, Crowe remembered, for reasons beyond her. Despite the groupâs typical rascally response, Crowe still felt skeptical about the whole affair. With reservation, she decided to give her overthinking head a rest and get along with their shady plan.
She quickly thumbed another message:
Crowe Altius 3:28 AM fine whatever
Crowe Altius 3:28 AM count me in
Crowe Altius 3:28 AM anything i need to do nyx?
She chewed on her lip, praying to the gods that she wonât be assigned with something out of her comfort zone, so she added:
Crowe Altius 3:28 AM and by anything, i mean anything except talking to the other commanding officers and anyone from the lucian council pls
Crowe particularly had a severe dislike talking with her other superiors, specifically Cor, Clarus, and even King Regis himself, after saying something completely inappropriate at a Kingsglaive gala two years prior. After that embarrassment, she sealed everyone outside of her Glaive circle for self-preservation.
The sudden inactivity in the chat group made Crowe want to throw another message for good measure, until Luche broke the momentary radio silence:
Luche Lazarus 3:33 AM more booze
Crowe Altius 3:34 AM right
Nyx Ulric 3:35 AM Youâre the best, thanks
Nyx Ulric 3:35 AM Letâs all meet tomorrow at 2pm sharp
Nyx Ulric 3:36 AM Iâll try to stall the captain to give us time for prep
Crowe sank back to her sheets and turned off her phone so she could finally get some decent shut eye without the distraction from the Glaive chat group. She stared at the ceiling, trying to quell the unusual excitement  that bubbled up in her chest, until it was brutally ambushed by a feeling that often creeped up on her whenever she started to enjoy any form of happiness.
On occasions such as these, Crowe wondered how celebrating birthdays would feel like. It was not as if she wanted to keep her birthday from everyone elseâshe just never knew what her actual birth date was. Having brought up as an orphan, she had figured that birthdays were only afforded to people living with their biological parents. Or people with legitimate paperwork. She had neither the luxury of those things. Sometimes, she would look at herself in the mirror, study her face, and scrutinize her chocolate brown hair, her brown eyes, and the angular structure of her cheekbones. Crowe thought that maybe, this was how her mother would have looked like, or her father...
Crowe groaned in disdain. She didnât need the pity party at this ungodly time. She pulled the sheets over her head as she promptly derailed the depressing train of thought, pressed her eyes shut, and forced herself to sleep.
Crowe did as she was told and brought additional liquor with her on her way to the Kingsglaive HQ. She was pretty certain that alcoholic drinks were prohibited around the Citadel premises, but no one seemed to have caught her, so she just casually marched on toward the hallway. She rounded into a corner, where she saw Nyx standing by the doorway leading to the briefing room, holding his phone close to his ear.
When he saw Crowe approaching, he tucked his phone in his jacket. Nyx nervously beamed, âHey there!â
Crowe raised an eyebrow out of suspicion. âWhat are you doing outside? Where are the others?â
Nyx answered, âWell, actually, theyâre on their way but Captain Drautos is already coming in any minuteââ
âWerenât you supposed to be the one to keep him occupied?â Crowe asked, narrowing her eyes at Nyx. She had a bad feeling about this.
Nyx held her by the shoulders. âYes, but change of plans. Look, can you please help holding off on the Captain for a whileââ
Crowe instantly shrugged his hands off. âNope.â
âPlease?â
âNot interested.â
âWith a cherry on top?â
âGods, Nyxâyou had one job.â
âAlright, fine,â Nyx ceased making any further effort, raising both his hands in casual surrender.
That was surprisingly easy, Crowe thought. If anything, Nyx was persistent, but this...
She let it slide. Crowe rolled her eyes and sauntered past Nyx. She opened the door andâ
âSurprise!â
The confetti exploded from the party poppers in myriad of colors, together with the booming voices of the rest of the Glaives. The entire open space of the briefing room was filled with familiar facesâLibertus, Pelna, and Tredd each had a Liâl Malbuddy balloon in their hands, while Axis, Sonitus, and Luche carried a Liâl Malbuddy plush toy. The walls were decorated with scarlet-colored streamers and rows of gold letter balloons.
It took a while for Crowe to register that the balloons spelled a Happy Birthday Crowe! which totally did not make sense to her at all.
âWait, whatâs going on? I thoughtâguys, is this a fucking prank?â She bewilderedly trailed off. She was about to lash out until she saw Captain Drautos walking towards her, which even added more confusion to this entire event. âCaptain?â
Drautos shook his head and addressed the Glaives. âYou fools, I told you she wouldnât get it if I didnât give this to her first,â he casually smacked Nyx at the back of the head. They all burst out laughing. âAnyway, itâs because of thisââ
The captain handed a brown envelope to Crowe, which she flipped open. Inside was a record, a file with her full name and her⌠birthdate.
Crowe gasped and croaked out the words in disbelief. âWait, todayâs⌠my birthday?â
âWe found your records with Clarusâs help,â Drautos explained. âI regret ever mentioning it to Nyx as soon as I found outâthe word spread like wildfire among your peers. It was a surprise that you didnât find it out, with Nyx being a loudmouthed idiot. Anyway, the Glaives thought of throwing you a surprise party since youâve never celebrated your birthday with us beforeâor uh, Iâm sorry, I mean, itâs not that you didnât wantââ
âItâs fine, sir,â Crowe stared at the file she was holding. There it was, written in permanent ink: full details of her birthplace and birthdate. It didnât disclose any info on her biological parents, but Crowe couldnât care less. She read and reread, helplessly trying to wrap her head around all of this, until all she could say was: âThank you. Really, guys, thank youâbut wait. That thing in the chat wasâŚâ
âThat was actually Nyx about to spill the beans with his drunken little mouth,â Pelna admitted, stepping closer with the Liâl Malbuddy balloon hovering above his head. The rest of the Glaives followed, gathering around Crowe. Pelna continued, âI was with him so I had to punch him right in the mouth for being dumb. We had a different chat group specifically for Operation Crowe. We humbly thank the gods that Luche was just smooth enough to save that conversation and we all had to improvise to throw you off the scent.â
âWell, someone had to keep you guys in check so youâre welcome,â Luche smugly added. âAnd by the way, you gotta thank the crown princeâs advisor for this merch. He tipped us off on where to find these.â Luche, Axis, and Sonitus rewarded Crowe with the Liâl Malbuddy plushies.
âYou guys were⌠all together in this?â Crowe asked, and strangely enough, she was genuinely touched by the idea that everyone joined for this effort. She wanted to squeeze everyone into a hug and beat them all up for giving her feelings.
âOf courseâeverything for our little sister,â Nyx grinned, slinging an arm around Croweâs shoulders.
âDonât make me claw your eyes out,â Crowe said, elbowing him on his side that Nyx winced in pain.
âWhatever. Happy birthday, munchkin,â Nyx hugged Crowe. With the thought finally sinking in, tears of utmost happiness began to threaten her eyes. She wanted to punch herself in the face for wanting to cry.
Crowe looked curiously at Nyx, still controlling herself with her happy tears. âSo is this why you guys have been acting weird for the past days?â
âSee, I told you guys sheâll notice,â Libertus remarked. âNow, give her the damn cake before she starts crying!â
âIâm not crying! Thereâs just, I donât know, a rock in my eye...â Crowe sniffed, and the rest of the crew laughed.
Libertus playfully shoved Nyx away from Crowe and wrapped her into a big bear hug. âHappy birthday, Crowe.â
âThank you guys so much,â Crowe said with a teary-eyed smile on her face.
Roaring fits of laughter bellowed around the room when Pelna finally brought out a ghastly dick-shaped cake with a candle sitting at its tip.
Tredd announced, âSo I know Pelna promised a boob cake, but Luche wanted the Dââ
âIt was the only cake available, asshatââ Luche interrupted with a sneer. Everyone was still laughing at the atrocity of the confection in front of them.
âSorry Luche, the Dâs not for you,â Pelna teased. âGive this one a blow, baby girl.â
âOh my god, I hate all of you!â Crowe laughed and cried. When it came to the business of brewing the finest hilarity and crazy antics, Crowe couldnât trust anyone else aside from her comrades.
Everyone joined in and sang her an equally cheery and drunken happy birthday. And on occasions like these, Crowe found it difficult to permit herself to relish the happiness. But in the company of the people Crowe now considered as family, she finally didâand there was no place in Eos that she would rather be.
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Scroll through your manuscript with your eyes closed. Whichever phrase your cursor lands on is the âtitleâ for your story. Do this eight times for fun. Â
so i know that this meme is just for writing possible book titles but then i saw  some of yall putting in lines from your fics? rebellious, i like that. sooooo im gonna do both lmao (which works out tbh cuz i have no clue what to name this particular fic so this could be useful!) also idk if im doing this right bc hey this is me weâre talking about
1. Unforgiving Elements
The doctorâs figure loomed in the window pane, like an old oak, hunched and defeated from years battling unforgiving elements.
2. Every Ounce of Their Dwindling Strength
The fate of his crew had Harry on silent edge. Every man had a purposeâ but even more than that, they each represented manpower. And every ounce of their dwindling strength was needed.
3. Spat Empty Threats (In the Most Literal Sense)
Harry drummed his fingers, lips spread in an amused grin as he pictured the portly governor clear as day. Round cheeks and button nose red as apples, sweaty skin wrinkled with fury as his jam and crumb crusted lips spat empty threats (in the most literal sense).
4. The Lip of the Bottle
Uma looked up from the book, watching him with a disapproving frown. âSpeaking of stewed,â she muttered. âHave have you eaten?â
âNo,â said Harry, curtly.
âYou ought to know you shouldnât drink on an empty stomach.â
âAnd, pray tell, why do you say that?â
âThe doctor makes himself a tankard of taplash every other morn. Shoots the cat before the cock crows, every time.â Her lips pulled into a grimace as something passed in her memory. âAnd sounds louder than a flock squabbling over a nearby fox.â
Harry snickered into the lip of the bottle. âTell him he holds his drink as well as a babe holds its piss.â
5. Coins Spilled From His Pockets
Sprawled besides him was a rival pirate. Coins spilled from his pockets, and bottles of medicine (broken as well as intact) laid around them. They heard the space between the floorboards guzzle the spilled alcohol.
6. Â A Wad of Blood
âIn the cabins, Captain.â Gonzo said, leaning against the shipâs railing. He hacked and spat up a wad of blood, then wiped his mouth. Â âMakin âimself a crutch. Knee looks like a ripe tomato set to burst.â
7. The Dead Manâs Wide Eyes Faced the Heavens
A word rumbled in his throat, hot and acidic.
âVermin.â
And as if it left an acrid taste in his mouth, he gave a great hawk and spat on the body.
The dead manâs wide eyes faced the heavens, uncaring of the phlegm running down his cheek like a foul tear.
8. The Lotmanâs Morning Tea
âWhat in heavenâs name is that?â She asked, her face pinched as if he were quaffing mud.
Harry ended his pull with a long, content sigh. âThe lotmanâs morning tea.â He took notice to the curious gaze she directed at the bottle and smirked.
âCare for a wee taste?â He whispered.
so these are all from a v e r y l o n g historical au huma wip im working on /cries in colonial american while wiping tears with an oxford english dictionary/ i donât think iâll actually use any of these for the official title but i kinda like em as chapter titles! (esp 1, 7 & 8)
thank u @eatingjesysass for making my slacking ass feel relevant and tagging me lol it was fun
i tag @whats-a-queen-without-a-king and anybody else who wants to join the huma party tag!
#book title meme#harry hook#uma#huma#clumsykeyboardclicking#God ik i look stupid reposting this but i didn't tag properly the first time and idk if anything happened when i tried to edit so....#SORRY
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All 60 asks~!
get to know me, pick some numbers. 1. selfieNone ATM, but youâll see my face when I con update, (pro procrastinating on that haha)â¨2. what would you name your future kids?Iâm trying to get a new baby Guinea pig from a friend and Iâm gonna try to name it Roadie, if that shows anything haha (Iâm never gonna have human children, but other animals probably haha)â¨3. do you miss anyone?Tbh is this even a question? When donât I miss someone haha, yeah.. Kinda tbhâ¨4. what are you looking forward to?Cons, moving out, making more money, just chilling with the only person I ever really hang out with anymore hahaâ¨5. is there anyone who can always make you smile?Yeah like one or two people, one and probably the most important one and the one of them being the cool ass mf who sent me this ask c;â¨6. is it hard for you to get over someone?Depends on alot of variables recently â¨7. what was your life like last year?Lonely, terribly quite, have really no one, maybe like two people, and they kinda just became by closest and probably most reliable (in the best kinda ways) friends Iâve ever had..â¨8. have you ever cried because you were so annoyed?Yeah I think? I bottle up alot of my emotions. So when I get annoyed enough to cry. Itâs that one thing that sent me over the breaking point and everything just happens in one big messy fit. Itâs gross. â˘-â˘â¨9. who did you last see in person?Besides my immediate family (I see those annoying fucks everyday so they donât really count I love them but eh) ummm I think it was this really cool guy, his name is Jay, I tag him in a ton of shit, yeah heâs really awesome!~ and my fave, but yeah I saw him for a con and it was amazing!~â¨10. are you good at hiding your feelings?Idk some people say they canât tell certain emotions. Or they donât notice them, others say the exact opposite, it all depends on the people and emotionsâ¨11. are you listening to music right now?Nope shockingly, Iâve been jamming out to my old childhood anthems these past few days hahaâ¨12. what is something you want right now?Probably to just chill with someone, just kinda cuddle with someone and watch movies and conspiracy YouTube videos tbh haha maybe do some other cool shit with? Idk but that would be nice haha, and money to pay off some people haha,â¨13. how do you feel right now?Kinda lonely, a little tired, but over all calm and just veggin out doing nothing hahaâ¨14. when was the last time someone of the opposite sex hugged you? Two weeks ago I gave my friend Amanda a hug good bye, I ran into her at the fireworks show down the street from my apartmentâ¨15. personality descriptionYikes, a mess. Iâm a scrappy cinnamon roll with a low key Lex Luther complex đKinda explains why I want to legally change my name to Alyxxander⌠Hmmm hahaâ¨16. have you ever wanted to tell someone something but you didnât?Tbh yeah, thereâs lots of shit Iâd love to say but donât, wether for their protection or my own, sometimes some things are better left for better times or just never saidâ¨17. opinion on insecurities.Theyâre shit and we all hate them tbh but as long as you can find ways to get past them and have friends that support you and beat those insecurities down rather than make them worse, all is good!~ â¨18. do you miss how things were a year ago?I donât really know, like maybe some things, but tbh not much is really too different from last year. Thereâs a few things different hut tbh idk if thatâs a good or bad thing anymore. I donât really know hahaâ¨19. have you ever been to New York?State: yes, a few times, passing through and Iâve been to Buffalo.City: passed through but didnât stay. Iâd love to go one day thoughâ¨20. what is your favourite song at the moment?hooked on a feeling (I make snapchat memes from that song haha,)â¨21. age and birthday?18 and May 28th!~â¨22. description of crush.A have a few key words. L E G S. E Y E S. S M I L E. has the tiniest flatest butt, but I love it and think itâs real nice!~ ( Tbh doesnât have the flatest ass out of all my friend group, but put of my closet friend group does XD) and once itâs relevant again H A I R. (( gee golly guys, I wonder who I described???)) hahaâ¨23. fear(s)Hahah many. Mostly personal ones but one Iâll be alright making a public one. Never being able to be there for my friends or those I care most about in any way at all.. Or to constantly cause them pain in some way.. â¨24. height5'5/ 5'6? Itâs been a while since I last got my height checked â¨25. role modelProbably Chris Evens, that gorgeous man, heâs the true captain frickin America â¨26. idol(s)I have alot but I canât think of any of them ATMâŚâ¨27. things i hateMany things.. But tbh just when people take credit for shit other people do, when someone bitches about how they should get something when theyâve literally done jack shit to get it, or when people act like a total douche just because something wonât go their way, wether it be a giant thing or the tiniest fucking thingâŚâ¨28. iâll love you ifâŚEnjoy my forms of affections, I enjoy lots of hugs and cuddling kinda stuff.. Haha that or if we can do cool shit together and just be open enough to connect on some form of level. You gotta have the vibes man, ya know?â¨29. favourite film(s)The Danish Girl Lots of horror movies Any Tim Burton film The crow â¨30. favourite tv show(s)Voltron Steven UniverseAnd a bunch of old cartoons from when I was a kidEspecially invader ZimOmfg that was my shit â¨31. 3 random facts1.) Iâm complete total trash, I named my most recent animals after overwatch characters, I have 6 now, 3 Guinea pigs (Dva(f) Aki(m) Oreo(m)), 2 gerbils (Mercy(f) Widow(f)), and a mouse heâs Junkmouse heâs such a Sweetie!~ and heâs teeny!~That awesome guy that sent the ask, Jay, yeah his idea with naming junkmouse and then I just kinda couldnât help but keep it going cause it just fit too well, soon Iâm gonna run out of names I know it haha
2.) I feel like this should go out, cause this wasnât on the ask lost but it should be hahamy favorite color is blue, but the color I feel with is usually yellow or orange
3.) Iâm really into witchcraft and things associated, and I want to get better at it hahaâ¨32. are your friends mainly girls or guys?Ehhhhh, even cause I can only think of the three people I converse with the most or at all, I have one friend who identifies as female, another who identifies as female(I think) idk sheâs a all over the place, and then one who identifies as male, so itâs kinda even but leans more towards femalesâ¨33. something you want to learnMany things, mostly how to be a better friend, every language I can get for free on my Rosetta stone app, and ASL, â¨34. most embarrassing momentEhhhhh thereâs two but theyâre insanely personal hahaâ¨35. favourite subjectArt. Science. Spiritual/religious shit. Sociology. Animals. Games. Shows. Conspiracy shit. Scary spooky shit. haha (Iâm not in school anymore so these are just random things I talk alot about haha)â¨36. 3 dreams you want to fulfill?1.) like to visit Asia or at least one other country over seas2.) get better at art or photography and maybe make a job out of it3.) just make it through life and enjoy what I can about itâ¨37. favourite actor/actressActors: Johnny Depp, Allan Rickman, Eddie Redmaine.Actress: Helena Bonham Carterâ¨38. favourite comedian(s)Adam Grabowski (seriously check this guy out, heâs a riot, the Disney princesses skit he does, one of the best, if not check out the board games one, 10/10)â¨39. favourite sport(s)Swimming and hiking are what I count as sports and I barely even do those tbh.. Sleeping and see how long I can stay in my house uncovered by society are my true sports. Tbh I went out for fireworks, and a con so far this summer, Iâm doing great haha.â¨40. favourite memoryOoo idk any right now hahaâ¨41. relationship statusSingle Pringle, but Iâm stick in the can, cause I ainât ready to mingle. I got my eyes set on someone even if it wonât happen. But itâs nice to try at least c:â¨42. favourite book(s)I used to have one but I canât think of it off the top of my head, I used to be hella into the Percy Jackson series though, Rickâs a good author haha â¨43. favourite song everYikes, I donât know dude hahaâ¨44. age you get mistaken forEhhhhh either 14/15 or like 20/21 so not entirely off but like Iâm either hella legal or hella illegal XDâ¨45. how you found out about your idolI donât really know, â¨46. what my last text message saysI K R ! ! ! ! ! ! LIKE SEE!!!â¨47. turn onsMmm not sure, but Iâm up to find out physical ones c; haha but in all seriousness, just consent, respect, and open minded vibes. Just of I get the right vibes off you.â¨48. turn offsI donât get the right vibes off you.Really extremely bratty kids. Rich or not. Just bratty ass kids. And people who have no shame or humility â¨49. where i want to be right nowTbh, my own apartment, either chilling with a close ass bud, or maybe traveling around, just somewhere else that seems more exciting or comforting.â¨50. favourite picture of your idolN/aâ¨51. starsignGemini!~ hahaâ¨52. something iâm talented atIâve heard??? Iâm good??? at art??? And then I have negative ones but Imma keep those put of here ahaha, but Iâm good at art??? And cooking??? /baking??? From what Iâm told hahaâ¨53. 5 things that make me happy1.) My pets2.) Not being bothered when in playing my games/ When my house only has yours truly scurrying around the place3.) food, and chilling with a good show or movie4.) getting to chill with my friends and do cool ass shit,5.) getting the chance to give cheesy ass affections, whether itâs platonic or not, I LIKE TO SNUG ALRIGHT!?!?!? SNUGGINS ARE WHAT MAKE THIS WORLD GO FUCKING ROUND MAN LIKE SHIT.(Imma throw in a sixth one cause this is important)6.) getting to get turnt with some good friends and the Devils sweet green grass when I have the chance, (GONNA FOR MY MED CARD SOON B, HMU IâM EXCITE)â¨54. something thats worrying me at the momentTwo things, money (always), screwing shit up beyond the point of no return with my closest friend.. â¨55. tumblr friendsI got like three? One of which is the only one I ever tag, or talk to haha, thatâs this cool dude at the very top of this post here, yeah him!~ that little stud!~ c:â¨56. favourite food(s)All?????????â¨57. favourite animal(s)Ehhhhh, all?????????But mostly cats, and my pets haha â¨58. description of my best friendEhh mm, Well Iâll do my two closest friends ATM, Ok one super chill dude, described him a bit at the top, heâs got LEGS alright, and those eyes, fucking end me haha, but yeah, heâs really awesome, but hell heâs super complex, and thatâs probably the coolest thing about him, heâs on a whole bunch of other levels my guy
Then the second one, sheâs cool, sheâs pretty quite, but low key really adventurous and pretty open minded and grounded, but sheâs a cancer. So thereâs that⌠Haha sheâs reliable tho, sheâs been there since kindergarten, so I feel bad not giving her a little credit.â¨59. why i joined tumblrMostly for my childhood friend Liz, but I didnât know how to use this god forsaken site, but I found a new reason to back in like sophomore/ junior year, cause again Jay XD. I needed my daily fix of memes and this guys got the best quality memes alright? He is the meme king!!!~ XD â¨60. ask me anything you wantN/a
Thanks my guy!!!~ it was fun answering all the asks!~ (even if I lost them like five or six times haha)
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