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traveler-at-heart · 1 year ago

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What we were

Summary: After losing Clint, your marriage and family begins to fall apart. Will Natasha be able to go back to what you once were?

A/N: This is going to be four chapters, but most of it is written. It’s a mix of angst, hurt and comfort. Obvious warning, there’s a major character death. Natasha and R have a daughter.

Time was unforgiving.

It had been six months since you lost Clint. Two since you asked Natasha to move out.

Four hours of sleep was the most you could get each night.

Time heals everything, people say.

Then, how come, the more time passed, the worse you felt?

Thoughts like these invade your mind, even when doing the most mundane of tasks. Like now, when you’re waiting for your daughter’s school day to be over. Leaning over your black Mercedes, you wish that your injured leg could be less of a bother and instead of driving, you could walk to pick up Anya and get distracted by the sights of the city.

The school bell rings and the quiet classrooms are full of murmurs, books stored away and steps walking -some rushing eagerly- to the exit.

Impossible to miss, Anya’s red waves are the first thing you spot. Raising a hand, she says goodbye to her friends and walks your way.

“Hi, darling” you sigh against her head.

She’s getting taller and maybe next year she won’t let you hug her. Maybe she’ll even want to take the bus while you anxiously wait for her return home. But now, she’s still a sweet child and she still lets you run your hands through her hair.

“How was Debate Club?” it’s the first thing you ask, because she’d been preparing relentlessly to beat the other team.

“We won, obviously”

“We should celebrate” a voice joins the conversation. You’re so startled that you drop the car keys.

“Mom!” Anya says, wrapping her arms around Natasha.

It makes you happy that she’s not resentful even after everything that happened. That she can love so unconditionally.

She didn’t get that from you.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt” Natasha apologizes, finally looking at you. There’s a weak smile on your face, what else can you do? “I was thinking we could go shopping for that new game you wanted?”

“Can we please, Momma?” Anya turns to you.

“Sure. Have fun. But don’t spoil your appetite. We’re having lasagna”

“Mom, our favorite” Anya nudges the Russian and you look away.

“I’ll have her home by 6” Natasha saves you the embarrassment of being forced to invite her.

“Have fun” you wave goodbye, heart beating fast.

Breaking the speed limit, you rush home. But the tears start running long before you’re parked.

You look at your sad reflection in the rearview mirror.

Natasha looks better than the last time you saw each other.

Maybe all she needed was to be away from you, to be happy again.

Two glasses of wine later, you’re curled up on the sofa watching your favorite comfort show and feeling better.

“What’s up, Buck?” you answer at the second ring of your phone.

“Are you ok?”

You look at the half empty glass of wine and decide that no, you’re most definitely not ok.

“Sure, why you ask?”

“I just saw her driving with Anya”

“Mhm” you look at the clock. 5:55 PM. She’s trying to be a responsible parent, at least. “Yeah, she showed up at school today. It’s good that they spent time together”

“Want me to come over?”

“No, I don’t want you two fighting in my front yard. Thanks, though”

“I’ll stop by tomorrow, ok? And if you feel like it, we can go to that Broadway show on Saturday. I got us tickets”

“Thanks, Buck”

“Ok, she’s parking outside now”

“You followed them all the way here?” you jump out of the couch, looking out the window.

“What? I was worried!”

“Sometimes I think it’s not so great that you live a few blocks away, you weirdo”

“But then I bring coffee and scones and you change your mind”

“Yeap”

“See ya, doll”

“Bye, creep”

“Oh, come on!”

You let out a laugh at his protest. Wanda and Yelena have been texting you, so you scroll, smiling at the silly pictures of Fanny or the videos of Tommy and Billy doing their crazy science experiments.

“Hi, Ma” Anya rushes past you. “Gonna change for dinner”

“Mmkay” you nod, texting Bucky to make sure he’s actually back home, and not slashing Natasha’s tires.

“So…”

“Nat, jeez” you drop the phone, not even aware that she is still here. She looks at you across the kitchen island.

Don’t think how sad it is that she looks out of place here, where it used to be home.

Don’t cry in front of her.

Don’t.

“Sorry, I’ll say goodbye and leave”

“Anya, your mom’s leaving” you busy yourself in the kitchen, looking away.

“So soon?” the girl peeks around, pouting. “We haven’t even played the game yet”

“Would you like to stay for dinner?” you give up, unable to say no to your daughter.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m always making extra anyways”

Because you were used to cooking dinner for three.

Anya is happy to set the table, but you sit next to your daughter, leaving Natasha in front of her. You try to stay focused on Anya and school: the debate club, sports activities, a month in Europe for the best students.

“Mom, do you think I can reach out to aunt Carol? I have some Astronomy questions”

Natasha immediately looks at you, but you’re hyper focused on the bottle of wine and pouring the last of it until your glass is filled to the rim.

“Uh, she’s not... I’m not sure where Danvers is, sweetheart. She left Earth a while back”

“Oh, ok” the girl nods, looking at you with a frown. “Mom, what’s wrong? Is your leg hurting? What did Doctor Cho say?”

Crap.

“What’s wrong, det…?” Natasha asks, looking at you. The pet name almost rolled off her tongue.

Everything. Everything is wrong, Natasha.

“That old injury from our outlaw days. Doctor Cho gave me some pain killers. But I don’t think I’ll take them, they make me too sleepy”

“We’ll do the dishes” Natasha jumps in. “Don’t worry about it”

“Thanks”

The dishes are the least of your worries, but it’s still a nice gesture.

Maybe when she’s finally ready to ask you to divorce her, you’ll be able to coparent.

“Here, let me” she asks as you approach with the empty glass of wine. “Did Doctor Cho say anything else?”

You sigh, leaning against the counter, watching as she washes the dishes.

“She said surgery might make the pain go away. Actually, there’s a 90% chance it will work. But Anya’s got school and I’d have to do bed rest for at least five weeks. Maybe during winter break”

“I can take care of her. Drive her to school or cook dinner or…”

“You’re a terrible cook” you remind her. It’s meant to be a joke, but also a way to make her stop.

You don’t want to be a burden for someone who doesn’t want you anymore.

“Wanda could teach me”

“She’s too busy making sure the twins aren’t building a nuclear weapon in the garage”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asks, almost afraid of your answer.

“Can you take her to school tomorrow?” you finally say, without providing further details.

The truth is, you’ll probably cry until you fall asleep, because you miss Natasha and this is the first time you’ve seen her in two months.

And it would be better if you could sleep in, make an appointment with your therapist and then find a way to look composed by the time you have to pick your daughter from school.

“Absolutely”

“Thank you”

“You don’t have to thank me, Y/N”

The way she says your name makes you want to scream.

Natasha’s long gone, Anya sleeping peacefully back in her room.

You’re looking at the ceiling, tears rolling down your face and soaking your pillow.

You miss her so damn much. You love her so much.

And you also hate her. And you hate yourself for loving her.

There’s a soft knock at your door. You know it’s not Anya because she would have turned on the hallway light.

“Hey, weirdo” you look at Bucky from across the room, smiling sadly. He approaches you and wraps you in his arms. You sob against his chest, feeling like the sadness will last forever.

“I’m sorry”

“It’s ok. Let it all out. I’m here”

You don’t know when you fall asleep.

A lot has changed in such a short time, but by now, Anya is used to the sight of her uncle Bucky, rotating between the few breakfast foods he can make without burning everything.

“You read my mind” Anya watches as he makes blueberry pancakes.

“Has no one ever told you it’s rude to sneak up on people?” he mumbles, impressed at how silent she was.

“No, because my moms are spies and so is my uncle and my other aunt and basically half my family”

“Smart ass,” he chuckles. “Come on, eat your food before it gets cold”

“Did mom eat anything yet?” Anya sits on a stool, eating on the kitchen counter.

“Your mom’s asleep” Bucky says. In fact, you cried, had a panic attack, a couple of nightmares, woke up to drink some water and then fell asleep at 4 AM.

Basically, the usual for the past two months.

He’s so caught in his thoughts that he forgets to flip the last pancake. A knock on the front door snaps him back to reality.

“Can you turn off the stove? And pack your bag, we’re leaving in five…” Bucky yells over, opening the door without looking through the peephole first. He’s surprised to find Natasha on the other side “Can I help you?”

“I’m here to pick up my daughter”

“Does Y/N know?” He's holding on to the door so hard that the wood cracks.

“She asked me to drive Anya to school”

“Ok, I’m ready” Anya announces, aware that her mother and uncle aren’t on the best terms. She walks between them to make sure they won’t punch each other. “Bye, uncle, thanks for breakfast”

“Have a good day, sweetheart. See you Saturday”

“Right, for that musical, Beaglejuice”

“Shut up” he chuckles, kissing her forehead. Anya leans forward and hugs him goodbye.

Natasha is silent for most of the ride. Anya is looking out the window, uncertain of her mother’s mood. Maybe not saying anything is safer.

Three blocks away from school and Natasha hears herself blurting out what’s been on her mind this whole time.

“Does Barnes stay over a lot?”

“I guess” Anya mutters, still looking out the window.

“Well, do you know…”

The girl has enough, turning around to face her mother. There’s nothing but resentment in her eyes as she tells Natasha everything.

“Mom cries herself to sleep every night. Ever since you moved out, it's been hard for her to get up in the morning and act normal, let alone cook breakfast. So yeah, uncle Bucky is around all the time, just to make sure she’s at the very least alive. You’d know if you still cared about us”

“Anya…”

“I’ll walk the rest of the way, thanks for the ride” she mumbles, opening the door and rushing away. Natasha is stuck in traffic, so all she can do is watch her daughter from the car.

Just when she was starting to make things right, she fucks up again.

“Thanks for breakfast” you say, mouth full of pancakes.

“More like lunch” Bucky corrects.

You nod, reaching for the maple syrup.

“So, why’d you ask Natasha to drive Anya to school?”

“Is that why my door is almost broken in half?”

“I’ll fix it”

“You better” you mumble. He is still staring and you shrug your shoulders. “Just experimenting how co-parenting is gonna be when we officially divorce”

“So, you are asking her to divorce you?”

“She’s gonna ask me. Sooner or later” you keep your head down, playing with your food. You’re not hungry anymore.

“All things considered, the ball is in your court”

“Buck” you plead, dropping the fork.

“I’m just saying” he approaches your side. “You’ll only be able to heal once you know what you both want. But running away won’t help”

“You sound like my therapist”

“But does she cook you breakfast?”

“For what she’s charging me, she should, actually” both of you laugh. And damn it, you know he’s right. “Thank you, for worrying about me. And for taking care of us these past few months. I’m sorry I’m such a mess”

As if on cue, tears start streaming down your face. Bucky hugs you, kissing your head.

“It’s ok”

“I know you hate it when people cry, I’m sorry”

“Yeah, but I hate it a little bit more when you’re the one crying”

Luckily for your therapist, you’re all cried out by the time you reach her office. Instead, you discuss how it would be better to approach Natasha, who has always struggled with communication around difficult topics.

“I’m very happy with this session. We’ve made great progress” Doctor Thompson says and you put your fist forward.

“Fist bump” you encourage her.

“I’ll get my license taken away if we ever do this again”

For the first time in months, you leave her office feeling a little bit lighter.

Until you check your phone. 10 missed calls from Natasha.

“Nat?” you answer as she calls again.

“Is Anya with you?”

“I was about to pick her up from school” there’s a pause. “You did drive her to school, right?”

“Of course, I’m not an idiot” she shoots back.

“Well, I’m very confused because she’s only about to end her last class. Why would she be anywhere else, then?” you retort.

“Just meet me back home, ok?” she pleads.

“Fine”

She’s pacing on the sidewalk as you park.

“Care to explain?”

“The school called me an hour ago. She sneaked out after recess”

“Let’s just track her phone”

“It’s off”

“Well, fuck” you run your hand through your hair. “Did she say anything to you this morning? Did she seem upset?”

Natasha looks away, chewing on her bottom lip.

“I asked her if Barnes was staying over often”

“Natasha, for fuck’s sake” you sigh, turning away from her.

Don’t shout. You won’t solve anything by screaming at Natasha.

Your daughter is missing because your wife can’t keep her jealousy to herself. So fuck it.

“If you want to know anything, you ask me, Natasha, do you understand? You don’t go questioning our 13 year old daughter, who, by the way, has been through enough shit lately. I’m trying to protect her and you’re here implying I’m sleeping with the only friend who isn’t tired of me being a mess. Which, for the record, I’m not. And would never. Unlike you, I’m not going around fucking people outside my marriage because I’m having a hard time”

“I don’t know how to get close to you, Y/N. You pushed me out ever since…”

“No! You don’t get to put this on me. I tried for months. I tried everything. And you scoffed and ignored and stood me up. I gave up the moment I found you in bed with Carol”

Your voice breaks at the last part. That memory has been buried for so long; you want it to stay hidden, forever.

It doesn’t matter. You need to find Anya.

“What are you doing?”

“Calling Buck”

“I’m here. I’ll help you find her”

“I’ll find my daughter alone, thank you” you walk past her, waiting impatiently for your friend to pick up.

“She’s my daughter too”

“You sure as hell haven’t acted like her mother in a long time, Natalia”

You walk away, your back turned to her.

“Buck” you say, voice trembling.

“I know. She’s at the Met. Hasn’t left. I’m outside, just in case”

“How did you…?”

“I’m sorry. I was hoping I could convince her to come back before you found out she sneaked out of class”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can”

Again, those soft waves of red are the first thing you spot in the room. Her blue eyes are fixed on Degas and his Dance Class.

“Hey, kiddo” you stand next to her, understanding immediately why she’s looking at this painting. “We still have your ballerina shoes somewhere in a box. Your mom loved going to your recitals”

“I’m sorry for leaving school”

“I played hooky a couple of times. It’s part of life. I just want to make sure you’re ok”

“She doesn’t care if you’re able to get up in the morning but gets jealous because someone is taking care of us”

You sigh. Anya has Natasha’s heart, after all. She loves and protects fiercely.

“That’s not exactly true. Come with me” your daughter takes your hand as you leave the museum.

Central Park is still looking beautiful, even as fall approaches. Anya plops down on a bench and you take a seat next to her. A small groan leaves your lips. This damn leg.

“You know your mother was raised to be an assassin. The Red Room taught her that love was a weakness. And that she was incapable of having a family or people that cared about her. Even after all these years, insecurity can get the best of Nat sometimes”

“Why can’t we just… go back to what we used to be?” she mumbles, a tear rolling down her face.

“Oh, sweetheart” you hold her against your chest. “I want nothing more in this world”

“I miss her”

“Me too, Anya”

“It’s like we lost her the day uncle Clint died” she sobs.

“But she’s still here. And she still needs you, my sweet girl. I’m not saying you should forgive her right this second. But don’t build a wall around yourself, please”

“Ok”

“You know I lost my mom when I was 15. And a lot of that time I spent it angry at her for staying with a man that wasn’t good to us. But once she was gone, all I wished was that I had made her life a little easier”

“I’m sorry”

“It’s ok. I’m glad I’m here, to make sure you don’t make the same mistake I did. We’re gonna be alright, I promise”

“I love you”

“Love you too, kiddo” you keep her in your arms for as long as you can, but a light rain begins to fall. “Come on, now. Bucky’s been waiting for us”

“I know. I saw him following me on the bus here”

“My God, I don’t know which one of you is scarier”

Anya giggles, and you take her hand.

Even between all of this mess, she’s the one thing that makes everything worth it.

Anya was the one that texted her mother, apologizing and letting her know she was ok.

You didn’t reply to Natasha’s text. “I’m sorry” isn’t enough sometimes.

After pizza and an intense game of Jenga with Anya and Bucky, you call it a night.

You know what you’ll dream of tonight, but you’re too tired to care.

#Natasha Romanoff x Reader #Natasha Romanoff x y/N #Natasha Romanoff x You

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arafilez · 1 year ago

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☆ ⼂ MEDICINES AND KISSES ﹗

ꔫㅤㅤ ❜[ pjm x fem!reader ] ㅤ⋆ ㅤfluff, angst 𓏧 jimin feels if you can't solve his jealousy, food can. even if it is an old lasagna which can get him food poisoning. ㅤ warnings food poisoning, vomiting ㅤ﹢ㅤ1.5k wc

“For the last time Jimin he is my friend and co-worker, why do you overthink everything?” you spoke in a calm voice trying to hide the frustration in your voice. For the last half an hour Jimin had been continuously arguing with you about your male co-worker who had mildly flirted with you in front of Jimin.

You didn’t think about it much deeply and just smiled along and seeing that Jimin has been boiling in jealousy. As soon as you reached home Jimin took up that topic and you have been arguing since, neither of you backing down from it. “You did not stop him, that is what is triggering me,” he said sighing loudly.

“Why do you care so much anyways, you don’t have feelings for me, remember that?" You reason, hands on your hips.

"We are arranged, Jimin as both of us have signed a piece of paper, go on and sign another paper, we get divorced, there’s no in-between!” You said and put your hands up in defeat, not in the mood to argue any more with him.

Jimin’s head hurt remembering at your words, the phrase ‘a single piece of paper’ going over his mind repeatedly. “You know what, nether am I,” he gritted his teeth and you slumped back on the sofa frustrated by his behaviour. “See there you go again, we are arguing on a point that doesn’t even matter now.”

Jimin stayed quiet silently letting your words process in his mind as he saw you getting up from the corner of his eye. You got up the stairs, to your shared bedroom and took out your pillow and a duvet. Flapping your slippers you went to the kitchen to get some water as your throat has dried after all that fight.

“We are going to talk this out, okay? We are not going to just fight like some toxic couple in high school,” you said breathing out as you looked down turning towards him. “Yeah, I guess I just lost all my appetite after this too,” he chuckled softly as he got up to get up to the bedroom.

“Guess, you will be sleeping here, okay I can understand that!” he said as you internally felt relieved about him being such a gentleman. After your marriage four months ago Jimin was nothing but sweet and understanding to you, he was constantly taking care of your needs and listening to your stories.

You got comfortable with him too, as you felt yourself being relaxed in his presence. But that was not it, your feelings grew towards him, as you imagined fantasies of you together. He still high-fived you, and gave plain hugs, he was more of like a best friend to you.

And you hated it, you loved his sweet and caring nature, and hated how all was just at a best friend level when you were practically married and legally bound to each other for life. Yet, he still showed no signs of being into you and everything, every frustration, heat, love just bubbled inside you causing you to burst occasionally, like for example today.

You hated it, you hated how you lashed out at him, and you hated because you knew, or thought, you overreacted. You didn’t want to be a couple who fought every time some little thing happen and you wanted to be the couple who gets through it.

Setting your thoughts aside, you looked at the watch, which showed perfectly midnight. “Oh great, at this time Cinderella was running away from that prince, would it kill you to make that happen for me?”

You said this looking up as if you were talking to God and again spoke up, “you know the fall in love part, not the running away thingy,” and you pouted as you sat back. Taking one last look at your phone you set your head down on the couch slowly drifting away to sleep.

Meanwhile, Jimin came down sulking as he opened the refrigerator in the kitchen. Taking out a bowl of Lasagna, he picked it up and searched for a spoon in the kitchen. Finding it he murmured, “If she can’t touch my mind, this lasagna would help me refill myself, ugh!”

The next morning passed quietly, with only a quiet good morning from both of you to each other and a ‘bye’ as you left. The day was extremely slow, for the both of you and you just slumped back in the couch after having dinner as he went back in the bedroom.

Any other day, you two would have stayed up till like 2 a.m. chatting about your day and laughing and relaxing but today was all different. And surprisingly you didn’t fall asleep today, like you did yesterday and looking at the clock you found out it was 1.15 a.m.

Clutching your blanket you sat up, and suddenly you heard a thud in your bedroom. Without thinking anything you got up, and literally ran up the stairs as you clicked the door unlock when you heard a whisper, “please don’t go!”

“What the fuck is he saying?” you whispered as you opened the door, just to see a mess in the room. Pillows were thrown everywhere inside the room and the bedsheet was a mess, as Jimin tossed and turned murmuring to himself. You walked inside and climbed up the bed just for Jimin to get up in a jerk.

“Oh hey,” he couldn’t finish the sentence as he vomited all over your t-shirt making you gasp. You got concerned as you picked him up and carried him to the bathroom. You opened the tap water letting it flow as he vomited some more. You held back his long black hair as you caressed his back.

You tried to connect the dots, because you knew, Jimin didn’t drink and it was not that but food poisoning. Then you realized that you didn’t find the lasagna in the morning. That was when it hit you where it went, and what was coming out of Jimin.

As Jimin panted holding the bathroom walls and your hand. You hurriedly took off the shirt he was wearing and making him stand there you went inside to change. After coming out you gave Jimin a mouthwash and helped him come to the shared bedroom. You threw the dirty clothes inside the washing machine.

You made him sit and got up towards the door, only for him to speak up in a weak voice, “Don’t go please!” “I am just bringing my phone Jimin,” you spoke softly as you ran down the stairs. Throughout all this Jimin had watched you, how you were concerned for him, and how you didn’t get disgusted and left him alone but helped him instead.

You came back and closed the door and sat on the bed. Silence took cover between the two of you and you suddenly said, “You stupid, you ate that days old lasagna and look what happened to you.” Jimin smiled softly at your comment and scooted closer to you putting his arms around your waist.

You looked down, observing the flowered design the bed-sheet since the cover was taken off as Jimin vomited all over it. “Thanks for caring so much,” he whispered as he kissed you write below your earlobe. You sighed pushing him slightly and spoke with the slight anger in your voice.

“Why would you do that, huh? Eat that lasagna.” You said as you stared at him and then whispered, “What if something serious happened?” He loved the concern you were showing, knowing finally his feelings were not one-sided anymore. That would mean he can get to hug and kiss you any time without the hesitation he had before.

You punched his chest repeatedly saying, “You are a very stupid man,” and he laughed at your statement, his melodious laughter filling the room. “I would kiss you, only if I hadn’t vomited right about then,” he said and you replied, “I gave mouthwash to you, so you probably can,” and you couldn’t finish your sentence.

He placed his lips on your, his plump and soft ones, missing with you sweet, cherry ones. You traced your hand through his ‘Nevermind’ tattoo on his chest as you kissed him back. He pulled out smiling as he placed another soft peck on your lips as you two kept your foreheads together.

You caressed his bare back as he kissed your nose, you eyelids and placed a lingering kiss on your forehead. You kissed him across his jawline down to his neck. The kisses were not rushed, but slow, sensitive and sweet, the one that are given by your lover after a long day. The kisses felt like heaven to you, as this was the first intimacy you ever had with him and everything just felt all so natural and ecstatic, as if this was just made for the two of you.

“I am your stupid man,” he said smiling and you said, “You forgot cheesy, stupid and cheesy and a ball of jealous idiot,” you giggled as he shut you up kissing you again, and you smiled inside the kiss. Maybe one wrong fight was all that was needed to lead to some right times.

ꔫㅤㅤ ❜ [ ara's notes ] ㅤ⋆ ㅤidiots in love? lol tysm for reading and liking the fic. reblog if you feel like supporting ^^ ꔫㅤㅤ ❜ [ taglist ] ㅤ⋆ ㅤ@haneagerrㅤmain mlistㅤ misc mlistㅤ navi ㅤ add to taglist

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gallifreyanhotfive · 1 year ago

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My favorite quotes from each Doctor (TV only)

I'll have to do some for the EU too sometime.

One: "I don't make threats. But I do keep promises. And I promise you I shall cause you more trouble than you bargained for, if you don't return my property!"

Two (about his family): "Oh yes, I can when I want to. And that's the point really. I have to really want to, to bring them back in front of my eyes. The rest of the time they....they sleep in my mind and I forget."

Three: "Courage isn't a matter of not being frightened, you know. It's being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway."

Four: "You see, if someone who knew the future pointed out a child to you and told you that that child would grow up totally evil, to be a ruthless dictator who would destroy millions of lives, could you then kill that child?"

Five: "Once a man fell asleep and dreamt he was a frog. When he woke up, he didn't know if he was a man who dreamt he was a frog, or a frog who was now dreaming he was a man."

Six: "This is a situation that requires tact and finesse. Fortunately, I am blessed with both!"

Seven (while fighting the Master): "If we fight like animals, we die like animals!"

Eight (god the fact I'm limiting this post to TV is killing me, really shot myself in the foot there): "You're tired of life but afraid of dying!"

Nine: "Just this once, everybody lives!"

Ten: "Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters, it's the person."

Eleven: "Nine hundred years of time and space and I've never met someone who wasn't important."

Twelve: "This is not a war. I fought in a bigger war than you will ever know. I did worse things than you could ever imagine, and when I close my eyes....I hear more screams than anyone could ever be able to count! And do you know what you do with all that pain? Shall I tell you where you put it? You hold it tight....til it burns your hands. And you say this - no one else will ever have to live like this. No one else will ever have to feel this pain. Not on my watch."

Thirteen: "You're wrong about humans. They're not pathetic; they're magnificent. They live with their fears, doubts, guilts. They face them down every day. And they prevail. That's not weakness. That's strength. That's what humanity is."

Bonuses (crack edition) - if you recognize all of these please marry me

"Don't be lasagna."

"Yes, I made some cocoa and got engaged."

"These shoes! They fit perfectly."

"Kill yourself."

"An unintelligent enemy is far less dangerous than an intelligent one, Jamie. Just act stupid...Do you think you can manage that?"

"If I'm ever in need of advice from a psychotic potato dwarf, you'll be the first to know."

"I tolerate this century, but I don't like it."

"I always find violent exercise makes me hungry, don't you agree?"

"If I had crayons and half a can of Spam, I could build you from scratch!"

"I'm the Doctor; I'm worse than everybody's aunt!"

"The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through those doors, and believe me, they've tried."

"Self pity is all I have left!"

"Come to Daddy. I mean Mummy. I mean....I really need you right now!"

"An apple a day keeps the....Ah. No, never mind."

"It was the daisiest daisy I'd ever seen."

"Now drop your weapons or I'll kill him with this deadly jelly baby!"

"In my time, I have been threatened by experts, and I don't rate you very highly at all."

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mama-qwerty · 1 year ago

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A Bad Idea Made Better

Okay, I'm done staring at this thing. Hopefully it came out better than I think it did, because it's bugging me for some reason.

Anyway, enjoy!

(Who is Callie?)

~~~~~

“You can’t be serious.”

Maddie and Callie were sitting at the counter in the ‘kitchen’ of the Sanctuary. A handful of Knuckles mingled in the various areas—the game corner, the sparring area, behind them rummaging through cupboards in search of snacks—and the moms were there in case anyone needed anything. The redhead cast a cocked eyebrow to her friend. “Tell me you’re not serious.”

Maddie shrugged. “He’s already started three fights in the last half hour,” she said, and a commotion drew their attention to another starting. “Make that four.”

Callie turned toward the noise with an annoyed sigh. “Dread, KNOCK IT OFF!”

“I be innocent as a newborn babe, lass! T’ain’t me fault that Rennie here be so easy to rile!”

“DON’T CALL ME RENNIE!”

The two continued to bicker as Callie rolled her eyes and turned back to Maddie. “And you want me to take him to my house? Why not just ship him back to No Place?”

Another shrug from the vet. “He came in today with a note pinned to his back from his crew.” She slid it toward Callie. ’Don’t let him come back until he’s less of an ass.’

The redhead snorted out a laugh. “He’d never go home, then.”

“Right?” Maddie sighed, rubbing her temple. “Look, I know it’s not ideal, but if he stays here, he’s gonna cause a multi-versal brawl. Just . . . take him for an hour. Two at most.”

“Have you forgotten I have my own gremlin at home? You think I can handle two of them?”

Maddie sat up straighter, clapping a hand on Callie’s shoulder. “I have the utmost faith in you, Madam MacPherson. Keeper of the Gremlins. Controller of the Most Troublesome.”

Callie heaved a defeated sigh. “Fine. I’ll take him. But if, no WHEN, this blows up in my face, you owe me.”

“I’ll make you a batch of my incredibly tantalizing lasagna. With extra ricotta.”

The redhead hissed in a breath. “Oh, you temptress.”

“I may even make it for you anyway. I know this is a big ask.”

“Yeah, but you’re right,” Callie said, glancing over to where Dread and Ren were starting to throw hands. “He’s in rare form today. Maybe a change of scenery will help.”

“Thanks, Cal.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She pushed herself away from the counter, clapping her hands as she walked closer to the two fighting echidna. “Break it up, boys! Dread, you’re coming with me. We’re going on a field trip.”

~X~X~X~

Silver sat on the couch with Eclipse, trying to catch up in Mario Kart. He’d gotten better over the last few months, but still had trouble with curves.

“I’m so gonna beat you!” the darkling laughed as he maneuvered his way around the track. “You’re so slow.”

The hedgehog didn’t answer. He focused on his car, moving his thumbs over the controls to try and gain some ground.

He’d just started the second lap when the portal that led to the Sanctuary opened. He didn’t quite understand everything about this magic place his mom went to. Something about it being another dimension, one that didn’t follow the normal rules of time. She would go through, and then come back a few seconds later, even though she would say she’d been there for a long time.

Silver kinda wanted to see what this place was like. Mom said there were a lot of different Knuckles there—like that one Spiderman movie with all the different versions—and they have fun sometimes, but sometimes there are fights, or it’s sad and she helps them not be sad. He didn’t doubt that—his mom was really good at helping people feel better.

He normally didn’t pay a whole lot of attention when she came back, but today she wasn’t alone. The portal opened in the archway between the living room and kitchen, and she walked out as usual, but someone followed. He looked a lot like the Knuckles they knew, but he was dressed in funny clothes.

He looked like a pirate!

“Cool!” Silver gasped, dropping his controller and rushing over to where his mom and this new Knuckles stood. “Hi! You look so cool!”

The echidna startled, his hand going to the hilt of his sword, when Callie reached down to grab his wrist.

“No swordplay,” she said, her voice stern. The Knuckles flicked his eyes to her, then back to Silver, a look of confusion on his muzzle. “These are my boys. My sons. Silver the Hedgehog, and Eclipse the Darkling.”

Silver gave a little wave at his name, and he heard Eclipse pause the game and wander over.

“Who’s that?” the darkling asked, crossing his arms. “Why’s he dressed so weird?”

“Eclipse, don’t be rude,” Callie sighed, and a frown passed over the echidna’s face.

“I be the legendary captain Knuckles the Dread.” He raised his hand in a flourish as he flashed a smile, the light shining off his gold tooth. “The strongest, most dangerous pirate on the seven seas of No Place.”

Silver’s ears flicked back slightly. A pirate? Weren’t pirates mean? His mom wouldn’t bring a mean pirate home, would she?

Beside him, Eclipse’s body language changed, and he wore an excited smile.

“A pirate??” he exclaimed, moving forward and bouncing on the balls of his feet. “That’s so cool! Do you attack other pirates? Do you swing on ropes around your ship? Do you have sword fights?” He gasped. “Can I see your sword??”

“Eclipse, pull it back, kiddo,” Callie said, moving to push the darkling back a little. “Dread is here as a guest for a few hours today. You will both be polite and not crowd him, or ask all sorts of nosy questions.”

“Nonsense!” the pirate cried, moving forward to pat Eclipse on the shoulder. “They be curious ‘bout the life and adventures of such a far-traveled pirate! Ye can’t begrudge them a few tales, can ye, lass?”

“Yeah, Mom!” Eclipse said, trying his best to give her puppy dog eyes. “C’mon! I wanna hear some pirate stories from a real life pirate!”

Silver flicked his eyes back and forth between his brother, the echidna, and his mom. She seemed pretty calm. If Dread was dangerous, he theorized, she wouldn’t have brought him here in the first place, and would be much more protective. He relaxed some, his ears returning to a more upright position.

Pirate stories did sound pretty cool.

“Did you ever find treasure?” he asked, and Dread smiled wide.

“Oh, lad,” he said, throwing an arm around each boy and bringing them close. “Ye have no idea.”

~X~X~X~

Dread was in his element. He stood before the boys, telling tales of his greatest adventures, gesturing and miming his actions as he spoke. They were enthralled—eyes wide and cheering in just the right places.

He flicked his eyes over to Callie, and the lass sat to the side, a small smile on her lips. She shook her head slightly occasionally. Okay, maybe he was . . . embellishing a bit. Just a bit. Just enough to keep the boys’ attention.

This felt good. Felt right. Having all eyes on him, admiring his feats. No one at the Sanctuary gave him this much attention. Not without ridiculing him, or doubting every word he said. There he felt as though he were constantly being judged, constantly dismissed. Tolerated at best.

But here? He felt welcomed. Valued. Appreciated.

And it made a warmth spread in his chest. It was a feeling he’d never really experienced before, and he liked it. He liked it a lot.

Yessir, this was a nice change of pace.

~X~X~X~

Callie gave a little eye roll as Dread continued his tales. She’d heard most of these before—Dread wasn’t shy about telling others of his deeds—but the details seemed to be a bit . . . stretchy. There were more foes than she remembered, the kraken was much bigger, (oh, and now there were two), and some of the timelines didn’t seem to add up.

But, whatever. He was having fun, no one was fighting, and the boys seemed completely spellbound by his stories. She was checking this as a win.

~X~X~X~

Eclipse leaned closer as Dread spoke of monsters and battles, treasure and triumph. He was so cool! Not like the Knuckles they knew. Knuckles Wachowski may have been the most dangerous warrior in the galaxy at one time, but now he was more interested in gardening and doing yoga. Always talking about how ‘fighting is only a last resort’ and ‘live a life of virtue’ and blah blah blah.

What a load of bunk. Eclipse was a weapon. A soldier built specifically to fight and win. Sure, he liked not having to fight now, and living with his mom and brother was a lot better than his life on the Black Comet, but that didn’t mean he was some weak pushover! Dread’s life sounded so fun!

The pirate finished up another story, and Eclipse cheered.

“That was awesome! I wanna be a pirate! Mom, can I be a pirate like Dread?”

“’Course ye can, lad!” Dread answered before Callie could open her mouth. “In fact, both ye and yer brother here c’n be honorary members of me crew!”

The two boys moved in sync, hopping to their feet and flashing him a salute. “Aye, aye, Captain!”

“Okay, let’s not get carried away,” Callie said, just as her phone rang. She pulled it from her back pocket, giving it a tap to answer. “Hello? Linda? What’s wrong?”

Eclipse sighed, rolling his eyes. Linda was one of the other ladies who worked at the library. She was nice and all, but kinda boring. She always seemed nervous around him. He didn’t know why—he’d only almost bit her that one time. Almost. Hardly something to hold a grudge about, really.

“Is he okay? Good. Come in? Oh, I can’t, I have . . .” She glanced at Dread. “Company. From out of town. Call Karen and see if she can . . . oh she can’t?” She sighed. “Okay. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

She hung up and turned to the three by the couch. “I have to head into work. Linda’s son broke his arm and they’ve gotta run him to the hospital.”

“Oh,” Silver said, his ears flicked back. “Is Jake okay?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. Just needs his arm set.” She chewed her lip slightly, her eyes on the echidna. “Dread, can I talk to you for a sec?”

“’Course, lass.”

He followed her to the kitchen, just as Eclipse turned to Silver.

“Remember when I said Knuckles wasn’t cool?” Silver nodded. “I take it back. This one is soooo cooool.”

~X~X~X~

Callie led Dread into the kitchen, around the island to speak quietly with him.

“I’ve gotta head into work, and can’t take the boys with me.” She paused, pulling her lips tight. These next words out of her mouth were really gonna hurt. “I need to know I can trust you to watch over them for an hour.”

Her voice was soft, but firm, her eyes locked with his. She didn’t want to do this. This wasn’t an ideal scenario. On any other day, she would have simply closed the library for emergency reasons, but there was a book club meeting there in 20 minutes and she couldn’t leave them in the lurch.

Dread looked back, a little scowl on his face.

“Lass, ye offend me,” he said, crossing his arms. “When have I ever shown meself as untrustworthy?”

She gave him a look. One that essentially said ‘Do you want that answer alphabetically, or in order of importance?’

He seemed to catch her meaning, and dropped the scowl with a guilty smile.

“Aye, that be a bit of bad phrasing on my part,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. He stood straighter, bringing his fist to his chest. “I give ye me word, lass. I’ll guard them with me life.”

A little smirk curled her lip, and she gave a slight chuckle. “Not sure that will be necessary, but I appreciate the thought.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a little squeeze. “God forgive me for what I’m about to say, but . . .”

She took a breath, pulling her lips tight.

“Dread, you’re in charge.”

~X~X~X~

Silver sat at the kitchen table, watching Eclipse and Dread rummage through the fridge. There were plenty of leftovers, and before his mom left she said they could have what they wanted if they were hungry.

“Blimey!” Dread had exclaimed when Eclipse opened the fridge door. He reached his hand inside with an expression of wonder. “It be colder than a witch’s—” He caught himself, flicking his eyes to the boys before clearing his throat. “I mean, heh, it be mighty cold in this cupboard.”

“It helps keep food fresh,” the hedgehog said as he moved closer to pull out some leftover macaroni and cheese. “The cold makes sure it doesn’t spoil as fast.”

“Bloomin’ brilliant,” the pirate muttered as he peered into the shelves.

Eclipse piled leftover spaghetti on his plate, shoving a forkful into his mouth before crinkling his nose. “Ugh, too cold.”

“I’ll warm it up,” Silver said, priming his power to move the plate to the microwave. Eclipse balked, waving him away as he carried the plate over himself.

“I can do it!”

“Mom says you’re not allowed to use the microwave. Not after what happened last time.”

Eclipse waved a dismissive hand, uttering an annoyed ‘tch’. “Mom’s not here, is she? And that was weeks ago. Ancient history.”

The darkling popped the plate into the microwave and pressed a few buttons. The machine hummed to life, but shortly thereafter it began to spark and issue loud snaps. Silver gasped.

“You forgot to take your fork off the plate again!”

“You distracted me!”

“Get it out!”

“I will, don’t rush me!”

Eclipse turned to reach for the microwave door, when Dread jumped in front of him, pushing the boy back and drawing his sword.

“Watch yerself, lad! That be dangerous!”

And with that, the pirate swung his sword, slashing the microwave and cleaving it in two. It fell to the counter with a mighty crash.

Silver’s eyes went wide. Oh. Ohhh no.

“You killed our microwave!” he yelled, his hands pressed to this cheeks. This was so bad. “Mom’s gonna kill us!”

Dread looked confused, snapping his head back and forth from Silver to the now greatly deceased machine. “I thought . . . it be sparkin’ like a lightning storm, and I didn’t . . .”

The cats’ automatic feeder kicked in then, startling Dread, who spun and hurled his sword toward the new sound. It struck the feeder, splitting the side and spilling dry food all over the floor. Much to Bloom’s delight.

Silver shrieked. “Stop breaking things!”

“It ain’t me fault!” Dread cried back, hurrying over to pull his sword free.

“What are we gonna do??” Silver cried, wringing one of his long head spikes. “Mom’s gonna be so mad when she sees this!”

“Calm down, we’ll just . . . fix it,” Eclipse shrugged, poking at the pieces of microwave littering the counter. “Think Tails could come over?”

Silver shook his head. “Tails can’t fix that! It’s destroyed!”

“Then we’ll just get a new one!” the darkling yelled, throwing his arms over his head. “How much could they cost? $20?”

“Do you have $20?”

“No!”

“THEN HOW ARE WE GONNA BUY A NEW ONE??”

“I DON’T HEAR ANY IDEAS FROM YOU!!”

“QUIET!!”

Dread’s shout snapped the two out of their argument, and they turned to him. He sheathed his sword, walking toward them with a contemplative expression.

“Yellin’ and fussin’ ain’t gonna solve nothin’,” he said, stopping with his hands on his hips. “We need a plan. Be there any shops in town that carry those warming box things?”

The boys exchanged a glance, and Silver nodded. “Charlie’s should. They have a bunch of stuff like fridges and washing machines and stuff.”

The echidna nodded. “Then we go to this Charlie’s and see what we can do to get a new one.”

“But we don’t have any money.”

Dread smiled, in a smirky, confident kind of way. “Ye leave that to me.”

~X~X~X~

Ten minutes later and they were walking into town. Most of the townspeople didn’t really bat an eye at them, but Dread’s outfit drew some double takes. Eclipse supposed they weren’t expecting to see the red echidna they were used to dressed up like a pirate.

“What’s it like being a pirate?” the darkling asked. All of Dread’s stories sounded so fun. “Is it hard?”

“Oh, the pirate life be full of danger and adventure,” Dread said, a fond smile on his face. “Sometimes more danger than adventure, and there be plenty o’ times I nearly got me head handed t’ me, but it be the only life I know.”

“Don’t you have to . . . hurt people, if you’re a pirate?”

Eclipse flicked his eyes to his brother. Part of him wanted to feel annoyed at the hedgehog’s sensitivity to things like this, but another part fully understood Silver’s point of view. The world Silver came from was hard and violent and scary. Not something he wanted to relive.

Dread seemed to sense the boy’s mood, and he curled an arm around Silver’s shoulders to pull him close.

“Aye, sometimes there be no avoidin’ a battle,” he said, his voice soft. “Sometimes fighting be all we can do to keep ourselves safe. We try not to seek out fights, but we deal with ‘em if they come to us.”

Silver seemed to think about this. “So you’re . . . defending yourselves.”

Dread nodded, that smirk on his face again. “Aye. We defend ourselves and what be ours.”

“I guess that’s okay.”

“It’s not just okay, it sounds awesome!” Eclipse said, moving to walk backward in front of them. “Think you could teach me to sword fight? Man, I wanna come to your world and fight a kraken! I bet I could take it!”

The echidna cocked an eyebrow at the boy. “Do ye even know what a kraken be?”

Eclipse felt his muzzle warm. “I dunno. Like a big turtle?”

“’Fraid not, me lad,” Dread said with a chuckle. “It be a giant leviathan from the depths of the ocean. A creature longer than most ships and bearin’ a grudge against anything that breathes the air. It wraps its thick tentacles ‘round yer boat and drags it below the waves, to drown everyone aboard and eat them at its leisure.”

A beat of silence. “I could still take it.”

Dread barked out a loud laugh. “I bet ye could, lad. I bet ye could. Ye have the soul of a pirate, ye do, with the bravery to match.” He leaned a bit closer, dropping his voice. “Though don’t tell yer mum I said such a thing. She’d box me ears somethin’ good.”

Eclipse nodded with a smile. He wasn’t exactly sure what ‘box me ears’ meant, but he got the gist of it. His mom could get a little scary when angry. And a little over protective when it came to him and Silver. If she found out Dread was encouraging any dangerous or risky behavior, he’d be on the receiving end of that anger.

And even a seasoned pirate didn’t want to face her wrath.

“There’s Charlie’s,” Silver said, pointing across the street.

Dread nodded. “Aye. Let’s get what we came for.”

~X~X~X~

The building was larger than any shop Dread had ever been in. It held many different machines, and he could only guess what they were made for. Since they were designed for humans, most were larger than him. This world made him feel so much smaller than his own. It was unnerving.

He let the boys take the lead, since this was their world, and they were more comfortable navigating it. He still kept a sharp eye and ear on their surroundings—he’d promised the lass he would care for them, and come hell or high water, he would. They would not be harmed under his watch.

“Over here,” Silver called as he headed down an aisle. Dread followed, and they soon found themselves before a row of boxes with a picture of a microwave on the front. “This one looks like ours.”

“Aye.”

Dread stepped forward, and pulled the box off the shelf. It was heavier than he expected, but nothing his strength couldn’t handle. He hoisted it over his head, turning to the boys.

“Now what?” Eclipse asked.

The echidna paused. He was at war with himself.

Part of him wanted to do this the right way. Callie had trusted him, and he wanted so badly to make her proud, to do right and prove her trust in him was well placed. That part said to go to the owners of the shop, discuss terms, and see if there was some deal they could make. He had some gold in his jacket pocket, but he didn’t know how it compared to the currency of this world.

“What be the price on this?”

Silver looked at a little tag on the shelf. His ears flicked backwards. “Two hundred dollars.”

Eclipse grimaced. “That’s . . . a lot more than $20.”

Dread gave a little hum as he thought. He had no idea what a ‘dollar’ was, but he didn’t have that many gold pieces on him. He supposed he could have gone back to No Place to get more, but honestly, that was a lot of hassle, and he was getting impatient. He didn’t know when Callie would return home, and wanted this solved quickly.

And the other part of him, the part that told him all that ‘do the right thing’ stuff was a load of bollocks, slowly got louder.

It looked like there was only one solution.

“Ye know, this Charlie be pretty selfish to keep all these to himself,” he said, keeping his voice casual. “Look how many be on the shelf. He won’t miss one.”

Silver turned to him, eyes wide. “What do you mean? Are you saying we should . . .” His voice dropped low, and he looked around. “Steal it??”

“It all be a matter of perspective, lad. If ye were really hungry, would ye steal a loaf of bread?”

The boys exchanged a glance. Eclipse shrugged.

“I guess,” Silver said, pulling his head spike around to squeeze and twist. “But this isn’t the same, is it? You can’t eat a microwave.”

“Nay, but ye can make food in the thing.” He shrugged. “It be a gray area.”

The hedgehog continued to worry at his head spike, and now pulled his lip in to chew on. Dread flicked his eyes to Eclipse, who seemed less bothered with the whole situation. “Ye understand, don’t ye, lad?”

Eclipse seemed to consider things for a moment, before turning to his brother.

“C’mon Silver,” the darkling said, his voice tinged with annoyance. “It’s not like he’s even gonna notice it missing.”

“Can I help you kids?”

The three froze, and slowly turned to see an older man standing at the end of the aisle. His eyes flicked up to the microwave over Dread’s head, and the echidna’s pirate instincts kicked in.

“RUN FOR IT, LADS!”

And without bothering to check on the boys, Dread sprinted toward the front door.

~X~X~X~

Eclipse’s tail went rigid when Dread took off. He left them?? He was this cool pirate and he left them??

Snapping his head back around, he saw the look on Mr. Charlie’s face. First he was confused, then shocked. Then he was mad.

Oh. Oh no.

“It’s not what you think!” Silver was saying, his hands held out in front of him. Eclipse lunged forward to grab his brother’s wrist, before teleporting them back to the front of the store.

~X~X~X~

The door was in sight. Dread ran for it, holding his prize high above his head. All he had to do was get through that door, and he’d be good as gold.

Right now he wasn’t thinking about Callie. He wasn’t thinking about the two boys he left back in that aisle. He was running on ‘pirate brain’, consumed with winning and doing what he wanted, what he needed, to get his mission accomplished.

And that’s when he was hit in the middle by a screeching darkling.

“You’re gonna get me in trouble!” Eclipse yelled as he wrestled with Dread. The microwave went flying, and the echidna was surprised at the strength and agility the boy possessed. He tried to grab him to pull him off, but the darkling was too quick.

“Get off me!” he bellowed, right before he suddenly realized he couldn’t move. Glancing to his left, he found Silver with his hands extended out. A strange cyan glow surrounded them, the same glow that held him and the microwave captive. “By Neptune’s beard . . .”

“I’m sorry!” Silver said, his voice shaky and high-pitched. “I’m sorry but you can’t steal!”

Dread tried to break free from this strange hold, but his muscles would not obey him. It was as if he were completely frozen. Paralyzed. He struggled for another moment, before uttering a frustrated growl and giving up.

“Aye, lad,” he said with a sigh. “Ye got me. I surrender.”

~X~X~X~

Callie sat at the red light, lips pulled tight and feeling like the top of her head was about to explode.

Dread sat beside her, in the passenger seat, and he kept his gaze out the window. Her boys were in the back seat, and the microwave she apparently had to buy because the one at her house had met with an unfortunate fate was tucked in the cargo area of her Subaru.

No one said anything. She wasn’t sure she would have been able to speak anyway, considering how angry she was. At least not without a lot of colorful words sprinkled into the mix.

When she got the call to come to Charlie’s, she’d just seen the last of the book club out and was about to lock up anyway. Good thing. Because apparently the supposed adult she put in charge of her children had thought it a good idea to take them to be accomplices to attempted larceny.

At least Charlie had been understanding. Well, as understanding as he could be in such a strange situation. Trying to explain to him that this was a Knuckles, but not the Knuckles he was familiar with had taken a few tries. But when it suddenly clicked—”Like that Spiderman movie?”—he’d been much more willing to just let everything go.

Which was more than she was willing to do.

The light turned green and she pulled away. The ride to her house was a quiet one. She flicked her eyes to the rearview mirror, and saw two guilty looking kids in the back. Well, one guilty, and one pretty pissed kid. Eclipse kept shooting Dread dirty looks. He’d really been enthralled by the pirate, and when Dread essentially ditched them in favor of saving his own skin, it apparently left a sour taste in the darkling’s mouth. She didn’t blame him, really.

And she honestly wasn’t mad at them. They had done the right thing in the end and stopped Dread from running out with the microwave. That made her pretty proud, actually.

She pulled into her driveway, killing the engine and turning in her seat to talk to her boys.

“You two head on inside. We’ll be in in a minute.”

They nodded quickly, and hurried into the house. Callie turned to Dread, a finger tapping on the steering wheel.

“An hour. I was barely gone for one freaking hour.”

Dread said nothing, his back still turned to her.

“I trusted you.”

A beat of silence. “Aye. I know.”

She sighed, sitting back in her seat, tilting her head back against the rest. “Suppose it’s not your fault. You are how you are. I knew that and trusted you anyway.”

Now he turned, his lip curled in a snarl. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What do you think it means?” she asked, turning to him with her own snarl. “You’re a pirate! Knuckles the Dread! I should’ve known you’d do something to try and warp my kids’ minds to your pirate ways.”

His snarl became more pronounced. “I did nothing to those lads. I would not hurt them.”

“No, instead you dragged them off to shoplift a microwave!”

“There be a problem, and I found a solution!”

“A problem YOU caused!”

“It weren’t me fault! I was tryin’ to make ye proud!”

Callie uttered a sharp laugh, her temper flaring. “Proud?? For making my boys accomplices to your crime?? I trusted you! THEY trusted you! Do you realize just how badly you messed up? Those boys come from really bad childhoods! They were both used and abused by someone they trusted, someone who should have taken care of them. They—”

“SO WAS I!” he shouted, his hands curled into fists. “Ye don’t know anything about me childhood. I be a child of five when taken by a cruel man. He . . . his crew . . . they did the most awful things to me. I be just a child and they hurt me. Tortured me. I had to turn into this to survive.”

Callie quieted, and just stared at him. She didn’t know that. She didn’t really know anything about his childhood. He had always acted like being a pirate was the only thing he’d ever wanted. But, now that she thought about it, he’d always said it was the only thing he’d ever known. That was different, wasn’t it?

“Yer boys be good lads,” he said, some of the anger fading from his tone. “And aye, I admit it made me feel good to see them look up to me. To see their excitement when I told me tales.” He sighed, sitting back in his seat. “And ye be right. I could’ve done things diff’rently. Seen if I had enough gold on me to cover the cost. But instead I let me pirate instincts kick in and caused ye all this trouble.”

Silence descended over them, and Callie’s anger dissipated. She saw Dread in a different light now, and recognized the hurt little boy he used to be. Yes, he was a gremlin. Yes, he caused trouble and poked at the others and started fights. Yes, he seemed to behave in ways that were almost self-destructive.

But she’d seen that before, hadn’t she? When Eclipse first came, he’d acted out very similarly before he acclimated to the family. (And honestly, even now he could devolve into gremlin mode every now and then.) It was all a cover for the hurt he still carried. The pain from a life of abuse.

And sometimes that pain caused anger, and selfishness, and violence born of fear. Fear of being loved. Fear of being hurt again.

She could have kicked herself. Dread was suffering from the same trauma her own children were. And she’d never seen it.

“Those pirate instincts are what kept you alive,” she said, her voice softer.

Dread stared at his feet. “Don’t make what I did right.”

“No, it doesn’t.” She quieted. “Dread, I didn’t know.”

He shrugged, letting out a tired sigh. “I didn’t want ye to. Didn’t want anyone to. Me childhood be something I try to forget. Try to ignore. Pretend it happened to someone else. ‘Cause if I think about it, remember it, it would drive me mad.”

A quiet moment passed. The familiarity of his past trauma was almost funny. She seemed to attract the aliens with the abusive childhoods, while the Wachowskis attracted the ones with the abandonment issues.

Considering her own past, she supposed it was a case of like attracting like, only on a much more universal scale.

Callie reached over to cup his muzzle and turn his face back toward her.

“Our pasts hurt us whether we want to remember them or not,” she said, a sad smile on her lips. “My boys . . . they remember their pasts. Still have nightmares about them. I can’t change their past, or take those memories away. But what I can do, is try really hard to make sure their present has as much love and happiness as I can possibly give them.”

He stared at her, and his eyes grew shiny.

“They be lucky to have ye,” he whispered.

Callie’s heart nearly broke in half. For all his bravado, all his boasting and confidence and arrogance, Dread was still a lost little boy, trying to find someone who would love him.

“Ya know,” she said, rubbing her thumb over his muzzle, where a tear may or may not have fallen. “The boys seem to be under this really weird impression that you’re cool. So, I guess, if you wanted to, you could hang out here whenever you wanted.” She gave him a more stern look. “So long as you keep the crime sprees to an absolute minimum. Like zero.”

His eyes grew wide. “Ye . . . ye still want me around?”

She shrugged. “What kind of person would I be if I let a little thing like microwave destruction and attempted theft push away someone whom I consider one of my best friends?”

He froze. “B-best . . . ?”

“One of,” she said, keeping her voice light. “In the top five. It varies. Sometimes minute-by-minute.”

Dread stared at her for another moment, before a smile spread across his muzzle. “Ye be an angel, lass,” he said, and he blinked quickly to hide his tears. “An absolute angel made flesh.”

Callie wrinkled her nose, uttering a little grunt. “Ugh, don’t get all mushy and make this weird. C’mere.”

She pulled him to her, and took his hat off to rest their foreheads together.

“You ever need anything,” she said, her voice soft, “you come to me. Understand? You ever feel like you’re gonna explode if you don’t talk about something, or if your past is poking at you more than usual, or just need someone to be there, you come to me. Anytime. No judgment. My home is your home now. And you are part of my family. Don’t argue with me, just accept it.”

At first Dread didn’t seem like he knew what to do, how to feel. But after a moment he relaxed against her, and brought his hand up to cup the back of her neck to hold her to him more firmly.

“Aye,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “It be an honor to join your family.”

They sat like that for a moment, before pulling away. Callie gave him a little smirk, and dropped his hat back in place as she turned for her door.

“C’mon. Let’s get the new microwave in and then you need to have a little chat with a couple of boys.”

“Aye. Yes, ma’am.”

~X~X~X~

Eclipse sat on the couch with Silver. He crossed his arms, trying not to look at the stupid pirate standing before them.

His mom seemed to have forgiven Dread. They’d sat out in the car for a while after getting home and he’d watched through the window. They seemed like they were yelling for a bit, which was good because he wanted Dread to get into trouble. He was supposed to be this cool guy, this much cooler version of the Knuckles they knew. But instead he was just some jerk who ran off to let him and Silver get in trouble for something that was his idea.

Dread stood with his hands behind his back, a serious expression on his face. After standing quietly for a moment, he coughed into his fist before speaking.

“Yargh, I suppose an apology be in order for the way I behaved back in the shop.”

“You ditched us!” Eclipse snapped, his muzzle curled in a snarl. “You were gonna leave us to get into trouble!”

“Aye. I did.”

“The Knuckles we know wouldn’t do that,” Silver said, crossing his own arms. He wasn’t as angry as Eclipse, but wasn’t overly happy with Dread, either. “He’s a good friend and always does what he thinks is right.”

Dread shrugged. “I ain’t him.”

“No kidding,” Eclipse asked, jumping off the couch to get in Dread’s face. His arm spikes flared, tail flicking in angry whips. “I thought you were cool. You told such awesome stories. But you’re just a jerk and all those stories are probably lies, too!”

The echidna kept his composure, but a little smirk curled the corner of his lips. “Oh lad, they all be true. They be the more tame stories. There be many others, some would give ye nightmares for a week.”

Eclipse paused. More stories? With more danger?

He narrowed his eyes, casting a suspicious glance at the pirate. “Like what?”

A grin split Dread’s lips, and he tossed a glance over his shoulder. Callie was distracted in the kitchen, cleaning the messes from the old microwave and split cat feeder. The echidna turned back, leaning forward and speaking in a low, conspirator-like whisper.

“Like the time I single-handedly took down two pirate ships, while in the middle of a monsoon, and a kraken decided to have me for its lunch!”

Eclipse’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

“May lightning strike me down if I be lyin’.”

Silver took a moment to look to the skies outside, while Eclipse grabbed Dread’s wrist. He dragged the pirate behind him, heading for the kitchen door.

“We’re going outside, just to play and not to hear any more pirate stories that may be too scary for Silver!” he said, barely putting space between his words.

“Hey!” Silver whined, hurrying out after them. “I’m not scared!”

~X~X~X~

Callie smiled as she watched her boys through the window. Silver and Eclipse sat on the deck, watching as Dread gestured and mimed and told his grand—and in no way embellished—stories of his life as a pirate.

An eventful day, but everything worked out.

Her boys were happy. Dread was happy. She was happy.

Yep. She’ll call that a win.

#sonic fanfiction #sonic the hedgehog fanfiction #knucklesverse #knuckles the dread #eclipse the darkling #silver the hedgehog #callie macpherson #maddie wachowski

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afewbitsandpieces · 1 year ago

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Deltarune Text Project Update #3

(View WIP Text Project Here)

After far too long, here’s another update to the Deltarune Text Project - 99% Complete edition!

To Recap:

- There is actually several pieces of dialogue that I have tried to get, but otherwise cannot get anymore because I don’t know the conditions, or some sort of internal data prevents me from getting it again: - Kris’s name on 1st save file: If I remember right, this has to do with getting completion data on Chapter 1, so since I’ve finished Chapter 1 several times by now, I can no longer get this. - Green File Select screen in Chapter 1: Essentially the same as the above. - The last Weird Route Save Point dialogue won’t show up again, presumably because it’s already been completed once before.

There is also several pieces of battle dialogue that I’m not sure can actually be gotten, or I otherwise don’t know how to trigger them in-game:

- Rudinn: - Rudinn is alright with not fighting. [Spare conditions met]

- Hathy: - Hathy's beat slows. [Tired] - Hathy is skipping beats. [Spare conditions met]

- Jigsawry: - Jigsawry looks happy about its life. [Spare conditions met]

- Ponman: - Ponman is sleeping soundly. [Sleepy]

- K. Round: - K.Round looks weak. [Tired] - K.Round's shuffle becomes lethargic. [Low HP]

- Rabbick: - You and Ralsei warned Rabbick about Susie. The enemy went on guard... [Warned] - Rabbick is now nice and clean. [Spare conditions met]

- Clover: - Clover seems to be getting along with herselves. [Spare conditions met]

- Lancer 2: - Huh? What was that? [After Susie blocks Lancer's ears from "The Final Blow of Kindness"]

- Rudinn Ranger: - Rudinn Ranger seems totally flattered. [Spare conditions met]

- Head Hathy: - Head Hathy blocked the way! [Encounter] - Head Hathy's beat slows. [Tired] - Head Hathy is skipping beats. [Spare conditions met]

- Jevil: - JEVIL got more TIRED! [Hypnosis, if JEVIL is not sufficiently tired]

- Werewire: - Werewire swung in! [Encounter] - Werewire and Maus swung down like stringed superheroes! [Unused encounter with Maus]

- Ambyu-Lance: - Ambyu-Lance and its pet appeared! [Encounter with ?]

- Maus: - Smells like wood shavings. [Neutral] - Maus would like to go to its favorite bistro in this marvelous city. [Neutral]

- Spamton: - $VAULES$ (rarely)

- Swatchling: - Please enjoy this complimentary shockwave. [Red] - What? The lasagna has some kind of explosive in it? [Blue, rare]

IN ADDITION: Like the Undertale Text Project, there's now an “X. Miscellaneous” folder of interesting things in the game: - Chapter & Route Stat Changes (’Power’ Section) - Character Spells (’Power’ Section) - Character Titles (’Power’ Section) - Configuration - ‘Everyman’ Sightings & Mentions - Game Over Screens - ICE-E Sightings & Mentions - Items - 1. Equippable Items - 2. Healing Items - 3. Light World Weapons & Armor - 4. Throwing Away Items - 5. Miscellaneous Items - 6. In-Battle Descriptions - X. Key Items (& Lancer) - X2. Too Many Items - Missing An Attack - Sans’s Number - Save Point Messages - Toriel Phone Calls

If any of you feel that there’s something else that deserves it’s own folder in the Miscellaneous section, feel free to let me know!

With all that said, if there are any suggestions to make such as missing screencaps to get (and how to get them), folder naming suggestions, etc., feel free to let me know.

(By the way, if you’re [rightfully] wondering why this took so long, it’s a couple of things: one is that both chapters put together are surprisingly long, two is that I don’t have useful tools like an in-game script, save file editing, and room/event numbers like for Undertale, three is that so far I’m going at this completely alone instead of having a group effort, and four is that at one point I kinda just got burnt out and needed a temporary break after so many replays lol)

(By the way #2: For SOME reason, updating the Chapter 2 folder is claiming there’s “upload problems” with 9 out of the total 10593 files and I have zero idea which files those are, so if someone manages to find a spot where some images are clearly missing, please let me know!)

#deltarune #deltarune screencaps #deltarune spoilers #kris #susie #ralsei #lancer #noelle #berdly #snowgrave #weird route #glad to finally get this updated after all this time #even if it took longer than I expected

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elvendria · 2 years ago

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Noticing You - e.m x fem reader Part Two

Chapter Song: Chaotic - Tate McRae (Y/n will act like it's her song)

(Also Eddie has a job as a mechanic apprentice because let's be real, the idea of Eddie all sweaty and covered in grease is appealing)

tw: shy nerdy reader, shy eddie, sleazeball hellfire member (Not the guy unlisted, this is an OC character)

word count: 4467

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

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven

September 2nd

My fingertips pressed against the ivory keys of the school's beat-up piano. Robin had asked me to consider joining band, and realistically I never play the piano at home anymore, at least not for myself. But I'm not totally sold on the idea.

It runs the first half of lunch, and it would be nice to get back out there and play with a group of people, not just to the mannequin the art department left in here after they were finished sketching the human figure. The thing is so creepy, I tried putting a hat on it just to make it look less, well, creepy, but all it did was make it look like a sleep paralysis demon with style.

After band, Robin caught up with me in the halls. She started rambling on about something Steve had said during their shift at Family Video. I was only listening to snippets of the conversation, trying desperately to get to the library before she dragged me to the cafeteria. But before I knew it, she'd linked my arms and started walking to the disgusting pit that people choose to eat lunch in. Willingly.

You'd think that I would at least have a chance at overpowering Robin given how tall and slight looking she is, but the truth is Robin spent her entire summer slinging ice cream, and she's got seriously strong arms because of it. An unfair advantage if you ask me, giving piano lessons to kids hardly builds up your strength.

"You're not holing up in your nerd castle just so you can avoid facing him." Robin laughed, practically dragging me down the halls, each step taking me closer and closer to food poisoning.

"I have no idea who you-" I started

"Shut up Y/n, did you forget that I sit beside you in bio already? I've seen how you look at him, I'm surprised he hasn't found out yet, you are one serious stealth master when it comes to hiding how you feel about someone,"

"I don't feel that way about anyone. It's a stupid concept reinforced by stupid people. I just get shy around him that's all,"

Just as I said that Vickie caught up with us and complimented Robin on her trumpet performance at band. Robin immediately went red and kept stumbling over her words, but in the end, she managed a "Thanks, you too," before Vickie walked away.

I keep forgetting how nervous Robin gets around people, especially girls. I guess it's another thing we have in common.

Walking into the cafeteria, I pulled my green and black flannel around myself, partially hiding the Metallica shirt I wore underneath. It used to be my Dad's, but I doubt he's going to come back to scold me about wearing his clothes. Even so, I didn't want Dustin to see it, he'd have a million questions and every second one would be "Are you okay?"

After grabbing what I can only assume is an attempt at lasagna, I spot my brother and wave before going to sit two tables down. He tries to beckon me over to sit with him, or to at least sit at the empty table between us, but he's with his Hellfire group, and I just wanted to be by myself. With Robin.

I taught Dustin how to play D&D when I was 10 and he was 7. Mom and Dad couldn't stop fighting, and he was almost always drunk. I didn't want Dustin to hear him, so I'd take him down to the basement or the back garden and try and distract him. He then brought his friends around and I taught them how to play D&D too, eventually resigning and letting Will Byers become their Dungeon Master. But with him having moved to California with Johnathan and Eleven, I guess they needed someone else to take over for Will.

I just wish it wasn't Eddie.

"Y/n, you're staring at your lunch like it's going to kill you." Robin laughed, sitting down across from me.

"I swear I saw the pasta move on its own," I say, poking at it with my fork. "See? It just blinked at me." I looked at the lunch lady, scratching at the mole on her face, and suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. That was when I felt the weight of the cafeteria benches shift.

Looking across, I saw my brother's massive grin as he sat down beside me. He was digging into his lasagna and I suddenly wanted to be sick, even going so far as to fake gag. I picked up his lunch tray and put it in the trash in an attempt to prevent anything that may end with him in the nurse's office.

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" He grumbled, folding his arms and sulking in his seat.

"Yeah well I'll make you a grilled cheese later, one that won't leave you with your head in the toilet bowl," I said. He started to mimic me, which resulted in me mimicking him back, and we went on like that until Robin slammed her hands on the table, forcing us both to look at her.

"Oh my god, you two are the most childish people I've ever met, yet somehow you're still the most adorable people I've ever met. If I didn't already know you're brother and sister I would definitely guess that you're somehow related" Robin laughed, exchanging knowing looks with Mike.

"See? Even the thought of being related to you is sending my friends crazy." I nudged him in the side.

"Friend, singular. I don't see multiple people sitting here." He nudged me back.

"Speaking of, why are you sitting here, isn't your club table there," I said, nodding my head in the direction of the table Dustin normally sat at.

"Well you wouldn't sit with us, so we wanted to sit with you," I glanced over and saw that the rest of the hellfire club had started to pick up their lunch trays.

"Well, that's very sweet Dustbin, but Robin and I have something we need to work on for Bio class," I said, kicking Robin under the table. Harder than I meant to.

"What? Ow- I mean yeah, tons of homework, Mr Wright will be pissed if we don't finish it by Monday." Robin said, saving me from humiliation as we both stood up and began to walk away.

"What about coming by Hellfire tonight?" Dustin called out again,

"I'll pick you up at 6:30, but I've got homework and lessons Dustin so I'll be pretty busy." Suddenly mid-sentence my eyes locked with Eddies, and he held my stare for a moment, or a lifetime, I couldn't tell, and deep down a feeling stirred within me. I pushed it down and away as I turned and walked as fast as I could before I had the chance to make a fool of myself, Robin following along behind me.

"Damn," She said, "You've got it bad for that boy huh?" She teased me as we walked down the halls,

"I don't 'Have it bad' for anyone. I've already told you this. I'm just shy around people in general."

"Yes, but you're especially shy around our dear Mr Munson," She said, over-dramatically fluttering her eyelashes and cupping her hands beside her face.

"I'm not continuing this Robin, I'll wind up with a headache that will last for days," I said, stopping to sit on a bench in the hall "Anyways we've discussed this before, I'm more nervous around him because I made a fool of myself in front of him in middle school."

"Fine, I get it. But we have a problem with our excuse. Dustin's going to say it to Eddie, and Eddies in our bio class, he's going to know we have nothing due." Robin said, sitting beside me and placing her head on my shoulder. We both let out a really loud sigh

"Oh god," I said, wanting to hide in the furthest corner of the world where no one will ever find me.

Classes seemed to drag on until the bell rang. I thought about making my way home to start on my English homework. But as I was passing by the music room, I caught sight of the piano, and it was like my heart lulled me to it.

I waited till the halls were fairly empty, getting a few homework assignments done before I sat at the bench and played random notes that had been bouncing around my head all day. Humming the tune as I played, I tried pairing it with lyrics I had written down sometime last week,

"I have this paralyzing fear that I'll maybe go nowhere," I started quietly, afraid in case lingering students still in the halls might hear me.

"But God forbid me ever admitting I could be scared." I continued humming the tune until I got to the next section of lyrics I had written.

"You said it looks like I've been going through hell, How did you know, how could you tell?"

I didn't have anything else to go along with that just yet, but it was getting there, and I liked the way it sounded.

As I was getting up to leave, I could hear some rustling outside the door followed by the sound of someone running. I just grabbed my bag and left, if I was late to another teaching lesson, Mrs O'Dwyer would find someone else to teach her bratty child how to play the piano. The girl doesn't even attempt to learn, but her mother pays well and doesn't skimp out even though I'm not qualified to teach.

Getting into the car, I saw there was only one car left in the parking lot. He sat in it and looked straight ahead like he was thinking a million things at once.

I suddenly felt awful. Everyone calls him "The Freak," and here I was, acting as if I agreed with them. There were days when I so desperately wanted to speak to him, to say that I liked his tattoos, but the minute I see him I clam up, and no words are uttered until I'm alone in my car that afternoon. Then I go and say everything I wish I said to him during the day.

I checked my watch. It was 3:30 now, Dustin would need me to pick him up in 3 hours.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I did what I do best, and pushed everything down until I couldn't feel anything anymore.

I got home and by the time I finished teaching the little brat and done a few assignments, it was time to pick up Dustin. It was dark out, and it looked like it might rain. I grabbed an umbrella just in case and made my way to the school.

It held some type of fascinating eeriness to it at night. The kind that made the hair on your arms stand up straight and sent a chill down your spine.

Dustin, Lucas and Mike came bouncing out of the school doors, laughing at each other before hopping in the car.

"How was Hellfire?" I asked as we pulled out of the parking lot. The steering had become stiff, which is never a good sign.

"It was so cool Y/n, Eddie is just the best!" Mike announced from the back seat, earning a round of agreements from the rest of the boys.

I was halfway home when my baby made a sputtering noise that didn't sound good. I was only a mile from home, and thankfully we made it to the end of the street before she gave out completely.

"Guys get out, Dustin go to the house and call the Sinclair's and the Wheeler's. Tell them my car is broken down but Lucas and Mike are more than welcome to stay with us till tomorrow. They left clothes from the last time they stayed and mom washed them so they should be OK" I told them as they clambered out of the car and made their way up the road,

"Guess I'm taking you to the shop tomorrow," I said, rubbing the wheel of my car.

"That should be fun."

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

EDDIES POV

*earlier that day*

I sat in Ms O'Donnell's, twiddling the pen between my fingers, trying my best to pay attention, but all I could think about for the past 37 days was my D&D Campaign, playing the guitar, and the redhead that I knocked over outside the library on the first day back.

I'd seen her around, and I almost always saw her coming out of the library during lunch. The day that we bumped into each other and she dropped everything, she forgot to pick up a pen, and I don't know why, but I held onto it.

Y'know, in case she ever needed it back.

But every time I'd get close to her, She'd rush away. I almost caught her at her locker once, I was going to tap her on the shoulder and give it back, but I froze about 5 steps away from her. I remember my heart was beating louder than Gareth on the drums and my palms were weirdly sweaty. The next thing I know the bell is ringing and I've turned and walked away in the opposite direction.

At first, I thought she was like everyone else, who only saw me as Eddie "The Freak" Munson, but then her brother joined Hellfire, and I slowly but surely wormed the answers I needed out of him when no one was around. And boy, when I got one answer, I pretty much got them all at once.

Dustin did not know when to shut up. Kid was a goddamn blabbermouth. He wasn't a bad dude. Less annoying than I thought he would be, but not by much. Still, I liked him. He brought a decent sense of humor to the party.

-Last Week-

"Oh, Y/n? Yeah, she's just shy around everyone. I'm surprised she's friends with Robin, maybe it's because she sits beside her and is pretty much forced to talk to her. All she ever does is hang out in the library or give music lessons to little kids." Dustin rambled on. "And every other evening she's working in the new diner."

Guess I was going to have to start making more trips to the diner then.

"Oh yeah? What kind of instrument does she play?" I asked after Hellfire one night when no one else was around, not sure what I was expecting to hear.

"Piano mostly," He told me as we packed up the last few bits from the game. "She used to play the guitar a lot." He said quietly, packing the last of his things into his bag.

I had about 10 more questions just off that sentence alone. Why did she stop? Who taught her? Was she any good still? I was about to ask when Dustin called out a goodbye before exiting the room, leaving me with what felt like a million unanswered questions.

-Present Day-

The class bell rang, signalling the start of lunch, and I was making my way to the cafeteria when I suddenly found myself making my way to the library. I stood there for about 10 minutes, not fully knowing why this was happening, but 100% knowing what I hoped would happen. That she would turn the hall and walk down here, smiling and saying hi as she saw me, before walking into the library and doing whatever it is she does in there.

I looked at the ground and thought of where she fell that day. I thought about how her glasses flew from their resting place on the crown of her head, and how I felt when I handed them back to her.

In that moment, all the colours in the world suddenly felt so dull and drab compared to the pool of blues and greens in her eyes.

Suddenly, they were the only thing I wanted to see for the rest of my life. I wanted to study each individual eyelash and watch as her eyes crinkled at the sides when she smiled.

After 10 minutes, she hadn't arrived, and I couldn't see her inside already. Feeling defeated, I turned and walked to the cafeteria, meeting up with the rest of the guys at "the freaks" table. Gareth, Jeff, Paul and George sat there with Mike and Dustin, the group trying to convince George not to leave the group. Personally, I couldn't care less if the sleazeball stayed or left. When I sat down and started shoving pretzels in my mouth we began talking about the important stuff, the new campaign.

After a while, I saw Dustin waving his arms around like a crazy person, which I've come to realize isn't totally out of the ordinary for him, but this time he let out a defeated sigh, which made me think he was trying to get someone's attention.

This was my chance. I smirked at Dustin from across the table.

"10 bucks you can't get her to sit with us," Giving him a sly smile. Surely she wouldn't say no to sitting with her brother right?

"Hell, I bet 20 bucks he won't even be able to talk to her." George laughed, not realizing the relation. "She's in my English class, and let's just say I'd like to see those lips do more than recite Shakespeare."

I kicked him under the table and shot him a death stare, "Do you have to be so fucking gross all the damn time?" Why was I so angry right now?

"What man? She's a hot senior who apparently listens to good music, of course I'm gonna want a piece of that," He said smugly,

I threw a handful of pretzels at his head, wishing they were something a lot heavier.

"Watch your goddamn mouth George." I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Deal," Dustin said loudly, breaking the tension as he gave me a knowing look, and yet he looked curious at the same time, "On the getting her to sit with us thing. Once Mike and I are over there, we'll give the signal and you come join us. Piece of cake."

I could hear her conversation about how disgusting the lunch looked, and to be fair she wasn't wrong. When she said the food was blinking at her I nearly laughed but suppressed it as Dustin had just sat at her table.

He started digging into his lunch and she looked like he was going to be sick, even feigning gagging.

"Eddie, he is so blowing this." George said smugly as she got up from the table "I can smell my 20 bucks already."

Dustin gave the signal, but I didn't want to go just yet. I motioned for the boys to hang on for a bit before heading over, and just as I suspected, she came back and sat with Dustin,

"Hey! I was enjoying that!" He sat back in his chair and folded his arms

"I guess you're down 20 bucks George, Dustin over there is chatting up a storm." Jeff laughed.

"Yeah well I'll make him a grilled cheese later, one that won't leave you with your head in the toilet bowl," She said back.

"Did she just invite him over? Is that even legal?" Gareth questioned in all seriousness. I just watched her as she poked fun at Dustin. She was terrible at impressions, but clearly, it runs in the family. I didn't realize I was staring until Robin Buckley slammed her hands on the table, pulling me from my daze.

"Oh my god, you two are the most childish people I've ever met, yet somehow you're still the most adorable people I've ever met. If I didn't already know you're brother and sister I would definitely guess that you're somehow related," Robin laughed at them. I wanted to laugh too, but I was trying to keep a straight face.

"Wait, they're related? No fair! I'm revoking my bet, it doesn't count if they already know each other." George was such a sore loser, both in and out of D&D campaigns. Things will be so much easier when he quits, and thank god he's not in the band so I don't have to see him outside of school.

"A deals a deal gentlemen, and we said we'd go join him. Grab your lunches and let's go." I said to them, but just as we picked up our trays, I heard her say,

"Well that's very sweet Dustbin, but Robin and I have something that we need to work on for bio class." She hurriedly rose from the table as Robin muttered something about homework for Mr Wright.

We didn't have biology homework.

Wait did we?

No, we didn't, I remember class this morning. He was talking about cells and other boring shit, but I remember not getting homework because Harrington would not shut up about having more time over the weekend.

As she got up to leave she told Dustin she'd get him from Hellfire tonight after her lessons. Does she give lessons? I remember Dustin saying she gave them to little kids, but I thought that was just a summer job-type thing.

Our stares met for a moment, her eyes were like the colour of a golden hazelnut and I felt a weird tightness in my chest. As she turned away I saw her Metallica shirt and raised an eyebrow.

"So, big sis is a heavy metal fan huh? Doesn't seem the type." I asked Dustin as lunch ended.

"Oh, the shirt? It was my Dad's. He used to love heavy metal music. He used to put it on and dance around the room with her. Or at least attempt to dance," he spoke both quietly and nonchalantly, "When he left, she stopped listening to it, but she still keeps his old vinyl collection in her wardrobe and she wears that shirt when she's stressed or upset," He let out a sigh as I walked alongside him in silence "She thinks I don't know that, but I do."

I couldn't think of anything else to say. I felt like I was starting to know her, to relate to her, without ever actually speaking to her. I couldn't bring myself to say her name, it felt weird to call her by it when she hadn't even officially spoken to me.

I gave Dustin a pat on the shoulder and a small smile, before turning and walking to class.

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

I spent most of my time in my last few classes doodling notes for tonight's campaign. When the bell finally rang, I jumped out of my seat and was almost out the door when Mr Finch called me back into the history classroom.

"Eddie, I know you don't care now, but I hope you understand that you need to work a bit harder in class and pay attention. You may not care now, but if you want to graduate you need at least a C in this class. It's very important."

I nodded in agreement and he let me leave the class. How is anything I learn here going to benefit me in the future? I grabbed a few books from my locker but when I was passing the music room I could hear someone playing the piano.

I looked through the window in the door to see if it was her. She sat playing a few keys once in a while and then jotting something down. Did she write music?

"I have this paralyzing fear that I'll maybe go nowhere," She sang quietly

Well, that answers that question.

I listened to her finish her piece, sitting on the floor outside just in case she might see me. When I heard the music stop, I peeked my head up to look at her, and she was just about to get up to leave.

"Shit," I whisper-yelled to myself, grabbing my bag and sprinting down the hall before anyone could see me, almost falling a few times in the process.

I reached my car and sat there trying to catch my breath. There was a reason I didn't try out for the track team. I thought about her singing, her voice, her laugh, and the tightness in my chest came back.

I reached behind me into the back of my van to pull out my box of cigarettes and a lighter from my duffel bag with my spare clothes in it for work at Wayne's Mechanic shop later. I was only going to check stock, but that place is covered in oil, and I didn't want to ruin my clothes.

I sat around for a few minutes and smoked, not thinking of much, before heading in to start up the club.

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

"Hellfire can not be run in just 3 hours," Mike groaned at the end of the session, "Every time we get somewhere good, we have to finish up for the week."

"Normally I'd agree with you Wheeler, but next week is going to blow your minds!" I laughed whilst twiddling my thumbs, attempting to appear manic and succeeding.

Everyone filed out of the classroom turned dungeon and into the car park, and there she was, just like she said she'd be. Dustin, Lucas and Mike walked over to her, her eyes lighting up slightly as she saw them. I wanted to go over and talk to her about anything and everything. To let her know that she has a fantastic smile that I wish she would direct at me, just once. But before I could move my feet, they drove off in her little yellow car.

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

Later that evening, I was about to close up shop when the phone rang. Probably someone in need of help during the rainstorm.

"Hey-lo, Munson Motor Shop, Eddie here," I answered

"Fuck." the woman on the other end of the line whispered, followed by a dead silence.

"Um, hello?" I was getting impatient now, it was 9 and I wanted to close up shop.

"My car broke down, there was smoke coming out of the hood but it seemed to have stopped, I don't know if that's because of the rain or what, but I was wondering if you could send a tow car out tomorrow to bring it back and have a look?" She rambled off.

"We can send one now if you need immediate assistance, the rains really coming down out there."

"Thanks, thankfully I broke down near my home, so I'll be okay for tonight."

"As long as you're sure,"

"I'm sure," She breathed down the phone.

"Okay well, if you just want to give me a number and address I'll come by tomorrow and pick it up," I said, taking down her details as she called them out to me.

"I'll also just need your name." I held the pen to the paper, ready to start writing again,

"It's Y/n Henderson," She replied, I could almost hear her shiver down the phone.

As if on instinct, I removed the person's name from the very first slot and put hers in. Mr Carver could find someone else to wash his sons car.

"No problem Y/n, I'll be out to you first thing tomorrow,"

We both said our goodbyes as we hung up the phone.

Tomorrow should be fun.

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

let me know if you want to be tagged in upcoming parts!

part one part two part three part four part five part six part seven

#eddie x y/n #eddie munson stranger things #eddie the freak munson #eddie stranger things #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie x reader #stranger things eddie #eddie x you #stranger things eddie munson #eddie x fem!reader #eddie #stranger things #slow burn #friends to lovers

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chaoticgremlinwholikescheese · 1 year ago

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Don’t Let Go

Whump

Angst

Hurt/Comfort

Hurt Evan "Buck" Buckley

Protective Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)

I am californian and fire season is a genuine thing

AO3 LINK

Usually there's four seasons. Fall, winter, spring, and summer. In California, there's five seasons. Fall, winter, spring, summer, and fire. Fire season comes every year without fail. It's a staple of life you get used to when you live in the sunshine state. However, with climate change, the fires get worse every year. And this year is the worst one in decades.

"118! Listen up!"

Bobby's voice rings through the fire house as silence falls. Everyone gathers around him.

"As you all know, this years fire season has been bad. Our station has been assigned to fight the fires on the southern ridges. This is going to be a five day assignment, but it could go longer. We're expected to arrive by eight AM tomorrow. I know this is short notice, and I apologize, but I just found out about this myself. After shift today, please make any arrangements you need to. If you require assistance or have questions, feel free to ask me. Thank you all."

There's murmuring from the crowd, but it dissipates as everyone scatters.

"I was hoping we wouldn't be dispatched for a bit longer," Eddie sighs.

"It comes every year like clock work. Do you know if Carla can watch Chris?"

"Honestly, Buck, I don't know. I'll call and ask."

"Karen said she could watch the kids after work. Chris can stay with Denny, it'll be like a super-long sleepover," Hen interjects. "So as long as Carla can watch Chris during the day, everything should be fine."

"Hen. Have I ever told you and Karen that you two are the greatest people on the planet?"

"Yes. But hearing it again never hurts."

Hen goes off to chat with Chim, who's calling Maddie. Eddie turns to Buck.

"I was going to invite you over for a movie night tonight, but you'll probably want to pack."

"I've got everything I need at your place. I can throw it in my travel bag. Plus, I promised Chris I would make Bobby's lasagna tonight."

Eddie has this soft smile on his face. It's one that's reserved solely for Chris and Buck. Hen calls it his 'love-sick smile'. And in all honesty, Eddie knows she's right. He's head over heels for Buck. Has been for years. It's as familiar to him as breathing. Maybe one day he'll tell Buck. But for right now, he doesn't want to risk losing Buck completely. He can't handle that. He just got him back after the lightning strike. He won't lose him again just because he can't keep his feelings in check.

The alarm goes off, spurring everyone into action. Eddie forces himself to clear his mind.

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

Buck knows Eddie's kitchen like the back of his hand. Partially because he reorganized it while stressed, but more so because he cooks here more than he ever does in his own home. He spends more time at Eddie's house than he does his own house in general. He's become a staple in the Diaz household. And he'll forever be grateful that they want him here.

"Okay, the lasagna is almost ready. Chris, can you grab the water from the fridge?"

Chris does so, Dodging Eddie as he goes to grab the plates. The timer goes off and Buck grabs the food from the oven. He places it on the table, taking his seat next to Eddie.

"This smells amazing."

"Lucky for you, you're getting the first piece," Buck says as he serves Chris a slice.

They all dig in. They chat about their day. Chris updates them on the gossip from school. It's the domestic moments like these that Buck loves the most.

After dinner, Buck washes the dishes as Eddie dries them. Chris runs off to his room to get into PJs.

"We have to tell him we're being dispatched," Eddie whispers.

"I know."

"I hate leaving him."

"Me too."

He bumps his shoulder into Eddie's, a silent show of support. Eddie smiles at him. They stay like that as they wash the rest of the dishes. Eventually, Chris comes back in, now clad in dinosaur pajamas.

"Hey Chris, before we start the movie, we gotta talk about something really quick."

Chris shoots them a nervous look. Buck quickly assures him it's nothing bad. That seems to relax the boy a bit, but he's clearly still worried.

"You know the fires going on? Buck and I are being sent to go fight them. We'll be gone for a couple days. We have to leave tomorrow. Carla will watch you during the day like usual, and you'll stay with Karen and Denny."

"How long will you be gone?"

"We don't know. Probably about five days. I promise I'll take care of your dad, alright?"

"And I'll take care of Buck. We'll be back before you know it."

Chris nods.

"I'm not worried. As long as you two stay together, you'll both come home," he says confidently.

"Exactly. Now, what movie do you want to watch, mijo?"

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

Buck spends the ride to basecamp doing crossword puzzles. Occasionally he'll ask Eddie for help with a question, but on the whole his collection of random knowledge makes the puzzles easy. Eddie passes the time scrolling on his phone. He has a bunch of articles that Buck sent him, so he works his way through those. They're about a variety of different subjects. Buck tends to go on research binges, and he'll send Eddie things he finds interesting. Eddie loves it.

When they arrive, Bobby orders everyone to disembark. The moment Eddie steps outside, he's hit by a wave of smoky air. The sky is a shade of orange. It's apocalyptic. Bobby leads them over to the main tent, where everything is being organized. A woman comes out to meet them. She's rather short, but she exudes intimidating energy. Her salt-and-pepper hair is tied back in a tight bun.

"Hi, everyone. I'm Captain Hestwen. I'm the one in charge here. In a minute, you'll be getting your assignments. Over to the left is the field hospital. That tent right there is the bunks, grab naps whenever you can. A full nights sleep won't happen. Food is at the green tent, and the tent next to that is where we're storing gear. If you need me, I'll be here. I'll be seeing you all later at the briefing."

She heads inside just as Bobby comes out. He starts listing off their different positions.

"Chim, Hen, you're on med. You're going with a team from the 159 to help with evacuations and injuries. Andrews, you're joining the 35. Jefferson, you're going to help with heli-rescue. Diaz, Buck, you two are going out with the 128 to help with search and rescue. I'm staying here to help Captain Hestwen. Keep your radios on. The wind could shift, so I want to make sure I can get in touch with you all if I need to. Stay safe, everyone."

With that, everyone heads to their designated positions. It takes Eddie and Buck a moment to locate the 128. They find the crew resting around a table. There's about four of them. A young man comes up to greet them.

"Buckley and Diaz? I'm Ryan. I'm heading up this crew. That's Teri, Hartley, and Muniz."

"Nice to meet you. Call me Buck."

They all shake hands before heading over to the table. There's a map laid out, marked by red pins.

"Okay. There's a campsite that was right along the fire line. Most of the campers got out, but there's still three missing. There's a teenage girl named Jocelyn who was doing a solo trip, and a young couple, Nick and Theo. The wind is shifting fast, so we need to move faster. There's no way to get a helicopter out in this smoke, so we're taking ATVs down. We need to cover a large distance, so we're going to take different areas. Muniz, you're with me, taking the North campsite. Teri and Hartley, you're taking the east. Buck and Diaz, you're taking the west corner. You'll all get a map. Keep in mind that the fire line will be constantly shifting, so the map may be inaccurate."

Ryan leads them to the ATVs. Buck opts to drive, since Eddie is better at reading maps. It's a skill he picked up in the army. After making sure they're all on the same radio channel, they go their separate ways. Eddie directs Buck along the side trails. The road is thin and rocky. The smoke gets thicker as they head closer to the fire line. Buck can feel it settling on his skin. He calls out all three names, praying that they hear a response.

"To the left! A tent!"

Buck pulls over when he hears Eddie yell. They get out to investigate. There's two sleeping bags, so it must be Nick and Theo's. There's not much of the tent left. It looks like the fire swept through, charring everything in it's path. Buck calls out their names, even though it's unlikely the two men are anywhere nearby. They likely would have run from the fire.

"Let's head further down the trail. My guess is that they ran when the fire came."

Eddie nods in agreement. They climb back in and start to drive again. They see the evidence of the fire all around them. They're getting closer to the fire itself. When Nick and Theo ran, they didn't know the fire line would shift with the wind. They had no idea they were running straight towards it.

"Theo! Nick!"

Eddie's voice is hoarse from the combination of yelling and smoke. Nevertheless, he yells out their names again.

"Down here! Help!"

Buck abruptly stops. They run out of the ATV, heading towards the voice. They end up on a steep ridge. Down below, the two men are sitting. One appears mostly okay, but the other has a badly cut leg. Eddie can see the white of bone from where he's standing.

"The ridge collapsed! We can't get out," one yells.

"Grab the med bag," Buck orders. When Eddie returns, Buck has already scrambled down the ridge. He's putting pressure on the man's wound with the gauze from his pocket. "Throw down a rope! You'll have to pull them up, okay?"

They don't have access to their usual gear. All they have is some rope and carabiners. Eddie ties one end of the rope around a large boulder. He gives it a tug to make sure it's secure. Then he tosses the other end over the ridge, watching to make sure it doesn't get snagged on anything. Buck quickly ties it into a rescue knot.

"Theo, you need to go up. Eddie is going to help you."

"I'm not leaving Nick!"

"I promise I'll take care of him."

"Go," Nick croaks.

Theo hesitates, but grabs onto the rope. Eddie instructs him to put the loops around his legs. Once Theo is secure, Eddie uses all his strength to pull him up. Even with his gloves, the rope bites into his hands. The moment Theo appears over the edge, Eddie pulls him fully to safety.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No. I mean yes, I have some cuts and a sprained wrist, but you need to take care of my boyfriend first, please-"

"Buck's got him. Go get in the ATV, we're going to get you both out of here."

The radio attached to Eddie's chest crackles to life. Bobby's voice comes over the line.

"All search and rescue teams, be advised that the wind is shifting. Fire is rapidly heading west."

Eddie swears. The fire is heading right for them. He can see it in the distance, getting closer with each passing second. They need to get out of here. He runs back to the edge of the ridge and throws the rope back down. Buck helps Nick up, carrying the majority of his weight. Buck has tied a tourniquet just above his wound. With a good bit of help, Nick gets secured to the rope. Buck gives Eddie a thumbs up.

It's when Eddie gets Nick to the top that the ridge collapses, taking the rock and rope with it. Eddie barely grabs Nick in time. Half the ridge falls, boulders tumbling down. He pulls Nick to safety before running over to check on Buck. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that Buck is stumbling to his feet.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Ankle might be broken though," Buck says. He's leaning heavily on his right side.

Eddie can see the fire getting closer. It'll reach them in only a couple of minutes. He has to get Buck up and out of here fast. Theo has already helped Nick into the ATV. Eddie searches the back for another rope, but there's none. Fuck. Eddie races back to the edge, wary of the fact that the ridge is unstable.

"You need to climb! Can you?"

"I don't think so. Eddie, you need to get Nick and Theo out of here. I'll find a different way up."

"I'm not leaving you."

"The fire is heading this way. You need to go!"

Eddie looks at Nick and Theo. Theo still has a small backpack on.

"Theo! Do you have any rope on you?"

He checks his bag, smiling when he pulls out a thin line. Eddie grabs it, testing its strength. It's enough. It has to be. He finds another hefty boulder and ties one end of the rope around it, making sure it's tightly knotted. He throws the other end down. He can feel the heat emanating from the fast-approaching flames. Buck knots the other end around himself. He looks warily at the flames, now eating through the trees only a few feet away.

Eddie begins to pull. His muscles scream at him, exhausted from all the work, but he ignores the pain. All that matters is getting Buck to safety.

The rope creaks.

It snaps.

Eddie lunges forward, grabbing Buck's hand just in time. The rope drops into the flames below. Eddie tries to pull Buck up, but he gets dragged towards the edge. The only thing holding him in place is the root his foot is lodged in, but that's about to give way too.

"Eddie, you have to let go, I'm going to pull you down with me," Buck begs.

"No," Eddie chokes out through gritted teeth. If he lets go Buck is going to fall. And if the fall doesn't kill him, the inferno waiting below will.

"Chris needs you."

"He needs you too!"

"Tell him I love him, okay? And- and there's notes for everyone. Just in case. They're in a box in my closet. Tell everyone I love them, alright?"

"Buck, please-" Eddie's cut off by his own strangled sob. The root gives way a little more.

"It's okay. I love you, Eddie."

With one last smile, Buck lets go. Eddie watches him fall.

CONTINUE READING ON AO3

#911 #911 fic #buddie

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martianbugsbunny · 1 year ago

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A Slice of Life (An Outlaw Queen Fic)

Hey guys! This is a new pairing for me, I've never written anything OQ before even though I think they're absolutely adorable together, but my pal @stardreamer28 has been having a rough couple of days and was hoping for somebody to write her a ficlet, and since she also loves OQ I decided to give it a shot! Idk what counts as a ficlet vs. a fic, but it's a short'n'sweet one-shot, that's the point. It's kind of an idea of what it would've been like if Regina and Robin got their happy ending and just got to be a family with their boys, because nuts to Hades ruining everything! Read on and enjoy!

Regina watched the boys playing together from a spot on a shaded park bench, one leg crossed elegantly over the other and a fond smile on her perfectly-reddened lips. Henry was teaching Roland some of the sword fighting moves he had learned from David with sticks. Regina imagined it wouldn’t be too long before Robin started teaching Roland some moves of his own—with a bow and arrow, although probably the ones with suction cups on the ends instead of sharp points.

Roland was the sweetest little boy; those big round eyes were absolutely irresistible. They were the reason Regina had gone out for ice cream so many times lately. Besides, he had his father’s puppy dog look when he wanted to spend time with Regina, and Regina could never say no to either of them with that face.

Speaking of Robin…he came up from behind the bench and kissed the top of Regina’s head, waving to the boys. He’d been giving a seminar on wilderness safety at the high school, so Regina had moved her city council meeting back to six so they would still have time for dinner.

“Come on, Henry!” Regina called, standing up. She took Robin’s hand as the four of them walked back into downtown Storybrooke. It gave her a pleasant little warm feeling, right in the part of her heart she had once believed to be permanently frozen, to feel his fingers intertwined with hers, and to catch the little smile on Robin’s handsome face as he snuck adoring glances at her. Even better was the way their sons walked ahead of them, Roland pointing at people who passed them and asking Henry if they were in the storybook. Most of them weren’t, but he was such a curious little boy, and he already knew that nobody knew more about people’s fairytale pasts than Henry.

Dinner was at Granny’s, as usual. Robin and Henry ordered hamburgers, which Regina hadn’t been surprised to learn was one of Robin’s favorite Storybrooke foods. Roland got an order of chicken nuggets (he wasn’t adventurous enough to try to burgers yet), and Regina got fried chicken with mashed potatoes. There was no way she would ever touch one of Granny’s lasagnas—she had standards.

After dinner, they walked back to the house together before Regina had to go to the town hall. Once they were a few streets away, Roland and Henry raced each other back…not that it was much of a contest, with how much longer than Roland’s legs Henry’s were.

“See you later,” Regina said, stopping at the front gate and kissing Robin’s cheek. “Make sure the boys get their homework done.”

“I’m on it,” Robin said, with one of those soft, dashing smiles that Regina could never get enough of. “Have fun at your meeting, love.”

“Very funny.” Council meetings were boring, when there weren’t issues of villainous threats and life and death to worry about. “I’ll be home around eight.”

Regina waited at the gate to watch Robin go into the house. She loved doing that; it was such a joy to her that Robin Hood lived there with her, and that they had blended their little families together there as well. And she looked forward to coming home every night even more than she had before, knowing she had two new people to come home to, and a fiancee to cuddle up with at night.

But first, there was a meeting, and she was already running late.

#ouat #once upon a time #regina mills #robin hood #outlaw queen #regina x robin #robin x regina #Henry mills #Roland hood #storybrooke #slice of life #fic #robin survives au #martianbugsbunny writes fic

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motownfiction · 2 years ago

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western

If life were as uncomplicated as a Western, Sadie wouldn’t be putting a whole lasagna in the freezer right about now.

Frank DeLuca died yesterday night. It’s been less than twenty-four hours, and already, Daniel is frenzied about it. He hadn’t spoken to his father in decades, but Sadie’s pretty sure that’s why he’s nuts about it now. Cat’s in the cradle and Cat Stevens and all those songs that will certainly be verboten in their house now, at least for a little while. He made one post online last night after it happened – after his distant uncle called to let him know; after Daniel cried for an hour about not even knowing his father was sick – and it must have struck the right chords with the most domestic of people, even more domestic than Sadie herself. This is the third lasagna that the DeLucas have received all day. This is the third lasagna Sadie has frozen for a dead man who did not love his son.

And yet, Daniel loved him. Daniel loves his father today, even now that he’s dead, even now that they’ll never have a chance to look at each other with curt respect from across the room at some other guy’s funeral. Sadie’s all for loving everybody, but she’s never really included Frank DeLuca in that definition of everybody. Anyone who chooses booze and slot machines over Daniel isn’t worth very much in Sadie’s eyes. He isn’t worth very much at all.

But she’s still freezing lasagnas in his memory.

Sadie thinks she’ll always remember what was playing on the television when Daniel’s uncle called to tell them about Frank. It was High Noon. Neither she nor Daniel had ever really been that into Westerns, but they could make some exception for High Noon. Sadie likes the song (“Do not forsake me, oh, my darlin’”); Daniel likes Grace Kelly. They kept the TV on even after they got the call. Even after Daniel started crying harder than Sadie had seen him cry in years. Probably not since Billy was born, and that was nine years ago. They kept the TV on, and out of the corner of her eye, Sadie kept watching the movie.

She wonders why life can’t be as simple as Will Kane and Frank Miller. If Daniel could just see his father as evil, the kind of guy you need to take down, then maybe Sadie wouldn’t be freezing lasagna. Maybe they wouldn’t need to eat grief dinners for a man who never knew the names of his grandchildren. If Daniel could just be a hero … if Frank could just be a villain … then maybe everything would make sense again.

Sadie sighs. She is Amy Fowler Kane. Caught in the middle of it. Wishing it would stop. Fighting for her life to make it that way.

Freezing lasagna because that’s what partners do.

(part of @nosebleedclub poetry month challenge -- day xxiv! i know i’m behind; i’ve just been so tired)

#drabble #writeblr #ch: sadie doyle #ch: daniel deluca #ship: still the same #year: 2007

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katsigian · 2 years ago

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2, 5 & 6 and for freckles 💕

Thank you for asking! <3 from here

2. What’s their date of birth? Do they follow the stereotypes of their zodiac?

Valen, or Freckles as I like to call him, was born March 21, 2048. He is an Aries Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Sagittarius Rising and oh boy, yes he does fit his zodiac -- typical Aries fiery-ness, confidence, and competitiveness. He's got that temperamental streak and is so comfortable in conflict (as per his career choice as a contractor and the way he revels in a fight). But he's also got those usual Scorpio traits of mystery and transformation; he's had to shed his skin and grow a new one at least four times through his life in an often painful process. The Sagittarius side of him shines in his fearlessness, tendency to be an emotional decision-maker, and the desire to always improve.

5. What’s their favourite food?

Valen loves a carb-heavy and hearty dish. If it sticks to his ribs and has noodles, he's likely going to enjoy it no matter what it is. Pasta dishes with a thick sauce, chow mein with lots of vegetables and spices, a ten-layer lasagna, it's all good to him.

6. If they were to be represented by a seven deadly sin, which would it be?

This is one that always kind of gets me because my first choice is always wrath -- he's quick to temper and when he's set on a path of righteous (to him, his morals are decidedly grey and chaotic good) anger he's ruthless. The only thing that really matters to him is completing his task whatever that may be and whoever becomes the object of his wrath had better run. Sometimes it gets the better of him, though; there's been a couple of times where he's been hurt in the process and gone too far. But that desire for vengeance is strong in him and partially lead to his alias of the Saint.

#thank you again!#asks 💌#⠀- ̗̀ ⸨ 𝔳𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔫 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔩𝔞𝔴 ⸩⁺☀︎⭒๋#⠀- ̗̀ ⸨ 𝔳𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔫//𝔩𝔬𝔯𝔢 ⸩⁺☀︎⭒๋

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gcballet · 2 months ago

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Finished listening to "Dead Head" - these are the pulpiest books I've read in years I love them. Hard to know how to approach possible spoilers bc Sweetpea only just aired it's first series. They probably won't get as far as adapting "Dead Head" though.

Spoilers below the break and also something about "The Red Notebook" by Antoine Lauraine, "Private Peaceful" by Michael Morpurgo, and "Lessons In Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus

I didn't think I'd miss Georgia Maguire doing her Ray Winston foetus voice for Ivy, but the Mexican baby voice she gave Matilda made up for it. I was fully just picturing Rhiannon at a cartel safe house playing Sylvanian families with Dora the Explorer.

I listen to these while walking my dog in the morning, and every single scene and chapter, if I relisten, I can picture exactly where in the park I am.

For the final standoff scene of "Dead Head" I literally just sat in the conservatory and listened because GIRL. Your HAND. And during Rhiannon and Raphael fighting those guys I was in the shops buying acrylic paint varnish.

I genuinely love the sincere awareness of weird true crime stans and hibristophiliacs and the meta commentary, warning us off enjoying Rhiannon too much. It reminds me of a video essay I watched on Bojack Horseman - something about the audience being culpable of wanting to see this toxic character go off the rails. I like it, it's smart.

I get the feeling that "Thorn In My Side" might be a lockdown narrative. I'm sure Skuse will do a good job, I just don't enjoy the media we made during them. Didn't have a fun lockdown personally, I don't vibe well with them.

For my book club this month I also read "Private Peaceful" by Michael Morpurgo and boy was that a blast from the past. I remember at least one other English set in my school did that as set group reading way back in 2005.

Side note - why don't Scholastic book fairs for adults exist? Zero vat, book fair popups with Millennial nostalgia. Original concept do not steal.

No idea who in book club put "Private Peaceful" in the jar, but it was appropriate for November I suppose. The audiobook had dreadful interstitial keyboard trumpet music between chapters. Probably it was for back when it was released on tape and the music is to tell the bored ass teacher that the chapter is over.

It was fine. Wasn't exactly "War Horse," though. Very KS3.

So I have repeatedly started and given up on "Lessons In Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus this year - like four times with both a library book and audiobook, and then, what pops out of the book club jar? "Lessons In Chemistry". I could've spit.

So I pushed through a bit more and there were immediately scenes of "oh the super smart neurodivergent woman gets abused in academia and r*ped"

This isn't fun for me.

And then there's a visceral death scene and brutal depictions of grief.

This is a dark comedy??

I get so bored of period fiction where the conceit is just "DID U KNOW SEXISM USED TO BE WAY WORSE AND PERMISSABLE??? WATCH THIS LOVELY WOMAN SUFFER"

And why is it so long??? The only good thing is it got me to make a lasagna.

So I might not finish it. I'm sure it could get better, but I don't read books to get triggered and depressed. And I recognise that is hypocritical when I'm talking about how great the Sweetpea series is.

And the third one we got for book club is "The Red Notebook" by Antoine Laurain. We normally only get two books but this one and "Private Peaceful" were shorter so three it is. Halfway through it and it's so delightfully Paris in 2007, but annoyingly male gazey in the academic sense of the word. Like an Amelie/While You Were Sleeping mashup.

Got another hour on the audiobook so I'll finished that one tomorrow when I walk the dog, then I'll start "Thorn In My Side"

#sweetpea #dead head #cj skuse #bookblr #book blog #the red notebook #antoine laurain #private peaceful #michael morpurgo #lessons in chemistry #bonnie garmus #booklr #books and reading #books

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sammys-magical-au · 1 year ago

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Incorrect original story quotes

Because I’m bored and on my period and I can. May contain spoilers for Capricornica, STAR, The Greater Universe, Sweet & Sassy, and The Legend of the Lost Twin

Kiffa: why are your tongues purple?

Max: we had slushies. I had a blue one.

Azadri: I had a red one.

Kiffa: oh.

Kiffa:

Kiffa: OH-

Sebastian: you drank each other’s slushies?

~~~

Turquoise: Niei, I need to speak with you.

Niei: ooooh, someone’s in troubleeee!

Turquoise:

Niei: it’s me. I don’t know why I did that.

~~~

Jay: what did you guys get in your yearbook?

Lily: “prettiest smile”

Sierra: “nicest personality”

Sam: “most likely to start a bar fight”

Anton: “least likely to start a bar fight, but most likely to win one”

~~~

Twilight: as your best friend-

Celeste: Star’s my best friend.

Twilight: AS YOUR BEST FRIEND.

~~~

Pixiebob: if you bite it and you die, it’s poisonous. If it bites you and you die, it’s venomous.

Periwinkle: what if it bites me and it dies?!

Turquoise: then *you’re* poisonous, Peri. Learn to listen.

Aquamarine: what if it bites itself and I die?

Niei: that’s voodoo.

Daod: what if it bites me and someone else dies?

Pixiebob: that’s correlation, not causation.

Jira: what if we bite each other and neither of us die?

Indicolite: that’s kinky.

~~~

Celeste: what happens to nitrogen when the sun rises?

Twilight: what?

Celeste: it becomes daytrogen!

Twilight: I’m going to bed.

Star: good nitrogen!

Storm: sleep titrogen!

Leaf: don’t let the bedbugs bitrogen!

~~~

Sam: shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Jay: you mean when it’s hot and sticky and humid and gross?

Sam: …

Sam: you’re my special snowflake!

Jay: nice save.

~~~

Niei: who thinks they could fight me and win?!

Pixiebob: everyone.

Niei: they’d be right I’m sensitive.

~~~

Luan: you often use humour to deflect trauma.

Max: thank you.

Luan: I didn’t say that was a good thing.

Max: what I’m hearing is you think I’m funny.

~~~

Dr Forsythia: gonna be honest with you, I have no idea what a one year old is. I know it’s a child, but what grade they’d be in, how much they would know about, like, I don’t know, science, or like, how big they’d be, I have no idea. I have no idea what a one year old is.

Adam: I’m pretty sure they have teeth by then, if that helps.

Dr Forsythia: so they are weaponized…

~~~

Max: I’m going to use the L-word.

Sebastian: “lesbian”?

Max: no, the other L-word.

Sebastian: “lesbians”??

Max: NO, the L-word that people use when they really, really like someone.

Sebastian: “lasagna”?????

~~~

Pixiebob: why did we have to leave at this ungodly hour???

Turquoise: it’s… four in the afternoon?

Niei: she’s got this thing about the suns-

Pixiebob: THEY’RE TOO BRIGHT.

~~~

Daod: just be yourself!

Niei: really? Daod, I have one day to win over Aqua’s parents. How long did it take you guys to start liking me?

Periwinkle: couple of weeks.

Turquoise: six months.

Pixiebob: jury’s still out.

Niei: see, Daod? ‘Just be yourself’. What kind of garbage advice is that?

~~~

Cerulean: where are you going?

Indigo: either to get ice cream or commit a felony. I’ll decide on the way.

~~~

Sebastian: I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff.

Gemini: I witnessed the dumb stuff.

Azadri: I recorded the dumb stuff.

Max: I joined in on the dumb stuff.

Kiffa: I TRIED TO STOP YOU FROM DOING THE DUMB STUFF.

~~~

Turquoise, walking into her house: hello people who don’t live here.

Jira: hi.

Pixiebob: hello.

Daod: hey!

Turquoise: I thought I said the spare key to my apartment was for emergencies only.

Niei: we ran out of Doritos!

~~~

Max: rules are made to be broken.

Kiffa: no! They’re made to be followed! Nothing is made to be broken!!

Azadri: piñatas.

Xia: glow sticks.

Gemini: karate boards.

Sebastian: spaghetti, when you have a small pot.

Max: RULES.

~~~

Twilight: if I die, my funeral is gonna be the biggest party ever and you’re all invited.

Celeste: “if”??

Star: great, the only party I’ve ever been invited to and she might not even die.

~~~

Indigo: can I be frank with you all?

Pixiebob: sure, but I don’t see how changing your name is gonna help.

Daod: can I still be Daod?

Niei: shh, let Frank speak!

~~~

Xia: question; when does this get fun?

Azadri: it’s not supposed to be fun, it was Kiffa’s idea.

Kiffa: exac- wait, what?

~~~

Diar: I don’t need a hero. I AM the hero!

Kea and Tuo: but we can help!

Diar: fine, you can be my sidekicks.

~~~

Gemini, kicking open the door: MOM HOLY FUCK!

Juno: what did you do?

Gemini: nobody died!

Juno: WHAT KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT?!

~~~

Pixiebob: look, Niei; I want to apologize for everything I said. For what it’s worth, I really like having you around.

Niei: no you don’t.

Pixiebob: I know. I have dreams where I staple your tail to your face.

~~~

Geilsa: dumbest scar stories - go!

Nara: I burned my tongue once drinking tea.

Tuo: I dropped a torch on my leg once and burned it.

Sirus: I have a piece of graphite in my leg from accidentally stabbing myself with a pencil.

Izra: I was cooking food over lava on The Island of Destruction and spilled boiling hot water on my hand.

Diar: …

Diar: I have emotional scars.

~~~

Jira: I’m Queen of my Tribe.

Turquoise: and I’m next in line to be empress of my colony.

Pixiebob: then I must be… late to watering my plants.

~~~

*camping on Earth*

Kiffa: it’s really dark.

Sebastian: don’t worry, I got it!

Azadri: *already expecting something dumb* oh God…

Sebastian: *stands up and shakes furiously then suddenly lights up from the inside*

Max: Bas, what-?

Sebastian: I swallowed a flashlight :)

Gemini: WHY WOULD YOU-

~~~

Celeste: Star’s banned from most local restaurants, so we’ll have to go out of town to eat.

Star: well they shouldn’t say “all you can eat” if they don’t mean it!

Celeste: STAR, YOU TRIED TO EAT A CHAIR

~~~

Turquoise: you may have heard of Indigo. She was apparently killed by a wild beast when we landed on Capricornica, but I just found out she survived and started a colony of humans and Pantherines living together in harmony in a secret village in the mountains.

Jira: oh yeah her. I live in her village with your missing friend who’s also my girlfriend and we’re raising an orphaned child together.

Turquoise: y

Turquoise: you what-

~~~

Azadri: is there a word that’s a mix between angry and sad?

Kiffa: malcontented, disgruntled, miserable, desolate-

Sebastian: smad.

~~~

Celeste, trying to convince Twilight to stay: I just thought it’d be good to have someone around who’s… smart!

Star: and mean!

Storm: and grumpy!

Twilight: …

~~~

Diar: so apparently the “bad vibes” I’ve been feeling were actually psychological distress-

~~~

Pixiebob: today sucked.

Niei: because Mother forced you to become the next heir to the throne?

Pixiebob: no, it was a little humid- yES BECAUSE MOTHER FORCED ME TO BECOME THE NEXT HEIR TO THE THRONE

~~~

Max: jellyfish can live up to 1000 years without a brain.

Azadri: a ray of hope for you, Sebastian.

~~~

Turquoise: I made you a friendship bracelet!

Pixiebob: I’m not really a jewelry person.

Turquoise: you don’t have to wear it-

Pixiebob: NO I’M KEEPING IT FOREVER FUCK OFF

~~~

Miwasa: I’m going to have to ask you to be polite.

Pixiebob: I’m going to have to politely decline.

~~~

Pixiebob: *loses Niei in a crowd*

Pixiebob: good.

~~~

Luan, to Juno: if you let my kids get hurt out there then I’ll… I’ll… I don’t know what I’ll do, but it won’t be pretty!

#incorrect oc quotes #original characters #original writing #sweet & sassy #the greater universe #capricornica #STAR #the legend of the lost twin #i ain’t tagging all the characters ok sorry

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pesterloglog · 1 year ago

Text

Karkat Vantas, John Egbert

Act 5, page 2928-2941

CG: YOU MADE AN UNBEATABLE BOSS IS WHAT YOU DID.

CG: THE IDIOT YOU CALL THE JADE HUMAN WENT AHEAD AND PROTOTYPED HER FREAK OF A LUSUS, WHILE YOU DECIDED TO TAKE A NAP FOR SOME REASON RATHER THAN DOING WHAT A LEADER IS SUPPOSED TO DO AND STOP HER FROM BEING SO FUCKING RETARDED.

CG: YOUR VERSION OF JACK, WHO YOU WERE SOMEHOW DUMB ENOUGH TO ENTRUST WITH THE QUEEN'S RING, BECAME ESSENTIALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE.

CG: HE THEN WENT ON A RAMPAGE THROUGH YOUR POINTLESS SESSION, WHICH HILARIOUSLY, WAS ALREADY A LOST CAUSE EVEN BEFORE THIS HAPPENED!

CG: I AM JUST BESIDE MYSELF WITH THE SPECTACULAR BREADTH OF YOUR FAILURE.

CG: AND IF THIS WASN'T BAD ENOUGH

CG: YOUR "SOLUTION" LATER WOULD BE TO OPEN A RIFT IN SOME GLORIOUS GESTURE OF MEANINGLESS SUICIDE.

CG: AND I HAVE NO IDEA HOW

CG: BUT THE RIFT YOU OPENED ENABLED HIM TO ENTER OUR SESSION, JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO CLAIM OUR PRIZE.

CG: AND NOW WE'RE THE ONES WHO TO FUCKING DEAL WITH HIM!

CG: SO THANKS A LOT, SHIT HEAD.

EB: jade prototyped a lusus?

EB: what's that?

CG: OH

CG: OK, MY BAD, I FORGOT I WAS TALKING TO A MEMBER OF A GENERICALLY BIZARRE ALIEN SPECIES.

CG: I GUESS SOME HUMANS HAVE A LUSUS, WHILE OTHERS DON'T? WHATEVER.

CG: HER LUSUS IS THE CREATURE WHICH SERVES AS HER CUSTODIAN.

EB: oh, you mean her dog!

CG: I GUESS

EB: so, she prototyped becquerel?

EB: why is that so bad?

CG: JOHN, DO YOU EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS?

CG: IS THIS HOW HUMAN FRIENDSHIP WORKS? YOU JUST DON'T KNOW SHIT ABOUT EACH OTHER?

CG: HER LUSUS EXHIBITS THE PROPERTIES OF A LEGENDARY ENTITY CALLED A FIRST GUARDIAN.

CG: IT IS AN ABSOLUTE MONSTROSITY.

EB: what properties?

CG: OK, FOR STARTERS, NOTICE HOW THE FURIOUS WALL OF FIRE CURRENTLY RUSHING TOWARD YOU IS TURNING GREEN?

EB: uh oh...

CG: YEAH

CG: THOSE FUCKING PROPERTIES.

CG: BUT IT'S A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

CG: AS THE DEFENDERS OF THEIR PLANETS, THEY'RE VIRTUALLY OMNIPOTENT.

CG: PROTOTYPING ONE IS ABSOLUTELY UNCONSCIONABLE.

CG: THE RESULT IS A BOSS A HELL OF A LOT WORSE THAN WHAT WE HAD TO FIGHT, AND WE PROTOTYPED TWELVE TIMES RATHER THAN A MEASLY FOUR.

CG: AND ONE OF OUR PROTOTYPINGS INCLUDED AN OUTER FUCKING GOD THE SIZE OF A CITY!

CG: I HOPE THIS PUTS IN PERSPECTIVE HOW TERRIBLE YOU ARE.

EB: huh...

EB: yeah, it kind of does.

EB: i'm sorry karkat, i didn't realize we screwed up so bad.

CG: ALRIGHT WELL

CG: I WASN'T EXPECTING YOU TO MAN UP AND APOLOGIZE FOR IT, SO OK I'LL GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR THAT.

CG: BUT IT'S NOT STOPPING ME FROM DETESTING YOU AND IT SURE AS FUCK ISN'T GOING TO DERAIL THIS RUNAWAY HATE TRAIN, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

EB: oh, yeah, i know.

EB: you're really gonna tear me apart!

EB: i just feel kind of bad i fell asleep, i don't know what came over me.

EB: maybe i ate too much lasagna.

CG: HEY, INOPPORTUNE NAPS HAPPEN IN THIS GAME.

CG: EXCEPT TO ME, BEING THE STALWART MODEL OF LEADERSHIP I AM.

CG: I MANAGED TO STAY AWAKE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS STRAIGHT, I DIDN'T WANT TO LET MY GUARD DOWN FOR A SECOND.

CG: BUT THEN

CG: AFTER IT WAS ALL OVER, AND WE RETREATED IN FAILURE

CG: I FOOLISHLY DID.

CG: AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW HIM.

EB: who?

CG: JACK.

CG: I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HIM WHEN HE FIRST APPEARED.

CG: BUT ON PROSPIT, I SAW HIM UP CLOSE, WITHOUT ALL THAT RIDICULOUS GREEN SHIT OBSCURING HIM.

CG: I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT WAS REALLY HIM BY THE WAY HE LOOKED, BUT I JUST KNEW.

CG: HE WAS WEARING A RING I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE, CERTAINLY NOT ONE BELONGING TO OUR QUEENS.

CG: WE DESTROYED THOSE.

CG: HE WORE IT ON HIS ONE HAND, WHICH WAS COVERED IN OUR MUTANT BLOOD.

CG: AND THEN

CG: JUST LIKE THAT

CG: HE KILLED ME

CG: AND I GUESS

CG: EVEN THOUGH IT WAS PROBABLY JUST HIS WAY OF SAYING HI

CG: I STILL FELT KIND OF BETRAYED.

EB: betrayed?

CG: YES JOHN. BETRAYED.

EB: um, ok.

CG: WHEN I WOKE UP, EVERYONE HERE WAS BUZZING ABOUT THESE ALIENS CALLED HUMANS.

CG: SO NATURALLY I'M LIKE WHO GIVES A SHIT, RIGHT?

CG: WELL, WRONG.

CG: I PRETTY QUICKLY DETERMINED THAT HE WAS FROM YOUR SESSION, NOT OURS.

CG: SO HE WASN'T REALLY "MY JACK"

CG: AND I WAS SORT OF RELIEVED

CG: RELIEVED BUT ALSO ENRAGED

CG: I'M SURE YOU KNOW THE FEELING.

EB: er...

EB: not really.

CG: ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, AND THAT'S WHY YOU ARE SUCH A DISGRACE.

CG: THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST TIME I WILL EVER EXPLAIN ALL THIS STUFF TO YOU, BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE IT WILL HELP MY HEADACHE MUCH TO REPEAT MYSELF.

CG: I BET IT'LL BE PRETTY FRUSTRATING FOR YOU IN THE PAST!

EB: i suppose it was...

EB: but meh, it is all water under the bridge.

EB: which is where trolls and their shenanigans belong!

CG: HA HA! I'M LAUGHING MY ASS OFF AT YOUR FUNNY FUCKING JOKE.

CG: I HOPE THIS IS THE CALIBER OF HUMOR I CAN EXPECT FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE-PAST, EGBERT.

CG: IT'LL BE A REAL TREAT TROLLING YOU WITH MORE OF THOSE NUB SLAPPERS TO LOOK FORWARD TO!

EB: oh, there will be lots of great material. just wait until i start handing out rabbits, you will love that.

CG: WOW, WHAT A CRYPTIC STATEMENT.

CG: CHECK THIS OUT, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK.

CG: ANYWAY, GUESS I'LL GET GOING AND LET YOU DIE IN YOUR FIRE, WHICH YOU REALLY SHOULD, BUT YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO FOR SOME REASON.

CG: I'VE GOT TO REWIND THE TAPE ON THIS CLUSTERFUCK AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

EB: yeah, i should get going too.

EB: my friend is pestering me, and i doubt she likes to be kept waiting.

EB: (she is sort of the bossy type!)

CG: WHY WOULD I CARE ABOUT YOUR DUMB HUMAN FRIEND AND HER PETULANT, MEANINGLESS DEMANDS.

CG: WHAT COULD THAT POSSIBLY HAVE TO DO WITH ME.

EB: ummm...

EB: yeah, you're right, it is probably of no significance to you whatsoever.

EB: (hehehehe)

CG: A;SLDKJFSDLKFJS;LDJFLK;J

CG: HERE, JOHN HUMAN DIPSHIT.

CG: HAVE A SECOND AND PENULTIMATE FUCK YOU:

CG: "FUCK"

CG: "YOU"

CG: MAY IT MARK THE SECOND OF MANY TO COME, AND THE MAGNIFICENT DENOUEMENT TO MANY RECEIVED.

CG: TOGETHER WE JUST TUGGED AT THE BOW TO UNRAVEL A PRESENT FULL OF GO FUCK YOURSELF.

CG: HAPPY WRIGGLING DAY YOU UGLY PILE OF TRASH.

-- carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling ectoBiologist [EB] --

#homestuck #karkat vantas #john egbert #homestuck act 5 #page 2928 #page 2929 #page 2930 #page 2931 #page 2932 #page 2933 #page 2934 #page 2935 #page 2936 #page 2937 #page 2938 #page 2939 #page 2940 #page 2941 #homestuck act 5 act 2

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skyward-floored · 3 years ago

Note

CoA asks you say?

Do your links have favourite comfort foods or routines they end up sharing together?

(Also if u want to share your lu thoughts on the same question too that'd be neat too)

I’m going to just do comfort food for now because if you add my links to the lu guys you get 23 links and that’s a lot

Long post ahead since I did both XD

Courage of ages

Cloud— pumpkin pie is his comfort food, his mom used to make it a lot when he was small so it’s got lots of good memories associated with it. Slate makes him some once and he nearly cries

Mini— the brioche you can get at the bakery, he loves popping in there for some with Zelda. And also getting the chance to find a kinstone piece

Kaleidoscope— he likes these sweet/sour berry tart things that people only make during a festival once a year, they have good memories associated with them.

Sprite— he likes fruits a lot, especially particularly sweet ones. Kokiri pretty much eat nothing but fruits/veggies so it’s what he’s used to, makes him think of home.

Gloam— anything made by Uli, there’s nothing like a home-cooked meal

Light— he’s always liked sweet stuff, but especially these cake things the royal baker makes. Zelda sneaks them to him and they eat em together

Windy— grandma’s soup of course, is there even any other option??

Spirit— Niko always makes the exact same stew for dinner every night and Spirit loves it no matter how many times he’s had the stuff

Hibiscus— apples, particularly his uncle’s secret apple cider recipe. He’s been begging him to tell him the recipe for years, (uncle still refuses) and nobody makes it like him.

Hue— he really likes pancakes... the blacksmith’s wife makes really good ones, they make him think of home

Brownie— tea, particularly if he can manage to get some honey for it. It calms him down and keeps him going, and is an excellent way to keep warm if you can’t have a fire for too long

Era—he hadn’t had it in years but kettle corn. There was this street fair that came by occasionally when he was a kid that had it, and he still loves it.

Slate— everything. just kidding, but he’s rather fond of spicy pepper mix (or whatever it’s called). It was the first food he made for himself up on the plateau, it’s what made him realize he loved cooking after his memories were lost

First— when he was alive he was rather fond of cake... chocolate especially...

Linkeduniverse

Time— not exactly a food but milk. Makes him think of his home and Malon, he’ll never turn down a cup

Twilight— Ordon goat cheese. He loves that stuff, would eat it with literally everything if he could.

Sky— probably pumpkin soup. Either that or he hates the stuff, it’s one or the other XD

Warriors— he’s awful fond of chocolate, it’s his go-to comfort. when he can get his hands on it he hoards it like a dragon

Four— his grandfather makes a pretty mean lasagna, he really loves it

Wind— grandma’s soup of course, is there even any other option??

Legend— just nice crisp apples for him. A nice taste of home he can bring with him wherever he goes.

Hyrule— sugar water, or honestly even just plain sugar. He loves the stuff, even if it’s a little hard to get his hands on, it reminds him of the fairies

Wild— fruit pie. It’s Zelda’s favorite, turns out it’s his favorite too

#four likes lasagna fight me #linkeduniverse #linked universe #answers from the floor #anon #courage of ages #all the coa links #all the links #save

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bay-did-nothing-wrong · 3 years ago

Text

Tell All (Donatello x Reader)

Synopsis: Don and the Reader had been hiding their relationship from his family but they decide its finally time to come clean.

Genre: Fluff mostly, some crack, literally one sex pun

Word count: 1946

Soft.

So soft.

Wasn't his skin supposed to be rougher all together? How were his lips so soft and smooth then? Just another mystery.

Your mouths split with a tiny wet sound, but neither of you was in a rush to go anywhere.

But you should have been.

"Dinner's ready!" came Mikey's energetic shout from somewhere withing the lair. Probably the kitchen.

A soft longing sigh left your lips, and you felt a warm current of air hit your face - Don felt the same.

"We should go." you state, convincing yourself as much as him.

"Do we have to?" he whined breathlessly.

Yes, yes, you did. And he knew that. You both did. Otherwise his brothers and his very observant father will notice you're acting suspicious. They'll probably figure out he wasn't just helping you study for that AP Statistics exam. That is, if they hadn't already.

Your hands slid down his shoulders in an attempt to separate you two but instead they fell onto the top of his plastron, thumbs running softly over the last uncovered skin there, where you knew he was sensitive.

"Hmmm..." it came out as a low growl and it surrounded you on all sides. "You're not helping."

"Am I ever?"

"DONNIE! (Y/N)! DINNER!" at least Mikey stuck to the strict "No entering during study-sessions" rules. That's good to know that he can be intimidated into compliance. Or blackmailed... Point is, it worked.

Donnie's head falls in defeat, forehead leaning on yours for support.

So glad he took those goggles off. You can see more of him this way.

He sighed again, defeated - he was too smart to not figure out that at some point your behavior will raise suspicion. His head lifted back, and turned to the door.

"Coming!"

And your cheeky ass giggled at that.

"Oh, Donnie." you teased, "I haven't even started."

"Pfft. " chuckle, and a snort.

He really did like your dirty puns.

The man took your hand into his cool giant one, somehow providing comfort like no other, as he pulled you to the lab entrance. But once at the door you had to split. It's part of the arrangement.

His family shouldn't know about you.

You two decided at the early stage of your budding romance that keeping the whole thing on the down-low for a while was the smartest choice. It would prevent his brother's jealousy, it won't incite any fights, it won't change their relationship with you and you'll get to feel things out at your own pace - no pressure or prying eyes.

Just you.

But there was a list of downsides too. For one, neither of you was a great actor, Don was even shit at lying, so you'd had to take extra steps to remain as friendly-looking as possible. Then there was the trying-to-set-you-up-with-Vern thing that April was doing and every time the topic came up you could act regular-disgusted but not in-a-happy-relationship disgusted, and so would your favourite turtle. And then there was the hiding, coveting each other in the lab or in small stolen moments in the lair, and the lying about going topside to do recon or install something somewhere, the covering up - no, of course Donnie wasn't with you at your place, he must have gone somewhere else.

You were quite honestly sick of it. You were ready to tell his brothers. You were ready to tell the world.

"We should tell them." his voice was once again low, quiet as if to preserve the last few moments of the secret to yourselves.

Once again you were entirely in sync despite being vastly different.

He was a genius, you, decidedly, weren't.

He was really into sports, you weren't.

He was a 6'8 ninja turtle raised underground by a rat dad, and you obviously were not.

And yet somehow, you clicked.

"I agree."

At that point you knew that your approval would kick into gear the most destructive process in Donnie's mind - overthinking.

Your hand immediately darted out and grabbed one of his pulling it up to your lips and kissing the knuckles in reassurance.

"We'll figure it out."

But still, you had to split. Even if you did plan to tell them, there would be a time and a place for that.

"What took you so long? The lasagna got cold." Mikey was positively outraged - as much as he could be - by your lack of interest in his usually excellent cooking.

"Sorry, Mikey." you butted in, trying to save the day, "There's just something about Inferential Statistical Analysis that I can't wrap my head around." Bullshit, you knew exactly what it was and how it worked - it's part of the basics but he didn't need to know that.

"Still smells great though!" Don sounds cheerful enough even though you'd just agreed to break the fragile peace in your relationship just a minute prior. He was getting really good at the lying part. Too bad it won't be needed for much longer.

Dinner was as uneventful as it can be around five mutant ninjas. Master Splinter asked about your day, you told him about the nearing finals season and he offered some comforting words after which the conversation bounced around the rest of the family in a natural progression.

Once you were full, and once all of Mikey's delicious food had been virtually inhaled by the four giant men around you, you got up to get the dishes to the kitchen and help clean up. It was only fair, after all.

Apparently it was Ralph's turn to wash dishes and there was no wiggling out of that because Splinter said so. Well, at least you can dry them.

And dry them you did, meanwhile casual conversation about whatever kept flowing and you figured you won't be able to go back to the lab and do some more 'Statistics'.

You were just drying and putting away the last plate when a thiqq arm stretched over your head to reach a cupboard you couldn't even get to in your dreams.

Your head whipped back, eyes landing straight on some hard looking chest plates under a pair of suspenders. And then you looked up and saw Donatello, the cheeky shit, with a pop tart in his mouth and a shit-eating grin around it.

"Oops, sorry, (Y/N), didn't see you there."

Oh, I'll give you Oops, didn't see me, my ass. You'll see.

He was being unusually open about his closeness to you and that was less then an hour after you'd decided to come clean.

He was ready then.

"I was planning on checking out the meatpacking District tomorrow." Leo was going on about that idea he had to check out some building or another, Mikey was wiping down the table, and Raph was finishing up the dishes, and for once Don was just there chilling.

His treat was gone, meaning he ate it all, he seemed relaxed, his shoulders loose and shell leaning on the wall.

No time like the present.

"You guys, I'm gonna head out. I've got work tomorrow and after that I've got a study group to attend so, I should head to bed."

"You need us to walk you home?" Leo asked more out of courtesy, he knew you lived close and would usually decline.

"No, no, that's okay." you replied, looking for your bag and jacket where you'd left them near the kitchen table.

"Aaaw, you're leaving already? Well, at least you ate." Mikey quickly swept you into a hug goodbye and turned back to sorting his ingredients in the cupboards.

"Thanks to you, Mikey Steward." to which he giggled in response.

"See you tomorrow, shorty." Raph waved as he turned to get a beer from the fridge.

"Stay safe out there, okay?" Leo always the guardian, warned you for the hundredth time, again just out of courtesy.

And then you walked to where Don was leaning on the wall, took his chin in your hand and pulled him down.

Oh, shit, am I actually gonna do this!?

Your lips met, your heart pounded, the room became super hot and that wasn't just because of the brilliant piece of man-candy in your hands. You could feel their eyes but then again that was the whole point.

A loud dramatic intake of air was heard, a drop of something metallic and then silence.

Your face pulled away from him, eyes opening slightly to look at him, as your weight fell back onto your heels from standing on your tiptoes. His face had that same dazed, satisfied-yet-hungry look that he usually had whenever you'd had to break apart.

He tasted so sweet, you just had to lick your lips at the memory.

"I'll see you tomorrow." you whispered, that was all you could force out in that moment.

"See you tomorrow." his voice was as soft as yours even though his brothers could probably hear.

You fully pulled away from your man, now certain that there'd be no secrets between you and the ninja clan.

You were not an actor, you quickly got embarrassed with your performance, however brilliant it may have been, and speedily scammed to pick up your belongings and jogged outta there.

You turned one last time, because something in you said you should and what you saw was truly a sight.

All three of Don's bothers with their mouths hanging open and Splinter peeking out of the door to the dojo with his eyes like saucers and then there's Donnie - the image of peace, hands in his pockets, a soft smile on his lips, now shiny from your lip gloss, and looking you straight in the eye as you retreated.

"Bye." you shout to no one in particular and scramble for the exit.

-_-_-_-_-

Phone - charging

Alarm - set

Pajamas - on

What's missing then?

Ding!

Your phone notified you that someone was requesting your attention and you were more than happy to find out it was your man.

'Hey, Laika' Oh lord it so got you giggling like a schoolgirl when he called you that.

'Hey, Tyson' and then he told you that he loved to be compared with the biggest name in astrophysics today.

'How did it go?' you felt super bad for bailing on him but at the same time there was this relief that came with the cat being out of the bag.

'Surprisingly well. No one was mad that we kept it a secret.' well, that's good. You won't have to jeopardize your relationship with the boys. 'Dad still wants to talk to you tho'

Ah, well, that's to be expected. Even though Donnie is an adult, the were still a very tightly knit family unit so, you supposed that something like that would be a pretty big deal.

'That's fine, I'd do whatever'

'I wish I could kiss you rn'

It honestly shocked you how chill about it he was. Probably because he wasn't being grilled for information anymore, neither of you would have to lie anymore, and because he could now tell Vern to fuck right off, with no worry about how it would look.

You were so looking forward to being solely and entirely his.

'Tomorrow we start anew'

He had a point, things would change. But hopefully not between you.

'Can't wait to meet you for the first time again lol' you didn't know if you were being funny or just cheesy but it felt right.

Despite your smile, your eyes started drooping, your breaths slowing and you felt the exhaustion of the day slowly hug you like a blanket.

'Goodnight'

'Goodnight, (Y/N)'

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