#i already lost [REDACTED] so why would i stay | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hrts4hanniehae · 1 year ago

Text

clutch || three

there are written parts :)

note that the timeline or educations may not add up but just ignore it because i don't have the brain power to sync up THIRTEEN + 1 's education schedules

also!!!! the story begins in the christmas period of 2022!!!! IF THERE ARE YEAR ERRORS IM SO SORRY!!!! i legit can't change it omfg

okay if we were being very honest, e/n was an attractive guy. well-liked by everyone, especially yn's parents -- mother. he had a good office job, loved the idea of starting a family and was rather... old-fashioned in his thoughts.

e/n had asked her out 2 years prior. she agreed because she was desperate to please her mother. but it wasn't as if she didn't like him. she did. just... not as much as she would have preferred. he was all those good things, but he didn't let her be free. he always talked her down when she brought up her art or passions. but he made her parents happy. so she suppressed it.

when he cheated on her, she didn't feel any sadness. not much resentment either. but when he stole her apartment from her, she lost her shit.

"what do you mean i can't take my apartment back? MY NAME IS ON THE LEASE!!"

"i did not sign that! that's a forged signature! how many times do i have to tell you, i have no recollection of EVER signing my apartment off to him! god why won't you even investigate the signature!"

not only did she have to deal with this bastard's theft, but now she had to deal with him at work too.

"do you know where's the bathroom?" (random museum goer)

she kindly pointed her in the direction of the nearest bathroom.

"oh yn! I didn't know you worked here." - e/n

"hi e/n. what do you need. and where's your side chick." - yn

"she went to the bathroom. i wanted to see you." - e/n

"when the fuck are you going to leave me alone? you already stole my house. what else do you want?" - yn

"yn, you're being ridiculous. just come back to me. i'll ditch her for you. i just wanted to try someone new. you're not exactly a... fun partner you know? fun in that way." - e/n

"leave me alone. i already have a new apartment. just please. i don't fucking like you anymore. just leave me alone. stop harassing me, okay? your idiotic excuses and reasonings don't make ANY sense at all. just go." - yn

"so why haven't you told your mom about our breakup? hm? do you really not like me anymore?" - e/n

"i've told you time and time again. i don't talk to my mother. at all. if you care so much, just tell her yourself. why we broke up. hm? or do you want me to get byeongho to tell her. because I will. i'm not telling her because i'm trying to help you save face. if i tell her, your father will know. and he will not be happy. i'm trying to do one nice thing for you despite you fucking another girl in OUR BED." - yn

and just like a saviour, minghao was running up to her.

"yn, your boss told me to look for you about managing my exhibit. oh. hi e/n. get lost, thanks." - minghao

"mind your own business, [redacted slur]" - e/n

security kicks him out.

"thanks, hao. my day has been ruined because of him." - yn

"i'll buy you lunch? i don't think you've had lunch yet." - minghao

"thanks but i'm good. i don't usually have lunch anyways. i'm going to head home. my shift is over." - yn

"did wonwoo tell you our friend was staying over at your place today?" - minghao

"huh. who? he didn't tell me." - yn

i guess he forgot - minghao

"lee chan, or dino. the soloist. so don't be too shocked if you see him walking around." - minghao

"right. i'll see you tomorrow for lunch, minghao. go hang out with jun." - yn

"he's filming a movie right now. how am i supposed to go see him?" - minghao

"figure it out!" - yn

she forgot about dino and walked into the bathroom not knowing he would be there. luckily, he was half-clothed.

ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

synopsis: wonwoo is a popular streamer known for his incredible gaming skills and good looks. He turned heads. but he hates the attention. he just wants to play games and earn money. one day he receives a letter. his apartment’s rent has almost doubled. no warnings at all. his current paycheck from streaming can’t shoulder those bills. he has no choice but to rent out his spare room. to who? a fresh art university graduate who has… 1. a stable job ✅ 2. talent for art and sculpting ✅ 3. many friends ❌ 4. social anxiety ✅ 5. no filter ✅ when his iconic cat logo gets copystriked, she comes to the rescue with a new logo for him. when his apartment’s walls start peeling, she fixes it. whatever he used to struggle with… the empty space... was now filled by her. so what does he *last player standing* do when her ex *enemy spotted* tries to take her back? heh. *clutch* he clutches.

inspired by wonwoo's gam3bo1 streams, falling into your smile & gogo squid (has hints of valorant)

pairing: streamer!jeon wonwoo x fem!artist!reader (ft. jeongcheol, soonhoon, junhao, seoksoo, verkwan)

genre: fluff, comfort, slowburn, comfort, pining, bestfriend!minghao

warnings: stalker ex, toxic ex, mentions of abuse, guns (game), cursing, hate comments, panic attacks

started: 28.12.23

ended: ?

taglist: join from my masterlist

main masterlist

smau socials

previous I next

tags! @fairyofhour @megseungmin @sun-daddy-yoriichi @woozixo @euphoric-univers @christinewithluv @haowonbins @ocyeanicc @asyre @cynthiaaax13 @superhoshisvt @bangantokchy @chimmy-bts @angelarin @daisawa @writingbarnes @jeonghansshitester

@belladaises @wonwootakemyheart @wonwooz1 @luchiet @kookssecret @caratsland @peachescreamandcrumble @thepoopdokyeomtouched @isabellah29 @leah-rose03 @yandere-stories @coupshour @heesbees

66 notes · View notes

cloudbatcave · 14 hours ago

Text

Inextricable

Birdie Vannier | [REDACTED] CAIN facility

Birdie rubbed his face as he blearily looked into the bathroom mirror. He’d come to a few minutes ago in his room, lying on his bed.

It had happened again. Twice in one week, that was unusual.

Or maybe it figured, after he and the others had finished the Kentucky job. CAIN probably wanted to poke and prod him now that he’d finally done it.

Surrendered outside of training conditions. Fused with his sin. A common binder technique, though one usually only utilized in emergencies given how risky it was.

But he was - unfortunately - not a common binder.

Was there a medal for being the most special boy in the class? Could he at least get a little slip of paper saying ‘thanks for all the field data!’

Or whatever it was they wanted from him. Probably that, but who knew?

He rubbed his chest, gingerly feeling over where it ached. They cleaned up well, but he usually found some traces of dried blood. A stitch or two. That had been one of his first clues when he’d started noticing months back.

Not that anything they did hurt excessively. He supposed he should be grateful for that.

He couldn’t really find the feeling in him.

He took his shirt off - covered in sweat, for all that the bathroom was cool - and ran the faucet, dabbing a washcloth in the cold water.

It was scratchy and an uninspiring gray color. Maybe he could use scrip to purchase some nicer ones. Was that an option?

Sure, all he was doing was gilding his cage; but better a gilded cage than a barren one.

We could be free.

“You, me, and what army.” He muttered as he dabbed at the dried blood carefully.

“If you think CAIN wouldn’t shoot us in the head the moment we tried, you’re losing it.”

Hell, they probably had the rooms bugged. Privacy who? Its agents weren’t legally human.

You could let go.

“No thanks.”

You’re tired.

“I don’t need you to tell me that.” He snapped. “So what? Everyone here is tired. Big fucking deal.”

Blessed silence prevailed as he got his chest clean and then wiped it dry, but as he put the washcloth back on its hook by the sink it was broken.

We could be happy.

The binder snorted.

“For all of five seconds before we were blipped out of existence. Can you shut up? Bad enough I have to listen to you during missions.”

He put his shirt back on.

“Bad enough I have to feel your pain; I’m lucky no one’s noticed yet. I bet CAIN studies that, during whatever it is they do before they toss me back out. The other binders don’t seem to have that problem.”

It had taken him time to notice the blank spaces in his life, and he still wasn’t entirely sure how to fill them in.

He’d already sustained brain damage during the incident that had earned him a lifelong stay with CAIN; they’d been kind enough to tell him and given how he’d felt afterward and his memory issues, he believed it.

This was different. Marked by physical evidence, by him turning up places and having lost the last hour or so, disoriented and having trouble focusing on his surroundings.

By the way the other binders looked at him.

One would think the most distrusted group of CAIN’s agents would band together, reviled as they were even by some of their fellows - and some did.

But they tensed up around Birdie. Looked at him with disdain, or worse, pity.

That soft-eyed sympathy sickened him. As if he was already doomed, as if he’d already given in.

Fuck their pity.

Sure, he had sin now. It showed in the faint, downy feathers on his chest, the ones the dried blood would annoyingly get stuck to. Not a real sin mark - he swore he’d never carry one for good - but a slight, indelible stain of tainted humanity.

Plenty of CAIN’s agents were the same. Who didn’t have a little extra grace seeping out? You did what you had to do.

No, he was the special boy in class for other reasons entirely. Reasons he didn’t even fully understand, because why tell him anything? Blah, blah, security, blah.

“Hey.” He said, as he walked back into his room to go through exercises. “Tell me something. Why me? Why didn’t you just fly off? Was it just to save yourself?”

He didn’t remember the day well. Brain damage, trauma, and the fact that he was pretty sure he’d died, or close enough to it.

There wasn’t a response, and he paused in his stretches and turned to look at the white mockingbird perched on the bed, his constant companion.

It tilted its head like a real animal would, fluttering its wings.

“Well?” He asked, pointed.

I was meant for you.

He paused.

“Why? I never had anything to do with this. She did.” He said, voice ragged. “Stupid…”

His voice trailed off. Couldn’t remember her name, of course.

He knew a fair few things. He could fake his way through when he had a gap around his team, most times. Not like forgetting Shrek was much of a big deal.

Now a different memory surged up.

He saw his own body, broken and facedown on the wet, grassy ground. Rain still fell.

He was also cold. Not merely feeling cold; formed of cold, he had no body or sense of how to make one, and he needed one, needed it so badly -

He put a hand to his forehead.

“I get it. Enough.”

The memory faded.

Territorial things, real mockingbirds. They’d chase off other birds while they were nesting.

They could imitate any noise. Other birds, sure, but other animals too, even cars. The males could learn over a hundred melodies, stolen from anything they liked.

He scooped up his sin from the bed and held it up, cradling the seemingly fragile thing gently in his hands.

But his arms, his shoulders, his whole body stood rigid with tension, stretches forgotten.

“I can’t live without you, can I.” He muttered.

No.

Probably true.

And it was hard to not trust the sound of his own voice talking back.

#cloud writes #birdie vannier #me like whoops I got too attached to my funny ginger. now he has Lore

2 notes · View notes

that-darn-clown · 7 months ago

Note

boy oh boy i need to ramble about Rewrite!Willry because Christ it is literally insane. like this is a combination of toxic yaoi and complicated yaoi, JESUS-

so. we'll start from the beginning and work our way to The Fire:

so. of course we've gotta start with them Experimenting With Their Sexualities. because that's where it all started technically. sure, there were...feelings before, but y'know.

so y'know like that one meme of the two people lying in bed, but one is just chilling and smoking, while the other one looks like they're questioning their entire life up until this point? that was Henry and Will after they [REDACTED]. Henry's the chill guy, William is the guy who's questioning his life choices.

while Henry still has some Feelings for Will, he leaves the situation with more knowledge of himself (he is Pansexual) and is able to be normal about his still lingering feelings for his roommate. William, on the other hand, Also learned about himself (he's Bisexual) and is also being Normal about those Feelings (< he is not, in fact, normal about it).

they both go about their lives, getting married, having children, running their business together, everything's normal.

...well, except for the fact that William still clearly loved him and could Not be normal about that fact. in the 70s. but y'know.

then Claire dies...and things change. and not for the better.

Henry can tell that whatever Will's doing, it's hurting the kids. not physically, though: he never sees bruises or any signs of anything physical. not yelling at them either. all he knows is that whatever William's doing, it's bad.

but he doesn't really know what to do about it. William would get pissed off and deny any implication that he was hurting his children. but Henry also can't take Will's kids away from him, that would likely only make things worse, considering that the man just lost his fucking wife.

he's stuck between a rock and a hard place. the best he can do is try to comfort William and be a shoulder to cry on for the kids. it's why he never asks Mike if William allowed him to come over and stay the night; the answer is usually a no.

and...well, besides all of that, William practically clings to Henry, like he's scared he'll lose him too. Henry just assumes that it's anxiety born out of grief and not anything serious (Annabeth screaming into a pillow in the background).

when Anna and him finally divorce, William's behavior gets more...noticeable. like, enough so that Henry can't deny it anymore. but it's not like Henry can really do much to reciprocate these feelings (it is. the 80s).

Liz dies, and William decides that the Totally Normal response is to murder Henry's daughter. yep bestie, this isn't going to fuck up your relationship with Henry at all when he finds out (sarcasm).

well would you look at that, Henry Doesn't Seem To Like The Child Murder, William!! Especially When One Of Them Is His Own Kid!!

William, who has just kinda lost it a little at this point, doesn't fully get why Henry hates him so bad. sure, he killed Charlotte...but she was still here, technically!! she was even in a form he could talk to her in!!

we can now move onto Springtrap Era "Willry" (aka William is feral now, and Henry still hates him).

William becomes obsessed with this idea of "reuniting" his family in death. and that includes Sammy and Henry.

he hurts Michael when he comes to work at Fredbear's as a security guard, but it's not a deadly injury. Mike books it out of there and locks the door before William can get to him, but...it didn't just scar him physically. it scarred him mentally, too.

and Henry was fucking PISSED when he found out.

Fnaf 3 rolls around. look, we've heard the whole thing already of "Springtrap/Afton toying around with the player," i don't feel like i need to reiterate that here. but like...William's plan after getting to Sammy wasn't to kill him. not yet, anyway. it was to use him as a lure to get Henry to come to him. then he'd kill two birds with one stone. literally.

of course, that didn't work out...but the first fire clearly didn't kill him. he basically stalked everyone he once knew for two fucking years, including Henry. like, he wakes up in the morning, gets a cup of coffee, and then sees Springtrap staring at him through a window. and that's just kinda what his life was like between Fnaf 3 and 6.

then we get to Fire #2. and Henry stays behind as Michael runs.

the best way i can describe what happened afterward is a mix of mauling and what was basically a slow, torturous death. ending with William ripping the fucker's heart out.

even in the afterlife, William still calls out for Henry to help him. he also thinks Henry is trying to help HIM by trying to get Cassidy to move on. Henry's doing it more for Cassidy's sake than William's.

and there you go. William being Very Normal (< lie) about Henry in the Rewrite.

Mmmm a nice breakfast of toxic old man yaoi my favorite!!!!!!

#the clown! it speaks!#i love them <33333 i need to kill them <33333333 #i want to smush two barbies together pretending they are will and henry im so insane about them

3 notes · View notes

nemxricultrix · 6 months ago

Text

It's the early morning that it starts. The descent into the darkness under the city, far deeper than the Undercroft clung to the cavernous bowels. The very notion of being surrounded by stone made her skin itch, yet the hell it wrought in her mind was nothing compared to the awakening to be done. It was her job- her secret after all.

Where others would wear robes, carry sacrificial daggers etched with symbols and chant words in lost tongues, she was dressed plain and clean- a farmer's tunic and skirt with her long worn trail boots, a simple stave of knotty oak with a lantern hanging off the crook tapping away at the stone steps the procession went down. Where others would chant their dead words in dead tongues, she stayed silent, for that was her answer. Where they prayed for supplication, she walked in defiance. They would not have their way.

Once these steps were those of a grand kingdom, ruled over by the Deep Elves, the Cavern Dwarves and Snirvnibln alike- a great kingdom spanning the underground of Awerhia. Now it lay in rot and ruin, the ancient stone returning from centuries of erosion and passage by things beyond. It mattered not now how it all crumpled in one black night, just that it was here that the cults had gathered around where it all went wrong. Where the leaders stood around the circle of profanities so horrid the Gods cast the place beneath the earth and sealed it away. Where the gnarl in her stomach became a thousand knots and thousand more aches. The magic was not tainted- no, this was not even magic. It was something different suffusing the air, boiling in her blood.

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE COME HERE T-" started one of the cult leaders, suddenly cut off by a spike from the darkness into his throat. It lifted him into the darkness above, only a scrap of his sanguine robes flutters down from the silent destruction of his body. His cult soon followed.

"I ah- I believe we shougaaaaaaah-!" Cowarded the next, his body inverting before sucking inward on the blacked husk that was once a heart, a wet bloody pop following as the same fate of his followers suffered a similar fate.

"......................----?&$(*9$)$!&(#)$)#)##?)\€}€^^÷×%¢{" a redaction of noise from the last- whatever words they attempted were soon destroyed and dissolved beyond reality's understanding, and they choked on the billousness before vanishing with their cult.

Only the mage in her plainclothes stood there, looking up into the void of madness that had just destroyed those who knew their ways out.

"I already said it. I pledge no allegiance or armistice, no alliance nor bond. I seek only to return you to the realm you were pulled from." Her words are stern. Her eyes burn from viewing whatever it was beyond perception, her inhumanity not helping.

It does not speak. It replies in a way beyond speech, in a way that gives shapes flavors sound texture, emotions physicality and color a sound. It responds in a way that turns blood into bone and bone into blood, nerve into flesh and flesh into nerve. It muses in ways that undo these changes in the moments they occur, the voidspawn looking down from the perch beyond perception. It is amused, and watches to see her work. Failure would be death after all.

But there is no failure. As simple as it seems, and it is to someone so experienced, the circle appears around the profaniry that caused this being to be forced into reality before burning away into a pit that isn't a pit but is. The Thing above easily slips down, a blur of agony to glance upon for even a moment to slide through the wretched portal before it is sealed shut. She felt ragged from the very act, as ripping into the Farthest Places had consequences for even the shortest contact.

That's why the walk back was so exhausting. That's why when she emerged to the rising sun, she looked like she had been splattered by a slaughter's worth of gore and nightmarish combat. That's why even as the world awoke, her feet dragged behind and the staff's sole was scraping the stone. That's why she looked ragged, and vanished into her home as soon as she could.

One does not simply banish That Which Devours Hope without consequences.

#Drabble #Eldritch horror writing #Mind dump

2 notes · View notes

rebeccasteventaylor · 8 months ago

Text

So….my usual ‘what the fuck just happened?!’ round of the Magnus Archives - 18 (side note - I just started listening to Red Valley and I get a little Magnus shock every time Gordon is referred to as an Archivist

I knew we’d see Teddy again!

And he still has no job…and is avoiding Alice. More hints of Alice being taken by the Lonely, I think. Even Teddy is abandoning her.

Yep, Alice likes Celia…

Goodness, Lena actually interacting with people and checking up on them. She’s being quite protective. ‘Why would I need to talk to you’ I can feel that, Lena. Is she a touch autistic? (According to transcript, Lena is drinking tea while Sam has coffee)

Jonah! Augustus, I know; but I think it’s Jonah.

Another person who starved? Is this someone else who’s come through the dimensions?

What? Stays silent? Who?

Another talking dead person! Oh….3am, 20/03/2024. Let me just check when Alice’s encounter happened…- can’t really tell, but Mr Bonzo was 09 March, Alice’s happened after that so it could have been the same night. Although 20 March was a Wednesday and Alice said she was out at the weekend.

She was giving a statement. These dead people seem compelled to give a statement.

If this is a private statement how did Freddie get hold of it.

Spiders! Too many rooms - oh this really is a statement - this is a TMA statement. This sounds like the Lonely. This sounds like the house Martin was lost in - but it’s all in her own mind. Her own fear taking root inside her imagination.

I wonder if there’s a tape recorder? Because this statement she gives and the statement given to Alice - and I use statement deliberately - by these people who are found already dead - sounds exactly like the ones Jon used to get.

‘Some figure reaching asking questions in an alley’ - is this linked to Alice finding the body in the alley?

What is that distortion at the end?

Bloody hell this is creepy. This is terrifying. I love this!

Yes, Sam was thinking the same as me - Alice’s experience. Alice really is avoiding the casements. She really doesn’t want to think about the implications. She really knows the damage that can be done.

Oh, Alice. I love you and your avoidant ways of joking about or completely ignoring the big things happening like love or the horrors but it’s either going to get you killed or trapped in whatever this universe’s version of The Lonely is. Have a serious conversation for once!!! (And preferably with Gwen, but that’s just for my sake)

She doesn’t want to be curious. Curiosity kills…she knows…she knows. Worst case scenario is curiosity…

Oh, Gwen is opening up! Oh, poor Gwen, she tried and they just laughed.

They’re connecting things. Sam and Gwen and even against her judgement, Alice. They are taking their separate experiences and putting them together.

Incredible music for this scene btw.

Georgie!

Glitch as Celia says she not lying…

So Georgie and Celia are friends - close enough for Celia to call Georgie when she wakes up in Oxford in her pyjamas.

So so happy to hear Georgie again. Who does she think is spying on her? Why? Is this TMA Georgie or TMAGP Georgie?

Ahem? Excuse me? Patreon cast list says this? ‘REDACTED UNTIL PUBLIC [I know you are going to peek at the transcript cheaters]’

#the magnus protocol #tmagp #tmagp 18

2 notes · View notes

callmemana · 2 years ago

Text

Arms Wide Open, Catch Me If I Fall:

Chapter 4: Birdie’s Eye View

Word Count: 5k+

🚨Warnings: inaccurate Naval descriptions, angst and floof.

A/N: dividers by @sligheach-sidhe , cover by me ( @callmemana ). Thank you @bayisdying for proofreading!

A/N: There will be a change, each chapter will be at least 3k word count. Also, this will be my main focus on writing.

After the big blow up with Bo, Bird walked to the Garcia’s with Ozzy following close behind.

Tears stained her cheeks as she made her way to her bedroom and cuddled with her dog.

She would go in tomorrow and talk with Cyclone about redacting the offer to join the team, if it wasn’t too late.

If Robert didn’t want her here, then she’s not gonna stick around to take anymore of his awful behavior.

He’s acting like he did the last week he was in Lemoore right before he broke her heart.

Bird was a forgiving person, but she didn’t know if she could forgive him for this.

She got up and started to pack everything but the essentials back up into the boxes, she’d ask for tape and help loading her truck tomorrow.

Ozzy kept trying to nip at her legs, telling her to stop.

But Bird’s mind was already set, as soon as she could she’d talk to the Air Boss and ask to be stationed back in Lemoore.

She was just finishing up her last box when Baylie and Mickey came home.

“Why are you packed? What happened between you and Bob?”questioned Lucky.

“He was an asshole and pretty much told me he didn’t want me here. I’m going to talk to Cyclone tomorrow about being transferred back to Flordia. I’m not staying somewhere where the only person I really know doesn’t want me to be.”

“Maybe he was just surprised to see you is all,” offered Mickey.

Bird laughed humorlessly, “Trust me Mickey, what he said wasn’t because of that. I mean, seriously! How stupid am I to come here thinking that he’d be happy to see me? He was right, I ruin everything.”

Tears prickled at her eyes as she fixes her glasses.

“Birdie, what do you mean?” insisted Lucky, teeth slightly grinding together.

“Hey, you haven’t ruined anything.” reassured Mickey.

“He said that the whole week before he left, said I ruined his life and everything I touch. I can’t do that to you guys too.”

“Bird, you haven’t ruined anything for us, if anything you’ve made our lives better.”

“How? I’ve done nothing but cause trouble since I got here!” she cried, taking her glasses off to clean them of tears.

Baylie pulls her into a hug and Mickey joins soon afterwards.

“Because you have made our grey outlook on Bob turn to color. We only knew him as the shy man he is, and now, we might be able to see an outgoing, sarcastic, and whatever else he’s hidden from us, man.”

“You just don’t know him well enough yet. He was shy when we first met at bootcamp.”

“Oh, we need to know all of the stories about the young Robert Floyd.” declared Lucky.

Ozzy ran over and decided to also join the group hug, giving everyone sloppy puppy-kisses all over their faces.

“Oz, Ozzy, ok, ok, thank you bubs!” laughed Birdie as she lightly pushed him away, fixing her glasses on her nose.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes, standing up in the process to head to her room.

“I best be gettin’ to bed, I gotta be up early to see Cyclone anyhow. Thank you both for everything.”

The couple gave smiles and bids her goodnight.

The next morning Bird does her morning routine, walks Ozzy, and drives to base earlier than necessary.

She’s trying to navigate her way to the Air Boss’s office when she accidentally bumps into someone.

“Oh I’m so sorry! Here lemme help you,” blurted Bird as she immediately gets to the ground and starts to pick up the scattered papers and folders.

The woman was olived skinned and dark brown curly haired.

“It’s not a problem, I can pick them up myself, I wasn’t watching where I was going anyway.” the woman laughed, holding her hand out towards Amanda.

“I’m Alana Metcalf, most people here call me Cinco or Cin. Are you new? I saw that you were looking a little lost.”

She took the woman’s outstretched hand and shook.

“I’m Amanda Hallett, callsign Birdie, but I also go by Bird. I’m not gonna lie, I am incredibly lost.” Bird laughed, cheeks burning a bright pink.

“Well maybe I can help, who are you looking for?”

“The Air Boss, Beau Simpson. I need to talk with him about transferring back to my old base.”

“Oh, did something happen? Not enjoying San Diego?” she asked.

“You could say that. I just don’t think it’s a good fit for me.”

“Ah, I see. An ex is here huh?”

Birdie’s eyes widen and jaw slacked, “How did you know that?”

“I’m kinda friends with Bob and the dagger squad. Actually, my boyfriend is on the team too.”

“Oh…” said Bird before she put on a fake smile, “what’s his name?”

Cinco could see through the smile, but decided to table that for later when she could speak to Bob.

“Jake Seresin, but his callsign is Hangman.”

“Sounds dangerous.”

“He is sometimes,” nodded Cin, “It’s because he always hangs his wingmen out to dry.”

“And he’s on a team? He sounds like he’s an ass. No offense!”

Cin laughs, “None taken, I know he can be one. He’s shown it many of times.”

The two women stopped infront of a wooden door with a name plate that read, ‘Simpson.’

“Anyway, here’s Cyclone’s office. I hope that you reconsider going back, I can tell that you will be a big part of our lives already.”

“And how can you tell, you just met me Cin.” Bird questioned jokingly.

“Because that man’s eyes still sparkle when you come up in conversation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Bob like this and I can’t wait to see how it ends.”

“So, you know?” she asked, eyes casted down.

“No, but I don’t think I need to know more than that he loves you.”

“He might’ve before, but he doesn’t now. Thanks for being my guide, I appreciate it.”

Bird gave the woman a little wave as she knocked on the thick door, waiting for the ‘Come in.’

Once the command was given, she entered and saluted the Air Boss.

“You are relieved, Leutenant,” he declared, looking up briefly to see who was there.

“Hello Vice Admiral Simpson, I was wondering if it was too late to ask if the contract could be void and I could be stationed back in Lemoore?”

“Not liking the company Hallett? I believe at one point in your first time here, you were very close to Leutenant Floyd.”

“Yes sir, we were, but recently ended our relationship.”

“How sad. Unfortunately, Hallett, it’s already been cleared and recorded. You’re stuck here until farther notice.”

“But Sir-”

“I didn’t ask for excuses, Leutenant. Just be glad it’s only for six months. Now if your done,” He shifted his eyes to the door.

That was not the news Bird thought she would be getting, Cyclone never liked her anyway.

So why does he have to be so determined to keep her here?

Unless he thinks this will be torture for her being near Robert, which it most likely will be.

She exited the room, leaving his door open just to piss him off more.

Bird went down the hallway a little and braced her back on the wall, groaning loud.

“Well who do we have here?” a woman with a British accent asked.

“I’m sorry if I interrupted you ma’am, I’m Leutenant Hallett.”

“No harm done here, I was just having breakfast at my desk with my friend. I’m Rachael Kazansky.”

Bird looked at her phone screen, checking the time. The meeting with Cyclone went on longer than she initially thought.

“I am so sorry but, I have to get to the hanger. It was nice meeting you though!”

Dragon smiled as the blonde woman scurried off.

She arrived late, the high ranks already in the room and stood off to the side.

“Nice of you to finally join us Leutenant Hallett,” announced Cyclone.

“I’m so sorry, Cyclone! Someone told me to go to Hell, I couldn’t find it at first, but guess what? I finally found it! And I just knew I’d see you here too!”

“Everyone, this is Leutentant Amanda ‘Birdie’ Hallett, graduated second at Top Gun in her class.” stated Maverick, a wide smirk on his features.

Robert muttered a displeased, “Birdie.”

Laughter poorly covered up could be heard around the hanger, mostly by the students. When Bird looked over at Warlock, he winked at her with an amused smirk on his face too.

“Back on the agenda, Maverick.”

“We will be doing an exercise to start training for an upcoming mission. The hard deck is at ten thousand feet and will not be broken this time. We’ll take Hangman, Rooster, Coyote, and Birdie first. Get suited up.”

With that, we all filed out of the door and headed to the locker room.

“You must have a big pair of balls on you if you can sass Cyclone without hesitation.” said a tall, blond haired man with sea green eyes.

“Cyclone’s had it out for me since my first time at Top Gun. Bob and I got yelled at all the time by him.” Birdie said as she rolled her eyes.

“Wrong, you and Thena got yelled at and Smiley and me tried to get you out of it.” smiled Bob.

“Yeah right, like I don’t remember the reason you got your callsign. You are just as much of a troublemaker Bo.”

She didn’t see the smirks and looks exchanged by the others.

“Since y’all know my name, I think it’s only fair I know your’s.” stated Bird.

A dark skinned man with a mustache spoke first, “I’m Reuben Fitch, Payback and Fanboy’s pilot.”

The next was another dark skinned man, a little lighter in shade, “Javy Machado, Coyote.”

“I’m pretty well known everywhere I go. Jake Seresin, callsign; Hangman.”

“Wow, maybe you should take the dick outta your personality. Your ego isn’t as big as you think.”

“So what I’m hearing is that you think-”

“Finish that sentence, and I’ll sack you so hard that your grandkids will feel your pain.”

“Damn, she doesn't play.” said a man with a 70’s porn-stache.

“Damn straight, and you are?”

“Bradley Bradshaw, Rooster.” he held out his hand, which she gladly took.

“It’s nice to meet you Rooster.”

They all came to the doors that separated the locker rooms.

The women went into the one on the left, the guys on the right.

Bird was halfway out of her civilian clothes when a small, shy woman came up to her.

“Hi, I’m Raven Mouse Fischer. I haven’t been on the team very long, but if you need any help with anything, I’d be more than glad to help!” chirped Mouse with a wide smile.

“Thank you Mouse, I might have to take you up on that offer,”

“I’m Bob’s pilot, Natasha Phoenix Trace. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Natasha. Thank you for keeping him safe when I couldn’t, I appreciate it more than you know.”

Phoenix was a little surprised when Bird brought her into a tight hug.

After the little meet and greet in the locker room, everyone was outside in the hanger getting ready to get in the jets.

Bird had her sky blue helmet on with the bird silhouette on the front with her callsign under and her squadron on the sides.

She wanted to have someone pat the top to ‘see if it works’ but didn’t want to ask anyone yet.

Bird saw Bo and looked away, there was no way she’d ask the man who had made a new crack in her heart not too long ago to do the preflight ritual with her.

“What’s wrong Bird?” asked Rooster as he stood by her plane.

“Nothin’, just missing old traditions we used to do before flying.”

“What did you do before?” he smiled, looking down at her.

“Used to smack the top of our helmets so we could ‘see if it was good’ and now I don’t have anyone to do that with.”

Without second thought, Rooster slapped his hand against the top of her helmet and whispered, “Good luck Bird. You don’t have to be scared to ask us to continue the traditions you did back in Lemoore, if they make you feel comfortable or a superstition you have we will help make you calm.”

Bird’s cheeks burned slightly, “Thank you Roos, I appreciate that.”

Bradley lightly pounds his fist on the top of her helmet again, “Anytime Bird. We’re all family now.”

She nods, looking away from him briefly before the other two men join them.

“Ready to fly Bird and Chicken?” asked Hangman, a smirk on his face.

“Yeah, Bagman, let’s get in the sky.”

It took a while but soon all were in the air with the oxygen masks on and communication was silent.

Bird was flanked by the men, all looking around for Maverick and seeing nothing.

“So what’s your story Birdie?”

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t wanna, Bird.”

“It’s fine. Grew up in the midwest, went to bootcamp and then after I graduated I went to Top Gun.”

“What about when you met Baby On Board?”

Rooster’s voice cracked through the radios, “Leave her alone, Bagman.

“Woah man, we’re just trying to get to know our fellow aviator Rooster.”

Bird rolled her eyes at the men, typical.

“I’ll leave that to Robert when the time comes and HE wants to tell you.”

“Ooooh, she’s super mad if she’s using your name and not your callsign huh Baby On Board?”

“Why do you always have to be a dickhead, Bagman?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘always,’ I did save your life Chicken.”

“He did,” echoed Coyote.

Rooster was quiet after that and started to go a little farther ahead of them.

They flew for a little longer in silence before Coyote voiced everyone’s concern, “Where’s Mav?”

All four of us looked around, not seeing anything. “Oh fuck, he’s under our noses.”

After that was said, Maverick came up from out of nowhere. “Good Afternoon Aviators.”

Bird was the first to move out of the way, Rooster following her and Hangman and Coyote breaking off to the left.

The fight was on.

It took twenty six minutes for Maverick to shoot all of us down.

If we were supposed to be the best of the best, how come it took so little time for him to beat us in a dog fight?

Bird got out of her jet, took off her helmet and then gripped it in her fist angrily. She knew she could be better than she performed today, otherwise she wouldn’t be back at Top Gun.

“Don’t let this bring you down, we all got our asses handed to us and I bet you everyone will today too.” Rooster shook her shoulders lightly and a smile on his face.

Hangman and Coyote came over to her plane again and praised her flying as they all made their way to the rec room where everyone else is.

Once inside the room and out of the blazing sun, she saw that Bob was still sitting right infront of the radio with eyebrows furrowed and bitting him lip.

What was he so worried about, he had no right to be for me. He lost it the day he broke my heart.

It was later in the day when everyone had failed and walking back to the locker rooms that everyone was talking and laughing together again.

“So Bird, would you like to go to the Hard Deck later?” asked Mickey, a smile on his face.

“No thank you, Mickey. I should unpack, I’m going to be here for a while.”

“Oh that’s great to hear, how long?” chirped Mouse.

“I’m here for six months, then wherever they send me afterwards.”

Lucky glares at Bob, angry at that he almost made her go away.

“We can help if you need?”

Bird smiled, “Thanks for the offer, but it won’t take too long.”

“Well if you end up needing help, don’t be afraid to call any of us.”

“She wouldn’t need you Bagman, Birdie has Mickey and me to help. Also stay away from my house or I’ll kick your ass.”

Jake put his arms up in mock surrender, eyes wide and a smirk on his lips.

The three of them went back inside the Hard Deck and grabbed the others and went out back to talk on the deck.

Once all of the aviators had sat down, Bob took a deep breath.

“I think I might owe y’all an explanation on why I’ve been acting so short tempered lately.”

“I’d say.”

“Shut up, let him speak!”

“Yeah, I wanna hear why.”

“Well, before we left for the mission, I was engaged,” he took his dogtags out of his shirt and showed the ring.

A dainty little gold ring that looked as if it was sticks with small diamonds decorating it was on the chain.

“To an aviator named Birdie. I broke off the engagement and then moved to San Diego a week later.”

Bob ran his hands in his already messed up hair, “So when Lucky was giving hints as to who the new member was, she was just reminding me of her. I didn’t want to think about Bird, so instead I got angry and shut everyone out. I’m sorry.”

“Why? Why break up with her, she’s a pilot too. She’d understand.”

Bob laughed sadly, “Because I’m in idiot. I don’t really want to get into it tonight.”

“Hate to break it to you Baby On Board, but I already kinda knew. Seriously, I mean, did you forget that I have access to personal and personnel records?” sassed Cinco.

“I’m so glad that you found your forever Bob and I can’t wait to meet her! What’s she like? Chirped Mouse.

Baylie took point in answering this, “She’s amazing, beautiful, fantastic, lovely, smart, funny, sweet…”

“Okay, we get it Bay, if we weren’t married you’d marry bird and make her one of your sister wives.”

“Damn right I would, too bad I’m stuck with your ugly ass.”

“Ouch.”

“Can we please get back to the matter at hand?”

Bay shrugged while Mickey put his hands up in mock surrender.

“As you were saying Bob?”

“I messed up and broke up with her the harshed way possible so she wouldn’t think about me when I was on the mission. And with her back in my life I can’t help but have those feelings again.”

“So you never got over her?” questioned Phoenix, eyebrows furrowed.

Bob shook his head, “No. She’s my everything. I’ve known her since I was eighteen, we met on the first day of bootcamp. I knew by the end of our first date that I was gonna marry her.”

Dragon and Whiskey just screamed in happiness at the confession, they had never really heard Bob speak so passionately about love before and wanted nothing more than to hear everything he had to say.

Mouse was the first to speak, “That’s really sweet and I’m happy you found someone who makes you feel like that, but…” she took a deep breath, trying to find the right words that wouldn’t offend him, “If that’s true, why did you end things with her?”

Lucky stood behind Mouse, arms crossed and head nodding to the words that the shy woman had said and added. “You really are a dumb motherfucker aren’t you Robert?”

Tom and Ron exchanged glances before nodding in agreement with their pseudo daughters, only to get smacked by their wives in the back of the head.

The other guys had awkwardly chugged their drinks and avoided eye contact with Bob, not wanting to be caught and having to defend the man.

Rooster, that sap, was the one to speak first, “Do you still want to marry her? Just hearing what you have to say about Bird tells me that you aren’t over her yet.”

Bob answered immediately, “Of course I still want to be with her and marry Bird. I have no doubt in my mind that’s always been her in my heart and always will be.”

“Then we’ll do everything we can do to help you get her back. I don’t speak for everyone, just for me, but I want to see you happy and I get the feeling that the only person who can make you happy, is Birdie.”

Bob smiles, a sight the Dagger Squad hadn’t seen for a while, “She does, she really, really does make me happy.”

Hangman slaps a hand over Bob’s shoulders, “I’ll help you Baby On Board.”

One by one they come up and touch Bob’s shoulders or the top of his head, all agreeing with Jake.

He gave a half smile now that he knew his friends were going to help, he felt his chances of getting his Bird back rise.

Not too long after that the crowd became too much for his wandering mind, so he went home.

The next day on base was awkward to say the least. He knew she was in San Diego, but what he didn’t know was when she would show up at Top Gun.

Maverick had already started the lesson with all of the high ups behind him and to the side.

There was a door being abruptly opened and everyone looked back as Vice Admiral Simpson spoke, “Nice of you to finally join us Lieutenant Hallett.”

She walked her way down the middle of the desks in the many rows that the other aviators sat at before she opened her mouth to no doubt sass the man.

“Birdie.” he whispered breathlessly, head casted down.

She sat down and the lesson went on while the others giggled or laughed behind hands or coughs.

Maverick picked four of us to go into the air for the first flight test and after a weird interaction in the hall to the locker rooms, everyone else crossed the tarmac and made their way in the break room.

Bob kept his sights on Bird the whole way, she glanced at him as she walked to her jet. He couldn’t get the thought out of his head. The happy memories that the two shared while back in Lemoore.

He missed the preflight ritual that they did, along with smiley and Athena. Bob gave a half-assed smile, but that didn’t last too long when he saw Bradley pat her on the head while she wore her helmet.

He can still remember the day that she got her helmet and designed it. Bird was so proud of herself, she hadn’t painted in years and was worried that it wouldn’t come out how she wanted.

Another great memory that he had made with her. Bob wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation from the radio, more on watching the sky and his Birdie fly like she belonged there.

When the exercise was over and the four pilots entered the recreation room, Bob’s focus came back into the world.

He was worried for her, he knew how taxing mentally it was to be called the best of the best, only to be shot down so quickly.

He knew that he had no right to be anxious about her. First this wasn’t a real mission, just a practice.

Secondly, she wasn’t his fiancee anymore, he held no claim to her. Especially after the way he acted the last week in Flordia.

Mickey patted his back as both got up and headed to the tarmac, pilots following their WSO’s, today was just going to be hard for him it seems.

After everyone had gone twice and shot down, both times, the day was over and everyone went to the locker room to change into civvies.

“So Bird, would you like to go to the Hard Deck later?” asked Mickey with a smile on his face as the group walked down the halls and to the parking lot.

“No thank you Mickey. I should unpack, I’m going to be here for a while.”

“Oh, that’s great to hear, how long?” chirped Mouse.

Bob was happy that she’d be staying, he really wanted to take the time and win her heart and trust back.

He felt Lucky’s anger through the glare she was giving him as they walked. Bob knew he deserved it ten times over.

Robert knew that once they heard the whole story, they’d hate him, Hell he hates himself still.

“We can help if you need?”

Bird smiled, “Thanks for the offer, but it won’t take too long.”

“Well if you end up needing help, don’t be afraid to call any of us.”

“She wouldn’t need you Bagman, Birdie has Mickey and me to help. Also stay away from my house or I’ll kick your ass.”

Jake put his arms up in mock surrender, eyes wide and a smirk on his lips. Bob rolled his eyes, he hates when Hangman’s ego acts up.

They all go their separate ways and plan to meet up a little later at The Hard Deck for drinks.

When Bob got home he immediately collected clean clothes from his bedroom and then got into the shower to wash away the day.

He didn’t feel like wearing his Khakis today at the bar so he opted out for an old Carhartt shirt, jeans, and that trucker hat he loves so much but never really wears anymore.

Bob grabbed his keys to the old Chevy truck and drove to the local Navy bar. After he parked, he didn’t really want to go inside, he knew by the cars that everyone is here again.

With a large sigh, he turned off the truck and went through the doorway of the building.

Immediately Bob spotted his found family and threw himself on the cushioned booth seat, surrounded by the group and handed a cup of water that had already been on the table.

Silence wasn’t something that the Dagger Squad did often, but when it was, it's because they were thinking.

It brought warmth to his heart that they actually wanted to help him, but also worried him for when they realized just what type of man he was.

Even if he only did what he did to not break her heart more if he didn’t make it from the Uranium mission alive.

He knew it was only a matter of time before they either kicked his ass or never talked to him again.

Which he deserves, no doubt in his mind about that.

Lucky being the biggest threat if the story got out, she already saw Birdie as a little sister and is protective of her.

He’s seen Baylie’s rage and never wants to be on the receiving end of it, but that might just be what happens.

Dragon was the first to speak after the silence had stopped, “So, what are you thinking about doing to get her back?”

Bob shakes his head chuckling nervously, “Honestly Dragon, I don’t have a Goddamn clue, Amanda won’t even look at me for longer than a second and barely talked to me today.”

“Oh yeah ‘Bo,’ she barely talked to you.”

His head snaps to Lucky, anger in his eyes. “You can’t call me that.”

Bob knows that Baylie won’t back down and he wouldn’t be surprised if she probably already knows the story or at least a little bit of it.

“How bout Bam? Can I call you Bam?” she questions sarcastically, Bird obviously told Mickey and her something about his childhood.

“No and you never call me anything but Robert or Bobby so stop using Birdie to get under my skin.”

“Why when it clearly works so well.” she smirked, the others around him smirking too.

They were all very entertained by this and he didn’t like that just bringing up something about his past could get him so angry.

“Children.” demanded Cinco, done with the fighting.

“Anyway,” said Dragon, getting them back on topic, “we need to start small, so she doesn’t get suspicious of what we’re doing.”

They all nodded, agreeing with her. Now they just have to brain storm ideas until they find the best one for Bob to start gaining Bird’s trust and friendship again.

Some ideas that were thrown out didn’t sound like something that Bob would do, more of a Jake thing.

Big gestures and an exclamation of how sorry he is, Bob is more of the quiet type, small gestures and slowly gaining the relationship back the right way.

It took many hours and many rounds of beer and water (for himself) before the group decided on a plan and paid their tabs before going home.

Bob stopped Mickey as they exited the bar, his friend slowly turned around, a smile on his face.

“How is she doing? Is she settingly in nicely?”

The other wizzo lightly slaps his back,“She’s doing good Bob and I’m not gonna lie to you, because you're my friend, she seems sad. She’s putting on a happy act for us, but we can see it in her eyes. Bird keeps busy around the house when we get home from base. If she can’t find anything to clean, she’s either in her room or walking Ozzy.”

Bob smiles, “Birdie has two brothers so she was the only sibling to actually clean when asked and her room was her get away from her brothers who pestered her a lot. I’m worried about her, Mickey. I hate to see her like this, this girl has been nothing but smiles and rainbows and I don’t think I’ve seen her this way except the last night I was in Lemoore.”

“Hey man, like I said yesterday, we’re gonna help you get her back. This is the first time I’ve seen you smile since the wedding and if she can do that by just being in the same room as you or even just being mentioned, I think what you have is worth the it.”

Bob gave Mickey a little side hug before they went to their cars. Lucky was in the front seat of the Garcia’s Jeep, blasting music and headbanging to the lyrics, making the men laugh.

He took off towards his house, listening to her favorite song and smiling like a total idiot.

Birdie’s Basket🧺: @dragon-kazansky @mrsjaderogers @bayisdying @starlit-epiphany @gracespicybradshaw

🏷️ list: @luckyladycreator2 @interstellarloneliness

10 notes · View notes

botanical-feverdream · 2 years ago

Note

🎤

File:XXXXXXXXX<REDACTED>XXXXX

VZCZCXRO6637 RR RUEHAG RUEHAO RUEHAP RUEHAT RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHBL RUEHBW RUEHBZ RUEHCD RUEHCHI RUEHCI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDT RUEHDU RUEHED #2628/01 1372030 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 162022Z MAY 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE TO CPTN <REDACTED> AND ALL WORKING BODIES OF <REDACTED> RUEHTRO/FIRSTLIGHT TRIPOLI 0478 BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE XXXXXX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD, EAGR, EAID, ECON, TBIO, <REDACTED>, <REDACTED>, <REDACTED> SUBJECT: RECORD #0031 OF FILE:<REDACTED>

H1-4: LEFT ROOM CLEAR! H1-2: CLEAR. H1-1: RIGHT ROOM CLEAR. H1-3: CLEAR. H1-1: Alright. first and second deck clear. <BEEP OF COMMUNICATOR> H1-1: HELIOS 2-1 status on basement? H2-1: Clear. gathering samples. ya'll real lucky to not fucking get the basement. I swear to god these leeches never have normal fucking basements. <CHUCKLING> <BEEP OF COMMUNICATOR> H1-1: affirmative. I'm sure we will have a grand time looking through this place. shits a focking mess. H1-2: I dont know why they let that lick run loose in the house. where the fuck even is it H2-3: dont tell me yall already lost that thing. H2-5: Oh for fuck sake. 2-1 call for CASEVAC this parasite kept a pantry. <CRYING SOUNDS IN THE FAR DISTANCE> <BEEP OF COMMUNICATOR> H1-1: How about ya'll deal with ya'lls buissness and I will deal with mi- H1-4: WATCH OUT <SOUNDS OF FALLING AND RUNNING> H1-1: FUCK- <WET SOUND AND A THUD> H1-3: B1-1 WHAT THE FUCK- B1-1: ..sorry..... I.... wouldve warned... but it... hadn't.. noticed me yet... so I thought... I would ambush... it instead.... you... you weren't in any danger... I promise... H1-1: ANY DANGER? THAT LEECH ALMOST WENT FOR MY THROAT. B1-1: I.... You see... I.. I am faster... than it... so.... I.. and now... its... dead... so... H1-4: 1-1 why the hell do we work with that thing H1-2: come on guys... it saved our fucking asses atleast. How the hell didn't we notice it. is our gear fucked or something? B1-1: no.... stronger blankbody... harder to notice.... I barely saw it..... H1-1: is there more here? B1-1: uncertain sir.... there may be... <COMMUNICATOR BEEP> H2-3: BB SPOTTED. LOWER DECK. RE- <GUNSHOTS AND SHOUTING> H2-3: QUESTING BACK UP H1-1: Affirmative. H1-1: B1-1 go now. B1-1: affirmative sir... <SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS AND MORE GUNSHOTS IN THE BACKGROUND> H1-3: 1.... 2..... 3.... <SILENCE> <COMMUNICATOR BEEP> H2-2: ....Target neutralized.. H1-3: and 4. damn. H1-1: I swear to god theyre gonna pull a unit 242 on us. H1-4: those are just rumors. dat shit aint real H1-2: riiiight sure man. H1-3: come on. lets collect what we need to do and then help out HELIOS2 so we can finally blow this shit up. H1-1: we could always just. make B1 stay here while we blow it up. see how much better it is than us when theres fire involved. H1-2: sir we cant seriously harm our fellow agents H1-1: oh shut it Crystal. it is not an agent. it is not even a dog. stop sympathizing with it. youre gonna have me fucking worry over ya if LT finds out about that. you know what happened to the last guy. H1-3: well nobody knows what happened. H1-4: I think thats the point H1-1: that is indeed the point. H1-2: whatever. as if the LT would allow yall to endanger the coalitions property. <SOUNDS OF FOOTSTEPS> <FADING INTO THE BACKGROUND> H1-2: I am surrounded by fucking pigs. men I swear to GOD. <CHUCKLING>

#bloems reports

16 notes · View notes

armedjoy · 2 years ago

Text

a long and (later on) personal post about my engagement and future on this site beneath the cut

to start, some observations about my time here:

disco elysium holds the record for the first fandom im truly engaging with. i check the tags, read the 'spinoff' fiction, its fun. one could say our ideological milieus here are themselves a fandom, but in terms of something thats strictly media, this is it. going on 11 years here and thats what broke the streak, its that fucking good.

i regret deleting my sideblog 'information-nexus' back in '15. it was an organized and well-tagged news, theory, "how-to", and resource blog, but it was taking way too much of my time. i was attempting to make a whole ass virtual library on tumblr, which is far too ambitious for one person, especially considering that it would never pay bills. i shouldve opened it up to some friends to co-mod it and dialed back my involvement. oh well

i regret less the deletion of 'film-space' in '14. posts were just the movie poster with a brief summary of the plot and then a quick review. i came up with my own system that reworked the 4 star ratings into how id recommend based on genre preferences. film reviews in print seem to belabor the point and online reviews seem to lean too heavily on arbitrarily defined scoring. the point should be to either encourage or dissuade readers from seeing it, not remind them you're the wittiest person in the room or that you've atomized the medium into an exploded diagram, and i held to that. it forced me to watch movies more critically wrt to both the art form and the politics it portrayed. but i took an extended break from the site and lost momentum. it just seemed... pointless

ive been pretty bad with managing every inbox/ chat ive ever had - except this one, the personal blog. i tell myself "i'll get around to answering that" and thats been a lie most of the time. the vast majority of my time here is spent reading things that cross my dash, so getting a question on a completely different subject seems to exceed my bandwidth. i genuinely enjoy most of my interactions here but im simply not in the correct mindset most days. that said, most of the mail 'left-reminders' has gotten just feels like im being asked to do an undergrads homework.

i havent posted my face in, what, 8 years? which i might change. i mean im already fucked - ive posted some wild shit before [REDACTED] was a meme, and my face is already linked to this blog & backed up somewhere at fort meade. whats another hole in an already sunk ship, yeah?

funnily enough, i originally joined to post my photography & short stories. look how that turned out lmao

why am i posting this? ive been seriously evaluating my continued presence here. for some time ive had a desire to leave, which up to this point has been greatly outweighed by the reasons to stay. there are other platforms that are bigger, faster, algorithmically supercharged to provide every niche interest you allow it to know... but im still not as invested as i am here. tumblr's appeal is equal parts utilitarian and sentimental - no other platform has been this educational, informing, and entertaining. this place really is the internets bleeding edge for both humor and anarchist/ communist discourse. and for more personal reasons, i have greatly valued sharing this little corner of the internet with you all. i have enjoyed sharing each of your interests and discussions, witnessing your personal developments. know that this random guy on the internet is & always has been rooting for you.

ive had some serious rough patches over the last decade, and ive used this site as a grounding rod as much as a resource and social outlet. but my friend group is vast now, im living healthier, and im making positive changes. for the first in a very long time, i am truly feeling better, finally moving beyond 'managing' into 'growing.' and more than anything, i need to grow creatively.

simply put, writing fiction is the calling of my heart. and if im to commit to it, i cannot divide my attention. beyond being my sole committed creative outlet, it helps me manage daily life. writing feels like gardening: in the structure it builds to do it right, the determination it requires to continue when i fail, and the joy it inspires when i create. when an idea settles in and i can piece it together while going about my day, only sitting down to write when i know most of it. the emotion i experience after unwinding something that has rooted itself around my mind is tremendous and complicated - it feels like an exorcism, of sorts. the feverishness that seizes me to get it all down before it slips away, the relief when i know i can finally move on, the pride of creation, and the dreadful anticipation of being read - all of it is a bittersweet cup that i will gladly return to.

i need to make space for that, with whatever little amount of bandwidth i have to work with. i refuse to wake up one day knowing that i have postponed the only thing thats ever meant a damn to me, only to realize ive run out of time. i will not squander whats left.

at some point, i know i need to put this behind me. this, and several other self-imposed obligations, must greatly diminish or disappear entirely. it might be in a few weeks or a year, but it has to happen. i might keep this one up, sporadically popping in for occasional exchanges, and pass off the sideblogs to someone else. i've already scrubbed the archive. or maybe i'll just delete entirely; perhaps virtual presences are best if they resembled a sand mandala, something designed to be swept away to make space for something - or someone - new.

i had to write this down, get this all out, if only for myself. i cannot begin to estimate the amount of time ive spent here, so it had to be said for my own reconciliation of that time... and to keep myself to it.

when im ready to leave, i'll let you all know.

12 notes · View notes

kylanfedje · 4 months ago

Text

Disney Star Wars Retrospective - Episode III: The Theme Park Strikes Back

The first of the morning sun’s rays peek through the clouds as you board a bus covered in those little yellow characters from that new Despicable Me movie everyone’s talking about. It’s June 18, 2010, and you are in Orlando, Florida, barely awake after a restless night of tossing and turning, your dreams filled with visions of what today would bring. After a short ride, you arrive at the bus terminal and make your way through Universal’s CityWalk shopping district. You think about stopping to get a coffee, but the crowds thrumming around you keep you on course. Any delays, any hesitation, and you might miss it. You can’t miss it. Not for anything. Not when you’ve come this far already. Not even for that little shot of caffeine you so desperately crave.

What awaits you beyond the gates of Universal’s Islands of Adventure is more than enough to keep you going. A new experience unlike anything you’ve seen before; a fully realized rendering of a place which—before today—could only exist in the imaginations of those who dared to dream. But now, it’s real. And all it takes to get there is the cost of a round-trip flight through ORD, the cab fare from the airport to your hotel, a three-night resort stay, and two-day park hopper tickets.

After a quick security screening, a park employee scans your ticket. They can tell by your silver-and-green scarf where you’re headed and give you directions for how to get there, though it’s ultimately futile as all you have to do is follow the flock as they move towards the end of their pilgrimage. You pick up your pace as you enter Seuss Landing and keep it up as you continue through the Lost Continent. You have no time or need for the trite and mundane experiences these lands have to offer. No, your sights—and the sights of everyone around you—are singularly set on the land just beyond; a spectacular place where magical creatures dwell, where illusion becomes reality, and for a few fleeting moments, your troubles will melt away in the hot Florida sun.

You hear gasps and cheers from those who’ve already made it, and when you round the corner, you see it: a medieval castle high up on a hill, its stone walls and slate gray roofing as familiar as your mother’s face. Welcome to the future of themed entertainment. Welcome to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade.

The world was forever changed when Universal partnered with [REDACTED] to bring the iconic characters and locations of her beloved wizard school adventure series to life. What resulted was a revolution in how theme park lands were conceived and designed. Before, most lands would have some sort of cohesive story to tie them together— Frontierland was set in the Old West, a trading outpost at the cutting edge of westward expansion; Tomorrowland made the dreams of the future the reality of today. These were broad enough descriptors that you could include rides and attractions themed to specific films or franchises, but ultimately, a section of a theme park dedicated to a single piece of intellectual property was too great a risk for the suits to stomach. If the IP behind a ride fell out of favor, then you could simply retheme it or tear it down and replace it with something more current and marketable. An entire land, however? Unthinkable. You’d have to find a brand that was so deeply ingrained in the public consciousness that it would never—and I mean never—become unpopular. But then again, why bother if we can just put Star Wars in Tomorrowland and call it a day?

Such was the conventional wisdom when the Wizarding World debuted. Though, in truth, there may be evidence that such a venture was not as misguided as some may have believed. Right next door to Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure is an area of the park themed after Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park franchise, aptly named: Jurassic Park. This section acts as a real-world version of the fictional theme park created by entrepreneur John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) in the hit 1993 film, where dinosaurs were brought back to life for the viewing public’s pleasure—and the investor’s profit. Of course, things still go awry, namely on the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride, just as they did in the film, as the dinosaurs are let loose from their paddocks and wreak havoc on unsuspecting riders. Even the visitor’s center seen in the film is present, with interactive attractions telling the story of how the park’s scientists cloned dinosaurs out of extinction. Grab a bite to eat from the Burger Digs quick-service restaurant as you explore, and don’t forget to stop by the gift shop on your way out!

But while the Jurassic Park section of Islands of Adventure is directly tied to a famous movie franchise, its success has as much to do with the aesthetic and narrative qualities inherent to the property as it does its cultural context. For Average Tourist and her two-and-a-half kids, the concept of a dinosaur theme park all but sells itself, nor is it out of place as a smaller portion of a larger park environment. They don’t even need to have seen the film to understand the story—the “science” involved in reviving these long-extinct species is explained easily through the Discovery Center, and the threat posed by these creatures is clearly demonstrated through the incredible thrill rides you can go on. My point is that neither the film Jurassic Park or the novel it’s based on necessarily needed to exist for a land sharing a similar premise and visual identity to also exist or even be successful.

The Wizarding World, meanwhile, relies almost entirely upon guests coming in with at least a cursory familiarity with the established Harry Potter lore in order to invest themselves in the land’s story. I think you’d have had a hard time selling most people on the idea of visiting a village adjacent to a wizarding school as a compelling experience prior to the publication of the first Harry Potter novel. But after the series became a worldwide bestseller and spawned an equally successful film franchise, that was no longer an issue. An entire generation of children grew up dreaming of enrolling in or even just visiting Hogwarts, meeting Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Dumbledore, or whatever witch or wizard suited their fancy. As such, a theme park land dedicated to realizing that experience was practically a no-brainer.

That said, there were certain logistical hurdles to be resolved before such a place could open to the public. A theme park needs rides, yes, but it’ll struggle to make back its operational expenses without restaurants and gift shops to drain guests’ savings. Hogwarts, while a compelling space on its own, was not terribly conducive to these sorts of places. Sure, the Great Hall could be reserved as a dining space, but where would guests get their wands or their robes or their butterbeer? It was a school, not a shopping mall. Thankfully, the canon had a solution for this. The fictional village of Hogsmeade was not only near enough to the school’s grounds that you could transition seamlessly from one to the next but contained a robust selection of shopping and dining options that guests would be all too eager to spend money on.

And with the area eventually being connected to the neighboring park’s Diagon Alley section via the Hogwarts express, Universal had done the unthinkable and bested Disney at their own game. Before, guests visiting Orlando would debate over which theme park resort was the better value: Disney or Universal. And for many, Walt Disney World was broadly seen as the more worthwhile experience, with most visitors prioritizing their parks when planning trips. If they visited Universal at all, it was mostly as an afterthought, a, “we might as well check it out while we’re here,” above anything else. But after the WizardingWorld expansions, Universal quickly became a much hotter ticket in town, with many tourists extending their stays to visit both resorts and some even omitting Disney’s parks from their trips entirely. The WizardingWorld elevated Universal into the first serious challenger to Disney’s status atop the theme park industry since Disneyland opened in 1955. But the Mouse could not abide this, and the company would soon fire back with an immersive land themed around a lucrative and marketable IP of its own.

Their first attempt at aping Universal’s Harry Potter lands was not Star Wars. The franchise had been present in the parks ever since Star Tours opened in 1987, and not long after the debut of the WizardingWorld areas, Imagineers began developing concepts for an entire land themed to the franchise’s iconic planets which would feature fan-favorite characters from throughout the series. But this would have to wait until Corporate could negotiate the rights necessary to make this dream a reality—which would eventually be finalized with Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm in October 2012. In the meantime, they would have to look elsewhere for inspiration.

2009 saw the release of James Cameron’s Avatar, a sprawling sci-fi epic set on the alien world of Pandora, where a group of human colonists seek to exploit the planet’s natural resources, despite the efforts of its native inhabitants, the blue-skinned and nine-foot tall Na’vi, to stop them. The film was a box office smash, out-earning James Cameron’s own Titanic (1997) to become the highest-grossing film of all time. In the wake of WizardingWorld, Disney was looking for a cash cow IP with universal appeal to compete with Universal Studios, and with Avatar, they smelled blood—er, money—in the water.

In 2011, they announced a partnership with James Cameron to develop an all-new section of their Animal Kingdom park themed around his blockbuster film, allowing visitors to commune with the Na’vi and enjoy the wonders of Pandora in between rides on Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest. But the land would not open until 2017, and by then, Avatar had lost much of the cultural relevance it once had. People remembered it, yes, but if pressed would more often describe the spectacle of the film’s stunning visual effects than they would a fondness for Jake Sully and the Na’vi or their fight against the RDA. That’s not to say that Pandora: TheWorldofAvatar was not a success, either creatively or commercially, as many have gone on to praise its attention to detail in bringing Pandora to life and its attractions have become some of the most popular in the entire Walt Disney World Resort. But it was not the monolith of popular culture that Harry Potter was. Thankfully, Disney was well under way with an IP that was.

Plans for what would become Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge were first announced in August 2015, with the land eventually opening in Disneyland and Hollywood Studios in May and August of 2019 respectively. Through the development process, Imagineers’ initial plans to bring guests to the familiar worlds of Tatooine and Endor were scrapped, and they were given a new directive: brand synergy.

Instead of focusing on the past, this new land would be built for the present. That meant that it would be developed alongside Disney’s slate of Star Wars sequel films. As such, its story would take place alongside them and primarily feature the characters originated therein. You could not go there and expect to see Obi-wan or Darth Vader, Qui-Gon Jinn or Count Dooku, or any number of recognizable legacy characters; nor would you be visiting the ice planet Hoth or the cloud city of Bespin. Instead, you would find yourself in the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu, a remote world in the Unknown Regions of the Outer Rim. Once a popular stop for pre-hyperspace travelers, the advent of lightspeed travel has resulted in the outpost becoming largely forgotten by the wider galaxy and drawing the interest of smugglers, bounty hunters, and other agents operating on the fringes of civilized society. Now, during the era of the Sequel Trilogy, the Resistance uses the remote world as a recruitment center, safe from the prying eyes of nefarious interlopers. But the First Order has caught wind of their activity and maintains a presence in the outpost as they try to root out any who would dare stand in their way.

This conceit allows for a wide array of Star Wars iconography to be present in the land. In one corner, you can have the Millenium Falcon, docked as the façade for the Smuggler’s Run show building. In another, you can have a TIE Fighter marking the First Order’s base of operations and serving as the hub for a regular parade of stormtroopers led by the mighty Kylo Ren. To see an X-Wing, you first need to enter the secret Resistance base (the queue for Rise of the Resistance) before boarding a shuttle that is ultimately intercepted by a First Order Star Destroyer, culminating in a daring rescue attempt by our heroes: Rey, Finn, and Poe, that sees you safely returned to the planet’s surface to continue your visit on Batuu. Now, you can pay to take part in a special experience where a cast member guides you through the process of building your own lightsaber using pieces scavenged from across the galaxy; or you can visit a seedy cantina and sip on otherworldly drinks; or you can buy outfits to either dress yourself as a First Order officer or blend in among the locals; or you can purchase dolls of iconic characters and creatures; or you can build your very own droid—for a fee. And what would a Star Wars land be without blue milk?

Most of this should be expected from a Disney theme park venture based around the Star Wars IP. Whatever they could do to convince you to part with more of your money, they’d do it, only now it would be totally immersive. You weren’t just riding Star Wars; you were living it. This commitment to immersion above all else is a direct result of the success of Universal’s Wizarding World and its efforts to fully-realize the familiar settings and characters audiences had come to love from the Harry Potter books and movies. Only Galaxy’s Edge differed from its largest influence in one obvious way: Batuu did not exist in canon prior to the park. It has since appeared in some canonical works—mainly comics and novels—but there has yet to be a single scene in any Star Wars movie or TV show set in or referencing Black Spire Outpost whatsoever.

What does this mean for Galaxy’s Edge and its appeal to the park’s visitors, be they Star Wars fans or not? Creating an original setting for the land gave the creative team a great deal of control over who and what can appear there and allows them to narratively justify their presence however they see fit in that they were not necessarily limited to only featuring the Resistance or the First Order, nor were they encouraged to recreate certain scenes if they’d gone with a more familiar locale. At the same time, the choice to set this land firmly between the events of the Sequel Trilogy meant that the iconic characters of the Original and Prequel Trilogies could not appear without breaking the land’s canon. So, for fans looking to meet Anakin, Obi-wan, Yoda, Luke, Han, Leia, or any of their favorite characters from the wider saga were out of luck. Moreover, while hardcore fans may have learned of the lore behind land prior to their visit, the casual tourist would have no frame of reference for Batuu or the Black Spire Outpost and might have a lesser experience because of it.

What Disney executives were likely banking on when planning the land in this way was that the Sequels would be a runaway success on par with the two trilogies that came before it. And while they certainly were profitable, it’s difficult to assess the trilogy’s overall contribution to popular culture and how that affected the general public’s approach to Galaxy’sEdge. The derivative nature of The Force Awakens arguably gave the land a broader appeal, as it meant stormtroopers, TIE Fighters, and X-Wings could all be present. But the backlash to The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker’s failed attempt at course correction ultimately caused the trilogy to fall flat on its face when it should have taken a victory lap. So, while many who visit Galaxy’sEdge have likely seen the Sequel Trilogy, it’s less likely that they’d harbor any greater affections for the characters and stories they originated than they would for those of the Original or even the Prequel Trilogy, regardless of if they’d call themselves Star Wars fans or not.

Not only that, but the land’s dedication to total immersion in a specific era and place in canon makes it difficult to incorporate newer icons of the franchise that fall outside of its purview. When The Mandalorian became a huge hit in 2019, Disney would of course want to capitalize on that by featuring the eponymous bounty hunter and “The Child” (Grogu, aka Baby Yoda) in the parks as characters visitors could meet and interact with. But because the series was set before the Sequel Trilogy and the land during, their appearance would necessarily imply that the characters not only survived to that point in the timeline but were still traveling together. As a result, Imagineers were forced to concoct a contrivance that these characters were, “visiting Batuu in the time that you know them from the series—or somewhere close to it,” in order to justify their presence in the land and, in effect, breaking its canon for commercial rather than creative reasons.

The myriad merits and faults of Galaxy’s Edge would only be amplified when the Galactic Starcruiser embarked on its maiden voyage in 2022. The hotel marketed itself as an all-inclusive, totally immersive two-day experience taking guests on a journey through the Star Wars universe where they were explicitly encouraged to roleplay as someone taking a cruise through the galaxy, with opportunities to meet and befriend both original and familiar characters along the way and join them on their quests. But perhaps their goals were too ambitious and the audience for them smaller than anticipated, as the hotel would close less than a year and a half after opening.

youtube

For an in-depth look at the complete history of the Galactic Starcruiser, I highly recommend Jenny Nicholson’s video on the subject (above). It’s long, but it’s the most comprehensive analysis of what exactly went wrong with the project and is well worth the watch. You don’t have to have seen it to follow the rest of this essay, but it will certainly help as I argue that the Galactic Starcruiser represents the apotheosis of the flaws inherent to Galaxy’sEdge and the model of immersive theme park experiences pioneered by WizardingWorld.

There are two kinds of people in this world: the sickos who are obsessed with themed entertainment and everyone else. I belong to the former camp, but I recognize that most of the millions of people who visit theme parks every year do not, and as such don’t always go into these experiences with the same expectations that I and others like me do. That is not a flaw necessarily as much it is a reality that theme park designers must contend with when developing different attractions. Just as blockbuster films might push the envelope in terms of their cinematography or editing in ways that enhance an audience’s viewing experience even if they can’t explain why, so too do theme park designers have the capacity to innovate and experiment with their attractions in ways that, while not obvious to the average tourist, still enhance their overall experience.

Sometimes, this can be done through innovations in ride systems or animatronics, of which Galaxy’sEdge is a prime example of both. The Rise of the Resistance is arguably one of the greatest theme park attractions ever built. The ride effectively begins the minute you enter the queue, with various preshow elements receiving a level of attention to detail typically reserved for the ride itself and a unique blend of motion simulators, trackless, and drop ride systems create a completely immersive and thrilling experience for riders no matter their familiarity with the Star Wars franchise. At the same time, the design team’s dedication to total immersion can inadvertently alienate more casual audiences. It expects a level of commitment on the part of guests in order for the land’s story to play out in the way the designers intended. You are meant to be a resident of the Star Wars galaxy stopping by the Black Spire Outpost. Perhaps you’re here to take on a bounty or smuggle some goods. Maybe you’d like to join the First Order or ally with the Resistance. Whichever way you go, you are asked to buy into the narrative to a degree to have a complete experience, something that’s not necessarily expected when visiting more generically themed lands in other parks.

Not only that, but you are also expected to literally buy into this participation. Activities like dressing as a First Order member or Black Spire local require the purchase of the proper costumes. Likewise, building your own lightsaber or droid, acts which can help to deepen one’s connection to the area’s story only, are locked behind even more expensive transactions. This would not necessarily be a problem if the land also featured sufficient “streetmosphere,” entertainment between attractions, shops, and restaurants to help make a land feel more “alive.” And while you can occasionally glimpse marching stormtroopers or Rey and Chewbacca out on a mission, the land is otherwise dreadfully static. In other Disney parks, motion is often used to help draw guest’s attention towards certain areas. Features like the Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland or the Mark Twain Riverboat in Frontierland, in addition to being attractions in and of themselves, provide a sense of kinetic energy, of momentum to the land that helps guests feel like they’re part of a living, breathing community. Galaxy’s Edge, meanwhile, offers little in this regard. Instead, it relies upon the agency of the visitors themselves to create the story. In a bustling bazaar, it’s the people buying and selling goods who are kinetic, their lives the stories of the environment. But in Galaxy’s Edge, the consumers are not cast member performers but rather other tourists, complete with the uniform Mickey Ears and Loungefly bags, not all of whom are interested in cosplaying Star Wars for a day. In other lands, you can stop, sit, and watch the activity of the park’s attractions or costumed actors to let yourself be transported into its story. In Galaxy’s Edge, you’re essentially required to be an active participant, buying things and talking to cast members, or else the story simply stops.

Galactic Starcruiser embodied and exacerbated nearly all of these problems. Not only was it still dedicated to an unfamiliar setting—the Halcyon starcruiser had no precedent in canon—it also necessarily had to occur alongside the events of the Sequel Trilogy since guests were allowed to visit Galaxy’s Edge for a few hours during their stay. Furthermore, the exorbitant price tag suggested that this was a one-of-a-kind, A-list experience that you couldn’t get anywhere else. Only, as Jenny Nicholson details in her video, this was far from guaranteed due to flaws in the design of the experience’s roleplaying elements, flaws which may have been addressed either before or after opening if not for corporate expectations of quick returns on investment. They might have hoped to recoup some of these costs from visitors purchasing the clothes and merchandise necessary to fully immerse themselves in the story, but that only replicated the issue of prioritizing active engagement over atmospheric world-building in constructing an experiential narrative. In the end, what ultimately doomed the Starcruiser was the likely fact that there simply wasn’t a large enough audience of people interested in a two-day immersive Star Wars hotel experience who would also be willing to shell out the thousands of dollars needed to do so. As such, the venture struggled to make its money back even with the financial restraints placed on the project’s creative team which precipitated its eventual closure as a cost-saving measure and tax write-off.

So, what does the future look like for Galaxy’sEdge? It’s been almost five years since the Sequel Trilogy ended, and a bevy of new iconic characters and vehicles have arisen as staples of the franchise since then. And yet, the land remains stuck in that era in which it was developed. Could it one day receive an overhaul, its facades and its rides retooled to fit within the bounds of the Original or Prequel Trilogies, or some other era of Star Wars lore? Perhaps. As much as the land’s conceit as a continuously inhabited outpost for a cross-section of the galaxy’s heroes and villains can be limiting, it also allows for a certain degree of flexibility in shifting the timeline around. How might Batuu and the Black Spire Outpost have looked during the Clone Wars, or the Galactic Civil War, or even the High Republic? But at this point, it’s difficult to imagine such changes happening anytime soon. With how much money has already been invested into making the land what it is and how much was presumably lost with the Galactic Starcruiser, it’s difficult to see Disney’s corporate overlords wanting to invest the resources needed to adapt the land further and incorporate new rides and experience, even if it might improve overall guest satisfaction to do so.

Then again, there’s a new sheriff in town, and its name is Disney+. Gone are the days of Star Wars being primarily a cinematic venture, with spin-off material being the domain of only the franchise’s most devoted fans. Now, streaming television series is where it’s at. If Disney is as committed to brand synergy as they were when they created Galaxy’s Edge, then perhaps we might one day see newer characters and settings reflected in the parks. But that day is not today.

1 note · View note

taintedsoul-if · 2 years ago

Note

im so insanely in love w/ cadmus holy hell I would be the destroying a country for him for real 🔥🔥 but shithead T got me thinking, how would the ROs react to a MC who doesn't believe the ROs love for them is real and that no one can ever love them bc of T's treatment of MC?

🤣😂 Cadmus be destroying the country as an act of revenge, while your MC be burning down that same country to symbolise their love to Cadmus. Oh my god!

First off I wanted to apologize for taking so long to respond to this ask, I've been getting an headstart on chapter2 and because of my consistency I've already written a good amount of words.

Also this question is something that will actually be tackled in upcoming chapters.

Cadmus

"MC why don't you believe me?" Cadmus asked with a faint smile. You could discern a million unspoken words, the strong will of wanting to pull you into his arms but holding back. "My heart has always been yours from day one!"

Tears shimmered in your eyes. "Why must you make me feel like this?! Cadmus it is unfair for me to give everything to you and yet I've never received anything in return! You don't love me! You only see me as your ex-lover replacement."

Cadmus eyes darkened at your words, his laughter of mockery reverberates in the room. "Mi Sol, am I such a person in your eyes? Don't you know, I would rather chop my own head off than to treat you as a replacement? How oblivious can you be? MC look at me, look me in the eyes and repeat those words ...." he roared.

Your body trembled, not daring to look at him you turned your head away. Cadmus pressed your body beneath his. "Look at me MC...." he whispered in a husky purr.

You squeezed your eyes shut.

"My love for you is one you should never doubt. For you I would destroy this world and everyone/everything in it, just to hold you in my embrace. I love you so much it fucking pains my non-existent heart, just seeing you walking away. I cannot live without you MC, I can't.... in this world you're my only light, my only will to survive. So please don't ever doubt my love for you...."

Your shoulders shook, tears wet the palms of your hand.

Atticus

[REDACTED] - Spoiler Territory 👀👀

Nyssa/Nyala

"Lies! I would be a fool to believe your words! The only reason you're with me is to get back at Trysten/Trista right?"

Nyssa/Nyala brows lifted doubtfully at you. "What the hell are you talking about?!" They rose from their seat menacingly. "Have you lost your fucking mind. I promised lady Anaya years ago that I would take care of you! I've watched you MC, for over four fucking decades you were so blinded by that scumbag and their lies. When you were tossed into Ostror, I nearly crippled the heir just for your safety!"

The air between you and Nyssa/Nyala stilled, growing heavy and suffocating. "When will you actually get out of that big head of yours. I am not Trysten/Trista and I'll never be them." They held your shoulders in a vice-like grip. "You're my safe haven MC. Even if I can't have you in this life, I am content just being by your side. At first I loathed your very being... but now all I want to do is keep you safe. You bring out the best in me... because of you I can finally see Color once again. I want so much with you MC.... I want it all with you... even if I have to prove it to you just how much I fucking love You, I'll do it! Anything you name it and I'll do it, j-j-just don't push me away." They knelt at your feet. Their thin arms encircled your waist in defeat.

Trysten/Trista

[REDACTED] - Spoiler Territory 👀👀

*********

Alright! I do hope you enjoy those two reactions. 🤭. Anon have a splendid day and stay safe! Also happy New years!

#Nyssa/Nyala #Cadmus #Atticus #Trysten/Trista #lovely anon #ro: reactions #ask

30 notes · View notes

hello-everyfandom · 5 years ago

Text

“I’ll say it every second of every day if need be, I love you."

Warnings: N/A

Pairing: James Potter x Reader

Words: 2.8k

Summary: James Potter is desperately in love with you.

Part One “No, please… Don’t say that. You love her, not me.”

Part Two "James, you’re a right knob head sometimes. She loves you.”

(Hi! This is part three of my James Potter series. Feel free to read those before hand!)

It was odd to see you without James. It seemed that after the Gryffindor party, you had disappeared. It was rare to see you during meal times and you were nothing but a passing figure in the corridors, fleeing before the boys could stop you. It wasn’t just Remus you were dodging, Sirius could barely find you in a crowd and Peter had spoken to you all but once these past few weeks. James, it seemed, was taking your absence the hardest. He frequently turned to his side to tell you a witty or inappropriate joke only to find that you weren’t there. Living without you was torture. Living without the person he loved was torture. And, what made it worse, was that it was his doing that brought this fate upon the Marauders. Remus Lupin, to put kindly, was extremely fed up. He missed his friend and found himself quite lonely studying in the library. And if he were to catch you somewhere, reading or doing homework, you were quiet and reserved, almost fragile to an extent. So, Remus made it his mission, after a grueling day of classes, to find you. He stalked the halls, peering left and right, checked the Astronomy Tower and the Owlery and the kitchens. It was only until he found you, tucked away and unseen, in the back of the library that he let out a sigh of relief.

Remus pulled a chair from the table and sat down, staring at you intently. “Right, Y/N. This has got to stop.”

“What are you on about, Remus?” you asked, raising your eyes from your book that you were barely reading.

“Don’t play dumb!” Remus used his hand to refer to you, “This has got to stop. It’s become ridiculous.”

“Rem-”

“No, just listen to me. I don’t want to raise my voice or become angry, but you’ve beyond frustrated me. Y/N, this has got to stop, you cannot go on like this.”

“Go on like what?” you asked sharply.

“Like this!” you knew exactly what Remus was talking about. You had become quite skinny, almost gaunt like. Your body adorned an old knitted sweater that James had given you after his growth spurt. It engulfed your body and swallowed you whole. Your face has lost its colour, and your paleness reached all over your skin. You looked sick. Lovesick, if you will, and suffering from heartbreak and losing the battle.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” you gazed back at your book, hoping Remus would leave.

“Damn it, Y/N. Stop it.” Remus slammed his hand on the table, making you jump. Remus had never raised his voice at you, but looking in his eyes, you could see how desperate he was. Remus redacted his hand and shook his head, “I’m sorry.” he whispered.

“It’s okay,” you said reassuringly, reaching to place your hand on his.

“I’m worried about you.”

“I know,” you said truthfully, rubbing his knuckles with your thumb, “but I’m alright.”

“No, no you’re not, Y/N. This isn’t you. The person sitting here isn’t you.” Remus trailed off. If this is what love is, Remus thought, then maybe he didn’t want it. He could see how this was tearing you apart, inside and out. “Everyone misses you. James misses you.”

“I miss you too,” your voice quivered a bit, hearing James’ name struck a blade in your throat.

“He’s not the same, y’know? Have you noticed?”

You couldn’t say you had. Every time you had seen him in the corridor or in the common room, you practically ran away. It was utter agony to see the man who you so desperately loved, not love you back. But, if you had lingered, if you stayed for mere seconds, you would have seen how broken James was. He smiled and ran his fingers through his hair as he usually did, but the smile was nearly blank and his hair was pulled nervously.

“Rem-”

“I know,” he sighed, “But at least think about coming back, okay? It’s scaring me to see you like this.”

You nodded, “I love you, Moons.”

Remus squeezed your hand, sending you a worried smile and stood up to leave you alone with your thoughts. As you sat there, you found yourself playing with James’ sweater, fiddling with and pulling out the loose strands. You feared that this was the end of yours and James’ friendship, perhaps even for good. You weren’t sure you could go back to being friends, it simply felt too emotionally difficult to be nothing but mates. You couldn’t do it. A small part of you wanted to be angry with James. In fact, you wanted to be furious at him for toying with your feelings like that. You wanted to scream and send him a jinx that would cause his head to become an octopus. Maybe then he’d see how much he sucked. But, you couldn’t. You couldn’t even be annoyed. The only thing you could feel was the throbbing hurt of your broken heart and helplessly missing a certain James Potter.

Sirius had become just as frustrated if not even more frustrated than Remus. He had become fed up with constantly telling James to grab life by the balls and tell you how he truly feels. It became too much when James was fidgeting during breakfast before his second Quidditch game.

“James Middle-Name-That-I’ve-Forgotten Potter!”

James looked up alarmed, “Padfoot? What’s wrong? You never call me James,”

“You! You’re what’s wrong.”

“Padfoot, don’t do this right now, I’m already nervous enough for the game.”

“This is the absolute last time I’ll say it if you don’t tell Y/N how you feel, I won’t talk to you for a week and we both know that’ll be right awful.”

“I’ll do it! I swear, I’ll do it, it just has to be the right time. And-and now, it’s just not.”

“Then when will be the right time?” Sirius prodded, “In a year? Two? When you’re old and wrinkled?”

James bit his lip, knowing full well that Sirius was right. “I’ll tell her at the party tonight,”

Sirius rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Yeah, like that turned out well last time you did that.”

“Well! I-okay? It’ll be fine!” James groaned loudly. Why was he such a coward?

“I mean it, James. Do it, or you’ll regret it.” Sirius pointed. “I didn’t pretend to be Y/N and fake kiss you for nothing.”

“You were the one who pretended to kiss me!” James accused,

“Don’t act like you didn’t like it.” Sirius clicked his tongue.

“I didn’t,” James said.

Although James felt joyous over his quidditch game win, he could feel the nerves bundled in his stomach. As he reached the common room James swallowed harshly and plainly greeted the partying Gryffindors who congratulated him.

“Drink of firewhiskey?” Someone offered him, James shook his head.

“No thanks, mate. All yours.”

James searched the common room, his eyes scanning the heads of the bouncing and swaying students. His brown eyes locked with Sirius who sent him back a pointed look with eyebrows raised. He had to do it. He had to do it now. James Potter blinked, hoping to find you somewhere in the crowd with a smile on your face that he so loved. James pushed against the throng of students before reaching Remus who was leaned against the wall.

“Moony,” James said with relief.

“There you are! Hold on,” Remus fixed James’ glasses that seemed to have come askew and crooked on his nose. “Two wins in a row, how bloody lucky are you?”

“Yeah yeah,” James waved it off before asking frantically, “Where’s Y/N?”

Remus’ face dropped and his eyes showed nothing but wariness, “Why?”

“I need to tell her something.”

“Have you been drinking again?”

James shook his head rapidly, “No. Where is she?”

“Prongs, I think-”

“Moons, I’m sorry, I don’t have time for this. I need to see her, I need to see her and tell her I love her. I need to do it and I need to do it now,”

Remus’ eyes lifted in surprise, “Oh.”

“I know, I know. But, where is she? I need to find her.”

Remus’ thoughts were racing horses and he seemed to piece together what was happening, “James.”

“Please, Remus. Please tell me where she is.”

Remus bit his bottom lip, “I think I saw her in the courtyard, sitting in one of the window sills, but-” Before he could continue, James spun around and hurried out of the common room.

Sirius strutted over and slung an arm around Remus’ shoulders.

“Is he going-”

“Yup.”

“And does Y/N feel-”

“Yup.”

Sirius turned his head with a wide grin, “Thank god. I was nearly ripping out my hair waiting for him to tell her.” Remus hummed in response. As Sirius seemed to quiet, Remus turned to him with questioning eyes.

“I need to tell you something-”

Remus interrupted him, “You pretended to be Y/N for James, didn’t you? That’s why you pretended to wear a dress.”

Sirius sighed pathetically, “Yeah. And I kind of liked it.”

James could feel the sweat begin to bead on his forehead, and the adrenaline run through his veins as he looked the corridors for you. This was it. James could feel it. He was ready, he was in love with you and nothing else seemed to matter but the idea of you. You. He loved you. He would rip the skin off his back to keep you warm or swing upside down on a tree with his trousers off just to make you smile.

It was cold. Cold enough to feel a brisk breeze on your shoulders and cold enough for you to wrap yourself in your arms. You enjoyed the quiet, at least you learned to enjoy it. You debated on returning to the common room to attend the party like Remus and Sirius had begged you to, but you quickly decided against it. You stared up at the stars that blinked back at you. Though you were absolute bollocks at astronomy, you found yourself counting the stars, seeking a constellation, or maybe even guidance. A cloud brushed over the dark skies, the twinking stars disappearing into the darkness. You sighed and stared at your feet until you heard something. What was that? It sounded almost like thunder, pounding against the corridor floors. As you curiously faced the source of the noise, you could barely make out a tall figure bounding towards you. You could make out their messy hair that seemed to stick out everywhere. Messy hair. James. It was James. He ran towards the courtyard, pausing to look madly all-around before spotting you. James Potter froze, his mouth coming agape. The adrenaline and rush that he had previously felt faded every slow step he took towards you. Your hands instantly became sweaty and you couldn’t seem to tear your eyes from his. Should you run? Maybe, if you hurried now, you could make it back to your dorm in minutes. But you stayed. You stayed, watching his every move until he finally reached where you were sitting.

“Hi,” he whispered, barely trusting his voice right now.

“Hi,” you said back, your voice shaky and low. His eyes looked towards the free space next to you on the bench, a silent question if he could sit. Your eyes widened as you scooted over allowing James to sit. It was silent, something neither of you were used to. Before, it was rare that you two had a minute of quietness between you as the conversation seemed to bounce naturally. But now, it was hushed. James clenched his hands nervously.

“Congratulations on your win, James,” you said sincerely, surprised that you had even said something. James inhaled. He didn’t want to talk about quidditch. He didn’t want to talk about anything, he wanted to lean in and kiss you and tell you how much he truly adored you.

“I need to tell you something.” James let out.

“James-”

“No, please? Let me talk.” You stayed silent,

“I made a mistake at the last party.”

“Really, we don’t have to talk about it. We can just forget about it.”

“No, I don’t want to forget about it. It was a mistake. But not in the way you’re thinking. It was a mistake because I shouldn’t have told you how I felt like that. I feel like a right prat and, and.” James lost his words for a moment before clearing his throat, “I should’ve never told you I loved you when I was drunk. And, I should’ve never pretended I had forgotten about it either.”

This was painful. He did remember, he just ignored it. You managed to pull your lips into a small smile, “James. It’s okay. It didn’t mean anything, we can just-”

“No, that’s the thing. It did mean something. It meant something to me. I have been trying, constantly trying, to find a way to tell you, but I’m terrified of losing you.”

“You’d never lose me-”

“Y/N, you little shit,” he let out a small joke making you laugh, “Will you please be quiet because I swear I’ll go mad if you don’t.”

“I... I adore you.” James said finally. Your hands went cold and you struggled to breathe. It was a trick, wasn’t it? Or a nightmare? Or were you daydreaming in the library again and you’ll soon be woken up by the sound of a book dropping?

“What?”

“It’s true. I adore you. I think you are frustratingly annoying sometimes when you lose at exploding snap, when you argue with me I go a little insane and sometimes you snort when you laugh. I had this whole speech planned out and I was supposed to have flowers, but whenever I see you I just. I lose myself a bit. But, I think you’re amazing.” James shifted in his seat, getting a good look at you. You were thin and had bags under your eyes, but you were still just as beautiful as you were when you were children. “And I. I love you.”

“Have you been-”

“No. I haven’t been drinking. I’m as sober as a nun and I can say now, finally, that I, James Potter, am terribly and irretrievably in love with you. I have been and always will be.”

You sat there stunned. James bit his bottom lip nervously, looking up at you, eyelashes on his cheeks as he wondered what you were thinking. He had an anxious smile on his lips.

“Say it again,” you said softly.

“I love you.” James reached and interlocked his fingers with yours.

“Again,”

“I love you.” You let out a breath of shaky air, your lungs could implode. You couldn’t help it. Tears welled in your eyes, you couldn’t even blink them back in time. You could taste the salty tears slip down onto your lips as you began to cry. James looked alarmed and raised his hand to cup your cheek softly wipe the tears with his thumb.

“Please don’t cry Y/N. I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“No,” you sobbed, “Please. Don’t say anything. This? This is... perfect.”

“But, you’re crying,” James said worriedly, brushing more tears off your face. You felt yourself do something you hadn’t done in a while. You smiled. You beamed through your tears and sent James a dazzling smile that nearly knocked him off his seat.

“I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m... I’m perfectly happy right now.”

James could feel his own eyes begin to tear up as he sniffled and laughed, “Well you’ve gone and made me all soft now.”

“Oh, James. I missed you.” You leaned comfortingly into his hand.

“I missed you too, Love.” James whispered, “And I’ll never leave you again.”

“Will you say it again, for me?”

“I’ll say it every second of every day if need be, I love you. I love you, Y/N Y/L/N.”

You laughed out in relief, wishing to hear him say those sincere words again.

“I love you too. I love you, James Potter. I’ll love you until I stop breathing, until the day I die and even more.”

“Will you say it again for me?”

You closed your eyes, “I love you.”

Under the stars, the stars you had earlier compared your love to James Potter to, he kissed you. The salty tears of both yours and his mixed as you smiled, beyond joyful, effortlessly happy. A weight slipped off your shoulders and landed on the ground as James held your face in his hand and pushed all his love, his endearments, his affections into this kiss. You pulled away, foreheads pressed together as you felt nothing but content. From the beginning of your life together, James Potter knew you were destined to be together, tied with heartstrings. And slowly, but surely, the love you both shared combined, and not even the stars could outshine it.

#james potter #james potter imagines #james potter imagine #marauders imagine #marauders #remus lupin imagine #sirius black imagine #harry potter imagines #harry potter #harry potter imagine

2K notes · View notes

ninyard · 3 years ago

Note

more stefan/andrew au? the last one was fucking amazing

(following on from pt 2 kinda following canon a lil bit but imagining their relationship panning out earlier than it did in the series? Fab)

Part 1 / part 2

“Andrew?” Neil was woken up by Seth’s pissed-off, tired moan. “Get the fuck out of here, you fuckin’ freak.” Neil heard the rustling of covers and Andrew’s footsteps coming into the room. “Yo, hey, are you deaf?!” It’d been a couple days since the incident in Columbia, and Andrew and Neil hadn’t really spoken since then. Coach had tried to get them to make up when Neil came back to his apartment, but his attempts futile. They’d only had a short conversation before Andrew got bored and left. All Neil got from Andrew’s lot since then was hostility and cold shoulders. Now, in the middle of the night, Andrew was breaking into the room of the three people he actively seemed to hate the most. Neil pretended to sleep, until he felt weight on the rungs of the ladder on his bed, and hands on the back of his T-shirt. Andrew practically pulled him off the bed, immediately waking him up from any bit of sleep he had left in him.

“Car. Ten minutes.” Andrew didn’t lower his voice for Neil’s half-asleep roommates. “I don’t like waiting.”

“I don’t care.” Neil retorted back in a hushed voice. “Leave me alone and let me sleep.” Andrew got real close to Neil’s face. The dim light of the moon outside the window showed Andrew unsmiling face. He was presumably sober, and Andrew sober was a much scarier sight than him being medicated and violent.

“Ten minutes.” He repeated again, matching Neil’s volume, hazel eyes burning a hole through Neil’s natural blue. Andrew put a finger to his lips and switched to German. “This is the only chance you’ll get.”

Neil had almost forgotten he’d spoken to Andrew in German in Coach’s apartment. He was startled at the sudden language change, and obliged when Andrew finally left the room. He got dressed underneath his covers as best he could, and decided against putting in his contacts, before jumping down off the top bunk.

“Bring that monster around here one more time and you’re moving out.” Seth groaned, but fully meant what he said. He turned around to face the wall and through the muffle of a pillow, Neil heard him say, “Now fuck off.” Matt, sleeping like a rock, was snoring on the other side of the room, totally unphased and undisturbed by Andrew’s swift entrance and exit.

Andrew was alone at his car when Neil pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands in a desperate attempt to stay warm, the door of the dorm building shutting behind him. It was freezing outside, and Neil hadn’t realised it was literally the middle of the night until he saw a clock in the hallway reading an early 3:54am. The wind blew leaves across the parking lot with a whistle and a rustle, the dry fall leaves swirling around like tiny twisters on the tarmac. The campus was silent, on the night of a weekday, so Neil didn’t expect anyone to be out. Yet here Andrew was, leaning on the bonnet of his car with a cigarette between his lips, smoke quickly disappearing in the biting wind.

“You never answered my question on our little night out.” He spoke through the smoke, as Neil approached closer. “We’re going for a drive.”

“Do you ever sleep?” Neil’s voice was groggy from his own interrupted sleep. Andrew didn’t answer, instead flicking away his cigarette and sitting into the drivers seat. Neil walked around to the passenger side and sat in. When he tried to warm his hands on the hot air Andrew had blowing through the air-con, Andrew turned the heat off. Neil was sure if Andrew was medicated he would’ve laughed, but he instead opted for watching the road as they drove in silence. Neil sat back and tried his best not to fall asleep. His head bumped about on the headrest as they drove, and every time his eyes started to close, his sleep cycle begging him to come back to rest, Andrew would snap his fingers in his face or lay a punch down on his thigh. After a short drive, they pulled up into the empty lot of some National Park Neil didn’t know the name of. He was too tired to pay attention to the signs, but figured Andrew wouldn’t bring him to a park to kill him or let him go. Andrew was a man of truth when he wanted to be; He wanted to know why he was on the run and Neil didn’t have the energy to argue.

“Why are we here?” Neil asked at the same time Andrew said “What brought a runaway to Oakland?”They both paused for a moment, but Neil knew Andrew wasn’t going to answer his question until Neil answered his.

“It was the first place she wanted to stop.” Neil spoke through a yawn. “The others before there made her too paranoid. It was the first time she felt like she could close her eyes and actually sleep without feeling like she was…” He thought about his words for a moment. The last conversation they’d had, he told him he was on the run, but Andrew already knew that. Neil thought he’d got through to him by giving him half-honesty, telling him his parents were dead. He never brought up Riko, or his family, instead choosing the option of trying to appeal to Andrew’s inner child, who remembered Stefan. It was a stupid choice, and Neil knew that the second he chose it. “She could sleep without feeling like she had a target on her back.”

“Did you kill her?” Andrew said it so casually it felt like murder was something so normal, like eating lunch or going for a walk. Like asking if he killed his mother was just like asking if he liked the taste of garlic, or if he was having a good day.

“No,” Neil answered. He’d been thinking about what he would tell Andrew about his life since he seen him in Arizona. Who was he before Oakland? Where did they go? Who was he running from? “Riko’s family did.”

And suddenly Andrew was interested. His face was a mixture of disbelief and boredom. Neil told him his manufactured version of the story; that his parents were killed by the Moriyama family, and that they’d been on the run since the execution of his Father. He kept out the part about the Butcher of Baltimore, or the fact that he was actually still alive, but Andrew’s mind was at work as Neil told the story. If he didn’t look awake before, he did now. Neil spoke for an hour, maybe less, maybe more, flowing from story to anecdote to answering questions that Andrew slipped in whenever he wanted. Neil answered it all with mostly-truths, redacting the stuff Andrew simply didn’t need to know. Neil was a runaway, his family were in some bad business, but Neil was the only one left.

“I really didn’t think you could get any more stupid, yet I am constantly surprised.” Andrew tutted as he shook a cigarette out of the packet, into his hand. He rolled down the window on his side and smoked out of it, seemingly unbothered by the wind that just blew the smoke back into his face. “You knew who I was, but you knew Kevin too? How forgetful do you think people are?”

“I don’t know,” Neil told him honestly. “I just- We were so young. I met Kevin years before I met you. I just didn’t think I was important to anyone.” Andrew laughed a laugh that wasn’t really a laugh at all. It was the sound of dismissal, as though he didn’t believe a word that spilled from Neil’s tired lips. “I didn’t think I’d ever be particularly memorable or mean anything to anyone. That was the most important thing to my mom.”

“What, being unimportant?” Andrew didn’t look at Neil as he spoke.

“Being forgettable.” Neil sighed, thinking about his mother’s words that had been drilled into his head. If you’re too interesting, you’re asking to be killed. Be boring. Be normal. Be forgettable. “You fucked that up for me.”

“See, you keep blaming me,” Andrew shook his head as he took a drag from the cigarette that had been half-smoked by the wind. “I didn’t fuck up your life, Abagnale, you did.” Neil didn’t get the reference, but he didn’t ask either.

“I don’t mean it’s your fault. You didn’t do anything,” Neil tried correcting himself. “I couldn’t help it when I was around you. And all I could do every second of my days after Oakland was blame you because I couldn’t deal with the fact that I let you in. Everything I learned, everything I’d done, you came along and turned the place upside down because I just had to know you. I had to.”

“Why?” Andrew looked at him with that same uninterested look he usually had, when a medically-induced smile wasn’t spread across his cheeks. “What made me any different to the hundreds of other kids I’m sure you met on your travels, hmm?”

“You were real.” Andrew scoffed. Neil frowned at that and shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve been through this. Don’t waste my time getting to know me if you just want me to run. You want me to get lost in the park, is it? Is that why you brought me here?”

“Nothing better than some honesty with a view.” Andrew tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “How do you expect me to trust you when you’ve spent your whole life a liar? Be mad if you want, but I’m much less gullible now, you see. Once a liar, always a liar.” Neil sent Andrew a look as he hovered his hand over Andrew’s. When he just stared at it, Neil brought Andrew’s hand up to his collarbone where was a small, raised, pink scar sitting just above it.

“The motels phone.” Neil spoke quietly, as if Mary would hear, as if she was waiting to jump out from behind the car to take him and beat him again for letting his guard down, for being unforgettable. “It was the first thing she could grab when we got into our room. I never told her your name, and she beat me harder for it. I never wanted to let her anger ruin your name.” Andrew dropped his hand from Neil’s grip.

“Pretty unintelligent to take hits for someone you thought you’d never see again.”

Then Neil said, “I knew I’d never forget you.” Andrew tensed up at the almost-promise, and the memories came flooding back for Neil like a tsunami sweeping over every other thought he had. “I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.” Neil almost reached out to touch Andrew before he remembered the boundary Andrew had set that night in Columbia. Neil didn’t have a right to touch him anymore, and he knew Andrew noticed as Neil’s hand lifted and then hesitantly fell. “Tell me something I don’t know about this Andrew. I’ve told you my life, tell me yours.” He gestured to Andrew, sat across from him with an almost-frown on his face and a thinking mind hard at work.

“This Andrew doesn’t give a shit about what answers you think you deserve.” He looked Neil up and down. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“Why doesn’t Nicky know you’re gay?” Neil asked, instead of waiting for him to come up with something himself, it was much easier to get honesty from Andrew by prompting him. Neil watched as his jaw tensed for a second, thinking about the answer.

“Nicky is too involved in being the gay cousin to un-assume.” Andrew barely lifted his shoulders in the form of a shrug. “He hasn’t asked.”

“Why don’t you tell him?”

“I don’t ‘come out’,” He brushed off the thought with the flick of his wrist and a roll of his eyes. “I don’t fuck women in my spare time. Who cares?”

“Yeah, sure, but-” Neil had started to speak when Andrew cut across.

“At least I’m out to myself,” He nodded towards him. “You, on the other hand? Was it just Stefan who was into it or is the unnamed you just in denial?”

“I’m not, like…” Neil hated the sexuality question. It was confusing and messy and Andrew and Andrew and Andrew. “There was no one after you. It’s only been you.”

“By choice or by mothers hands?”

“Neither. Both?” He wasn’t sure how to answer. “The foxes are the first people I’ve let get somewhat close since then. That’s the truth. I haven’t wanted to. I’m just not interested in anyone.” The except for you part was silent, but he knew Andrew had somewhat heard it when he sat back, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm resting on the door, as he took a deep breath that he tried to hide. Neil wasn’t even sure he was still into Andrew like that, because they were so young, after all. Andrew was still experimenting, and they never spoke about those kinds of feelings. They were friends who kissed each other because they wanted to know what it felt like. They kissed each other because maybe they thought they liked it. Maybe they’d have to do it again just to be sure. But that was so long ago, and so much had changed. Neil had had a crush on that Andrew, but this one? He wasn’t so sure. This one was harsh and mean, angry and unmoving. This one had been hard-boiled by life and wasn’t going to crack any time soon. He didn’t know if he felt things anymore. He didn’t know if Andrew was capable of a crush, or a kiss, or a simple, electric touch of fingers to skin.

Without a word, Andrew had switched on the ignition and idled the engine for a moment before pulling out and starting on the drive back to campus. Neil didn’t say anything else, he only rested his head on the window and watched as the morning sun slowly lit up the night sky, the dark navy blue taking over the black sky so slowly it was hardly noticeable.

He had pulled into his usual parking spot not long later, still not looking at Neil or speaking at all. He stayed still in the drivers seat after switching the engine off. Neil took that as his cue to leave. Matching Andrew’s silent treatment, he got up and shut the door without a word. Andrew had rolled down his window again, another cigarette already stuck between his lips. He watched as Neil walked around the car before he tapped the outside of his door twice to catch his attention. Neil spoke before he could.

“Give me a chance.” The wind blew his hair off his face, reminding him how cold it was, and why he should’ve worn a jacket. “Let me stay. I don’t have anything else.”

“Don’t be fooled into thinking I trust you.” He hung his hand out the window finally looking Neil in the eyes again. “It’s a matter of time before your egg timer runs out. Make use of it while you can.”

“I’ll bury Stefan forever, if you ask.” Neil offered in payment for the sudden change of heart in letting him stay, in cleaning his hands of the idea that Neil was after Kevin, or that he was a threat. “Say the word and we start fresh from today.”

“I don’t care,” Andrew took a long drag, one that felt like it was centuries long, like the sun would be up by the time he finished. He blew it out and raised his hands. “Kill what wasn’t real. Prove to me what was.”

Neil wasn’t sure what that invitation meant, but he didn’t ask Andrew to keep speaking. When they broke eye contact, he knew then Andrew wanted him to leave. Neil didn’t look back, heart racing, practically ready to burst out of his chest by the time he reached his dorm room. He opened the door as quietly as he could, careful not to disturb his peacefully sleeping roommates, and he crawled back into bed to try get some sleep before the practice scheduled for the morning. Instead of counting sheep, battling restlessness like a fight for his life, he thought of Stefan. He thought of the heart of Nathaniel that had gotten wrapped up in his blond hair and tiny frame. Neil fell asleep thinking about who he used to be, and what parts of that were real. What parts could he keep? His mind spent its last morsels of energy on dissecting Neil Josten, to make him feel a little more real.

The next time they saw each other outside of practice was when Kevin started coming to find him late at night to go to the court and practice together. Neil realised quickly he was going to become a night owl as a Fox, but it still took him a while to adjust to the late nights and early starts. But him and Andrew kept their distance; they didn’t speak if they didn’t have to, and their conversations were kept to a line or two each. They played their first match of the season, and Andrew had sent out shots for Neil like they were capable of working together. Then there was Kathy Ferdinand’s show, at which Andrew had hands all over him, holding him back from killing Riko on live TV. He had made a deal to protect Kevin, and then he was being psychically held back from doing so. Neil did what he couldn’t, and stood up to Riko, a conscious effort to gain his trust, to prove he was on the side of the foxes. Then there was that touch, that simple, light, barely-there touch, and Neil knew he’d won. He’d earned Andrew’s trust, at least for a moment, but that was all that mattered.

When Andrew ever-so-kindly reminded Neil later that Riko would find out about him, the original “Neil”, as easily as he’d strolled onto that stage to sit across from Kevin, there was no choice but to run. He couldn’t imagine any other option. His entire body went into fight or flight, and he struggled to sit still as Andrew held his collar and told him to stay.

“Why?” Neil asked, throat dry, hands shaking, after Andrew offered him protection for the year if he promised to stay. It was funny to imagine, as if there was anything he could do against the actual, guns-blazing, internationally dominating mafia. “Why would you help me?” Andrew laughed, and just about caressed Neil’s jaw in the most non-affectionate way possible. Neil felt his touch leave blood on his skin, but he didn’t flinch. Andrew was manic, and didn’t care. He looked as if he didn’t even feel the pain of a glass-shattering punch, and was actively enjoying the chaos that the morning had brought with it.

Andrew didn’t give him any sort of an answer until later that night, when he stepped into Neil’s space and told him to remember the feeling; Neil couldn’t run anymore. He had given his word to Andrew that he would stay, and as much as he had started to hate the Present-Day-Andrew-Minyard, he trusted him as a man of his word. Neil had killed the parts of Stefan that were untrue; all that was left was the real emotion he felt when he looked at Andrew. He was an asshole, but he was Andrew, and Neil trusted this five foot blond boy with his life. Perhaps it was crazy, perhaps he was officially, undeniable, finally signing his name on his death wish, ticking down the hours until his past caught up. Whereas running was his old line of defence, his current one was Andrew. Andrew was an unlit fire suddenly gaining embers, and Neil knew it was dangerous to let that fire grow. Especially when Andrew leaned over in Eden’s, crackers on his tongue, a drink in his hands, and whispered in German;

“Mommy’s not here to hurt you anymore.” Neil snapped his gaze towards Andrew, who was coming up on his high, speaking to Neil but watching the crowd on the dancefloor. His breath at Neil’s ear sent shivers up his spine, goosebumps on his arms. “My hands are open to have your back. Give it to me this time.”

#idk if this is bad #I can’t be subjective about my own content anymore #straight up I’ll delete it if someone tells me it’s bad lmao #andreil #Andrew minyard #Neil josten #andreil au #tfc #aftg #the foxhole court #all for the game #aftg fic #tfc fic #as per usual send an ask if u want more/have a specific Andrewstefan prompt

113 notes · View notes

scpeen-l0l · 4 years ago

Note

Hi! I was wondering if your could do a scp-035 x scientist!reader fix where the they’re in the middle an interview, and a containment breach suddenly happens

ahhh, i’m not entirely sure if this is what you had in mind. but anyways, thank you so much for requesting!! you’re the first on this blog and while writing this i got another! man i’m so happy ahah

(i forgot to tag this when it was first posted lol)

---

1.5k words

‘easy prey’

You’ve always had mixed feelings on 035. Since the very first day you were assigned to them, you felt their infamous ‘lure’ that they were known to have. Despite that, you liked to think of yourself as resilient, so you were able to just bury yourself in work and deny any sort of weird attraction you had to the mask. Of course, 035 had picked up on the behavior that they had seen countless times in the past, much to your dismay.

Your supervisor told you that you would be interviewing 035 with the routine set of questions in a few days’ time. When you queried as politely as possible to why you were assigned to interview them this time over the usual interviewer, your supervisor handed you a page of the transcript of their most recent interview, with a section highlighted in yellow.

//PAGE 2//

08/08/██

SCP#: SCP-035

Class: Keter

Interviewer: Warren, [REDACTED] (Sr. Researcher)

SCP-035: Mhm… Hey, what are the odds of that new researcher coming into my cell anytime soon?

[Dr. Warren pauses for a moment, before looking at their host’s hands.]

Warren: Which one? Dr. L/n or Dr. Ahmad?

SCP-035: The younger one. Yes, I’d like to have a chat.

Warren: Why?

[SCP-035 throws its head back before resting its chin on its intertwined hands.]

SCP-035: Since when have you started recruiting people that young? I simply want to ask them about it.

Warren: Stop it, 035. Be more specific.

[SCP-035 lets out an exaggerated sigh]

SCP-035: Why can’t a mask just have a regular talk with a researcher? All I want is a friendly chat! Besides, you’d get some free time whilst we’re busy…

Warren: If we do allow you to converse, you will only be allowed 30 minutes maximum with routine questions.

[SCP-035 laughs]

SCP-035: That’d be grand. Well, what’s on your mind today?

Your heart was beating out of your chest, fear coursing through your body. Your supervisor coughed to get your attention, to which you could only nod your head slowly to, it wasn’t like you really had a choice. Still, what did it want from you?

You didn’t get much sleep that night, to say the least.

When the fabled day finally arrived, you were an absolute wreck. All of your confidence flew out the window and left you with sweaty palms and a looming feeling of dread. The walk to the mask’s cell was long and unnerving, the adrenaline was putting you on edge. You weren’t usually like this, but your fears got the best of you. What if they convinced you to wear them? What then? Regardless, you’d be dead either way. You cursed yourself for being a nervous wreck at the worst time, so you headed to the closest empty room you could find.

You found yourself in a break room after a few minutes of searching, the missioning around the facility already clearing out your mind. You rubbed your temples, psyching yourself up. If you did eventually become a host for the mask, you sure as hell weren’t going to make it easy. With a small pep in your step, you finally approached the area containing 035.

Warren was talking with your supervisor, just about to leave when he saw you walk in. A forced smile made its way to his face as he approached you.

“Pleasure formally meeting you, L/n.”

“Same here. Do you have a spare copy- “

Warren handed you a file, “here, make sure to stay on topic as much as possible. Oh, and the second you feel like putting him on or anything of the sort, press the panic button next to the microphone on the table.”

Him?

You nodded, reassured that you had a sure-fire way to get out. “Thanks. Do I… go in now?”

Warren turned to your supervisor, Dr. Patel, whom only nodded in response. Dry, as always. You sucked in a deep breath before checking your phone for the time, 9am on the dot. A good time to die, you thought, before a guard ushered you into 035’s cell. A male D-Class with 035 on his face looked to you and tilted his head.

You knew you didn’t look the most assertive, or dominant but you were resilient. That’s all you had going into that interview, you told yourself.

Sitting down and laying out the documents inside the file on the table, you looked back at the group of staff behind you. McAllistor, the technician, gave you a comforting smile; Warren was already out the door; Dr. Ahmad looked away awkwardly; Dr. Patel was typing away on his computer and you could see the side of a guard’s visor at the corner of the observation window. Huh, a little understaffed today. Were they the last people you’d ever see? Perhaps. Alas, you had a job to do, and you were going to do it damn well, if it was the last thing you ever did.

//RECORDING STARTED//

L/n: Hello, 035. Ready to start?

SCP-035: Of course.

Ooh, that voice- Did it always sound so… Smooth?

L/n: Well, let’s get through these questions quickly.

SCP-035: Aw, I was hoping to get to know you a little better first.

L/n: Maybe another time. How would you describe your emotions today?

Deflect, deflect.

SCP-035: Admittedly, a little upset that you’re being so stiff with me. I rarely speak to anyone else other than [REDACTED], who’s gone off who-knows-where. Ooh, probably with his assistant- You wanna hear about that?

L/n: Uh, so you feel upset that you can’t speak with me-

Shit. That threw you off.

SCP-035: Indeed, would you help me with that? Pretty please? You look like you need a break, you know. Look at those bags under your eyes!

No, you weren’t going to let him get under your skin that easily.

L/n: Apologies, 035, if my appearance is sub-par— However, I am incredibly committed to my job and I-

SCP-035: Blah, blah. Cut the canned crap. You can speak to me about it, you know, I’m a great listener.

L/n: I will be the one listening today, 035. Now-

SCP-035: You say-

L/n: 035! Stop speaking over me, unless you want this interview to be terminated?

Assertive, dominant.

SCP-035: Ah, of course not. I was out of line, I am sincerely sorry, dear.

L/n: It’s- It’s fine, where were we? Oh, here, I- Um…

Nevermind. How did he manage to make you feel bad? Stupid mask, getting in your head…

L/n: Uh, how would you describe your intentions as of late?

SCP-035: Nothing dangerous, I simply long for the stage, you know? I just miss the atmosphere! The joy! Oh, what I would do to even just watch another showing…

L/n: Thank you for not evading that question, 035. But, ah, I’m sure if you behave you’d get to-

//CONNECTION LOST//

The breach alarms went off, making you jump out of your seat. Looking back to the observation window, you saw all the scientists being escorted out of the room by the guards. You rushed to the door…

Locked.

Slowly turning back to 035, you gave him the dirtiest glare that you could muster.

“Unlock it. Now.”

“You know, I liked the more quiet, sweet, meek version of you-“

You mockingly mimicked his tone, “you know, I don’t give a shit. I’m not putting you on. You’ve already got a host, just leave me alone!”

“Oh, but you’re so intelligent, so innocent… Face it, you’re dead either way. There’s no way you’re making it out alive, I’ll be merciful and make it painless. Wear me, and I’ll ensure that your body gets some good mileage.”

A small part of you was tempted to take his offer, but the rest of you was only willing to admit he was right. What chance did you have without an armed guard? You slouched, fear settling in.

“Come on…”

You felt a weight on your right shoulder. You could see his hand in the corner of your vision, but, it was cold. Long dead. You didn’t want that for yourself.

Aggressively sliding your keycard in the scanner, you bolted out the cell and grabbed the handgun on the desk.

You let out a humourless laugh, “yeah, no. I think I’m fine.”

035 walked out his cell, scoffing as he looked at the gun in your hands, “what’s that gonna do? Is that peashooter gonna scare 106 away, huh? How many bullets are in that thing, if any?”

Biting your lip, you whined, “ahah, um, yeah… Look,” you debated internally whether you should try bargaining with this thing, “I’m not going to put you on, however, I’m willing to… cooperate in order for us to reach our separate goals. I have a level 3 keycard, which I can hand to you once I find the safety shelter. Try anything funny and I’m snapping the keycard in half.”

035 laughed, “ok, maybe I was wrong about tough and cold L/n. Sure, we can work together, but good luck trying to resist me. I can tell you’re already a bit enchanted already!”

You snorted, “yeah, yeah. Suuuuure… Alright, you promise to keep me safe whilst I navigate through the site?”

“I assure you.”

A part of you felt fuzzy. Damn, he was right about you already being charmed by him. Maybe… No, you weren’t going to give in. You’re using him as much as he’s using you. Right?

“Guess I was wrong about you being an easy host.” He mumbled.

“You what?”

#scp 035 #035 #scp 035 x reader #scp #scp x reader oneshot #scp x reader #anon

261 notes · View notes

liquid-luck-00 · 4 years ago

Text

The Adventures of Miss Mischeif 2

Part 2

This was supposed to be written for Day 26: Not Soulmates @maribatmarch-2k21 but it wasn’t but it’s here. Here is part 2 @diana-luna-13

Ao3 *** Part 1

~~~~~~~~~~

She was dead that is the only explanation she had for her listening to yet another condescending ‘Romantic’ mansplain that she and Mister Bug must be soulmates by you guessed it Mister Bug. Unfortunately for him he still hadn’t cast his cure, so everyone was watching and listening to this all this alongside her.

“Sweetheart, are you okay?” A woman stepped forward from the crowd towards her. She was clenching her jaw, shaking, trying to restrain her emotions.

“She’s fine. We didn’t even get hurt this battle.” Mister Bug thought it appropriate to answer for both of them.

“If I’m not mistaken, this kind citizen wasn’t talking to you.” A newcomer in a red helmet stepped forward next to Nightrunner.

“Minou?” Nightrunner stepped in front of her, crouched down, and whispered to her. “Hey, want to see if your winning streak will hold against the Hotte Rouge?”

That brought out a smile. “You’re on.” She then turned to the woman who stepped up. “I am fine Madame, but” she turned and faced Mister Bug. “I will only say this once, afterwards I will not listen to you on this subject again.ni will not be harassed into dating you because you got it in your head that we are soulmates. Hell, even if we were soulmates, that does not mean I HAVE to love YOU!” She pointed, he went quiet and still. “You do not get to harass me in an attempt to force me into a relationship and for me to accept.” She turned and faced Nightrunner and the Red Hood. The three of them left followed by a swarm of Ladybugs, and the familiar sound of Bug’s yo-yo.

“Do you want to talk to him?” She shook her head. “Take Hood to the base I’ll meet both of you there.”

“Okay.”

The two of them made it to the base in relative silence. When they got to the base, she excused herself to the bathroom, where she de-transformed.

"Hey, kitten you okay?” He nuzzled close to her.

"I don't know, Plagg.” She absentmindedly stroked his head, while he purred into her chest.

The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes before Plagg wiggled out of under her finger. "Come on, let’s go out there and kick the red bucket at some video games."

"Let's go!" She slipped on a domino mask Nightrunner had given her and tucked her hair back and into her hoodie. When she walked out, she dropped the school bag she still had with her.

"Homework, then video games."

"Why?" she pouted.

"Because I know you, and... you've probably finished most of it already Mischief."

"Fine." she conceded.

"Holy shit when did you adopt a kid Nightrunner?!"

She and Nightrunner remained silent before their brains kicked their mouths into overdrive, denial on their tongues.

"What would you call this, then?"

"Older Brother syndrome?"

"That! That is accurate.” She agreed. "Nox acts like my brother Ja..." The name formed a lump in her throat, which she promptly swallowed. "Nox acts like my brother used to."

- - -

Granted Jason knew that it would be best to avoid sensitive subjects, but when Bilal, called to help train one of Paris’ newest heroes, Jason was the only Bat who was free and decided why not. But this Kid had trauma, if how she reacted to her supposed partner was any indication, she was used to being pushed aside. That mask and Bilal seemed to help her stand up for herself. If Bilal was a form of brother to her, who isn’t in the picture anymore then that is somewhere to start. Jason knew that she pulled out her tablet as a way to drop the subject, but he wouldn't have it.

"Maybe we could help you reunite with him? Your brother that is." He extended tentatively.

She sadly shook her head. "No. First, that would lead you both to my identity. Second, I don't even know if he is alive or not. And third, my files may be redacted because of something that happened." She didn’t elaborate as if she wasn’t ready to share that, or that that event was too painful to relive.

“Why wouldn’t you want to know?” If I were able to find my sister again, I wouldn’t give up the chance, but she disappeared, not even looking for her with Bruce’s, or the JLA’s, hell I even tried using the League of Assassins’ resources but I could not find a trace of her.

“Knowing he is alive wouldn’t change what happened and knowing he is dead would only hurt me more than knowing, seeing as I’ve lost him all over again.”

“We are not going down this route. Hood.” A gaming controller was thrown at him. “We play until she is done.”

“Alright, alright. My offer stand if you ever want to know.” She didn’t say anything just a quick nod before powering on the tablet and inputting her code. He didn’t realize that he watched her put it in, but those four numbers swam through his head, familiar as if it was riddle, he should know the answer to, but it taunted him, confusing him.

It wasn’t long until she finished her homework and she sat down between the two of them.

“So, who wants to lose first?”

“Confidant, are we?”

“It’s a given fact is what it is.” Bilal handed her his controller, he shook his head pityingly, is that for me? No, it can’t be?

Ten matches in and he realized it was for him. “How do you do that?”

She shrugged, “Just good at games. I think it’s time for me to get home.” She started to gather her things.

“I should probably get going too.” Jason stood as Bidal moved next to him.

“Keep an eye on her you two are going roughly in the same direction.” He clapped Jason on the shoulder, to which Jason nodded. Mischief was exiting the bathroom now in her hero uniform.

“It’s time go Missy.” He called.

“Oh really now?” She rolled her eyes.

They left and spoke a bit on what she wanted to hone in on with training. He asked what she knew and her skills in combat. What he wasn’t expecting was that some skills she knew were similar to a street kids, he chalked it up to coincidence but it struck a chord with him. They had split off but he decided to stay a few roof over and glad he did. That bug was back.

“Hi there kitty cat.”

“Are you here to apologize or to continue to harass me?”

“But I’m not harassing you. Am I?”

“Ya you are. You don’t respect my answers, you don’t respect my boundaries, and worst of all you are supposed to be my partner. Someone I should be able to shoulder this responsibility with. Someone who I could trust, but you’ve taken advantage of that and tried to force your feelings onto me.” She stood firm, while bug boy seemed to really think.

“I’m sorry, how can I make it up to you?”

“Be better from this point on.”

“Okay, and if I step out of line tell me, or maybe explain it. I’ve had a rather sheltered childhood, and I know that doesn’t excuse my behavior, but I am willing to learn to be better.”

“Oh I will, and if it helps my childhood wasn’t exactly ‘normal’ as I’m guessing yours wasn’t either.” She used air quotes.

He laughed and she joined him. “Partners?”

“Partners.” She repeated.

“Um just out of curiosity what is your ideal romantic partner?”

“All I want in a man is someone who rides bravely, dances beautifully, sings with vigor, reads passionately, and whose taste agrees in every point with my own. And that is not you at least not the version that I know.” She turned and with a wave of her hand she left the red spotted hero alone on the roof.

The other red hero a few rooftops over was speechless. This girl just quoted Jane Austen and he was rooting for her. If he had to adopt her as his own daughter or even as a sister he would. Especially as he would tell his own sister that very line whenever she said she wanted a Prince Charming, he remembered as he made is way back to his hotel.

~~~~~~~~~~

Permanent Taglist: @itsmeevie01 @adrestar @miraculouspenta @vixen-uchiha @animegirlweeb @jumpingjoy82 @thedragonbug@astoriaandroses @icerosecrystal @t1dwarrior-of-earth @moon5606 @zalladane

Taglist: @maribat-writing-and-prompts @arty-shadow-morningstar @redbullgivescaswings @stormfox2411 @deathwishy @demonicbusiness @user00000003 @frieddonutsweets @jayjayspixiepop @buginetye

#maribat #dc x miraculous #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #miraculous x dc #miraculus ladybug #ml marinette #cat!marinette #bug!adrien #red hood #nightrunner #miss mischief #miss mischief au #marinette todd #sibling jasonette #maribatmarch2021

140 notes · View notes