#help i've fallen into this fandom and I can't escape

[spacegoathours]

Hello! I'm a bit of a new follower of yours, but I've fallen in love with your account: the art, the ocs, speculation, and the friendly asks/responses! I'm an Invader Zim lover, of course, but I only really know the show (a little) and the movie (I have a poster!). I've never even seen the comics.

Anyway, would you like to use this ask to infodump a bit about the stuff that you can't exactly find in the movie/show? I'm a bit foggy about things like Vort and stuff!

I suppose I could google it, and spend a couple hours on old wiki pages, but I feel like this is a more fun way to learn (and interact with the fandom), hopefully for both of us!

Thanks! :) (And hopefully this hasn't been asked yet, haha. I won't be hurt if you leave this ask in the inbox! I know running accounts can be a bit exhausting!)

hello!! this is so sweet, thank you! i’m glad you’re enjoying my blog, i pour a lot of love into it. :)

gotta admit tho, i haven’t read the comics either!! read a few but never committed to finishing them all…someday!!! though my understanding is that there isn’t a spectacular amount of lore in them, they kinda do their own thing, but i don’t want to speak without knowing for sure. there might be PAK lore in there? and Zib came out of the comics, which is a fairly popular character in the fandom. (I might have this wrong because I haven’t read but…Zib is the result of Dib winning in one of many timelines, Zim’s PAK attaches to the back of his head and he goes insane…?)

UGH I COULD TALK ABOUT VORT FOREVER AND NEVER GET BORED!! the Irken/Vortian alliance is fascinating, and canonically we only get bits and pieces that the fandom has taken and ran with. we know that at some point they were allied, and that the building/planning of the Massive (Irken Armada flagship) occurred on Vort. we know that Vort was marked for conquest in Operation Impending Doom II and was successful taken over by Invader Larb. we know that it’s now a military research prison and that the Vortians were enslaved.

what we DON’T know but can assume: the alliance ended because the Vortians were blamed for Tallest Miyuki’s death - being eaten by an energy-consuming blob made by Zim. this is hard to determine because i mean. a bunch of people were there. Zim was boasting about it. bruh. but Irkens are dumb, actually everyone is dumb in this show. but we all have brainrot here and we take things too far and we love it. anyway. we don’t get to see a lot of Vortians so how many are enslaved? how many died in the organic sweep? how did Lard Nar escape and start the Resisty (speculation from Frycook explains some technology that helped some Vortians escape prison but again that’s assumption)? what does Vort even look like? we may have gotten more had the series not been cancelled before shit got real but!!! alas…..

not knowing the exact extent of your current IZ knowledge, I might have just spoken in a totally different language LOL. but thank you for letting me infodump!! my brain doesn’t work well for remembering details or speculating very deep, so I often end up repeating myself, but it’s fun nonetheless. I appreciate you 💜✨

[micheladee]

20 questions writer meme

Stolen from @crush3dmary. Feel free to steal it forward!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

12

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

149,027

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters is the hole I've fallen into.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Eldritch Encounter (Deathshipping, 35 kudos)

Let's Ditch (Angstshipping, 35 kudos)

Chasing His Ghost (Thiefshipping, 34 kudos)

Horror Movies and Chill (Deathshipping, 33 kudos)

The Hunter and the Selkie (Deathshipping, 26 kudos)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to respond to everyone. I'm genuinely grateful for every comment I get and it's the least I can do to thank every person who takes the time to leave a comment. I have a small audience so it isn't too difficult to do this, but I also love talking to people about what details stood out to them. It helps me improve as a writer too when I know what's working and what makes an impression.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

All of my stories so far have had happy endings, but there's one in particular that lives deep in my backlog that will have a bittersweet if not tragic ending. Until then, I'd say the ending of Chasing His Ghost is the most angsty because it only ties one loose end. There's no guarantee either character will thrive, but it leaves on the note that, despite everything they've been through, they'll be okay. And that's enough for the moment.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

It's probably Eldritch Encounter. The ending is stressful, but I think the characters receive the biggest payoff in the end.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't yet and I'm genuinely grateful. I write for a living, but this type of writing is completely different. It's what I escape to.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes! Mainly gay smut, romantic but enough disrespectful fucking to keep things exciting. Some scenes are plot-essential and some are not, what more can you want?

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I haven't since I was a kid, but I'd be open to the idea again.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No, thankfully. One funny aside is that I genuinely think a writer borrowed a short, but specific phrase from one of my pieces (I can't confirm this and it could absolutely be all in my head), but I had to laugh about it because I borrowed the phrase from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No but it would be amazing if people who speak other languages would want to read something I've written!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not yet but it's something I'm open to eventually! I hope you don't mind collabing with the slowest writer on the planet. I have collaborated with some amazing artists though.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

It's probably Thiefshipping. I've been on-and-off obsessed for 20 years.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I have two pieces I haven't been able to get off the ground because of time constraints. When I finish one story, I usually get more inspired to write a fresher idea, so these two have unfortunately fallen down my backlog quite a bit. One is a CUTE anniversary fic where the characters in a ship I love are older and the other is shameless eldritch smut. The duality of man.

16. What are your writing strengths?

For me, I think it's a combination of flow and a deep understanding of the characters. If I don't understand a character on a profound level, I won't write about them. Alternatively, I'll make them more of a side character so I can practice their characterization.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action. At least, that's what I struggle with the most. I thrive on writing slice-of-life scenes and characters finding joy in mundane situations, but I'm practicing to hopefully get better at action.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I wish I could, but I'd be awful at it. I used to be proficient at Spanish and had a solid intermediate grasp at Japanese, but that was years ago and I've lost most of my skill. I can understand more than I can speak or write of either language. Even then, my knowledge is rudimentary at best. If I felt inspired to, I'd check with friends to make sure the pieces of dialogue I decided to write were correct.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I'm showing my age here, but Animorphs is the first series that inspired me to write fanfiction. I was around 11.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

This one feels like a dark horse compared to other, more popular pieces, but for me it's Chasing His Ghost. I tend to write only one fic at a time (although I have done 2 before) so I can stay on top of the narrative, but the inspiration to this one burst into my mind unexpectedly while listening to a song I'd never heard before. I started it while working on another project and finished the first chapter almost instantly. That rarely happens for me. I thought about Malik and how he'd struggle to cope with life post-canon. It made me interpret his character differently than I'd ever seen before in fan-created works and I enjoyed exploring that new direction. The ending is that melancholy sort of happiness where you have no idea how long it will last, but for just a moment, maybe even for the first time, you feel you're going to be okay.

[ortegatrash]

Sometimes the bravest thing is living

You would die for Ortega. Then again, you never put much stock in your life. You would die willingly for a lot of things, the promise of oblivion has always called out to you.

No. Maybe it's more accurate to say you would live for Ortega. He makes you happy with his insufferable smiles, he makes you want to tease his stupid face, complain about his meddling while feeling a warm glow all the while.

He makes you want a future. A future by his side, filled with shared grins and soft words.

 But that- That's something you'll never have. So you live this lie and you curse the world for being so cruel, that the lies are all you have and even they are going to fall apart one day and where does that leave you?

[xthe-writing-vampirex]

In the Walls Part 3

Word Count: 1,596

Warnings: Mild fear and injury

Fandom: FNAF Security Breach

Parings: Glamrock Freddy/Reader

I've been posting this on AO3 and calling it In the Walls so I'll probably call it that on here too. This part of it is a fluffy G/T sort of scene with my favorite Papa bear. Hope you guys like it💕

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Freddy Fazbear stands in the dim light of the now open doorway for a moment, looking around for any signs of life. He saw the small being slip in here out of the corner of his eye, but now he wasn't so sure. There was no sign of the tiny being and the very thought of what could happen to them in a place like this makes the bear's heart hurt. He carefully steps into the dark room, watching the floor below him to make sure he doesn't harm them.

The sound of the bear's huge foot coming down next to your small frame causes a small noise of fear to escape your, until now, tightly sealed lips. Any human wouldn't have been able to hear such a small noise. Sadly for you, you weren't exactly dealing with a human.

The bot closes the door behind him before turning on the light above them. He wouldn't want anyone else coming in and scaring the small being more after all. When the light comes on another small noise of fear escapes you despite your best efforts to remain quiet. You crouch down, trying your best to hide among the huge containers of chemicals.

You hear a loud thud as the giant bear sits down in front of the door, as if trying to make sure it doesn't open. Your small eyes widen as you look over at the rockstar. They're even bigger up close! Staring up at this giant your heart rate increases, fear rushing through your body. This isn't good. This could very well mean death!

"I know you are in here Superstar. I am not here to harm you." You hear the bear say, flinching at the sound of his voice. He knows you're here. What a great day this was turning out to be. You begin to look around the room to find some type of exit route. Nothing obvious catches your eye. Your heart sinks. You're stuck here with this monster of an animatronic with no way out but the door behind him.

As you come out of your thoughts you look up at the bear, noticing his glowing blue eyes have fallen on you. Your heart practically stops and you let a whimper, backing yourself into the large gallon jug of chemicals behind you. Nowhere to run.

The bear's eyes soften at your clear fear of him. He sighs, looking forward once again to try and not seem as intimidating.

"I am sorry for scaring you little one, but I noticed you injured your arm. If it is not set correctly it will not heal. I only want to help." He explains, glancing over at you again to make sure you're listening. He can tell that even being close to you may not be the best idea right now, but with an injury like yours it's important to get you to a first aid station. How to talk you into letting him take you though?

You look down at your arm, carefully pushing down on it to figure out what's broken. As you push down on the lower part of your arm you feel a bone shift and let out a whimper of pain. You had no idea how to set something like this, having lost your parents at a young age and being unable to truly figure it out on your own. Thankfully you had avoided situations like this. Until now that is.

As you sit there, sandwiched between large jugs of chemicals and one of your biggest fears, you can't help the tears that begin to fall down your cheeks. You've been trying to avoid this for so long and now it's all happening at once. Freddy looks down at you, sympathy in his kind eyes. A part of him really wanted to hug or at least hold you but he knew better than to try that. After all that probably wouldn't help your current situation.

Through the hot tears blurring your vision you take notice of the huge paw that's been set, palm up, in front of the chemicals. You guessed this was his way of giving you the choice. He didn't seem to want to force you, but was clearly worried about your injury. Fighting your fear as best you can you do something you never expected yourself to do. You walk forward, carefully stepping into the bear's palm and sitting down. You bring your legs up to your chest, hugging them and hiding your face as a last line of defense.

Watching you move towards his paw causes the bear to audibly gasp. He didn't expect you to actually be willing to let him hold you. After all, you seemed to be absolutely terrified of both himself and Monty. He was grateful though, absentmindedly curling his fingers inward in a protective way. You flinch as the bear begins to move to get up, causing him to stop. Maybe rushing this wasn't the best idea.

"What is your name superstar?" You hear, tear filled eyes going up to meet glowing ones. Should you give it? What did you have to lose after all?

"Y-Y/N" you manage, voice trembling from fear and cracking from crying. You see an obvious smile on the star's face and he nods in response.

"It is wonderful to meet you Y/N!" He replies happily, though keeping his voice lower so it doesn't startle you. For this you're grateful seeing as you're already close to having a panic attack. "My name is Freddy!" He continues. As if you didn't already know that. His name was plastered on just about everything in this place. Maybe it was just a politeness thing?

"I-I know." You state, looking him over for the first time since all of this began. You hadn't exactly stopped since you were still in the walls. Everything was a blur and to your surprise actually looking at the animatronic grounded you and kept you from the panic attack you felt was fast approaching. Up close he was still quite intimidating, but it was easier to see him as another being rather than some giant monster hell bent on harming you.

As you look down at the paw you're sitting in, you become aware of how oddly soft it is. Isn't he made of metal? Without really thinking you reach a hand out, touching the surface you're in with curiosity. For a moment you forget the situation you're in. Its not exactly skewed in your favor. After all, you've seen this bear lift metal beams and whole sets of furniture with one hand. With thoughts like that coming to you, you bring your uninjured arm back around your legs and pull them a bit closer with it, trying desperately to feel safe.

Noticing your movements the bear speaks. "Are you alright little one?" No. No you aren't. That wasn't exactly something you wanted to admit though. Turning towards the bear you glance up, unable to maintain eye contact. You're grateful he hadn't immediately decided to get up and start moving, apparently listening to your subtle protest. "You can move around. I will stay completely still."

You turn your head to the side in confusion as you look up at him. What was he getting at exactly? Maybe he just wanted you to feel like you had the choice? It was definitely working. "W-Why don't you feel metal?" You ask, trying to make some form of conversation. Maybe it would take your mind off of things.

"Well, I was created to be more life-like for the children. That includes a different material for my casing as well as heaters so I am not cold to the touch." He explains, you listen intently. It makes sense. The children you'd seen absolutely loved the stars and were always around them. With all the hugs and photos it made sense they'd want something that's going to be touching children to be more life-like so they're more comfortable. You didn't understand the claws and fangs though, wasn't that dangerous? Speaking of which, those claws were pretty close to you.

Catching you staring, the animatronic quickly flattens out his hand so they aren't so close to you, prompting you to flinch at the sudden movement. "We are programmed with the inability to harm a human. I am…..unsure of what you are but you look human. You have nothing to worry about." He says, seeming to be making an effort at calming you down.

"A-A borrower…….I-I'm a borrower." You explain. The bear blinks for a moment, as if thinking.

"I have no species by that name in my database." He says once he eventually comes to.

"That's because we aren't supposed to exist. Our main rule is don't get caught. Anyone who does is…….eh w-well…….they usually don't come home." Hearing these words, Freddy's expression becomes one of sympathy. This little one must have had quite the life. He told himself right then and there that he would do all he could to keep this little one from harm.

"I am…..sorry to hear that. I promise you that I only wish to help you. If you will let me, I know how to fix your arm." At this you look up at the bear. Should you let him help? He hadn't harmed you so far and if you let it heal on its own the bone could heal incorrectly and you'd lose some motion in your arm. It seemed like you only had one choice.

"O-Okay….."

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[willowworkswithwords]

heya!! 9, 23, and 25 for the fanfic asks !

Hello hello! Thank you for these!!! <3

end of the year fanfic asks!

9. Longest WIP of the year

Oh golly, well, I don't have any super long that are actually begun lol, but the longest that was begun was 294 words, temporary title Chips, which I've mentioned a couple times but just never ended up getting around to.

My longest potential WIP, meaning I have the premise and the intention to write it as a long-fic but just haven't been able to because I want to dedicate significant time and effort to it, is call A Wretch Like Me, which I've been sitting on since like. July. I want it to be the longest proper multi-chap I've written.

23. Fics you wanted to write but didn’t

So many! A Wretch Like Me and Chips, as mentioned previously. A modern au idea I had where Cody, married to Obi-Wan, adopts the twins (Anakin doesn't know he's the father in this) after Padmé dies and it's just an adventure in figuring out children with the side adventures of Cody and Obi-Wan's respective siblings being themselves and causing chaos. Two surprise gift fics that I've had like, just kinda circling my brain for a while that I haven't gotten around to. Hopefully over Christmas break I'll be able to work on some of them!

25. A fic you read this year you would recommend everyone read

Just one?! I've recommended some of these previously I think, so if I sound like a broken record, I'm not sorry. I'll add in some new recs too of course!

Star Wars

Vertical Transmission by @catboydogma (I can't pass up recommending your fic even though you asked @solipsism-lemonade!!). Truly excellent Tup and Dogma content, feels all the way, loved it so much

Under My Skin by @stolen-pen-name23 Very sad and very great Obi-Wan and Anakin feels, as Katie specializes in!! <3

Aay'han by @gaeasun A super cool time loop fic with major Dogma angst

And Your People Shall Never Be Destroyed by @picazos-angsty-typist An amazing au of Cody (Kote in this fic) escaping Kamino when he's a cadet and trying to save his brothers

The To Walk on Earth series by @chiafett Again (can you see the pattern) Dogma angst, with Dogma coming back to the 501st after being on Kamino. Tup takes care of him and he has help from their others brothers too

I could go on forever, there are so many I love, but there's a handful!!

Batman(thank you @picazos-angsty-typist for roping me into this new obsession via second-hand fandom sickness)recs below the cut because I know most of you are just here for Star Wars stuff, but even so, you should take a gander!!

The Shutterbug series by @goldkirk. Incredible. just. so good. I have completely fallen in love with Tim and the whole batfam and honestly this series is what made that happen. I was mildly interested in Batman stuff before and then found Latchkey (the first of the series) and literally lost sleep over it because I was just flying through it. Highly recommend!!!!

Echoes of You by @littlescarletstar (SilverSkiesAtMidnight on ao3) which really just hit the nail on the head with absolute heart wrenching Jason angst

[amethystpath-writes]

Prompt: Asthma Attack

Fandom: Original

@badthingshappenbingo

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Away. I need to get away. Anywhere, it doesn't matter.

He's going to find me soon. I can't hide in here forever. All it would take is for him to hear my breathing, to pinpoint my location. Oh gods, what will he do to me when he finds me? I can't exactly go anywhere when he does, I hardly even have room to move. He'll -he'll grab my arm and yank me out. Or maybe he will go for my hair. He's done it before, he knows it hurts and it's easy for him to hold, hard for me to get out of.

I have to get out before it is too late. He'll kill me for running again, but if he can't find me, I have nothing to worry about.

I hold my breath, listening intently to what's outside of my small cabinet. The kitchen cabinets. How stupid of an idea it was. I only pray that the pans don't fall when I scurry out.

No one seems to be near. After all, it is the middle of the night. Nobody in their right mind would wonder into the kitchen so late, or perhaps early. It was dark outside as I ran through the halls, but there was a certain tinge of color. I wouldn't be surprised if the sun is rising by now.

Slowly, I push the door open. I can feel every one of my tensed muscles. My eyes are squeezed tightly shut as I anticipate a screech of the small door or the clashing of pans or anything. To my surprise, silence meets my ears as I crawl out. Well, as silent as it can be with the constant ringing in my ears.

I stay low, back hunched as I walk between the counters. What if he's in here? I still have to be cautious.

My eyes sting as I continue walking towards the large doors, both the entrance and exit. He could just be waiting on the other side of this door. He could have known the whole time that I've been hiding here and this was his game to play. If he catches me...oh gods, I can't- I don't want to think about it. He could do anything to me.

My nostrils flare as I take a deep breath, but it doesn't seem like any air truly reaches my lungs. I try again. My breath seems more shaky and I notice a knot in my chest. A few tears slide down my cheeks as my hand rests on the handle. I keep trying to calm myself, but breaths aren't working. It's like I'm not even breathing at all. But I know I am. I'm trying so why doesn't it feel like it?

I yank the door open, doing my best to ignore my nonexistent breaths. No one is there and luckily the door hardly made a noise. The larger doors tend to be louder if you open them slowly.

There is no sign of him. I should be relieved, but my chest still feels tight, like there are strings attached on either side with two people pulling the opposite directions. It seems the only way to get any air at all is to breath quickly and so I do. Each breath is just as fast as the door yanking open.

My head instinctively turns right and left as if checking for a horse to cross even in the halls. There is no sign of him anywhere. Did I dream the chase up? Is he lying in bed just as I should be?

Of course he is. He has to be. He couldn't just disappear like this if it weren't a dream. He always makes himself known. Always. It's his way of intimidation, a reminder that at any point he could exploit your weaknesses. He could strike at any moment and you should be afraid. Fear is his power. He feeds off of it and I'm foolish enough to be the bowl he eats out of.

Should I go back to bed then? Perhaps if, in my dream, I lie back down and rest my eyes, this will end and the only thing I should worry about in my sleep is waking up and making it to breakfast in time.

But if this is a dream, why do my lungs still feel so incredibly absent?

Footsteps sound down the hall to my left. Air catches in my throat. If it were heels clicking against the floor, I wouldn't worry so much. However, there is no sharp click. Rather, a dull thud. Boots. His boots.

If I run, I'll give away where I'm at. But if I walk he'll most certainly catch up to me. What do I do? I could go back into the kitchens, but then how would I ever get out if he walked in?

My shoes make no sound as I set them on the floor. And my feet make the softest "boom" I have heard. Mother used to joke I had the padded feet of a rabbit. Pray they help me now.

"Sister, it's rather late to play tag!" Even with distance, I can hear his steps becoming faster, louder. He is closer. He's chasing me, "tag" he said. He's turning it into a game, just as he always does.

I push myself harder, faster. I have to get away from him, away from here. These halls, this palace, this whole kingdom.

A needle pierces my side, putting a hault in my tracks. My hands push against the spot as I inhale sharply. It only makes it worse and a cry slips from my lips. The sting won't stop. I can't breathe. Every time I take a breath- every time it stings. I can't- oh gods. Oh gods, I can't breathe.

I can feel the sweat bead in my forehead before it begins to pour down. I want to cry, to scream, but it hurts. Oh it hurts so much. I can't breathe at all. My breath is caught at the back of my throat and even with an open mouth, nothing passes the knot in my throat.

I'm gawking, strange noises escaping my throat as I struggle so hard to live.

He approaches me on the floor, kneeling. I didn't even realize I had fallen to the floor. When? Was it when my vision began to swim beneath water? As black blurs began to appear?

He taps my shoulder. "Tag. I win."

My eyes roll to the back of my head several times. I will them several more times to stay open, to fight the unconsciousness about to inevitably take me. Eventually, any strength I have fades. The last thing I see...my brother...white teeth...lips quirked at the corners...and then? Nothing.

[gimme-the-gun-ill-shoot]

I’m shipping them way too hard.

[caricature-of-a-witch]

what I want and what I need, part 3 (formerly just called “Missy”)

Part 1 | Part 2

Fandom: Doctor Who

Characters: Gomez!Master/Missy, Twelfth Doctor

Pairing: none

Word count: 1266

Author’s note: Short chapter this time. But good news: I have a bit of an idea what do with this by now! Like, there'll be something resembling a plot. Probably. Also I decided on an actual title, which was inspired by the song "Flawed Design" by Stabilo. It doesn't really fit with this particular AU, but I think it kinda suits with the whole Twelve/Missy situation in general, a bit, from what I've seen. I'm not at series 10 yet.

Chapter summary: Still nobody is happy, but we can't just let Missy run off unheeded.

AO3 | Fanfiction.net

The air outside was thick and uncomfortably still, the sky showing off an impressively sized collection of grey clouds, complete with a bit of grandiose drum rolls, and the Doctor vaguely wondered if he had an umbrella in his pockets somewhere.

He caught up to her a bit of a distance from the house, with grass stains on her hands and the stolen dressing gown, while she was just getting back to her feet and, it seemed, decided that her chances of making a successful escape were too slim to try it and not embarrass herself. Thankfully he was still behind enough that he didn’t even get the opportunity to help her up, since no matter whether or not he attempted to do so, he was fairly certain that she’d resent his choice. Now, she simply turned towards him with an unaffected expression, primly plucking a few blades of grass from her sleeves.

It was probably a good thing that she’s already lost the slippers previously to running off, he thought, or she’d have slipped on her way out and fallen down the stairs, and he highly doubted she’d appreciate at broken neck right at this moment.

Standing before him now, hair a mess, feet bare, and the sleeves of her dirty robe slipping down to hide her hands completely, it was impressive how formidable she looked even under the circumstances, like a queen thoroughly displeased with a subject who dared inconvenience her.

The Doctor stopped a few steps from her, and she sighed, pursing her lips. “I take it you’re not going to make an exception and let me escape.”

“You know I can’t do that.” In a rare instant of wisdom, he decided not to ask where she was planning to escape to. There wasn’t really anywhere she could run, even if she did run surprisingly fast, considering her legs were significantly shorter than his.

“You could.” She shrugged, watching him intently. “Nobody’s stopping you. I’m not harming anyone.”

This really, really wasn’t going like he had planned. Not that he’d had planned it of course, or ever did plan much of anything, really, but with the Master, jumping in unprepared and hoping for the best had never quite worked out so far. And it didn’t help that he had no idea, after their last encounters, where they stood. The Doctor felt like he was dealing with a half-feral cat, if said cat had a mind as sharp as his own and tended to hold personal grudges against him.

“You broke into someone’s house.”

“So did you. Anyway, nobody was home.” The Master spread her arms, indicating the mostly empty space surrounding them and ignoring the sound of thunder rolling from not too far away. “In fact, it seems that no one is even in the general vicinity. What were you expecting me to do, sleep out in the field?”

No, of course not. What would he have done in her situation? He couldn’t exactly blame her for taking the only option available, and it truly did look like she hadn’t hurt anyone. Even though she likely would have, had someone been around. “I still can’t –“

“Oh, but you can. You can leave and pretend you’ve never seen me, and I’ll –“

“You’ll what?” He closed the distance between them, forcing her to tilt her head back if she didn’t want to stare at his chest. “”You’ll sleep it off in there and then you’ll start planning how to rule the world, if only for a lack of better options? Or you’ll run around until you find someone you can use to kill off the planet, or to kill them for a Vortex manipulator, or whatever works best? Your TARDIS won’t do you much good anymore, after all.”

He felt a little pang on behalf of the capsule she had used, but the Master, like most of his people, had never understood why the Doctor would form such a close attachment to his old Type 40.

“I refuse to come with you.” The Master didn’t yet have full control over her new face, if the half-suppressed glare was any indication, though after a few moments her expression smoothed out. “Are you going to drag me to your TARDIS kicking and screaming? I’m defenceless. I’m innocent!”

If he didn’t know her, he’d probably believe it, without question. “You’re really not. Do you need to make this difficult?”

The answer was most likely yes, just on principle. He would do it of course, would pick her up and carry her if necessary, and she’d only end up even more ill-tempered and they both knew it. She looked at him with almost pity now and folded her arms, swaying a bit on the spot. He wouldn’t have noticed if not for her close proximity, but now had to consciously stop his hand from reaching out to steady her. Did she have to be so stubborn?

She took a small, deliberate step backwards. “I’m not going to –” The Master interrupted herself with a tiny flinch and glared skywards. For a fraction of a second, the Doctor was thrown, until he felt it too – first just a few droplets of water on his skin, but their number was growing quite rapidly. Within not fifteen seconds, the sky had opened the flood gates. His jacket kept the worst of it off his torso, but he could feel his legs growing damp, and small rivulets were flowing down his face and neck and attempting to get beneath his collar.

When he looked back at the Master, he saw that the fabric of her sleeves was crumpled up like she had her hands balled into fists around it from the inside, her eyes closed and her jaw tight. She looked like she was a hairbreadth away from either screaming or attempting homicide with her bare hands, or maybe both. He took a step back.

The quiet sound of wet soil under his shoes was enough to snap her out of it. She blinked, twice, and then succeeded in banishing the murderous expression from her face. Her eyebrows rose in his direction.

“Your TARDIS is that way, I presume?”

It was hard to accept defeat gracefully at the best of times, and these circumstances did not remotely qualify as such. The Master gritted her teeth behind closed lips and held her head high while they walked. Her hair hung around her face in ugly, stringy strands. The stolen robe was plastered tightly to her body, which made it difficult not to wrap her arms protectively around herself in an attempt to preserve at least a bit more modesty. After only two steps, she could feel mud caking between her toes, and every time she lifted a foot, the ground tried to hold on to it before releasing it with a disgusting squelching noise.

She forced her body not to tense as a stab of pain shot through her and, a moment later, a sliver of residual energy floated away on an exhale. The Doctor was walking half a step behind her, maybe, with the rain blurring the world, he wouldn’t see her gait faltering for a moment.

This wasn’t defeat. Not yet, not any time soon. The TARDIS would provide a roof and an opportunity to rest, if the Doctor felt even the smallest bit like being charitable. At any rate, she would soon have worked out a proper plan, which ideally would involve sending the Doctor out an airlock in mid-flight, and then she would see what happened next.

[mysticvenus]

Thinking about Voltron ending just makes me want to burst out in tears holy S H I T