#hurricane nicholas

[glennethph]

Art.

[oscarisaacss-wp]

DYNAMICS IN PROGRESS — Leah Berman & Nicholas Gwan, in Hurricane Drunk as a Doomed Love.

“He’s waving his arms around and telling us about how pain is worth it, how it makes us stronger, but he’s wrong.

Or maybe I only think so because I’m still suffering.

Or maybe only some people come out the other end of shame a better person, while others can’t escape.

There are fields on fire and I lay burning.”

excerpt / ANONYMOUS

i. pinterest ii. spotify iii. wattpad

[i-hate-loving-nicholas]

We may have a date, folks! German Sky Tv lists Mary & George release date as March 7th!! Prepare yourselves!!

[duranduratulsa]

On the turntable today...

Earth by Jefferson Starship (1978)

Jaws Motion Picture Soundtrack by John Williams (1975)

Rio Pt. 2 by Duran Duran (1982) (12" Single)

Don't You Ever Leave Me by Hanoi Rocks (1984) (12" Single)

Over The Edge by Hurricane (1988)

Top Gun Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Here's To Future Days by Thompson Twins (1985)

Into The Gap by Thompson Twins (1984)

#jeffersonstarship #earth #jaws #johnwilliams #duranduran #rio #riopt2 #Hurricane #OverTheEdge #topgun #thompsontwins #herestofuturedays #intothegap #hanoirocks #ripnicholasdingley #dontyoueverleaveme #70s #80s #records #album #LP #12inch #12inchvinyl #vinylrecords #vinyl

[reality-detective]

Nicholas Sparks wrote a book that came out in September that talks about the hurricane and flooding in NC. More proof nothing is what we think. It's bizarre. It's ALL Planned. 🤔

[adventuresofalgy]

It was Christmas Eve at last, and Algy was safe at home again!

He couldn't have been more happy, or more excited, for his assistants had given him a fluffy stocking to hang up, in the hope that Father Christmas might visit while he slept, and his magic pumpkin, which was beginning to look quite shrivelled, had turned into a beautiful pumpkin candle once more.

Algy settled down on the soft needles of a Christmas tree with his stocking hanging by his side, and did his best to go to sleep, but he found it awfully difficult… He was just too excited! So he tried reciting that most famous of all Christmas poems, written 200 years ago. He hoped that if he recited it very carefully and very slowly it might help to make him drowsy, for he knew that Santa Claus never visited folk who were wide awake:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse: The stockings were hung by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

[Algy is of course reciting the opening verses of the early 19th century poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, which is more often called The Night Before Christmas. The poem was first published anonymously in 1823 and its author is uncertain.]

[icy-book]

Ohhh writing requests!!

The kiddads like 1 week before s1 all at a cheap restaurant eating together, make jokes about "how wrong there big game is going to go" and the jokes start as like "we are going to lose" and eventually end up at like "maybe we will go through a portal into a dnd dimension it COULD happen" and other weirdly specific things that do actually end up happening in like following months (but they mean it as a joke unaware of the shit that will be happening soon)

No, this request isn't from January, shush. Anyway, enjoy Vik!

The best way to stop Terrance Junior from freaking out before a big game was, of course, to catastrophise with him. To extreme levels.

Because their captain was a chronic worry wart, what should've been a casual lunch that they'd snuck out of school for became him forlornly staring at his greasy loaded fries and recounting all the things that could go wrong, from being late to loosing to not getting there at all.

"What if there's roadworks? We could get lost and miss the tournament?" he said mournfully.

Lark nodded solemnly. "Or there could be a freak hurricane that destroys the stadium."

"The car could disintegrate into ashes," Sparrow added cheerfully.

"Fuck, the car could break down, I hadn't though about that."

"Guys," Grant groaned, not looking up from his Fortnite, "you're not helping him."

"Maybe it'll get sucked through a portal," Nick chucked a bit of lettuce at Lark, who yelped indigently and retaliated with a vegan cheesy fry. Grant snorted slightly.

"Yeah, to some sort of Baldur's Gate realm."

"There would be war and combat!2 the twins said far too cheerfully.

Terry rolled his eyes, but it was working. "Knowing you two, you'd probably start it. Gremlins."

"And we could finish it!"

"Nick would find a drug field or something," Grant suggested.

"Oh, fuck yeah," he paused throwing fries at the twins for the moment, "and Grant would find Fortnite somehow."

"Terrance would become a wizard, like the nerd he is," Sparrow added before resuming attack on Nick. "Lark and I would become the most powerful beings in the world!"

"And Nicholas would loose his memories and become a demon."

"Why am I the one who loses my memories? Jackasses."

"Rock and roll demon, Nichard, obviously."

"Okay but I don't have to loose my memories-"

Terry snorted and took a bite of his burger. They were right, he was being overdramatic. Everything was going to be fine.

Probably.

[jojosbingsu]

😆my last ask was mostly me yapping about parts of jo i find really charming, but what do you like about him? what do you think would change about him/traits he would pick up from dating his gf? this is a weird ask but i'm curious, if all of &team were girls besides him, what kind of personality do you think would match him the most for a potential gf? 😂 i think jo is adaptable? or has an open type, and because of that i think harua and k and taki personality types would have the best chemistry with his

Okay hello! I am finally back. I'm so sorry I took literal months to answer this. I was dealing with hurricane aftermath and busy work life. </3 However, I am finally back and ready to get some stuff cranked out.

What do I like about Jo?

Personally, I love Jo's gentle yet explorative personality. Despite being quiet, reserved and shy, Jo is still actually kind of explorative in terms of hobbies, wardrobe, and now even photos! He isn't afraid to explore new things, even if it means being pushed a bit outside of his comfort zone. He's quickly becoming more confident in himself and I am absolutely loving this for him. Even though it's hard to explore one's personality and get to know oneself as an individual when you work in the entertainment industry, Jo has been blooming wonderfully.

Exploring new angles for photos, trying new foods, listening to new music, exploring different vocal sounds, choreographing group dances alongside Kei, opening himself up to art classes.. Jo is finding his place in both &TEAM and in the world just in general. He is opening his mind to new things and he's embracing change with open arms opposed to hiding behind the same personality out of fear of rejection.

He is a very generous, kind, caring soul and it's hard not to love him. I love that he took up oil painting because he was inspired Fuma's generous Christmas gift the year before last. I love his admiration of cats. I love those silly faces he makes when he's confused about something or those cute angry faces he makes when he's tried a food he really likes. I love when Taki tries to smooch him and you see him making the "wtf, again?!" face. I love how he sings with confidence despite his shyness. I love how he's contributing to the growing list of choreographers in our lovely group. I love how he's starting to cook with Maki more and how he's taking initiative to learn more Chinese because of his admiration for Nicholas and his culture. I love that he's taking on side projects (such as modeling) to show us a unique side of himself that we may have never seen before. I love how he always sends us photos of the moon with cute little captions just because the moon is meant to represent Lune. -- I could genuinely go on for 150 hours about why I love Jo and how special he is to me.

There are so many aspects of his personality that just. draw you in and refuse to let you go. He is an incredible talented, handsome, unique guy who continues to shine in new ways everyday. He's growing up in front of us and I'm incredibly proud of him. He's humble, too. Incredibly grateful for the members of &TEAM and for Lune who give him inspiration and strength to keep going.

(also his beauty marks. i love all of the moles he has on his cute lil face, I just didn't want to talk about his appearance too much.)

What traits would Jo pick up from his girlfriend?

I feel like Jo is someone who probably mirrors his lover's personality. He probably finds comfort in his girlfriend's actions and finds himself doing things she would when she's not with him.

Eating habits. I feel like Jo would probably mirror his girlfriend's eating habits in the sense of speed of eating and probably times of having his meals. If his girlfriend eats slow, he would probably slow down to match her pace so she didn't feel like she needed to rush or just so they could enjoy their meal together. If she eats fast, he would probably increase his speed of eating too so they could move on to more interesting things together like watching movies, cuddling, going out to do things, etc.! As far as time of eating -- He would probably find routine while with his girlfriend and become accustomed to eating at a certain time, so even when they're not together, he would probably stick to this routine.

(lowkey this would also include Jo learning how to cook the foods she loves most because he knows it makes her happy, therefore also making him happy. he would probably eat her comfort foods when he's feeling lonely or just misses her, too.)

Hobbies. Jo's personality screams that quality time is one of his major love languages, so naturally, he would want to engage with his girlfriend's hobbies as a way of bonding with her. Journaling, biking, hiking, knitting, watching movies, reading books -- whatever the case may be, Jo would want to be included in her hobbies and would probably pick a couple up for himself. He'd probably find himself making keychains just because he found comfort in the bonding experience with her or maybe he'd just pick a random day to go shopping to spoil himself because it's something they'd done together in the past. Maybe he'd find himself falling hard into a fandom she's in or maybe even just adopting hobbies of collecting cute things that remind him of her because she does the same for him.

Facial expressions when speaking. Jo already mirrors expressions when he's listening to the Teamies talk to him. He often repeats things back to the Teamies as well using their same tones. This would be no different with his girlfriend. He would match her tone and expression when he's talking to her, seeming to take on her own mannerisms when he's telling a story he finds particularly exciting or irritating. Using more expressive words, talking with his hands, the inflection of the story, maybe adopting words she uses often into his own vocabulary.. He would probably just find himself mirroring the way his girlfriend expresses herself because these expressions are what he's used to and what he's comfortable with.

girl!&TEAM and Jo...

Ohhh this one's kind of a hard one to answer! If &TEAM were girls, who would compliment his personality best? If I'm honest, I'd say Fuma might suit him the most? I feel like probably Yuma in some aspects too... Let me explain a little bit?

Fuma

Inspires him to try new things hobby wise. A real canon event: Fuma bought Jo colored pencils because he only draws in black and white and Fuma wanted him to explore new things. Jo is now coloring his drawings and even took up oil painting because of this incident. girl!Fuma would have the same personality, so that's already a given.

Encourages him to be more talkative and gives him a safe space to use his voice for personal expression. Active listener, engages him fully, enjoys holding a conversation, asks engaging questions.

Makes him feel seen and valued. Never shies away from showing love for Jo and all of his personality quirks. Never forces him to do things he's not comfortable with but praises him when he does something new outside of his normal behaviors. Always reminds him of why he's loved + how much he's loved.

A real partner. Fuma would be someone who worked with Jo through everyday struggles, relationship issues, or bigger more intimate issues. Financial issues, helping Jo through an emotional time, working together to figure out why they'd had a fight over something small -- any issue that arises is one Jo would never have to face alone with Fuma. He would have a real life partner, not someone who just stands there and watches him drown.

Yuma

Silly personality to pull him out of his shell a bit more. Encourages him to explore the fun side of himself through goofy dancing, making silly faces, getting into small bickers over nonsensical things, etc. etc. Makes him laugh a lot.

Kind of clingy. Yuma's clinginess would provide a sense of belonging for Jo, triggering a kind of confidence within him that makes him gravitate to Yuma's side 24/7. He would feel needed, wanted and appreciated with Yuma's constant yearning for cuddles, hugs, or handholding.

Adventurous and sometimes spontaneous. Jo would find himself ensnared in all kinds of nonsense with girlfriend!Yuma. From randomly bungee jumping off of a bridge or ice skating across a frozen lake, Jo would find himself doing things he wouldn't voluntarily do on his own because his (crazy) lovely girlfriend!Yuma wanted to do something fun on a random Tuesday afternoon.

Confrontational. Jo would never have to worry about anything. Yuma would be his number one supporter and wouldn't even give him the option to stand up for himself. Nope. Yuma is already all over the issue trying to figure out what's going on and how to fix it so Jo isn't worried about it anymore. Pickles when he said none? Yuma's going up and asking why there are pickles in Jo's food. Someone said something sideways? Aht. Yuma's like a drill sergeant trying to figure out who this person is and what gave them to right to speak to/about Jo like this.

I can definitely see how Harua would compliment his personality, too, though. I chose Fuma and Yuma because they're more outgoing and would encourage Jo to explore new outlets for creativity or encourage him to join in on more social events.

Haura, however, is also a very soft, quiet person who would probably match up with Jo's energy 100% of the time. Cozy, quiet days at home with hot cups of tea or sitting outside in the garden together just listening to the birds chirp their hearts away - Harua and Jo would live a simple, quiet life together.

Someone else who would be a unique match would be Euijoo, though. Euijoo is like a perfect mix of introvert and extravert. He's a kind, gentle, caring guy who doesn't actually mind going out of his way for things. Even if he's scared or uncomfortable, he finds it in himself to push forward. This would be a great personality trait match for Jo. They would encourage each other and feed into one another's ability to overcome the obstacle they're afraid of. They would tackle it head-on together.

Like I said - this question is SO HARD to answer because all of the &TEAM members have traits that just suit Jo's personality so well. Picking one girlfriend from girl!&TEAM for Jo would be an impossible feat. Just. SCREAMS.

You didn't ask, but here are a couple of Jo moments that I recently saved and loved because I think you should see them.

Jo and the jellybean challenge ft. Taki & Yuma trying to sniff him out: https://x.com/asakurajoface/status/1897573654302761109

Jo trying (and struggling) to get seated on the boat: https://x.com/ruaajo/status/1897565045082509795

Being absolutely adorable while getting absolutely POPPED by hot grease in a pan while he cooks: https://x.com/vmnvore/status/1896749026445595021

Falling into a fit of giggles and getting shy / embarrassed when Maki straight up did NOT hear him talking: https://x.com/nichoveil/status/1896711301591863767

Being Kei's baby brother: https://x.com/zxiangbab/status/1896212519972385247

Eating rice: https://x.com/kevinlovlies/status/1896031163732672759

[world-of-wales]

─ •✧ WILLIAM'S YEAR IN REVIEW : 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 ✧• ─

𝟐 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He held a Meeting with charity representatives at Windsor Castle.

𝟑 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : The Duke of Rothesay and attended the Order of the Thistle Installation Service at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. Afterwards, he attended the Lunch Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for the Knights and Ladies of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

𝟒 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William was spotted at Windsor Castle on his electric scooter. He held a Meeting. Will & Cat made a private donation for Hurricane Beryl relief efforts.

𝟓 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He held a Meeting at Windsor Castle with the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales and charities they support.

𝟔 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He was received by His Majesty's Consul-General for Düsseldorf (Mr. Nicholas Russell) at Düsseldorf Airport as he attended the UEFA Euro 2024 Quarter Final Game between England and Switzerland. Afterwards, he met English Men's Football Team. Subsequently, he released a personal tweet congratulating the team.

𝟕 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : Kensington Palace released a photograph featuring The Prince of Wales announcing a new docuseries - 'Prince William: We Can End Homelessness.

𝟗 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He visited Royal Air Force Valley in Holyhead.

𝟏𝟎 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William released a personal tweet congratulating the Three Lions' qualification to the UEFA Euros Final.

𝟏𝟏 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He attended a special showcase marking the First Anniversary of "Homewards" programme and was received by His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London (Sir Kenneth Olisa). He made a donation to Hideaway Youth Project of computers & funds for a podcast room.

𝟏𝟐 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William participated in the Royal Charity Polo Cup at the Guards Polo Club.

𝟏𝟑 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He released a personal statement wishing luck to the Three Lions ahead of the Euros Final. William and Catherine released a personal tweet marking The Princess Royal's return to engagements following her accident.

𝟏𝟒 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William and George were received by Deputy Head of British Mission in Berlin (Mr. Kieran Drake) at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport as they attended the UEFA Euro 2024 Final between England and Spain at the Olympiastadion. Subsequently, a photograph with King Felipe VI & Infanta Sofia of Spain was released. He released a personal tweet following the loss.

𝟏𝟓 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : He held a Meeting with Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund at Windsor Castle. A personal tweet by Will & Cat was released following the Euros 2024 loss for England.

𝟏𝟔 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William released a statement upon the departure of Gareth Southgate as the England Men's Team Manager.

𝟏𝟕 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William & Catherine marked Queen Camilla's Birthday.

𝟐𝟒 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William became took on four new patronages :

⋆ Welsh Guards Charity

⋆ Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association

⋆ Football Association

⋆ Fields of Trust

He also became the President of Victoria Cross Association & George Cross Association.

The Duchy of Cornwall 2024 Integrated Annual Report was released.

𝟐𝟗 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : A statement congratulating Team GB's Equestrian Eventing Team & Tom Pidock on bagging the Olympics' first gold medals was released. William and Catherine released a personal statement offering condolences for the Southport Attack.

𝟑𝟏 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 : William released a statement to mark World Ranger Day.

[youtopialanding]

Youtopia

Chapter 3 : The last message

4964 words.

No TW.

The weather didn’t seem to be calming down, around their shelter. Outside, a real hurricane was raging, preventing them from even thinking about going out for supplies. Fortunately for them, they still had enough to last an entire month in these conditions ; unless something bad happened and added to their problems, of course. Everything seemed to be fine though. Nick had completely fixed the ventilation, so their breathing air wouldn’t be as toxic as it had been over the past few weeks. M.I.N.D. gathered a lot of the previously corrupted files, those attacked by the last virus that fried half of her system. Nicholas narrowly escaped a total transformation into one of those bloodthirsty creatures. Yes, everything was fine.

“How is he ?”

Ruffilo was sitting on the same table that welcomed him a few days earlier, his eyes staring at Noah’s back from afar. His shirt was folded next to him, and he was trembling from the cold in the middle of this poorly insulated cavern, but didn’t complain at all. He never complained anyway.

Jolly, who was focused on his task, didn’t even straighten up to answer.

“You’re the wounded one here, why do you worry about him?” “Because I know him too well.”

The cryptic reply finally got a reaction from the wannabe doctor, who just raised an eyebrow while applying a heavy dose of foul-smelling ointment to his friend’s shoulder. However, the latter didn’t feel like elaborating, even though he clearly seemed worried.

“What do you mean?” Jolly finally asked, once he realized he wouldn’t get any answer otherwise. “He’d be capable of doing something stupid very soon,” Nicholas replied.

The older one stared at him for a while, not really convinced by his words. Of all of them, Ruffilo was the one who knew Noah best, to the point where everyone wondered if he hadn’t turned into a telepath or something. Now that Jolly thought about it, it was easy to communicate with him with a glance; even he didn’t struggle that much to understand or be understood by him.

“We’re here to talk him out of it,” he reassured, but the brunette shook his head. “He’s blinkered. If he decides something…nothing and no one will prevent him from doing it. He doesn’t know how to rationalise, especially when he’s still feeling so guilty about everything. Because he is guilty - of many things. It’s killing him, slowly. I can see it. So he tries to take back control, and usually, he does that pretty poorly.” “That’s a good reason to stop him, right?”

Nicholas, who was talkative compared to his usual self, just shook his head again and went mute. It was useless to ask him anything else; he wouldn’t answer anymore. Jolly sighed, but resumed his task and rolled a bandage over the oozing wound. What was the point of all this ? If his friend felt like talking again, and actually explaining things… he would be more than happy to listen.

Noah didn’t hear a thing about what was going on around him. Lost in thought, he was staring at the computer screen with intense focus, waiting patiently for something to happen. The bad weather was actually a good thing for him; as he couldn’t leave that place, he had enough time to catch up on his lack of sleep and now felt much better than before. M.I.N.D. was right : he had to take care of himself, for the greater good. If he fell, all of their efforts would fall with him. Feeling rested and his belly full for the first time in weeks - although their meals were more nutritious than tasty - he felt his senses sharpened, his focus easier to maintain. Who would have thought that an AI would know more about humankind than a real human ?

“The signal is still too weak, boss,” M.I.N.D. suddenly said, her robotic voice resounding in his head. “Our waves can't go this far, and with that storm…” “I'm sure you can do it,” Noah whispered.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and the young man was slightly startled by this sudden contact. He hadn't even heard Nicholas approach. His treatment was over, and he had put his shirt and hoodie back on, but he was still trembling from the cold; his fever was probably still lingering, although he wasn't hallucinating in bed anymore.

“Explain,” he just said, but that one word was enough to convey what he needed. “M.I.N.D. spotted a signal two days ago,” Noah explained while pointing at what looked like a very flat radio wave. “It's a bit far, so we're trying to decipher it, but…it's a bit more complicated than expected.” “A signal? But…we haven't received any for months.” “I messed around with the external sensors last week, and worked a bit more here too. I didn't think it would be useful…but when I adjusted the antenna settings and aimed for a broader range, I finally picked something up.”

Noah struggled to hide his excitement. However impassive he usually looked, his best friend knew how to read his mind. And this new behaviour, far from being reassuring, only triggered an alarm inside his head.

“We're not even sure that it's anything important…” he sighed while pulling his hand away. “You always avoided the other rebels…why do you care now? It can just be another group.”

Noah shrugged. It was true, his behaviour had suddenly changed, as if he had enough of being alone against the whole world. Yes, their last meeting with another group of rebels was…challenging, to say the least, and they almost had to move from their current headquarters. Yes, their leader himself took the drastic decision to carefully avoid every single living thing on this planet, waiting for the general situation to improve. But maybe his unwanted isolation he’d been dealing with for so long was starting to wear him down? No, that's not it, the brunette thought, frowning. The tattooed guy had something in mind, and he feared the moment he would act on it.

“I managed to localize the signal, boss,” M.I.N.D. suddenly said, and her voice made Nicholas jump a little. “Perfect!” Noah shouted, unable to hide his excitement anymore. “Can you process it?” “I need a few more seconds.”

The computer blew violently, tangible proof that it was working hard. With all the new components Jolly gathered the other day, its performance was better than it used to be, even if they weren't protected from a sudden system crash.

On the main screen, the radio waves seemed to grow more and more, going from a straight line to large oscillations. This change fascinated Nicholas as much as it stimulated Noah; he knew more or less that M.I.N.D. was capable of many exploits, but seeing the proof in front of him was truly amazing.

“Voice message deciphered. Unable to find additional information for now,” the AI declared, and Sebastian made a victory sign. “Finally !” He shouted, a big smile on his face. “Play it !” 

A static noise reverberated on the walls, so loud that the two other men stopped in their tracks to look at the source of the sound with wide eyes. Jolly and Nick walked towards the workshop, the first suspicious, the second dumbstruck. The waves weren't stable enough, but after a few seconds of only hearing static, a man’s voice spoke.

“Do…hear me? Do…hear…Ah…! Here’s…Saï…found a way to save…poor lads…Gaia Facilities. …need help. LA 33…39…29…2…117…46…01…9…help…save…”

The message suddenly stopped, as if the transmission was abruptly cut off by something, and the static started again while the entire room remained dead silent. None of the four men dared speak. Of all the rare messages they had managed to get since they had lived here, this one was certainly the most cryptic of them all, and not only because half of the words were lost due to the poor reception. They looked at each other, baffled, each one of them wondering what it could mean. Then…

“Who…who was it ?” Nick asked.

Nicholas shrugged, the only one reacting to his words. The youngest was a bit upset to be ignored, but quickly understood that the two others were absolutely focused. Noah started the recording again, frowning, looking more disturbed than usual. Suddenly…

“I know that voice,” he mumbled. “Me too,” replied Jolly, his face showing the exact same expression. “But from where ?” “I don't fucking know…from another refuge, maybe?” “Nope,” Ruffilo cut in. “I don't recognize it myself.”

Silence spoke again, and time stood still. One could only hear the computer fans, as M.I.N.D. was still working on the signal, hoping to find where it was coming from. Noah sighed, slouched in his chair and crossed his arms. He didn't know how to react to this brand new information. That man…did he really know how to free the prisoners from the labs ? Gaia Facilities…he'd never heard that name before, but in the context, it may be the name of these underground labs. But those labs were unapproachable, strictly watched by the rogue AI and its worshippers…how could anyone escape from there without consequences? Who could enter these places, unless he was one of these worshippers ?

“Saï…never heard of this name before, it must be a code name,” Jolly said, thinking out loud. “Same goes for the Gaia Facilities, never heard that before. The numbers at the end…it looked like coordinates. Maybe that’s where the signal comes from. M.I.N.D. ?” “I’m still looking, boss,” the robotic voice replied. “But there’s a problem.” “What problem ?” blurted Noah, who straightened suddenly. “The message is dated from April 23rd, 2047.”

The info was a shock, the crash of an emotional rollercoaster. The signal must have been playing continually since that time, with no one to detect it before because of its weak emission. Five years had passed since its recording…how could they know if the person talking here was still alive ? In a world so hostile, surviving even for a week outside was a huge achievement.

Jolly’s face was pale, but Noah was still active and just typing on his keyboard. He was taking notes on the message in question, as if the last piece of information didn’t count. Male…adult, maybe around their age…weird accent. He then asked M.I.N.D. to check the coordinates. If the message wasn’t a blatant lie, that man was based in the heart of the city, far beyond where they wandered to get their supplies. 

“Anaheim…” he whispered, reading the map displayed on his screen. “This is very close to the centre. Too close, maybe.” “Way too close,” Nicholas abruptly cut in, frowning as he held his wounded shoulder. “It may be a trap.” “A five-year-old trap, really ?”

Noah’s joke didn’t go unnoticed. He seemed to be taking this situation way too lightly, but his best friend already knew what was going on in his mind. He wanted to go there…discover who sent this message and what additional information he was holding that could help them in their quest. But it was too easy. Too…precise. How could they know if it wasn’t a trick made by those who wanted them dead ? If they recognized that voice and it wasn’t from one of the other shelters they had visited in the past, it was obviously from the enemy. And yet, their leader didn’t even think about this possibility.

“Noah, you…” he started. “We’ll talk about this later,” Noah cut him short. “I know what you’re gonna say, and I don’t wanna hear it.”

Ruffilo clenched his jaw, frustrated by this childish behavior, but didn’t say a word. As he was tipsy from this new victory, from finally having something to work with, his friend didn’t want to listen to reason. He had to be patient… again.

“Again. Go on. Too soft. Too late. Nope. Still not.”

There were fighting noises in the second room of their headquarters, the one they only used for physical training. Coached by Jolly, Nick tried to keep up with the pace he imposed. Since their last mission outside, he had practically begged the former soldier to train him personally, as he had witnessed first-hand the gap between his level and the others’. Yes, he’s always been athletic; yes, his youth and physical condition were more or less an advantage against a thirty-something guy who looked like he’s lived dozens of different lives. But alone against this fellow, he finally realised how much his “advantage” was far from being enough.

He was jumping, rolling over, barely avoiding the projectiles his teacher was throwing at him without being able to really come closer than a few feet from him. His goal ? To make Karlsson yield to his will and prove to him in the process that he deserved his place in the team. Of course, Noah had already comforted him about it when they were alone together… but he still stupidly felt like his elder wasn’t thinking the same thing. His expression was always enigmatic, he seemed to judge him constantly, even looked kind of disappointed from time to time when he looked at him. No matter his colossal efforts, Nick still feared that he wouldn’t be enough for him.

Suddenly, as he was watching his opponent wondering if he would even reach him one day, a window presented itself. Here…he wasn’t paying much attention to him, was he? Maybe Jolly was tired too and had underestimated him. It was the right time to move. Quick as lightning, Folio jumped and reached his enemy, his fist meeting the taller one on the stomach, missing it by only a few inches. His second punch though, reached the target. Jolly groaned from discomfort : protected by his equipment he withstood the blow and took a single step back, his piercing eyes staring at his young pupil.

“Almost,” he said. “But you’ve lost anyway.” “What? No!” retorted Nick.

Hadn’t he touched him, finally? Hadn’t he avoided all of his blows, the projectiles, Hadn’t he come close? Why did Jolly decide that he had lost when being less than three feet away from him was proof he’d win this round?

One second of hesitation, of confusion. One single second was enough for Jolly to grab him and pin him to the ground, a knee on his chest, two fingers pointed at his face. In shock, Nick forgot to breathe for a second and simply stared at his hand, his heart pounding in his chest. It felt like he was just threatened with the barrel of a rifle.

“Boom,” said Jolly, his hand mimicking the recoil of a weapon. “Outside, you’d be dead ten times over.” “It’s not fair!” Nick protested. “You distracted me, and…” “Everything can be a distraction outside. You have to lock your mind, and act. Not think for two hundred years or so. They will never reflect for too long, when they try to blow up your brain.” “But…” “You have to learn how to spot the false opportunities too. If your opponent is powerful and skilled, there’s very little chance he’s gonna make some basic mistakes like the one I offered today… if you just go for it and don’t analyze enough, you’ll just make yourself an easy target.”

The lesson was hard, but necessary. Head down, Folio stayed on the ground and didn’t even dare to look at his coach. He accepted his hand however and finally stood up, but turned around when he felt his cheeks burning. He was ashamed to fall for such an easy trick, ashamed of his weakness too. But Jolly just patted him on the shoulder, and when the youngest finally gathered the courage to look at his face, he thought he saw a little smile stretching his lips - which, for a man like him, was the equivalent of a burst of joy for anyone else.

“You’re pretty good, kiddo,” Jolly said. “You’re just…a bit too naive for this world.” “How so?” Nick asked. He didn’t really like being called “naive” at his age. “You can still see the best in people. You hesitate before you kill anyone, anything…you must be one of the rare people in this world who still possesses a soul. Keep it safe. It will always be your most valuable possession.”

It was the very first time Jolly actually gave him a compliment, and Folio wasn’t sure how to react. He opened his mouth, but closed it quickly when he realised that he had nothing to reply to. That situation was so unusual that he was thrown off completely.

It was the shouting that stopped their conversation in its tracks. Nick was suddenly worried ; he ran towards the main room, his equipment still on, rapidly followed by his coach, who now looked inexpressive again. 

Noah had left his spot, and was now standing tall in the middle of the room, arms crossed against his chest. In front of him stood Ruffilo, and the youngest had never seen him so angry. His hands were trembling, and his eyes could kill. The tension around them was so electric he was scared to even come closer. Whatever Noah had said, his best friend was having none of it.

“Stop your bullshit, I know why you’re doing this,” Nicholas spat out, his words as sharp as a knife. “You still think you’re responsible for what happened to me. You always think you’re responsible for everything. Look at what you’ve done! I knew you’d be doing something stupid.” “Shut up!” Noah shouted, his face red with anger. “You… you don’t know what it’s like, so shut the fuck up, Nick.” “Did you forget what happened the last time you went solo? Do you really think she deserved that?!” “SHUT UP!”

His hand moved by itself, or so it seemed. Blinded by rage - and maybe a bit of fear - the leader threw his fist towards his friend’s face, who didn’t have the time to block it. Nicholas took the blow and had a hard time staying on his feet, as he stepped back far enough to put a bit of distance between them. He winced, spat out some blood from his now-wounded lips and gave his opponent a dirty look. Noah looked completely lost between anger and despair. He was staring at his hand like it wasn’t his, like it wasn’t his decision to hit so hard.

“She’s dead because you’ve been too dumb to follow orders again,” Ruffilo added with absolutely no emotion. “She’s dead because of you. And the only thing you wanna do now is just…kill yourself out there. You’ve got no balls left. You’d better give up and die a ‘hero’ for absolutely nothing, just be a martyr and not do the work you’re supposed to do. You’re pathetic, Sebastian.” “For once, I have one last chance to fix everything,” Noah replied with a shaky voice. “I won’t let it go so easily. It’s YOU, who’s been holding me back from the beginning. YOU who’s giving up the cause!” “Guys, we…” Folio tried, but Jolly raised his hand to prevent him from saying anything.

The youngest didn’t understand why his coach was letting this situation escalate. Why wasn’t he trying to stop it, teach them a lesson, force them to focus on something else until they were both in a better mood to communicate? He who was so wise, always a straight man, their true leader in the shadows really, just gave up this role in a matter of seconds. What was going on in his head ? There had to be a reason…

“I don’t fucking care about you and your stories, I’m outta here !” Noah cried out, and he immediately walked away from Nicholas. “Fuck off if you like,” he replied. “Kill her another time.” “FUCK YOU.”

Nick didn’t understand a word of this exchange, but as he saw Jolly reach for their leader, he hoped that finally he got bored and was trying to diffuse the tension. What a surprise then, when he saw him just..help Noah put on his suit! He even handed him his rifle without a word, his face still blank, lips closed, gaze as cold as a dead fish.

“But…do you really support that?!” Nick couldn’t help but ask.

Jolly ignored him, too busy checking the suit for the one who was trying to flee this shelter. Too many questions were swirling in the youngest’s mind; why would they push Noah away when there was a big storm outside? Why would they support such a breakup when they had to stay together to survive? Why did nobody in this fucking headquarters act as usual?! He couldn’t stand it anymore. Tired of being set aside, he stepped in front of the corridor that led to the exit and spreaded his arms, his eyes locked on Noah’s supposed face.

“Don’t go, it’s too dangerous out there alone !” he pleaded. “Move your ass, Nick !” Noah retorted. He obviously was still pissed under his helmet. “No, I…” “MOVE.”

His elder’s cry made him jump a little, but Nick held on. He wasn’t going to let him risk his life for nothing worth! He didn’t even understand why he was the only one acting right now. That Nicholas was too angry to step in once more, he could understand. But Jolly? He went down in his estimation. 

Too disturbed by his thousand questions, Nick was distracted long enough for Noah to push him aside abruptly. He was thrown against the wall and almost fell. In a few seconds, the leader of the rebellion was gone.

“I… I don’t understand…” Nick stuttered as he stared at the now empty corridor. “Why… why didn’t you stop him? He’s gonna die outside! There’s a fucking storm!”

Nobody replied to him, as usual. Nicholas was cleaning his wounded lip with some 90° alcohol, while Jolly was tidying the equipment zone.

“M.I.N.D.?” he snapped suddenly, his raised voice startling Folio in the process. “I’m still here, boss,” the AI replied. “Track Sebastian. Report everything he does every… hmm… let’s say, five minutes. If you lose the signal for more than half an hour, ring the alarm bell.” “On it, boss.”

Jolly had a satisfied look on his face when he turned away from the computer. His gaze met Nicholas’s, who nodded with a knowing look. Nick felt a bit lost watching them communicate like that, and a bit…isolated. They all seemed to be telepaths here, and here he was, set aside without consent. A pout on his face, he tried to mask his frustration and looked for something to do with his hands. Suddenly, a powerful hand landed on his shoulder.

“Stop worrying so much, it’s gonna be okay,” Nicholas assured, his voice now as soft as it used to be. “No, it’s not !” Nick protested. He was disturbed by this illogical reaction. “He’s all alone out there, with the prowlers, the storm, the…” “He’s been through worse, believe me. And he’s got good equipment.” “But…you just…” “M.I.N.D. is with him, he’s not alone. And he needs a reality check. He’ll be fine, don’t worry.

The youngest still didn't understand the situation. Once more, it seemed he was missing some elements to get it. He glanced at his elders, biting his lip, frowning, but just walked away with no further questions. He didn’t want to anger Nicholas again, because even if he didn’t really understand all that was said between him and Noah, his tone was enough to scare him a little bit.

“Maybe you went a little bit too far,” Jolly tried, coming up to his friend. “Oh so you’re taking his side now ?” Nicholas retorted.

He was wincing from the pain, a hand on his shoulder, his forehead wet with sweat from the fever. Silently, the older man helped him remove his hoodie and shirt, and noticed with horror that the bandages were already wet with a mix of blood, ointment, and pus. He sighed, but just gathered his tools to treat the injury again.

“Don’t start a fight with me,” he said with no emotion in his voice. “You know that I never take anyone’s side. But you’ve gone too far.” “Because I mentioned her ?” Nicholas spat out, his face distorted by pain. “It’s the only thing he reacts to nowadays. Sometimes, I even think he forgets her a bit too easily.” “How can he forget her ? She’s part of him now. She always reminds him of her presence, and her absence. Believe me when I say he’s never forgotten her.”

Silence spoke volumes. Nicholas didn’t know what to reply to that statement. He was breathing heavily, trying not to show his weakness under the hands of his improvised doctor, but was relaxing a bit more as if the anger was leaving his body and just left regrets. He sighed and glanced at the computer screen absently. 

“It’s been almost two years and he hasn’t changed,” he whispered, defeated. “I can’t help but wonder if his merging with M.I.N.D. is a good thing. She protects him, yes, but…she also brings up too many bad memories.” “It wasn’t up to us to make that decision,” Jolly recalled. “I know, I know…but we should have said something. Stopped him from doing this. We’re fighting against a rogue AI, and our leader merges his mind with another AI. How can we know if she’s not gonna go rogue herself ? How can we know if he’s kept…his identity ?” “Noah believes in it, doesn’t he ? He’s not stupid, you know. He’ll figure it out, if M.I.N.D. becomes maleficent.” “Would he ?”

The question hung in the air, like a floating uncertainty. To worry about this subject was useless, especially since they were certainly spied on by said AI who was always watching over them either through the computer or simply the chip they all had on their arm. They just had to pray that M.I.N.D. never faltered, moreover, pray that Noah never became mad enough to switch sides.

Maybe it was a bit presumptuous to leave their shelter alone in the middle of a storm. If the acid rain was a bit annoying at first, the violent wind around him was so strong that he struggled to even stay on his feet. Worse : some pieces of the landscape, damaged by the weather over the past few days, detached from their original place and threatened to strike him. The night had fallen a few hours ago already, and the darkness didn’t help him watch what was going on in front of him. His jaw was clenched; Noah still tried to walk towards his goal in the middle of a real apocalypse, his eyes focused on what looked like a GPS watch.

“I know we can make it,” he mumbled, more for himself than for the AI at his side. “Ruffilo was right boss, you don’t have a solid plan to reach the target,” the robotic voice replied coldly. “Ah, don’t do that again!”

The storm, far from calming down, seemed to get even worse, so much that Noah wondered if he would be able to even put one foot in front of the other. It was right at this moment that a strong gust of wind forced him to fall on his knees. He barely avoided a scrap of metal, flattened himself against what looked like a building in ruins, and breathed out while grabbing his weapon. He was lucky no creature was around, but the weather was bad enough to be a proper opponent. Definitely, going out at that time was a very bad idea, but he’d never admit it.

“M.I.N.D., I need you,” he blurted out with regret. “Guide me.” “Boss, the cyclone is dangerously approaching the zone. Your safety is compromised.”

Noah screamed out of rage. Nothing he’d tried lately was working properly, and he felt terribly helpless. He took his courage in both hands and ignored the AI’s pleas, then stood up and started walking again against the wind. However, a few seconds later, he just froze in place.

In front of him was an impassable wall, just like a thick, greyish smoke he couldn’t help but fear. A moving wall coming closer and closer at high speed : the heart of the cyclone.

The wind intensified, and he fell to his knees again. Something hit his head ; he blessed his helmet but still felt the shock, and understood a bit too late that he was in deep shit. His breath was short, but he screamed again to gather his strength and tried to run - or just fight the storm, really - taking a few more projectiles in the process. He had to make it. He had to find shelter for the night at least, then resume his activities once the weather was calm enough and the cyclone was gone; or if he managed to reach the eye of it, where he would be safe for a while.

Another projectile hit him on the head, strong enough to throw him further away as the wind was lifting him up a bit. However sturdy his equipment was, he could still feel the pain throughout his entire body, tossed around like a puppet with no strings. His weapon was ripped from his hand, and no matter how much he tried to grab it, his helmet started to move away from his head. When it was also ripped away by the powerful storm, Noah finally understood that he could just…die here. Die before he could even do something meaningful for the entire world. Nicholas was right… why didn’t he listen to him? Why did he think he could do it alone?

“M.I.N.D.!” he cried, as panic started to grow in his gut.

His face was hidden in his arms, his eyes closed to protect his sight from the acid. He couldn’t control anything in that situation. Had no more hope of getting out of here either. Why was he so narrow-minded? He really thought he could make it, that he’d be a hero within his team, that he could prove how capable he was…but what would he accomplish now? Absolutely nothing.

Another projectile hit him violently in his head, and this time, the leader couldn’t bear it anymore : his consciousness was slipping away from him, leaving just a dislocated rag doll. He could never survive this.

[lovinglonerhybrid]

I hope y’all are having a happy holidays! Have a little Christmas fic I wrote at work!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the ship

Not a creature was stirring, not even ratchet;

The stockings were hung up in quarters with glee,

In hopes that St. Nicholas would leave us something;

The crew were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of energon danced in their heads;

And mags on the bridge, and I on my berth,

Had just finished a shift and was all out of sorts,

When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my berth to see what was the matter.

Away to the doorway I flew like a flash,

Tore open the door and gave a small gasp.

The lights in the hallway were all turned down low,

And the decor was starting to look just like snow,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a human sized sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in that moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the end of the hallway! look out for that wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So down to the bar the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of goodies, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard echo down

The prancing pawing and a jingling sound.

As I slipped through the hallway and looked in the door

Out jumped St.Nick with a bag full of ore.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of goodies he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I gasped when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And placing the goodies he pulled from his sack, he magiced them down without hardly a tap;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he flew out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Rodimus onlined slowly he powered on his optics and pushed himself off of his berth. The speedster stretched and flared his plating. Rising from his berth he walked to his washrack and turned the solvent on to warm up. The captain stepped back through to his room and paused. The night before Rodimus had all the crew members hang stockings somewhere in their quarters to celebrate the human holiday of Christmas. But there in the stocking the speedster had hung the night before sat what looked like little gifts. Rodimus walked over to the stocking and gently pulled it off his wall. He placed it on his berth and pulled out a package of energon sweets. Some data slugs labeled with human films and a couple new video games. The captain was stunned that someone would give him some gifts especially after how the quest has been going so far. The red speedster repacked his stocking and placed it on his desk to grab later. The mech then walked back to his washrack and took a quick shower. As he left his quarters the mech grabbed the stocking full of little gifts and made his way to swerves for a treat. When he entered the bar the captain was bombarded with laughter and EM fields full of joy. The speedster waded his way to the bar and claimed an empty stool.

“Looks real busy in here this morning swerve what’s the occasion?”

The minibot bartender gave Rodimus a grin and placed a cube full of warmed energon on the bar. “Yeah it’s been hopping since First shift! Everyone woke up with gifts in their stockings and no one’s fessed up yet!”

Rodimus paused and pulled out his stocking “yeah I came down to see if it was just me”

Swerve pulled out his stocking and laughed “nope I heard even old bucket head got something”

Rodimus grabbed the hot energon cube and lifted it to his intake. He watched as swerve was pulled away to serve more customers. The speedster turned and looked out over the bar he saw tailgate and Cyclonus sharing some oil cakes. In a booth Magnus and Megatron looked to be debating something on a shiny new data pad. At a table drift and ratchet sat talking to Rung who was working on a new model. The medic had some new polish on and Rodimus spied some cristal ornaments on drift’s plating. Whirl was bouncing between tables showing off the new decals he got and chromedome and rewind where fiddling with some new camera equipment. As the captain took stock of his crew the bar suddenly fell silent at the sound of the doors slamming open. Brainstorm stood in the entryway, his eyes full of manic glee.

Everybot to the observation deck ASAP!” The jet shouted. Rodimus stood from his seat and watched as the scientist stepped back from the doors and transformed jetting towards the aforementioned deck.

The bar was soon filled with the sounds of scraping chairs and questioning voices. Rodimus clambered his way to the front of the group. The speedster paused at the entrance to the observation deck. In the middle of the room stood a ginormous Christmas tree. Decorated with fancy glass and fuzzy earth animals the tree was lit with strings of multicolored lights that reflected off the glass ornaments giving the whole deck a warm glow. At the back of the tree stood percepter and brainstorm their optics wide. Rodimus slowly approached the tree as he grew closer to the base he saw stacks of gifts nestled under the branches. The room quickly filled up as mechs all quietly filled the room gazing upon the tree with wonder. Rodimus thought back to what he thought was only a dream that night but the tree confirmed the truth. As bots got over their awe and began passing out presents the captain settled in next to drift and gladly accepted his gifts. Out of the corner of his optic Rodimus caught sight of something moving outside of the window. He executed himself and walked over to the viewing area. Flying alongside the ship was a tiny little sleigh and eight reindeer. Sitting in the sleigh sat a human wearing a furry red coat with a large sack in the back area. Rodimus pressed his faceplate to the glass as the sleigh took off into space. Rodimus straightened and looked behind him at all the bots laughing and opening gifts. The speedster smiled casting one last look out the window the captain smiled and rejoined his crew well at this point they were really a big family.

[tenshinokorin]

TnK's Trigun Fic Listing

Ok now that I've got 15 fics out for Trigun (so far) and at least a couple of those are upwards of 20K and some of them are sequels and followups and ongoing, I thought maybe I should do a proper list of things, to make it easier for people who want to read in some kind of order. I'm terrible about talking up my own work but this is also for my own reference so that's fine, right? ^^; All fics are Vashwood-centric (I will get to Nai in a minute I have a backlog) and ratings vary from Gen to Explicit, though all are intended for an adult audience. This list is complete as of September '23, I will update it periodically as needed! 

NB: I'm lucky enough to have gotten fanart for some of these and sometime when my head is not full of mud I'll go in and add links to those where I can. (Or please drop a link in the replies if you are one of the wonderful artists in question!) 

THE BIG THREE STORYLINES: 

Someday Out of the Blue & I Believe in the Kingdom Come

Trigun '98 canon. Reincarnation fic. The first one is a story I started writing over 20 years ago and quit after a chapter because I was just too heartbroken (and did not know it, but was also too young). Picked it up and finished it this April (2023) after Stampede clobbered me and I fell off the "we don't talk about wolfwood" wagon. The second story is a direct sequel to tie up some loose ends from the first one, and also to indulge my need for a proper happy ending. (I think a lot of folks don't realize Someday has a sequel but it does!!) 

Black is the Color and Mysterious Ways

Trimax Canon. Resurrection/Fix-it/Angstmance with a much shorter, sillier, smuttier epilogue. Three years after the end of Trigun Maximum, Vash is having some trouble laying his ghosts to rest. (You may have seen this incredible artwork which has gotten around a bit and boosts the story better than any summary of mine possibly could.) Weird things happened when I was writing this, I don't mind telling you. Mysterious Ways was mostly an excuse to explore some of the more interesting concepts brought up by the first one, but saying anything more would be spoilery. 

Eyes of the Storm

(Mostly) Trimax canon. Cryptid Vash AU, slowburn romance, ongoing. When Nicholas D. Wolfwood gets roped into being the new caretaker for the now-abandoned orphanage where he spent his childhood, he soon finds out that his own hidden memories are not the only thing haunting him. (What the fuck is a Typhoon?) Wolfwood, Vash, Livio, Elendira, et al. This is the one currently in progress at six chapters out of ??. Pretty SFW so far BUT NOT FOR MUCH LONGER CAVEAT LECTOR. 

List continues with standalone and shorter fics below the cut!

Honeymoon

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Plant Heat, Wingfic, Tentacle Fic, What the fuck is Hay Fever. Wolfwood offers to help Vash out with a personal problem and gets a little more than he bargained for. 

Strange Powers

Generic Trimax/98 setting, comedy/smut/potato jokes/fisting with a loaded prosthetic. What if Vash and Wolfwood (accidentally) got really, really hella high? 

Hurricane

Trigun '98 Canon. 

Vash: Make money? As a priest?

WW: Well. *mysteriously* Not only that. 

Vash: (oh my gosh he's a prostitute)

Shortfic. Wolfwood tries to figure out how to offer his services to someone he doesn't really want to be a paying customer. Short and smutty while also demolishing Wolfwood's professional boundaries.

Skin Tight

Generic Trimax/98 setting. The Infamous Red Dress. PWP, Wolfwood needs to be in the Vash Sensory Deprivation Tank, Vash in high heels, the dress gave its life for this fic you should read it and honor its sacrifice. Look. This is just porn, guys. You want the porny fic? This is the porny fic. (just kidding most of them are porny fics but this one is especially so.) 

Secondhand Secrets

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Introspective/Vignette/Wolfwood POV. Vash's artificial arm always moves in his sleep, and Wolfwood wonders what he's looking for.

Personal Jesus

Badlands Rumble canon (post-film), Wolfwood has poor emotional coping strategies, hurt/comfort (Wolfwood provides both), first-time. That red hotel minifridge never stood a chance. 

A Fool From Any Direction

Trigun '98 Vash's weird horny schtick is a front, and self-respect doesn't save lives. Which is too bad because when Wolfwood finds out what Vash is planning next he's gonna kill him. 

Benediction

Trimax but could also be '98; Sometimes being a hero is not all it's cracked up to be. Or maybe Vash is the one cracking up. Hurt/Comfort, Wound Care & Bible Quotes, Noman's Land is a bitch of a planet. Shortfic, feels, non-explicit/no sex. 

A Bit of a Tight Spot

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Costume Porn, PWP, No corsets were harmed in the making of this fic. I feel like this one gets missed a lot which is MADDENING because you guys. WOLFWOOD'S DOUBLE Ds IN A CORSET. And like, in a gender euphoria way, not in a comedy drag kind of way (though comedy drag does make a small appearance). I don't know how the good minister tightlaced in cuban stockings while giving Vash a blowjob in front of a mirror in the attic of a whorehouse can get so often overlooked, maybe my title or summary is lacking, but it's one of the hottest things I've ever written and its engagement is just in the basement? When (emphatic baffled hand motions to Nicholas D. Wolfwood wearing a garter like a thigh-holster). Anyway. 

The Quick and the Bed

Trigun '98 Comedy, Romance, First Time. The single bed trope. Drunk Idiocy. Wolfwood's vows are in serious danger. (Wolfwood does not have vows.) Readers have let me know that they find this one amusing. Roommates of readers have sent me threats of bodily harm due to badly-stifled hysterical laughter at 3am. 

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW MORE STORIES WILL BE ADDED AS THEY OCCUR!

SMALL DISCLAIMER: I'm a full-time working writer and my fanfic is something I give away for free out of love. Please don't copy, alter, plagiarize, feed to AI in any form, fold, spindle, or mutilate. I'm not in the market for concrit, but if you like my stories please feel free to leave me a comment/kudo, download/print/fanbind for personal use, or let other readers know!

[designchic75]

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I listened to Nicholas Veniamin who interviewed Louis Herms. Louis was there offering help where he could.  he also mentioned seeing many refrigerated trucks running continually. I truly believe that FEMA is hiding many, many bodies, because they don’t want it to be found out how many truly died in the man-made hurricane.

[wraithofmorhogg]

“There are winds of destiny that blow when we least expect them. Sometimes they gust with the fury of a hurricane, sometimes they barely fan one’s cheek. But the winds cannot be denied, bringing as they often do a future that is impossible to ignore.” ― Nicholas Sparks

[twistedreads]

Beneath the Moonlight — Peter Parker

Summary: It’s just past midnight when Peter shows up outside your house. What starts as a late-night drive turns into a skinny-dipping moonlit escape, and ends in the backseat of his car

Warnings— romantic, emotional, NSFW, skinny dipping, car sex, soft dom!peter, lots of dialogue, praise, teasing, sweet dirty talk, slow build smut

Black F reader

Masterlist

The headlights cut a soft glow across the empty street as you stepped out of your house, hoodie tugged tight around your waist and your hair still a little messy from sleep. It was well past midnight, but there he was—leaning against the driver’s side of his beat-up car like he hadn’t just called you ten minutes ago.

Peter straightened up when he saw you, a lazy grin curling on his lips.

“Hey, pretty girl,” he said, voice low, eyes full of something that always made your stomach flutter.

You smirked as you opened the passenger door. “You woke me up for this?”

He leaned over and kissed your cheek once you were inside. “You’ll thank me later.”

You rolled your eyes and pulled the seatbelt across your lap. “You said that last time and we almost got chased by a raccoon.”

“Okay, but this time,” he said, shifting the car into drive with a mischievous look, “I’m raccoon-free. Promise.”

The car rumbled softly as he pulled onto the road. For a while, there was just the hum of the tires and the windows slightly cracked, letting the warm, salty breeze drift in. You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye—one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on your thigh, thumb tracing light circles on your skin.

“You couldn’t sleep again?” you asked.

He shook his head, eyes still on the road. “Nah. Got restless. Brain wouldn’t shut up. But I kept thinking about you, so…”

You turned toward him. “So you drove here at midnight?”

He glanced at you, smiling. “Would’ve driven through a hurricane if it meant seeing you.”

“You’re corny as hell,” you said, cheeks warm.

“And you like it.”

The silence that followed was soft—safe. His thumb kept moving slowly over your leg as the roads narrowed and the air changed. You could smell the sea before you saw it, and your pulse ticked up.

“You brought me to the beach?” you asked.

Peter nodded, pulling into a little hidden side road. “Full moon. Water’s warm. Nobody’s here.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You just thought, ‘Hey, let me go pick up my girl and take her to the ocean like it’s a Nicholas Sparks movie’?”

He shrugged, grin tugging at his mouth. “Something like that.”

The sand was cool beneath your feet, waves quiet and endless in the distance. The moon hung high, casting silver over the sea. Peter kicked off his shoes and pulled his hoodie over his head, revealing lean muscle and messy curls that blew in the breeze.

“Come on,” he said from the water, now waist-deep, hand outstretched. “Just us out here.”

You bit your lip, heart fluttering, then pulled your clothes off piece by piece, letting the wind kiss your bare skin as you walked toward him. The water wrapped around your ankles, cold at first, then welcoming.

Peter swam to you and caught your hand, pulling you into the deeper part, waves sloshing softly against your chest. You were both bare in the moonlight, limbs hidden under the glassy surface.

“What now?” you asked.

He splashed water at you.

You gasped, eyes wide. “Peter!”

And just like that, you were laughing—ducking, chasing, tossing handfuls of water at each other like kids in summer. Until, breathless, he came up behind you, arms wrapping around your waist, body flush against your back.

You turned in his arms, legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. He held you there easily, hands resting on your thighs as you floated together, swaying gently.

His face, half-lit by moonlight, was breathtaking. Wet curls stuck to his forehead. His lashes looked too long for someone who made your whole body feel this electric. You reached up and cupped his cheek, brushing your thumb beneath his eye.

“What are you doing?” he whispered.

You smiled, soft and overwhelmed. “Just… looking. You’re so pretty.”

His brows raised. “Pretty?”

You nodded. “Yeah.”

He looked almost scandalized. “I’m not sure I’m allowed to be pretty. That’s like—a you word.”

You chuckled. “No. It’s the right word. It’s not just how you look—it’s how you hold me. The way you look at me like I matter. That’s pretty.”

His eyes softened. “You’re gonna kill me.”

And then he kissed you.

By the time you reached the car again, your bodies were slick with saltwater and glowing under the moonlight. Peter unlocked the door, yanked open the backseat, and threw the blanket across the seat with one hand before grabbing your wrist and pulling you into his lap.

Your lips were on his before the door even shut.

It was hungry now—the kind of kiss that made your knees weak, even if you were already straddling him. His fingers tangled in your hair, yours tugged at the damp curls at the nape of his neck. Every inch of your skin still buzzed from the ocean, from the way your legs had clung around his waist just minutes earlier.

He groaned softly when you rolled your hips down against him, his hands gripping your thighs tighter.

“Still cold?” he rasped, breath hitching.

“Not even a little.”

You kissed down his neck, slow and warm, until you felt him throb under you. You ground down again, slower this time. Teasing.

Peter’s head fell back against the seat, eyes fluttering shut. “You’re evil.”

You smiled against his throat. “And you love it.”

“God, I really do.”

You sat up slightly, lifting the hem of your hoodie over your head, dragging it off with deliberate slowness. The wet fabric clung, revealing smooth skin inch by inch. Peter watched every movement—his eyes glassy, lips parted.

He reached up, cupping your breasts gently before dragging his hands down your waist. “You’re killing me.”

“Then do something about it.”

With a growl, he leaned forward, kissing down your chest before his hands moved to his own waistband. You helped him, fingers tugging his soaked sweatpants and boxers down his hips until he kicked them off completely. He was already hard, flushed and twitching, brushing against your inner thigh.

Your breath caught. “Jesus, Pete…”

He blushed, biting his lip, still breathless. “C’mere.”

You leaned in and kissed him again, this time slower. Sensual. His hands slid down to your hips as you shifted above him, your bare heat dragging across him with a slick slide that made both of you moan.

“Wanna take my time,” he whispered against your lips.

“Wanna feel all of you.”

“You have me,” you whispered. “All of me.”

Peter slid his hand down, fingers dipping between your thighs to test how ready you were. His thumb brushed your clit, gentle but firm, and you gasped, hips jerking.

“Fuck… already soaked for me,” he murmured, eyes dark.

You buried your face in his shoulder, voice trembling. “Peter, please…”

He lined himself up slowly, carefully, and you sank down on him with a soft gasp. The stretch made your legs tremble, but it was perfect. Every inch of him slid into you until you were full—so full—and you stayed there for a moment, just breathing together.

“Look at me,” he whispered, brushing your cheek with his knuckles.

You did.

And the way he looked back at you—so full of love and hunger and awe—it made your chest ache.

Then you started to move.

It wasn’t rushed. You rolled your hips slowly, grinding down in lazy, drawn-out circles, letting him feel every second of you. His hands moved to your waist, helping guide your rhythm, while his mouth found your collarbone, your jaw, your lips.

Each moan from you only made him grow harder inside you.

“Fuck, baby…” he groaned. “You feel like heaven.”

You clenched around him in response, your head falling back, and he took that opportunity to lean in and suck a hot, slow kiss into the side of your neck, nipping gently.

“You like being on top?” he whispered, voice like silk.

“You look so damn good like this.”

You whimpered, nodding. “Feels so good, Pete. I feel so full.”

“You are,” he said, thrusting up into you gently. “You’re mine.”

He kissed you again, deeper this time, as you bounced on him now—slow but steady, each slap of skin echoing softly in the cramped space. The windows fogged. The world disappeared.

It was just the two of you—grinding together under moonlight, bodies locked in rhythm, your hands gripping his hair while he held your hips like he never wanted to let go.

Your orgasm crept up slow, coiling in your spine. He knew—he could feel it in the way your thighs tightened around his, in the desperate way you moaned his name.

“Come for me,” he whispered. “Let go, baby. I’ve got you.”

And when you did—when your body shook and your walls fluttered around him—it was overwhelming. You clung to him, gasping his name in his ear, barely able to breathe.

Peter followed with a deep groan, holding you flush against him as he pulsed inside you, hips grinding up to bury himself deeper as he spilled into you.

You didn’t move.

You stayed like that—panting, hearts racing—wrapped in each other’s arms.

Peter kissed your cheek, then your shoulder, then the curve of your jaw.

“You okay?” he whispered, brushing damp curls from your face.

You nodded, still dazed. “That was… wow.”

“Yeah,” he said softly, pressing his forehead to yours.

“You’re kinda everything.”

You smiled, lips brushing his. “You’re not so bad yourself, Parker.”

Outside, the waves kept rolling, and the night air curled around the car. But inside, wrapped in Peter’s arms, wrapped in his hoodie and his warmth and his love—you felt completely at peace.