#he is currently in the military and wants to be a cop after he finishes his service

[shitty-fate-merch-daily]

just discovered that my oldest friend is now engaged to her lame-ass military wannabe-cop boyfriend

[aquietplace89]

I’m a 34 year old, straight, paralegal for a criminal defense attorney. Although I have my life together, and have for the better part of the last decade, I haven’t always made the best decisions in life. Also, I come from a great family, my parents are still married, and I’ve always had a big heart, as well as an inclination to do the right thing. However, my choices and geographical circumstances have led me to make some very questionable decisions in life, as well as associate with some of the shadiest of characters (all behind me now).

As a kid I was verbally and physically abused my alcoholic father. It’s important to note that he has changed his ways, rarely drinks now, and has ditched his abusive ways. We have an amazing father-son relationship now. I grew up watching him beat my mother, my siblings, and of course, myself being on the receiving end of the brunt of the physical abuse. I credit playing his biggest punching bag due to being the oldest male. That all changed when I grew in stature and started rolling with gang members at 14. The abuse to my mom stopped as well. He learned I wouldn’t stand to see my mom beat anymore, and I always challenged him from that point on.

I always wanted to become a police officer and move up to detective. Since a child it was my dream! I always fantasized about living a high class life, like Batman. Balls, tuxedo dinners, waltzes, daily suits, the works. I wanted that lifestyle, I had to have it.

I joined the Air Force as a Military Police, or Security Forces. My traumas followed me and I got into lots of trouble since a kid. Those troubles exacerbated when I got my freedom and a paycheck, living independently in the military at 17. I was free from Him (my father). But the abuse only trickled down to the next sibling in line, and my mother. I felt the guilt of leaving them vulnerable. They didn’t have big brother to stand up to Him. I carried the guilt and drank to wash my sorrows away. At least I thought I did, but they learned how to swim.

I received a positive discharge from the Air Force, even after getting in a lot of trouble. Lots of underage drinking incidents and fights. I was a scrappy little Mexican. The positive discharge came from being an exemplary cop while on duty. I was a leader, naturally. I like to say, I was born to work with law. Others have told me the same.

I’m a year away from finishing my undergrad degree, then it’s straight into law school.

After looking at 14 years max for an ugly fight with my father in law and others, I fired 3 lawyers then represented myself at my own Preliminary Hearing. I had some charges dropped and highlighted many weaknesses in the states case. Then, right when I was sick of fighting against the odds and many lies against me, my now current boss came along and refused to let me take 2 years in prison without first taking a crack at my case. I’m so glad he pissed me off at the time by not letting me take that “deal”. I was home a few weeks after he worked my case. The first lawyer that worked my case. The other 3, well in the famous words of a retired judge, we won’t comment on them. A judge, DA, and others praised my litigation for myself. They even suggested I went to law school and become a lawyer. My 4th and final attorney throughout that horrendous nightmare, took a chance on me and is now my employer/attorney. We work very well together. Very professional as well. The two of us.

It is very important to also note, I in no way deflect blame for my actions. I wasn’t a saint the night of that incident. But I also wasn’t on an even playing field with all the fabricated accusations and lies against me. I was jumped by 3 people while I was unarmed. One had a high powered revolver aimed at my head, one had two knives, while the third beat my head to a wooden post. My biggest mistake was being hooked on steroids and displaying my rage. That is all behind me now and has shaped my future for the better.

Life has been great, but it’s also thrown many curveballs at me. I’ve never given up on life, and now I’m on a great trajectory to living the life I always wanted. The life I was destined to live. I will become an attorney.

A wise DA recently told me “it’s never too late to be whom you could’ve been” and she changed my life forever with those kind words of wisdom.

Follow me on a journey through a past of adventure, emotion, tragedy, and so much more. Also, I will take you into my current life and into my future.

[notmedicine13]

Why did you Join RED?

"Good evening Mr. Torres, my name is Gregory Mason, a representative of Reliable Excavation Demolition. Now, before we can let you in, I'd like to ask you a few questions, is that all right with you?"

Bat: "Yeah, that's fine"

"Good! Now first things first, why are you joining RED?

Bat: "Well, I never really knew what to do with my life. I finished School, went studying and applied for a job. But it didn't last that long. I quit after some time, the job really didn't appeal to me. I tried several other jobs, but none of them really clicked with me. I was also struggling with paying rent in time. Always felt like I was hanging on by a thread for when I do manage to pay. So I'm hoping that maybe this is the job that is for me."

Hawk: "I was really fond of watching military movies as a kid! Something about fighting for your country just really stuck with me y'know? I remember I'd often get into fights as a kid, my parents always had to keep me under control. Anyways when I got older I wanted to join the military, managed to get in boot camp, but I had to resign after something happened there, so I thought that this would be the next best thing"

Howitzer: "Isn't it obvious? Money, duh! And this job seems like easy pay. I also really enjoy fighting and hurting other people, used to be in a gang too, but that also meant that I often had encounters with the cops, so this job was obviously the right one for me, getting paid to kill people? count me in!"

Iron Clad: "I used to work in the British military back in my day. But I had to leave because I accidentally blew up the captains quarters. My father still wanted me to be out there fighting for my families honor so I thought that this job could do.

The Don: "I had to find a way to escape from my family. Everyday felt like a nightmare, constant arguing, always getting punished for the littlest things. They always told me to go get a job so I wanted to apply to this one so that I wouldn't have to deal with my life back at home"

NG: "As a kid, I was always fond of tinkering with things. I made all sorts of contraptions, from building a small car out of scrap to making my own little rube goldberg machines, all the way to making my own machines. Wanting to put my mechanical skills to the test, I thought applying here would be a good idea.

Not Medicine: "I wanted to study to become a doctor. I was making some good progress early on, but I caused an accident which lead to a classmate being severely injured so I got expelled, which is also how I got the nickname "Not Medicine". I still wanted to work in the medical field, and since I accidentally caused harm, what if I healed while also causing harm on purpose?"

Operator06: "Mostly to support my wife. We are currently struggling financially, and I was scouring through multiple well paying jobs, but none of them were enough to support us both. Which is why I'm applying for a job here at RED, I'd work here, while I'd send money to my wife so that she can have a roof over her head and a good meal. My wife was against this because she didn't want to lose me, but I assured her that I wouldn't put myself in great danger, which is also why I'm applying for the sniper position.

Kaard: "My father used to work for RED before I was born. He always told me about stories about his time as a mercenary and the many battles that he has thought. So I want to follow in his footstep in being a mercenary for RED, to see if I could not only be on the same level as him, but to also surpass him in order to make him proud"

[marlasomething]

(my) Mag a Day Special Feature: The Manuela Protocol

ello there!

Here is the thing: I am participating in the "a mag a day" idea by @a-mag-a-day which is BRILLIANT and I decided to do "statement a week", rolling dice with the characters and fears that were ftw that week in the episodes I have listened. But, then, I thought...what if I made some special features for when each season finishes? AND THAT IS WHAT I DID INDEED. Yeah, publishing after the whole thing...heheh. The format is similar: roll dices for characters, main Fear, etc. But they are all going to be different interpretations of who Sam and Alice might be and how they "enter in contact" with TMA's universe.

For season four I've got Manuela, Melanie and Daisy to be featured(ish) and "The Dark" as "The Baddie". Also, the relationship between Sam and Alice is 'friends'. I made The Panopticon being made as originally intended because the concept is just as messed up and terrible as fascinating.

As usual, please do forgive my quick tipper and non-native speaker mistakes, Marla

Allons-y!

CW: anxiety, nervousness, The Dark usually existencial bad vibe

Also on AO3!

Alice was very nervous. After all, they had been destined to The Magnus Protocol Program, which was just starting as a new investigative-ultra-secretive project from The Government and it would be their first real job. Perhaps, if the information and context found were as rich as their superiors currently seemed to believe it to be, it would be their steady job for quite a while…

Alice bit her lips. If only there was someone else there with her. If only Sam were there…she wondered where their best friend might have been sent.

Sam wasn’t having a good day. They had been missgendered three times before even arriving to the underground. Then, they spilled their just-bought far-too-expensive coffee on their only shirt (at least, the only one with a pattern you can bring to your first day at work) and were bombarded with texts from absolutely all members of their family they found either annoying or straight-up disgusting. Saying how lucky they were to find a job so quickly after finishing their degree, though, of course, if you study something as… open as they had, chances of finding something were bigger; it wasn’t that particular .

They grunted and almost missed their stop, as too many people blocked their way to the door; their skinny short body doing very little on the strength factor they would have needed for a clean way out.

Finally, they found themselves in front of The Panopticon, the former prison (it had stopped being so after international human rights associations had learned about the actual objective towards prisoners’ mental health) turned into research institute. They instantly forgot all their complaints; hyped by the prospect of their new job.

They thought about their best friend, Alice, who was also starting today, though, just as them, had been chosen in a place too secretive, so she couldn’t tell them where she was today.

They hoped Alice was as excited as they were about beginning to work on The Magnus Protocol Program.

Alice had been genuinely surprised about the care-free attitude of Melanie King. After all, she was the Head of this research program, and one of the most influential voices in the story of the British Islands ( not Britain, God or whoever is up there prevent me for saying so ). She wearing military boots, worn down jeans and a T-shirt from the ACAB-centred podcast hosted by two former cops turned into a couple that read “ Fuck cops, figuratively and former-ones, literally ”.

“Love your T-shirt!” she had managed to say, as their first meeting was concluding. The woman smiled.

“Thanks, Miss…uh…sorry…”

“…yeah, it’s fine, I use she/they pronouns. So Miss is fine”.

“Ok, good to know. Yes, thanks, I don’t want to brag but…I know them. Good friends, we met through…a quite annoying other-friend” she rolled her eyes. “You will meet him; he is supervising you, after all. You know? You look a bit like his…never mind, too personal. Only, if he seems to be about to have a breakdown when you two meet, don’t take it personal. Now! Before that happens…you have about an hour and I have another client to meet so…feel free to just wonder about or something. Just, trust me, if you see a cat, don’t try to pet him, or you will never be rid of him ”.

Alice was gladly surprised to find out bathrooms have been made to be Unisex (which, in a practical level, it had likely been a much easier option, since the building was designed as a male prison), and was about to enter when a rather short, woman with light-brown skin of around thirty exited the bathroom with a…rather strange smile in her face.

“ Hola , do I know you?” she asked with an accent Alice wasn’t familiar with. She frowned, there was something…it was hard to explain, but she feelt as if a rather tall, significant wall was around her. And her eyes…they didn’t like them a bit. Still, she blamed it all to the new job’s nervousness and entered the bathroom.

There was only one mirror in the entire bathroom; around which there were religious symbols of all the cults ( official recognised religions , she corrected herself) she had ever heard of. They approached it, just to realise there was no reflection on it. Just a deep Nothing. It wasn’t even a shade of black; there was…there wasn’t. She believed the mere construct of the sentence “ There was nothing ” was far too generous to what she was witnessing.

Alice knew they had to turn around and left the bathroom, but she had been raised to be curious and, at the same time, she was so bloody anxious about screwing up in their new job…giving up to the nothingness couldn’t be that terrible…

…so, they touched the mirror. And she became immediately blind. Not because of her eyes stopping being functional, but because they were exposed to an infinite of nothingness to which she simply couldn’t stop looking.

The woman leaving the building as they entered was rather attractive, a bit older than Sam, right in the fringe zone of “ I could still flirt without feeling uncomfortable ”. Her hair is of a dark-almost-copper red and the small freckles on her skin were distributed in the most curious way they had ever seen. Her eyes, though, there was something scary about her eyes…

…somehow, Sam knew at that very moment this wasn’t going to be their last encounter; but very likely the less treacherous one.

After a short meeting with Melanie King, Sam had forgotten about all their problems, leaving even the creepy woman at the main door in the back of their head. Alice was here! They were going to work together! Their best friend!

They rushed to the bathroom, supposing Alice might be in the waiting room; they could not wait to say hi…

…and, there they were, in the middle of the bathroom, their eyes covered in a mist Sam felt as if they had known from somewhere, though they couldn’t point out from where that was.

Sam felt their pulse accelerating, then, they realised all mirrors were normal…except for one, one that was pitch black.

“Screw everything” they rushed towards it, elbow pointing directly to the centre.

As the crystal broke, their friend felt to the ground, free of whatever spell she had been under. They rushed and hugged her, both still in shock, just as Melanie came in, as hurried as Sam had been moments before.

“Shit, sorry guys…that was Manuela Domínguez…if she is real…

…I think The Magnus Protocol Program is going to be far more of a serious deal than most people thought it would be.”

[wannabe-fic-writer]

Moment In Time

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Summary: Just when you've gotten out, you’re given a reason to come back.

Warnings: Mild Language

Chapter 5

* * * * * * *

“You and Fury seem to forget that I’m retired pretty easily.” You say, eyes focused on your surroundings instead of the man talking to you.

A nice breeze flows past, followed by another crowd of passersby. The street is busy as always at this time of day but you always appreciate the hustle and bustle of the city. Something about it appealed to you. 

New York has always been busy, for as long as you can remember. Admittedly, with the lack of advanced technology in your time, people spent a lot more time talking to each other in passing than they now spend on their phones.

“No one’s forgotten, except maybe you,” Tony says and you turn to refocus your attention on him.“ Or did you forget that it was you who copped a ride with Fury to Sokovia.”

Of course you didn’t forget that. That mission had been more dangerous and life threatening than any one you’d previously been on. 

The man hums and nods, a soft chuckle leaves his lips,“ unless of course you weren’t there for the team.” 

“What?” Your eyebrows pinch together,“ what’re you talking about?” 

“I’m talkin about you and Romanoff.” He leans forward, pushing his coffee cup away a little.“ Clint told me about that little moment you two had before the city fell. What’d you do? Spring to action when you realized Natasha was in danger?”

Your eyes roll but you avoid answering his question. Cause that is actually what you did. On top of being generally concerned with the safety of your friends, your main focus was Natasha. You’d never admit it, out loud, but you know that’s what happened. And you know why you did, even if you won’t admit it at all. 

“Awe, don’t want me exposing your crush on Nat?” He further teases and your nose turns up at him.

“Think I liked you better when you were running around in pjs and building robots and stuff.” He makes an offended face and you smile sarcastically at it.“ If I agree to train the Maximoff kids will you not mention these supposed feelings for Natasha that you assume I have.”

For a moment he looks at you, then nods.“ You’ve got yourself a deal Y/ln. Also,” he pushes his chair back and stands up,“ you’re just training the girl. Rogers apparently has some special plan for Speedy.” Picking up his cup, he claps his hand on your shoulder with extra force, and walks away.

Just as you’re about to slouch into your seat to stay an extra few minutes he calls out for you to come with him and you resist the urge to groan. Sighing softly, you finish your tea and get up. 

As you expected Tony takes you to the tower. His choice of music blasts through the sports car and you can’t help but chuckle. Since he was thirteen he’d been obsessed with classic rock. You have no idea what the first song he heard was but whatever it was it hooked him to the genre.

Through the loud music he explains everything you’ll have to go over with Wanda and mentions that he’s getting a facility together upstate that will become the new Avengers HQ, but that move is going to take some time so the tower is still “home” as of now. You nod along, knowing that if not for your enhanced abilities you wouldn’t be able to hear him correctly.

By the time Tony pulls into the private parking garage, whipping into his spot and turning the car off, you completely understand what role you’re about to play in terms of training Wanda.

“What? Eager to get to work?” He asks after you’ve practically sprinted out of the car. 

“More like eager to get out before my ears start bleeding.” You tell him, glancing over your shoulder at him to stick your tongue out playfully. You don’t have to keep looking at him to know he rolled his eyes. 

The familiarity of the building makes it easy to navigate. Pretty much leaving Tony in the dust, you walk through the lobby to the elevators. Taking them up to the training floor. 

Your plan hadn’t been to see anyone just yet. Mainly coming here to form some sort of plan as far as training the Maximoff girl goes. Only for her to be the person you run into once having stepped into the training room.

She’s across the room, fingers running over the edges of a treadmill as her eyes look through the large floor to ceiling window. You imagine she’s taking in the sight the tower provides of New York. 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” You ask, effectively grabbing the young woman’s attention. She turns her head to face you, eyebrows pinching together as she’s not familiar with you, only having seen you just before you hugged Natasha in Sokovia. 

“It is.” She replies shortly and you chuckle at it, stepping further into the room. 

Giving her a soft smile you introduce yourself,“ I’m Y/n,” you move over to the weight benches,“ Stark asked me to come in and help you adjust.”

Her eyes narrow and that draws your attention to the fact that her eyes are green.“ Are you an Avenger? Because I haven’t seen you around here.”

“I am not. I’m supposed to be retired but no one seems to give a damn so here I am.” Spreading your arms a little to emphasize your current location.

For whatever reason your words make her giggle and you smile at that, happy to have broken the ice at least a little. 

“So how’re you going to help me adjust Y/n?” Her inquisitive gaze follows her moving closer to you.

“Not sure. What do you need help adjusting to?” Your head tilts and your eyebrow quirks.“ The training regiment? Your new chaotic teammates? Living in New York?” 

“Is all of the above an option?” She asks, and although you know she’s serious you still hear the teasing in her tone. 

With a quiet laugh you nod,“ all of the above is an option.” You let her know.“ Um, I’m not sure of all the details with the move upstate but how about I show you around the tower and we can go over the basics of your training and such?” You decide to pose it as a question in case she doesn’t want to.

“That would be nice actually.” She smiles and you notice that it’s truly genuine. So with a smile in return, you motion for her to follow you out of the room. 

With her being on this floor, you assume she’s seen it all. Not that there’s much to see. It’s the training floor so there’s nothing but gyms and a locker room. Getting in the elevator, you press the number for one of the floors dedicated to just hanging out.

Not liking the silence of the elevators, Wanda breaks it with a question.“ So why didn’t you join the Avengers?” 

“Um,” you take a deep breath and release it as a sigh,“ I’d already done the whole superhero thing before. The Avengers came in and I was no longer needed.”

“Oh really?” She asks and her tone of voice makes you chuckle, then nod.“ And what made you want to be a superhero?”

The elevator stops and the doors slide open.“ I saw what they could do. The difference superheroes make in people's lives.”

Picking up on the shift in your energy, Wanda frowns, ignoring the very expensive looking stuff in the room.“ What happened?” She asked carefully, as if she were trying not to trigger something. 

“I-” you sigh softly, contemplating whether to actually tell her or not. Looking into her eyes you see past the general curiosity and what you find pushes you to tell her. 

So you both get comfortable on one of the couches in the room and you open up to her.“ I was taken by HYDRA when I was fairly young. And it’s not like the guards and scientists were interested in anything other than making me the perfect weapon. So when they started to experiment on me I was already in a horrible state physically. My health was on a steady decline and none of their experiments worked, it actually made me fatally ill. And with no further use of me, they’d left me there to die.” 

Wanda listens intently, eyes misting with tears at the information of your mistreatment.“ But you didn’t.”

“No I didn’t,” you both laugh softly at that.“ The, at the time soon to be, founders of SHIELD were working with the US military to shut down HYDRA after World War II and they found the facility I was being held in. While they saved everyone who was being held captive there, I was in the worst shape. Seeing that I was on the verge of death, they made a decision to administer the super soldier serum to me to save my life.”

Wanda’s eyebrows raise and you have to admit that her expression is amusing.“ You’re a super soldier from World War II?” You nod.“ How old would that make you?” 

“I’m 90. And I wasn’t in the war. I was born before the war. When it started I was 16 and already in a HYDRA base.”

She looks down and bites her bottom lip. You know she has another question on the tip of her tongue. And with her background, having volunteered to be experimented on by HYDRA, you know she’ll have a lot more questions after that.

So with a deep breath, you ask what’s on her mind and tuck in for a long conversation.

* * * 

After a long day at SHIELD, going over papers to further induct the twins into the Avengers, Natasha finally gets back to the tower. She ignores all the SHIELD agents rushing in and out of the lobby and goes straight for the elevators. 

Mentally, she admits that after the headache that is going into SHIELD, the sound of your laugh as soon as she gets on the main floor is refreshing. A small smile forms on her face and she makes her way towards the kitchen where she hears your voice.

While she knows you’re friends with the rest of her team, she can’t help but wonder if you came here to see her.

That thought falls short the instant she reaches the kitchen doorway. She quickly finds that the source of your laugh is the same young woman she’d just been recruiting onto her team. 

In fact, laughter comes from you and Wanda as you cook together. The aroma smells incredible but she can’t help but to remember that this is the very same thing the two of you had done on multiple occasions. 

“Nat, hey, when’d you get here?” 

Your voice pulls Natasha from her thoughts and she almost smiles again. Almost. 

“A few minutes ago.” She decides to take a step closer, which puts her right in the doorway.“ What’re you two making?”

“Um,” your eyebrows pinch together and you look at Wanda.

“Paprikash.” She answers with a quiet giggle and a shake of her head. 

You smile at her then look back up at Natasha,“ we’re making Paprikash.”

The redhead hums, debating with herself on whether she should stay or not. An indescribable feeling nagged in the back of her mind, growing more persistent as she looks at you and Wanda happily interacting with one another. It gradually chips away at her excitement to spend time with you and she hates it.

With a huff she says,“ I’ll leave you two to it.”

She turns on her heel and walks away, effectively dodging the blue blur that is Pietro running into the kitchen, heading back to the elevator. With her floor practically empty due to the move, she wasn’t eager to go up but it seemed more relaxing than watching someone else make you laugh and smile how she did. 

Just as the elevator doors have started to close you slip through, narrowly missing getting your arm caught between the doors, and stand directly in front of her. Your eyes scan her form, up to her face and lingering there. She watches as you take her in, your eyes finally meeting. 

In a soft voice, one that practically melts her heart, you ask,“ are you okay?” She can’t say she expected you to ask that, plus the equally as soft look in your eyes, she grasps for an answer. One that isn’t ‘I didn’t like seeing you so happy with someone else’.

“Just tired. It’s been a long day and my floor isn’t exactly relaxation friendly right now.” She excuses. 

Nodding along, you smile a little at her,“ think I could help with that if you’d let me.” And there’s no way she’s saying no.

That’s how, a little over thirty minutes later, she finds herself following you into your apartment building with takeout bags and beer in hand. 

You hadn’t explained the plan until you were picking up the food. Telling her that a change of scenery might be exactly what she needs. Her trying to relax and unwind at the Tower was equivalent to a lawyer trying to relax at their firm.“ You can’t destress from work at work.” You reasoned. 

Unlocking your door, you gently push it open and hold it for Natasha. She wasn’t sure what to expect of your apartment, but what she finds definitely isn’t it.

Walking into your apartment makes her a little confused. It’s like stepping into a time vault that housed a number of different eras all at once. While things like your appliances and a few tables or paintings were modern or at least from the last decade, your couch, chairs, and even your cabinets look dated.

It was as if you furnished your home without a single clue of what you actually knew you wanted to present. But it’s you. Natasha finds that it almost perfectly embodies the person she’s come to know you to be. 

Since the moment she met you it was clear you were equally as present as you were stuck in the past. Your friendships with Tony and Steve showed that in an ironic way. With Tony the majority of your conversations or bonding was over the future, things he was planning, building, or tinkering with that would change the future. While with Steve you focused on the way things used to be in the era you grew up and were raised in.

“Nice place.” She finally says, moving her eyes from the kitchen to you.“ Very, you.”

The look you give her makes a small giggle leave her lips. You seemed so proud of her first comment and then the second one made you frown, as if you couldn’t tell if you should take it as an insult or a compliment. 

“Don’t think too hard Y/ln, your ears are starting to smoke.” She says jokingly, patting your cheek without giving it any thought. Her turning away makes her miss the way you flush at her inconsequential touch. 

At your invitation, she makes herself at home, finding a spot on the couch and starting to unpack the food. You join her shortly after with plates and forks, turning the tv on and going to a channel you both enjoy watching. 

“How you feelin about the move?” You ask, picking up your plate and leaning back against the couch. Even though the tv is on, Natasha can’t help but notice that all your attention seems to be on her. 

While she is definitely used to the attention, men and women alike focusing solely on her because of her looks, your attention is different. She knows it would be unreasonable of her to think you aren’t paying attention to her for her looks because well, when she gives you attention the first thing she looks at is your looks. You’re incredibly attractive, especially to the redhead. But it was more than that. 

On both ends, yourself and Natasha saw the physical beauty, but you looked beyond that. You saw the beauty of each other’s personalities. 

You’re lighthearted, you have an outlook on life that she finds intriguing, and not just because you’re decades older than her, it was how you maintained a fairly optimistic view on things despite the cards you’d been dealt in the past. On top of that you’re honest and caring, especially to the people you consider friends and family.

As far as she goes, you see her in, almost, the same way she sees you. She’s honest. Shows her care in a way that you find adorable, mainly because it’s so nonchalant. Her will to keep going, to endure the many trials she’s been through. Her strength never fails to amaze you. Not to mention the absolute admiration you have for her in regards to her clearing her ledger. Especially since being an Avenger means so much more to her than just that. 

That thought alone sends a rumbling of butterflies in her stomach and she hates how childish it feels but loves it all the same. 

“Um,” she looks down, letting her hair curtain between you two to hide the blush that rises.“ I can’t say I feel any particular way about it.”

When she feels your fingers ghost over her cheek, she has half a mind to grab your hand and break it, but it’s you and she’s been secretly craving your touch. In the softest gesture she’d ever been on the end of, you brush her hair back. Your fingers lightly run over her cheek and temple as you hook her hair behind her ear. 

She looks over to see you drop your head slightly to catch her eye, a little smile on your face.“ It is okay if you aren’t all that happy to be leaving. The tower has been your home for the last few years. An attachment or even familiarity with it is understandable.” 

“I-” she sighs, just barely tilts her head closer to your touch, then lifts her head.“ I’ve never had a home Y/ln.” She knows you can hear the hurt in her words, cause admittedly she didn’t hide it like she usually would. She doesn’t feel the need to with you.

You go quiet for a moment and Natasha wonders if maybe she should’ve kept her somber comment to herself. The instant she considers walling herself off again, you speak.“ Well then maybe,”

She raises an eyebrow at you.“ Maybe what?”

“Maybe this could be your home.” You swallow, nerves manifesting in the way you play with your food.“ I know you’ve only just been here today but, everyone deserves a safe haven. Somewhere they can escape from the rest of the world. Everyone deserves a home.” You finally look back into her eyes,“ especially you Nat.”

You didn’t know but in that moment you got to her in a way no one else ever had. You didn’t tear her walls down. Instead, as if understanding the very reason the walls had been put up in the first place, you built a door to her heart and soul. And only you hold the key to it.

She’s hit with the weight of her feelings for you, feelings she’d never had for anyone before. As terrifying as she finds it, she can’t help but think that if there’s anyone who she could trust to be gentle with these feelings it’s you.

* * * * * * *

Taglist: @owloftheshadows @natasha-danvers @blackxwidowsxwife @yumusak-yastik @b-5by5 @fayhar @lostandsearching @iliketozoneout @thewidowsghost @ecruzsalaz

[mgsapphire]

My K-drama recommendation master list Part 2

You can find part 1 here

Look, you gave us relatively new recommendations, what about ones older than 10 years? I'll give you my top 5

Princess Hours (2006) Is a modern Cinderella story. It's 24 episodes long. Available on Viki.

Personal Taste (2010) Honestly, problematic plot if you put your mind into it, but entertaining nonetheless. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour, available on Viki.

Cinderella's Sister (2010) You hate every character, but there's still something that makes you watch it. Available on Viki.

Thank You (2007) was ahead of its time, it's about a single mother with a daughter who has an HIV+ diagnosis. 16 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour. Available on Viki.

Stairway to Heaven (2003) for a good melodrama.

What about romantic fantasies involving fantastic beings?

Guardian: The lonely and Great God(2016) A classic of the genre. It tells the story of a God who was once a man, and is being punished by immortality, unless he meets his bride, who just so happens to be a high schooler centuries later. Available on viki. 16 episodes long with 3 specials, all lasting about 75 minutes.

Hotel Del Luna (2019) it would be unfair to talk about Goblin, without talking about this other masterpiece about a being cursed into immortality and granted special availabilities along with it, but a curse is still a curse, and she must run a hotel meant for ghosts, where after centuries of being, meets a young man who is alive. Availability on Viki, 16 episodes long and each one lastz about 75 minutes.

Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020) You get to see Lee Dong Wook as another mystical being, and Kim Bum is his half brother. 16 episodes long and one special, each one lasting about 65 minutes. Available on Viki.

My roommate is a Gumiho (2021) what's up with gumihos? It's still airing. The title is self explanatory. Available on Viki and Qiyi.

Angel's last mission: Love (2019) is a cute and sad story about an angel who is about to ascend and a ballerina who has a cynical view of the world. Available on Viki. Each episode averages 30 minutes, with 32 episodes.

Doom at your service (2021) About to finish airing. It tells the story of a dying woman who wishes doom upon the world, and the doom who answers her plea. Available on viki, 16 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour.

The Scholar Who walks the night (2015) another Lee Joon Gi entry, but I swear all of his works are great, it's a period drama that tells the story of a scholar who is a vampire and the young bookseller he meets. It's 20 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour. Available on viki. Also, if you've liked Lee Soo Hyuk in Doom at Your Service, I advise you check this one out.

Tale of Arang (2012) two Lee Joon Gi entries in a row? Girl, you have to stop. Anyways, this one is another period piece of a magistrate who can see ghosts and the ghost of a young woman who doesn't remember her life, nor the cause of her death. Available on viki, it's 20 episodes long, each one lasting a little over an hour.

Look, those are fine or whatever, but I started as a K-pop fan, where can I see some idol dramas? Don't worry, I came prepared

Full House (2004) with Rain as the main character is the og idol drama in my opinion. Available on Viki. 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 73 minutes.

Imitation (2021) is currently airing, and it's literally an idol drama about idols. You can find a looot of idols too: Jeong Yun Ho and Park Seong Hwa from Ateez, Chani and Hwi Young from SF9, Park Ji Yeon from T-ara, Lim Na Young from I.O.I and Pristin, and although Jeong Ji So is not an idol, she is the main lead, and I absolutely love her, she's also in Doom at your service. Available on Viki.

Miss Panda and Mr. Hedgehog (2012) features Donghae from Super Junior, and if I'm going to recommend a Super Junior drama, I would rather recommend one featuring him over Siwon.

At a Distance the Spring is Green (2021) is currently airing too, and only has four released episodes, but I've liked it so far. Featuring Park Ji Hoon, and Kwon Dun Bin. Also, I have a lot of opinions about this show. Available on Viki.

I was going to put an IU drama but, all her dramas are good, so go and watch them all, the woman has range.

Dream High (2011) is the king of idol dramas, in my opinion. It talksa about a high school for people who want to be idols. Another one with a long line up of idols, so let me start: Suzy, IU, Taecyeon, Nichkhun and Wooyoung from 2PM, Ham Eun Jung from T-ara. Leeteuk (SuJu and Chansung (2PM) make cameos. Similarly to Imitation, Kim Soo Hyun is not an idol, but he's the main lead. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 65 minutes. Available on Viki.

Wow, quite a few, but they all seem rather popular, do you have some underrated gems? I'm going to have to go down memory lane, but I do

The Queen's Classroom (2013) This one feels like a fever dream, because I'm aware it exists, I watched it back when it first aired, but I can't find it anywhere now. It's based on a Japanese drama of the same name. It's about a strict but warm hearted teacher and her students' lives and struggles. 16 episodes long. DM me if you find anywhere to watch it.

1% of Something (2016) is a really cute drama, the chemistry is off the charts, and if you're looking for skinship, this one is the one for you, underrated arranged marriage kdrama, I'm telling you. It's 16 episodes long, averaging 45 minutes, and it's on Viki.

I'm not a Robot (2017) has a really cute plot, not underrated per se, but not hyped enough. It's 32 episodes long, each one averaging 30 minutes. Available on Viki.

Do you like Brahms? (2020) is a music themed kdrama, really cute and wholesome. If you like 2setviolin and watched their critique on their YouTube channel, let me tell you, the cast actually knows how to play violin and stuff, and there's an actual child prodigy in there. It got so much hate bc of that one yt video. It's 16 episode long, each one lasting about an hour. Available on Viki.

Solomon's Perjury (2016) a good reflection on youth and the pressure society has. 12 episodes long, lasting about 63 minutes each. Available on Viki.

The Greatest Love (2011) is a super entertaining TV show, and just supper funny and cute. 16 episodes long, each one lasting around 65 minutes. Available on Viki.

Two Cops (2017) if you like Kim Seon Ho, I think this was his TV acting debut. It's a hilarious action comedy TV show. 32 episodes long, lasting around 30 minutes. Available on viki.

Do you have any recommendations where time traveling or time is central to the story?

Alice (2020) look, I can't give you a full explanation because it's too mind bending. Let's leave it at detective meets his mother. Available on Viki.

Signal (2016) The premise is similar to that of the movie Frequency (2000) in which there's communication between the past and the present via technology. The plot is based on the real Hwaseong serial murders. Really interesting. Available on Netflix. If you like the premise of communicating with the past via technology Call (2020) is a Korean thriller movie available on Netflix.

Chicago Typewriter (2017) this one is about reincarnation but we get to see both timelines. Available on Netflix.

Tomorrow with you (2017) Time-traveling but make it ✨depressing ✨. The story of a man who time travels, and how that ability messes with his marriage. Available on Netflix.

What about historical dramas? I don't really watch those, but here are some I liked

The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012) is one of the few I've finished. It's really good, it follows the love story of a king. Available on viki. 20 episodes long, each one lasting about an hour.

Gunman in Joseon (2014) Am I recommending you this one because of Lee Joon Gi? Maybe. It has 22 episodes, each one lasting about an hour. Available on Viki.

The Crowned Clown (2019) a story of the Prince and the Pauper if I must give you a description that is relatable, but if you know the book titled Skogland, it's closer to that. It's 16 episodes long, each one lasting about 80 minutes. Available on Viki.

I'm a little ashamed to say this, but do you have any BL? I do, I do

To My Star (2021) is a story about an actor and a chef, and how they learn to cohabit after the actor is forced into hiding. You can watch either the movie version or the drama version, both available on viki.

Color Rush (2020) is a modern romance fantasy about people called Monos who can't see any color unless they meet their Probes, however this may turn dangerous as the Monos may experience obsessive behavior, so what happens when a young high schooler meets his probe?. You can either watch it on its drama or movie version. Both available on viki. By the way, if you're a long time deobi and was wandering what happened to Hwall, he's one of the main leads.

You Make Me Dance (2021) follows the story of a university dancer who is in debt and his debt collector. Available on viki in both versions. The movie is 107 minutes long.

Just Friends (2009) is a short film, but ahead of its time, if you can't tell by the year it was released on. It's a cute story about a man who visits his boyfriend in the military. I found it in dramacool.

That's all from me, if you have any specific genre or them you felt I didn't add in, do feel free to tell me.

[aurorawest]

Reading update:

YA graphic novel about werewolves. I was kind of meh on it. The artists switched off each chapter and I preferred the style of one of the a lot more.

Military fake dating romance. I like Annabeth Albert a lot so I enjoyed this, though it’s not my favorite thing I’ve read of hers. I was rooting for the two dumbasses to just admit they love each other. My major problem with this one was that I didn’t feel the barrier to them being together was...a thing. Like, once they realized they both had feelings for each other, which they did basically immediately, there was no reason for them to not just...get together for real.

I have the sequel to this one in my TBR pile as well, but it focuses on a character I found extremely annoying in this one. Then again I also didn’t like the side characters in Conventionally Yours, but I ended up enjoying Out of Character more.

I really wanted to like this one, and it was fine. But I didn’t love it? Maybe I just don’t really care for the rich businessman trope. Or the grumpy/sunshine trope? I also have the second book in this series in my TBR pile so we’ll see if I like that one better.

I was also pretty meh on this. idk? I liked the main character but I didn’t really care about the love interest. And it kind of felt like they only got together because the MC got his heart broken by the guy he spent most of the book pining for.

I loved this one! I love KJ Charles, and I seem to be a sucker for post WWI and post WWII mlm romances. Also I loved the fact that the love interest is shady and double-crossing but genuinely cares about the MC. *chef’s kiss* I had to order the other two in the series after I finished this one.

It’s weird to read basically all queer books and then to read a book that...isn’t queer. I picked this one up because it’s sci-fi, set in Minnesota, and by a Minnesotan author. It was pretty good, and I think the first in a series? It’s about how a small town in the Boundary Waters experiences a huge boom because meteorites containing this crazy metal hit there. Features Superpowers From Space (Stan Lee is thanked in the acknowledgements), an idealistic woman cop, and military experimentation.

Very good book that’s inspired by the HH Holmes murders during the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (The Devil in the White City is a nonfiction book about the subject, if you’re familiar with that). The story centers on a Jewish teen who more or less gets possessed by the spirit of the young man he loves, who is murdered by a serial killer who appears to be targeting young Jewish men. I love World’s Fair settings, and I haven’t read many books with a Jewish cast of characters, particularly not queer Jewish characters, so that was very cool. I recommend this one.

This has been sitting in my TBR pile for like 5 years, and I finally read it. It was a WWII book? idk. I know people love it but it was a solid 3 stars for me. Easy read, though, so despite its length, I got through it fast.

And currently reading:

Why have my last three reads had red covers? I didn’t do that on purpose. Anyway I’m almost halfway through this one and it’s good...but idk if I’ll continue with the series because I read a review that mentioned the endgame romance is a polyship, and I find polyships very squicky (no shade if you like them, they’re just not for me). The world is interesting and I like the main character, and the character who presumably will be his love interest down the line. I’ll have to see how I feel once I finish it.

[writingmorsels]

Prompt: Missing

You suddenly disappeared on the journey between your workplace and your home.

Alex, your current fiancé, is informed about this and wants to be involved with the search. Sullins gets him off the case almost immediately when foul play is presumed, considering Mahone one of the first suspects because of his (lately rocky) relationship with you.

Eaten by the thought of you dead, Mahone launches himself in a private investigation to try and find you.

Based off the song “Where’s My Love” by SYML

It had been Lang, that saint woman, who told Alex the news: you were gone and no-one knew where.

After leaving the administration building next to Alex’s office, you didn’t come home. People noticed only because you didn’t show up at work the next day and the interviewed doorkeeper of your apartment building confirmed never seeing you that night.

It had been also Lang, who kept him in the loop. The first days of your disappearance Alex had been shaking with adrenaline, sifting every video, every photo, every interrogation transcript Felicia gave him after Sullins took him off the case.

“I know that look,” Felicia spoke softly as her hands went to grab his ones. “You were out of State, it’s not your fault.”

Was it not?

The both of you didn’t stop fighting about anything, in the last days before her disappearing. Sullins thought it was obvious proof of Mahone’s culpability and Alex couldn’t but agree with his superior, just on a different note.

It was his fault.

He pushed you, pushed against your love and your presence because it was too good, too warm. You were too good for him and he broke you.

How many times he snapped at you? How many times has he let his work take priority over you?

Did he see the signals and didn’t care?

Or was he so blind he didn’t even notice?

Did you just… run away from him? Or were you in danger?

“How many hours, now?” Alex asked, his voice a whispery, ragged strand of what originally was.

Lang sighed, seeing his friend with his head hung forward and shoulders slouched down. He didn’t even try to hide the lack of sleep and food, at that point. “Alex…” “how many hours...days…?” his voice didn’t stop breaking from time to time, hardly keeping emotions where they had to stay.

Felicia remained silent, thinking about the last time she saw you, waving as you came out of your small little office. “Five days, more or less.” she confessed. “We searched along the road she usually takes, but nothing came up.”

Alex didn’t move, but his brain churned. “Have you checked-” “Looked at the CCTVs, in the park near her home, around the neighborhood...we even asked for security footage from civilians. I went out there myself and found nothing,” Lang exhaled, shifting on her side of the sofa, uncomfortable.

“Search dogs?”

“It had been raining since she disappeared. They can’t find a lead.”

“Interviewed coworkers? Someone that fancied her? Hated her? Or me?”

“He asked everybody, twice. Nothing came up beside office gossip. Listen, Alex, I know you know your stuff, but we know too. God’s know how much I want to find her, but you need to listen to me.”

Mahone went silent again, for a few seconds.

“Have you… looked where I told you to-” “...Alex,” Felicia's voice grew stern. “We looked. Every. Where… You need to start thinking that...maybe... she might be-” “DON’T-...Don’t say it. Please Felicia...just...let me...” and with that Lang couldn’t speak more.

Her chest tightened as she saw Alex curl up, hands gripping his own hair and tremble in what little tears he still had left.

With a small, weak “I’ll see myself out” she walked out of Alex’s living room, leaving the man to be with his sorrows with just a soft pat on his shoulder.

They didn’t search enough, Alex thought as he jumped up from the sofa, starting to pace around. He looked at your face peppering the place with various photos, smiling memories he still could feel, trapped underneath the surface of that agony.

They didn’t search well enough…! She had to be somewhere! If only Richard would listen to him!

She could die!

She could…

She is…

Anger came over him in a wave and Alex let out a pained roar, as he kicked over the coffee table, sending all its nicknacks flying.

A glass vase shattered, papers and flyers and documents flew around, the small piece of furniture rolled to the other side of the room.

You weren’t dead… you were just out of reach of anybody else.

That was it.

Fuck Sullin’s suspects, fuck everybody’s incompetence.

You were somewhere out there and if Alex found killers, rapists and even former military, he would find the love of his life.

He exited his house like a hurricane, not even grabbing his heavy coat to fight the cold of mid-autumn.

He had to check that place again. Even if his colleagues assured him the place was empty when they looked, Mahone had a feeling.

Because if you weren’t there...then you really just up and left him without a trace.

Five Day Earlier:

“What?!” you snapped, pressing your phone against your ear. You barely heard Alex through it, the sound of chatter and keyboards muffling his voice. “But we had plans...you know we had plans!” you whined, making some coworkers turn their heads.

You huffed, storming out of the office and on the emergency stairs, just so you could chew him a new one in peace.

“We found a new lead for the Ragman case-” “Like I care! You’re not the whole fucking Bureau, Alex! Let someone else handle it!” you barked, your free hand grabbing the railing.

It was that or it was crossing the street, up to his office and smacking him to kingdom come.

He sounded angry just like you, his voice cold and strained. “I can’t just step down! I’ve been following this case for weeks, you know it!” “I know that I’m planning this fucking dinner since EASTER, Alex! It’s not even the real Thanksgiving because you ALREADY HAVE that day filled, but no! No, you HAVE to be on the other side of the fucking Nation even tho you assured meー no, SWORE me you WOULD BE FREE!” you found yourself basically screaming into the phone.

It was like a dam exploded and now days and months of pushing down emotions kept pouring out.

It wasn’t only for a missed dinner, it was for the rest. The feeling of being less than his job, being unimportant. Not being enough for him.

Those thoughts gnawed at you for quite some time and now they came back in full force. “You know what?? Fine! Go be a superhero! Go hunt your next bone, good doggy! While you’re there, marry your fucking job too!”.

With that you slammed the phone shut without even listening to his voice anymore.

One after another, his promises kept missing...and you were at your wit’s ends. There was some talking to do, for sure, but before that you absolutely had to cool down or you would totally wreck what was left between you two.

So, after finishing your boring day at work you went out and, instead of going back to your shared home, you got on a bus and straight to your favourite place.

The park was nice even when the summer was just a memory, a thick fog rising from the browny waters of the lagoon.

You walked down a wooden path, feeling the wet earth beneath it shift slightly, and you breathed a long, long sigh; you didn’t need to be so mean, but you were so tired. Tired of battling for every inch of attention. Tired of tiptoeing around Mahone’s always full agenda.

You didn’t mind his line of work, being a federal was a very dangerous and busy occupation, but Alex seemed to always do more of what was expected of him. No one ordered him to travel and manually grab the killer of choice to bring back. No one ordered him to stay afterhours for days on end, leaving you to wait up until midnight with an empty plate in the kitchen.

He was the one going the extra mile for his job...but lately, you wanted him to take some, not all! But some of that mileage and invest it in his relationship with you.

Especially now that he proposed.

You chuckled a sob, remembering the day.

Was it just so you wouldn’t run away? Did he really love you?

Or did he love the cooking, the cleaning, the company?

You stopped in the middle of the wooden road and looked left, seeing a faint path in the tall grass.

That small, invisible trail led you to the best place of the park, where you played cop and thief with your friends.

It was a small, round clearing among the trees, with one L-shaped stone covered in moss you called ‘The Couch’.

You hopped on The Couch and groaned your anger away, laying down on the soft greenery.

You didn’t know what to do anymore...

Mahone stopped his car inches away from the main gate of the park, leaving the engine on as he got off.

He grabbed a torch from the glove box and ran inside, moving the light around like a blade cutting the darkness. His eyes swallowed every little detail as he walked, combing with his gaze through the trees, the grass, the waters.

Frantically he moved along the main path, flashing the wooden boards now dark and soaking wet.

The recent rain erased any single footprint that would have existed, but Mahone knew your favourite place.

You showed him once, making him find a basket full of good food, a blanket and some wine. “Twenty steps from the crooked tree… thirtyfive to the left,” he mumbled to himself, finding the faint trail almost immediately.

He walked like a pirate in search of a treasure, careful to never stray from the path.

“Y/n! Y/n honey!” he shouted.

Alex had this foolish thought, this little movie in his head that, once he overcame the underbrush and pierced the thick veil of trees, he would find you.

Maybe angry, maybe scared, it didn’t matter. He just wanted to hug you tight, to never let go.

As he walked up into the clearing, his already broken heart shattered.

Everything was as he remembered: the long, thin trunks of the ashes, the big green rock, the blades of grass.

Even the smell was the same, humid and woody.

But you weren’t there.

You weren’t sitting on that strange rock or maybe laying in the grass. Not you or your body or any kind of hint you were ever there.

Alex’s hand trembled, the light of the torch vibrating. “No...no no no…” he sobbed. “Y/N! HONEY!” he started to shout, “Y/N PLEASE! Y/N!” his eyes darted left and right as the realization started to really hit him. “Y/N I’M SORRY! PLEASE! DON’T...Don’t...p-please come back...” his voice crumbled as did his body, overexerted by the long days without respite.

The flashlight flew from his fingers in a fit of desperate rage and Mahone wept alone in the woods, almost wheezing in the constricting pain holding his heart.

Tears streamed down his face as his palms pressed against his temples, nails digging into his scalp.

It was his fault, all his fault...if he just said no to Sullins, if he sent Wheeler instead...if he listened to Felicia…

You would be home with him.

Eating a warm, good dinner together and then crashing into bed, holding each other until morning.

Now you were gone and his heart was, too.

c l a c k c l a c k c l a c k s p l a s h

Amongst the sobbing and the sounds of the night, Alex’s ears picked up on something. A sound that seemed to come almost from underneath him, faint and muffled.

Then, raising his head, Mahone noticed he was in complete darkness. His torch was nowhere to be found.

No, there was something: a few strands of grass seemed to shine, but the light was too feeble to be his flashlight...or was it?

He moved slowly, furrowing his eyebrows for a moment...and then his eyes shot open wide, for what he saw there, at the foot of the big green rock.

You lingered in that place for at least a couple of hours, watching the sky turning from grey to black as the night progressed. Your phone pinged a couple of times with messages from Alex, asking you to answer his calls, to stop being childish, to please reply. The last one was a defeated ‘we’ll talk when I’ll be back. Write when you’re home. Love you’ that made you melt a litte. You sighed, closing the phone with a little clack and laying it on your forehead, thinking. Now that you were calmer and level-headed, what had happened seemed a little excessive. Sure you’ll speak to Alex about your insecurities, about how you felt being always brushed aside, but at the same time you had to make peace with the fact that you still loved him, so very much. He had that job before you came into his life, it was one of the things that made you fall in love with him: his stubbornness, his logic, his courage. It was a new point in your life and it just needed adjusting, that’s all… “ehh...fuck me…” you whisper with a strange, sweet tone in it, as you took your phone and started to slowly type ‘Going home. Love you too’ to him. As you hit send, the phone froze for a second before giving you a small error message. “No signal? Where am I, Narnia?” you grumbled as you jumped off The Couch, lifting your cellphone at arm-high in search of signals. You stumbled around in the clearing, eyes transfixed on the little screen above your head. “C’mon, now that I wasn’t that angry anymo-” your voice yelped as your heel sank into rotten wood. Something behind you, on the ground, gave away and your entire weight dragged you down, down deep into the earth. You dropped like a stone, your fingers trying to grab the wet, rough walls as you plummeted down. Then a splash, cold water enveloping you with its sharp claws, but it didn't stop gravity enough for your bones not to break. You heard a snap and suddenly a jolt of electrifying pain shot all along your right leg. You cried in agony, scraping your nails against the rocks like running away from the hurt. After a few minutes of intense panic, your eyes started to watch around, to assess your position after the fall. You recognized it, between tears. It was a well. An old well hidden from everyone's eyes but nature, still filled with a couple of feet of freezing water. “Oh no...oh--ffffuck…!” you wailed as you tried to stand up, letting out another cry as you immediately fell down again, your own body too shocked to manage to stand up. The sandy bottom felt grimy underneath your hands, your phone dead in the water where it fell right after you. “HELP! SOMEBODY!” You passed all night screaming for help, watching the mouth of the well light up with the cloudy sky of the morning after. If you squinted enough, its form could be mistaken for a full moon in the middle of a dark sky. Unable to stand on your remaining leg for more than a few seconds, you leaned against the stone walls around you, trying to stay as far as possible from the water. It was too cold to sit in it without freezing to death and you surely didn’t want to die. You screamed and screamed until your throat felt raw and your voice cracked. Your thirst found solace with the same water threatening your life and you drank it with small sips, feeling its coolness fight your body temperature as you gulped it down. Another night came and went. The light grey sky became black again. It rained, water trickling down the walls and slowly pooling at the base of the well, around her legs. You drank your hunger away, using the rain to quench your thirst now that your small reserve of water got, alas, corrupted by your bodily function. Your voice carried less far away, tired but still trying. Third day and leaning against the wall with just one leg had been unbearable. Your knee buckled from time to time, sending you into the water now one feet higher. You convened with your body that sitting down, even if in freezing water, could be done for a couple of minutes at the time. You tried to scream for help again, but your voice croaked pitifully

and never reached the edge of the well, hidden among the grass. Surely someone noticed your disappearance. Surely there was police involved already...it had to be. You secretly hoped he noticed, too. Would he care, after what you screamed at him? You could not feel your leg anymore and looking at its bent shape made you nauseous. Or was it the hunger? "Please….! Someone…" Fourth day. You could not stand anymore. Water reached your chest now and the only moments of warmth is when your bladder empties itself. Rain stopped flowing down that night and you waved goodbye at your only source of clean water. He wasn't there. No one was. Death was. Fifth. Cold. Light. Alex…?

Mahone carefully palmed the edges of the well, double the size of a manhole.

He looked down, the light of his torch now reverberating along stone walls, impressing on them the dance of water. And his heart sank down the same moment he saw you.

You were sitting down with water lapping at your collarbones, your skin so pale you looked like a ghost.

His voice hiccuped a second, before coming out in full force. “Y/N!” he cried, but you didn’t move.

Only a slit of your beautiful, beautiful eyes was open. So were your lips, turned a dangerous shade of blue.

Quickly, Alex grabbed his phone and dialed Lang’s number, knowing full well she would still be in the office. She was leading the search, despite her pessimistic view about it.

The woman replied almost immediately, her voice tense. “Yes?” “I found her!” he hissed, panicked. “Send me the firefighter, now! And paramedics! Please she’s unresponsive I can’t reach-” “Alex, breathe! I’ll send you a backup, but you need to calm down! Where are you?”.

Mahone breathed in, tensing his jaw, before moving his head to search for something to try and pull you out. “She fell into an abandoned well,” his voice was colder, professional. “There’s no time, just track my phone. I’m going down…!” “Alex wait-!”

With that, Mahone closed the call and safely left his phone a couple of feet away from the mouth of the well.

Without a second thought, the man slid one leg into the hole, then the other, slowly lowering himself inside with his feet searching for pursuit on the smooth stones. His fingers found cracks in between the rocks and slowly started his descent. Alex slipped a couple of times, holding on just enough for his shoes to find a ledge again.

The journey you made in a few seconds five days prior, took Alex at least one solid minute of intense climbing. When only a couple of feet separated the both of you, Mahone let go of the wall and fell down into the freezing water, feeling it gnaw at his legs. “Y/n…! Oh God honey...please answer me…!” he panted as he reached you, kneeling down into the stagnant water. His hot hands cupped your frozen face, thumb caressing your cold lips and your damp cheekbones.

For a moment there was nothing. No movements, no reactions but only the sloshing of water around your bodies.

Slowly, then, you came up from the dark, fuzzy place where you were drowning, your eyelashes trembled, stuck, unable to open.

Resuscitated by his warm touch, his presence. “A...lex…” your voice was barely a raspy whisper, but that was enough for Mahone.

He exhaled a deep breath, a smile cracking his tense expression as he lowered his head to kiss your damp forehead. “I’m here love… I’m here.”

For a moment you thought about wrapping your arms around him, searching for more of that scalding sensation against the skin. As you tried, a new explosion of pure agony rebounded in your body.

You couldn't move, almost frozen solid in that curled position. Your stone-cold body started to shake visibly, like a broken machine trying to power on. “h-h-he...reー” you whined under your breath, one hand fighting against the cramping muscles to reach his shirt.

You gripped on him with all the strength you had left, eyes rolling behind the eyelids from time to time.

Mahone immediately wrapped his arms around you, enveloping you in his body warmth. “Yes Y/n I’m here. I’ll take you out darling...I’m here, I’m not leaving…” he whispered hurriedly in your ear, a big lump forming in his throat.

You yelped softly when he touched your broken leg, your only functioning hand pulling at his clothes in pain and Mahone furrowed his brows, watching down in the muddy water.

He saw your injury but didn’t say anything about it, only shifting his body to be able to hold you without causing any pain.

Cuddled into his arm, you let yourself mold into him, your heavy head resting on his shoulder and face searching the hot angle of his throat. “I’ll not let you die…” he sweetly spoke onto your wet hair. “You will not...leave me like this.”

You sighed against his skin, your trembling starting to subdue. Oh you were so tired, the weight of entire oceans on you… but you could not stand losing his voice into the fog. “h--urts-…” you let out a soft noise, desperate and scared.

Your eyes finally managed to unglue, lashes thawed and gaze glassy, but you watched his face, crossed by the undulating lights the torch created from the bottom of the water. If you died there, at least you managed to see the summer skies in his eyes one last time. “I let you down so many times darling…” Alex hushed, his voice low and closed in his throat. His hand never stopped caressing your face, brushing away locks of hair and heating up your skin with his palm. “But I’ll get you out of here...this is a promise I’m going to keep...you just...you just have to keep holding on.”

You wanted to speak, to reply to his sweet, sweet words. Transform your groan into words of love and pureness, but your hand felt heavier than ever before and your aching fingers lost grip on his shirt.

It had been difficult to even remain conscient at that moment, focusing on the beating of his heart in his throat. Focusing on your body now split in two: freezing death on one side, burning pain on the other.

“Stay awake Y/n, don’t sleep…! C’mon honey you have to stay with me now. Please..!” you heard Alex as if he spoke to you from the other side of a glass, the voice you always loved now muffled.

As your mind started to drift off again, a thought came into your mind.

You never managed to reply to his message.

You never said that to him. “ ーove... you…” your tired, hoarse voice managed to claw out of your mouth before passing out again.

Red and blue lights pierced through the trees and seconds after a group of men in uniform came rustling into the clearing.

Guiding them was Felicia Lang, her phone in her hand trying to reach out for Mahone without success. “Where are you, you dumbー !” her mumbling stopped as her eyes saw light coming through the earth, then a little mmmmhz-mmmmhz of Mahone’s vibrating cell phone.

“HERE! HERE!” she shouted, waving her arm. Both police and firemen crowded around the well for a moment, assessing the situation.

There was a man on the bottom of the well, standing in water up to his knees. He was holding a woman in his arms, trying to keep her as close to him as possible. “WE’RE COMING DOWN! STAND BACK!” one of the policemen yelled, as one of the firemen wore a harness.

Alex made one step back, watching intently at the man being lowered into the well by his colleagues. “C’mon…! C’mon!” he hissed under his breath, his body trembling with adrenaline while time slowed down to a crawl.

As soon as the fireman reached them, Alex neared him. “She’s hypothermic, unresponsive...I can’t find a pulse but I see her breathing…!” he spoke quickly, agitated and the fireman nodded. “Paramedics are on the surface, sir, don’t worry.”

You didn’t even make a sound as your frozen body passed from Alex’s determined hold to the arms of the unknown man.

Slowly, you were brought up and out of the moist hell you fell five days prior, and while the fireman carried you towards the on-coming stretcher, Alex was given a rope to use as a way to climb up right behind rescue.

He didn’t even feel the pain in his arms as training and fear both pushed him to move quickly, grasping at the edge of the well with one hand and the other being grasped by Lang. “She’s there, go…!” she whispered to him as soon as he came out.

Mahone neared the stretcher the same time the paramedics put it down for you to be laid on and start first aid.

They couldn’t find a pulse for a good thirty seconds, before one of them confirmed that yes, heart beats were present but slow.

“Shallow breathing. Have you temp?”

“25 degrees. She’s gonna collapse, wrap her!”

“On three. One, two, three-up!”

“Gently!”.

Alex walked near the stretcher, watching you being wrapped up in insulation blankets and with one of the paramedics pumping air into your lungs through a mask.

He never left your side, as the little procession sped through the park, towards the exit and into the back of an ambulance.

On the ride to the hospital, Alex never left your hand.

Your fingers never left his, too.

[holykillercake]

Hazy Justice - 02

01 03

pairing: Cop!Smoker x MilitaryDoctor!Reader

word count: 2k

summary: After eight years serving your country in a war, you returned to your hometown as the new head of Trauma Surgery in one of the best hospitals in the country. You were expecting a calmer life now, but suddenly you see yourself choosing between your brain and your heart, light and dark, justice and evil.

notes: I guess you saw the gif already! We have the introduction of a new character!

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘, 𝖗𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖊𝖘𝖙𝖘, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊!

Stiff neck and a headache. This is what you get for sleeping on your living room floor. 

You took a quick shower and some painkillers before heading for another day of work. On your silent drive towards the hospital, your mind ran through various things. 

The first being the list of your patients, the ones you had to check upon first, their conditions, and find out the attending who took care of them during the night, ask them about possible complications and current situation. 

The second subject hovered your head as more of a question, though. Had you finally met your neighbor, or was it just a dream, the result of your exhausted state? 

You spotted a cute restaurant when you stopped at the red light, perhaps you´d have lunch there today, it was near the hospital, and the place gave you a ¨good food¨ vibe. 

The image of the man you dreamed about wandered its way back into your thoughts, despite your difficulty of seeing a perfect picture. His hair was actually the only thing you were sure about. White, a single lock was falling on his forehead, but it didn´t look like it was meant to be there. Maybe it was just ¨end of the day¨ hairstyle. 

You parked your car on your designated spot and looked around the parking lot. It was the first time you´ve seen it so crowded. It made sense, though. 

A yellow Jaguar drove in a couple of minutes after you did, and since that was the only yellow car you had seen so far, and you spot the small white stuffed bear hanging on the mirror, you knew it was Law. 

He left his car and walked over to you with a strange expression.

¨Y/N-ya, what are you doing here?¨ always so straight to the point.

¨Well, good morning, Law. How are you?¨ the man rolled his eyes, but you refused to answer until he learned how to talk to people properly. 

¨Morning, Y/N-ya. I´m good. What are you doing here?¨

¨What do you mean? I work here.¨ you gave him a duh face. 

¨Yeah, but not today.¨ your head tilted to the side ¨Today is your day off.¨

¨My day off?¨ you were so used to not having days off that it didn´t even cross your mind. You asked the HR person everything but days off. ¨What am I supposed to do on my day off?¨

¨I don´t know, Y/N-ya. Go explore the city or have some rest. Today you only get inside this hospital wounded or dead.¨ he said bitterly, patted your shoulder, and entered the building. 

The only thing besides work you had planned for the day was paying a visit to that cute restaurant, so it took you some good thinking to come up with a plan. Maybe Tashigi was free, and you two could do something together. 

<Mornin´ Tashigi! U free today?>

<Morning, Y/N-san! I just need to take somethings to the office then I´m free!>

<Do u mind if we meet there?>

<Of course not! Smoker-san will be there too I think. You said you wanted to meet him.>

<Perfect then! See you in a bit ~>

<See you, Y/N-san!>

Tashigi´s station was inside the Justice District, so it didn´t take long for you to reach it. The journey was peaceful, and the view was something to take note of. Beautiful leafy trees were strategically planted on the sidewalks, offering shadows for those who preferred to walk, no scratched paint in any house, store, or building. They all looked recently finished. The asphalt was shiny and without bumps or holes, making every car trip smooth.

You entered the Police Department and couldn´t help but feel a bit lost.

¨The new Commissioner made quite a few changes in the place.¨ you mumbled to yourself. 

Back in the day when Sengoku was the Chief of the Police Headquarters, the halls were lighter and brighter, the furniture was softer, and it smelled like spring - if that is possible. After he retired, a man named Sakazuki took his place, and to be honest, he seemed pretty decent, but he deals with justice differently, and the place shows. 

First, it was damn cold; the AC was making his money worth it; the smell was the second thing that hit you. The strong odor of bleach, the freezing temperature, and the morbid LEDs on the bleak grey ceiling made you feel like you were in a morgue. Everything else was made out of either leather or metal. 

This Sakazuki guy was definitely on the list of the people you didn´t want to meet. 

¨Hi, can you help me? I´m looking for-¨

¨Y/N-san!¨ Tashigi yelled, almost losing balance and falling on her face. 

¨Hey, careful there!¨ you hugged her. ¨You´re good to go?¨

¨Yeah, I just...¨ she turned her head around a couple of times, looking for something. She smiled and waved at someone ¨Smoker-san! Here!¨

The man was getting out of a room, sunglasses on and a cigar on his mouth. He was tall and seemed muscular under the leather jacket, but what caught your attention was his hair, the same white hair you remembered from last night. Only this time it was completely put back, no loose locks. 

The change in his expression made you think he had recognized you as well, and the thought of Tashigi´s boss being your front-door neighbor made you chuckle. 

¨That´s what I call a coincidence.¨ he said and took off the shades. You struggled not to gasp when his light-brown eyes met yours.

¨Right? I was so tired last night that I thought you were a dream.¨ you giggled, and he broke a smile. 

¨You know each other?¨ Tashigi asked.

¨We´re neighbors! It took a while for us to meet, though.¨ 

¨Tough week.¨ he touched the nape of his neck. 

¨Yeah, it was. We even saw you yesterday, Y/N-san!¨ the young officer said, confusing you ¨The Sora park, we were there too! But since you looked so busy, I didn´t want to interrupt.¨

So much happened, but you couldn´t recall anything. 

You just focused on starting the triage process. Determining the severity of the patient´s condition, assign a priority level, taking care of those who could be assisted in the local, and having the severely injured ones being sent to the hospital where you knew Marco would take good care of them. 

You were immensely wrong when you guessed that the triage process would be easier, thinking that the majority of the victims were fatalities.

 Apparently, the park was celebrating its 5th anniversary, so people from not only the different districts but other cities were all gathered in the park. 

¨Sorry, I didn´t... see you guys.¨ you said a little apologetic and lost. 

¨No apologies needed.¨ Smoker said ¨It was pretty intense. Although we were not supposed to spread knowledge of our presence in the scene.¨ he gave her a disguised rebuke, and you watched your friend get redder than a bell pepper, apologizing. 

You stared at each other for two seconds before you burst into laughter.

¨You´re still as clumsy as I remember, Tashigi.¨ you wiped a few tears ¨But don´t worry, this information dies with me.¨ you turned to Smoker, and he nodded, trusting you as a military. 

¨S-Should we go, Y/N-san?¨ 

¨Yes, of course! Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Smoker.¨ 

¨Pleasure is all mine, Y/N.¨ you shook hands again, staring each other in the eyes. 

His eyes slowly traveled to your lips, and you noticed that you were biting it, blushing more than Tashigi. 

¨Well, see you, then!¨ you let go of his hand and rushed to the door. 

¨Y/N,¨ you turned with an audible hm? and raised brows ¨knock if you need anything.¨ you nodded and smiled. 

¨Will do.¨ 

~

¨I´ll have the Kenafa, please.¨ Tashigi told the waiter with so much of a look in the menu. 

The cute restaurant you drove by earlier was called Terracota, and it was specialized in foreign cuisine. Even with the names and ingredients, you couldn´t figure out something you´d like, so you decided to order the same thing as the officer. 

¨That´s what eight years of ration do to you.¨ you joked.  

¨What have you been eating these days?¨ 

¨Whatever they have on the menu at the hospital. Sandwiches, pasta, sandwiches, sandwiches, chocolate bars, sandwiches...¨ you laughed ¨Haven´t had time to think about cooking yet.¨

¨Take outs are simpler, right?¨ you nodded ¨So, what do you think about Smoker-san?¨ 

¨Looks decent, polite, hard worker-¨

¨Aw, come on, Y/N-san! That´s not what I asked!¨ she gave you a suggestive look ¨He´s not taken, you know.¨

You open and closed your mouth a couple of times, words refusing to come out.

¨What? Tashigi!¨

¨I´m just saying!¨ she held her hands up, defending herself in the middle of giggles ¨But seriously, Y/N-san, I think he liked you too.¨

¨Ok, first, I never said I liked him, and second, I just got here. Can´t really think about this stuff.¨ 

¨Well, you should consider, at least. He doesn´t go out a lot, so...¨ she prolonged the last word ¨...maybe it was fate that put you two as neighbors.¨ you scoffed.

¨You believe in this stuff?¨

¨I do. Sometimes we see some crazy things...¨ her expression frowned ¨...it helps if I believe in fate. And the reason behind things... you know?¨ you nodded when she looked at you, even though you didn´t.

For your salvation, the waiter came back with the amuse-bouche, breaking the uncomfortable moment.

 You didn´t want to tell her that you stopped believing that everything happens for a reason a long time ago.

¨But you said you have a brother here, right? Have you seen him already?¨

¨Unfortunately, no. He´s out of town now, so I´ll have to wait. God, I miss him so much!¨ a smile grew on your lips with the idea of seeing him again. 

¨Oh yeah, you told me he runs businesses. Do you know the names? Maybe I know or visited before, or even know him!¨

¨Of course! There´s the Casino Verde, the Hotel Verde and a restaurant called Suna. I´ve never be-¨ 

The girl in front of you turned purple as she choked on her food, a raucous cough called everyone´s attention while one hand covered her mouth and the other smacked her chest. 

¨Y-Your brother is C-Crocodile?¨ she asked with a hushed voice, still trying to fight her food from coming out. 

You were expecting her to know him, but the explosive noodle reaction caught you a little off guard. 

¨Yeah... are you ok?¨ you offered her a napkin which she gladly accepted.

¨I´m sorry about this, it´s just...¨ she paused a bit, brows furrowing while her fingers tore the napkin you gave her. Then she took a deep breath and recomposed herself ¨... he´s very famous, you know? He basically runs the Light District!¨

You knew he was rich and powerful, but to say that he ran the most extravagant district was a surprise. A good one, though. You couldn't help but feel proud of him. 

You remember all the sacrifices he made when you were two just kids lost in this world. All the humiliating jobs he´d work at to buy you food. The pain of having his childhood taken from him at such young age. 

He became a man to protect you. He never let anything or anyone hurt you, he never let you starve even if that meant he´d be going to sleep with nothing but a glass of tap water in his stomach.

You felt a burning sensation on your nose, and your eyes started to water, bringing a genuine smile to rise on your lips and tears roll down your cheeks. You didn´t mind it, though. You were too happy.

¨Yeah... he is my brother.¨ 

[itstittycitybaby]

From the Ashes We are Born (Part two)

A/N: Just wanna say thank you so much for the notes and follows! I appreciate it a lot. I forget how broken tumblr is until i have to post something with 1000+ words. Anyways enjoy lmao.

.

The cool and crisp sheets welcomed you in its arms once you woke up. They smelt of pine trees and lemon with a tinge of muskiness to it. A dull ache coursed through your head, causing you to curse. The light did no favours for your head either. You groaned; there was a bedside table with a few candles. A hint of vanilla wafted through the air as the flame flickered and danced. “Where the fuck am I?” You rubbed your eyes to wake yourself up even more before trying to escape wherever the fuck you had been taken to. A bandage was placed on the side of your head where that cop had struck you. Slinging one leg out you raised yourself out of bed, or tried to anyway. The sheets had wrapped itself around your legs and waist. Your left leg felt tingly and weak once you put your weight on it. “Oh fuck,” you yelped as you toppled onto the floor, smacking your nose in the process. A nice thudding sound followed at the impact. Great, now my kidnapper knows I'm definitely awake. It was nice living while it lasted, I guess. As if on cue hurried footsteps caught your attention. The sound traveled throughout the mysterious place and into the room you were currently in. As you tried to untangling your legs out of the cursed sheet, you noticed the mountains and mountains of books piled in the room. Several stacks were behind the bed and there were cases of them piled on the cold floor. 

Shaking your head out of your thoughts, you tried getting up again. However, your legs still refused to cooperate with you. The floor seemed to stare back at you mockingly as you caught yourself from kissing it. Huffing, you resorted to a military like crawl to get around. One arm forward, one leg forward, pull. Now, other arm… “I see you have awakened,” an amused voice said. There, stood your captor. V. You almost laughed at the pink frilly apron tied around his waist. Almost. You sent him a glare as he stood there, amused in the predicament you were in. “I didn’t notice. Where am I?” “My home. The Shadow Gallery,” V said as he extended his arm. “May I?” Sighing, you wrapped your fingers around his arm and let him pull you up. You clutched onto his arm tightly for support. Your knees started to shake and you prepared for them to buckle beneath you for the third goddamn time. “Oh great,” you huffed as you started to fall. You screwed your eyes shut, bracing for impact. It never came. Your eyes flew open and you stood there, confused. That’s when you realized what was supporting your waist. Who was supporting your waist. V’s arm had snaked around your waist and he pulled your side into him. He rested his mask atop your head, warmth radiating off of him. You could smell the musky scent of pine from the sheets as you inhaled. Cheeks singing with heat, you mumbled a “thanks.” “Of course, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself anymore,” he chuckled. You wanted to ignore the way his voice traveled down your spine and caused your belly to flutter.

“How long was I out for? I can’t really..walk.” “Yes I can see that,” he teased. “Roughly I’d say two days.”  Two days? Two fucking days?!  “How is your head,” V asked as he led you through the gallery. “Hurts,” you quipped, leaning on him for support. His arm was still wrapped around your waist. Not that you noticed. Several Statues and paintings filled the hall as he led you to..somewhere. You gaped in shock; famous paintings and sculptures that had been locked up were sitting here, in the Shadow Gallery. “Holy shit, V. These are..,” you guestered towards the contraband in front of you. “From the vaults of the Ministry of Objectionable Materials,” he finished for you. “How did you manage to steal them?” V chuckled, “Stealing implies ownership, you can’t steal from the censor, I merely reclaimed them.” You laughed, clever as always.

V led you to a small kitchen. A small table sat in the middle of it with the appliances behind it. Knick knacks and books filled the barren beige tiled walls. The Shadow Gallery had a homey feeling to it. Just looking at it made your heart warm. You sank into the chair V had sat you in. A couple books were open on the table along with a few newspapers strewn about. “TERRORIST DEAD!”, was one of the headlines of the paper. A picture of V’s masked face was printed, lying on the floor. You snickered. How stupid people had to be to believe that shit. “I apologize, I was going to tidy up before you woke.” You looked away from the clipping and smiled reassuringly. “It’s alright, V. Much cleaner than my apartment; there’s paint splattered everywhere and clothes around the floor.” “You enjoy painting?” His back was turned to you holding an egg. V cracked it somehow making cracking an egg elegant. It sizzled as it fell onto the pan. “Yea I do. I’m not the best but I love it. It helps me.” You watched V as he moved about the kitchen. 

His gracefulness never failed to astonish you. The spatula he was using caught the egg after he flipped it into the air. It made you smile as you watched him maneuver around the place. “Art is art. Whether or not the quality of it is excellent, it should speak what words cannot.” “Not sure you’d still say that once you looked at it,” you laughed. “I tend to make some weird things.” “I would like to see them one day, you have caught my interest,” V said, scooping the eggs on a plate. He placed a piece of toast on the plate and set it before you. That’s when you caught sight of his hands. They looked painful; they were an angry red and scars littered them. His hands looked incredibly rough and it looked like it hurt. Your heart hurt looking at them. “V,” you said softly, “are you okay?” His eyes caught the direction you were looking at. “Ah, excuse me.” He turned his back to you as he grabbed his gloves. The leather crinkled as he snapped them back on. “There, that’s better,” V said once he turned to you again, flexing his fingers as he held them in front of him. “Did you hurt your hands?” V didn’t say anything for a bit as he looked at his gloves. “Once, a long time ago. There was a fire. I’m fine now, thank you for your concern.”

The air felt tense between you two. V’s body language seemed uncomfortable at the mention of his hands, so you didn’t press any further. You dug into the egg in front of you;yolk poured out as you cut it. You hummed as you took a bite. “God, that’s good.” V chuckled, his shoulders relaxed once the topic of his skin was dropped. “Good,” he said, pouring tea into a cup. His hands were folded as he watched you munch on your toast. The taste of buttery goodness hit your tongue instantly. You looked at him shocked. “That’s...is that real butter?” “Yes, yes it is.” You stared at him, dumbfounded. “How did you..?” “A government supply train on its way to Chancellor Sutler.” Your brows shot up as you gaped at V. He said it so calmly like stealing from a dictator was a normal pastime. “You’re actually crazy. You stole..from Chancellor..Sutler..I..”

“I dare all that may become a man. Who dares more is none,” V quoted. Your brows furrowed  and your lips pulled into a frown at his words. What is he talking about? “I’m pretty sure I don’t understand that reference.” “Macbeth?” Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He probably thinks I’m an idiot. You shook your head and looked down at your food. “Not interested in the fine art of theatre?” You scarfed down your last bite of toast and egg, setting your fork down gently. If you weren’t starving you would be embarrassed of swallowing your food. V didn’t seem to mind anyways. 

“I enjoy seeing plays and things like that. I just never got the chance to read them.” You grabbed your plate and started to rise from your seat, but V stopped you. “I’ve got it Mademoiselle,” he said, grabbing your plate from your hands. “Thanks,” you replied, sitting back in your seat awkwardly. You twirled your thumbs to try and calm the butterflies in your stomach. You felt sick as you stood there. Would he be offended or embarrassed that you hadn’t studied theatre?  “I have a few of his works around the gallery, you’re more than welcome to read them if you’d like.” The sink spat out water. You watched V scrub your plate vigorously. You had to stop yourself from laughing as you realized he’d change his gloves again to rubber yellow ones. “I would, but it’s hard for me to understand what's going on. I probably sound stupid,” you muttered. V shook his head; his hair bouncing along with it. “Nonsense my dear; just because something is difficult does not make you stupid.” You snorted. V turned to you after putting your plate away. The look in your eyes looked faraway, and empty. Underlying it was sadness and a flicker of anger. “My dad would say differently. He was religious and batshit insane.” “What about your mother,” V asked, folding the kitchen towel and hanging it back on the stove. “Cancer took her. I don’t remember her at all.” “I’m sorry to hear that.” You shrugged, “Life moves on. What can you do.” V didn’t say anything. In fact, he didn’t know what to say. He had many skills, but comfort was one he lacked. You looked so bitter as you sat there, sipping your tea. “If you’d like, I’d be happy to read one of Macbeth’s plays to you,” V said gently. Surely, that would help take your mind off of things right? You grinned, ignoring the fluttering in your heart. A distraction was what you needed and V gave you just that. “Sure!”

[halstudandruz]

Always Have, Always Will

*Not my gif*

Pairing: Jay Halstead x Reader

Prompt: Reader reconnects with Jay, her ex boyfriend and current boyfriend’s brother.

Warnings: Swearing, cheating

A/N: Part 2 here // Part 3 here

“Babe, have you seen my-oh nevermind.” Will yelled from his bedroom making you laugh as you finished packing both your lunches. You were both heading off to your shifts at Chicago Med where Will would be working a double that night.

You were a few hours in when your world was flipped upside down.

“Hey we’re here for Jamison Recker.” A voice a few steps away from you said that had you immediately turning around, eyes wide at the familiarity and your heart was caught in your throat at the confirmation of the owner.

“Room 343.” The receptionist informed him. He thanked her turning to move down the hall when he spotted you stopping in his tracks. The girl beside him looked suspiciously between the two of you before shoving him in the arm seemingly bringing him back to reality. Allowing him to take the last few steps towards you,

“Jay..” you croaked out in disbelief.

Now for the background story. You had reconnected with Will whenever you moved back to Chicago after getting a job offer as a nurse at Chicago Med. Growing up you two were neighbors along with his little brother, Jay, and hung out with them practically 24/7. By the time you had gotten to high school Jay and Will were vying for your attention both sporting obvious crushes, which surprised you honestly, but eventually you had to pick and well... you picked Jay. You were head over heels for Jay much to Will’s dismay. After that things weren’t always the same between the three of you. Which upset you, you never intended to hurt anyone, but it was inevitable apparently. It wasn’t that you didn’t love Will because you did it was just that Jay had you sucked in from the start. He ended up being your first everything, and you his. You were convinced this wasn’t some puppy love, this was absolutely the real thing. You stayed together throughout all of high school and then some until he decided he wanted to go into the military. You were willing to try it. It was going to be hard but you were completely in love with him and you would do anything to support him, but he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to put either of you through that especially with you going off to college where he wanted you to live your best life, and that was that. No letters. No pictures. No communication. You were devastated for months. Standing here right now was the first time you had seen him since you bid him goodbye in the airport the day he left for basic training. When you had gotten back to Chicago you were pleasantly surprised to run into Will on your first day. It didn’t take long at all for you two to get back into old habits and you ended together. It had been about two months since he asked to make your relationship official, but no words had been spoken about Jay. You didn’t want to ask and he didn’t seem like he wanted to bring it up. So, in fear of any answers or fights you always let it lay dead in your mind. But now here he was. Standing right in front of you making you lightheaded at the reality of it all.

“[Y/N], wow..hi.” He answered back with as much vulnerability making your heart ache even more. You couldn’t believe your body was having this reaction right now. You were dating his brother and you wanted nothing more than to pull him into you like your life depended on it. Wondering if his lips felt the same as they did a decade ago. Your mind couldn’t keep up. If it was even fucking possible he was even more handsome. Muscles rippling clear in the shirt he was wearing, jeans forming around his legs perfectly, just the right amount of scruff on his face. The same baby blue eyes you always fell into.

“Jay! Hey, I didn’t know you were coming in.” A voice appeared beside you making you jump. Feeling an arm wrap around your waist you looked up to see it belonged to Will making you swallow hard. This had to happen someday you just didn’t imagine it happening like this. You hadn’t imagined it at all actually because you refused to, but now that it was you wanted to step as far away from Will as possible, but he held you tightly against his side as though he was showing his possession. You could see the confusion on Jay’s face as Will continued, “I see you’ve run into America’s most badass power couple.” He joked and suddenly you remembered there was a girl standing beside Jay. Averting your eyes to her. A gorgeous brunette with combat boots and a leather jacket. Sporting an amazing smile as she extended her hand to you,

“Hi. I’m Erin.” She introduced herself, “I take it you two know each other?” She pointed between the two of you after shaking your hand and the jealousy was running thick through your blood.

“Uh yeah. A long time ago. I actually didn’t know he was even in Chicago.” You explained looking back over to Jay who was fidgeting.

“Didn’t I tell you that honey?” Will asked with emphasis on the pet name and you could swear fire appeared in Jay’s eyes, “he’s in the intelligence unit.” Will finished.

“Speaking of, we actually have to go talk to a victim. It was nice meeting you. We’ll have to get together sometime.” Erin smiled pulling Jay with her as he bid you goodbye, still in a daze. As you watched him walk away you turned to face Will.

“You didn’t feel the need to tell me Jay’s in Chicago?” You asked dumbfounded.

“I didn’t really see the importance. Figured you find out sooner or later.” He shrugged rendering you speechless, making him sigh, “I’m sorry. I thought if I did I might lose my chance with you again, and he’s with Erin anyway. We had to talk about it eventually. I just figured you didn’t want to know since you didn’t ask.” He pulled you into a hug as you nodded against his chest,

“Yeah. No, you’re right. I’m sorry I’m just shocked is all.” You explained.

“I would’ve given you a heads up if I knew he was coming.” Will said moving to continue but being interrupted by Ethan,

“Halstead, need you for a second.” Ethan yelled at him from down the hall. Will let you go backing away to take your face into his hands,

“We’ll talk more later, okay?” He asked, kissing your forehead and heading off when you nodded.

The rest of your shift went fast. Kissing Will quickly on your way out, heart not into it after the day's events. After arriving home you got a quick shower and ate before ending up on your couch, photo album in your lap. You were inspecting a photo of you on Jay’s back kissing his cheek when a knock alerted you. Quickly closing the album and shoving it back into your coffee table you went to answer it, confused since Will shouldn’t be even close to off shift yet. Opening the door you couldn’t help the laugh that escaped you. Thinking this day couldn’t get any more twisted as you stepped aside gesturing him inside.

“What are you laughing about?” Jay asked, walking into the doorway, closing the door behind him.

“I don’t even know at this point. I feel like I’m trapped in some kind of bad movie.” You shook your head walking into the kitchen where he followed you. “How’d you find me?” You asked pouring more wine into your glass you already had out before getting a beer out of the fridge and offering it to Jay.

“I am a cop.” He pointed out taking the beer from your outstretched hand.

“Never bothered to look me up before?” You asked leaning against the counter as he leaned against the doorframe. Making him look down and chuckle,

“Couple months ago. You were still in Florida.” He admitted. “How long ago did you come back?”

“About four months ago.” You answered, “he never told you?” You continued causing him to laugh bitterly.

“Just like he never told you.” Jay shrugged, “looks like it worked out for him though.” He shook his head taking a gulp of his beer.

“Jay..” You warned but as you looked at him you seen the pain clear in his features.

“Do you love him?” He finally asked.

“Jay..” You repeated.

“Please..I just..I need to know.” He pleaded grip tight around his bottle.

“No.” You finally answered, feeling guilty at the confession, as you watched Jay relax. “Erin, know you’re here?” You shot back.

“That..doesn’t matter.” He sighed after a long pause setting his beer on the counter stepping a little closer to you. “Why didn’t you ask about me?”

“I was too scared.” You admitted looking down at the marble knuckles white from the grip you had on the edge. He stepped slowly towards you, a hand landing on your hip as his finger tilted your head up towards him.

“I’ve never stopped missing you. Loving you. Not for a single second.” He whispered searching your eyes with his.

“Jay..what are you doing here.” You took a deep breath not moving closer but not moving away.

“I couldn’t not see you. I’ve waited long enough.” He answered but your palms came to his chest pushing him away shaking your head anger and sadness in your voice,

“You can’t do this. You can’t just show up here after 10 years and expect me to fall at your feet. You did this. You broke us up!” You yelled at him.

“I know and it’s eaten me alive everyday since. To not know how we could’ve ended up. To not know if you still loved me. I wrote you so many damn letters but I couldn’t bring myself to send even one of them.” Jay ran a hand through his hair taking a deep breath before continuing, “you know Erin,” and at her name you rolled your eyes making him raise an eyebrow but still he continued not commenting, “she made me go to her high school reunion with her last month and all I could think the entire time was what ours was going to be like. If you were going to show up. If you were married. Maybe you had kids, and it just fucking tore me apart, but I couldn’t bring myself to look you up because I was too scared of seeing it be a reality. I sat there and just imagined you walking through that door. Looking as beautiful as you always have and coming back to me.” He said taking your hand gently and pulling you back into him, “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t fair. I know we shouldn’t be doing this, but god dammit, [Y/N], my entire world was flipped upside down 6 hours ago when I saw you standing there.” He poured out, his hands gripping each side of your face, and you made the mistake of meeting his eyes, those damn baby blue eyes that you could never snap out of as you leaned up to capture his lips with yours. At the connect one hand gripped the front of his shirt pulling him impossibly close as the other grasped the back of his neck. The kiss started out slow, gentle as you fell back into the rhythm that was all too familiar, capturing a taste you had longed for for way too long. Before Jay snuck his tongue in your mouth slowly taking dominance while he lifted you onto the counter knocking your glass down at the same time, shattered glass hit the tile, merely an echo as you focused your entire body solely on Jay’s..

————-

“Well..that was a little different than it used to be.” Jay joked, still breathing heavily pulling the covers up to your hips.

“In a good way I hope.” You replied, head falling down onto his sweaty chest, his rapid heartbeat loud against your ear.

“In a very good way. Not that you weren’t good before!” He hurried out realizing what he said, making you laugh.

“We were each other’s first, Jay. Not like we had much to go off of. But god damn do you look good, and here I thought you couldn’t look any better. Way to prove me 1000 times wrong..” You said running your fingers along his abs, making him smile. You laid your hands on his chest, fingers intertwining below where your chin rested, looking up at him.

“Have you..?” He trailed off swallowing hard not actually wanting to ask, but gaining new found fresh air when you shook your head no.

“What did we just do, Jay?” You asked after a few minutes with guilt clear in your voice, causing him to sigh and tuck your hair behind your ear.

“We’ll figure it out.” He promised sincerity in his voice.

“I love you. I always have.” You bit your lip searching his eyes.

“I love you too. I always will.” He replied by rubbing your cheek bone with the pad of his thumb. You didn’t know how this was going to end up. You didn’t feel like it could be good in any way, but for the first time since the day Jay left you felt truly and completely safe in his arms again and that’s all that mattered to you right now. All the rest..it could wait.

[eluminium]

Raiding the Train: Endings

Hello Hello and welcome to all the endings for my Henry Stickmin Fanfaction, The Bowtie Bastards and their game Raiding the Train! All these endings are based on the endings gotten in Completing the Mission. 

WARNING! SPOILERS ARE COMING UP! IF YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED COMPLETING THE MISSION DO NOT CLICK “KEEP READING”. YOU HATH BEEN WARNED BY A SWEDISH GREMLIN.

     There are 4 categories, Toppat Related Endings, Solo Endings, Partnered Endings and Government Related Endings. They’ll come in that order.

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                                    ¤~Toppat Related Endings~¤

Toppat King - Due to the great rise of the Toppat Clan, The Bowtie Bastards team up with the government to try and take them down. They chase down Henry (similar to how he chased down Reginald in ItA if you pick the plastic ball) but just as it seems that Henry has lost he manages to use a Gadget Gabe tool to mind control/brainwash Couductor Elg. Since its such a taboo to betray someone in the Bowtie Bastards, especially the Conductor, the gang switch sides at her order and they force the government to retreat. Now with The Conductor firmly under his control, he's now the leader of both the Toppat Clan and the Bowtie Bastards.                                        

Ending name: Hats and Ties

Toppat Recruits - After being accepted into the clan, Henry has to return the Romanian Ruby as promised. But when the day they ruby is supposed to be returned comes a Bowtie Bastards spy inside the Toppat clan steals it from Henry. Reginald is furious and threatens to kick Henry out of he doesn't find the ruby in 12 hours. So Henry corners the Bowtie who stole the Ruby and makes him reveal where it is now. It's now on the Bowtie Bastards train back at earth and Ellie offers her help in retrieving it. They get down to earth and retake the ruby but Henry notices another valuable jewel that could boost his favor with Reginald, the Portuguese Purpurnite. He steals that too and with Ellie's help, he brings them back to Reginald. Reginald is surprised but delighted about the added bonus of the Purpurnite and promotes Henry and Ellie to high ranking positions within the clan, citing their loyalty, efficiency, and determination.  

Ending name: Risen Ranks

Toppat 4 Life - Henry hears that the Bowtie Bastards are currently in a really bad spot and vulnerable, so he plans an all-out raid on them because riches make clan better uwu. Unfortunately, they drag the attention of literally almost every faction out there, and now everyone wants a piece of the Bowtie pie. So a gigantic battle occurs and the Toppat's retreat to their space station when most of the other factions bail too. This leaves the Bowtie Bastards in ruin, yet the climate in the crime world has forever changed.                      

Ending name: New allies, New Enemies

Revenged - Henry fucking dead lol you cant choose this one

Toppat Civil Warfare - After being cut off from the Toppat clan the Henry squad is running low on funds with Ellie's sides constantly harassing them. While wandering the desert they find the Bowtie Bastards train and by twisting their story about being kicked out a bit they are granted sanctuary by Conductor Elg. But they keep secretly stealing cash from the Bowtie Bastards to fund the civil war against Ellie and the other Toppats. But one day the train stops and outside the train is the rest of the Toppat Clan because the Bowtie Bastards were actually allied with Ellie's side of the civil war. They basically set up a trap for Henry's side. A big battle then happens and Henry is clinging onto life so to get away, he plays dead. Ellie comes up to finish him once and for all but she gets backstabbed by Elg, who reveals that she allied with Ellie because the Bowtie Bastards wanted to forever shatter the Toppat clan by killing both sides of the civil war. Ellie dies and the Bowtie Bastards bail. Henry sneaks away with Dave and their fate is unknown.                                           

Ending Name: Forsaken and Fractured

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                                             ¤~Solo Endings~¤

Master Bounty Hunter - Henry gets a bounty on a high ranking Bowtie Bastards member by another crime organization (don't know which one yet) he finishes that bounty but gets captured by some members who force him to reveal who he was working for. When he tells them they freak out a bit and they throw him into a cell temporarily. He escapes of course but now he's started a full-on gang war between The Bowtie Bastards and the faction who hired him.   

Ending name: Accidental War Instigator

Stickmin Space Resort - A few members of the Bowtie Bastards (Including Conductor Elg) stay at the resort undercover because they want a nice week out. However, they commit way too many mildly irritating things by mistake and Henry decides that he want to be a petty bitch today. So he heads down and sabotages their train while also stealing the Conductors Bowtie aka one of if not the most important things to the gang. When they find out Henry SELLS the bowtie back to them for a hefty sum of money which is a huge embarrassment to the Bowtie Bastards.                                             

Ending name: Petty Business

Jewel Baron - After collecting the 3 jewels from earlier, Henry decides that 3 isn't enough. He hears about the Portuguese Purpurnite, which is currently owned by the Bowtie Bastards. So he goes, does his thing, and steals the precious stone.                                                 

Ending name: Gem Harvester

Free Man - A few months after the whole "getting captured by the Toppat clan and then escaping" thing Henry is actually trying to return to a more normal life. One day while he's doing some paperwork at his local bank a Bowtie Bastards raid happens at said bank and Henry gets shoved in a money bag. The next thing he knows he's on the bowtie bastards train because they accidentally took the bag he was in. As he's escaping he catches a TV broadcast about the attack on the bank. Apparently, all the money in that bank is gone, causing him and many others to basically be broke at the moment. So he uses some bullshit thing to teleport all the money back to the bank because he ain't gonna be broke again and he has interest on those savings. After that, he escapes and returns to his "normal" life.                                             

Ending name: Interest in Normality

Little Nest Egg - While Henry is trying to get all the riches he stole to a safe place some employees of the Wall try to recapture him because after Henry did the thing Dmitri found out Henry wasn't actually dead and got furious. But before Henry is completely screwed by The Wall he runs into the Bowtie Bastards. They offer to let him become a member and protect him if he gives all the riches to them. Seeing no other option Henry joins the Bowtie Bastards and then later defends the train when The Wall tries to raid it and capture him.          

Ending name: TRAINed for Thievery

Clean 'em Out - Henry's gotten very comfortable in a life of riches after his successful robbery of the Toppats but he forgot someone from his past. Ellie. After she escaped The Wall she came to look for revenge on Henry for abandoning her. She tries to rob him but Henry catches her. During their confrontation, the Bowtie Bastards suddenly appear (having planed a robbery on Henry for a while) and rob Henry while he is busy with Ellie. Ellie is now totally lost because she focused so much on revenge and Henry is dirt poor again, so they make an uneasy alliance to get the stuff back with Henry promising to give half to Ellie so she'll help him then leave him alone after they're done. When they finally steal all the things back Henry can either betray Ellie again or hold up his part of the deal.                                            

Ending name if Henry betrays Ellie again: Taker of Opportunities

Ending name if Henry doesn't betray Ellie: Unanticipated Teamwork

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                                        ¤~Partnered Endings~¤

Pardoned Pals - After being pardoned, Henry and Ellie start accumulating into normal society for once. But when they stumble upon The Bowtie Bastards during a failed heist, they take advantage of the chaos to try and get some loot for themselves. But they get caught. However, they use some big brain plays to convince the cop who caught them that they were trying to put the riches back from where they were stolen. They return the big treasures (to keep the cover) but they manage to get away with some smaller loot.                 

 Ending name: Old habits pay Off

Capital gains - After Henry and Ellie become part of the 1% the Bowtie Bastards take an interest. (because they hate rich people since they benefit from the society that oppresses others and they especially hate rich people who were poor once yet they don't help out the current poor) They steal a lot of riches from the duo and flee. Henry and Ellie aren't gonna let these bowtie bitches steal their loot so they attack the train with the tank and not only steal their stuff back but also all the Bowtie Bastards loot as well. Conductor Elg is also gravely injured by them and its unknown if she survives or perishes.                   

 Ending name: Dragons on their Hoard

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                                 ¤~Government Related Endings~¤

Special BROvert Ops - Henry and Charles are called to order by General Galeforce to deal with a huge security breach. You see, the Bowtie Bastards have gotten their hands on the plans for a superweapon. Henry must steal em back before they do something nasty with it. Of course, he does but they don't manage to escape before the Bowtie Bastards shoot them down. They both survive with some injuries but now they're stuck without any way to contact anyone.                                                      

Ending name: Stuck

Valiant hero - A few weeks have gone by since Charles'es death. General Galeforce, seeing how much Henry is grieving, decides to let him look at what would be Charles'es next operations if he survived and possibly take part in any of them to "finish any work left". Henry notices that the next big (and last) operation Charles was given was a raid on the Bowtie Bastards. Henry agrees with the military to take part in the raid with other military members. But a few days before the scheduled raid Henry catches a TV broadcast where it's revealed that the remaining Toppats who escaped the exploding space station were picked up by the Bowtie Bastards. He sees red, finds the train, and totally destroys the Bowtie Bastards by himself. He murders all the remaining Toppats by hand and Conductor Elg as well, for accepting those rats into her organization.                                                   

Ending name: In His Honor

Triple Threat - Following many successful attacks on many factions by the Triple Threat Trio the Bowtie Bastards see them as too much of a threat to keep alive, so they capture the Triple Threat Trio and lock them in the train. While they try to escape both The Wall and the Government arrive too either rescue them or recapture Ellie and Henry. With the chaos erupting from all these factions interacting the Triple Threat Trio gathers important info on many factions that the Bowtie Bastards have and then they bail after almost being capture by The Wall. With all the information the Bowtie Bastards had on other factions the Government starts to crack down hard on them all, causing great panic in the crime world.                                                   

Ending name: Crime World Butterfly Effect

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Those are all the current endings for Raiding the Train! I might change them up if i feel like it but for now, this is it. Thank you for reading!

[yellowocaballero]

Cod(a) Monkey

Forgot to post this earlier. Epilogue to my Half-life story Code Monkey , which is a 90s stoner comedy flick except Black Mesa. Probably understandable without it, though. Not canon to that story, but consider it a sort of alt ending. 

Written because my friend was upset that Barney and Gordon never got that beer, so it’s dedicated to @magickkart. The Half Life 2 story is still in the works! It’ll be a bit long. 

Rest under the cut. 

“I don’t feel pain,” Gordon said. “So no. But I went to a concert, and it was very heavy on bass and drums. Good vibrations. Kind of like a gun’s vibrations, but more purposeful.”

“The symphony of violence,” Barney said with a straight face, using the sign for ‘abuse’ and passing the finger past the fist very empathetically, several times, as he always did whenever he felt the need to describe the way Gordon killed things. “Is the mosh pit where you learned the Rambo thing?”

“Sure, Barney. Sure it is.”

“Because I really don’t think you were born a superpowered killing machine -”

“There’s no superpowers involved. I really don’t know how else to explain it to you.”

“You cannot just be a genetic assassin -”

“Guns aren’t hard, Barney. You just press A.”

“What does that mean -”

“What I don’t understand,” Barney said that night, over clammy mugs of beer and sticky wooden tables, “is what Black Mesa was going to do with the world once they took it over. I mean, they were already a shadowy government agency in the most powerful government in the world with unlimited funding that basically did whatever they wanted. What were they going to do, increase our salaries?”

If it wasn’t for the fact that Barney had learned a lot of esoteric vocabulary just to be able to talk to Gordon for hours about his alien and Illuminati conspiracy theories, Gordon reflected, then they really would have been in trouble at Black Mesa. 

“That would have been nice,” Gordon said contemplatively, gently sipping at his beer. He was far from a lightweight, but he had to be careful not to overdrink when he went out with Barney. Guy could drink the entire bar under the table and barely even get dizzy. It was almost unnerving, and raised the question of if anybody who was an ex-employee at Black Mesa was a normal human being, but some Pandora’s Boxes should just stay shut. “I liked my salary.”

“Yeah.” Barney sadly chugged more beer. “I’m not going to miss that job, but I feel like I’m going to miss having a job, you know?”

Mittens licked one of the onion rings sitting in a basket on the table. Gordon stroked Mittens on her head as she pressed up against his hand affectionately. 

This wasn’t their usual bar. Their usual bar was on Black Mesa property, and Black Mesa was currently having a bad case of the crabs right now. When Gordon casually mentioned that to Barney his shoulders started shaking from laughter, but he refused to explain what was funny. So far, Gordon already missed their old bar. It was well-lit, making it easy to talk, completely sterile and anti-bacterial, and had hazardous waste bins. And everyone always knew your name. 

But it wasn’t too bad, for a random bar. They let Gordon and Barney sit on the patio with Mittens in a secluded corner, and it was well enough lit that they could still talk. Random people kept on staring at them, sometimes for an uncomfortable amount of time, and while Gordon was fairly used to it Barney wasn’t. Barney had hesitantly asked if it was because the white lab coat Gordon still wore was dyed half-red with blood, but as that was the natural state of a theoretical physicist’s labcoat Gordon really didn’t see the issue. 

“What other job can I even get?” Barney griped. “My degree isn't good for anything. I was just a rent-a-cop for the last three years. I’m homeless, at least for right now, since my dorm is infested with murderous aliens. I can’t even go back there to get my stuff until the military kills off all the aliens. This sucks.”

“It’s a common Gen X problem,” Gordon said, with a straight face as he scratched Mittens’ ruff. Her purr vibrated happily under his hand. “Divorce, MTV, and reduced adult supervision made us incomplete adults.”

“I miss MTV,” Barney said. “Man, that was just like, high school. The memories, man. We’ll never get the 80s back.”

“I was never really into MTV.”

“Really? You never watched it? Not even for the babes?”

“I never really understood the appeal of babes,” Gordon said, with a straight face. 

“Yeah, I forgot, sorry.” They sat there for a little bit, not talking, as Barney both chugged his beer and seemed to be thinking really hard about something. Finally, he said, “Cute dudes on MTV too. Like, uh...Prince.”

“Prince.”

“Michael Jackson, you know.”

“Yeah, I know Michael Jackson.” Gordon gently freed an onion ring from the cold embrace of Mittens. “College roommate at MIT showed me Nirvana, actually. I liked it.”

“Really? I can see that. Very inner pain.” Barney squinted at Gordon. “Do you have inner pain?”

“I don’t feel pain,” Gordon said. “So no. But I went to a concert, and it was very heavy on bass and drums. Good vibrations. Kind of like a gun’s vibrations, but more purposeful.”

“The symphony of violence,” Barney said with a straight face, using the sign for ‘abuse’ and passing the finger past the fist very empathetically, several times, as he always did whenever he felt the need to describe the way Gordon killed things. “Is the mosh pit where you learned the Rambo thing?”

“Sure, Barney. Sure it is.”

“Because I really don’t think you were born a superpowered killing machine -”

“There’s no superpowers involved. I really don’t know how else to explain it to you.”

“You cannot just be a genetic assassin -”

“Guns aren’t hard, Barney. You just press A.”

“What does that mean -”

It was at that moment that a waitress, looking somewhat startled by Barney’s incredibly expressive and sweeping signing, approached them and asked Barney something. They chatted for a bit - judging by Barney’s smile and the woman’s easy grin, he was flirting with her again, like he did with every waitress. 

“She wants to know if you want a refill,” Barney reported. 

Barney tilted his fist, pushing the mug that he hadn’t realized was empty to the waitress and giving her his best polite smile, which made her flinch in fear and take the cup, disappearing quickly. Was it the lab coat, or was Gordon really just that bad at looking polite?

“But you’re changing the subject,” Barney said, when she ran off, seemingly uncaring that Gordon had torpedoed his flirting attempts. “Why would Black Mesa make a deal with the alien armies to take over the world? And what musicians did you have a crush on as a kid?”

“That question is so esoteric and obscure that the answer is almost unfathomable.”

“Stop using complicated signs, asshole, this is my fourth language.” After a second of translation, Barney followed that up with, “Okay, which question was that in response to?”

“Yes.”

“Now you’re just being an asshole,” Barney accused, and Gordon surprised himself by barking a laugh. 

“Maybe I am an asshole,” Gordon teased, unfamiliar with the concept but willing to give it a shot, “but I’m your asshole.”

For some reason, that made Barney flush very red, and finish his beer very quickly before moving Mittens aside to stuff some onion rings in his mouth. Finally, after Barney seemed to collect himself, he weakly offered, “Never thought I’d see Gordon Freeman admit that we were friends.”

“Some things you can’t experience together without admitting that you’re friends, and defeating an alien hoard is one of them,” Gordon joked. Wow. Two jokes in one day. Might as well put on the face paint and the red nose, he was becoming a comedian. Maybe all of the crowbars to the skull had cracked him. 

But Barney just squinted at him. “Are you quoting something?”

“That kid’s book that everyone’s talking about?”

“What?” Barney snapped his fingers in thought, before lighting up. “Oh, Harry Potter! I keep meaning to check that out. My little sister keeps talking about it.”

“They’re pretty good.” Gordon read it in case someone asked him what bonding activities he did with his fake son. “I’ll lend you my copy.”

“When your dorm’s no longer full of aliens.”

“Yeah. When my dorm isn’t full of aliens.”

“But that’ll be soon,” Barney said, smiling hesitantly and hopefully and fearfully, “right?”

“You know, Barney,” Gordon said, picking up Mittens and putting her in his lap as she purred gratefully, “I really think all of this will just blow over. And everything’ll go back to normal.”

“That’s good to know.”

And it was. 

[marjansmarwani]

A while ago I asked for prompts and @buttercupstrand suggested I “do a role reversal thingy where TK is a cop and Carlos is a firefighter that falls for the bosses son” 

After finishing up the chapter I posted yesterday, I needed to write something happy so I went back to this prompt and well, here. 

standing on the ocean (until I start sinking) 

[Read on Ao3]

Chapter 2 - The Boss’s Son

Firefighter Carlos Reyes was thrilled to have been selected to join the new 126. He was determined to prove that he was worthy of it; he had no intention of ever doing anything to even remotely jeopardize his place at the 126.

Until a very attractive police officer who just happened to be the Captain’s son showed up, that is.

----

When Captain Strand had contacted him for an interview, he had hardly believed it was real. Captain Strand had moved across the country to rebuild the 126 and had made it very clear that he was only looking for the best. Carlos knew he was good at his job, but he never would have placed himself in that category. That hadn’t stopped him from attending the interview though. He had been pleasantly surprised by how approachable the Captain was. From the way people talked he had expected some egotistical blowhard. The man was a legend in firefighting circles - even all the way down here in Texas. The sole survivor of his station on 9/11, had rebuilt it from the ground up...somehow all the hype didn’t quite fit the man in front of him. This man was sensible, personable, and upfront. Carlos liked him instantly.

They went over his record; over his commendations and scores. They were good, impressive even. But they were still not enough to have landed him here. Captain Strand spent the first few minutes doing the cursory review of his credentials before he put down his papers and met Carlos’s eyes.

“Say what’s on your mind Reyes, I don’t believe in military protocol. You’re always allowed to speak freely with me.”

“Sir, I am beyond flattered to have been asked here, to be considered, but I can’t help but wonder why.”

Captain Strand raised an eyebrow, “You don’t think your record is impressive?”

“No, it’s good, it’s just,” he paused. He carefully considered how to phrase what he wanted to say, “it’s just that there a lot of good firefighters in AFD. Some might even be better. So why, out of the entire department, did you pick me?”

The captain nodded, shuffling Carlos’s papers as he spoke, “I haven’t been in Austin long Reyes, but I’ve been here long enough to get a feel for the department, especially its gossip. The word around the department is that you are one of the most unshakable, emotionally intelligent people the department has ever seen. Your calm and composure in the face of panic and fire is actually kind of legendary. You’re good with people, exceptionally so. That’s what I want. Do you think you can bring that to the 126?”

Carlos wanted to say yes, he wanted to jump on the offer and never look back. But he felt that he needed to be completely honest with Captain Strand, to make sure he knew what he was getting into.

“I feel the need to inform you, Sir, that I’m gay.”

He waited, keeping quiet for the moment that he was sure would inevitably follow. He had never come out per se to his current station, but it had slowly become a known fact. Generally, people were - not fine with it exactly, but it had been a while since anything had been drawn on his locker. He wanted to think that the New York City captain would be open-minded, but he was unwilling to take the chance. If he was going to do this, if he was going to allow Captain Strand to include him in his dream team roster, he felt he needed to have all his cards on the table.

Captain Strand barely even blinked, “I know,” he said simply, “gossip, remember?”

Carlos waited, but the other man said no more.

“And, it’s not a problem?”

Another raised eyebrow, “should it be?”

“No,” Carlos said quickly, “no, I just...wanted to make sure you knew what you were dealing with. Not everyone is...fully comfortable with the concept.”

Captain Strand scoffed, “I can assure you Reyes that I am fully comfortable with “the concept.” Now,” he said, sliding a contract across the table to Carlos, “does that mean you’re in?”

Carlos nodded immediately, eagerly taking the offered pen and signing on the line indicated.

He had a good feeling about this.

----

Their first day as a crew had been a pretty memorable one. The baby in the tree is not something Carlos had ever seen before, but there had been a happy ending and that was all he could ask for. The rest of the crew was pretty great too - Carlos could easily see himself becoming close with all of them. Captain Strand had invited them all to a honky-tonk bar to celebrate and toast to the new 126. So far, it had been good. They had chatted, had a few drinks, and now people were starting to spill out onto the dancefloor. Carlos was hanging back, watching as his Captain made his first attempt at line dancing, when an attractive stranger appeared at his elbow.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” Carlos replied. He gave the guy a subtle once over. He was extremely good looking.

“Wanna dance?”

Carlos wanted to say yes, but not flaunting his sexuality with his old crew had become such an ingrained habit that he almost turned him away. But a quick glance around at his new crew filled him with a burst of confidence. These people were not the type to sit in judgment. If anything, they were the type to berate him for letting such a catch get away.

“Yeah,” he said, a smile spreading across his face.

If his heart gave a little flutter when the other man took his hand, who was he to say. If they ended up making out in the parking lot, who could blame them? If they ended up at Carlos’s apartment, putting his couch to very good use, that was nobody’s business but their own.

And if he left the next morning without anything more than a number scrawled on the back of a takeout menu, that was okay too.

-----

The “mind your own business model” Carlos had grown accustomed to at his previous station was not going to fly here, that much was painfully clear.

It had been a crazy start to their shift with 3 calls back to back, but now they were in the middle of a slow evening. Carlos and the rest of the crew were down in the engine bay completing their chores while Captain Strand was completing the paperwork. The moment the Captain was gone and they were free to talk amongst themselves, the barrage of questions had started. It had clearly not gone unnoticed that he had disappeared from the bar the night before, nor the fact that he had not left alone.

And they wanted all the juicy details.

“What do you mean you don’t know what he does?”

Carlos sighed, “I mean I don’t know. We didn’t exactly do a lot of talking.”

Judd laughed and Marjan rolled her eyes. Mateo looked confused until Paul clapped him on the shoulder, “he means they just had sex Probie - and a lot of it if I were to take a guess.”

Carlos studiously avoided their eyes, focusing on his task of polishing the light bar instead. He was beginning to realize that having a crew that actually took an interest in his life may not be the best thing to happen after all. Not having to answer all these questions back when his old crew hadn’t given a damn had been nice, in retrospect.

“Did you at least get Romeo’s name?”

“I did,” he responded, not looking up from the lightbar.

There was silence for a few moments before Paul asked the followup, “And it is…?”

Carlos was saved the trouble of avoiding the question when the sound of footsteps caused them all to turn. When Carlos saw who it was, he nearly dropped his rag.

Standing in front of them was a young police officer, who was looking just as surprised to see Carlos. “Carlos,” he said, “hey. I...didn’t know you worked here.”

Carlos could feel his teams’ eyes on him but he made sure to keep his voice as neutral as possible before responding. “Hi, TK. Can I help you with something?”

“I was just looking for your captain.”

Carlos nodded and gestured towards the stairs, “He’s up in his office, first door on the left.”

TK nodded and flashed him a grin, “Thanks.” And then he was gone, walking towards the staircase and Captain Strand’s office.

Paul’s gaze followed TK’s retreating back up the stairs. “Wasn’t that…?”

Carlos nodded weakly, “It was.”

Marjan frowned, “I wonder what he’s doing here.”

Carlos shrugged. They all watched as TK lightly knocked on the Captain’s door before letting himself in. They all watched as their Captain’s face lit up at the sight of the young officer and he strode around his desk to give him a hug.

“Well, they clearly know each other,” Judd noted.

Great, Carlos couldn’t help but think, I go and have a one night stand for the first time in years, and he knows my new boss.

“They’re coming down!” Mateo whisper shouted and they all turned back to the rig, aiming to look like they hadn’t just been staring.

“Everyone,” Owen’s voice, hearty and affectionate, floated down the stairs, “there’s someone I’d like you all to meet.”

They all turned to see the Captain heading towards them, a beaming smile on his face and his arm around TK. As they drew closer he tightened the arm around the younger man’s shoulders, “This is my son, Officer TK Strand of APD.”

Carlos could feel his team’s eyes on him, could see TK’s sheepish smile, but the only coherent thought he had at that moment was fuck.

He was so screwed.

Keep reading on Ao3

[antpernas]

6/23/21 - 6/25/21

These past few days have been pretty similar since I've been keeping my routine up really well, so I'm just gonna do a brief summary

Wake up around 10 (sans the days I have my morning Physics classes), then start GORGING!!! My current breakfast is four eggs, two snack packs (those little cheese and nut things), a bowl of Greek yogurt, and a protein smoothie! After that I was the dishes and stuff, have a bowl of soup with three slices of bread, then head to the gym! Gym has been going really well, aside from the fact that I'm getting shin splints :/ Anyway, I finish at the gym, stop at Starbucks on the way to the pharmacy, usually take a medicine to deliver, then get home. After that I start my evening class (Biology lecture or lab depending on the day) and eat a shitton throughout the class (pork ramen with eggs, another protein smoothie, whatever else I feel like eating). Then after that I usually waste some time and then get ready for bed!

As for as important things that have happened, there's not much. Yesterday, a guy who hasn't responded in about two or three weeks finally messaged me back, kinda gave him a dry response and I think that bridge has officially burned itself.

Then today I got into a little debate with Libra but they took it personal and got annoyed with me :( It sucks because I already had the feeling we weren't compatible, but this just kind of confirmed it. I alluded to this in my post earlier, but the specifics of the conversation didn't help either. The double standard of him telling me to read between the lines and not take him literally (when in reality he was just making a claim I didn't agree with then introducing a completely unique claim and saying they were equivalent??) and yet simultaneously asking me to be completely literal and explicit about the fact that I'm starting a debate just.... :/

Then on top of that the way he was putting down people who do porn as if it's any less "valid" than selling your soul to capitalism any OTHER way... And then adding in a stipulation that OnlyFans isn't bad because it's solo (I'm assuming he just added that in to make it sound like he wasn't judging me, since he was aware I'd done OnlyFans, but honestly it just sounded like a cop out from what he was saying, which is that porn artists aren't doing actual work).

All of this while taking into account that he's going into the military,.,.,>??<#

Like, I really hate listing out my rationalizations when it comes to conflicts with other people because it just feels like I'm being mean or putting out personal business or finding reasons to make someone seem "in the wrong," but I just can't fathom him getting mad at ME!!! When HE was the one with a bigoted and disrespectful opinion!!! And then when I apologize for making him angry, there's not even any consideration for how I feel?! Like he didn't just shit on ME and the things I like?! It's this kind of stuff that makes me feel like I'm going CRAZY!!! As much as I don't want to keep burning bridges left and right, I don't see us getting along as friends and of course don't see a relationship forming :( We had a date planned for tomorrow (Friday) but I'm afraid of how that's going to go now... I don't know :(

Aside from that, right before the clock hit midnight I decided to withdraw from my Biology classes. The lecture was fine, but the Lab was literally just horseshit being thrown together on a whim by the professor. I can't stand the idea of not having concise and consistent direction right now, ESPECIALLY in my academics. Plus, he was a prick. He gave me a 0 for attendance as if I didn't sit through the entirety of BOTH of his four hour lectures with my camera on the WHOLE time. A fucking joke!

Biology was going towards my ENVS transfer requirements, but honestly, even if I had taken and finished it in this term, I don't think I'd have managed to complete all of the other ENVS requirements by the time I'd finished the ones for engineering. With that being said, I'm just going to focus on my ENGE track, take some of the ENVS reqs as supplementary courses while I'm finishing the ENGE stuff up, and hope I can just tack on the rest of what I need for ENVS after I transfer to FIU. If not, then c'est la vie, I'll still have my EE degree, which is ultimately what matters more! If anything, I'm just happy to not have to waste four HOURS nearly every weekday evening anymore. I can study Japanese and music again!! I'm so excited :D

Anyway, good night! Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

[intcthatgoodnight-a2]

Bios for the Leverage team

Nathan Ford - the Mastermind

Born and raised in Boston. His father was a bookie and fixer for several mob families.

He is Catholic. When he was younger he wanted to become a priest. He went to seminary school but left before he finished.

Formerly an insurance investigator for IYS insurance. He recovered stolen items, and was one of the company's top guys, saving the company millions of dollars. Was well known in the criminal world.

His son Sam became sick (it’s never said what he had, only that it was “stage four” when discovered). IYS refused to pay for his medical treatment claiming it was “experimental”. Sam died when he was eight, in the hospital, his parents with him. (Nate still has trouble being in hospitals since)

After his sons death Nates life fell apart. He lost his job, he became and alcoholic, and his wife Maggie divorced him.

A few years later he is recruited to lead a team of thieves. After being double crossed, the team decided to con the guy who hired him. Nate recruited Sophie to join the team.

Nate and Sophie knew each other from his insurance days. He chased her across several countries. While they never had an affair while he was married, they both clearly had feelings for each other.

Nate plans the cons and leads the team. He convinced the group of thieves to steal from the corrupt rich and give it back to the people it was originally taken from.

Nate continues to suffer from alcoholism throughout the series.

For a while he continued to say that he was not a thief, he just worked with them. He refused to see himself as a criminal. It wasn’t until after a few years of working with the team, when he allowed himself to get arrested to they could get away, that he admited to himself that he was in fact a thief.

Known languages are: english, spanish, serbian, russian, italian, turkish, and latin

Sophie Devereaux - the Grifter

Not much is known about Sophie's past, other than she has several secrets in London which is where she began her criminal career. She has gone by several aliases.

Sophie is not her real name. Her real name is never revealed in the show and is one of the shows biggest secrets, as she kept it secret even from Nate.

She is an aspiring actress, but she is horrible at acting - when it’s acting on a stage or for film. When she is grifting she is able to convincingly play a variety of characters of seemingly any background/ career / or nationality. As Nate puts it: “Sohpie Devereaux is the best actress you’ve ever seen...when she’s breaking the law.”

She and Nate met ten years before the events of the show. They have a seemingly romantic relationship, both aware of each others feelings. However they don’t act on them for various reasons - first because Nate was married, and then later because Natein an unhealthy mindset. They have a ‘will they, won’t they’ things throught the series.

She is considered one of the best grifters in the world. At one point before the series, she stole the Second David from the Vatican.

Known languages are: english, spanish, mandarian, french, german, japanese, russian, hebrew, serbian, italian, as well as multiple other dialects.

Alec Hardison - the Hacker

Raised in the foster system. He and his foster siblings call their foster mom “Nana”. Has a foster sister named Breanna, who he taught hacking to.

He was raised a Jehovahs Witness and was made to go door to door to speak to people when he was young. Currently considers himself “religious but non denominational”

A prodigy and genius. He was able to crack into the Pentagon servers when he was only 12.

He played the violin until he was 14.

Used his hacking skills to attend the Oscars every year since he was 15.

He is wanted in Iceland - he spent his prom night hacking into the Bank of Iceland who he made pay his Nanas medical bills.

Once hacked into the White Houses emails because he was bored.

Other than hacking his skills include: inventing and engineering, some pickpocketing skills, improvisation, bomb making, forging, created CIA level cover stories and aliases.

Eliot Spencer - the Hitter

United States Black Ops soldier turned retrieval specialist.

His father ran a “hole in the wall” hardware store and wanted him to take it over. Eliot had other ideas and joined the service at 18.

In high school he dated a girl named Aimee, who he later said was the closest he ever got to settling down. He gave her a promise ring. It seemed like the thought she would wait for him when he left for the army, but she couldn’t

Not much is known about his time in the military or his retrieval work after.

Highly skilled in multiple areas. Some of the fighting styles he is shown to use are: boxing, muay thai, jujitsu, krav maga, kickboxing, eskrima, panantukan, kenpo karate, and aikido. He’s a fixer, and can play the “inside man”. He is a weapons expert. A skilled swordsman, and marksman - however he does like guns. He’s familiar with hostage negotiations.

Doesn’t like guns. Won’t use them if he doesn’t have to. Fights hand to hand, or with knives.

He’s a gourmet chef, as well as a singer and guitar player. He’s a flirt. Can ride a horse. He’s very protective of kids. And doesn’t like hitting cops.

The creator of the show originally intended for him to be cousins with Shawn Spencer from Psych. However this idea had to be scraped. But I say it’s true.

Known languages are: english, arabic, german, russian, and farsi (he doesn't speak it but seemed to understand it)

Parker - the Thief

She was put into the foster system when she was very young. Bounced around from foster home to foster home, most of which were abusive in some way. In one foster home, her foster father took her stuffed rabbit and told her she had to become a better thief to get it back. She stole it back and blew up the house.

At some point when she was very young, she taught her younger brother. Nick, to ride a bike. Later, while riding the bike, he was hit and killed by a car. She blamed herself and never told anyone.

Before she was 12, she was a getaway driver. Sometime after, she met a boy in foster care named Kelly, he taught her how to boost cars.They worked together as a team until they boosted a bait car. He escaped the police, leaving Parker to serve 6 months in juvie.

In 1998, Archie Leach, a master thief, caught her attempting to steal his wallet. He saw her potential and decided to train her as his apprentice, becoming a mentor and surrogate father as he trained her to be the greatest thief in the world. He never brought her home to his family though, telling Nate that she would have never fit in with a real family.

A few notable achievements are: she performed a heist of the French National Bank. Stole "the Caravaggio", in Paris, in 2003. At one point during the show, she stole the Hope Diamond only to put it back, because she was bored.

She was wanted in nine countries, including Brazil and Yemen

Parker is a gifted thief, deft at security circumvention and picking both locks and pockets. She has incredible gymnastics skills, flipping and weaving her way through laser grids with ease. She's also a formidable opponent in hand-to-hand combat due to her excellent upper body strength and acrobatics. She displays a very high level of spatial intelligence.

She has poor social skills, and different emotional responses. She can appear to lack visible empathy or other people, and has a hard time recognizing emotions.

While it is never said in the show, the creators have confirmed that Parker is autistic.

Known languages: english, spanish, and possibly french.