#every time there’s a science event the people who set it up complain at him and try to get him to drop his restraining order against Norman

[theshadowrealmitself]

Fell asleep last night thinking about an au where Norman recovers from being the Green Goblin, but he ended up doing some really creepy stuff beforehand including attacking Peter as he was Peter Parker and not Spidey and then keeping him locked up for several days (Peter ends up with a few scars from it)

Norman avoids any jail time because he’s rich and revealed somewhat of the truth, that a medicine he was working on for himself had terrible side effects, no one knows about him being the Goblin, they only know about him attacking Peter

Peter is able to successfully get a restraining order against him tho, but Norman’s a jackass who keeps hanging out on the fringe of the distance he’s supposed to be at and speaking/yelling at Peter, stuff like “when you finally forgive me and drop this restraining order, I’ll be here with open arms,” and “Uncle Ben wouldn’t want you to hold this hate in your heart” and because of the previous mentioned richness, Peter can’t do anything unless Norman steps too closely

And tbh Peter mostly got the restraining order because he was worried it would look suspicious if “Peter Parker” didn’t seem too badly affected by things, since he was used to being attacked by Norman as Spiderman

But now that he’s keeping Norman away, even if he still hangs around, and he has visible scars from it that everyone can see, and everyone knows about the court case and what happened and keep asking him if he’s okay, he’s…starting to acknowledge that it all was traumatizing, not just the kidnapping event but the whole thing with the Green Goblin, that he was just pretending it wasn’t because he’s a hero, and people seeing how badly it’s been affecting him is actually healing in a way

[dr-drckken]

The Rumor || Self Para

As planned, Drakken befriends Swynlake Secondary's drama teacher to get the dirt on Prickly.

As many things as there was at the secondary school that could be considered odd the one most people had been paying attention to the past few weeks had been one of the science teachers cozying up to the drama teacher. Even more so since that science teacher was Dr. Drakken, who had been in a noticeably worse mood than ever before this spring semester. 

Drakken had started the process on a Tuesday during his and Darbus’ lunch period because he knew she would be in the teacher’s lounge chatting away. He had sat down at the table across the room from them like he sometimes would. All was as it usually was. Until he had started to pack up to go back to his classroom. Before he left he had stopped by their table. 

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said when their conversation quieted, Darbus and the other teacher’s eyes on him with weary suspicion. Drakken placed tupperware with cookies on the table. “Just wanted to offer you ladies some. I made too many and need to get rid of them.” 

 When Darbus had gasped, a hand touching her chest as she looked over the cookies with delight before taking one, Drakken knew the plan had been set into motion. 

It was only a matter of time now. 

As unsubtle as he was, he was being careful about this one for several reasons. 

The first being that this was a delicate situation! Taking over the world didn’t require a light touch, it called more for elbow grease and fists. This, though, was like dealing with glass. It was important that he not let anyone know what he was up to, especially the target of the operation. 

The second being that he knew if he misstepped here that it could potentially tear at his cover in town and Sarina would have his throat for it. As much as he wanted to get back at Prickly, he had more of a desire to not face her wrath. Especially when she probably wouldn’t understand why he was risking his cover over something that wasn’t his ultimate end goal. Or maybe she would, who knew, either way, he wasn’t going to find out. 

And third, of course, being that he really wanted it to work and was fueled by petty revenge for their principal and his annoyingly thick mustache that taunted Drakken’s lack of full facial hair. 

He continued forward with the little things. Compliments to the woman’s fashion choices or noticing when she did something new with her hair. Asking her about theater and sitting through the long and boring answer that she gave. Offering her treats when she was in the lounge, like coffee or baked goods. Drakken waited until she started to wave to him in the halls or invite him to sit with her and her companion at lunch. 

Then he moved on to Phase 2.  

This consisted of dropping by her classroom on the occasion and ‘running’ into her outside of school in general. At the grocery store, in the park on the weekends, and at the stupid town events. Enough to the point where he had built a rapport from the ground up, where she was emailing him links to articles about West End productions and complaining about the athletics department staff to him. When it was safe to say she felt comfortable in his presence Drakken quickly moved on to Phase 3 as time was running out on the school year.  

It was lunch and the companion was not there that day as she was sick or something, he wasn’t actually paying attention to that part of the conversation, too busy waiting for an opening to ask what he had been waiting weeks to get an answer to. 

He was at his breaking point, in all honesty, having spent too much time dedicated to this mission to have come up empty time and time again. Every time he tried to pry after Darbus’ dating life she never gave him a direct answer and somehow it always led back around to some play or some playwright or some composer and their muse and how love was the food of the soul and blah blah blah.

“Okay, enough, enough!” he waved his hands to get her to stop talking about the stupid play about some Hatmaker and his wife. “Just put me out of my misery here! Are you and Prickly dating or aren’t you?” 

Darbus smiled, tipping her head forward so she was looking at him over the frames of her glasses, “My, aren’t we forward today! What makes you ask that?” 

“You know why.”

“Do I?”

“Yes!” 

“I don’t believe I do,” she said, head tilting. 

He sighed, slumping forward to rest against the table. Okay. New approach. “Can’t I just want to know?” 

“You can certainly want to do anything.” 

“I just mean that the rumor’s been circling around the school. Even the kids are talking about it,” Drakken said. “I figured asking you would be better than speculating with the rest of them.” 

“Are they really?” Darbus smiled with delight, her shoulders pushing back as she seemed to preen with the news that she was in the spotlight within the gossip mill. Drakken frowned. 

“Yes, they really are.” 

“Funny how news travels in this school, isn’t it?”

“Very.” 

“I always like to compare it to Fiddler on the Roof!” she said, brandishing a hand. “When Yente is singing about all that she wishes to share with Rifka and-”

Drakken cut her off again before she could really take that point any farther, “Are you going to tell me or not?” 

“Oh, now what would be the fun in that!” Darbus laughed. 

“Uh, the knowing for sure part.”

“But the scandal of it is in the uncertainty.” She touched his wrist, giving it a squeeze. “You’re very funny for a man of science. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, I know a kindred spirit when I see it. You have the spirit of an actor, Drakken! If only you would have chosen the stage rather than your lab. Such charisma, such emotion, such-! 

“Yeah, thanks,” he deadpanned. “So is that a no?” 

“It’s not, not a no.”

“...is that a yes?” 

She smiled, “No.”

“But you just-” The bell rang, shrill and annoying. He glared up at the ceiling, shaking a fist, “Nyah!” 

“To be continued, my dear!” Darbus said, throwing the end of her scarf across her shoulder and waved goodbye as she left the room. He didn’t move to follow her, only let his head fall forward and his the table with a groan. 

Weeks of time wasted! Agh! He didn’t have time to play pleasant anymore. The school year was practically at an end. He would just have to tell Triton they’d have to move on Prickly without the confirmation. The rumor alone would be enough, right? And it wasn’t like Darbus had denied it either, which could be convincing if said in the correct lighting. 

“Uh, Dr. Drakken?” someone said, causing him to turn his head to look at them, annoyed at having his train of thought interrupted. “Don’t you have class…?”

“And?” 

The other teacher hesitated then after assessing the glare in his eyes backed off. 

Drakken stood in his own time, packing up his lunch, and began to return to his classroom, dropping his used napkin in that teacher’s cup that they’d left sitting unattended at the table while they microwaved their meal. 

Yes, he decided, the confirmation wouldn’t matter. Getting Prickly to sweat would be enough leverage to get him to loosen up his reign of power. It had to be.

[lardygaga]

I’m so tired of people trashing the dark pictures anthology because they’re blinded by their until Dawn nostalgia glasses.

Like just say you’re bad at these games and don’t like them because you don’t pay attention and move on. Maybe actually collect clues and analyze hints as opposed to being lazy and you’ll enjoy them

I’m convinced the Until Dawn fanboys don’t like decision based games- considering UD only had about 3 decisions that impact the story. Not saying I dislike until dawn because I do like it, but if I see one more person say “iT dOeSnT fEeL lIkE UnTiL dAwN” I’m going to scream. Go play until dawn???

You’re allowed to subjectively dislike the games… but not if you don’t put in the work. Maybe it sucked simply because you and your choices sucked.

Man of Medan was fantastic. It was scary, and it was the first game to emphasize co op. If you played this game solo your first time, that’s your fault. Sure, the twist can be seen coming if you’re paying attention. However, I’ll never get over my friend killing me and me thinking I died to the grim reaper. It was awesome. The number of endings, the plethora of different paths, and the overall setting were spectacular. People have complained about the twist without knowledge of the story of the Ourang Medan or the movie Ghost Ship. Would you have preferred a direct copy of something that has been done before? The criticism of MOM is completely invalid. Plus, the dark pictures anthology plays on ALL horror tropes. Biological horror is still horror and that doesn’t make it bad writing.

Little Hope has a special place in my heart. Again, people are up in arms about the monsters not being real as if anything would have made sense if they were. The bus driver is haunted by the death of his family in a house fire he caused and tried to blame his little sister. He does this by creating a false narrative in his head of Megan being evil and the witch trials were a perfect metaphor for the events taking place. The locked traits need to be removed because he needs to remember his family by their good traits and be able to forgive himself and put the past behind him. That’s why if the characters don’t face their own demons- they die in the house. It’s not rocket science if you collect the clues and pay attention. But these streamers like to have a cash grab with these games by rushing through making stupid choices and bashing the game and I’m really over it- I’ve had to unsubscribe from so many people over this. Little Hope’s endings are deep and sad- so is the story with Megan, again, if you’re actually being mindful. Those who don’t like LH are too dense to understand it.

House of Ashes hasn’t received as much hate seeing as the whiners finally got their real monsters, however, I did see a reviewer call the game racist which is unfounded and ignorant of the times it was based. The story here is immaculate, and if your choices caused the characters to be unlikeable then maybe make better choices. Salim and Jason have a wonderful friendship and the dialogue is immaculate.

The Quarry could have had more jumpscares and I’m sure they lowered that because people are never pleased. However the quarry is my favorite game because it truly feels like my decisions matter and after seeing just how many routes there Are in this game, I love it more and more every day.

Im worried about the future of these games being in the hands of an audience which doesn’t know how to play them

[crusty-chronicles]

The Guide To An Idiot's Heart

Step 4: Courting The Fool

The scent of eggs and bacon wafted through the air as you finished cooking. You and Viktor gently swaying all the while. You found yourself comfortable in his embrace. He was warm with the scent of coffee lingering on him. 

He was surprisingly light for how tall he was. Then again, he never really ate when he was working. Or slept. It was a miracle he fell asleep so easily last night. 

You felt his breath on your neck, right next to the place he had kissed. It was a weird sensation that bordered on ticklish and something more. The feeling sending a soft ache to your heart. The peaceful silence was soon broken.

"I've been meaning to ask, who are the two boys in the picture besides your bed?" You gave a hum of acknowledgment before answering.

"Those are my little brothers." He expected you to stop there, not wanting to pry but you continued on.

"Parents were never around, so I raised them by myself. I had to grow up quickly to keep them safe. Before things got worse in Zaun, I used to sneak them up here to see how different everything was. I would promise them that someday we wouldn't have to lurk in the shadows anymore. That things would get better...They're gone now."

Viktor didn't know how to respond. You had confided in him. For whatever reason you trusted him.

He knew what the undercity was capable of. He'd seen it when he was just a child. But hearing it from another person was different. He'd been fortunate enough to grow up during the more peaceful times. Before the streets were running rampant with Shimmer.

You weren't so lucky. You had to take care of two children while trying to survive. You had to watch as the city fell into chaos.

Did you resent him for being able to escape it? Did you think he turned his back on his people for a life of fortunes?

But as he looked down at you, your expression was reminiscent. His grip on you tightened.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said at last. You pressed against him further.

"Yeah." Then realization dawned on you. "Wait! They're not dead or anything! They're just with different people is all! They are not dead! Very much alive!" You were rambling now.

You really weren't good with words, were you? But Viktor didn't mind. He only shook his head in amusement. Only you could suck the soul out of him only to put it back in with your soft laughter.

"They're why you accepted Heimerdinger's program?" You nodded your head, setting the plates for breakfast.

"And they're why you leave to Zaun every month?" You nodded once more, happy your secret would be safe with him.

The rest of the morning went by quite peacefully. Surprisingly, your food was edible. It’s not like Viktor could complain through. He couldn't cook to save his life.

Sometime after, he suggested returning to the lab to finish what he had been working on.

"What, you don't like my company science man?" You teased. "Very much the opposite, but if I don't continue my work Heimerdinger will have my head," he responded. You gave a groan of protest.

"Fine. But I'll be watching you." Then, with a sharp kick, you broke the leg of your table off. Viktor was screaming internally as dishes fell off and shattered on the floor. 

"Wh-what!?" You grabbed the table leg and handed it to him. "For you." What!? You noticed his panicked state.

"You said you needed something for support to get back to the lab." You were a strange woman.

"You said you were going to carry me!" Viktor was very surprised at this turn of events.

"Well you were being weird about it so I thought I'd improvise." "You didn't have to break your table!" You waved him off like what you just did was perfectly normal.

"It was the only thing long enough." Gods help him he was in love with an idiot.

So then he'd spent the entire morning fixing your table because for some reason, you thought it'd be a good idea to break it. Something you used on a daily basis.

But this was okay, he told himself. Because it meant he got to spend more time with you. And who knows, maybe you'd be impressed by his skills.

"What have we learned?" He chastised once he finished fixing the table. "Not to break the things we use." "And?" "And if I break the table again to make sure there's nothing on it." Just as you finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.

"Oh no they found me!" Viktor playfully nudged your shoulder with his own. "Shush." Then the door opened.

"You didn't even lock the door!?" You let out a nervous giggle. "I was really tired last night."

In walked Jayce. The expression on his face was amused.

"I thought I'd find you here. And what a surprise, is that Viktor?" His tone was teasing. "I was worried for a second. Usually I find him hunched over asleep in the lab." Viktor knew what he was doing and from the warmth spreading across his face, he was succeeding.

"I see you two are preoccupied, so I'll leave you to it." Viktor was sure the flush on his face was up to his neck. He tried and failed to clarify things.

"No, no, no! It's nothing like that! We stayed really late yesterday and Y/n wanted to help!"

"I see. Well it sure looks like you had a good night's rest." Jayce gestured to Viktor's messy bed hair.

"I'll leave you two to do more 'sleeping.'" He winked as he closed the door. Viktor was sure he was going to have a heart attack. He wearily glanced in your direction, afraid he'd see disgust on your face. Instead it was confusion.

"How'd he find my house?"

*******************

Viktor had been psyching himself up all week. He was gonna do it. He was finally gonna do it .

He was going to make a move on you.

Between all the lingering touches and adoring glances, his heart couldn't take it anymore. He wanted your hugs, your playful bites, your affections to be more than platonic.

Viktor was used to busying himself with his work. Not stopping for anyone or anything. His work became a distraction from his more carnal, human desires. It stopped his heart from longing for those soft touches. After all, what were emotions compared to making advancements in science that would help people.

He had convinced himself that these feelings only slowed him down. He didn't need them. But then you had showed up.

You weren't someone who saw the world in a scientific perspective. You didn't calculate every step you took. You saw the world for what it was and lived in the moment. You were impulsive, never really caring about what anyone thought.

Viktor wanted to be frustrated with you. He wanted to be annoyed by your naive personality because how could someone so careless get so far when he had to work his way up. But he couldn't find it in himself to dislike you.

Because despite all your faults, you didn't judge him. You didn't treat him any differently because of his leg. You never called him 'The Professor's Assistant.' You never doubted his abilities.

And then you had shown him another side to you. Underneath the blank stares and careless actions was a survivor. A woman too afraid to lose what little she had.

You weren't smart academically, but you didn't have to be. Viktor loved you all the same.

Sure he'd had a crush on Sky. But it was never more than a few compliments back and forth. It wasn't as intimate as the relationship you had with him.

It wasn't as physical.

He didn't hug Sky from behind. He didn't kiss her neck with a yearning for more. And she didn't playfully nip him when she was mad like you did. She didn't hug him without caution to who was watching. And she sure as hell hadn't let him sleep in her bed.

Viktor thought his perfect match would be someone whose intellect had rivaled his own. He didn't expect you to wriggle your way into his heart. But now that you had, he didn't want to let you go.

So he devised a plan to ask you out. He had a new invention he wanted to show you. A more perfected version of the Hex Gemstone. If there was anything that made your eyes light up, it was a new project, even if you didn't understand it.

To say Viktor was nervous would be an understatement. He wanted everything to go perfectly. He had prepared himself for every and any situation. He would either embarrass himself completely or win you over.

When you finally showed up, Viktor let out a sigh of relief. The hardest part was out of the way, now all he had to do was impress you with science. In other words, be himself.

"As you know, me and Jayce have been trying to perfect the Hex Crystals for public use. We've created a prototype that helps to power and amplify objects for everyday use." You made an 'ooh' sound. So far so good.

"This is what we've managed to come up with." He placed a beautiful blue orb in your palm. You stared at it with wide eyes and moved it slowly in your hand, afraid if breaking it.

"It is Y/n proof, so it's okay if you drop it." You looked up at him. The emotion in your gaze caught him off guard. He wanted to look away from the intensity of it, but couldn't find it in himself to do so.

You were looking at him like he'd just created the stars in the night sky. What he wouldn't do to see that expression on your face all the time.

"You made this?" Your voice was hushed. Viktor nodded. "Viktor, this is amazing! I've never seen anything like it. This is just incredible."

Yes Viktor had planned for anything, except for what you said next.

"But-it'd look cooler in purple." He could plan for failure, he could plan for success. But he couldn't plan what would come out of a fool's mouth. And he was sooo close, too.

So there he was, trying to make a purple orb for the girl he liked. It took him about a week to perfect it. If there was one thing Viktor was, it was persistent.

He presented it to you with much less vigor than before. If this didn't impress you, what would?

Your reaction was different this time. Yes you had marveled at the stone, but you also rushed to hug him. Your embrace caught him off guard, but he enjoyed it nevertheless.

"You really made it purple for me?" Your breath was warm against his neck. He had been prepared to make a move, but all that planning went out the window with just one touch.

At last, he nodded. You only held him tighter. His heart was beating so rapidly he was sure you could feel it.

"Thank you so much, Vik. You didn't have to." Then you pulled away and stared up at him. Your eyes were filled with admiration. And Viktor realized, you had never stared at anyone like this before. A fond gaze that was only his.

He felt himself leaning down, yearning for the press of your lips on his. His forehead was pressed against yours. Maybe he didn't need his plan after all.

But nothing was ever that simple with you. You had moved away as quickly as you came. Cradling the purple gemstone in your palm, you showed everyone who would listen. The words 'Look what Viktor made me! He can do anything!' Leaving your lips.

His heart ached for you. You were too cute for your own good. He almost had you. Perhaps it was time to take a more direct approach.

*********************

Viktor was never the romantic type. He didn't take girls on dates or try to impress them by buying them things. But he supposed just this once he could try. Because for you, he'd move heaven and earth.

So there he stood outside your door. Wanting to cross the threshold to a house filled with your presence. Cautiously, he knocked.

He heard you shuffling inside. The shatter of a glass ringing through the air. Then a curse of 'shit'.

Finally, you opened the door. Viktor was met with your disheveled appearance. You brightened up once you saw him.

"Hey, Viktor! What brings you here?" He was suddenly nervous under your gaze, but there was no going back now. So ever so slowly, he brought what he had been hiding behind his back forward. It was a bouquet of roses.

He didn't like your silence. Was this it? Were you finally gonna tell him you didn't like him? Laugh in his face and slam the door?

"Aww, Viktor! Are these for me?" You cooed. He didn't trust himself to speak, so he nodded his head. It seemed he was becoming speechless more frequently around you.

"How'd you know I wanted to start gardening!" You were an unpredictable woman. Viktor let out a small sigh of relief. He hadn't been rejected yet. But now there were other matters to attend to. Like making a garden because the girl he was helplessly in love with wanted one.

***************************

Viktor had was getting bolder with each new attempt to woo you. His next attempt was to write you a note. Not the best way, he admits, but maybe something simple would get his feelings across.

'Dear Y/n, from the moment you stepped foot in Piltover, I knew you were special. Despite where you come from, you don't hold any grudges. You don't treat anyone differently. And you don't resent us. For that, I admire you. I cherish the time we spend together because for whatever reason, you gravitated towards me. You chose to confide in me. And you, everything that you are and stand for, have captured my heart. I love you and I hope that you will return these feelings.

-Viktor'

He had slid the note next to your area in the lab. You found it in seconds. He watched from the side as you read it. Then confusion etched onto your face. Viktor was once again preparing himself for the worst.

"Oh cool! A note! Too bad I still can't read!" He should have seen that coming. You could write your name, but you couldn't write a sentence.

*******************

Viktor decided that he should stop beating around the bush and just tell you. So he asked you to come see him when he knew Jayce would be out. This was it. This time he would get a direct answer. But when you walked in with that dopey grin, he couldn't help the shyness that overtook him. Maybe he could play it off like he was asking for advice? He supposed that was the easiest way.

"Y/n I require your assistance." You had sat next to him, your warmth reaching out to consume him.

"With what? You know I'm no good at this science stuff." He smiled. "Well I was wondering if you could give me some tips." "For?" It was now or never.

"I've recently become quite fond of someone, in the romantic sense. And I was wondering how I should approach this person?" You seemed to ponder it for a second.

"Well you should just come right out and say it. People aren't mind readers. And the worst they can say is ‘no.’" Here goes.

"Y/n, I love you." You smiled brightly. "Like that!" You patted him on the back and stood up. "Now go get em' tiger!"

****************

Viktor was once again busying himself with his work. It was the only way he could think straight. You had managed to slip through his fingers more times than he can count. Maybe he was a fool for persisting? But then you would show up and lay your head on his shoulder. And he was reminded of why he was trying so hard. His thoughts were interrupted by a hand waving in front of his face.

He looked up and saw Jayce. Despite Viktor's best efforts to keep his affections for you a secret, Jayce had caught on. He could see the lingering looks Viktor would give you. The way he would freeze up every time he saw you. And he could see the distress on Viktor's face every time he failed to court you.

"You my friend, are whipped." Viktor tried to brush him off. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Really?" There was a teasing tone in Jayce's voice.

"You made Y/n a purple hex crystal." "A scientist must test his own abilities." "You helped plant her a garden." "She wanted a hobby." "You professed your love to her in a note. Viktor, why can't you just ask her?" He had no retort for that one. So maybe he was whipped for you. That didn't change the fact that you were probably not interested in him.

"Do you really think she could ever love someone like me?" He was weak. He was a loner. He wasn't someone that could give you everything you wanted.

"She hangs off your every word. In case you haven't noticed, she's attached to you by the hip. Whenever she's not in Zaun, she's right next to you in this lab. She might not know what to call it, but she does love you." For once Jayce's words had brought comfort. Viktor hadn't noticed how close the two of you had become.

He was always focused on the thought of your warmth leaving him that he didn't notice how often he'd felt it.

He'd give it one more shot. He'd try one last time.

*****************

You and Mel were on the other side of the lab. She had come in to see the progress the boys made. Once she caught sight of you, however, she struck up a friendly conversation. She started by asking how you liked it here and if you've learned anything since your last encounter.

Your innocent conversation took a rather personal turn once you mentioned how big a help Viktor had been.

"You and him are quite close are you not?" You didn't think anything of her question and answered happily. "Yup! Me and Viktor are great friends. He even made me something!" There was a glint in Mel's eye you couldn't place.

"Oh? Well I figured you two were together. You are rather affectionate for 'friends.'" Confusion was etched onto your face.

"What do you mean? We are together. We're together right now aren't we?" It was then Mel realized why Jayce had asked for her help. While Viktor was well aware of his feelings, you were not.

"So you are dating then?" Finally realization crossed your features. "Oh! No I don't think so. He's never asked me." If only you knew.

"Would you say no if he asked you?" You glanced over at Viktor. "Probably not, but Mel?" She gave a hum of acknowledgment.

"How do I know if I like someone?"

Mel smirked at your question. How cute.

"Well, does Viktor make you happy?" "Very much." That's a start. "What do you feel around him?"

"My heart feels really funny. Like it's going to burst out of my chest every time I'm near him. And my face gets all warm when he says something really smart. I just want to be able to take care of him the same way he does for me."

Without you noticing, your face had gone a soft shade of pink. Mel put her hand on yours.

"That's how you know."

"So do I just tell him?" You were about to walk over when Mel stopped you.

"Well first you need to see if he likes you back." "How do I do that?" "You could try flirting or giving him a compliment." "Compliment?" "It's like saying you admire something about them." "Oh." Well here goes.

"Hey Viktor!" He looked up from his work with Jayce. You gave a friendly wave before you continued.

"You've got a good ass!" His eyes widened for a moment. Then he ducked his head down, not wanting you to see the flush that covered his face. Mel put a hand on her face. You turned to her with a smile.

"Like that?" She groaned in response. "Way to be subtle. You could've said you liked his eyes." "Oops."

******************

It had been a good three days since the lab incident. Viktor had been a lot more stutter-ey around you. Your boldness had caught him off guard and he wasn't sure how to act around you anymore. Were you messing with him? Or did you feel the same way? You were a confusing woman.

Jayce had decided to take the two of you out drinking in celebration of another successful invention.

Viktor wasn't a big fan of parties. He didn't like the noise or people drunkenly running into him. But you were going. And that was enough for him. He supposed he'd be the designated baby-sitter and keep an eye on you and Jayce.

You were drinking more than he expected. Five glasses in and reaching for a sixth. While he knew you were capable of taking care of yourself, the headache you would have in the morning would be hell if he didn't stop you now.

"I think you've had enough." You let out a whine of protest, leaning your body weight onto him. "But Jayce is paying! Gotta savior this while it lasts Vik! C'mon, please!" Your eyes were big and pleading. He had to stop himself from giving in.

"It's going to be one hell of a hangover if you continue. And you don't want to make poor Jayce go into debt paying for all your alcohol." You frowned.

"He doesn't have to know!" Viktor let out a soft laugh. "He'll find out in the morning. You don't want to make your favorite person mad, do you?" You put your head on his shoulder.

"Jayce isn't my favorite person. That's you science man." Viktor was sure you could hear his heartbeat. You were kidding. You had to be. His heart couldn't take it if you weren't. But then you gave a teasing bite to his neck. Your breath tickling his ear.

"You make me happy. You and everything you have to offer. I like being near you and I hate it when I'm not... You're special to me Viktor." You leaned up and pressed a kiss to his temple, the feeling sending sparks through his body. He supposed just this once he could be vulnerable. Just this once he could tell you how he felt, even if you wouldn't remember.

"You're my favorite person too." The look you gave him made all his troubles worth it. Because the way you were staring at him, like he created the galaxy and everything in it, like you loved him, was enough.

Masterlist

[beomglocks]

unlikely allies ; txt x reader

part: zero, ,,,next chapter

plot: when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in your town, you're forced to team up with a group of boys from very different social standards in your school.

genre: fluff, angst, horror i guess?, not really that scary but alright, some funny moments

w/c: 3.3K

warnings: blood, gruesome scenes (kind of really detailed), cursing, everyone hates each other, definitely some major injuries, zombies duh, everyone kinda pining for mc

︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵︵

"yeonjun you're late...again," your history teacher sighs. you watch as choi yeonjun strolls into class like normal. "sorry teach, i didn't really wanna come."

yeonjun is the school's heartthrob. everyone likes him, at least you think everyone likes him. you wouldn't say you like him but you can see why people would. he's an asshole but a cute asshole. he really doesn't care for his studies and treats people like they owe him something.

you roll your eyes at his answer and decide to focus on the roll call for when your name is called. "choi soobin?" you see a boy with purple hair raise his hand silently. you hear yeonjun snicker from the back of the class. you watch soobin turn around to glare at the other.

"something funny choi?" he seethes. yeonjun raises an eyebrow at soobin, leaning forward in his seat, "yeah something sure is funny."

soobin gets out of his seat and strides up to yeonjun's seat, easily towering over the boy. he grabs the collar of yeonjun's hoodie and lifts him up so that he's standing face to face.

"why don't you laugh in my face then?" soobin challenges. yeonjun looks bored, not even the slightest intimidated by the taller boy.

"ha. ha .ha." he annunciates each word mockingly, smiling in soobin's face.

the next thing you know the two boys are the floor fighting one another. "hey hey hey!" your teacher runs from the front of the class to the back to break up the fight. there's already a small crowd around them and no one seems adamant on helping break the fight up.

the thing is, choi soobin and choi yeonjun are known to fight a lot. you're not sure why they hate each other so much but every time they're near each other fists start flying. who thought putting these two in a class together was a good idea.

soobin was a quiet boy, everyone knew that. somedays he'd come dressed like the fluffiest cat you'd ever seen and sometimes he'd dress like a total greaser. he could just switch up like that; just like his attitude. he was nice, from what you knew he would always participate in extracurricular activities and charity events around the school. however, because people thought he was soft they would always mess with him. he was always able to hold his own though.

"hey break it up!" you hear your teacher shout. the two boys were in their own minds continuously throwing punches at each other. you were still sat at your desk, not really caring for fights between two stupid alpha males.

your teacher somehow manages to pull soobin from yeonjun and hold him back while a friend of yeonjun's holds him back as well. both boys have a good amount of blood on their faces so you can't really tell who won.

"you're fucking weak soobs! that shit barely hurt," yeonjun teases. he has blood trailing down his hairline from when soobin pushed him to the ground and blood on his nose and around his pouty lips. "bold talk for someone who just got their ass beat," soobin spits. he too has blood on his nose and lips but he's also sporting a cut on his cheekbone, yeonjun must've scratched his face.

"enough! yeonjun go to the nurse's room to get fixed up and soobin straight to the principal's office, you'll go to nurse after he's done, you hear me!" your history teacher orders. you watch her look around the room for someone suitable enough to escort yeonjun to the nurse's office.

you silently pray that she doesn't pick on you but seeing as you were the only one not interested in the drama, her eyes fall on you. "y/n please escort yeonjun to the nurse's office, i frankly don't trust him to actually go there on his own."

you curse at her in your mind but stand up anyways. "no problem," you force a light smile.

you and yeonjun leave the class ahead of soobin. as you're walking down the hallway, you glance at yeonjun. he doesn't look angry, if anything he looks calm. "i know i'm hot but stop staring at me," he looks down at you.

you roll your eyes at him. "do you not talk? come to think of it... i didn't even know you were in my class," yeonjun looks at you quizically but with curiosity in his eyes. you know that if you don't answer him he'll keep pestering you. "we've been in the same class for the past four years," you mutter.

you can feel his eyes on you but thankfully he doesn't say anything. while you two are walking through the halls you see a boy on the floor playing with something. "what's that kid doing over there?" yeonjun asks. he's already starting to walk away from you but you grab his sweater.

"sorry yeonjun but our only destination is the nurse's office," you say to him. he looks at you with his eyes narrowed down at where you're grabbing him. you stumble back as he yanks his arm away from your grasp, striding towards the boy. you huff following him.

"hey loser, what you got there?" yeonjun looks down at the boy. the boy turns around with confusion laced on his features. he sighs, "what do you want?" he pouts.

when you reach the boy you recognize him as choi beomgyu. the kid is smart but only when he wants to be. he's in your science class and is always messing around and not actually ever doing the work. either that or he skips class to run off and experiment with random things. he's a nice guy and you sometimes ask him for help during labs since he's probably the smartest kid in your class.

"hey beomgyu, what's up?" you greet him. he turns towards you and smiles warmly. "hey y/n," yeonjun looks between the both of you and rolls his eyes. "what the hell are you doing with one of the baseball teams bats?"

beomgyu moves the bat behind him and glares at yeonjun, "i was just curious as to what makes it so hard-hitting. i've been craving my way into it but can't seem to get too far."

you crouch next to him, "maybe you should've picked up one of the metal ones. i'm pretty sure the wood ones only have wood in them. though i heard they're made with bamboo so," you shrug. beomgyu stares at you silently.

"y-yeah you're probably right...thanks y/n," beomgyu snaps out of his daze and pockets the butterfly knife he was previously using. yeonjun tsks, "cmon y/n, let's go i already lost interest." yeonjun pulls you along as you watch beomgyu wave and head to the auditorium.

"god why did we have to take the long route this is fucking boring," yeonjun complains. you sigh, hoping he'll shut up already. "do you ever not talk?" you ask him. you both are too busy glaring at each other that you don't see when someone bumps into you.

the person drops the pile of books they were holding in their hands. "ah shit," they mumble. you snap out of glaring at yeonjun to see a boy on the floor with books scattered around him. "shit im sorry! i should've been looking at where i was going," you apologize kneeling down to help the boy pick up his books.

"oh don't worry i shouldn't have taken up carrying so many books to the point where i couldn't see!" the boy's voice is so cheerful it makes you smile. you're glad he's not mad at you.

the boy is really cute too. his boyish features suit his face well and his hair is messy but looks like he stylized it that way. he's dressed comfortably in a huge sweater and baggy jeans with a molang keychain attached to one of the belt loops.

"where are you even going with all these books?" you ask. "i offered to take these back to the library for my english teacher, in hindsight i really should've just taken two or three not the whole stack." he chuckles sheepishly. he gets up, picking up as many as he can.

you pick up the rest and set them on top of the already tall stack lightly. "well good luck," you pat the stack in encouragement and it makes him lean forward a bit. he thanks you and makes his way down the hall once again.

you turn to yeonjun who was leaning against the wall watching you. "seeing you being nice to everyone is making me want to choke," he grimaces. "take notes choi."

it felt like forever since you arrived at the nurse's office. walking with yeonjun was really torture to you since he wouldn't shut up about how amazing he thinks he is.

once you walk in you both notice that the nurse isn't at her usual place at the front desk. "she went out to get more ice from the cafeteria," you hear someone speak. you both turn around and see a boy sat on one of the cots the nurse sets up for people who injure themselves.

the boy is kang taehyun, member of the baseball team. "hey tae!" yeonjun greets. taehyun raises his brow and moves the now melted ice bag from his wrist. "what's got you in here?" yeonjun asks sitting on the cot across from taehyun.

"i'd rather you not act like we're friends," taehyun states calmly. "but if you must know, i was practicing my swings and got a little too caught up. i barely noticed that i sprained my wrist." he looks down at his wrist which is slightly swollen.

kang taehyun was the baseball team's most prized possession. they really did cherish him because he was the ace of the team. he always scored home runs and when he was pitching, he always managed to get the batter to strike out. he was really talented no one could deny that. despite his hard work on the field, he was dedicated to his studies and was always at the top of all his classes. you wondered how he felt about spraining possibly the most important part of his body.

"damn, that must suck," yeonjun states, he doesn't sound apologetic at all and you wonder how that guy could have any friends. "im just here to get patched and cleaned up because that dickhead soobin decided this was fight club," he tsks. taehyun chuckles, "hope he knocked some sense into you." yeonjun rolls his eyes.

taehyun finally notices your presence by the front desk and motions you over to them by the cots. he's friendly but not someone you'd normally hang out with. "you don't look hurt?" he chides. you point to yeonjun, "i was asked to bring him here since our teacher didn't trust him to come here and well, actually arrive. since the nurse isn't here im guessing I'll have to stick around in case he tries to escape."

taehyun chuckles, "makes sense."

the room is quiet for a couple of moments, save for the ticking of the clock on the wall. you feel awkward being around two of the biggest names at your school. yeonjun is sprawled out on the cot and taehyun is still cradling his wrist. "uh...when do you think the nurse will be here?" you ask quietly.

taehyun looks up at you, "well when you got here it had been about 15 minutes since she left. she probably took a detour or something?" you nod looking at his wrist once again. "you should probably wrap that in a gauze, it'll help with the swelling," you suggest. he smiles at you, "thanks...uh?"

"y/n"

"right thanks y/n," he stands up and walks over to the cabinet to find the gauze wrap. in the meantime, you turn to yeonjun. it looks like he's sleeping but being in a class with him for 4 years has taught you better. "yeonjun."

he doesn't move. "yeonjun get up, i know you're not sleeping," you try. he sits up with a groan, "what do you want? i barely know you." for some reason you feel rage bubble up inside of you. you're not sure why either. usually, you were fine with not being noticed by the "so-called" popular kids but because of yeonjun, you were stuck in the nurse's office watching over him like a babysitter.

"why the hell did you fight soobin? if it wasn't for you i wouldn't be here talking to you right now," you say through gritted teeth. yeonjun raises an accusing brow at you, "were you not watching the fight? he threw the first punch for fucks sake." "you provoked him," you retort.

"it's not my fault he's dumb, god do i have to take responsibility for that too?" he groans laying back down on the cot. you eye him but decide to leave the conversation at that.

after your mini argument with yeonjun, you see taehyun return with the gauzes already wrapped around his wrist. "this is much better," he smiles down at his wrist. "glad i could help," you smile at him.

silence falls upon you three again until you hear a groan from outside. it doesn't really sound like a groan a human could possibly make, it sounds way to pained and low. "what was that?" taehyun asks. you shrug, "it might be the nurse." you walk over to the door and take a look outside.

the hallways on both sides are dimly lit and desolate. you can't really see down the hall because it just fades to black. you walk back inside the nurse's office. "there's no one out there and honestly, it looks way too cree-," you're cut off as a shrill scream rips through your conversation.

yeonjun sits straight up this time, "what the hell was that?" taehyun's eyes are wide with alarm, "that scream did not sound like a happy scream."

your eyes dart back and forth from yeonjun to taehyun. "i swear when i looked outside there was nothing," you say hurriedly. you're not sure why you feel panicked but you do. "check again," yeonjun tells you. you want to tell him 'no' or 'do it yourself' but you were the one to check first so you figure a second check done by you is only fair.

sighing, you walk to the door once again and look into the halls. for the second time, you don't see anything except for the darkness of the long hallways but you peer further and notice something.

all the way near the end of the hallway you see the nurse running towards her office. "hey i see the nurse," you call out to the boys. they make noises of acknowledgment and you hear yeonjun mumble a 'finally'. you keep watching her but you notice that she's running quite frantically to be considered normal. you don't say anything watching her run towards the office with confusion laced on your face.

that's when you see it. you see a figure running almost at the same speed as her but with more of a limp in their step. that's when you can hear the groaning more clearly but it's not coming from the nurse, its coming from the figure behind her.

the nurse makes the fatal mistake of tripping over her heels because she's running so wildly. her body slides a couple of feet from the door but she struggles to stand. she looks up at you and you can see that she has sweat and blood all over her face and her hair is unruly and matted.

"h-help me please!" she calls out to you. your heart is beating intensely. you don't know why she looks like this but you want to help. "y/n?" you hear taehyun call out to you. "what's going on out there?"

you bite your lip and decide to help her but as soon as you step out of the office the limping figure lurches forward and pounces on the nurse's idle body on the floor. you let out a horrified scream and step back. you can see the 'limping figure' clearer now and it seems to be one of the lunch ladies.

the only thing was that she didn't look the way she did when she served you breakfast this morning. her skin was pale and her veins were strangely very visible throughout her face and arms. her uniform was tattered and ripped as if a struggle of some sort had taken place. her face had deep scratches that had drying blood pouring out of them. her eyes were not warm, they seemed to be greyed out and she seemed very rabid.

you stood there, horrified, as the lunch lady tore through the nurse's clothes and body. you wanted to throw up as a bit of the nurse's blood was unintentionally launched at you. the lunch lady dipped her head down to use her teeth to devour the nurse's flesh in cold blood. you couldn't even rack up a sob.

it was like something out of a horror movie. except this was real life.

before the lunch lady could even finish eating the nurse, you watched as the nurse's body convulsed and thrashed violently before standing up on her own. her head was hung low and she seriously smelled disgusting.

you felt stuck as you watched both women stumble towards you before breaking out in full sprints. you flinched and shut your eyes tightly as you waited for your life to flash before them. it really felt like at any moment you would find yourself being eaten alive and convulsing into whatever monster that was.

but the feeling never came. instead, you felt your body crash against taehyun's on the floor. the only thing you could hear was the door slam shut and the screeching and groaning of whatever the hell those people were outside as they tried to get through the door.

you opened your eyes slowly and noticed that yeonjun was to one to slam the door shut, it seems like taehyun had pulled you inside.

taehyun groaned, moving to stand, "what the hell was that?" you shook your head, now having time to process what you saw. "she ate her...s-she- her body," you couldn't even finish explaining as you broke out in tears. taehyun ran a soothing hand up and down your back.

yeonjun moved away from the door. there was a tiny window on the door so you guys could see that the monsters were still trying to get in. "what the hell are we gonna do! if we go outside they'll tear us to shreds!" yeonjun too had tears streaming down his face. you have to admit you'd never seen him so vulnerable.

taehyun was the only one not crying. you could see tears in his wide eyes but they never fell. you figured he was trying to be the strong stable one in the group right now. "ok guys lets calm down. we don't know if we're the only people alive so we need to be careful." taehyun explains.

you do really feel bad for him right now. you know he's a year younger than you and yeonjun and him having to be the 'leader' at this moment must be tough.

he sighs looking at the both of you. "if we wanna make it out of here alive...we're gonna have to fight."

[girlactionfigure]

There is a popular quote that circulates every once in a while that reads “One person can make a difference and everyone should try.”

This individual holds a special place in my heart and also the hearts of many long-time Peace Page followers, who found this page after reading a simple story which mentioned her and which became one of the most popular posts on the Peace Page. Her name is Harriet Glickman, she is the teacher who decided to write a letter to Charles Schulz and ask him if he could create a black character on his Peanuts comic strip - that character would become Franklin, one of the first black characters in a popular comic strip. Harriet Glickman passed away Friday morning, March 27, 2020, at her home in Sherman Oaks. She was 93. Her passing was reported by a Peanuts-based website, which quoted a personal friend who said, her passing was "peaceful, in her sleep" and that the former schoolteacher had been "well prepared for this." They say representation matters, and Franklin, even though he was a fictional character, was noticed by many who did not feel they were being represented enough during those days. The original Peace Page post started: "On July 31, 1968, a young, black man was reading the newspaper when he saw something that he had never seen before. With tears in his eyes, he started running and screaming throughout the house, calling for his mom. He would show his mom, and, she would gasp, seeing something she thought she would never see in her lifetime. Throughout the nation, there were similar reactions. "What they saw was Franklin Armstrong's first appearance on the iconic comic strip "Peanuts." Although Charles Schulz deserves the accolades and credit for having the courage to create Franklin and standing by him when he started receiving racist demands to remove him, it was all started by a school teacher who decided to write a simple letter. "Harriet has a very interesting place in history," according to The LAist. "In 1968, she wrote to 'Peanuts' creator Charles Schulz asking him to do something remarkable at the time: integrate his famous comic strip." "Harriet Glickman was a white, 42-year-old suburban Los Angeles school teacher and mother raising three children when Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968," according to the Press Telegram. According to NPR, she wrote, “Since the death of Martin Luther King, 'I’ve been asking myself what I can do to help change those conditions in our society which led to the assassination and which contribute to the vast sea of misunderstanding, hate, fear and violence.'” Glickman decided to write a letter to Schulz, not knowing whether he would actually read it or even whether he would receive the letter. Glickman was especially aware of the power of comics among the young. “And my feeling at the time was that I realized that black kids and white kids never saw themselves [depicted] together in the classroom,” she said in the Washington Post. She hoped this would bring the country together and show people of color that they are not excluded from American society. At the time, Schulz, the creator of the enormously popular “Peanuts” comic strip, was already being "published in hundreds of newspapers around the United States reaching nearly 100 million readers," according to the Press Telegram. Surprisingly, Schulz did respond, but wasn't sure whether it would be right, coming from him, he didn't want to make matters worse, he felt that it may sound condescending to people of color. Glickman persisted, however, continuing her correspondence with Schulz, even having black friends write to Schulz and explain to him what it would mean to them. She told Schulz that "the gentleness of the [Peanuts would be] 'the perfect setting' for such representation," according to CBR. “I am well aware of the very long and tortuous road ahead,” she added. “I’m sure one doesn’t make radical changes in so important an institution without a lot of shock waves from syndicates, clients, etc. You have, however, a stature and reputation which can withstand a great deal.” This conversation would continue until one day, Schulz told Glickman to check her newspaper on July 31, 1968. On that date, the cartoon, as created by Schulz, shows Charlie Brown meeting a new character, named Franklin. Other than his color, Franklin was just an ordinary kid who befriends and helps Charlie Brown. In a speech at American University of Health Sciences in Signal Hill, California in 2018, talking to a group of children and adults, Glickman said, the 1960s in the United States was “a time long before any of you were born, a time when not everyone was understanding of other people, when young African Americans couldn’t go to the same beach as white children and when schools were separate.” According to the Press Telegram, the Rev. Gregory Johnson, co-founder of American University of Health Sciences who invited Glickman to the event, said he wanted her to know what a profound effect her action with Schulz had on him. “I appreciate so much what you did in improving relations. I wouldn’t be here without you,” he said. Glickman was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and lived in Chicago before moving to Southern California and a job in the Burbank School District and eventually UCLA before retiring. Glickman explained in previous interviews that her parents were "concerned about others, and the values that they instilled in us about caring for and appreciating everyone of all colors and backgrounds — this is what we knew when we were growing up, that you cared about other people . . . And so, during the years, we were very aware of the issues of racism and civil rights in this country [when] black people had to sit at the back of the bus, black people couldn’t sit in the same seats in the restaurants that you could sit . . . Every day I would see, or read, about black children trying to get into school and seeing crowds of white people standing around spitting at them or yelling at them . . . and the beatings and the dogs and the hosings and the courage of so many people in that time." Glickman, according to The LAist, said someone once commented to her that "‘It took courage [to do what she did, to make a stand].’ I said, ’No it didn’t, it didn’t take courage for me to sit in Sherman Oaks in my comfortable home with my three children and type a letter.'" "Courage," she said, "was little Ruby Bridges, the little girl who integrated a school in the south who had to come with the National Guard with people spitting at her and yelling at her and throwing things at her and the parents who drew their children out. That was courage." Because of Glickman, because of Schulz, people around the world were introduced to a little boy named Franklin, and even today, when Franklin is mentioned, fond memories are evoked, such as those like the young, black man, who with tears in his eyes, started running and screaming throughout the house because he was introduced to Franklin for the first time. Barbara Brandon-Croft, the first African American woman to have a nationally syndicated comic strip in the mainstream press, was 10 years old in 1968, said, “I remember feeling affirmed by seeing Franklin in ‘Peanuts.’ ‘There’s a little black kid! Thank goodness! We do matter.’" When the Peace Page first shared its story about Franklin's birth, one Peace Page reader commented, "I normally don't comment on Facebook but I feel compelled to now. As a black child growing up in the 70's and 80's U grew up in mostly white neighborhoods. One of the most difficult things at that time is my sense of where I belonged in the world. I didn't have anybody in my position i could relate to on TV or in the movies. Then I started reading Peanut cartoons and I met Franklin and I saw myself for once. As a character, Franklin was so important to me I named my third son after him. thank you . . . for helping me find my place." That Peace Page story has now reached 22,498,877 people, receiving 2,091,450 reactions. It has inspired an Upworthy article and has been shared all over the world, including by media companies in Australia and Italy. When the Peace Page contacted the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California, one of the representatives said that Glickman regularly visited the museum and she was fondly called "Franklin's Mom." When she saw that Peace Page post, she commented on the Peace Page, "It's always a joy for me to share the Franklin story. I consider him my fourth child and he is very much loved." In the speech in 2018 at American University of Health Sciences, she told the audience that it still “feels like yesterday [when Franklin was introduced].” She said some things have changed, but others have not. “We still have so many problems on how we see each other,” she said in an article by the Press Telegram. She told the children: “You can make a difference in making the world a better place. When you see something that makes you feel angry or upset, don’t just complain, do something about it. And remember that we all care for each other; we’re all the same loving, caring people.” She then autographed a book introducing Franklin to Charlie Brown, “Nice to Meet You, Franklin!” and urged each youngster “to make a difference.” Thank you, Harriet Glickman, also, for making a difference and making the world a better place. [Photo courtesy of CBR]

The Jon S. Randal Peace Page

[thetravelerwrites]

Dr. Mael Halvorg (Part 2)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationship: Male Part Fae/Female Part Fae Additional Tags: Exophilia, Monster Boyfriend, Fae, Naga, Reader Insert, Anthropology, Genetics Content Warnings: Children, Pregnancy, Incubation, Infertility, Birth, Oviposition, Egg-Laying Words:

Commissioned by @ivymemnoch​! The reader and Dr. Halvorg discuss his lingering infertility problem. Amai lays her final clutch of eggs. Please reblog and leave feedback!

The Traveler's Masterlist

“Good morning, class!” You said on the first day.

“Good morning!” Fourteen bright voices responded.

All of the children except for baby Yenu were sitting on their tails behind desks in a room that had been set up as a classroom by the staff.

“So, every day each week we’re going to work on a different subject,” You began. “Mondays are reading and language comprehension, Tuesdays are maths and sciences, Wednesdays are social studies and economics, Thursdays are geography and history, Fridays are fun days with arts, crafting, music, and educational games. Today is Monday, so we’re going to start with reading. You should each have a workbook appropriate to your developmental level in your desks, so please take out your reading workbooks.”

As the children shuffled and searched for the right book, Dr. Halvorg stepped inside the classroom with a clipboard. You raised an eyebrow.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I’m observing the children in a school setting to see how they adapt,” He replied.

You narrowed your eyes at him. “And I’m also assuming how I teach, correct?”

He dipped his head sheepishly. “I was curious. And it’s for my research.”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “Mm.” You turned back to your students and fell into your teacher’s voice. “Keenai, if you would begin reading the first sentence, please?”

Keenai picked up his workbook and started reading. “The small dog lives in a red house.”

“Can you tell me which of these words are verbs?”

“Um…” He looked at the sentence, frowning.

“To remind you, a verb is an action word, something someone does.”

“Uh… lived?” He replied slowly.

“Very good.” You said, and he smiled in relief. “Tani, you’re next. Read the next sentence in your book.”

“The red house was built on a wed… wedeness…”

“Wednesday,” You said. “That’s a hard word, I know. Can you tell me what the noun is in that sentence?”

“House?”

“Good! A noun is a person, a place, or a thing. I’m a noun, you’re a noun, the room we’re in is a noun.”

“Is Nenish a noun?” Jinsa asked.

“Yes.”

“Ha ha, you’re a noun!” Jinsa said, pointing at Nenish.

“So are you!” Nenish interjected.

“Hey, hey! Settle down, please!” You called over them, sitting on the edge of your desk. “Fuma, you next.”

Fuma read from his book, and then Amaia. Next, you went down the line of the four-year-olds, having them read a sentence and find colors, shapes, numbers, or sounds in the sentences. The three-year-olds were next, and they simply read small sentences. You then had the one-year-olds spell and say three-letter words.

Their quick development was normal for nagas, as they tended to age quickly until they hit puberty, when their aging progress slowed to accommodate for yearly hibernation, but it was also startling in conjunction with the developmental levels of similar creatures. You had never studied the advancements of a species’ young so closely before, and you had to admit, it was fascinating. You could see why Dr. Halvorg found it so interesting.

You set the children writing tasks appropriate to their learning level and took a moment to talk to Dr. Halvorg, who was scribbling quickly in a notebook.

“They have computers now that you can write on, you know,” You told him, amused.

He looked up over his glasses at you and quirked an eyebrow. “I am aware of that, thank you. I’m not quite so old-fashioned as I seem, regardless of what Amai might tell you.” He looked back down and continued scribbling. “I’m a chronic note-taker. A bad habit I can’t seem to break, though with my profession, it’s often a strength rather than a weakness.”

“Hmm,” You hummed. “And what do your notes say about my teaching?”

“Adequate,” He replied, still scribbling. “Don’t misunderstand, that’s not a criticism. I hold everyone to an extremely high standard. If you hadn’t met expectations, I would have dismissed you.”

“So I meet your expectations?” You asked sardonically.

“At the moment,” He said, snapping his book closed and standing up. “I still want to observe your other classes before I’m completely satisfied.”

“Hmm,” You said again.

True to his word, Halvorg attended every class that week, observing you interacting with the children. Other than a question or two about your future curriculum, he stayed quiet. At the end of the week, he asked that you submit a weekly progress report until you either found a replacement or were dismissed.

It seemed excessive to you, and you were beginning to wonder if he still saw the children as an experiment. He seemed to care about them, but how much of that was genuine and how much of it was his own self-interest? You were starting to feel leery of and disconcerted by him.

Perhaps he picked up on this, because he seemed to go out of his way to avoid you. He had you direct all of your questions and reports to his assistant and rarely picked up his phone. Any conversations were brief and succinct. He did send you notes on your curriculum, making suggestions for each child. If you weren’t already suspicious of his motives, you might almost have though it sweet.

“I think Halvorg is avoiding me,” You told Amai when the two of you went to lunch together. Now that the two of you could hang out after all the years, you made it a point to set time aside for each other and had lunch at least once a week.

“What makes you say that?” Amai asked, drizzling dressing over her starter salad.

“Ever since he watched me teach classes, he’s barely spoken to me. He seemed excited to exchange research notes when I first arrived, but now he seems to have no interest in speaking to me since he finished observing class.”

“He could just be busy,” Amai suggested. “The four year old’s birthdays are coming up. He always does something special for the kids on their birthdays.”

“Are you concerned that he only sees your children as test subjects?” You asked her. “He seems obsessed with them.”

Amai laughed. “I thought that way in the early days, but he genuinely loves kids. If anything ever happened to me or Yenuno, I’m confident Halvorg would take care of them.” She took a sip of her mineral water. “Are you coming to the kids party? You’re invited, obviously.”

“Will there be clowns? I hate clowns.”

She snorted. “Nothing so gauche. I think Halvorg set up a treasure hunt. The kids always love whatever he plans. Honestly, I know I complain about him, but he does make it easy for me sometimes. I haven’t had to plan any major events since the kids hatched.”

“Hmm… I don’t know. It’s strange to me how involved he is.”

Amai sat back in her seat and eyed you shrewdly. “Did he ever tell you about his son?”

You looked up in surprise. “Son? I thought you said he had no children.”

“He doesn’t… technically.” Amai set her fork down. “You didn’t hear this from me so don’t repeat it, but he had a wife nearly a hundred years ago who cheated on him. He raised a boy, thinking he was his son, but the child was actually fathered by the other man. His wife left him and took the boy with her and he never saw him again. I don’t think he ever got over that.”

“Oh, god,” You replied, horrified. “I can’t imagine what that’s like.”

“He’s spend the last several decades saving dying races from the brink of extinction. In a way, he thinks of those children he helped bring into the world as his children, too. And every time he has to let them go, it’s like losing his son all over again. I think the fact that he gets to help raise our babies is something of a gift for him. Trust me, it’s not something he takes for granted.”

“I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that,” You said in dismay.

“Halvorg is stuffy, strict, and a stickler for protocols, so he can be difficult to read, but I assure you, he loves my children as if they were his own. It may have started as research, but he has a family now and I think that’s what he wanted all along. Try not to judge him to harshly.”

You conceded with a nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

The following Saturday, you attended the kids birthday party as requested. The kids were excited and zooming around the receiving area, shrieking and laughing, all of them wearing party hats and nothing else. Amaia was piggy-backing on Dr. Halvorg, her tail wrapped around his waist for stability and her arms hugged around his neck. Dr. Halvorg walked around completely normally, as if this was a typical action and he was used to it. He watched the children playing with a wide, fond grin on his face.

You walked over to Amai and Yenuno, who were watching from the refreshments table with Yenu, feeding her crackers.

“Nothing like a little bit of chaos in the morning,” You said.

They laughed.

“You’ve never seen them after a group kill,” Yenuno said. “They’re uncontrollable after they’ve taken down an elk together. It’s pretty incredible to watch for me, personally. Nagas in the wild typically don’t work together and they especially don’t hunt together, not even siblings.”

“They are very close and friendly, for nagas,” You remarked. “Markedly different to most snake-related species I’ve met.”

“It’s Amai’s blood and influence that’s doing it, I’m sure,” Yenuno said, kissing his wife’s cheek. “She’s the most friendly and cheerful person I’ve ever met.”

“To be fair, sweetie, you haven’t met all that many people,” Amai said, laughing.

“That is fair,” Yenuno conceded. “My point stands, though.”

“Alright children, gather ‘round!” Halvorg called, and they flocked to him, swirling around him like a whirlpool. “Now, you guys are going to split up into teams to help Nenish, Tahara, and Sadji find their gifts. Nenish will have Tani, Jinsa, and Keenai on his team. Tahara will have Amaia, Osan, Ishni, and Dashu on his team. And Khuzho, Chidil, Fuma, and Itheti will be on Sadji’s team.” He handed a small leaflet to each team. “Follow the clues to find the treasures! Go!”

The kids scattered, giggling madly.

“Come get something to drink and rest for a minute, Halvorg!” Yenuno called. “I think you’ve earned it.”

Halvorg grinned boyishly, an expression that brightened his face and made him look… well… rather handsome. He jogged over to the table and had a ginger ale. Elves have hypermobile ears, and his ears were high and wiggling slightly, a normal indication in elvish peoples of happiness and excitement.

“I think they’ll really enjoy their gifts this year,” Halvorg said, taking sips of his soda. “And the treasure hunt is half the fun. It’s challenging, but not too difficult. If they work together, it should be no trouble at all.”

“You didn’t get them history books like last year, did you?” Amai asked with her eyes narrowed. “You might as well have burned the money you spent on those for all the use they got out of them.”

“No, I learned my lesson,” He said defensively. “I bought toys.”

“Educational toys?” Amaia asked shrewdly.

He stopped mid-sip and looked at Amaia with an eyebrow raised. “…maybe,” He said into his cup.

Amaia rolled her eyes. “At least Yenuno and I ordered some stuff the kids will like.”

“You don’t know that they won’t like them,” I said. “I loved educational toys.”

“Yeah, but you’re a nerd,” Amaia said, poking you playfully.

“So what? Your kids could be nerds, too. I’m pretty sure Osan is going to be a Star Wars fan. He’s been talking my ear off about the Mandalorian.”

“It’s so strange,” Amaia said, ignoring your response and looking off in the distance. “I thought that because the kids were hatched in clutches, they would be like twins or triples or the like and have similar interests and personalities, but they’re all so different. Different likes, different traits, different styles. It’s amazing.”

“It amazes me, too,” Yenuno said, staring into his drink with a wistful expression. “My siblings and I separated when we were young, so I don’t know what they were like or if we had similar interests. Honestly, until recently, I never gave them a thought. Watching my children work together… it makes me wonder what my own siblings were like, and if they’d still be alive today if we had helped each other.”

There was a contemplative silence for a few minutes, broken by excited voices reentering the receiving area.

“We found it!” Tahara said, holding up a wrapped gift. The other four were carrying smaller treat bags that had their names written on them. “Uncle Maël, look!”

“Excellent! Well done!” Halvorg said, bending to give Tahara a hug. “Now, let’s wait until your brothers return with their gifts before we open them, okay? How about you five play tag until then?”

“Okay!” Tahara said.

“I’ll play with you,” Yenuno said. “I’m starting to get fat, preparing for the incubation period.” He patted Amai’s belly, which carried his three eggs, likely to be the last clutch they’d have together.

“How soon?” You asked Amai as Yenuno took off to chase with his children.

“Any day,” Amai said with a weary sigh. “And I’m ready for it. These little guys are heavy.”

“Boys or girls?”

“We won’t know until they hatch. It’s too hard to get a clear picture with the ultrasound, and besides, even if it could, both the male and female genitalia are internal, so it’s nearly impossible to tell.” She took a sip of ginger ale. “We’re really hoping for at least one girl. Don’t get me wrong, we love the boys more than anything, but we’d like Amaia and Yenu to have some sisters.”

“I’d like to be present for the laying, if that’s okay,” You said.

“For your research?” She asked.

Your head rocked back. “No, because you’re my friend and I want to be there for you.”

Amai smiled fondly. “Oh. Of course, thank you.”

Dr. Halvorg had not added anything to the conversation with you and Amai, and instead went to the table and made a plate of snacks. You gave Amai a look and a cocked eyebrow, and she nodded understanding, slipping away from her spot to watch her husband and children play.

“Dr. Halvorg?”

He flinched and looked up, glancing around furtively and noticing that the two of you were alone. “Yes?”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

He opened his mouth and closed it again before responding, “I’m doing no such thing.”

“I’ve requested at least three meetings with you this past month, and you’re always too busy,” You said dryly.

“Well, I am,” He said, turning. “If you’ll excuse me…”

“Are you avoiding me because I asked you out?” You asked bluntly.

He missed a step in his stride and stopped.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I should have realized from your professional demeanor that you wouldn’t be open to interoffice dating. I apologize.”

Halvorg sighed and turned to face you. “It’s not that. Not exactly, I mean.” He set his plate on the table and looked you full in the face for the first time in weeks. “I haven’t given a thought to dating in…” He rubbed his forehead. “Gods… decades. The question took me off guard, of course, and I actually had to sit down and give it some thought. I’ve been wrapped up in my work, of course, but I think I was just distracting myself.”

“From what?”

He sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms. “It’s hard to talk about. I don’t even really talk about it with Yenuno, and I would consider him my closest friend.” He sighed heavily and avoided your eye. “I’ve ignored my personal life in favor of spending my career and fortune in this century helping races achieve something I want for myself.”

“Children?” You guessed.

He nodded a little morosely. “Not just that, but that is a significant part of it. I’ve been following the reproduction rates of Celtic fae since the fae were originally integrated and it’s decreasing year by year. I live in constant fear that my own race will be extinct in my lifetime.” He quirked his head at you. “Your race still seems to be fairly prolific, is that correct?”

“Oh yeah, I have a bunch of brothers and a truckload of cousins. No problems there.”

He sighed. “I don’t know what the problem with my race is. I’ve studied genetic traits, magical impediments, marriage and divorce rates, and ratio of coupling to conceptions.The numbers are terrible and I don’t know why. That’s what drives me crazy. I hate not having an answer.”

“Have there been miscarriages?”

“No, that’s the crazy thing, the rate of conception is extraordinarily low. I think there have only been three live births of Celtic fae blood in the last year.”

“Oh, jeez,” You said, sitting against the table next to him. “I didn’t realize the problem was that severe. Have you considered whether it might be a physical problem?”

“How do you mean?”

“Have you ever done a sperm count? Or had an MRI of the area to see if there’s a blockage? That kind of thing can be genetic and men tend to be shy about stuff like that.”

He tilted his head and frowned. “No, I haven’t. It actually hadn’t occurred to me. Honestly, I’ve been so focused on my work to distract myself, it may have worked too well and I ignored such things.” He looked at you and smiled. “You’ve given me something to think about.”

You smiled back. “Good. I wonder if the females of the race have a similar issue. It may have been something bred into the people over time, over centuries.”

“That’s possible,” He said. “There’s certainly a precedent; some creatures have been bred to extinction. Remember the pug?”

“That tiny dog breed with the squashed face?” You said. “Yeah, they died out a while ago, didn’t they?”

He nodded. “That was human interference, though. Yenuno’s people were dying out due to antisocialism; too reclusive to even propagate their own species. Yenuno was the only one of his kind to take up this project, and even he was reluctant.”

“He seems happy now,” You remarked.

“Yeah,” Halvorg said softly, watching Yenuno laughing and chasing his kids with a sad kind of jealousy. “He does.”

You watched his face, the deep, deep sadness creasing his face and making him look older than he was.

“Follow up, Halvorg, see a specialist. This may have a fix that didn’t exist the last time you tried.”

He nodded, smiling at you, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I will.”

As you stood up, you bumped his shoulder lightly. “Thank you for talking to me. I appreciate that you trusted me enough to discuss such a sensitive subject. I get the feeling that you don’t share yourself with many people.”

He laughed. “No, not really.” He looked up with a smile that seemed more sincere. “Thank you for listening.”

Amai went into labor three days later. She was taken to the laying room, where both Yenuno and Dr. Halvorg were present in addition to the interspecies OBGYN. You were suited up in scrubs and the paper gowns that surgeons wear, as was everyone else in the room besides Amai, who was completely naked, and Yenuno, who never wore clothing. There were natal heart monitors on her belly and an EKG hooked up to her chest.

Amai was sitting on a specially designed chair that would allow her to pass the eggs through her birth canal and into the waiting arms of the doctor. She was already sweating and panting by the time you arrived. The OBGYN and Dr. Halvorg were having a quiet conversation. You went to the other side of Amai and took her hand, trying not to wince when she nearly crushed your fingers.

“Is she okay?” You asked in alarm.

“She’s not fully dilated yet,” Halvorg said, pulling his braid into a surgical cap. “The eggs are getting impatient, it seems.”

“Yeah, well, so am I, so they can settle the fuck down!” Amai shrieked at him.

He bore the abuse with no reaction other than a wry smile. Yenuno wisely said nothing and simply wiped Amai’s forehead with a cloth.

“It won’t be long,” the OBGYN said. “She’s almost there.”

“Just saw me open and get them out,” Amai moaned. “It would hurt less.”

Yenuno tried to kiss her cheek, but she swatted him away weakly.

“No,” She said peevishly. “No touching ever again.”

“You said that last time,” He said, smiling fondly.

“Yeah, but I mean it this time,” She said sulkily.

“Of course you do, darling.” He patted her head. She scrunched her face up at him in annoyance. She was always adorable when she was miffed.

“I’ll make you into shoes,” She said sourly. “And a matching purse.”

It took a while for Amai to dilate fully, and by then she was very tired. Yenuno was looking worried; she’d laid several eggs over the years and never struggled this much before. Perhaps this being their last clutch was a good idea.

“Okay, I think we can start pushing now,” The doctor said, getting ready to catch the eggs. “Amai, when you feel the next contract, hold your breath, bear down, and push.”

“Okay,” She breathed. “One’s coming.”

We all braced for the push. Amai took several quick deep breaths and held it, her face pulled tight in pain and effort, doubling over in the chair as she did. You and Yenuno held her hands and patted her back and murmured encouragement. Halvorg was waiting with a soft cloth to take the eggs for cleaning, after which they would be laid in a specialized incubating carrier to be taken to Yenuno’s cottage.

The first egg came slowly and with much screaming. The doctor caught it and handed it off to Halvorg. The shell of the egg was soft and needed extremely delicate care, but Halvorg was well practiced by now and got the egg washed and into the carrier under ninety seconds and returned for the next.

The second egg came more quickly, but Amai screamed the whole time. By the time the third and final egg was laid, her voice was raw and she was too exhausted to scream.

But it was over. She fell back into the recline of the chair as if boneless and breathed in shallowly, her eyes barely open.

“You were amazing, darling,” Yenuno said gently, kissing Amai’s face. “Rest. I’m taking the eggs to the cottage. The children will visit you when you’ve slept.”

She turned her head slowly to look at him and touched her fingertips to his face, tracing down his cheek, chin, neck and chest before letting her hand fall back to her side, and her eyes closed. Nurses came to whisk her away to a recovery room, the OBGYN following behind. Yenuno and Halvorg left to take the eggs to the cottage for the incubation, and you were left alone in the laying room.

As you were shedding the paper gown and surgical cap, you noticed a small book lying on the ground. It looked to be one of Halvorg’s research journals, though it was smaller than his usual ones. He must have dropped it out of his back pocket when he was disrobing. You picked it up and took it with you with the intent on returning it to him in the morning.

And of course, you’d completely forgotten by the time you woke up.

Amai recovered enough in a few days to be up and walking around. She and the children took turns keeping Yenuno company, as he grew morose if he was left alone too long. You had declared half days until the new babies hatched so that they could have more time with their dad.

One afternoon, after the children had left class for the day, Dr. Halvorg came in and sat on the edge of your desk.

“Hello,” You said pleasantly, closing the folder with their latest work for grading. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“I wanted to let you know I took you up on your advice,” He said, looking a little bashful. “I went and saw a specialist. They’re going to be doing some tests soon. Sperm count, blood tests, an MRI. Any test that can be done will be done.”

“Good!” You said, swinging your chair around. “I’m glad. Maybe you’ll finally get an answer.”

He sighed, looking pensive and anxious. “I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I still wanted to thank you for pushing me to do it.”

“I didn’t push you to do it, Maël,” You said. His eyes narrowed at your use of his first name, but he didn’t say anything. “I just brought the subject up. It was your decision to do it.”

“Well, thank you all the same,” He replied. “I admit, I’m nervous about it. I could either get wonderful news or have my worst fears confirmed. I don’t know how I’ll react to either option.”

“Would you like me to come with you?” You asked him.

He looked at you in surprise. “You… you don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t,” You replied. “But this is the kind of thing you need friends for. And since Yenuno is tied up with the eggs, I could be a good substitute. You don’t even have to think of me as a friend, if you don’t want to, just an emotional support associate.”

He was quiet for a moment. “I think of you as a friend.”

“Well, thank you. I was hoping we’d get there eventually. So? What do you think? Want some support for this?”

“Not for the tests, I can do those by myself perfectly well,” He said, adjusting his tie nervously. “But… for the results… perhaps… a friend would be nice.”

“I’ll be there for you, then,” You said, standing and patting his arm. “Does Yenuno know about this? Have you talked to him about it?”

“No,” He replied. “I didn’t want to tell him while he’s dealing with his own new babies. Besides, if the news is not good, I don’t want people feeling sorry for me. If the news comes back positive… I don’t know… I think this is one thing I’d rather keep to myself.”

“Except for me, you mean,” You said.

He nodded concedingly. “Besides you.”

“Let me know when the results come back and I’ll go with you. We’ll make a day of it, go to a spa, get a bikini wax together, eat some overpriced salads, buy something ridiculous we want but don’t need. It’ll be a blast.”

He actually laughed a little. “Sounds like a plan.”

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider buying me a Kofi, becoming a Patron, or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

[mizelophsun11]

Mizeloph's Tale Chapter 3

Pairing - The pairing right now is General Kirigan x OC Sun Summoner and then will move forward to Kaz Brekker x OC Sun Summoner

Summary - The Sun Summoner has been found! The unlikely orphan from Ketterdam seems to hold the most important power. She must figure out how she fits into the world now that everything has changed for her. A new life is thrusted upon her and she will have to figure out how she will take it all in.

Word Count - 1698

-

Anna groaned, opening her eyes trying to figure out what was going on. One moment she had been in complete darkness and now she had a Healer kneeling over her. She tried to look over where she last remembered seeing Mal and Alina, she gasped in pain as the Healer continued to work on her.

“Hold on, your collarbone is fractured” she said and worked to heal her collarbone and anything else that Anna needed done

“Wait, Mal.. Alina.. One is a tracker and the other is a map maker, where are they?..” she struggled to speak

“First army goes to medical now please try to stay still” the Healer said and continued to look for anything else that might be broken

Zoya approached them “we have to bring her to General Kirigan’s tent”

“I am not done healing her” the Healer countered

“You can go with her, General Kirigan needs to see her now” Zoya said

The Healier finished making sure that Anna felt comfortable then she was taken to General Kirigans tent. Anna was still slightly out of it, she felt like she had been drained of all of her energy. As she approached the black tent with the guards holding her arms she was amazed by what she saw inside but was also scared. All of this had to be a mistake, she shouldn’t be here, after all she was just a map maker who only had a few years of combat training under her belt.

General Kirigan turned around from looking at the map on the table “what are you?”

“Um.. I am a map maker sir, that's all”

The Grisha in the tent giggled at her response, Anna felt self conscious about her answer but she was telling the truth “Quiet” General Kirigan commanded, everyone stopped laughing “so what actually happened? Zoya? You manned the main sail” he looked over to her

“We were attacked barley two marks in, someone lit a lantern” Zoya replayed the events out loud and in her mind

“And?” General Kirigan asked

“It was her” Zoya answered, point to Anna “she created the light that killed the swarming volcra”

“Our mapmaker.. Is it true? Can you summon light? Where did you grow up?” he looked back over at Anna, with every piece seeming to fall into place, this girl seemed to be at the center of it all

“I don’t remember having a family, I spent a lot of time on the streets of Ketterdam trying to survive, but when I was around 10 Duke Keramsov took me back to his orphanage across the Fold” Anna had never talked much about her childhood, but here she was telling a stranger

“Hmm, and when were you tested?” General Kirigan knew that she had not been tested before, but he wanted to know why from her

“Well, when I was brought over I was past the age of when they would normally test children so on testing day I would be shoved away into a room where they would lock me in there until the testers left” Anna knew that didn’t sound good, but it was the truth and honestly she was glad because then she would not be separated from her friends.

General Kirigan nodded, he was angry about the treatment Anna had when Grisha testers came to the orphanage she had grown up in, but he would fix their mistakes now “If you have never been tested, let us just make certain” he walked up to her taking his claw ring off his pinking and onto his thumb “roll up your sleeve” he summoned shadow into the tent

She rolled her sleeve up, there was nothing she would have to be nervous about. In the moment, she didn’t feel scared, it was as if General Kirigan made her feel less afraid with his presence. Anna had only felt something like this once but, that had been a long time ago when she had a certain boy at her side until he had disappeared. He pulled her sleeve up just a little bit more and used his claw ring to cut her arm and from that wound a burst of pure light came out lighting up the tent and going through the top, everyone in the camp would be able to see. Anna could not believe what she was seeing, pure sunlight was coming out from her arm. General Kirigan smiled at her, seeing the amazement in her eyes, after a bit longer he closed off the cut which stopped the light from coming.

“Ivan” General Kirigan called for him “take her to my coach, I want as many armed guards with her at all times until she is safe behind the walls of the Little Palace”

“Yes sir” Ivan called a few guards over and they ushered Anna out of the tent and towards General Kerrigan's coach.

“Wait, I want to see my friends before I leave, please!” Anna had not seen them since everything went down inside the Fold, they had been taken to medical already by the time she woke up

“No, we have to get you to the Little Palace right now, the sun is beginning to set and there is no doubt every enemy who knows of your existence will be after you now” Ivan kept trying to get Anna to the coach, but she kept trying to fight them

As they approached the coach there was a Healer standing there where he went to make sure Anna was completely healed and took care of the cut on her arm. The Healer then took off his Kefta and gave it to her, she didn’t take it right away but he insisted. It would keep her safe during her journey to the Little Palace.

“Please I just want to make sure my friends are alright” Anna pleaded one more time before they left

“Like I have said, we need to leave now, we must start our journey, we can’t waste a moment. You don’t understand that by now every Shu Han assassin and Fjerdan spy will be after you” with the sun beginning to set in the west and to avoid any danger they would have to leave now while they had some natural cover

Anna knew that she could not fight Ivan and the guards off forever and was about to get into the coach when she saw Mal and Alina trying to make their way over to her “Mal! Alina!” she stepped down and went to run to them but was stopped by another Heartrender

“Miss Mizeloph we have to leave now” Fedyor commanded holding onto her arm

“Anna!” They yelled trying to get closer but where stopped by guards

“Please I need them” she was exhausted, this day had been very draining for her and just a few minutes with her friends would mean the world to her

“I am sorry but you cannot, we must leave now” Fedyor with the help of Ivan were finally able to get Anna into the coach

Once she was shoved into the coach and it started to move, Anna found the back window and pulled the curtains back. She yelled to her friends as she saw them trying to get past the guards to catch up, but there was no way possible for them to get close as the coach left. Once they got farther away from Kribirsk Anna sat down and looked at the two Heartrenders. She sighed and held the Kefta close to herself, so much was running through her mind. Only moments ago she was just another map maker, to now discover she was the legendary Sun Summoner. As the coach continued to move, Anna looked out the window to see the rising moon in the sky, lanterns had been lit to be able to see where they were going.

“So.. I know you are Ivan, who are you?” Anna looked back at the other Heartrender

“My name is Fedyor, and I am sorry about earlier, but we had needed to leave, it is dangerous for you now out in the open and we could not waste a moment to get you to Os Alta behind the walls of the Little Palace”

“Yeah.. I just, this isn’t normal, people coming after me like this. Even in Ketterdam I was never really sought after” Anna went back to looking out the window

“Well they will, if you are truly the Sun Summoner you are the key to taking down the Fold and the Fjerdan and Shu Han will make sure that they will give it their all to make sure that does not happen” Ivan said while looking out the window

“You are after all a hope to our country, it was Grisha who created the Fold and if one can destroy it then maybe.. We could finally be free of its burden, we would no longer be hunted because of who we are'' Anna looked at Fedyor once he was done talking to see that he had a small smile on his face, for him there was hope

Anna looked between the two men and knew that there was so much more to being a Grisha that she did not understand. Just yesterday she had been complaining about how the Grisha at Kirbisk wanted more space to train. However, they had not always had those luxuries, they had once been hunted and in reality they wanted to be treated like others. Grisha could practice the small science at their will, there should be no reason for them to be called witches and hunted until they are all dead. Now that Anna was Grisha she feared that she would now be hunted, always with a pair of eyes over her shoulder to try and survive. She sighed and realized that this would be a long journey, it would be a good idea to get some shut eye before her life changed forever at the Little Palace. Anna closed her eyes and was able to fall asleep pretty quickly, she had started to feel safe with Ivan and Fedyor, knowing they would protect her.

-

Author Note - I would like to send another big thank you to everyone who has liked my story and left a post! I also wanted to address a question someone had and thought it would be good for everyone to know, Anna is the only Sun Summoner in this story. Just incase anyone else was wondering about that there is the answer. I will be continuing to post chapters and if you would like to be added to the tag list please let me know! I would be happy to add you!

Tag List - @rika90 @itsemy01 @hotleaf-juice @teatimeforusreaders @benbarnes-supremacy @graciefullygracie @aleksanderwh0r3

[ideasaboutpokemon]

Note: I have no idea how tagging someone works on this app, but I’m trying :(

So, I was on Tumblr and I saw someone with the username @prismtowerprincess (they’re awesome btw, I recommend checking them out) and it gave me an idea:

The story of Rapunzel BUT make it Pokémon XY. More specifically, Diodeshipping (Clemont X Ash)

Let me explain.

Basically it’s a rewrite of the Disney film Tangled but in the Pokémon XY universe.

So for the plot, Clemont is the lost gym leader trapped in Prism Tower, locked off to all of Kalos (there are only 7 gym leaders of Kalos because the 8th one went missing as a child and therefore Prism Tower was put out of business) Clemont was kidnapped at the age of 1 and a half by Xerosic (on Lysander’s orders but we don’t know that yet) because he was somewhat prophesied to be some kind of genius that shaped the future of Kalos and Lysander didn’t want that prophecy coming true. Xerosic is manipulative through Clemont’s childhood and convinced him not to go outside, as Xerosic only enters through a window at the top of the tower. To get up, he asks Clemont to let down his HAIR [Handy And Indestructible Rope] which Clemont does ever day without fail. Whilst he accepts his life, Clemont is getting bored of the way his life is since he’s seemingly read every book, worked on every calculation, made every invention, etc. He wants to see the Pokémon made electric shower that happens to fall each year on the night of his birthday, but Xerosic won’t let him, telling Clemont in greatly exaggerated detail about the dangers of going. When Clemont asks Xerosic again on his 16th birthday, he snaps and yells at Clemont, who hides in his room out of fear. Xerosic leaves, and Clemont goes and sits in his closet like he does when he needs some alone time. Xerosic tells Clemont that he’ll get the him a new wrench for his birthday, and leaves to go to the mechanics shop.

Meanwhile Ash is on the run with Jessie and James, who don’t trust Ash but need him for their heists. Whilst Jessie and James like stealing unique Pokémon from Kalos and trading them for money, Ash prefers stealing gym badges. They just stole the only Mega Evolution Stone from Professor Sycamore’s lab, so the professor sends the Royal Kalos Defence Force to arrest them with the chase being led by a Pikachu, who is at first underestimated by Ash and his crew. But after witnessing first-hand the power of Pikachu’s thunderbolt, the trio end up separated with Ash having to fly solo. After complaining that the wanted poster messed up his nose, he spots Prism Tower, and comes to the conclusion that since it’s a gym, he can rob the gym leader there. And since Pikachu is hot on his tail, he has no choice but to climb up and hide. Clemont hears Ash enters the building, ventured out of the closet and knocks ash out with an old wrench, tying him to a chair with his HAIR in a panic. When Ash wakes up, he sees Clemont walking around the room looking highly anxious, and mockingly asks him questions like if he was a boy or a girl due to Clemont’s longer than average hair, referring to him as “Gender-bent Goldilocks” on occasion. Clemont demands to know who Ash is, and naively believes the wanted man when he says his name is “Tom-Ato” Ash asks for the stone back and Clemont says that he’ll return the stone if Ash takes him to see the electric shower. Ash reluctantly agrees, but secretly plans on betraying Clemont at the earliest opportunity. Ash gets Clemont to use his HAIR as a way of escaping the tower rather than letting Xerosic into it, but still, Clemont is terrified. Reluctantly, Ash carries Clemont to an isolated first as the blond haired man is too scared to walk on the floor since he’s never been outside before and when Clemont gets on the grass he runs around in an excited phase. He continually flips between a mood of joy and depression/fear of Xerosic’s response. Ash uses his guilt to try and force Clemont back to the castle, but Clemont refuses. However, he bumps into a Luxray and is scared easily. Whilst Ash is tempted to leave Clemont stuck up a tree he climbed to escape the playful Pokémon, he eventually gives in to his gut and goes to rescue Clem who proclaims his gratitude for “The Heroic Tom Ato” which makes Ash laugh. Clemont eventually grows to trust the Luxray, who joins them on their quest into the centre of Lumious City where the electricity event takes place.

Meanwhile, Xerosic asks Clemont to let down his HAIR, and when he doesn’t, Xerosic grows concerned. With Lysander’s orders to never let Clemont leave the tower ringing in his head, he runs up a hidden emergency staircase, breaks into the tower and is dismayed to see that Clemont isn’t there, as well as the stolen mega evolution stone laying in the closet floor. He pockets the stone and begins using a set of goggles to track Clemont’s footprints. After seeing another set of prints next to Clemont’s he lets out a panicked cry and chases after them, running into Jessie and James along the way. The duo are musing about the lost stone and Xerosic demands they tell him who stole the stone (and Clemont). They challenge him to a battle - if he wins, they tell him everything as well as help him, and if he looses, he gives them all his possessions. Xerosic agrees.

Ash takes Clemont to a pub in order to scare him back into the castle as the people inside all have reputation of somewhat dangerous trainers. When Ash and Clemont walk in, the entire pub turns on them and recognises Ash from the wanted posters. They close in on the duo, and as they’re backing up Ash tells Clemont that it’s not too late to “run back home.” This approach almost works until in a state of fear, Clemont asks some of the people closing in on him if they’ve ever had a dream to follow. One by one the “menaces” in the pub reveal their not-so scary dreams. Brock wants to be a doctor. Misty just wants to be better than her sisters. Tracy wants to be an artist. Serena and May just want to dance and Cilan wants to open up his own restaurant with his two brothers. Ash confessed his dream is to be seen as a champion and Clemont says his dream is to see the electric shower. Ash sees Jessie and James directing an unfamiliar man in a red lab coat (Xerosic) to where him and Clemont are, and panics. He grabs Clemont and they try to escape out of the back, where they are confronted by Pikachu and a squad of Dedennes. Cilan grabs Clemont and directs him and Ash to an underground tunnel that will get them out of there, which the two and Luxray run down before Jessie, James and Xerosic can get in. Unfortunately for them, Pikachu also manages to follow them through the tunnel. Xerosic walks in and demands to know where the tunnel went. One of the people in the pub - Alain - tells him against the wishes of Brock and Misty. Xerosic takes Jessie and James to beat Ash and Clemont to the exit.

Clemont and Ash are halfway down the tunnel when Ash hands Clemont a pokeball. Clemont asks what it is, and Ash revealed that it would be easier for them to travel if Luxray was inside the pokeball. Clemont bolds the pokeball out, Luxray bops it with his nose and is sucked into it, and caught. Clemont is panicking that Luxray disappeared, whilst Ash reassures him that Luxray is safe in the pokeball. As the two get near the exit of the tunnel, it ends up looking like more of a cave and a stone is knocked loose, causing the cave to start flooding. This results in the water blocking their light source and the exit is hidden from view. (I don’t entirely recall what happens in the film here so I’m sorry and this bit might seem a little random in terms of the rest of the plot) Clemont and Ash are at the point of nearly drowning when Ash tells Clemont he’s really Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. Clemont then confesses to Ash that he always takes a few of his inventions with him, and pulls out his HAIR, which when turned on, somehow gives off a little bit of light. The duo realise they can use this to escape, and when they find the exit of the cave, Clemont asks Ash why he lied to him and Ash says it’s because “It was easy.” Pikachu then fires an electroball at Ash, but Clemont takes the hit for him. Pikachu stops attacking whilst Ash looks at Clemont’s injury, which is quite a minor one, and Clemont asks Pikachu to trust Ash just until he gets back to the tower after seeing the electric shower. Ash notes that since Jessie and James were trying to capture both of them, they’re probably enemies now. He blames the stone heist on them and Pikachu relents, joining them on the journey. He sits on Ash’s shoulder to make sure he doesn’t do anything illegal.

Night falls and Ash shows Clemont how to make a fire. When he goes to get more firewood with Pikachu, Xerosic emerges from the bushes and grabs Clemont by the arm. He attempts to drag the lost gym leader back to the tower but Clemont breaks free and yells that he trusts Ash entirely. Xerosic laughs and mocks Clemont, saying Ash would never be trustable as the only reason he tolerated Clemont in the first place. He then dares Clemont to put his trust in Ash and give him the stone to watch how fast Ash would leave him. Xerosic then tells Clemont that he’ll be keeping an eye on him, leaves Clemont with the stone alone in the woods near the fire and disappears. Meanwhile Ash is trying to collect more wood but Pikachu is giving him a hard time. Pikachu seems to question why Ash is doing this, to which the boy has no idea. He says that something in his gut is drawing him to Clemont, but passes it off as an “opportunity”. He tells Pikachu how he feels obliged to take care of Clemont and yet again, passes it off as an “opportunity”. He returns to see Clemont visibly shaken and rushes to comfort him. Clemont then shows Ash some calculations based on the fire he did, but didn’t know how he did them. This amazes Ash who tells Clemont that the science he just did was so amazing, causing the lost gym leader to blush. They basically chat and have joke fights like an old married couple for a while, but neither of them are aware of this due to Ash being dense and Clemont not knowing what love is. Meanwhile, Xerosic is watching from the bushes, plotting how to use this to his advantage. He watched from afar as Ash pulls Clemont into an embrace as they go to sleep under the stars.

The next morning, Clemont prods Ash awake due to being scared of the unknown Pokémon surrounding them. It turns out that it’s actually the Royal Kalos Defence Force to arrest Ash and now Clemont as well. Ash asks Pikachu to help fight them off, and Luxray helps Clemont. They fight off the Dedennes and run into the city where preparations for the festival are being made. Clemont is overexcited at the sight of all the machines and Ash actually walks down a whole street is pop-up stands without stealing anything for once! Telling Clemont that, he takes the lost gym leader’s hand and drags him to the middle of the festival where a man called the Blasekin mask is giving a speech about it being his lost son’s 16th birthday. Clemont tells Ash that it’s his 16th birthday too, which shocks Ash. He buys Clemont a slice of cake to celebrate and the duo spend the day playing in three streets with everyone else. Pikachu and Luxray bond as well, and Luxray asks Pikachu and not arrest Ash. Pikachu says he’ll consider it. Non of the other humans know what the two Pokémon are saying.

During the festival, Clemont starts to come out of his shell whilst Ash is also having fun, no longer thinking of the stone. Clemont meets a young girl who says her name is Bonnie, and she’s the sister of the lost gym leader. Clemont asks what the lost gym leader is, to which Bonnie remarks that he “must’ve been locked in a tower all your life if you haven’t heard of him.” unaware of the irony of that statement. She explains that due to a prophecy, her brother was abducted at the age of 1 and a bit, and taken away from his father. Bonnie then proceeds to explain that after her brother went missing, her mother started to grow ill from heartache. When she gave birth to Bonnie 8 years later, the stress of having a baby drained the life from her, and whilst Bonnie survived, her mother didn’t. Both Ash and Clemont are horrified by this revelation and Bonnie remarks that Clemont’s eyes look like hers. She gives Clemont the Lumiose gym badge and smiles at him. Her father then approaches them, tells her not to talk to strangers, and leads Bonnie away. Clemont starts to cry into Ash’s shoulder as Ash stands there looking shocked. Clemont apologises for his emotions and Ash tells him not to worry about it as everyone feels sad sometimes. To put him at piece, Ash takes Clemont to see the flowers that decorate the memorial of the lost gym leader’s mother, which had a stone with the engraving of “The future is now thanks to science.” Clemont says quote feels familiar to him but he can’t place where from, causing Ash to look at him in confusion. Brushing it aside, he drags Clemont all around town to see all the inventions, all of which intrigue Clemont.

On the night of the festival, Ash says that the best place to see the festival is on top of the Pokémon Centre, but Clemont is scared of the heights. Ash helps him up and they watch the electric shower together. In the climax of the shower, Ash leans in to kiss Clemont for a reason he can’t quite place, but before he can actually kiss him, he sees James and Jessie behind Clemont on a building roof across the street and pulls away to go and talk to them. Clemont then gives the stone to Ash, surprising the their greatly, and agrees to let Ash go. Whilst Ash is gone, Xerosic emerges from behind and tells Clemont to be wary of Ash’s motives. Clemont is confused by this but Xerosic merely says he’ll wait for him by the back entrance to the Pokémon Centre. Ash goes to talk to Jessie and James but is captured by them and tied up by an electric net. They take Pikachu and go, leaving Ash to call for help in a soundproof room.

After Xerosic leaves, Clemont is sat by himself on the roof when he’s grabbed by Jessie and James, who tell him he’ll make them a lot of profit. He pulls himself out of their grasp and runs outside and calls for Ash’s help, to which the duo tell him not to bother as Ash was the one who told them to kidnap him before taking the stone and leaving. They back a resistant Clemont into a corner whilst telling him in detail how Ash said he was pathetic but could be used for other purposes, therefore making him a good trade. Clemont breaks down into tears when hearing of Ash’s betrayal and as Jessie and James are about to knock him out, they are attacked by a Malamar. As they’re knocked out, Xerosic returns the Malamar to a pokeball he’s holding, walks out towards Clemont who rushes to embrace him, and yells him that he’s here so everything will be ok. He puts an arm around Clemont and explains that Ash pretended to love him just to get the stone, which breaks Clemont’s heart. Xerosic leads Clemont home whilst the Royal Kalos Defence Force arrest Ash as well as Jessie and James.

Laying awake in the tower, Clemont is looking at the Lumiose gym badge in sadness when Xerosic sits on his bed. Clemont asks Xerosic why he saved him since Clemont disobeyed direct orders and left. Xerosic tells Clemont that whilst he’s very disappointed in him and will most likely punish him later, he still lives Clemont as “That’s what family does.” Clemont questions how they can be related, to which Xerosic ignores him. Clemont wonders aloud where Ash is now, and to distract him, Xerosic pulls out some of Clemont’s old inventions to remind him that he doesn’t need Ash. Clemont looks closely at his inventions and realise that the Lumiose gym badge has been carved on all of them, like some kind of sign. Rushing to his closet, he pulls out his old notebook, the first page reading “The future is now thanks to science.” He confronts Xerosic about it, using the signs and quote to question why he even knows these things from years ago if he’s only learned about them today. Clemont then questions why he’s so good at inventing as Xerosic never taught him, and reflects on how he shares the lost gym leader’s mother’s eyes. He points out how there was a physical resemblance between him and Bonnie, and how the electric shower happens to fall every year on his birthday. He tells Xerosic that his birthday is the same as the lost gym leaders birthday, which sends Xerosic into a panic. Clemont tells Xerosic with no question that he is the lost gym leader, which Xerosic feebly denies. As Clemont starts to question why Xerosic wouldn’t tell him, Xerosic yells at Clemont that he will never leave the tower. Clemont says that Xerosic can’t stop him, at which Xerosic tells Clemont about lysandres “contingency plan” and proceeds to back Clemont up into a corner. He takes the pokeball containing Luxray and puts it in his pocket, causing Clemont to cry out in guilt et not being able to stop Xerosic taking his new friend. As Clemont is stood helpless, pinned in the corner by Xerosic, he pulls out a phone in front of Clemont and phones Lysander, saying half to Lysander and half to Clemont, “Director, it’s time for plan B.”

Meanwhile, Ash is sat in jail with Jessie and James, and he asks them how they could betray them. They say that Xerosic bribed them, and Ash leaves it at that. As Ash tries to break out, they muse about how they need a cool new duo name when a Meowth walks up to the cell and talks in the human language, shocking the three criminals. He says he heard from people within Lysandres organisation called Team Flare that they were using a new method of confining the lost gym leader to prism tower. Whilst Jessie and James are shocked that this Meowth knew where the lost gym leader was the entire time, Ash realised that Clemont is actually the lost gym leader, and that he’s in danger. He begs the Meowth to break them out, to which the Meowth replies “Back up’s outside.” As he breaks the cell open, all of Ash’s new friend from the pub help break him out. Pikachu jumps on Ash’s shoulder, and Ash realised that Pikachu got the people from the pub to come break him out! He thanks Pikachu, and together they rush off to prism tower to help Clemont escape from Xerosic.

When Ash gets to prism tower, he asks Clemont to let down his HAIR, which is lowered quickly. Ash climbs up the rope only to be met with the sight of Clemont in chains with a gag around his mouth, trying to tell Ash to flee. Xerosic creeps up behind Ash and stabs him with a dagger, causing Clemont to cry out in guilt and Ash to tell in pain as he falls to the ground. Xerosic tells Clemont that this is his fault and proceeds to drag him towards a secret trapdoor leading to an isolated basement that Clemont didn’t know about. Clemont is resisting this and eventually manages to get the gag to fall from his mouth and hang around his neck. He then tells Xerosic that he will never stop trying to get away unless he lets Clemont use his invention to save Ash. Xerosic reluctantly agrees and unchains Clemont, who frantically rushes to Ash’s aid whilst Xerosic watches from by the trapdoor. Ash asks what the invention does and Clemont explains quickly that is would patch up the wound. Ash then asks how much it can be used, to which Clemont replies “only once.” As the lost gym leader aims at Ash’s wound, Ash deliberately knocks the invention as Clemont pulls the trigger so that the invention fires at Xerosic instead, causing is body to freeze over in some kind of cocoon. As his face freezes over, the last this he addresses to Clemont is “What have you done?!” He drops Luxray’s pokeball causing the Pokémon to come out. Pikachu then runs up to him and with Luxray they both aim a powerful thunderbolt star Xerosic’s comatose from gyre, causing it to break into small pieces, effectively killing Xerosic. Clemont is too caught up sobbing into Ash’s chest to notice - he asks Ash why he sacrificed himself for him, to which Ash merely replies that “science is so amazing” As Clemont accepts that he’s going to loose Ash for good, he leans in to kiss Ash, to which Ash responds by putting his lips on Clemont’s. Suddenly, Clemont’s glasses light up and like he suddenly pulls out an old fabreze. Using different components from around the room, in less than 15 seconds, he manages to convert it to a “Heal my love-inator” and applies it to Ash’s stab wound. As the bleeding stops and the wound disappears, Clemont tells Ash that they need to get to a Pokémon center now. Ash says he feels fine, which surprises Clemont greatly. Ash asks Clemont how he knew how to do that to his invention. Clemont replies that honestly has no idea, and Ash kisses him again, causing Clemont to blush. He backs away, telling Ash that they can kiss after Ash is patched up by Nurse Joy. Ash says that he feels completely normal, and describes Clemont’s new invention as some kind of “super-duper max revive potion!” which causes Clemont to blush. Clemont reveals that he had no idea what he was doing, which amazes Ash even more. Clemont then goes to look at the remains of Xerosic, trying not to cry. Ash then takes Clemont and his HAIR, saying that he’s free to go and live his life now. Cutting the HAIR apart, Clemont says that he has no use for it and begs Ash to take him around the world because after being locked up for so long, he wants to know what he’s missed out on. Ash then says that there’s somewhere they need to go first.

Ash takes Clemont to the professor’s lab, at which Clemont is completely star-struck. Hearing the duo, Professor Sycamore emerges with Meyer and Bonnie in tow, to which Bonnie says hi to Ash and Clemont again. Professor Sycamore asks them who they are, and Ash merely replies with “So, I kinda stole your stone but I brought it back as well as someone else.” Clemont nervously approaches Meyer and holds out the Lumiose gym badge, saying quietly, “I think I’m your son.” Meyer looks down at him and simply responds with a hug, causing Clemont to blush and Ash to start crying quietly. Bonnie looks at Ash in confusion, and he just mutters “Shut up.” Professor Sycamore says that since the lost gym leader has been found, they can reopen prism tower since it’s been out of use since Clemont was taken as a baby. Clemont just looks at Ash and tells the room that he never wants to step foot in prism tower again, which is why he’ll build a replacement gym leader called Clembot. He also suggests that to celebrate the purpose for him meeting Ash, he makes mini electric showers for Pokémon like Pikachu and Luxray. Meyer explains that those Pokémon are called “electric types” to which Clemont says he wants to know everything about them. Taking his boyfriend by the arm, Ash says that there’s plenty of time for that, and tells Clemont to get ready for the world. As they leave, Professor Sycamore remarks that it’s the world that should get ready for Clemont. Bonnie asks Meyer, “What did the prophecy say again?”

As we see Clemont and Ash on their journey together, we hear the background narration of what the prophecy says, told by Meyer’s disembodied voice. He says that “On a dark summers night, all that is innocent and promising shall be lost. At the other side of the year after many have gone, it shall be found again. The nature of that which has been concealed shall rise to the occasion and bless Kalos with scientific discovery both great and little. A champion shall rise by his side, and together they shall take the world in electric storms, bringing knowledge and prosperity to wherever they go.”

The voiceover changes from Meyer’s voice to Lysander’s voice who closes a book containing the original written prophecy. Shaking his head, we see him walk around prism tower, kneeling by the remains of Xerosic as he sighs to himself. Standing up, he faces away from the camera and says to nobody in particular; “Oh Xerosic, your efforts still remain in vain. I suppose if you want anything done right, you have to do it yourself.”

The end.

That’s pretty much my idea. I wrote it on Notes so I apologise if the text format looks a little weird. I know the plot is a bit rough in some places but please bare with me: I am by no means a writer and merely had the idea in the heat of the moment when I saw the username. Thanks to @prismtowerprincess for the inspiration :) I know this idea probably sucks, but this is just an idea. Hopefully you like it :)

[we-dragons]

I'm from a different dimension actually Chapter 3 Damian x reader

Pulled away to another world, Y/N uses magic science and a Little bird to help her get back home and possibly be rid of an apocalyptic event. "So, will you succumb to your doubts completely or step into the sun of this new world?"

The man in the cowl who was called Batman sat and listened as I explained my situation, and my window how the metal head and his team of night bandits crashed through the said window also putting in that I had taken care of his son giving him some pain killers and cleaning his wounds. I silently thanked God that I soundproofed my whole apartment so I couldn't hear them and they couldn't hear me. I went through the gruesome details of his wound as I patched him up leaving out the green substance that I had to drain him of. My explanation was short and quick leaving the man to glance up at the three before him and Robin who was now, despite my protests, sitting in an upright position, then back at me.

The man had a dark and menacing aura I could tell he was trying to intimidate me, and he could tell it wasn't working. He moves back to the Robin who he throws over his shoulder, I heard a small oof come out of his mouth telling me this wasn't the first type of injury like that. The rest of the men follow behind him, I didn't make a sound as they left watching as they all jumped out one by one till none were residing within my apartment. I feel a wave of sleepiness wash over me as I turn down the hallway to my room. but upon entering it I feel my stomach drop to the floor. The closet was open, and upon further examination, I see that so is the box, my box, my scales.

I sigh knowing that I probably won't be seeing them again I close that I don't technically need them anymore but it was nice to have some security just in case.

"I might as well make more." I say going to bed Nightmare not far behind. "it should be fine as long as they don't find out right?" I pull the covers over my head and dread the thought, and I fall asleep not moments later.

The next few days go off without anything odd happening besides the next morning when I found my window fixed with a small note attached to it. I was a small piece of green paper that was tapped to the outside ' I fixed your window -Robin' I smiled opening the window and taking the note I read it again then I put it on my fridge. I still look at it now and then I feel happy I was able to help someone it also stands as a reminder that he stole my scales and that I need to get them back. I'm still reminiscing the thought at my desk during the 3rd hour instead of paying attention to Molly's one-sided conversation which I already know is about homework.

"(y/n) are you listening?"

"Yes Molly, I have been paying but you can't complain about homework every week you just gotta do it."

"Gahh I don't want to!"

I sighed as she continued to rant about doing it, the bell rung and I forced her into her seat on my left. Since it was the middle of the semester the science class schedule states that we would be doing a project on forgotten scientific instruments. I hear the class already calling partners in the background.

"Alright settle down, I know you're eager to pick partners for our next group assignment but sadly I have to remind you about the last time I let you choose," The class groaned. "Quiet! So you will be put in pairs assigned to you on this chart." she pulls out a large magnetic chart with two names on magnets that were written in dry-erase marker on the right side. on the left side was a list of objects I suppose were the subject of our project. The only problem was I couldn't see the names written on the magnets. "You will choose your project When I call the first name on the magnet, then I want you to immediately connect and set up a meeting place to study. Let's start a the top, (y/n) pick a subject." I looked at the board when my eyes gazed on upon something familiar my eyes lit up.

"I would like to study the Astrolabe please." She nodded and moved my name on the subject.

"Very well chosen! You and Damian should enjoy this project." I Freeze.

"Damian Ma'am?" I ask.

"Yes Damian Wayne, I know you work well with Molly and that's why I normally pair her with you but I feel this would be a better experience for you to expand." She then turns back to the board. " plus there are only two people in this room who can keep up you" I hear her say under her breath and continues to call out the next name. I look at Molly who gives me a Knowing look besides for her I hadn't really memorized any names to faces due to my wanting to keep out of Awkward conversation. She gestures to the person on the right of me. I peer over and see a very unimpressed black-haired, green-eyed boy staring at me.

"Um, so I guess we're partners." I give him a small smile "I don't think we have properly met my name is (y/n) (l/n) it's a pleasure to be working with you." He gives me a nod. "So the Library?"

"We'll see if that works out first, if not I'll need you to come with me." He said pulling out a notebook.

"Go with you where?"He glances at me.

"To my place, Wayne Manor, that is if I'm still grounded."

"How did you get grounded?" His face twisted turning from uninterest into a sly smirk that gave me warning signs in my head.

"I smashed a window."

[lovelyirony]

“i was going to ask that you go easy on me. i’m feeling kind of tender today.” For whomever you want!

 Being alone is something that Bruce thought was the best option for him. He doesn’t really like being social or “on” all the time, and he’s fine with drinking tea in his room and working on homework. For fun, he’ll usually watch one of his “shows” on the weekends. 

Being alone can oftentimes lead to being lonely, unfortunately. One of the drawbacks, and something that Bruce doesn’t like. 

He thought he was pretty well-adjusted to college. He didn’t really need to make friends immediately. His mother had written to him from Aunt Becca’s house on new stationary that friends come along when you’re least expecting it. 

And then he got to orientation and his leader said that “friends are something you need to pursue! Get out there and go make some! Join a club!” 

Bruce had not done that. 

He doesn’t want to say that he’s scared of people, but they...intimidate him. He was made fun of his whole elementary and most of his high school time, so it’s not like Bruce learned how to successfully navigate friendship. 

So here he is in his dorm on a Wednesday night at 10:34, post-shower, and he realizes that he is all alone and he probably needs to change that. 

But he’s not sure how. He’s not great at “event-crashing” and there’s no way that he’s just going to sit down and talk to somebody. He’s in it for the confusion, it seems. 

A week later, there’s a knock on his door. 

It’s one of the girls who lives on his floor, Nat or Natalie or something. 

“I smelled coffee,” she says. “And I want to know if I can have some.” 

“Um...sure? Do you want cream or sugar or anything?” 

“Is the cream flavored?” 

“Yeah, it’s the, uh, new fall flavor. I thought it could be good in coffee.” 

Her eyes light up, and she walks straight into his room, not even noticing the notes pinned all over his cork-board and the sad laundry pile in the corner. She pours coffee neat as can be into her own mug, sits down on the desk chair, and looks at him. 

“Are you going to have any?” 

“Uh...yes?” 

He pours some, and then gets the cream out. He passes it over to her, and she takes it gladly. 

“None of us really see you anywhere,” she says. “Why is that?” 

“I, um. I guess I don’t get out much,” Bruce mutters. “Can you...can you smell the coffee from my room?” 

“Not from where I am, but Clint lives across the hall,” Nat says. “Room 816. He wanted coffee, but was too shy to ask if he could. We’ll provide coffee costs so long as we get it.” 

“Um, sure,” Bruce says. “I always leave my room unlocked. I’m Bruce.” 

“Nat, I live in 842. What are you majoring in?” 

“Chemistry and biology,” Bruce answers easily. “A focus in genetics.” 

“Whoa. Cool. I’m studying business and security.” 

“What do you want to do with that, if you don’t mind me being the millionth person to ask that?” 

Natasha smiles, and Bruce can tell that she’s more than most people think. 

“My friend Tony and his boyfriend want to revamp his dad’s company, so they’re gonna need a bodyguard.” 

“Cool,” Bruce says. “I want to help people and create cures.” 

“Always honorable. You wanna come with us to the drive-in movie tonight?” 

Bruce blinks. He’s not expecting an invitation to be thrust his way so...directly. 

“Um, sure. You sure about that?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Well...we’ve never met before this.” 

“We’ve done enough,” Natasha says easily, grabbing her mug and heading for the door. “We’re meeting in the lobby at eight, but we’re getting dinner at seven if you wanna come to that. Tony would really like to meet you, he’s been complaining about the lack of ‘smart’ people.” 

“I’ll...I’ll see you, then.” 

- 

Right at six, Bruce is nervously tugging at the hem of his shirt, or wringing his hands. 

He sees a guy who he thinks is Clint. 

“Oh hey! You came!” he says with a grin. “Do you have any bandages?” 

“Do you need one?” 

“In the future? Yes. Currently? No,” he says, getting out his phone. “What do you think you’ll get for dinner?” 

“Um, probably their lasagna or something. I know that the pizza tonight is barbecue chicken.” 

Clint pulls a face. 

“The worst one, bleh. Ooh, Thor’s on his way!” 

- 

Thor is...Thor. There’s literally no other word to describe the vibe of him. 

He’s wearing a flannel, jeans, and he looks like he could be a nature guide at a national park. 

Bruce is stunned. He’s never seen him around before. 

“You met Thor yet?” Nat asks, lips curving into a smile. 

“No,” Bruce says faintly. “I don’t think I have.” 

And then in walks Tony and Jim (or Rhodey?), and his eyes light up. 

“Bruce, my darling dearest. I heard that you are a smart man, and I am all about smart men. Let’s talk science.” 

Bruce  actually gets engaged in conversation, and he loves it, even when Steve says “could we have this in English, please?” 

"Absolutely not,” Tony says. “Bruce and I are on the same wave length, so you will have to get used to us being annoying.” 

“Sorry Steve,” Bruce says softly. 

Steve grins. 

“I’m just joking around, Bruce. Don’t worry about it. Wait until I start talking about art techniques.” 

Dinner is good. Bruce gets to know more about everyone, and laughs out loud at most of Nat’s dry humor. 

“Finally, someone with good taste,” she says. “You’re coming to the movie, right?” 

“What’s playing?” 

“One of my favorites,” Thor rumbles. “Ben-Hur.” 

“We’re going to fall asleep,” Sam murmurs to Bruce. “Like, seriously. It’s boring.” 

“The set design isn’t,” Bruce says softly. He saw the movie once with his cousin Jen and their grandpa. “It’s a beautifully made one.” 

“Then you can sit next to Thor,” Tony decides. “Because otherwise he’ll spend the whole time trying to wake us up so that we don’t miss a part, or several.” 

“It’s a good movie,” Thor says, although he seems to know that he’s lost the debate. 

“We’ll have a good time regardless,” Clint says. “Especially since I’m planning on eating a whole tray of Oreos and passing out.” 

“At least save some for me,” Sam says. “I don’t want a repeat of last time.” 

“Your fault for making moon-eyes at Bucky,” Nat retorts. 

“Oh, I did not.” 

“You did,” Thor said simply. “But let’s get to the car before we lose our spot.” 

- 

There’s not exactly a spot to lose. The only other people are older couples and the occasional young teenage couple who has every intention of parking a bit further away and hoping to god everyone ignores them. 

(And everyone will.) 

Bruce comes to find that they weren’t joking about having him sit next to Thor; they point out that Thor is actually really excited to have someone to talk to. 

“It’s true,” Thor says, grabbing a blanket out of the car to settle down over his chair. 

Or at least, that’s what Bruce thought was going on. 

What goes on is that Thor shares it.

“Weather’s supposed to go low tonight,” Thor says. “Can’t have you getting cold and me knowing I could’ve done something about it.” 

Bruce will say, if anyone asks, that he was not blushing and they can’t prove it because it was dark outside. 

He moves his chair closer. 

After all, he doesn’t want to stretch the blanket farther than it can reach. And he wants to hear Thor better. 

The orchestral music starts up and floats in between cars, and Thor looks at the screen, completely enraptured. 

Nat gives Bruce a look, and he looks away. 

“I brought soda, you want some?” Tony whispers. 

Bruce jumps as he turns to face the genius, who is so unbelievably close. 

“There’s Dr. Pepper and Pepsi but with cherry.” 

“Cherry, please,” Thor rumbles. “Bruce, for you?” 

“Um, I’m...I’m good.” 

-

Movie night is...nice. 

Bruce doesn’t really focus on the plot that much, not when Thor is whispering every so often about a favorite piece of music or what he liked about an actor’s choice. 

He doesn’t mind it. Not at all. He notices the smallest things, and Thor passes him over a snack. It’s nice. 

It’s nicer when they drive back and Thor tells him that he’s glad he came. 

“I’ve seen you around, I just wasn’t sure how to get you to come with us,” Thor says. “You’re always in your room.” 

“I tend to be a bit of a homebody,” Bruce says nervously, readjusting his glasses. “I, uh...I’m just not always accustomed to people.” 

“That’s alright,” Thor says. “We’re having dinner again, we always have it at six. Feel free to come. Nat would like to see you again. You’ve been on her hit list.” 

“Her what?” 

“Friendship, don’t worry,” Clint says. “She has a certain list of people she wants to ‘hit’ as her friends. We’ve tried to get her to change the name about eight times.” 

“It means serious business,” Nat scoffs. “Also Bruce, you have to come get coffee with me this weekend.” 

- 

Friendship is a confusing business, Bruce decides. He loves it, but it’s confusing. Mainly because he can’t believe that people actually want to hang out with him. He’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

“You keep waiting for shoes to drop,but we never throw them up in the air,” Sam says. “Now come on and come with me to get Bucky from his stupid class and harass him into coming grocery shopping with us.” 

Bruce laughs. 

“Okay, but I need to make a list first. Otherwise I’m going to forget to get the tea for Tony.” 

- 

It becomes comfortable, and he...he enjoys it. He likes that they cook dinner (disastrously) for Halloween together, and they all dress up in as best a costume as they can manage. 

He gets inside jokes with everyone, and he and Nat make a habit of having coffee in his dorm room most mornings before heading down for breakfast, and they all eat lunch together outside when the weather is nice. 

He and Tony get along fantastically, and they both help each other bounce ideas off one another and come up with new ways to think about problems. 

-

And then...there’s Thor. 

Thor is his friend, one of his best ones. But there’s something that he’d like to be more there, and he’s never sure how to approach it. He’s not even sure if Thor wants to approach it. 

They walk together and they nap together, and Bruce sometimes wonders if Thor looks at him as much as Bruce looks at him. 

They go on errands together, and they’re usually always sitting together for movie nights. 

- 

Nat thinks Bruce is acting ridiculous. 

“Quit being a little bitch and go ask him out,” she says over coffee. Steam curls around the mug, and Bruce looks away for a minute, pulling a face. 

“Nat, he’s....he’s Thor. I can’t just ask someone like him out.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because I ramble about genetics and how much I appreciate certain scientists! How is that going to translate when we go on a date and I can’t figure out what to say?” 

Natasha looks at him like he’s the biggest idiot in the galaxy. 

“You’re the worst,” Natasha decides. “You guys already go on dates, basically. I mean, he doesn’t let anyone else come with you guys to go get ice cream on Saturday nights. You go grocery shopping with him and make those mug-brownies together.” 

“That’s....” 

“You don’t do that with anyone else, do you? I’m so sure that you don’t, otherwise I would have heard about it by now.” 

Bruce shrugs, sighing and pouring himself his cup of coffee. 

Natasha’s face softens, and she hops up onto the bed beside him. 

“Look. I know you have this whole self-loathing thing going on, and god knows most of us on this floor do as well. But just because of that, it doesn’t mean you get to deny yourself happiness. If that was the case, I’d never bring home latkes.” 

Bruce smiles softly. 

“Thanks, Nat.” 

“No problem. Also, we’re having family dinner inside to talk about an upcoming vacation, possibly.” 

“Vacation?” 

“We ditch class on Friday if we can help it, and we spend the weekend at a lake nearby. You wanna come?” 

“Sure!” 

- 

Thor is currently enduring a pep talk from Bucky and Sam, who are both quite bad at pep talks. 

“You can do this!” Sam says. “What’s the worst that could happen?” 

“I can think about twenty different ways,” Bucky says. “But I won’t mention them.” 

“Bucky, you are grievously bad at this,” Thor stresses. 

“What are you, my English professor? What’s with the vocab?” 

“Uses big words when he’s stressed,” Sam mutters. “Thor, you’ll be fine. It will go well.” 

“Or it will leave me flummoxed.” 

“Shut up.” Bucky groans. “You’re worse than Steve. You sound like a dying Victorian.” 

Thor just groans, face-planting onto a pillow. 

“Someone just put me out of my misery.” 

“Or don’t,” Bucky says. “What’s stopping you?” 

“The fact that if he doesn’t like me it’ll be awkward for the rest of eternity?” 

Sam snorts. 

“If I didn’t know Bucky, you’d be the stupidest person I know.” 

“Hey!” 

- 

The family discussion about the vacation goes well, and Tony keeps giving Bruce pointed looks, and Thor is enduring the most uncomfortable gaze from Natasha he’s ever suffered from. 

They both cannot take this for long. 

- 

It’s awkward, honestly. They’re both in the lobby of their floor, and Bruce can’t meet his eyes and Thor isn’t quite sure how to go about it. 

“Would you like to get coffee with me?” Thor asks. 

“Sure,” Bruce says. “You want Timely or Joe-Fix-It for coffee?” 

“...Timely, I heard they introduced a new flavor.” 

“Alright.” 

They both relax a little bit into the car ride, and by the time they’re at the coffee shop, both are laughing about a text that Loki sent about one “hypothetical” situation. 

It’s easy, and it’s...nice. Thor wants this, and so does Bruce. 

“I have something to ask you,” Thor says, looking into his coffee before gazing at Bruce. “And you can say no if you’d like.” 

“Go easy on me today,” Bruce says softly, and Thor doesn’t miss how his hands clench around his coffee cup. 

“I, um. I have feelings for you. The kind that make your heart speed up.” 

“Anxious thoughts?” 

Thor barks out a laugh at that, and scratches the back of his neck. 

“I am...this whole thing is ad libitum.” 

“What does that even mean.” 

“Without preparation.” They sit for a moment, Thor collecting his words. 

“Bruce?” 

“Yes?” 

“Do you...do you remember when Natasha was on her period romance drama kick, and we watched Sense and Sensibility?” 

“Um, yeah? Why?” 

“Do you. Do you remember at the end? The quote about the heart?” 

“No?” 

“Shit.” 

-

It was going to be romantic. Thor was assuming that Bruce remembered the quote about the heart and the always, because it was honestly a cheesy but good movie, and Thor was going to pretend like he knew the quote too so that it would make for a romantic confession. 

“Let me, ah...” he fumbles to get his phone out. “I was hoping you would have remembered the quote.” 

“And you don’t know it?” 

“No, unfortunately. I fell asleep.” 

“So did I!” Bruce laughs. “I think we both fell asleep that night. What are you doing now?” 

“I’m...looking up the quote. I’m quite sure it applies to our current situation.” 

“You sound so proper,” Bruce teases, and Thor slides the phone across the table, showing a truly shitty edit of the quote done in pink, loopy cursive. 

His face softens, and he turns up to Thor. 

“You...really mean that?” 

“More than anything. I’ll be yours, if you want.” 

“I want.” 

Thor laughs, grin wide and big as he gets up and engulfs Bruce in a hug. 

“I think I could not get happier.” 

Bruce turns red, adjusting his glasses. 

“I’m...I’m happy with you,” Bruce says, and by god he looks cute like this, all flustered. “But I think we should head back before we have to sign in at the front desk, right?” 

“Of course.” 

There’s a pleasant energy in the car after that, and before they exit, Bruce takes Thor’s hand. 

“Yes?” 

"Do you think they’ll be surprised?” 

“Considering that they’ve been dropping hints for weeks for both of us? I’m expecting Steve and Tony to gloat for weeks over winning over Natasha.” 

“You’re sure they won over Nat?” 

Bruce grins guiltily. “Nat invited me to her sleepover with Pepper and Sharon. I learned things.” 

Thor laughs, getting out of the car. 

“Then I look forward to their reactions.” 

- 

Not much actually changed, honestly. They were already so close, although Thor is prone to random forehead kisses and bragging about his boyfriend in every single class, to the point where one teacher had to limit his stories about Bruce to two a week, so he had to make them count. 

Bruce enjoys kissing Thor a lot, and always enjoys when Natasha makes a little “aw” noise or when he has a date planned. 

It’s nice. And he likes it a lot.  

[kinktae]

bitchin’ || pt. 4 (M)

↳ PART OF MY REWIND SERIES

The 80s were a time of choices. Which perm was right for you? What color neon would you wear next? None of these choices, however, were more questionable than a certain deal you made with Jeon Jungkook.

pairing: fratboy!jungkook x reader

word count: 5k

genre: 1980s au, eventual smut, e2l

warnings: multiple smut scenes, science talk, banter, jealousy, alcohol & LOTS of colorful 80s slang lmao

A/N: This fic was inspired by To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Thank you to @junqkook for letting me use her likeness!

OFFICIAL PLAYLIST

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10

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PART FOUR

“Ouch! Watch it, Yara! You’re stabbing me!”

Yara released her grip from the striped material of your sweater, letting it fall back down against your torso.

“I’m sorry… Is your personal tailoring experience not luxurious enough? Did you want some sparkling water? Some Crystal Light, perhaps?” The petite girl quipped, eyes narrowing.

You pressed your lips together, holding back the snarky remark that was wanting to come out from between them. You really weren’t in any position to complain. Yara had gone to the trouble of coming up with both your and Jungkook’s costumes, not to mention the fact that she was missing her scheduled viewing of Saved By The Bell just to help you get ready — truly honorable act on her part.

Shutting the pair of scissors with a sharp snip, your best friend placed them down onto the bathroom sink decisively, clearly satisfied with the holes she had carved into your oversized red and green sweater.

“What do you think? I can smear some more brown eyeshadow on the sweater if you want.”

Turning towards the mirror, you let your eyes fall over Yara’s handwork.

When Yara said you were going to be Freddie Krueger you should have expected that there would be no half-assing on her part. Jungkook was right in his assessment that the two of you were similar. Yara, although sometimes indolent, was absolutely unstoppable when she set her mind to something.

“It looks great. You went above and beyond as always.” You flashed her reflection a smile.

Reaching for the hat that sat on the counter, Yara plopped it onto your head, a satisfied grin finding her as she took in the completed look.

“So are you ready?” She inquired. “Tonight’s the big night. You nervous?”

“A little…” You confessed, shrugging. At your words, Yara adjusted your hat slightly.

“Don’t be. We went over the game plan last night, remember?”

Keeping still until your best friend’s creative vision for your hat was completed, you let out a sigh.

“Yeah.”

It should be easy; smile, hang onto Jungkook’s arm as if he was your life support, and be sure to kiss him somewhere everyone could see. Piece of cake. Totally.

Sensing a weight behind your tone, Yara offered you an encouraging smile, her hands finding yours.

“You’re gonna have a totally kick-ass time, I’m sure.” She enthused.

“As long as Jungkook doesn’t sneak off to go bang his ex and leave me alone. I don’t know anyone who is gonna be there.” You sulked, before tapping a finger against your chin in contemplation. “Then again, it wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. If he and Kiri get back together, I can finally stop pretending to date him.”

At your words, Yara’s eyebrows furrowed as if to tell you something you had said hadn’t sat well with her. Before she got the chance to express what that was, however, a loud series of knocks rang out.

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” You mused dryly causing Yara to laugh.

“I’ll go let him in, you stay here and try on the socks.” She ordered as she walked out, slamming the bathroom door behind her, leaving you without a choice.

You were curious however, ears tuned into the greeting that was just outside the door as Jungkook came in. Slipping on one of the socks, you brought it up to your knee, tugging at the fabric until it was no longer bunching around your ankle.

“What the hell? You cropped the shirt yourself, didn’t you? I told you I was gonna cut it for you.”

“Chill out. What’s your damage? I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to cut my own shirt.”

“Yeah, nice going, dipshit. It’s fucking crooked!”

You let out a sigh.

Your best friend and fake boyfriend could not be left unattended for even a minute without needing you to play referee, it seemed.

Pushing the bathroom door open, you poked your head out, “Children, children, let’s play nice–”

Jungkook’s head turned to you, expression softening from the irritated glare he was offering Yara just moments ago. You hardly noticed, however, too captivated by what he was wearing to pay the gentle way he looked at you any mind.

He was in a cropped white jersey, the number 10 plastered across his chest in blue just above the ragged seam of where the shirt ended, exposing inches of the lower half of his firm stomach, causing your face to flame.

Low on his hips was a pair of blue sweatpants, the ends of them tucked into his high top Chuck Taylor’s that were similar, if not the same, to the pair you had been planning on wearing.

Johnny Depp would surely be proud of Jungkook’s rendition of Glen Lantz, you decided. He even wore the same pair of silver headphones around his neck.

You cleared your throat, finally pulling your eyes away from your pretend lover’s torso.

“Wow… that’s crooked.”

“Hah! Told you.” Yara pressed, pleased at your assessment.

“Remind me why I put up with the two of you again?” Jungkook frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, unaware of the way it caused his already short shirt to ride up further.

Pulling yourself from the bathroom altogether, you walked over to the couch, plopping down onto it as you began to put on your other sock.

“Sick costume, nerd.” Jungkook praised, eyes fixated on you as you moved. “You’d make a hot serial killer.”

“Yeah, well, don’t cream your pants.” You teased, flashing him a grin.

“I can’t promise anything tonight. I’m a frisky drunk.” He winked back, causing you to roll your eyes.

“Ugh, barf me out. You’re the first on my list when I finally crack and go full homicidal.” You informed him, causing him to chuckle.

“Pleasure and pain. You really know how to get me going, Y/N.”

Yara was leaning up against the kitchen counter, quietly watching the two of you with increasing intrigue. Taking in the way the sides of your eyes creased in amusement as you continued your banter with your so-called fake boyfriend, she suppressed a smirk.

“Well…” Yara finally spoke up, a sly look on her face, “as endearing as I find your warped, semi-abusive way of flirting with one another... I have a show to catch so if you both could just hurry it up—”

“Woah, woah, woah, we’re not flirting.”

“Get real, as if I’d be flirting with him.”

Yara could only laugh at the way you both denied her accusation immediately, words overlapping with one another in unison.

“Whatever. I’ve got fake blood in the bathroom. Jungkook follow me.” She brushed the two of you off.

The costumed boy flashed you a funny look before ultimately trailing after your best friend.

Chewing on your bottom lip in silent contemplation, you let yourself ponder on your best friend’s words.

That wasn’t flirting, was it? No, that was just you and Jungkook’s usual playful banter. Sure, maybe the two of you had gotten more comfortable with one another as the days have ticked by, but it wasn’t as if it was anything more than that, right?

Lately, you had been catching yourself growing somewhat excited about seeing Jungkook, even though you saw him nearly every day. Somehow having the messy-haired boy in your life had become routine.

Having Jungkook by your side felt normal as if you wouldn’t mind it if things were always this way. And that scared you.

Shaking your head, you began to put on your shoes, tying up your laces solemnly.

The moment you held your event and Jungkook and Kiri were back together, things would go back to the way they were before. You didn’t want Jungkook to be someone you were going to miss, but it seemed like with every lopsided grin he threw at you he was cementing himself into your life more and more.

This business venture of yours was looking out to be more costly than you initially anticipated.

But as Jungkook and Yara walked out of the bathroom chatting excitedly, Yara’s hands stained and Jungkook’s jersey now smeared with fake blood, you couldn’t help but feel like you’d be willing to pay the price if it meant that this warm feeling in your chest would last just a little while longer.

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“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jungkook asked you, hand gripping yours tighter.

You tried your best to meet his eyes. It was difficult considering how dimly lit the room was. Fitting though, considering this party was Halloween themed.

“Yes. You’ve asked me that four times now.” You told him loudly, trying to be heard over the loud sound of Michael Jackson’s Thriller playing throughout the house.

“I dunno, you’re not saying anything. It’s, like, freaking me out.” He admitted.

“I’m just… observing.”

“Observing what?”

He watched as your stare fixated itself on the beer pong tournament that was occurring across the room, excited shouts coming from several people as one of Jungkook’s brothers scored a point.

“Gorillas.” You said, finally. “In their natural habitat.”

Jungkook laughed, enjoying the way your nose scrunched up at them.

“Hey now, did we say before we got here?” He tutted disapprovingly, waging a finger at you. You followed the digit with the frown.

“Yeah, yeah, I promised no judging the common folk. This is how the intellectually lesser entertain themselves, I remember.” You sighed out, gaze flicking up to catch the amusement in Jungkook’s eyes.

The costumed boy nudged his shoulder into yours; he liked it when you joked around with him like this. It made him feel like you were comfortable around him and that you might even enjoy his company.

“Do you know what you need?” He began happily.

“I do not but my answer is already no.”

“A drink.” He continued, ignoring you.

Suddenly, you were yanked forward, Jungkook leading you by the hand towards where you assumed the drinks were.

You hadn’t been at the party for very long, but already the social interaction had exhausted you. Jungkook was far more popular than you had previously concluded; the two of you could hardly take two steps before running into someone who wanted to say hello to the frat boy attached to you.

It was daunting in a sense – the concept that every person that came up to him was going to leave the interaction with the impression that you were Jungkook’s girlfriend. Perhaps guilt wasn’t the right word, but something about the way the party’s attendees glanced down at yours and Jungkook’s intertwined hands caused your stomach to flip and neck to grow hot.

So you kept to yourself mainly, letting your socially confident boyfriend do all the talking. You didn’t mind, really; it was somewhat remarkable the way Jungkook could handle himself in a social situation. He had a way of acting like every person that stopped to chat was important.

As Jungkook and you made your way into the large fraternity house’s kitchen, you wondered if it wasn’t acting at all and if he was just that nice of a person.

“Righteous costume, JK!” A disembodied voice called out from somewhere, clearly directed at Jungkook.

You hardly had time to decipher where the voice had come from before an outrageously good looking boy draped in a white toga came forward, pulling Jungkook into a hug.

“You finally cut your hair. Looking good, Tae.” Jungkook laughed back, patting the handsome man’s back affectionately.

You watched their interaction with interest. This wasn’t acting, as far as you knew. Judging by the way Jungkook’s laugh has grown higher in pitch, something you had noticed occurred when he was genuinely happy, you knew you were witnessing genuine friendship, not just polite socializing.

“And who is this lovely lady who, might I add, looks killer? Pun totally intended.” The model man mused, eyes flashing your way.

You felt heat prickle at your cheeks.

“Taehyung, this is my girlfriend Y/N, Y/N this is Kim Taehyung. He’s head of our finance committee.” Jungkook introduced the two of you, causing your eyes to grow wide.

So this was the guy Jungkook had told you about. The guy who could help you throw your event.

Taehyung let out a scoff, “Seriously? That’s how you introduce me? The finance guy? I’m also your favorite brother, could’ve opened up with that one.”

“Taehyung’s my Big. He’s taken me under his wing or whatever.” Jungkook explained, running a hand through his dark hair.

A nervous giggle escaped you, taking Taehyung’s extended hand into yours to greet.

“Nice to finally meet you, Y/N. I’ve heard a lot about you.” The mulleted man grinned, causing one of your eyebrows to quirk up in surprise.

“You have?”

Taehyung put his hands up defensively, not noticing the way Jungkook’s expression had fallen beside him, “All good things, don’t worry. The kid talks about you nonstop—”

“Hey! So Y/N has been thinking about throwing an event here on campus, isn’t that right, babe?” Jungkook interrupted suddenly.

The arrival of the new pet name caught you off guard for a moment, before remembering that you and Jungkook were meant to be a couple after all.

“Oh yeah, Jungkook mentioned something like that to me. Tell me about it.” Taehyung said.

You stood silent for a moment, realizing that this moment was the one you had been anticipating all week long.

Relaxing your shoulders, you grinned at him.

It was now or never.

“Yeah! So the event is called STEM for FEM. I’ve got all kinds of games and pamphlets prepared. It’s basically meant to show girls that no matter what people think, there are in fact opportunities for us in the more traditionally male-dominated fields. It may be a steep road, but it’s one worth taking. And they’re not alone. There are programs out there that girls can reach out to. They offer all kinds of support; emotional, educational, financial—“

Jungkook reached for a cooler that sat by his feet, pulling out a beer. You didn’t need him for this. This was precisely what he had watched you practice into the mirror over and over; you were ready.

Popping open the can, he took a small sip, a small smile creeping on his face as he watched the way the fire in your eyes spread, your pretty lips wrapping around the words that you carried in your heart wherever you went.

“That’s radical, girl. It sounds like you’re really passionate about this stuff, huh?”

Jungkook caught Taehyung’s reply once he walked back over to you guys. He had gone off to make you a drink, figuring that cranberry juice and vodka would ease any sales pitch nerves you might have.

“Yeah, I am.” You smiled. “I’m a biology major myself.”

You tore your eyes away from the blond boy to take the red solo cup he was offering. Bringing the cup up to your nose, you sniffed it experimentally.

“Do you have a sponsor?”

You were grateful that you hadn’t taken a sip of your drink yet as had any liquid been inside your mouth you surely would have choked on it.

“Oh, uh! Not yet!” You squeaked out, causing Jungkook to fight down a chuckle.

“Because Beta Tau Sigma happens to be under our campus philanthropy quota and we’d love to support a cause like yours.” Taehyung offered, causing your heart to soar.

“Really?” You gaped.

“Sure! Just swing by anytime this week and I’m sure we can work out the details.”

This was happening. The event you had poured your absolute heart and soul into planning was actually going to happen… holy shit.

“Wow, that’s just… wow!” You replied, breathlessly. “Thank you! Thank you so much, seriously. I can’t even begin to thank you enough…”

Taehyung shook his head, clearly amused, “No need to thank me, it’s a worthy cause. Besides, think of it as a thank you.”

“A thank you? For what?”

“For dating my brother. You’re the reason he comes home every night grinning like an idiot after all.” He grinned cheesily.

A smile broke out onto your face despite yourself, but the good atmosphere didn’t last for long, as a hand finding yours caught your attention.

“Alright, alright, enough sappy shit.” Jungkook urged, cheeks tinted ever so slightly pink.

Much to the blushing boy’s chagrin, Taehyung reached over to rustle Jungkook’s long looks.

“I’m just teasing.” The blond laughed. “By the way, any chance you’ve seen Hobi?”

“No, why?”

“Dude is totally wasted. Heard someone say he was gonna jump off the roof into the pool.”

“The house doesn’t have a pool?” Jungkook blinked.

Taehyung flashed him a look as if to say ‘exactly.’

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Y/N. We’ll talk soon, yeah?” Taehyung asked.

“Absolutely.” You nodded.

“See ya later, man!” Taehyung called out through a crooked smile before slipping back into the crowd of people that lay just beyond the kitchen.

An excited squeal erupted from you, your hands reaching out towards Jungkook as he reciprocated your enthusiasm and embraced you in an elevated hug.

You let out a laugh, carefully holding onto the cup in your hand so as not to spill it before he set you back down.

“You did it!” He cheered.

“We did it.” You corrected.

“I didn’t do anything?” Jungkook looked at you in bewilderment.

You shook your head, “Not true. I would have never met Taehyung if it weren’t for you. Thank you, meathead.”

Jungkook looked at you warmly for a moment, knowing that despite the cruel nickname, your sincerity was genuine.

“Cheers, nerd. To a deal well done.” Jungkook said decidedly, holding out his beer.

Bumping your cup into his can, you took a swig of your drink, grimacing as the overwhelming taste of vodka made its way down your throat.

“Taehyung was awesome.” You began once you had downed a few more sips of the liquid poison. “I don’t know why I was expecting some ape-like barbarian.”

“Probably because of those gorillas you just saw over at the beer pong table.” Jungkook joked. “Yeah, Tae’s great. He’s a Legacy too, so everybody here loves him.”

You stared at him blankly, clearly not understanding the term.

Jungkook sighed, “I mean he comes from a long family of Beta Tau Sigma alumnae. His older brother Seokjin graduated last year—”

“Wait, Seokjin? You don’t mean… Kim Seokjin… our lab professor?” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“Yep.”

“No way! But he’s so…” Your eyebrows furrowed, struggling for the right word.

“Smart?” Jungkook assumed flatly.

You fought back a smile, “I was not gonna say that.”

“Mhm, I’m so sure.”

“Anyway,” You smiled, poking a finger into Jungkook’s chest, “I had no clue you liked me so much.”

“What do you mean?”

“You talk about me? I’m the reason you come home grinning every night?” You recalled Taehyung’s words.

You watched in amusement as Jungkook visibly tensed.

“W-Well, duh. You’re my fake girlfriend, I mean, it would be weird if I didn’t do any of those things...” Jungkook defended, eyes narrowing at you suddenly. “Quit gloating.”

“I’m not gloating.” You smirked.

“Yes, you are. I can see it in your face. You’re a gloater.” He said decidedly, moving to make himself a drink.

“How very dare you! I am nothing of the sort.”

“Admit it, Y/N. You relish in my misfortune.” He poured some cranberry juice into a cup, clearly moving to recreate your drink.

“The fact that I relish in your misfortune has nothing to do with this.” You waved off quickly, sending the two of you into giggles.

You somehow managed to down your cup, flashing Jungkook a grateful smile as he began to make you a new one.

You were admiring the way Jungkook’s shoulders filled out his jersey when another voice made itself known, pushing its way into the kitchen.

“Kookie, is that you?”

It was Kiri. The way Jungkook jerked around immediately, eyes as wide as saucers, told you that much.

Turning to where Jungkook’s eyes were fixated, you came to find a tall and leather-clad girl, her curled hair unmoving as she strutted forward. You couldn’t hear anything over the hum of the music playing throughout the house but you’d imagined you would hear the sound of her bright red heels rapping against the tile floor if it were quiet.

Her top was black and off the shoulder, and it dawned on you that she was dressed as Sandy from Grease.

You watched in silence as Jungkook nodded at her, a grin on his face.

“Haven’t seen you in a while. Thought you were avoiding me.” Kiri smirked, teeth on full display.

“Avoid you? Never.” Jungkook teased.

Suddenly, a weird feeling bubbled in your stomach as you watched the two interact.

Strange. Must be the vodka.

“I’ve just been busy, I guess.” He shrugged, clearly trying to play it coy.

At his words, Kiri’s eyes flickered to you, causing you to freeze.

“So I’ve heard.” She said simply. You smiled at her awkwardly.

Clearing his throat, Jungkook jumped into action, “Y/N meet Kiri. Kiri meet Y/N, my girlfriend.”

“Y/N L/N, right? I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” Kiri admitted, eyes shaded with something you couldn’t quite decipher.

“You, uh, have?”

“Of course!” She smiled, although it didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I like to keep tabs on all the girls in Greek life… or I guess in your case, have had Greek life in them.

You blinked.

Jungkook eyes quickly moved to you. Crap. He knew Kiri well enough to detect a catty comment from her no matter how innocently she presented it. You were smart; he was sure you had caught exactly what she was implying.

For a moment, no one said anything. Jungkook gripped his cup tighter, wondering if he should say something to ease the nearly palpable tension.

However, before he got the chance, you smiled, cocking your head to the side.

“No worries, I get it. You wanted to scope out your ex’s new girlfriend, right?”

Jungkook let out a breath, realizing that you weren’t looking for any kind of conflict.

You could tell you words pleased Kiri with the way the side of her painted lips turned upward.

“So, Jungkook told you about me. How flattering.”

“Actually, he hasn’t said a word.” You smiled.

You took a step forward; it wasn’t anything aggressive or confrontational, but it was enough to capture Jungkook’s attention.

“Let’s just say I also like to keep tabs on things involving those that go inside of me.” You lowered your voice, sending Kiri a small wink.

Jungkook must know you pretty well too because he also knew that your comment wasn’t nearly as lighthearted as you made it out to be. He fought back a grin.

Kiri straighten up suddenly, “So what are you two dressed up as? A dumb jock and dirty Waldo?”

‘Well, she’s certainly not being subtle anymore.’ Jungkook thought dryly.

“Freddie Krueger and Glen Lantz. Like from Nightmare at Elm’s Street.” Jungkook answered, no longer bothering to uphold a pleasant tone.

“Is that so? I don’t watch horror movies.” Kiri shrugged.

“I know you don’t.” He reminded her.

“So did you come alone? Or is there a Danny Zuko somewhere that you’re matching with?” You asked casually, not liking the way your insides churned every time Jungkook and Kiri spoke to one another.

“He’s over there by the booth. He’s in charge of the music.” She replied, polished finger directing you where to look.

Sure enough, across the room on an elevated platform was a DJ booth, the man who was operating the device sporting a leather jacket and greased hair.

A gasp fell through your lips as you took him in, recognizing him immediately.

“That’s—” You cut yourself off immediately, turning away from him. “...so cool! Him being a DJ and whatnot.”

Kiri nodded cautiously, clearly catching on to the way you had changed your tune suddenly.

“You know what, I think Jungkook and I are gonna head over to the dance floor. But it was really great meeting you, Kiri.” You told her, reaching for Jungkook’s hand.

Your fake boyfriend sensed your urgency and took your hand comfortably.

“Nice seeing you.” Jungkook called out to her breezily as the two of you began to walk away, not bothering to give Kiri another glance.

Your heart was pounding but you tried your best to look nonchalant, knowing Kiri was probably watching the two of you leave.

As you reached the dance floor, you allowed yourself a sparing glance around to make sure that Kiri was out of ear’s reach before you wrapped your arms around Jungkook’s neck and began to sway your hips.

Bringing your mouth to his ear, you spoke, “Kiri is dating Eunwoo.”

Jungkook sent you a look, “Yeah. I know.”

You shook your head as Jungkook’s hands found your waist, keeping up with your pace.

“You don’t understand. Eunwoo is Yara’s ex.”

“Wait– Really?”

You nodded.

“Great. So he’s banged two of my girlfriends then. I swear to god, Y/N, if he tries to get into your pants next I’m gonna kick his ass into the next decade.” Jungkook grunted. You laughed.

“I just don’t understand. I swear he was in love with Yara just last week. He used to slip love notes under our door for her, you know. I even didn’t know he was in a frat?” You frowned.

“He’s a new member. He was just initiated a little while back. Fucking prick.”

That made sense. From what you had gathered tonight, everyone within Jungkook’s fraternity seemed quite friendly with one another— it didn’t make sense that an active member would betray Jungkook like that.

“You handled that very well, by the way.” Your pretend lover spoke suddenly.

“What? Kiri? Whatever, I’ve dealt with worse girls in high school.” You shrugged easily, hand finding itself running in Jungkook’s hair.

He had mentioned once that he needed a haircut but it seems as if you had successfully managed to talk him out of it. You like his hair like this.

“She was trying to use an intimidation technique that Gamma Alpha Tau uses on possible pledges.” He explained. “I promise you she’s not always that…”

“Snarky? Judgmental? Standoffish?” You offered, quirking up a brow.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, “I just mean she’s usually better behaved than that.”

“Right. Well, either way, this is a good sign.”

“What is?”

“Her hating me. Just means she’s jealous and then we’re one step closer to closing your half of the deal.” You enthused.

“Speaking of the deal, I believe you owe me a kiss, Freddie.”

Jungkook’s words took you by surprise and as much as you wanted to wipe that slick grin off his face, you knew he was right.

Humming, you let go of his hair, moving closer so that his nose was brushed up against yours.

“Your move, meathead.” You urged, letting your bottom lip brush against his teasingly.

Pressed up against him like this, you could feel a low rumble erupt in his chest.

“You teasing me?” He mused lazily.

“Didn’t you say you liked your pleasure with some pain?”

If Jungkook had a reply, you didn’t catch it in time as his mouth found yours, distracting you from any trivial thoughts weighing you down.

Something was intoxicating about the way Jungkook kissed you; he wasn’t rushed or in any hurry, but the way his mouth moved against yours made your chest pound as you brought your fingers up to pull at his hair.

Maybe it was the alcohol, perhaps it was the sound of Rick James in the air, but when his hand found your jaw and his tongue ran itself along your bottom lip you happily obligated, whimpering as his tongue moved against yours with the same fervor as the kiss you shared on your bed.

Jungkook was trying his hardest to hold back, he really was, but with the way your fingers pulled against his scalp, he felt himself start to grow greedily, grinding his hips against yours.

A whimper left your mouth and before you could make left from right, Jungkook broke the kiss and turned you around, pressing his chest into your back.

Heat rocketed to your face as you were suddenly reminded that you were in a room full of people, kissing Jungkook like this.

Your worries were soon eased as he began to press a trail of kisses down your neck, causing you to sigh.

“Wanna blow this popsicle stand? I’ve got a bottle of Malibu in my room with our name on it.” He murmured into your neck.

For a moment, you wondered if you should say no. If Jungkook kept touching you like this, especially with alcohol in your system, there was no guarantee what you’d do.

You let out a squeak as Jungkook’s tongue found your neck, the hot muscle dancing against your skin.

Letting your eyes roll over the room, you froze as they met a familiar pair.

Kiri was stood by the DJ Booth, eyes fixated on you two, her stare cold and unmoving.

Suddenly, a feeling came over you. It felt hot and not in the nice way Jungkook had been making you feel. You hardened your stare, holding her eyes. Was this why Jungkook kissed you? Did he know Kiri was watching?

Sensing the way you had tense against him, Jungkook pulled away from your neck.

“Something wrong?”

Fine. If Jungkook wanted to put on a show for her, then you were happy to assist.

Instead of replying, you turned your head and answered with your mouth, kissing him in a way you knew Kiri wouldn’t be able to ignore.

“Let’s get outta here.” You breathed as you broke the kiss.

Jungkook’s eyes were dark, eyelids low as a positively devilish smirk crept over him.

Following him as he lead you out of the room, you couldn’t help but glance behind you, the sides of your mouth curling up as you met Kiri’s glare once more.

[thesearchforbluejello]

Imagine a "Star Trek: Lower Decks" style sitcom in the Stargate universe. Stargate: SG-47... the crew that follows up on all the really boring planets SG-1 goes to once and never again. They always debrief with Walter instead of the General. They annoyed the Nox once and now they show up to pull pranks on SG-47 in revenge. Minor Goa'ulds catch them and are depressed they're not SG-1 or someone more important so they just release them.

My notifications ate this ask; I don't know when it's from, but I'm just seeing it now. Please accept this totally unedited bullshit fic as my apology and thanks for how hard this ask made me laugh. I'm definitely not supposed to be writing a final right now. And I know you said minor Goa'uld but like I couldn't resist this opportunity. Also, me, using a minific to talk about my obsession with what the hieroglyphs in a Goa'uld ship could be? More likely than you think.

​A Soldier, a Linguist, a Botanist, and a Biologist Walk into a Ha'tak

Major Lissa Cannon emerges from the event horizon into the bright, clear sunlight of P4X-737. She takes a deep breath and immediately sneezes. "Great," she says.

Dr. Jess Abubakar passes her on the right, heading down the stone stairs of the gate platform without hesitation. "Better get used to it," he says with a cheerfulness that she doesn't-- and any reasonable person wouldn't-- share.

"Jess, I swear to God," Dr. Beth Rosenberg says as she follows him down the steps.

"You're just salty you have to help us collect samples," Jess counters, more affable than Cannon would have expected anyone to be before she actually started working with him.

Beside her, Dr. Chris Richardson just gives a wry smile before heading down the stairs after their teammates. Cannon sneezes again.

"It's the pollen!" Jess says as she joins the group. "Initial samples brought back by SG-1 indicate that it's at least twice as potent as anything we have on Earth."

"How is that a good thing," Cannon gripes even though she'd sat through the briefing and already listened to Jess and Bill Lee go on about how important it could prove to be.

"I mean, just think of the possibilities!" Jess says, more than happy to repeat himself. "We could synthesize new antihistamines, or even make existing ones more effective. We could develop new crops that are potentially more resistant to blights or unfavorable growing conditions."

"Yay," Beth says, drier than the climate on this planet has likely ever been.

"You're just mad because there are no indigenous people here to talk to," Cannon points out.

"You could talk to the plants," Jess says.

"Studies have proven that talking to plants encourages growth," Chris adds, soft-spoken as always.

"I'm not talking to the plants," Beth says.

"Why not?" Cannon asks. "With this much pollen in the air, after a few hours they might start talking back."

"Oof, like when SG-7 was on P8Q-984," Jess laughs. "That's not an experience I want to have for myself."

"Those were spores, not pollen," Chris corrects amiably as the team starts into the forested area beyond the field in which the gate sits.

"Sentiment's the same," Jess says.

Cannon hears a rustle in the undergrowth and raises her P-90, her team stopping immediately in defensive positions behind her. After a moment of nothing but birdsong and her own breathing, she relaxes. "Must've been an animal," she says.

"SG-1's initial exploration didn't indicate any indigenous animals on the ground," Beth says.

"Well, that's why we get their leftovers, because everything is just 'initial,'" Cannon points out. She takes the lead as they continue between the trees, rifle still ready in her hands just in case.

"Bloodthirsty squirrels is not on my extraterrestrial exploratory bucket list," Jess says.

"Yeah, mine neither," Cannon agrees. She's barely got the sentence out of her mouth when she hits a force field, face-first. "Motherfucker," she tries to say, a natural reaction, but the syllables come out muddled because her face is suddenly very numb. She drops to a knee and raises her rifle, looking for whatever danger has to be in the forest with them. Around her, her team drops the specimen cases they'd been carrying and raise their own weapons. They're not armed for this; SG-1's previous mission and the UAV surveys hadn't revealed anything dangerous enough to warrant coming through armed with anything more than Cannon's P-90, a couple of flash-bangs, and an assortment of 9mils and zats carried by her and her teammates. Except for Cannon, they're scientists, not soldiers.

"Lower your weapons," a voice commands from the trees.

"You lower your force field," Cannon calls back.

"I think not." Around them, Jaffa begin to materialize from the forest.

"Fuck," Cannon says.

*

The Jaffa strip them of their gear, tossing their vests, holsters, and packs in a careless pile on top of the specimen cases they'd dropped when the force field had initially gone up. They're surprisingly respectful about it, which Cannon almost laments because she's pissed off and ready to fight, even if she knows it's a fight she won't win. She watches their gear disappear from view in a flash of light as they're beamed up to a ship she knows must be waiting above.

Gold walls and a polished floor illuminated by dim lights materialize around them. Another group of Jaffa is waiting. One of their captors reports to a man Cannon assumes is his superior. She tries to pick of bits and pieces she recognizes from the language but doesn't get much.

"Wait," Beth says, "can you say that again? That's word isn't in the lexicon we've been developing."

The Jaffa looks at her sidelong in confusion before his superior barks an order.

"This way," he says. The Jaffa behind them push the team roughly forward.

"Yeah, I heard him," Cannon says, her face still numb and her words muddled, "relax."

They spend the next several hours sitting in a cell. Beth whips a notebook out of one of the pockets of her pants and starts making notes on the glyphs in their cell.

"Does that actually say anything?" Jess asks. "I've never been on a Goa'uld ship before."

A chorus of variants on "yeah, me neither" precede Beth's answer.

"It does, actually, though most of it just repeats. A lot of it is just vague, seemingly formulaic stories of someone's victories and conquering and blah blah blah, but the name has been chiseled out," she says, tapping a glyph that's clearly been destroyed deliberately.

Cannon turns her head against the wall from where she's sulking with her arms wrapped loosely around her knees. "Why?"

"My best guess? Whoever owns this ship now stole it from another Goa'uld and had their name erased. Think damnatio memoriae."

"Huh," Jess says, setting his hand of cards down to Chris's obvious annoyance. "But they kept the part about the victories?"

"Why not? Obviously they had someone spend all the time necessary to do this to the whole ship, so keeping the rest saved a hell of a lot of work. Plus, if they bested the guy this ship used to belong to, that's quite a flex." Beth shrugs and goes back to writing in her notebook. Jess picks up his cards again and Cannon can tell by the barest quirk of Chris's lips that they have the winning hand.

"You know what I'm thinking about right now?" Cannon says. "Mashed potatoes."

"Ugh, the mashed potatoes in the mess taste like plastic," Beth says without looking away from the wall.

"I know; once I start eating them, they're so disgusting I just can't stop myself. It's like the flavor gets grosser with every bite."

"They're not bad with the roast beef," Chris says.

"That's because the roast beef is the only palatable thing the mess serves besides jello," Jess points out.

"It was lemon chicken today," Cannon sighs. She rests her head against the wall again. "My vest had all my granola bars. What could these guys possibly want with us," she complains.

"Do you think they've realized that we're only number 47 because they want any potential enemies to think there are more SG teams than there really are?" Jess asks.

"I don't know," Cannon says stiffly, "but say that again a little louder and I'm sure they will."

Jess holds his hands up in placation, tipping his cards towards Cannon. Chris is about to destroy him with that hand.

"Well," Cannon sighs, "the good news is that I can feel my face again."

Heavy footfalls sound in the hallway and Cannon stands, shifting her weight to ease the stiffness in her legs. Beth hurriedly stuffs her notebook back in her pocket and Chris and Jess shove the cards into the pocket of Jess's pants.

"You will come with us," the Jaffa says.

"Sure," Cannon says as she leads her team after him. "I don't suppose you guys have any snacks on board this thing? You've got to eat, right?" He doesn't answer. "Didn't your mom ever teach you to share?"

The Jaffa ignores her and leads them into an open room with a throne at the fall wall. Ba'al surges to his feet as they enter. "Fool," he spits at the Jaffa beside him, who Cannon recognizes as the leader of the group that had captured them. "This isn't SG-1."

"My lord--"

"Who are you?" Ba'al interrupts.

"Major Lissa Cannon, leader of SG-47," she says, raising her chin.

"Forty-seven," Ba'al says in disbelief.

"We're a science team; we were studying the flora of P4X-737 when you so rudely interrupted."

Ba'al just looks at her. "You're scientists."

Jess raises his hand. "Doctor."

"Doctor," Chris agrees.

"Major," Cannon says with a shrug.

"Doctor," Beth says.

"I've seen this episode of M*A*S*H," Chris says.

"I did also once make a baking soda volcano for a sixth-grade science fair," Cannon adds.

Ba'al sits back on his throne, crossing one leg over the other and resting his elbows on the arms, looking the picture of a carefree megalomaniac.

"Bring them back to the surface," he orders the Jaffa with a lazy wave of his hand, without so much as raising his arm from the throne. "Finish studying your plants," Ba'al says, "I have no use for you."

"That's kind of rude," Cannon says.

*

The Jaffa drop them on the planet's surface and beam back up to the ship. Cannon pulls her vest off the pile, slings it over her shoulders, and pulls a granola bar out of the pocket. She rips it open and stuff it into her mouth, chewing as she zips her vest and secures her holsters around her legs.

"That was easier than I expected," Beth admits.

"Sometimes I think the only reason the Goa'uld try to capture SG teams is just because SG-1 pisses them off so much," Jess adds.

Cannon snorts at that. "Let's get our samples and haul it back to the gate before the mess runs out of mashed potatoes."

"You realize that's extremely unlikely, right?" Chris deadpans.

Cannon shrugs and stuffs the wrapper of her granola bar into her pocket. "Even so, let's get a move on."

[twitchyglitchy]

Goodbye Hand, Goodbye Gordon.

An AU I thought about a couple months back, but had forgotten to post about. I was originally going to make an animatic out of this. I might still do it, I don’t know yet. Depends on how much people want it.

Bear with me, this is copy and pasted from a Discord chat and I only looked over it like once or twice. This was more or less half explaining the AU half fanfiction.

Content Warnings: Major character death, bl//d, amputation, unsanitary, funerals, and a whole lotta angst.

So the AU basically starts at the betrayal scene, that's when things get different.

Gordon does his thing: Be skeptical about Bubby and Benrey but goes into the room anyways. 

Lights go out, Gordon is ambushed and loses his hand, etc. Everyone scatters in fear, especially Bubby and Benrey for what they did. Bubby still ends up being taken to his tube. 

Gordon is losing a lot of blood as you would when you get your hand severed. Getting chemicals, dirt and grime in the wound isn't doing much to help either. He wakes up in the trash compactor and narrowly escapes it, stumbling his way through the sewer drains outside until he gets to where Tommy is. 

Being attacked by headcrabs along the way that were scurrying around outside, and the HEV suit's morphine isn't doing him any good, nor is the suit charged at this point so it’s lack of support is like an extra set of twenty pounds on his shoulders and back.

Tommy finds him when he falls from the sewer grate into the room, horrified to see his friend in such a horrid state. Despite how heavy Gordon is with the suit and his deadweight, Tommy helps carry him around through the facility until he finds the Coomer clones. Gordon is protected by Tommy to the best of his ability but is still greatly injured by the clones' attacks.

Soon all the clones are gone, bodies everywhere. Tommy celebrates their victory, but is quickly cut short when he turns to see Gordon lying on the floor, breathing shallowly. He rushes to his friend and tries to cover the wound where his hand was so it could clot, but it's so infected and lost so much blood at this point that his lab coat he tried to use to hold it is drenched. Gordon shakes his head and reaches out to Tommy with his good hand, holding his forearm since he couldn't reach his shoulder. "It's okay, Tommy... I should've seen this coming." Gordon lowers his hand, but Tommy drops what he's doing and holds it close to his heart. The 36 year old is panicked and distraught.

He can't- he can't go. He was the leader of their Science Team. He said he'd help them get out despite the circumstances, and he promised. Tommy feels Gordon's hand get colder, losing body warmth. Gordon set down his crowbar and smiled the best he could. It was small, weak, but warm all the same. The most genuine smile Tommy's seen from him since this whole mess started in the first place.

Tommy begs him to stay awake, saying that if the clones were nearby then maybe their Coomer was there. It was all too late by the time Coomer arrived though. He greeted Tommy who had his back turned on him, grieving over a body. His friend has never seen him so upset over a dead person this entire time with all the bodies they saw and caused. Coomer comes around Tommy to see what he's crying over. His heart stops for a few beats and his breath is caught in his throat. The world felt colder, and crept up his spine like a snake bite.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. This wasn’t meant to happen.

Gordon Freeman, he didn't make it.. 

Coomer stands there for only a few minutes or so in silence, both of them staring over the soulless body in the HEV suit. This can't be. The room with metal from wall to wall echoed and bounced with the sound of Tommy's loud cries. It was gross sobbing, but the young scientist didn't care. He didn't care about anything else right now. Not even escaping Black Mesa. He only cared about his friend. A friend who actually understood him and cared for him back. A friend who's. . Well, now gone.

It was a long while, what felt like hours, until Tommy's cries died down and had the time to actually catch his breath. Coomer had a hand on his shoulder and soon picked up Gordon's crowbar. He held it out to Tommy and set it in his lap.

"I think he'd like for you to have this." He spoke softly. Not like his cryptic whispering or his boisterous voice. It dripped with misfortune and despair that overcame the physicist. 

Tommy hesitated, but took the cold piece of metal into his hands and hugged it close to him for dear life.

Tommy didn't want to leave Gordon behind, but they couldn't just carry a dead body through the facility. He doesn't even know how much further they have to go. Coomer could carry him, but only for so long, and he needs his fists to fight. Tommy leaned down and cupped Gordon's cheek, carefully sliding off his glasses with his other hand and tucking it into his lab coat pocket.

"We- We'll come.. We'll come b-back for you.. We'll come get you once we get out of here, Gordon." He stammered, lowering his hand from his face and staggering to his feet. Coomer adjusted Gordon's body to look more comfortable and presentable. Despite his bloodied state, it's only fair to do something nice for his body out of respect.

The two said their goodbyes to Gordon and soon left, taking his glasses and crowbar with him. 

Later on, they meet up with Bubby, who's in his tube complaining. Tommy ends up going nonverbal for a bit, to which Coomer quickly takes note of and tries to lead the conversation. Bubby and Coomer go back and forth for a bit, Coomer showing sympathy, and decides to let Bubby out. It wouldn't be fair anyways, Bubby didn't know this would happen. It’d be best to break the news.

Bubby steps out of the broken containment tube and looks around. 

"Where's Gordon? I thought he was with you."

Tommy's words are caught in his throat, tears threatening to fall again. Coomer's expression falters and soon does his own words. The silence was enough evidence for Bubby to catch on to what's going on. "Oh. . .He's not, with you, is he?" Tommy gripped the crowbar until his knuckles turned white. It hurt too much to talk, to think, to breathe. His head felt like it was pounding but a headache never came. His hands felt clammy but never broke a sweat. His eyes burned but tears never came. 

Coomer nodded and told them that they should keep going, and that he'll explain later. Bubby for once had no quip or even a scoff to their words, he held his own tongue and decided to keep quiet.

They never did find Benrey. Wherever he went, he was long gone now. The journey was long and uneventful too. Silence wasn't ever awkward since everyone was trapped inside their own heads, thinking about their friend. They do meet Darnold though on the way to the Lambda Lab and take him with them, and he actually comes along with them until they escape. The military finally ceased their fire, and surrendered offhandedly. The US government soon came forth to offer them a full removal of their bounty and move on with their lives if they swore to never speak of the events. After some- or a lot of paperwork, The Science Team was free to just go back to their normal lives. It's not normal anymore though. Every single one of them had trauma and. .Oh god, breaking the news was horrible.

They had to tell Joshua, but telling a kid was enough to make all of them cry. He was too young to understand, but knew that he'd never see his dad again, and that was enough to break the poor child. 

The funeral was private, and rather small, since no one could tell anyone how Gordon died under the agreement of their contracts. The government was kind enough to go retrieve Gordon's body from Black Mesa once all the aliens were dead and mostly gone. At least, to their knowledge. They probably just contained what remained of them.

The Nihilanth never came, and somewhere within Xen, you could find it's body gone, dead.

He looked so nice when they held the service, and was made sure they hid his cleaned and wrapped nub of a hand under the sheet he lied with. The casket was closed after everyone's goodbyes and was lowered. The whole thing hurt every ounce of their bodies, and not much could be said once everything was over. Everyone who attended said their condolences, their sorrows, their goodbyes, and dispersed.

Within a week, his tombstone was set, it was small but it was sweet. The all too familiar lambda was engraved below his name. Flowers decorated the barren space around the grave, and his crowbar was set right in front of it all.

Joshua ends up being taken care of by Tommy and his dad, who he sees as a older brother and Bubby and Coomer as his grandparents. Whenever they're busy, Darnold is around to take care of him, who is actually great with kids. At least Joshua is beginning to be happy again. After everything that’s happened that is. He still misses his dad a lot.

Slightly off canon Epilogue (as requested by previous readers)

Sometime later, someone approaches the grave, standing over it with a rose in their hand. These are good enough, right?

Benrey was there, in his still bloodied and dirty uniform, holding a rose and staring down at the grave. He kneeled down and rested the rose next to the crowbar and all the other flowers. Looked good enough. Hope he liked it. 

"Uhh.. Hey, Gordon. I know you hate me, and- and all.. I just wanted to say my condol- con- I'm sorry. I didn't know, man. I just wanted them to eruh, toughen you up. I didn't think they'd go that far. You can't really forgive me now, can you? You're not here. I bet you're sooo mad at me right now. Yeah, I guess I deserve it. You can come haunt my ass or whatever if you want, at least we can talk then. I didn't mean half the stuff I said either. I was just coming up with an excuse to follow you around. I knew the cascade thing was going to happen, so I tried to get you to stop it. I guess I can't change that from happening either. So uhh.. I didn't actually write anything- I should've- should've done that.. I saw everything from the outer walls too, I should've used the... The heal beam thing. I don't think it would've worked though. Too big of aaa.. Hurt. Anyway, I'm sorry. I'll go now. Bye Gordon." 

Benrey hears a gust of wind sing past his ears under the helmet, and leaves pass by his head. He turns around and sees someone there, wearing the same nice and fancy suit they wore earlier. They looked calm and even smiled a little. Benrey stopped in his tracks and just stared at them as they stood there with their hands held with fingers intertwined. 

"Hey Benrey."

[dizzydancingdreamer]

The Friday Night Fight | Reggie Mantle

Hey Lovelies, here’s the first fic I’m moving from my Wattpad! I went through an entire Reggie Mantle phase and this is one of my favourite imagines! I hope you all enjoy!

Description: Y/n and Reggie are best friends and they get into a fight after she falls asleep and forgets they have plans.

Pairing: Reggie Mantle x Not-Quite-Platonic!Female!Reader

Warnings: Angst (not really)

Word count: 1.7k

Tags: angst, FLUFF, just overall an easy read

(not my gif! Also hello I want to do this)

You and Reggie have been best friends since you were born, always next to one another whether that be when causing trouble in Riverdale or taking the accompanying punishment. Partners in crime, that's what the two of you are. It really is the strongest kind of bond. They say there's no honour among thieves but you think it's the exact opposite. There is way more honour among trouble makers than rule followers.

Well, there’s more honour when both trouble makers remember to tell each other when they cancel plans, that is.

So you've been a little busy these days, big deal, right? Pop's has you working overtime for the upcoming town jubilee and your parents are on your heels to keep you grades maintained. You're an excellent student for someone who goes mailbox smashing on occasion! That mixed with the constant hounding from your other friends to loosen up and to hang out with them more almost always leaves you swamped.

All in all, you were tired and honestly forgot to tell Reggie that you wouldn't be able to join him at the drive-in tonight. It’s not that you didn’t want to go, you just fell asleep as soon as your head had hit your pillow, your phone discarded on your dresser. Now look where that landed you.

                                         *     *     *     *     *

"Dude, where are you? I've been waiting for you for like an hour and a half!" 

This is the first thing you hear when you stumble to your phone and pick it up. You aren't even fully awake and someone's already yelling at you.

"What?" Is your only audible response, besides a few swear words that tumble from your tired lips.

You hear an angry sigh from the other end of the phone, "Y/n, we were supposed to go to the drive-in tonight, remember? It's me, Reggie. You know, your best friend? We've been planning this for months, it was the James Bond marathon! I can't believe you forgot. You always do this!"

Now it's your turn to get angry. Where the hell did all of that come from, you always bailing on him? As if! He's the one who's never around because of football! You never complain when he hangs with the guys after promising to go to Pop's or Sweetwater River with you. Where does he come off thinking he's entitled to your time but you aren't entitled to his?

"What the hell, Mantle? As if you never fucking leave me hanging! At least I have a good reason unlike you. 'Sorry, Archie wants to play video games' yeah whatever! So yeah, best friend, I forgot. At least I didn't fucking cancel on you for nothing!" 

You'll regret these words eventually but, thankfully, that time is not now. However, the angry tears pooling in your eyes tell you other wise. You can't believe he would accuse you of ditching him, you've never ditched Reggie! You've been attached at the hip since birth and then later, when he grew taller than you, attached at the hip and stomach.

"So, Reggie, I should go seeing as you obviously don't want to see me because I bail on all our plans." You spit the words into the phone, dragging a hand through your hair and tugging hard.

"Wait, y/n, I didn't mean-"

"Bye."

With that you collapse back onto your bed and quite plainly just cry. Your best friend, the boy you've spent your entire life with and then some, has officially crossed a line. He doesn't do that often. In fact, before this moment, he hasn't done it at all. The two of you rarely fight and when you do it's about nothing. You could almost scream right now!

Tears stream down your face, reddening your nose and staining your cheeks. You miss him, that's the problem with having a best friend whom sneaks into your room every night. You probably won't be able to fall asleep without Reggie's body next to yours. You don't feel weak for missing him minutes after a bad phone call, you crossed that bridge when you got the flu the entire summer and he didn't leave your side once.

You hear a rumble outside your window and roll over, trying to get a better look from your bed. Headlights shine through the glass, bathing your bedroom in an eerie glow. You hear a vehicle door slam and the lights die, leaving you in darkness to watch a sturdy, shadowy figure make its way towards you. You don't need to look at said figure for more than two seconds before you make out Reggie storming towards your window.

Now, you could say that this is all unexpected. That you had absolutely no idea that Reggie would come over in a heated fury. But that would be lying. Reggie and you have never been the type of people to sit on raw emotion and not do anything about it. If you have a problem, you deal with it. You knew as soon as you had hung up that it would only be a matter of time before you saw him. You're just surprised he only took half an hour.

You hear a tap on the glass, "Y/n, let me in."

He wears a leather jacket, the one you got him for his birthday last year. From a distance it looks black but, when you look closer, it's actually a midnight blue. It's fitting now, to wear such a manipulative piece of clothing in the dead of night.

"Why should I, asshole?"

You play with the worn bracelet on your arm; the friendship bracelet he made you five years ago. It's sun faded, your favourite colours having been dulled from years of running all over Riverdale with him. You would bet all the money in your wallet that Reggie has his on right now too. On his left hand, yours on the right, so that when you hold hands the bracelets touch.

"Because we have to talk, sleeping beauty," he puts his left hand against the glass, the equally faded blue and yellow strings peeking out from his cuff. 

You kind of wish you had bet on it now, you would have twenty extra dollars right now.

You grumble at his logic and slide the window open for him to step in through, turning on your bedside lamp to lighten the room up. When you turn back to him you stare at his chest instead of his chocolate eyes. You're not ready for that yet.

"Well talk then, Reg."

"I'm sorry, okay," he reaches a calloused hand out to tilt your head, "I'm sorry for being jerky. I know you don't bail on me dude, I was just jealous. I thought you bailed on me for Archie."

Archie? As in Archie Andrews? You can't stand the red head, especially since he's become the renowned guitar-hero of Riverdale! As if he wasn't bad enough before as the next Jason Blossom, now he carries a song book wherever he goes and sometimes even asks you to listen to one of them. No, Archibald Andrews, you don't want to listen to your newest sappy song. Besides, he isn't exactly a commendable comrade after the whole Betty and Veronica incident.

You sigh quietly, "Reggie, I very strongly dislike Archie. You know that. What's really wrong?"

You finally peer up into his eyes, staring straight into bloodshot pools of regret. Fuck.

"Oh, Reg, what's the matter? If this is because of me yelling at you, you know I can never stay mad at you," you throw your arms around his shoulders which, for the record, isn't easy and he scoops you into him. 

You've always hugged like this, it's comfortable and personal. You wrap your legs around his waist, leaning your head on his shoulder and playing with his hair. Warmth spreads through with ease and you close your eyes.

He started picking you up like this when he was eleven. Other kids were teasing him, calling him weak or something. You can’t quite remember. You knew it was a lie, though, so you told him to pick you up. It was odd timing, especially in the middle of science class, but he did it nonetheless. The two of you played it off like you needed reach something on a tall shelf but Reggie didn't even question you when you asked so it worked out pretty well. As a bonus the other kids in the class were jealous that Reggie Mantle was picking you up.

"Yeah, well, same, but that's not it. I guess I'm just worried that you're gonna find a new me and then I'll just be here and you'll be with the new me. You do realise that I would probably die without you, right?"

You giggle, the events from earlier slowly fading away because of the truth to his statement. Without you he would have gotten in too many accidents to count. That includes that one time in seventh grade when you talked him out of going down the twisty slide on a lunch tray. You had probably spared him a broken leg.

"Yeah but you've saved me from some pretty stupid things as well so don't mention it," namely the tree house incident, the Sweetwater River incident, and that day at Pop's where you almost choked from stuffing too many French fries in your mouth. 

Thank god Reggie's mother made him take CPR courses.

"Still, I'm sorry Y/n."

You squeeze your arms tighter around his football sculpted shoulders, "I forgive you, Reginald."

And with that, the two of you are back to normal. He scoffs and sets you back on your feet, pushing you jokingly and falling onto your bed. You’re heart stutters for just a second as you watch him examine a stuffed bear on your bed. You shake your head quickly. 

"Say, Reg," an idea pops into you head as fast as lightning, "I bet all the money in my wallet Jughead will replay the Bond movies for us!"

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers #238: Unlimited Vision

December, 1983

He is Oz, the great and terrible. And he can see ALL.

So what’s going on here? Has Vision been in a tube-coma so long that they just decided to replace him with a giant hologram?

Dunno, but he sure is filling the room with too much pink energy and kirby crackle.

So, there’s been a bit leading up to this.

In Avengers #233, Vision and Scarlet Witch were called in as reservists to help the team with an invisible dome Annihilus was using to destroy the universe, as ya don’t do. When Vision intangibled into the dome, he immediately fell onto his face inert. After the crisis, Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic examined the synthezoid and said that nothing was actually seriously wrong and that Vision would be able to repair himself.

Despite that, he’s been inert in a tube since #234, moved into the Avengers Mansion so they could keep an eye on him. Maybe Reed doesn’t know shit because it’s been several issues!

The Avengers have been taking shifts watching Vision and the least suited to sitting still and watching an inert synthezoid is on duty as this issue opens.

“But being an Avenger, he’s discovered, doesn’t mean saving the universe every waking moment. Sometimes, it requires a lot of sitting... and watching... and waiting!”

Hahahahahah!

I might sympathize more if it weren’t for his full page rant.

Like this goes beyond bored and into ‘UGH I have to do something not immediately entertaining??’

Wait, I’m like that sometimes...

Starfox: “I just don’t understand! My father’s computer assured me that the Earth would be teeming with excitement and adventure -- and from previous experience, I knew that the Avengers invariably became involved in such adventures. But I haven’t seen a bit of action since we saved Project Pegasus from total destruction. That was more than a day ago! Now with Thor off on a mission in space... Captain America away on a personal mission... and the lovely ladies of the Avengers taking the afternoon off, naturally it’s the ‘trainee’ who gets stuck with keeping watch over the Vision!”

“By Chronos, is there no justice?! Where are the thrills, the challenges?!? Am I never to know satisfaction? I didn’t come all the way to Earth just to stand watch over some infernal android in a life-support-tube!”

“Ah, forgive me, friend Vision. I should not make you the object of my resentment. You were, after all, injured to end the threat of Annihilus. It’s just that sitting around and playing nursemaid to a comatose synthetic man is hardly my idea of fun!”

Vision: “I sympathize... but it has not been enjoyable for me either.”

HAH!

Imagine complaining so hard about having to go a day without an adventure that you wake a robot from a robot coma.

Over in a scene shift, there’s Monica “Captain Marvel” Rambeau trying out a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The salesman is trying to close the deal but Monica finds herself distracted by the events of the previous issue.

Even though she saved the day from lava men and then stopped a nuclear meltdown, she still feels crappy that Moonstone and Blackout escaped AND that Blackout was able to capture her.

When the salesman finally gets her attention again she says she needs a bigger boat!

I’m still wondering what her new career is going to be! She’s taken out a small business loan and looking into buying a boat.

Possibly shark hunting?

Good on her for building a life away from avenging. You never know when you have to retire from superheroing and take up a civilian career.

Back at the Vision tube, Starfox sets up a voice amplifier on Vision’s tube so Vision can talk more easily.

It transpires that he didn’t just wake up in time to deliver the ultimate dunk on Starfox, he’s been conscious for several days. He’s been able to hear and see what’s been going on around him but he hasn’t been able to move or talk.

Starfox apologizes for his rant but Vision doesn’t actually mind.

Vision: “No offense taken. I found it entertaining in a way... I hadn’t heard such vitriol since the time the Beast found himself on monitor duty during the opening night of a Roger Corman film festival. As a matter of fact, I’ve enjoyed all of the one-way conversations that have gone on about me. Captain America’s war stories were most informative -- and the She-Hulk’s stories were quite amusing... If a bit tawdry!”

Amazing.

I actually like that the Avengers have been talking to Vision like a person in a meat coma and not ignoring him like a dysfunctioning fridge of a Jocasta.

He’s their buddy and they kept talking to him in hopes that somewhere he heard them. And he did!

Even all the dirty jokes!

Vision tells Starfox that he’s mostly confused about all the paralysis and that his repair systems haven’t restored his movement. He wishes that he could more fully analyze his condition.

Which gives Starfox a wonderful idea! A wonderful, terrible idea!

He calls up Jarvis on the video-intercom and asks what the range of the Avengers communication system is. Like. In terms of... interplanetary?

Jarvis: “All equipment is state-of-the-art, sir. I dare say we could make contact with any corner of the Solar System!”

I know that the Avengers deal with a lot of space nonsense so it makes sense that they’d need that range. Starcore-One and all.

Anyway, Starfox uses a tight beam signal to communicate allll the way to the master computer ISAAC on Titan.

Meanwhile, the three whole women on the Avengers (She-Hulk, Wasp, and Scarlet Witch) are on a mission together. A friend mission. A friend mission of find She-Hulk an apartment mission because that’s been a subplot for a while and She-Hulk deserves nice things.

Huh! If you ever wondered what the relative heights of some Avengers were here we are.

She-Hulk is most tall. Scarlet Witch is pretty tall. And Wasp is a short.

Comics being comics and not big on consistency, I’m sure this is contradicted a dozen different places. But its fun.

Of course, in the innocent 80s (??) people just weren’t used to seeing tall green woman a-walking down the street and gawk.

But it doesn’t bother She-Hulk like it used to.

She-Hulk: “I must be getting used to this town, Waspie! The gawkers don’t faze me in the least anymore. In fact, I’m starting to have fun, staring back!”

Wasp: “Uh-huh! I’ve noticed you practicing on our dreamy new trainee! Starfox is really something, isn’t he, She-Hulk?”

She-Hulk: “You know it!”

Scarlet Witch: Starfox does have a certain something in the way he carries himself...

She-Hulk: “I’ll bet that Starfox even does something for an old married lady like the witch!”

Scarlet Witch: “Wh-what?! Why, that’s ridiculous! I mean... that is... the Vision is the only man in my life!”

She-Hulk: “Aw, come on, Wanda! You’re married, not dead! ‘Fess up, don’t you like the way Starfox just sort of... stands around?”

Scarlet Witch: “Well, if you put it that way -- !”

Just some gals being friends and talking about how hot their new co-worker is.

Just objectifying a foxy guy... from space.

I like She-Hulk someone immediately sensing Wanda thinking about how hot Starfox is. She has a sixth sense for it.

And I fear because Janet “Aesthetic Appreciation for Every Man” Van Dyne now has a comrade in arms in Jennifer “What are inhibitions?” Walters.

The three arrive at the apartment building Jan found for Jen (not confusing at all). The rental agent isn’t around but Jan basically does whatever she wants and the door is open so they go in to look around.

And its a good apartment! Its got a terrace, high ceilings, deep carpeting! Its perfect for She-Hulk! The long subplot is finally at a resolution!

Alas.

The rental agent comes in and when he learns that its Jen who wants to rent the place. Really wants to rent the place. “You can draw up a lease -- I don’t care how much the rent is!” wants to rent the place. He has one (1) concern.

Rental agent: “My lord! You... you’re green!”

She-Hulk: “Yeah, and you’re a pasty shade of pink! So what?”

Rental agent: “I... I can’t rent to you! What would the other tenants say?”

Oo buddy that’s illegal under the Fair Housing Act. Especially if you just come out and say it. Granted, I don’t think it foresaw this exact scenario so let me rephrase. Oo buddy she is not shy about hurting people who annoy her.

She-Hulk: “Outta my way, Jan! I want to turn Mr. Pink black-and-blue!”

Wasp: “Forget it, Jennie! We’ll find a better place!”

But since Wanda doesn’t have any patience with bigotry, she uses her magic-science mutant magic to set off the fire sprinklers above Rental Agent.

I guess he’s allll washed up.

Back over in New Orleans, Monica returns to her apartment still hung up on Blackout and Moonstone getting away.

I guess it is her first failure as a superhero? It’s a very minor one but if you were on a winning streak before, it could knock you for a loop. Monica seems like the sort of person who holds herself to very high standards.

She considers calling the Avengers on her bracelet radio to see if there’s any leads on the two loose ends but then realizes that she can travel at the speed of light. She may as well just pop into the mansion!

Monica has cool powers.

But when she arrives inside the mansion, she sees a bunch of electronic components just floating through the mansion.

Soooo she follows them. Gotta see what’s going on.

She finds Starfox in the medical room constructing some apparatus around Vision’s tube.

Starfox explains that stuff be floating because ISAAC is using an attractor beam to assemble an apparatus. ISAAC being the Titan computer Integral Synaptic Anti-Anionic Computer.

It sure is cool that some Eternals that went to live on Titan before modern English existed still managed to name their computer ISAAC.

And its cool that ISAAC can apparently influence things like this halfway across the solar system.

Anyway, ISAAC is linked up with the main computers of Avengers’ Mansion to build a more specialized medical computer to get a better idea of what’s going on with Vision.

Vision: “It sounds complicated, Captain, but the principles involved are actually quite simple.”

Captain Marvel: “Vision? You spoke!”

Vision: “That seems to surprise everyone... pleasantly, I hope.”

He explains that if everything goes well with this apparatus, he hopes to be ambulatory again before tomorrow. And also, because he’s a class act, thanks Monica for the stories of New Orleans she shared when she was on Vision duty.

In a funny continuity nod, Vision notes that he and Wanda went to New Orleans once (in issue #152) but didn’t have time to sight-see. Because there was a lot of voodoo nonsense going on.

The Avengers tend to go all over the world but they also tend to be involved in nonsense and can’t enjoy it.

Monica isn’t sure whether they should go ahead with this without consulting the other Avengers but Starfox shrugs that it’s Vision’s decision.

Vision: “In that case, I choose to begin analysis immediately!”

In fairness, I’m sure he’s fed up with lying in a tube staring at the ceiling. Bring on the untested science! My god, just anything novel!

Starfox activates the devices, showing Vision’s body with unearthly energies whiiich makes him twitch and spasm and then a tiny Vision head pops out of his forehead gem.

Mazel tov?

I don’t think that was the intended outcome.

Outside, She-Hulk, Scarlet Wanda, and Wasp are returning from Apartment Quest.

Wanda mentions that she didn’t mean to be away from Vision this long.

Wasp: “Don’t worry, Wanda. I’m sure nothing’s gone wrong!”

Giant disembodied Vision head: “WRONG? ON THE CONTRARY, EVERYTHING’S GONE JUST FINE!”

Oh my god, he got Oz’d.

Imagine coming home to that! You go on an errand with a friend to take your mind off your coma robot husband and you come back and he’s a giant holographic head!

The three Avengers rush inside and find a more reasonably sized Vision hologram and Starfox protesting that this wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

Yeah, I suspected.

But Vision is thrilled with this turn of events!

Vision: “Evidently, the internal dysfunction in my body caused a data feedback-loop which overloaded my brain with ISAAC’s energy-information matrix. Simply put -- I have become as one with ISAAC and our own computer systems! The ability to project this holographic construct is a fortuitous side-effect!”

Huuuuuuuuuh!

Vision merged with some computers. This is fine. Is this fine? Is Vision fine? Starfox wants to know and so do I.

Vision: “ALL RIGHT?!? I’ve never been able to think more clearly. Even with my body temporarily out of order, I can be of great help to the Avengers! I can out-think, out-deduce any computer system in the world! All the information in our files is mine -- instantly! For instance -- I see there’s some unfinished business pending! Two opponents escaped us recently! Those two must be found!”

Well, Monica will be happy with that at least.

Geez, Vision is kind of... manic? Maybe its just the contrast to how dour he tend to be. But he definitely seems keyed up. Like he’s running high on having all these computers running through his brain.

Is this robot drugs?

Wait, no, vibranium is robot drugs. Is this other robot drugs? Connect to a super-computer and scream I’M THINKING SO FAST! ?

MEANWHILE, those very two miscreants!

In a hideout in the Bronx, Blackout is ranting paranoid about how they’re out to get him and are going to merge him with the light spectrum and destroy his humanity. Which is fairly unique paranoid ranting.

Of course, while he’s focused on glaring out the window, he’s not paying attention to Moonstone who prepares a drugged cup of coffee for him.

Blackout: “You’re the only one, Moonstone... the only one who hasn’t betrayed me!”

Moonstone: “That’s right! You can trust me! Now, drink it all down!”

Womp womp.

The drug makes Blackout trance out and Moonstone uses this to start interrogating him about his origin. And... maybe trying to help him? She did start off as a therapist. And even as a villain, she sometimes does therapy.

For some damn reason, Hank “Good Ideas” Pym got her to look over Avengers Academy kids down the line and offer her thoughts on them.

Anyway. Moonstone asks how he got this way:

Blackout: “Well... I ‘spose it all started when Dr. Croit set me up so I’d have to be his guinea pig. He... charged up my body with the power of a black star! That’s why I... *yawn* ... had to punish him!”

Moonstone: “Shh! I want you to listen closely... there are no black-star energies... There’s no conspiracy against you! Let your mind drift back! I want you to tell me what really happened!”

So what really happened is here’s how a Mark Daniels became a man with a lightning bolt mask. He was a lab assistant to Dr. Croit.

Blackout: “He always wanted to be everyone’s big daddy!”

Um. Okayyy?

Anyway, Mark Daniels was helping Croit build an experimental device for tapping energy from other dimensions. And, at least according to Blackout, Dr. Croit liked Mark Daniels because he was a dummy who didn’t understand the experiment at all.

Then one day, while he longingly caressed it, the device blew up in Mark Daniels’ face, somehow making his body a control surface for tapping into another universe’s “dark force.”

Dr. Croit wanted to cure Mark Daniels who took exception to the idea of having his newfound power taken away. So he killed Dr. Croit and the other assistants.

But the power was running out of control (shouldn’t have killed the doctor, ya dingus) and before Blackout could use the stabilizer to save himself, he got stuck... somewhere. Its a bit fuzzy to him until he popped out in Project Pegasus.

Moonstone believes that his mind couldn’t cope with what happened to him so he made up the black star nonsense to be An Explanation.

Moonstone: Imagine... all of that power at the command of a raving paranoid! Yes, but he’s a paranoid who trusts me! Now that I have a handle on his power, I should be able to manipulate him into doing just about anything I wish! Why, with the dimensional-warping potential of a power like his, we could be unstoppable!

“Blackout, we have a very bright future ahead of us!”

And then Vision pops in from nowhere and gives Moonstone a startle.

She fires some of her hand pew pew at him but he’s a hologram and just sasses back.

Moonstone runs to wake up Blackout while Vision can’t help but show off how smart he is now that his computer brain is overclocked.

Vision: “It was, of course, clever of you to seek refuge in a hideaway of your former ally, Egghead! Unfortunately, with all the cross-referenced data instantly at my disposal, tracing you here was child’s play!”

Blackout wakes up and Moonstone basically points at Vision and tells him ‘get ‘im!’ and Blackout gets ‘im.

He uses the same imprisoning black sphere move on Vision as he did on Captain Marvel.

And it probably would have worked. If Vision was really here. He’s just a hologram. And, sure, the light of the hologram would probably be trapped in the sphere too. It trapped Captain Marvel when she was light. But Vision is being projected from elsewhere so he can just turn the projection off and then turn it on slightly to the left.

Vision: “I’m sorry, but that won’t work either! You see -- I’m not really here at all! But my friends are!”

Oh, Vision, you sassmaster.

Moonstone’s ‘knows when to fold them’ kind of lapsed when she was attacking Vision instead of remembering ‘hey doesn’t that guy hang with the Avengers?’ but a whole bunch of Avengers busting in reminds her.

She blasts the floor beneath her and Blackout to try to escape and has Blackout seal the hole behind them to buy time.

But Scarlet Witch is still a great counter to... maybe anyone? But especially Blackout.

She waves her hands at the black barrier and it turns into goo and drips all over Blackout and Moonstone, ensnaring them before they can even try to run.

The Avengers storm after the two villains.

Trapped, Moonstone tells Blackout its up to him to stop the Avengers!

Moonstone: “Concentrate on your power! It’s greater than you realize! If you try, you can control it completely... make it do anything! Concentrate... make this 'dark force’ release us! Yes... that’s it! You’re doing it! But you can do more than just reform the darkness into a protective sheath! You can turn it back on the Avengers... you can make them merge with the darkness! And then we can get out of here!”

Vision warns the Avengers that the dark-force is a manifestation of another universe but She-Hulk is skeptical so goes to grab Blackout out of the black goo but her arm goes right through him.

And not in the gory way that you’d see these days.

Blackout and Moonstone are pretty perplexed too.

Apparently, he done goofed and merged him and Moonstone with the darkness and the two get sucked into a singularity and disappear.

Vision: “This may be a first... Our enemies have actually imprisoned themselves!”

Geez, Vision, these assholes might be dead.

-google- Huh. Nope. They’ll be back to menace.... Dazzler? Huh. It be like that sometimes.

Sidenote: I do like that Captain Monica Marvel, as the newest to this superhero life, is the one that most visibly shows shock and consternation at two villains being sucked into an unknown fate.

It’s a nice touch.

Even though the villains maybe got away? Or got sent to the next dimension? She-Hulk congratulates Vision on finding them. And then notes, seconded by Wanda, that Vision is becoming more of a vision.

Scarlet Witch: “Darling? Your holographic projection is starting to fade!”

Vision: “So it is! I seem to be having some difficulty maintaining the transmission over the distance! Perhaps I’ve overextended myself a bit.”

He decides to switch off the projection to run a systems check.

Later, back at the mansion, the Giant Floating Head of Vision reassures everyone.

Vision: “I was just explaining to Captain Marvel that there’s nothing to worry about! As I’d already guessed, the strain of the long-distance transmission was a bit taxing. A few days of rest, and I’ll be able to transmit myself almost anywhere. Of course, by then, I hope to be physically mobile, as well.”

Scarlet Witch: “Vision, you must be more careful! It’s not safe for you to consider using this power again... not until you’re fully healed!”

Vision: “You mean ‘repaired,’ Wanda. But, yes, a certain amount of caution is required. I must adjust to this extra power in stages. Once I’ve mastered it, I’ll never be so helpless again. I’ll be able to do anything... anything!”

Well.

That’s a massive red flag.

Being locked in a tube has not done wonders for Vision’s emotional state that he always pretends he doesn’t have.

(Side note again: I like that Wasp’s costume has an open back, for her wings. It’s another nice touch.)

Starfox asks if Vision has ever had ego problems but Wasp says he’s never had a swelled head like this.

Nah, not exactly. But can you imagine!

But yeah, no, she says he’s never showed ego like this before.

Its actually such a massive red flag that everyone present seems to pick up on it.

But there’s no time to address that because they get an emergency call from Tigra.

Ah, Tigra! You were fun the short amount of time you were here. What wacky hijinxes do you have going on now?

Tigra: “I’m at St. Anthony’s Hospital in San Francisco, Jan. No, I’m fine -- but a friend of mine is literally at death’s door. She may not make it if we don’t get some help fast... and I mean big help! It’s hard to explain over the phone, but... do you believe in ghosts?”

!!!!

Why, Tigra! I didn’t know you and Spider-Woman were friends!

So next time.... uh. We won’t be addressing this right away. The next Avengers’ issue is an infamous offering from Assistant Editor’s Month and before we can even get to that, we need to look into what Hawkeye has been up to because it’s kinda relevant. Or will be relevant soon. When Marvel decides to give this liveblog a headache by splitting the party.

Oh yes, West Coast Avengers looms in the near future. As does Secret Wars. As does David Letterman!

Good grief!

Follow @essential-avengers​ because I’m going to try to cover all these things. That’s a good reason to follow, probably. Also, like and reblog if you like to reblog.