#i always put them on the same team so i like to imagine how they'd interact

[megalony]

I'm Taking You Home

This is an Evan Buckley imagine, requested by the lovely @senjoritanana I hope you like it and I'm surprised how quickly I managed to finish this for you. Feedback is always amazing.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem@sj-thefanthefan@hellsdragon@im-an-adult-ish@crazylittlethingg@allauraleigh@onceuponadetectivedemigod@ceres27@avyannadawn@sleepylunarwolf@coverupps@justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe @woderfulkawaii  @amberpanda99 @daggersquadphantom @marvel-and-chicago-fan @angryknightstatesmantrash @minjix @lyjen @kmc1989 @itsmytimetoodream @noonenuts @hiireadstuff @ashie-babie

911 Masterlist

Summary: While out on a call, someone tries to shoot at the 118 and the accident bursts (Y/n)'s eardrum. Evan makes sure to do all he can to look after her.

Enjoy.

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"I'm ready for bed." (Y/n) braced her hands on her hips and tilted her head back as she clicked her spine into place. Her knee jutted forward and she took deep breaths as she waited on the pavement for Evan to catch her up.

"It's only lunchtime,"

She tilted her head to the right and raised a brow at Eddie when he playfully bumped his shoulder into hers. He looked down at his watch before he looked back over at her. It had just gone twelve, they were on time for once to go back to the station and get lunch before another call dragged them back out.

"Excuse me, we've been on a two-day bender at the station. We haven't been to bed yet."

Eddie held his hands up in defeat when Evan walked over towards them and slung an arm around (Y/n)'s shoulders, reeling her into his side.

Evan, (Y/n) and Bobby had all been on shift for near enough forty-eight hours now and they'd had four hours sleep, if that. The station was short handed and with Hen, Chimney and Eddie all needing to have a break between shifts due to childcare, (Y/n) and Evan stepped up. They were alright with doing long shifts, especially when they were paired up together.

They didn't mind whereas it wasn't fair for Eddie or Hen or Chimney to do longer than a twenty four hour shift when they had families to go home to. Unless it was an emergency situation, of course.

(Y/n) leaned her head back onto Evan's shoulder and grinned up at him when he swiped her helmet from her head so he could see her properly.

She hated how much she loved it when Evan reeled her into his side like this. (Yn) hated just how much she loved to slot under his arm and how she fit perfectly into his side like two puzzle pieces slotting together. She hated the way he looked down at her and winked because it made butterflies swarm free in her stomach and fueled her with unnecessary adrenaline.

"Alright team, let's pack up."

They all made their way across the road and headed over to the truck to start packing up ready to leave.

(Y/n) refrained from sighing when she had to loosen up and slide out of Evan's hold. She let him keep her helmet that he moved to pack into the truck along with his helmet and jacket. A smile danced across her lips as she held her hand out and took the medic bag from Eddie so she could put it back in the compartment along with hers.

She was ready for home.

Once they were back at the station, (Y/n) and Evan would have three more hours to have dinner and maybe join in on one more call out before they could have the rest of the week at home.

Sometimes it felt better to keep working through the week because when she and Evan had the same time off together, (Y/n) didn't know how to act around her roommate. Not when the way she felt for him was moving away from platonic and into something more deadly. At least when they were on shift there was no risk of any feelings getting in the way, they were too busy for that.

(Y/n) brushed her hands over her knees, ridding them of dust and grime before she turned and moved towards the other side of the truck. She grabbed the hose and started to wind it up and clipped it back in place before she shut the compartment and did a quick check. Everything was packed away, they could get going now.

She could hear Hen shouting for her to get in and a smile pulled at her lips as she grabbed the handle and pulled herself up the steps to climb up.

Evan whispered a quiet 'come on' as he patted the vacant seat next to him that was waiting for her. But the radiant, cheesy grin on his features faded the moment an awful bang rung out through the air.

A scream burst past (Y/n)'s lips and her hands coiled up to her head as she dropped to her knees on instinct.

Gunshots.

Someone was shooting at them.

They weren't on a call out for an assailant with a gun. They had sorted out a gas leak in a cafe, they weren't here for any injuries or shootings and no one had been trying to hold a hostage situation nearby. They didn't even have the ambulance with them today because the call out wasn't that serious.

Evan jerked back in his seat, hunching his shoulders and moving his hands mid-air despite not knowing what he was trying to do. He could feel his heart ramming away at his ribcage and his pulse throbbed in his neck but he couldn't catch a proper breath. He could feel Chimney rushing to unclip his belt beside him and it made Evan realise he hadn't done up his own belt yet.

With that thought in mind, Evan jumped forward and slammed down onto his knees in the footwell of the truck. His arms reached out and grabbed (Y/n), reeling her back until she stumbled into him. He could see from the way she dropped down that she hadn't been hurt and when he swept his eyes across her, he couldn't see any blood or wounds and she wasn't screaming out in pain.

"Get down! Get on the floor!" Evan jerked his right arm out and pulled on Eddie's sleeve before he moved to do the same to Hen, trying to drag them both down.

Someone was shooting at them, they needed to cower down in the footwell below the windows so they weren't easy targets. Sitting in their seats made them easy to spot and aim at. (Y/n) had been stood up when the shots started, they might have been aiming for her.

Chimney and Hen went down on their knees and leaned forward with their heads hunkered down low and their hands braced on the seats in front of them.

Eddie snapped his belt off so fast it slammed into the window while he slid off his seat and crouched down. There wasn't enough room for all five of them in the footwell but they rammed together like sardines to try and stay low. Leaning to the left, Eddie braced one arm over his head for cover before he leaned towards the door and grabbed it. He swung it until it snapped shut, caging them all inside safely out the way and hunkered down.

"Bobby-"

"Everybody hold tight!"

Bobby turned the lights on but not the sirens and leaned forward until his head was level with the steering wheel for extra coverage and protection. He didn't think twice before slamming his foot down on the gas to get them moving. Whoever was shooting was aiming for them and they needed to move.

"This is Captain Nash, shots fired! Repeat, shots are being fired we need police assistance. Is anyone hurt?" He did his best to look over his shoulder into the back but when he couldn't see any of them, he looked back at the road and swerved onto a side road to get them out the way.

There was nothing they could do. They couldn't stay and try to see if anyone was injured or hurt or stop the gunman when they seemed to be the targets.

Everyone took a quick glance down at themselves before they looked over at one another. No one seemed to have been hit and one of the windows had smashed but the glass hadn't cut any of them. They had escaped that one safe enough, but it had been close.

For a few more seconds, Evan didn't dare lift his head. He stayed down on his knees with (Y/n) curled over his thighs and his arms bound tight around her middle. He had his lips pressed against the back of her head although he didn't know why or even when he had suddenly done that. And no one else tried to move either. He could feel Chimney slouching against him, Hen had her hand on his shoulder for comfort and to steady herself. And Eddie was squashed in the corner with both his hands braced on the chair in front of him.

When Bobby turned another sharp corner, it felt safe enough for them all to push up and straighten up. But no one attempted to sit on a chair. They all remained on the floor.

"Is anyone hurt? Do I have to make a trip down to the hospital?" Bobby needed an answer. The turning for the hospital was coming up and he could either take that turn, or carry on straight and head back to the station.

Evan slowly reeled up and shuffled around until he was sat down on his bum and not his knees. He leaned his back up against the seat behind him and pulled his knees up which shifted (Y/n) so she was pinned between his knees and his chest.

"(Y/n)? Look at me, are you okay?" He kept one arm around her waist and moved his other hand to cup her jaw so he could turn her head. He tilted her head up so she was facing him.

His baby blue eyes did three turns looking her up and down but he couldn't see any injuries on her. All he could see were her hands still covering her ears and tears drenching her face. And Evan could feel her panicked breaths pushing into his chest, she was breathing like there wasn't enough air in the room and she was trying to stockpile what little oxygen she could.

Shivers bolted up and down (Y/n)'s spine when Evan started to rub his thumb across her chin and up towards her lip. And when he pulled her bottom lip down and leaned closer, she realised she wasn't talking. She wasn't saying anything and that was panicking him.

She couldn't hear him properly when he repeated the same question again, but she forced herself to nod her head. She wasn't hurt. She wasn't shot or hit with anything and she hadn't gotten any glass imbedded in her skin.

But her head was splitting.

Her right ear felt like it had been blown off. It was throbbing and pulsing and her head was starting to pound and sway back and forth like she was being used as a drum. The shot must have been close.

"We're good, Cap."

(Y/n) kept both her hands deadlocked over her ears and leaned forward to smother her face into Evan's shirt. Her breath hitched in her throat when Evan moved his hand down to cup the back of her thigh and she dared not ask what he was doing. She went limp despite her sudden panic and let Evan lift her over so she could sit down between his parted thighs.

He moved his hand to cup the back of her head and his other arm curved around her waist. He rested his chin on top of her head and held his breath for as long as he could so he wasn't panting and gasping anymore.

His eyes flitted over to look at Eddie when he rested his hand on Evan's ankle and patted his leg with a soft expression.

"He nearly shot her."

Evan's voice was so quiet that everyone almost misheard what he'd said. All eyes fell onto him except for (Y/n). And they looked at his hardened expression before their heads turned to see what he was looking at. The window opposite the door was the one that had shattered.

Whoever shot at them had aimed for (Y/n). An inch lower, an inch to the left, if she moved a second slower, there would be a bullet in her head and nothing they could do to save her.

None of them wanted to move when the truck pulled up in the station.

All of them seemed to exchange looks before Eddie sighed and took the plunge. He used the seat behind him as leverage and pushed up to his feet so he could open the door and hop down. He cracked his neck into place and stretched his arms in front of him while he waited for everyone else to follow him out.

Hen patted Evan's shoulder as she climbed over him to get out, followed by Chimney. Hen folded her arms over her chest and rubbed her hands up and down her sleeves to try and calm herself down. Any one of them could have gotten a gunshot wound today.

"We're back," Evan mumbled the words into (Y/n)'s hair before he moved his hands to cup her wrists so he could pull her hands away from her ears.

He hated to see tears streaked down her face and the way she was still struggling to take in a proper breath. Before he could stop himself, Evan leaned forward and kissed her temple.

His hands moved to hold her hips and he tried to smile when (Y/n) gripped his shoulders to try and stand up. He could feel how badly she was shaking once she was stood up and he moved to stand behind her with his hands still on her hips to try and comfort her. They climbed down and moved to stand next to everyone else.

Bobby looked furious.

His hands were on his hips, his foot was tapping against the floor and he moved one hand to drag across his chin before he scratched his nails into the back of his head.

"The police will be down here soon to take statements, and I'll need you all to complete some paperwork for the Chief, but that can wait until tomorrow. Does anyone need to see a counsellor or have a session before you carry on with your shifts?"

The police would no doubt be here within the hour to take statements and talk them all through what happens next. And Bobby would need to fill out an incident report and have everyone make their statements for the paperwork. He could let that wait until tomorrow, until the shock had worn off and everyone felt better.

But they all knew that they had a right to see a councillor or therapist and if they wanted to, they could have an appointment to be cleared to come back to work. Bobby wouldn't want anyone to carry on working if they felt too shaky or unsettled and thought they should talk it through with someone first. Their health and wellbeing came first and they had almost taken a bullet today, it would be understandable if anyone wanted to go home.

Evan clasped his hands together behind his back and kept his eyes on his shoes. He didn't need to talk this through. He needed to sit down before he exploded.

Someone had almost killed his best friend. Someone had taken aim at (Y/n) and they could have seriously injured or killed her. Where would Evan be if the worst had happened? What would he do without her? How would he cope in a world without (Y/n)?

She was the only constant thing in his life. He saw her every morning without fail, she was the first person he saw when he got up and the last person he saw before he closed his eyes at night. Evan didn't want that to change, not for anything in the world and he didn't want any harm to come to her. She was his roommate, his best friend and she meant more to Evan than anyone else ever had.

He couldn't live without her.

"Are you all sure you're okay?"

A chorus of 'yes' and nodding heads filled the air and Bobby waved his hand at them. They all knew what to do. Go get changed, get themselves a drink and try to calm down while he sorted dinner before the station became flooded with police.

(Y/n) closed her eyes for a few seconds when everyone started to disappear and float around the station.

She didn't now what to do. She wanted to be sick. She wanted to collapse and pass out. Her head was spinning so violently she thought it was going to disconnect from her neck.

"I'm gonna hit the gym."

(Y/n) let her eyes drag over to Evan, wincing at how horrible his voice sounded in her right ear. It sounded like she was submerged underwater, trying to hear things above the surface. It was as if Evan was gurgling water in the back of his throat as he talked and the sounded made (Y/n) cringe. She could feel her head swimming and her ear was pounding and pulsing and throbbing all at once.

She knew what he meant by that. He meant he was going to go into the gym and break the equipment. He had ripped the last punching bag they had at the station after a bad fallout with his parents.

Eddie nodded in agreement and they both turned to start making their way towards the gym. But when Evan looked over his shoulder at (Y/n), it was as if they were having a silent conversation. (Y/n) could feel herself begging him not to leave her alone and his eyes told her he wasn't allowing her out of his sight for more than a few seconds.

That was enough for (Y/n) to follow along behind them. She didn't know what else to do with herself. She could follow the boys and watch them in the gym. It would be better than sitting in the bunker room or upstairs on her own, twiddling her thumbs and she knew if she was alone she was at risk of bursting into tears.

Her hand braced out on the truck and she dragged her fingertips along the red paint, using the truck as leverage to keep herself upright as she began to walk.

She felt dizzy.

When they got into the gym, (Y/n) heaved herself over to a bench and slumped down like all her bones had turned to jelly. She flopped forward and let her arms slump on her legs and hung her head down to see if it would relieve her headache and make her ear stop thudding and ringing like a church bell.

"Are you alright?" Evan's hand found her shoulder with a surprisingly strong grip and he gave her a squeeze to make her look up at him. She was surprised to see he had shed his shirt quickly to leave him in his grey vest and trousers.

"Just shaky,"

(Y/n) let her eyes dance over Evan's frame for a while as he began to abuse the punch bag in the corner. She couldn't hear whatever he and Eddie were talking about. Her right ear was starting to turn numb and the ringing was drowning out everything else. She could only hear through her left ear and it was a horrible feeling to feel as if she were broken and useless on one side.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed in the gym, it could have been a few minutes, it could have been half an hour. All she knew was that after a few minutes, she flopped to lay out on the bench.

Eddie and Evan kept glancing her way every now and then but she still had her eyes open and she tried to smile at them to show she wasn't suddenly going to faint or go unconscious.

"You three, come and get something to eat." Bobby's voice was quiet when he poked his head round the door and waved them over.

(Y/n) realised they must have been in there a while because Evan was drenched in sweat and Bobby had found enough time to make lunch.

Her lips curved into a small, tepid smile when Evan stood in front of her hand held his shaky, sweating palms out towards her. His chest was heaving, his hair was flopping about on his head and sweat trickled down his neck and through to his vest, but he didn't care.

She let her hands slide into his and Evan slowly pulled her up to her feet, but (Y/n)'s smile faded when her head started to swim. Her knees trembled and her head flopped forward. She felt dizzy and sick and feverish all at once. But she tried to push those feelings aside when the three of them headed out the gym and trudged towards the stairs.

None of them had much energy and they all walked at their slowest pace, feeling their motivation slipping away with each passing second. They didn't do this job to get shot at. They were firefighters, they were trying to do some good in the world and help people and look out for everyone. Why did they deserve to be shot at? What had they done to upset someone so much?

The three of them walked in a single file line when they got to the stairs and (Y/n) grabbed the rails with both hands, pushing her weight onto her arms to drag herself up.

But the dizziness was starting to get worse and she could feel her breakfast crawling back up her throat.

Halfway up the stairs was too much for (Y/n). Her head started to loll forwards and a wave of tremors rattled through her limbs while her head pounded. Her eardrum thudded, tears splashed down her face and her head started to split apart like a coconut.

"(Y/n)- hey, what's up, what're you doing?" Panic bubbled up through Evan when he watched (Y/n) suddenly lower herself down onto her knees like she was about to pray here on the stairs.

He moved to crouch down behind her, reaching out to grip her waist while he felt Eddie lean over his shoulder to see why they had all stopped.

When (Y/n) folded her arms on the step in front of her and tried to slump her head onto her arms, Evan gently reeled her back. He muttered a quiet 'come here' as he tilted (Y/n) back into his chest. He hated the way she started to tremble in his arms and the way she hid her face into her hands like she was trying to smother herself. It did nothing to stop him from hearing her begin to cry and it made his heart shatter.

But his brows furrowed and he gently pulled her hands away from her face so he could cup her chin. He tilted her head to the left so she was looking away from him and a growl built up in his chest when he noticed a small trickle of blood slithering down from her ear onto her jaw.

"Okay, up we go. I got you."

Evan held (Y/n)'s wrist and looped her arm around the back of his neck before he cupped his left arm around her waist and slid his right arm beneath her knees. He slowly stood up and waited until (Y/n) smothered her face in his chest before he began walking up the stairs again.

His jaw locked tightly and he tried his best to look ahead and ignore the worried looks he got from the rest of the team who were quietly sat around the dining table.

He moved over to the right and headed over to the sofa, crouching down so he could ease (Y/n) down onto the sofa before he sat down beside her.

(Y/n) curled her arms into her chest and slouched back into Evan when his arm draped around her shoulders. He pressed his lips into her hair and started to glide his other hand up and down her arm until Eddie came back over to them with one of their medical kits in hand.

When Eddie perched down in front of (Y/n), Evan slid his hand up from her shoulder to cup her jaw. (Y/n) opened her eyes wide and tried to control her breathing as she wondered what Evan was trying to do. But he gently used her chin to turn her head until her cheek was pressed into her chest so Eddie could see the blood trickling out of her right ear.

"Can I take a look?"

(Y/n) didn't say anything but the soft look in her eyes told Eddie he could go ahead.

He used a cotton swab to clean away the blood before he shone a light in her ear. His fingertips pressed behind her ear, down her neck and across her jaw to see when she would wince or flinch away from his touch. He then pressed a thermometer under her tongue and flashed the light across her eyes.

"I think the shot burst your eardrum… you were the closest to it. You need to get some antibiotics and go home, it's gonna take a while to heal."

Eddie winced when (Y/n) began to cry and he turned to look over his shoulder and wave Bobby across to them.

There was nothing a doctor could do for (Y/n) except make sure she didn't get it infected. It would heal up on its own within two months, hopefully. (Y/n) would need to rest, take antibiotics and make sure not to get her ear wet at all for a few weeks.

She turned her head further to the side and cried into Evan's chest, shaking harder when she felt his hand slide up from her jaw to tangle in her hair at the back of her head.

"It's okay… shh, it's alright. I'm taking you home."

***

A sigh bubbled past Evan's lips when he shut the front door behind him. He let his shoulders slump down and tilted his head back, closing his eyes when he heard that unmistakeable sound.

(Y/n) was throwing up. Again.

He tossed his keys on the side and headed through into the kitchen, dumping his bag down on the counter before he backtracked and headed over towards the bathroom.

He had never been more pleased that the bathroom in their apartment was downstairs. It meant while (Y/n) was laid up on the couch for the last few days, she didn't have to struggle getting up and down the stairs to rush to the bathroom when she felt sick. But he wished she wasn't throwing up so much. Evan wished she could start to feel better.

For the last four days, he had seen (Y/n) eat two meals a day and proceed to throw all of it back up again. He thought it was too good to be true that she had eaten tea last night and lunch today without being sick.

He tapped his knuckles on the door before he nudged it open and stood in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest. He leaned his back up against the door and let his head flop to the right as he looked down at (Y/n).

She was knelt on the floor, hunched over the toilet with her forehead slumped down on her arms.

"I take it you don't feel any better?" He mumbled quietly and raised his brows when (Y/n) turned away from the toilet. She could barely keep her eyes open and a subtle tremble had set in all over her body.

(Y/n) turned on her knees and shuffled over until she could use the sink as leverage to pull herself up. But the moment she was stood up, her legs started to shake and her head rattled like someone was using her head as a bowling ball. Her knees quaked and pressed up against the sink and her hands gripped the edge as she let herself slide down just a little until her head was slumped forward into the bowl.

She tried to rinse her mouth with mouthwash but the sensation made her ear feel like it was popping and drowning in water. She spat it out and cringed, bowing her head even further to stop herself from crying. She had cried enough over the last four days but she couldn't seem to stop.

Her head was pounding unless she was asleep and as much as she tried, (Y/n) couldn't sleep the days away as well as the nights. She hated listening to music or the tv when one ear was working and the other was turned down and noises came through hazy and bubbling. She had to have the tv on volume seven because any louder made her cry.

The shot had unbalanced the fluids in her ears and that was making it hard for (Y/n) to keep her balance and stay upright. She felt like she was always swaying and sliding to one side when she stood upright and every time she tried to move around, she ended up being sick.

"Alright, come here."

Evan cupped his hands over her hips and stood behind her but when he turned her around to face him, he watched her lips fall into a frown and she wouldn't meet his gaze. Her forehead tipped down into his chest and her hands gripped his arms even though she didn't want to.

"You can't carry me everywhere, Evan." (Y/n) didn't want to rely on Evan like this. She didn't want him to have to help her up and down the stairs and make dinner for her when they usually shared the cooking. She didn't like relying on him like this, it wasn't fair.

"Yes I can. You're not well, that means I gotta look after you. So let me."

(Y/n) let herself go limp so Evan could move her easily. He cupped her wrists and lifted her arms to curl them around his neck. Then his hand moved down to hold her chin and he bent his knees to lower himself down so he could rest (Y/n)'s head on his shoulder.

His hands cupped the back of her exposed thighs and he lifted her up with ease, securing her legs around his torso so she was sitting on his hips. He kept one arm around her bum, she was light and easy enough to carry with one arm so he didn't know why she objected so much to him carrying her around. It wasn't like she was forcing him to help her; he wanted to. He was desperate to help her.

(Y/n) closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into Evan's neck, smiling when she felt Evan's lips against the top of her head. Something he had been doing a lot over the last few days.

He headed into the kitchen, grabbed the bag he had come back with and then turned around to go down into the living room.

When he reached the sofa, Evan dug his hand into (Y/n)'s thigh and leaned forward so he could ease her down. He found himself smiling when he watched her curl her knees up to her stomach and saw how she burrowed into the pillows she had collected down here to be more comfortable.

"What's in the bag?" (Y/n) let her head sink into one of the pillows and she bound her arms around her chest, turning to face Evan when he sat down next to her. But he didn't sink back into the seat like he normally would, he sat on the edge of the sofa with his knees bent out to the sides and his elbows on his thighs.

"I got Eddie to grab me a few bits from the station."

(Y/n) narrowed her eyes, about to smile at him until she watched what he started to get out the bag and place down on the coffee table.

"Evan no-"

Her lips pressed together firmly and she leaned back in her seat when he turned to face her. The way he tilted his head to the side and rose a brow made her shiver, but it was his jaw that locked and ground from side to side that made the adrenaline ignite in (Y/n)'s stomach. And when he moved his hand to point a finger at her, she almost gasped.

"Now you listen to me, you're dehydrated and you're still being sick. So you either suck it up and let me help you, or I will carry you to the car and take you down to the emergency room. So which is it sweetheart?"

The pet name rolled off his tongue before he could stop himself or even realise what he had said and it made (Y/n) turn to jelly despite the pain rolling through her head. She loosened her arms from her chest and flopped her arm onto his thigh as a sign of giving in to him.

"Good girl."

Evan picked up one of the two saline bags Eddie had packed for him. He knew (Y/n) would be sick again today, he just had a gut feeling that she wouldn't be able to keep anything down and she hadn't been drinking enough either. So he rang Eddie this morning and asked him to grab a few IV bags from inventory, some stronger pain meds and some supplement sachets.

He knew (Y/n) wouldn't want to go to hospital, it would take a few hours for them to get through the emergency room onto a ward to get any help in the first place. But if he could keep (Y/n) at home with him and help her himself, the Evan would do everything he could for her.

(Y/n) dared to shuffle a bit closer so she could tilt her head forward and press her nose into his arm which made him smile.

He ripped open an antiseptic wipe and dabbed it across the back of (Y/n)'s hand that was stretched out on his thigh. He could feel (Y/n) pressing her face further into his bicep while she closed her eyes. She didn't do well with needles.

"Here we go," He whispered quietly, daring to let his eyes dart over to her for a second before he moved his attention back to her hand.

He slid the needle into the first vein he found and moved to grab the IV cap that he clipped onto the end while (Y/n) groaned and pinched her nails into his thigh. Not that Evan minded at all. Once a bit of tape was stuck over it, he grabbed a roll of bandage and started to wind it around her hand. He knew exactly what she was like. She would scratch and pull and mess with the tube until the needle came out.

Once it was in place, Evan checked the wire was straight and running free before he flipped the cap to let the fluids flush wide open. He wanted the saline in her system as fast as possible because she was dehydrated and she needed a boost.

"Eddie found some painkillers, they should take away your headaches."

"I don't think I can keep them down."

"Ah, no this is the good stuff." Evan flashed the small bottle when (Y/n) turned her head so her cheek was pressed against his shoulder. He told Eddie not to bring tablets because (Y/n) would throw them up.

Evan grabbed a new needle, filled it with the right dosage and injected it into the spare cap on the IV tube. This would go straight into (Y/n)'s system so she wouldn't throw it up and it would help her feel better. He didn't want to see her crying in pain any longer, he just wanted to make her feel better.

"Thank you." (Y/n) left her bandaged hand on Evan's lap but she moved her right hand to curl around his arm she was leaning against. Her lips pressed to his shoulder and she smiled against his skin until she looked up and realised he looked perplexed.

"You don't need to thank me."

"Evan, you've been looking after me-"

"I look after you because I want to, but I wouldn't need to if some fucker didn't try and take a shot at you. He nearly killed you and I can't… I can't lose you."

Evan slumped back against the sofa and reached his free hand to tangle through his hair. He let his body slouch down and tipped his head back on the cushion to stare up at the ceiling. He wouldn't be taking care of (Y/n) like this if he didn't want to, he would do anything for her. But he would rather be taking care of her when she was sick from a cold or an illness. Not because someone thought they had the right to try and shoot them.

If things had been different, a few seconds later, if (Y/n) didn't move at the right time or if she was a little slower. If that gun had been aimed more to the left, she would be in a coffin right now and Evan would be inconsolable.

"You won't lose me, Evan. I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here," (Y/n) dared to move her hand up from his arm to brush her thumb across his chin. She tilted his head so he was looking at her, so he could see her smile and know that she was here. She wasn't going anywhere. She had a lucky escape five days ago but nothing like that would happen again.

Her fingers tickled the side of his jaw, feathering up and down until he was shuddering beneath her gentle touch. The more her fingers grazed his skin, the less resolve Evan had until he finally broke and pushed forward.

His hand cupped her jaw and skimmed across her neck before he leaned across and kissed her.

He'd dreamed about doing this.

She was his best friend. She was his roommate. She was his partner on the job. But Evan wanted her to be so much more. Evan wanted (Y/n) to be everything in the world to him, his friend, the one he lived with, the girl he kissed and came home to every night. Because she already held his heart in her hands and he never wanted it back.

He pulled her lower lip between his teeth and drank her in, panting against her lips until he was seeing stars and the ringing in (Y/n)'s ears drowned out into nothing but background noise.

He felt her hand move around from his jaw to loop around his neck while her other hand shifted up from his thigh to rest on his chest so she could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Evan slipped his hands down until his fingers could slide beneath her legs and grip the back of her bare thighs were her pyjama shorts had ridden up her legs. He lifted her thighs up and dragged her across the small distance between them that felt like an ocean was keeping them apart. He pulled until her knees were clamped down on either side of his hips and she sank back on his thighs.

And when (Y/n) pulled back to try and gasp for air, Evan cupped her wrist and moved her hand up from his chest to loop it around the back of his neck. Along with the IV tube so he didn't squeeze it and stop the fluids from getting into her system.

His hand moved around to hold the back of her neck while his other hand shifted up from her thigh to grab her bum. He kept her leaning down on his chest and he smiled when he looked up and saw a dazed look in her hooded eyes.

(Y/n) scratched her nails against the short hairs at the back of his neck until Evan was clenching his jaw and he pulled her back down onto him.

(Y/n) could feel herself going lightheaded again, especially when Evan seemed to draw all the air out of her lungs and gulp it down for himself. His warm lips smothered hers and bit her lower lip until he was going to leave a bruise in his wake, but (Y/n) didn't care. She didn't want him to stop. She could feel him muttering something against her mouth but he spoke far too quietly for her to hear.

"Hm?"

"You're right. You're not going anywhere."

[shadowsndaisies]

iceman's final flight

WC: 3.3k

synopsis: ice's funeral, as you can imagine, is painful and heartwrenching

main masterlist

athena-verse master post

a/n: the brain rot my friends is absolutely insane.

You never liked wearing your full-service dress uniform. The whites meant shipping off, and the blacks always seemed so morose. And wearing it for Tom Kazansky's funeral, well, it was difficult to even get it on. Honestly, if Jake hadn't knocked on your door, you're not sure you would've been able to do it.

But he did.

He stood, fully dressed, and didn't say anything when he saw you still in your pajamas. Simply squeezed into your barrack and directed you to the shower. When you came out, he had your service dress laid out on your bed. he waited, back turned while you put them on, and then sat you down and did your hair. You focused on him while he did. The careful movements, the gentle brushes. You knew he had a sister, but this was much more of Jake than of Hangman.

He didn't ask you about it, even though you know he probably wanted to. He knew that your dad had been close with Ice; they'd been in the same Top Gun class, and that was all he needed to know for now.

So he helped you get ready.

He gave you a protein bar because he knew you wouldn't eat anything otherwise; quite frankly, you weren't sure you could stomach even that, but he patiently waited, watching, making sure you ate something. The blank look in your eyes was alarming because in the years he'd known you now, he'd seen your eyes get glassy with nostalgia, sadness, and heartbreak. He's witnessed the fire from anger, ferocity, and challenge; he's melted at your softness, your light; and been in awe of your mischievous streak, and cunning mind. He's never seen this, though, the blank dis-attached expression.

He guided you to the atrium where the rest of the recalled aviators were meeting before you'd all participate in the procession to the burial site. Hand pressed to your back, as you seemed to disassociate with everything around you.

Your dad was already on site when you arrived. Staring at the photo of Ice, and while he looked every inch the PACFLEET Commander that he was, you much preferred the collection of photos that you had. Polaroids and film shots from you as a toddler on his shoulders or in his lap, the collection that grew with each of your father's deployments spent in his home, of barbecues and beach days. This man helped raise you. He filled in the role of father when yours was on a deployment. He signed permission slips and stayed up with you that first night of every deployment when you were too anxious to sleep.

Goose had been your godfather, the one who you would go to if something ever happened to Mav, and then Goose was the one who was gone. And Mav changed the papers. He changed it because how could he place that pressure on Carole when she's battling her heartbreak and raising Bradley? Ice and Sarah were the ones who would assume you if he took his last flight before you were old enough to take care of yourself.

When your dad spotted you, he waved you over. You felt Jake's hand at your back reassuringly before you left the rest of the team.

Approaching your dad, you notice who is next to him, and you have to fight to not break down at the sight of Aunt Sarah.

"Ma'am," your voice cracked as you stood at attention.

There were tears in her eyes as she looked at you, "Stop, no," she corrected, arm grabbing you. "You're our girl, remember? I don't want Ma'am's, not from you, never from you," her whispers bring more tears to your eyes, and your vision swims as you try to breathe through it.

"Lieutenant Mitchell," you straighten at Cyclone's voice and turn to him. "A word before we begin," he calls, and you nod. "Apologies, Mrs. Kazansky, for the interruption.”

You squeeze Aunt Sarah's hand before walking over to the Vice Admiral, "Yes Sir," you respond, standing at attention.

"The Kazansky family has made a request," he begins, and you swallow the lump in your throat.

"Sir?" you ask.

"Mrs. Kazansky, has indicated that following the conclusion of TAPS, she would like the flag presented to her children," he explains.

"I'm sorry, Sir. But it was my understanding that you would be presenting the flag?" you finally ask, though your voice lacks its normal luster.

"In his instructions, Tom Kazansky requested that you present the flag to his family, Lieutenant," Cyclone says, and you freeze.

He did what?

Your eyes meet the Vice Admirals, and you're not sure how to react or what to say.

"Do you accept this final order from former PACFLEET Commandar Tom Kazansky, Lieutenant?" he presses when you stay silent too long.

"Sir, yes, Sir," you affirm.

"Good. You will honor his flag, Lieutenant, assume your position," he nods to the space where you assumed he would have been, but you nod your head in affirmation.

"Yes, Sir," you repeat.

He nods once more, a look in his eyes, but doesn't say anything else, instead walking away. You took a moment to breathe, then you turned and assumed the position across from Cyclone. Your eyes focused for a moment on the coffin in front of you. The resting place for the man who helped raise you. You swallowed the lump in your throat again and then assumed a position at attention. You made eye contact with your dad, who nodded at you with glassy eyes, with Natasha, who offered a sad smile in support, with Jake, whose expression was nearly unreadable but whose eyes were focused entirely on you, and finally with Bradley, who looked like he was in a similar boat, keeping back tears and swallowing the distress in his throat. He was so much bigger, so much older than when his mom passed, but his tells hadn't changed all that much. You focus on him for a moment, and despite the rift, the still uneven footing you both have with each other, there's something there in this moment, brought on by the man who loved you both the way he loved his own kids.

When TAPS began, a chill went down your spine, a finality of what it all meant settled over you, and a tear escaped. You sniffed but remained silent. Warlock was on your left, and Cyclone was across you. You followed the motions, folded the flag, and when the ends were tucked in, you approached Aunt Sarah. She nodded with a sad smile, and you continued, stopping beside Ryan and Elizabeth. Ryan and Elizabeth, who had been your younger siblings, who you love so much, and who you used to play with in their playpens. Ryan and Elizabeth who were both married with their own kids now. They looked so incredibly sad, but as they stared at you, Elizabeth started shaking her head like she couldn't believe this was happening. And when you held out your hands, flag proffered. Ryan's hands clenched, but he waited for Elizabeth. When he looked at you for help, you cast a sideways glance at Aunt Sarah, who was crying silently now.

"Lizzie," you whisper, and Ryan's eyes blow wide.

Talking was not a part of the process, especially informally, not when presenting honors to a grieving family, but this was your family, too.

"Lizzie, take the flag," you whisper again, and this time she meets your eyes, and you nod encouragingly at her. "Take the flag, kid," you repeat, and this time, she uses one hand to hold her brothers as she accepts the flag. Ryan's other hand supports it, and if you squeeze his hand gently as you hand it off, no one else needs to realize it except him.

You step back and salute the Kazansky family, and your father steps up to do his part. His wingman until the end, you watched, arm still raised, as your father approached the head of the casket and placed the aviation wings at the head, pounding it into the casket.

His final flight.

The sound of the pin pounded in place and echoed in your ears long after the jets of salute and the sound of TAPS.

When it was over, and the civilians began to walk away, you moved to fall in line with the aviators. A space had appeared beside Bradley and Hondo. You swallowed as you stepped into it. You could feel his eyes on you as you did.

When the call for dismissal was stated, your whole body seemed to sag a bit, tired, strung out, and heartbroken.

"(Y/n)-" Bradley's the one who said your name so softly, so broken, that you almost caved. You almost caved and launched yourself at him the way you would have in the past.

Almost.

Because Ryan and Elizabeth were walking straight up to you at the same time, calling you with a wavering, "Miss Mitchell," the tone nearly reminiscent of when you were kids.

"Kid Kazansky," you greet in kind, matching his tone.

"Is it bad form to hug you now?" Elizabeth asks though she doesn't really wait; instead, she lunges at you.

You rock back a bit and feel Bradley's arm steady you before it retreats.

"Never bad form for a Lizzie hug," you whisper, and she sobs a little.

"Bradley?" Ryan's surprise is evident as he stares at the man beside you. His eyes jumped at you and then Bradley like he couldn't figure out the puzzle before him, not that you blamed him; you were having a hard time, too.

"Wait, Brad?" Lizzie asks, turning to catch as Ryan and Brad shake hands.

"You two grew up," he notes sadly.

"Well you'd know-" you pinch at Lizzie's side, she had a smart mouth, something Ice and Sarah liked to blame on you, but now was not the time, and this was not the place.

Elizabeth huffed but stepped aside to stare at Bradley, and he stood and took it while Ryan stepped up and hugged you. If he squeezed tight, you squeezed back, and when he pulled back, you could see today's toll on him.

The Kazansky kids have been prepared for this day from the moment Ice was diagnosed, maybe even earlier when you consider all the deployments, but just because it was a possibility, the reality of it was painful to experience and to witness.

"Mom wants to know if you're able to come to dinner tonight, she said to add she's not afraid to pull the grieving widow card," Ryan asks, and you smile ruefully.

"I-" you begin, but Lizzie cuts in.

"We understand, though, if it won't work," she reassures you. "Dad mentioned some special detachment as the reason you were back for a bit," she admits.

"Time sensitive and top secret," Ryan supplies, and you frown at them.

"When'd you two get so smart?" you ask with a frown, bringing a small watery chuckle out of Aunt Sarah, who'd finally walked over herself.

"Probably around the same time you did, sweetheart," she says gently, taking your face in her hands.

"I am so proud of you," she begins, and the tears reappear in an instant.

"Aunt Sarah-" you try to stop her, all too aware of how the rest of the detachment is unabashed in witnessing this moment.

"I am so incredibly proud of you, Lieutenant Mitchell, but I am even more proud of (Y/n)," she begins again. "And he was too. He was so, so proud of you. And folding the flag, it was unfair of him to ask that of you, but I am so proud of you and so grateful that it was you handing it off, holding his honor," she says, and you break.

A sob slips past your lips, and she pulls you forward and presses a kiss to your forehead, mindful of your cap. "I will see you at dinner, Lieutenant. It's perfectly alright if you're late. We've spent a lifetime on the Navy's clock; we can last another day," she says finally, and you nod. "Good, bring your dad," she adds as an afterthought.

"Yes, Aunt Sarah," you nod.

"Good girl," she smiles again, still holding your face, and when she lets go, she straightens your coat, just like she did after hugging you at your graduation. She finally looks down the line at the aviators standing nearby. She starts with Bradley, directly on your left, "You too Bradley Bradshaw, I expect to see you at dinner, and I demand one song, any song," she says forcefully, staring hard until he nods his affirmation at her, lips sealed shut.

She looks down the line; you know she recognizes Yale and Harvard from when you were in Top Gun originally; the two had become your guests for poker nights and barbecues. She turns back to you, "Bring all twelve of them," she finally decides, and you hear the intake of breath beside you.

"Aunt Sarah-" you begin.

"Let's teach them who he really was, huh?" she says softly, and you nod.

"Yes, Ma'am," you agree.

She smiles, tapping your cheek one last time before turning to her kids. Each loops an arm with her, and they walk back toward their cars. The second they're away, you sag fully, all but ripping your cap off, breathing too fast; you know you are.

Bradley reaches for you first, but you flinch away, and he freezes. Nat's calling your name, and the rest of the team is lining up around you protectively. The first set of eyes you meet are green. Jake. Slowly, he shows you his hands, and one starts at your shoulder, skims down your arm, and takes your hand, pulling it into his chest.

"C'mon, 'Thena," he whispers softly, "five senses," he adds, and you nod jerkily.

Five things you can see: green eyes, Jake's ribbons, Bradley still hovering beside you, the grass, the jet trail in the sky

four things you can touch: Jake's dress shirt, the cufflink of Jake's coat, his hand, which is holding yours in place, the chain of your dog tags around your neck.

Three things you can hear: distant chattering of all the funeral attendees, Jake's gentle affirmations, Hondo on the phone

Two things you can smell: Bradley's cologne, the fresh dirt, and topsoil.

One thing you can taste is blood from where you'd bitten your lip during the ceremony.

You take a staggering breath at the end and let go of Jake, who straightens beside you and waits for your next move. He allows you a moment to continue evening out your breathing.

"Two feet on the ground, right?" he asks.

"Copy, you," you confirm.

He nods, satisfied by your response.

You finally look around at how the team had shuffled to keep you out of sight from anyone else. Yale and Harvard are sending you concerned glances as they stand guard.

"I'm fine," you tell them, waving off the concern. "I'm fine, it was just too much, at once, but, I'm fine," you say, readjusting your cap back on your head.

"Maybe you should take a minute, Athena," Bradley cuts in.

"I said I'm fine," you negate.

"Just take a breath! Do your box breathing-"

"Box breathing? Are you serious Bradley?" your tone finally loses the flat edge it's had all morning, giving way to incredulity. To his credit, his eyes blew wide at it. "Box breathing hasn't worked since I started pulling Gs regularly," you scoff. "I said, I'm fine!"

"You don't look fine!" he argues, the two of you facing off across each other now.

"And how would you know?" you challenge, voice dropping back to a reasonable level, but suddenly so cold. "How could you possibly know what fine looks like for me now?"

He freezes again; it's a direct dig, more so than any of the wave-offs you've done when he tries to talk to you since you both got reassigned.

"If Athena says she's fine, then she's fine. I'd take her at her word any day," Harvard cuts in, and you look at your friend gratefully.

"Seconded, c'mon, we can give you a lift back to base," Yale agrees, and you nod.

You spare another glance back, focusing on Jake. He nods at you, though you can see the concern in his eyes, and you nod again, turning and walking in line with Harvard and Yale.

"My saviors," you whisper to them.

"It's a hard day, and the absolute least we could do," Harvard offers.

"You're getting softer with age, Brigham," you chirp, but there's no heat behind it.

"Speaking of soft," Yale hedges, and you side-eye Logan. "Hangman knows about your anxiety attacks?"

"Not only does he know, he knows how to talk you down," Harvard supplies.

"Don't," you warn them.

"Today is hard, we know. We know it's going to be hard for a long time," Harvard back peddles.

"We just… we wanna look out for you Athena, you always did for us, you still do," Yale clarifies. "Look, Hangman's a cocky bastard-"

"I believe Phoenix was the one to coin the term Texan Douchewad," Harvard supplies.

"But," Yale sends his WSO a look, "it's obvious, he's different with you."

You were content to ignore the prodding, but Harvard stopped, handing over the passenger seat door. He planed to open it for you but pauses and holds out a hand.

"Just hold on a second, please," Harvard asks when you start glaring at him. You huff but pause. "Look, today… today sucks, but seeing him help you makes him suck slightly less in my book. You're the only person he didn't ditch during the dogfights. We assumed he was brown-nosing because Mav's your dad, but obviously there's more there. Ice was… he was so much more than PACFLEET Commander to you, we know that. We've seen what you and he were like together. I consider myself really fucking lucky that you trusted us enough to share that shit with us, and clearly Hangman knows it too, but he hasn't made a single Nepo-Baby joke the entire detachment," he lines out, and when you drop his gaze, he sighs.

"Athena, we learned day fucking one at Top Gun that you are a force and a half, we have always got your back, we just… we need to know the play is, that's all," Yale tags on.

You lift your gaze and stare at the two; Brigham and Logan were the only Aviator/WSO team that got recalled. Payback and Fanboy hadn't worked together before, nor Phoenix and Bob, or even Fritz and Halo, just them. You're stuck on how well they know each other for a second, and you are so glad they got called back, too.

"The play.. the playbook is on fire," you admit, and they share a nervous glance. "It's in a fucking dumpster fire, with jet fuel poured on top," you tell them, and they wince. "But, the plan is we go back to base, we finish the day, we go to dinner. I'll probably cry my fucking eyes out, so hopefully, one of you will bring tissues, and then tomorrow we go back to work because Ice died, but the clock doesn't stop, and he'd be pissed if I let Jake or Bradley make Team Leader over me," you huff out.

It hurts so much because his phrasing would have been over my dead body will you let cocky aviators walk over you, but he is dead.

You just buried his body.

That doesn't change the point, Kiddo.

Your heart clenches at the response because it even sounds like Ice.

Ice cold, no mistakes, the voice continues.

"Ice cold, no mistakes," you repeat softly.

"Then that's the play," Brigham nods, finally opening the door for you.

...

everything: @butterfly-skinnylegend

athena’s tags: @omgbrianab @smoothdogsgirl @bazellawriz @sbrewer21 @inky-sun @djs8891

[cheriladycl01]

That'll be the back up generator! George Russell x CoffeeShopOwner! Reader

Plot: George Russell finds himself in a coffee shop after the Italian Grand Prix but a storm makes him get stuck in the shop.

A/N: Tell me your views on Sam and Colby and like other youtubers in the comments and if you like them!

It was a really slow and hot day in the cafe, it had been your dream since you were a child to own a coffee shop on the street you grew up in, in Milan.

You got a degree in the UK at the request of your parents before coming back to your home country to set up the shop. You had the exact shop in mind on the street and it was the same one that had been run down an abandoned for years.

You completely re-done up the shop, making it exactly how you envisioned it. You had loads of plants running throughout and a little street section with seats out the front and a small balcony that looked over the whole street.

You were very busy today, everyone seemed to be wanting iced coffee's and smoothies. Loads of tourists came in for water, making you chuckle each time when they enunciated their words assuming you couldn't understand English.

But it started to get a little later and darker and people were now choosing to go to bar's as they were opening now. It was a Saturday so you new it would be busy because of the race in Monza and most people coming back to Milan centre to spend their evening.

There was no-one in the store right now and you let the last two staff go home from their shift early as you'd heard them talking about going clubbing tonight. You were making yourself a smoothie the blender so loud you didn't hear the bell chime. Just as the blender stopped you tuned into the conversation.

"This looks pretty quiet, lets stay here" one of their voices said that sounded British but had a slight American twang to it.

"I forgot cafe's were a thing!" a louder American voice out of the group added as you watched as they took the booth at the back. That's also when you noticed the team wear they were in, they worked for the racing teams.

"Yeah, Carlos' life hack apparently!" a fully British voice says and you walk slowly over to the table.

"Hey guys, what can I sort out for you today?" you ask, and they all push up their glasses, their faces were red and a some of their foreheads were lined with sweat.

"Oh, hello erm could be just get some water for now and food menu's please" another guy asks in Williams gear and you smile nodding, grabbing them from the counter next to them. You grab a jug of ice cold water and four glasses placing them down on the table.

They eventually give you their orders and you make yourself busy in the back small kitchen putting together the sandwiches and salads they'd requested.

You make light conversation with them handing them out eventually finding out they they are some of the drivers, Lewis and George who both drove for the Mercedes team, and Alex and Logan who drove for the Williams team.

You saw how they were struggling with the heat of the shop, you kept the water consistent and move the fan that was behind the counter with you to face them, you couldn't imagine how exhausted they felt after a race.

Eventually, Logan left first saying that Oscar and Lando wanted to hang out which you can only assume were other drivers. Then Lewis and Alex left at the same time with different reasons, one being Alex girlfriend just landed and Lewis wanted to do some shopping.

"And then there was one!" George sighed with a shake of his head, taking a bite of the pastry you'd brought him over.

"Hey, you want a smoothie, on the house of course. I'm just trying out some new things" you smile, trying to engage him in conversation.

He looked up at you with a huge smile and a nod of his head.

"Yeah, I'm down to try anything!" he smiled. You go behind the counter starting on cutting the fruit for the smoothie. You would look up every now and then catching eyes with George who always seemed to be gazing at you when you would meet his eye.

You bring him the smoothie over on the tray, making it a little fancier than you probably would when you put it on the menu.

"One, smoothie by yours truly!" you joke, smiling down at him.

"Your accent is strange" he says smiling up at you with his head tilting to the side.

"Thanks?" you offer with a small laugh not exactly sure what to say.

"No-no not like that, you obviously are Italian but you have an English twang to it?" he offers looking over your features.

George didn't think he'd ever met someone so beautiful. And it was an effortless kind of beauty as well, your hair up in a claw clip and a little messy from a hard day at work, flour covering the bottom part of your apron and a little sweat building under your eyes from the heat in the cafe.

"Ah, I studied in the UK for a while before I came back here, but i was born here in Milan!" you explain knowing what he was on about, you'd easily picked up on some British slang in your time their and the speech patterns to make your English sound easier on the ear.

"What did you study?" he asks, a look of shock on his face.

"Business management!" you smile. And he takes his first sip of the smoothie you gave him, his eyes going wide.

"That's amazing! And I'm guessing that's how you came to own this place?" his eyes light up taking another sip.

"This is really good, what's in it?" he interrupts his own question looking up at you.

"That is a secret!" you grin before walking off and over to the counter grabbing your own smoothie you'd made earlier. You check the time seeing it's around half an hour till you close, you walk out the front to bring the street chairs and tables in until you see and feel the weather.

It was really windy, and you felt the spotting of rain. The sky had turned awfully dark. You bring all the tables and chairs in before locking and bolting the door.

"Er, are you kidnapping me?" George asks seeing you latch the bottom bit of the door tightly.

"No no, I'm sorry the weather out there it just really picked up and the doors the original so it's pretty loose unless it's latched and I don't want it flying off!" you explain, worried he genuinely thought you were trying to hold him hostage.

"Holy shit yeah!" he exclaims looking out the front windows seeing the wind affecting some of the other shop owners who are hurriedly trying to pull their chairs or stock in depending what kind of place it was.

You both sit together but the storm only picks up and after what feels like an hour, you and George started to play uno which he had on him for some reason.

The door of the cafe was rattling and you could hear the whistling of the wind flow its way from the upstairs balcony and down the stairs.

"It's getting worse" you explain. Looking out the window and he nods. It was way past closing now but the streets looked so bad, no-one was out on them and George didn't feel like risking walking back to the hotel with the amount of debris flying around.

However within seconds, the room went dark and you gasped, not being able to see anything.

"Did, did we just loose power?" he asks, feeling around for his phone only for his hand to rest on your thigh, another gasp coming from your mouth and a string of apologies from George.

"It's okay, I just didn't expect it and it's so dark right now and I'm scared shitless!" you offer with a small chuckle.

"Where's like, your power supply and stuff!" he asks, finally turning the torch on his phone on, sending light up into the room when he turns the phone face down leaving it in between you two.

"I have a back up generator, that should kick in once it realizes there's no power" you smile, looking at his handsome face light up by the torch.

However, it also looked really creepy the way the light shaped his sharper features. It made you laugh a little.

"What?" he asks laughing along with you.

"Sorry, I feel like I'm in a Sam and Colby YouTube video right now, telling ghost stories while in a haunted house" you admit, changing so your on your knees.

"Well, this place isn't haunted right?" he laughs nervously.

"Nope, not as far as I'm aware!" you smile, it's gone extremely cold since the storm started and you shivered a little. There had been no predicted cold areas today so you hadn't brought anything with you.

"Oh, you look cold take this!" he smiles handing you his team jacket. You shrug it on with a small thank you. You both talk about everything you could think of to ask one another. From questions about his driving to your time in university. You told him all your funny club night story's from your first year where you still weren't really accustomed to British Culture and what is right and what was seen as wrong. He told you about how he used to be in Alex and Logan's team but basically got moved into a better car. You didn't really understand how it worked and you listened before asking your questions that he was more than happy to answer.

He's looking at you, holding your eye contact the whole time you both talk even if you look away to use your hands to embellish what your saying. Sometimes you used Italian words that George didn't know but in the context of the sentence he'd be able to work out the English for it and explain to you.

He's so impossibly close to you, that you think he might be leaning in closer and closer.

Before anything happens, a whirring from the back startles you both.

"That'll be the back up generator" you smile looking at the low level lighting and small strip lights all turning on.

"Er yeah, i guess it is!" he smiles looking over you. You get up onto your knees seeing that the wind is slowly dying down.

"I recon you can go now, it looks like the wind had died down enough!" you smile unlatching the door.

"Yeah, thank you. Er, yeah thanks" he smiles walking out the door. You follow him out locking up from the outside before taking off in the other direction. You didn't know if you'd ever see him again but you hoped he would.

Taglist:

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[bcdrawsandwrites]

(Please reblog if you want to, do not repost! Do not post to Pinterest!)

[ID: A Team Fortress 2 fanfic cover featuring a render of Pyro and Spy standing back-to-back in profile, with Pyro facing left and Spy facing right, standing against a dark purple background. Spy is smoking. Both characters have a yellow/orange rim lighting. Above them is the title of the fic, Flickering, glowing the same glowing yellow/orange. /end ID]

Fandom: Team Fortress 2

Rating: K+

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Friendship

Characters: Spy, Pyro, all the other mercs, and Miss Pauling (primarily Spy and Pyro, but everyone else has important moments too)

Warnings: TF2-typical violence, PTSD, panic attacks, trauma in general (none of these guys are okay)

Description: After the events of the comics, the mercs try to go back to how things were, but it's never that easy.

Spy can see his teammates going through their own struggles… but something seems to be very, very wrong with Pyro in particular.

And since no one else seems to be doing anything about this, Spy makes it his mission to get to the bottom of what is troubling Pyro. For no particular reason.

Beta Readers: @mechmolar, @gonturan0, @junuve (Teeth (mechmolar) also did the render for the cover!)

Notes: This fic is legit like around 80% complete already because it takes me forever to actually post anything these days. I'll be posting new chapters as I feel like it. It'll be around 10 chapters in total. Also, Pyro is nonhuman and uses it/its pronouns in this fic. Okay? Okay.

---

Prologue

They were pretty sure they knew what awaited them when they got to Gray Mann's base. Or, Spy was sure, anyway. Mann was after the same Australium they were, and they'd be interrogated for what little they knew. And he wasn’t going to get that information out of them easily.

Spy’s tongue nudged one of his fake teeth. The time would come for that eventually.

His suspicions were confirmed when Demo, still distraught from the loss of Sniper, was dragged out by a couple of the enemy mercs, who snickered over the ways they could "make him talk."

That left him, Miss Pauling, Soldier, Zhanna, and Pyro, all of them chained up in a tiny room, waiting out their fate.

Well, until that thing entered.

It was the other team's pyro. Their Pyro perked up with an interested hum when it saw the other, only to jump—as much as it could with its feet chained to the floor—when the enemy pyro removed its face.

Spy had, admittedly, been caught off-guard, but rolled his eyes immediately after. This was not like their Pyro. This one was a human—a woman, her face scarred with old burns and one eye missing, her hair pepper gray with half her scalp scarred over. The fact that she was human had startled him more than any disfigurement could have.

Of course, he had to remind himself that his team was the exception, as always. They'd become so accustomed to the incredibly strange nature of their comrade that it felt eerie to actually see a human behind a similar mask.

Pyro must have felt the same, with the way it tilted its head with a hum of consternation.

The woman stared at it in turn. "Hm. This one seems promising."

Miss Pauling's head shot up, but Spy nudged her and subtly shook his head.

Unfortunately, Soldier was not on their wavelength. "That one? HAH! If you need a building burned to the ground, maybe! But Pyro doesn't talk!"

One of the woman's eyebrows raised in interest. "Really."

Spy shut his eyes, imagining himself flipping open his butterfly knife and driving it through Soldier's throat.

"Nope! It's completely incomprehensible! It can’t tell you anything! The rest of us won’t, either—we will not yield under torture, especially not me. Though I'd love to see you try!"

"Soldier, no!" Zhanna cried. "I must be tortured first!"

But the enemy pyro did not respond to them—likely still staring at their Pyro. "It doesn't, eh?" she said, putting a heavy emphasis on the pronoun. "Good. I like a challenge."

Seconds later, several robots filed into the room, immediately heading for Pyro and unlocking its shackles from the floor. Pyro mumbled something at them.

"Wait, no!" Soldier cried. "Pick me, pick me! I'm a good challenge!"

But the robots paid them no mind as they escorted Pyro out, and Spy cracked an eye open to see it showed no signs of worrying about what was about to happen. The door slammed shut, and he let out a sigh, tipping his head back. "Soldier, you are going to get us all killed."

"We're gonna die anyway!" Soldier protested. "We can at least go down fighting!"

"We are not going to go down fighting, you imbecile. We are—" He stopped himself there, deciding he didn't particularly want to reflect on their fates with someone who wasn't going to care anyway.

"Poor Pyro," Miss Pauling murmured. "What are they going to do to it?"

Spy shrugged. "Better it than us." He lowered his voice. "With luck, they'll waste several hours trying to get information out of it before they realize Soldier, idiot that he is, was more-or-less telling the truth. That may buy us some time."

"You think we can still get out of this?" she whispered, hope edging into her voice.

"Not likely. We're probably delaying the inevitable." His tongue nudged one of his molars.

"We'll have to hope.” Miss Pauling sighed, staring at the door. "I guess Demo or Pyro could break out."

Spy barely resisted the urge to snort. "The drunkard? Not likely. Pyro? Who knows."

"I still can't imagine what they would do to it."

Spy tipped his head back to regard the ceiling for a moment. "Who can say? Waterboarding, perhaps?” A random guess, and he snorted at the absurdity of it. “Though I struggle to imagine what could break that creature."

"Neither could the Administrator. That's one of the reasons she recruited it." Miss Pauling shook her head. "If that's the case, maybe it'll find a way to break out. And break us out of here."

"Unless it decides to burn down the whole base with us inside. Regardless, resisting torture and breaking free are two different things. But we shall see."

Soldier groaned. "But when's it gonna be my turn to get tortured for information?"

"Will be our turn soon," Zhanna reassured him.

Spy heaved a sigh, and Miss Pauling shut her eyes.

They sat in uncomfortable silence (save for Soldier and Zhanna's chatter) for some time, Spy keeping an eye on the door while Miss Pauling stared at the floor, lost in her own thoughts.

The minutes ticked on. For how long, Spy was uncertain—he couldn't reach his watch to read it, and the feeling of dread in the air was not helping with their perception of time. Next to him, Miss Pauling occasionally muttered to herself, and every so often he could pick up phrases.

"...and we could go back to Australia, and..."

"...if Scout or Heavy are still out there..."

"...and Sniper could... wait, no..."

Sighing, he almost considered tuning her out, but it was a good distraction from his nicotine cravings, at least.

At some point, she raised her head. "Where is it?"

Spy raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Pyro. They've been keeping it for a long time."

"Yes. Demo has been gone for some time, too."

"Yeah, but... they can get information out of him." She turned to face him again, and an unspoken question hung in the air.

Spy returned her gaze. "Miss Pauling, if you are under the impression that we are in the hands of anyone other than violent sadists, I do not know what to tell you."

Before she could react, the door burst open.

“I VOLUNTEER!” Soldier cried, straining against his manacles.

But instead of their captors, Pyro stumbled into the room.

Spy would have hoped that it had indeed broken loose and come to rescue them had it not been for the fact that its hands were shackled behind its back.

The robots escorted Pyro to the end of the bench, where they shackled its feet to the floor. Meanwhile, the enemy pyro stepped into the room.

"Finally!" Soldier exclaimed. "You've had your turn, Pyro. Now it's mine!"

"Our turn," Zhanna corrected.

With an unfriendly smile, the woman turned to face them. "If you insist."

While the robots got to work escorting the two least intelligent people out of the room, Spy and Miss Pauling looked over their recently-returned companion. "Pyro?" Miss Pauling whispered. "You okay, buddy?"

Pyro said nothing, sitting still on the bench and facing forward.

"...Well, it looks okay, anyway." Miss Pauling shrugged. "Guess the Administrator was right."

"Hm." Spy's eyes narrowed as he continued to look Pyro over. While it was true that it looked more-or-less uninjured—the suit was a little roughed up, but that was it—he couldn't be too sure that it was unharmed. The enemy wouldn't have just done nothing with it, and the way Pyro did not answer them, nor even respond to its surroundings, was not encouraging.

Nor was the fact that it was trembling.

But before he could analyze Pyro's behavior any further, the doors burst open again, and this time a barely-coherent Demo was practically dragged into the room.

In the whirlwind of events that followed, the torture that their fellow mercs had endured was nearly all but forgotten.

But it would not stay that way.

[television-overload]

of our own making

(an X-Files fanfic)

Chapter 15/34 - nature/nurture

[Read on AO3]

Krista is a lovely young woman. In her second year at Georgetown, with plans to get a Master's and a PhD after her undergraduate studies, having a child really isn't in the cards right now, nor would she be able to financially sustain the situation in a few years time. 

It turns out, the previous couple she'd selected ended up getting pregnant themselves and had to back out, which was just an added stressor for Krista who was trying to focus on her studies, knowing finals season would be approaching sooner than later.

Mulder and Scully are more than willing to step in, and by all accounts, their meeting with her went… well.

Really well, honestly.

Scully had bonded with her over their shared Alma Mater, and even happened to have taken the same introductory physics class as her with an ancient professor who is somehow still teaching after all these years.

Mulder, on the other hand, shares her interest in sports. It seems Krista had been quite the track and field athlete in her high school years, and also won State as the pitcher for her varsity softball team her senior year. 

They left the meeting feeling beyond hopeful, something they were unaccustomed to but were slowly beginning to come to terms with, finally.

“I think she really liked us, Scully!” Mulder says, glancing at her excitedly from the driver's seat of the car on their way home. “Can you imagine? If this works out, in less than six months, we'll be parents!”

“It's a scary thought, isn't it?” Scully asks, unable to suppress her own smile.

Scary, and about a million other things, Mulder thinks.

“The good kind of scary,” he says decidedly, and he delights when she nods in agreement, setting aside her skepticism for a moment.

“Yes.”

The drive back to their apartment goes quickly. The place near campus where they'd met up for lunch isn't far from her building at all, and if it had been a little warmer out, they might have even walked. Mulder puts the car in park and circles the vehicle, holding out his hand for Scully after she closes the passenger door, and her hand slides easily into his.

This is something they do now—holding hands. At some point in this process, the occasional gesture of comfort had turned to a casual, almost everyday thing, and Mulder isn't going to complain.

Maybe it was the need to keep up appearances as a married couple that made them do it. After all, in certain areas of their lives now, it's expected. With the adoption agency, with the birth mother… Their relationship, while close, is not one that fits into the mold of the wider public. It's easier to express it in this way for the benefit of others, rather than their usual way of showing affection.

On the other hand, maybe something between them really had shifted. He wouldn't soon forget how Scully had leaned on him, both literally and figuratively, after Pfaster. A year ago, he's not sure she would have trusted him like that, and in hindsight, she was right not to. He hadn't yet earned her trust back, and he'd regret ever breaking it in the first place for the rest of his life.

But she trusts him now. She lets him hold her and care for her and believe in her—believe for her—like he's always tried to do.

He will always consider standing by her side to be one of his greatest accomplishments in life. More than anything he has gained from his time on the X-Files, he has gained a friend. Someone who truly understands him.

He doesn't know what he could have done to deserve her. 

Maybe he will always battle these feelings of unworthiness, thinking he could never be enough for her, but it's far too late for him to let go now. Losing her would end him. It's why he had been hesitant to accept her proposal to try IVF in the first place. Every curveball life throws at him is just another thing that could potentially rip their relationship apart. He tries his best to keep those “surprises” to a minimum, but every so often, the opportunity presented is too good to pass up.

Sometimes, he has found, it's worth the risk.

He hopes it will be, in this case. They're so close to achieving what she—they— have longed for for so long, but there's still room for error.

The best he can do is keep moving forward. Stay the course, and pray for fair seas up ahead.

He thinks her father might appreciate his sailing analogy, but then again, he probably would have hated him regardless of his use of sea-based figurative language.

In the hallway, an older woman smiles at the two of them, and Mulder forces a polite smile back at her. He knows what her neighbors must think. They've seen him around for years, and he's even met a few of them in passing. But now he lives here, and his name is even on her mailbox next to hers. There's not much he could say to dissuade their gossiping at this point.

Scully opens the door, turning on a few lights as they shed their coats and put them away. The adrenaline that had fueled them before in what was possibly the most important meeting of their lives has left them exhausted, and he happily follows Scully toward the couch in the living room.

A lazy day is just what they need. Things are out of their hands now. After weeks—months ���of preparation, they have done all they can. Now, all there is to do is wait.

It's almost routine, at this point, when they share a couch. Scully curls up under a blanket, her head against a throw pillow, while Mulder fishes the TV remote out of whatever crevice he inevitably left it in last time. He has to move her feet a little to sit down, but as soon as he's situated, he lets her rest them up against his leg.

She's somehow always freezing, but he doesn't mind.

He sets a Knicks game on the screen at a low volume and leans back, his head lolling against the backrest.

There’s something about staring at the swirling patterns on the ceiling that lends itself to deep contemplation. The muffled sound of the TV does too, but maybe that's just a him thing. He closes his eyes, thinking through the day's events. Thinking of the future.

“I feel for anyone in her position,” he says, the thought escaping him and breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen. He can sense Scully is still awake though, so he continues. “It can't be easy to give up your own child, especially when the circumstances are out of your hands. But, in this case…” 

He's thought of this a lot, lately. About how one person's misfortune may well be another’s salvation. It's a hard dichotomy to grasp.

“Well, it's a good thing for us, anyway,” he finishes, placing a hand over Scully's ankle. “We might actually get a chance to do this.”

“I hope so,” she murmurs into her pillow.

He opens his eyes, glancing down at her in her restful state.

“We will. I have a good feeling,” he says with all the confidence he can muster. It feels odd, this hope, but it's as real and true to him as the love he carries for his partner. “Wow, it's been a while since I've said those words.”

She breathes out an amused chuckle, curling further into the cushions before she responds.

“For once, I'm inclined to believe you.”

His lips curl in a smile and he playfully tickles her foot. 

“I've never been so happy to hear you say that, Scully.”

He knows he should let her sleep, but there are just too many thoughts running through his head that he can't restrain himself. There's a whole world of possibilities about to open up for them. It's exciting and terrifying all at once, and she knows he’s a compulsive talker in those kinds of situations.

He's thankful that she hasn't grown tired of him already and moved to her bedroom to take a nap instead. If they were really husband and wife, that wouldn't stop him. He'd still be able to talk her ear off all night long if he wanted, or until she kicked him out on the couch.

“I can tell you want to say something,” Scully says knowingly, smirking up at him out the corner of her eye.

She knows him so well.

“You think I could coach little league?” he asks, speaking his thoughts aloud. “I mean, I know the kid’s still like the size of a banana, but in a few years’ time—”

“I think that's a great idea.” She turns slightly, adjusting her position so she can see his face properly, and the ridiculousness of his own question causes his cheeks to redden. But Scully takes him seriously. She always does. That's what makes her different from everybody else.

“We have a lot in common with her, you know,” he says, his fingertips massaging unconsciously into her lower calves. “With Krista. Brainy and athletic, all rolled into one. It'll be like having our own little über Mulder-Scully.”

“Don't make me start a nature versus nurture argument with you,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“I'm a psychologist, Scully. I could make a pretty strong case either way.”

She smiles, shaking her head in what he likes to think can be called fond annoyance. They fall silent, eyes locked in a gaze so heavy that he starts to feel a little drunk. The way she mesmerizes him might be worthy of opening an X-File someday. Just to investigate.

“We might have just met our baby, Mulder. Isn't that crazy?” she says, shifting the conversation suddenly in a more serious direction. There's awe in her voice, and he feels it too. “To have been within five feet of this person we'll know and love for the rest of our lives?”

It isn't like Scully to be so optimistic. She's always lived her life believing that to speak your deepest desires aloud is to make yourself vulnerable. Part of him is surprised that she's not being more cautious now with getting her hopes up, but seeing her this way?

He likes it. He likes it a lot.

Maybe he's finally rubbing off on her.

Her arm pops out of her blanket and she reaches for him, drawn to him like a magnet. He happily entwines his fingers with hers, his thumb stroking over the back of her hand.

“I can't wait, Scully.”

~~~

Lovely tag list ♡: [if you would like to be added or removed, let me know!]

@today-in-fic @ao3feed-msr @agent-troi @angegova @baronessblixen @calimanc @captainsolocide @clo-thespin @cutemothman @danasculls @deathsbestgirl @edierone @enigmaticxbee @figureofdismay @frogsmulder @gillian-anderson-in-the-tardis @hippocampouts @invidiosa @monaiargancoconutsoy @msrafterdark @numinousmysteries @primrose19 @randomfoggytiger @skelavender @skylarksong @stephy-gold @teenie-xf @the-redhead-in-a-dress @vincentsleftear

[imtrashraccoon]

Consider this... The Nightmare of Apathy but Dreamswap

I'm kinda experiencing brainrot over Helios and Eos at the moment...

Dream is the one who rules over a world that is permanently day where everyone is happy and adores him. I imagine there would be sun worship but it's morphed into worshipping the deity that literally glows and makes everyone's life better.

Plant life flourishes and the climate is always comfortably warm. I don't think animal life would be much different with permanent sunlight but I'm not going to be putting thought into this right now lol.

Somehow, MC (probably named something vaguely related to the sun to have a nice parallel) meets Dream. Not sure how or why but it would either be transactional or a coincidence. Or maybe they have a "dark opposite" soul and Dream wants to "fix" them.

Dream and Nightmare still quarrel over the multiverse, although Dream has more influence thanks to time and positivity being easier to spread. Nightmare is gaining ground though which is rather concerning to Dream.

Nightmare forms his own team, not sure if it'd be the usual rabble or others. Without spoiling possible future plot points for TNA, there is a conflict between the brothers that leads Dream to forming his team. Again, possibly the usual rabble but it could be interesting if he "converts" bad guys to his cause.

I could go on but I will end up spoiling the finale to my fic... ಠ⁠_⁠���

Or maybe it's like how Swapfell and Fellswap are similar but different? (Swapdream?)

Same premise as above, but Aylin is on Nightmare's side the whole time. ("Dark opposite" soul again?) I think this would be more like a desperate rebellion against a vast empire, except the rebels are technically the bad guys. So lots of angst and action scenes where they barely get out alive?

Aylin would meet Nightmare on more normal terms. He isn't a domineering lord but a pathetic outcast, hated by everyone because he only brings negativity when he's around. Or maybe his world is the one place his brother can't "taint" and while he's not loved by the populace, they understand all would be lost if he wasn't trying to maintain the balance. Maybe the economy is hyper focused on production for war efforts?

They'd get into a relationship much more quickly, especially after saving each other's lives a couple of times. Nightmare teaches her to fight, use magic, and possibly other skills he learned too. In turn, she teaches him what she knows as a herbalist and creates many valuable tonics and potions for conflict.

They pick up friends along the desperate, uphill, in the rain battle that is trying to re-establish emotional balance in the multiverse. Could be the usual rabble, although they'd probably have to rescue them from Dream's clutches first. Not sure if the boys would be more or less insane, especially if Dream was forcing them to be positive through magic.

The duo aren't loved by the majority of the multiverse and would likely run into many powerful players. Or maybe Dream hires bounty hunters to go after them. (Fresh might make sense here as he isn't a good guy and probably wouldn't appreciate Dream.)

The potential for a "happy" ending is very low and something drastic would have to occur for that to even happen. I would explain what but again, I'd literally spoil everything for TNA...

I think I like this idea much more than the previous one... (⁠-⁠_⁠-⁠;⁠)

[crow2222]

this is a yap about parry i made like a few days ago

parry………….

at the rumble when darry first saw paul come up, in the book- "Something flickered behind Darry's eyes and then they were ice again." This could just be a sign of recognition but i feel like it was more like a shock- seeing him again after years and in the MUSICIAL (i didnt see it sadly but) Paul asks him if he still has the shirt paul gave him, and that he looked good in it . As much as someone will say "oh friends just say that to each other" I'll never listen because these are men from the SIXTIES and def did not compliment each other that often!!!

They have history and i will forever imagine it as exs- and maybe toxic because of their dynamics/ upbringings. Darry always having to work for what he has- and paul, who probably never lifted a finger for much. Darry would've put in so much effort for paul, afriad paul would realise he's better than darry. He'd be ashamed of his neighbourhood, his brothers and friends (who are more greaser-like than him, because they dont buddy around socs like he does).

Obviously paul must've liked him too, i doubt he'd be crazy enough to mess around with boys like that during this time, seeing how it could've gotten either of them killed. I feel like paul wouldn't put in nearly as much effort in their relationship, doing the same things he'd do with a girl- maybe even less with internalised homophobia- which means darry would be treated like shit, paul jus grew up being able to toss away anything at any time and that would dangle above darry's head when he'd think about paul's girls that he'd dropped without a second though…

They were both on the football team……. and if they were together, those team showers would be awkward for them, seeing how they'd find it hard to rip their eyes from each other's bodies. But they'd also feel so proud of each other after the other does a good play, and maybe run off to be able to congradulate each other without peering eyes?

They'd still have girlfriends. if they didn't, it'd be weird- seeing how they're both part of the football team and good looking. Darry would probably keep one and keep enough effort to make it seem like love while paul would go from girl to girl without a care- it'd be easier for him too, seeing how he has money.

Darry truly loved Paul, and Paul just loved Darry. University is probably what broke them off; Paul was excited to go to the same university as Darry until he breaks the news that he can't afford it. Paul maybe sneakily tries to tell him he can help- but darry refuses, wanting to work for it himself (he'd feel guilty taking it, he always had to work for what he wants.) Paul is annoyed and snaps- takes it as darry seeing himself as better than paul- slaving away on roofs for some stupid education with his run down home and dirty family. Darry can't take it, and calls him the spoiled bitch he might be and breaks it off,

they end horribly, and even if darry got the last word- paul still feels smug about being in uni at the rumble. Darry's more worn out and tired- yet more worked out than ever when he notices him. Paul takes him on, sneaking a punch when darry looks away because he knows how good darry is at fighting- sneaking is probably the only way he could've gotten a first punch in- solidifying his position above darry (even if he runs away later, no one remembers the rumble and socs will always be on top..)

they will never end off on a good note, and if they were to meet in the future again, paul would always see himself as better than darry (Darry refuses help and will always be working for everything until he dies- of course I'm better, just see how scuffed his shoes are compared to mine.)- and vice versa (paul never earned his money, somehow feels better than everyone else because of it.- he'll never know true work like i do, I'm better.)

[applesjuice]

How are the others taking Kieran's death ? Won't they think there's something fishy ? (Legends AU)

I'm SCREAMING this is the first ask I've gotten in ten whole years and it's about KIERAN 🤣

Putting beneath a read more because this got stupid long...

But real talk, Carmine would be taking it the hardest she'd be a mess for a while. In my mind the plot of LA takes places over about two years to complete the pokedex, so by then she'd have graduated school, and is trying to redefine who she is since so much of her identity was tied into being a big sister. She'd be antagonistic towards Briar for a while, blaming her for bringing them down there in the first place. But I like to think Carmine comes to understand that adults are not perfect after the fallout that comes to Briar and the Paladean Pokemon League as a result of a minor dying on a sponsored exception.

Briar I think would write her book but she'd have fallen out of favor in the academic world due to her irresponsibility. She'd face harsh criticism from the public and the guilt she'd feel would be tremendous because Kieran, despite being a little shit at the time, was a child. I like to believe two years later she's really struggling with her career, getting denied grants and project funding, having her papers get denied by academic journals. She's a mess.

Geeta and the Paladean Pokemon League would face harsh scrutiny over allowing this specific expedtion to occur. For years they refused to allow expeditions down in Area Zero due to a lack of strong enough, accredited (re: champion level) trainers who were not bogged down by workload. Its a media shitstorm. A research team with only three children as the safety trainers? Yes one of them is a certified Champion of their league but they are still a child with only a few months experience, and the other two were strong trainers in their own right but not accredited under Paladean standards. There wasnt enough prep or vetting. Geeta would as a result step down as chairwoman due to the backlash. Atm there is no top champion so if someone beats the elite 4 there's a hold on becoming a champion level trainer while Nemona is being trained for the position.

Now the BB Academy Elite 4, they're shook. Drayton takes it the hardest because he turned down going, so he's like "what if I was there what if there was one more trainer could I have prevented this". The other 3 did see Kieran as a friend, despite his recent behavior. Before that he was Carmine's little brother, and Crispin and him were pretty friendly too, what with being in the same grade. Yeah the kid was a bully but imagine coming to school one day and there's an announcement one of your clasmates died. Thats traumatic!

Now, the protagonist. Oh boy. Regardless of if they're Juliana or Florian, they'd be pretty traumatized. They considered Kieran a friend. At one point they loved his company, he was so kind and sweet and they already blamed themselves a bit for the whole Ogerpon situation. Yeah Kieran took it to the extreme with his reaction, but I find Kieran a really interesting character with how the game wrote him. He's a child, was lied to by the people closest with him, and he doesnt seem the type to easily connect with others. But the one time he finally finds someone he connects with, we continuously and unrelentlessly crush him at something he enjoys, join his family in treating him like he has no agency by hiding the truth of his special interest from him, and go out of our way to disinclude him with his sister.

And like of course Ogerpon got close to us we spent so much time with her, getting her to trust us and know us. I see this take a lot that Kieran just wants to enslave legendaries but thats definitely not it. He's trying to get back at us. We took something special from him, and he never really had the chance to put in his bid for Ogerpon's attention and he knew it was selfish, but he cared so much for her as someone that was always disincluded, bullied, looked down on by others, and he had to at least try because Ogerpon to him, is a projection of himself. He had to TRY even if as he stated, he knew it was wrong.

And then we take his spot as Champion from him that he like, harmed himself and those around him for so he could at least have *something* that put him on the same level as you. Like we as the protagonist are the villain of Kieran's story (sorry for the tangent I swear it's relevant), but he's 14 and had a mental breakdown. And he got killed before we could reconcile or get through to him.

I think the protagonist would do a lot of soul searching because their first thought is "i should have taken the blast." Or "i could have stopped it" and then they had the humbling realization of "what could i even have done? We're the same age. That could have been me, i could have died" because even if the protagonist would never like, try to catch Terapagos immediately with a Masterball, its still a wild and untrained monster with too much power. There's no telling what would have happened if Kieran wasn't there. It'd incredibly eye opening and humbling and I think they'd strive to be a better more understanding person from this. The whole game people are hyping them up, telling them theyre so strong, they're the best, etc. Thats gotta give you a bit of a big head. I think they'd look to the adults they can trust, their mom, their teachers who are genuinely amazing people, and lean on them for support.

And when Kieran gets back and kind of has no idea who they are, and here's that sweet kid they remember with all of his love for pokemon and battling, except he's so much healthier and confident about it (and traumatized in different ways thanks Kamado and Volo). They'd probably be so amazed by him and thankful for this second chance.

Tldr: i should probably just write a fic for this it got stupid long...

[aylacavebear]

She Thought She was Normal

Chapter 1 - In case you missed it :)

Story Summary: Maria really thought she was normal, for most of her life. It was normal for people to have natural talent, she would tell herself the older she got. Many things came easy for her, and that was probably how their rivalry began when she was five and he was seven and she met the Winchesters. Little did either of them know that it wouldn't stay like that forever, both having a far larger destiny than they could imagine

Please don't take my work. I'll post warnings for each chapter. Will eventually be 18+!

Word Count: 3578

Warnings: Childhood rivalry, mention of deceased parent

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Chapter 2

The team-up of their fathers lasted for two months. Maria and Dean butted heads when their fathers weren't around. Dean didn't like the fact that a girl who was two years younger than him was better at anything he could do. In a way, it had helped push him at a time when he needed it. Sam adored her as she was always making him laugh at, and with her, it was always play time. John and William parted ways but agreed to stay in touch and try to give the kids time together if they ever happened to be in the same area. Maria had enjoyed it, to a point. Dean was competitive and she'd noticed that the first day they'd met. She didn't enjoy being put in a position that required her to prove a point, but she wasn't going to let him win either, it just wasn't in her, even at five.

After she and her father had driven away, he glanced at her briefly. Her mother had always been better at this than he was, “Did you enjoy being able to hang out with other kids that are hunters?” he asked her, being as soft with his tone as he could.

“It was okay, Pappa,” she answered. 

He pursed his lips, debating his next words, “That's not what I'm asking.”

She looked over at him and sighed, “Dean is really competitive. I didn't like it, and… I wouldn't just let him win like you don't let me win. I have to do it on my own. Sammy was sweet though, and I enjoyed playing with him and making him laugh and smile.”

William smiled, “I'm proud of you for that, even with it being hard on you. I think it's just how John's raised Dean as to why he's that way. Who knows, maybe it will help him be able to get better,” he chuckled a little, “Might be interesting when you see him again and he might win.”

Maria scoffed at that, “Just means I'll make sure to train more so he won't beat me.”

That made her father laugh, that deep, belly laugh of amusement and adoration, “Don't forget to be a kid sometimes though. There's nothing wrong with having a rival, even with a possible friend.”

To that, she crossed her arms across her chest, “He didn't want to be my friend. He was just mean, teasing me that I didn't act like a girl, that I was a tomboy. He said that girls can't hunt because we're weaker,” she huffed, annoyed.

William chuckled, “Munchkin, that's how boys are. They tease a girl like that when they like them,” he chuckled, finding it kind of cute how his daughter was reacting, but made a note to talk to John about this.

“Well, he's mean and I don't like him and I'm not gonna let him win. I'm gonna prove girls can hunt better than boys,” she huffed, then got quiet, “You don't count though, neither does Uncle Bobby or John.”

“Girls are smarter and some hunt better than boys, so keep that in mind,” he said softly, and fought back his tears, remembering her mother, his wife. The yellow-eyed demon was a type of demon they'd never encountered before, and she had no chance, no one did.

She smiled, “Work smarter, not harder,” she told him, something her mother had said to her often.

Maria still refused to give into the pain of the loss of her mother, wanting to feel happy remembering her mother and not sad. So, she made a choice, that no matter what, she’d feel the happiness that her mother’s memories brought her. In her five-year-old mind, it made sense to her. Just because someone was gone didn’t mean that they weren’t still with you, so that was when she held onto.

For the next three years, the two of them traveled around, her father hunting supernatural creatures while she helped with research. It was something she found she was a natural at. She always seemed to be able to put the pieces together in ways her father never saw or had even thought to. Even her Uncle called and had her help with a few different cases after William had noticed her knack for it. She'd seen the Winchesters a few different times as well, still beating Dean at whatever challenge he came up with. She did notice the last couple of times, he'd actually seemed to put more thought into what he'd come up with compared to in the beginning. Back then he'd seem to come up with something on the spot, and it was usually stupidly easy.

Two years later, her father dropped her off at her Uncle's, as William and John thought they found another lead on the yellow-eyed demon and didn't want the kids anywhere near harm's way. Dean was twelve and Sam was eight now. Maria wondered what Dean would come up with this time. 

When the two pulled up to her Uncle's, she grabbed both her bags out of the truck, as well as flung her backpack over her shoulder. Bobby met them at the door, happy to have her stay for more than just a couple of days this time. He'd set up the room for her, so that was where she took her things.

“You got a time frame?” Bobby asked William. 

���No, sadly, I don't. Here's her schedule. Her gun, ammo, and knives are in her duffle. She's got shooting practice and three different knife routines,” William explained. 

“Damn, Will, she's only ten,” Bobby exclaimed. 

“Bobby, we've had this talk already. She needs this, okay,” William told him just as she rejoined them in the living room.

Maria went over and gave her Uncle a hug, “Are we gonna get to cook again?” she asked him, curiously. 

“Of course munchkin, you gotta eat,” he chuckled.

That made her happy, causing a smile to match. She excused herself to settle in, knowing her stay would be at least two weeks long, but it could last for a couple of months. Maria was looking forward to reading more of her Uncle's books. He had so many that she could never find in Libraries, no matter what town she and her father had been in. She had a thirst for knowledge that never seemed to be satiated, no matter what books her father had given her, and the amount she retained, even after years of having read it, was almost photogenic. 

Maria unpacked her clothes into the dresser, keeping things neat before taking her toiletries to the bathroom down the hall. Once her bag was empty, she tossed it into the laundry bin Bobby had gotten for her during her first stay when she was five.

“Five years, momma…” she whispered to herself as she opened her weapons bag.

The gun her father had given her was placed under her pillow with the silver knife she usually kept on her. While she was at her Uncle's, she'd decided to keep her boot knife on her as a ‘just in case’. Maria looked at the other weapons in her bag; a machete, a small hatchett, a shotgun with plenty of salt rounds, a bottle of holy water, and her set of throwing knives. She decided to leave those in the bag and slid it under her bed, near the head of it. She placed her school books neatly on the desk that her Uncle had added a few years ago when she spent two weeks with him. It was at that moment she heard the familiar purr of John's Impala pull up in the driveway. Ever since she'd first met them, she had adopted Sammy as her little brother, which had only partially annoyed Dean. She smirked, thinking about what challenge Dean would come up with this time. She pulled on her flannel before heading back out to the living room.

Maria excitedly ran outside, “Little brother!” she exclaimed, as she opened the kitchen door and ran over to Sammy, who was still two inches shorter than she was.

“Sis!” he exclaimed as she practically picked him up in a hug.

Dean just rolled his eyes, discreetly taking note of how she had changed since the last time he'd seen her, and John just chuckled at all three of them.

“So, ready for the challenge?” Dean asked her, somewhat smugly. 

She smirked as she looked over at him, “Ready to watch you lose again.”

“You two can do that another time,” John told them, doing his best not to chuckle, “We're gonna be heading out before dinner, so let's enjoy the visit.”

“Yes, Sir,” she replied, respectfully as the four of them went inside. 

Maria hugged John after they made it into the house, and the boys shook William and Bobby's hands. She headed back into the kitchen and pulled out the hamburger patties and the package of bacon from the freezer to defrost. She noticed Dean just watching her but she pretended that she hadn't. She saw Dean as an annoying rival that she refused to let win. Little did she know that one day, all that would change with what was ahead for all of them.

John and William only stayed for an hour, catching Bobby up on the lead they had and that it hopefully would take little time to investigate. Maria hugged her father, shook John's hand, and wished them luck on the hunt. She watched them drive away in the Impala, leaving the truck behind since they would be working together for a while. She knew she'd miss her dad, but she was going to enjoy the time at her Uncle's and getting to hang out with Sammy. She was really looking forward to watching Dean lose another challenge of his choosing. 

Maria didn’t get the opportunity to cook very often while she and her father were on the road. It was very rare for her father to get a motel room with a kitchen. She set up the pans she'd need for burgers before getting the frozen fries in the oven on a greased cookie sheet. She also made sure to season them, something she'd been wanting to try since she'd had them at one of the diners. She smirked when she realized that again, Dean was watching her. 

Dean, being twelve, girls were an enigma and annoying at the same time. Maria was both of those on the furthest end. He'd never met any girl like her before. She was confident on a level he'd never seen, nor had even within himself. Due to her consistently beating him at every challenge he'd come up with over the years, had pushed him to hone his skills and learn more. William had informed John of their interactions five years ago, to which John sat Dean down and explained she was to be respected and not flirted with. She was also the only ten-year-old girl he knew who could cook with the confidence she showed.

“Do you let her do that all the time?” Dean asked Bobby as Sammy made his way into the kitchen. 

“Yup. She's good at it and enjoys it, why wouldn't I?” Bobby replied, paying attention to how Dean was watching her.

“What are you cooking sis?” Sammy asked.

“Bacon burgers and seasoned fries. You hungry little brother?” she replied softly, a smile to match.

“I am now,” he laughed.

“Good. I think you'll like it,” she smiled.

Dean was almost mesmerized by her, and how she was with his little brother, who adored her. He had to act cool though, it's what boys his age did.

Maria talked to Sammy while she cooked the burgers and bacon, explaining each step to him and why she did it the way she did. She had Sammy's full attention, as his stomach had begun grumbling the closer it got to being done.

“Hey, Uncle Bobby, can you get one of those dinner bells, so I can ring it when I cook?” she asked as she pulled the fries out of the oven.

He chuckled a little, “We'll see. Dean, go set the table,” he replied, leaning back in his chair to watch them.

He'd let Maria do her own thing as she was one of the most mature girls he'd ever interacted with no matter what age she was. He wasn't about to tell her she wasn't allowed to cook, not with as good a cook as she'd become. Bobby also noticed the grumble Dean attempted to hide as he went into the kitchen to do what he'd been told. Bobby shook his head a bit, quickly realizing the difference between Dean and Maria. Sammy even pitched in, getting the ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard out of the fridge and put them on the table.

Maria put the cheese on the burgers, turned off the burner, and covered the pan before she put the bacon on a plate that had a paper towel laid out on it to catch the grease. She carefully put the seasoned fries in a big bowl and almost jumped when Dean grabbed it to put it on the table. 

“Smells amazing,” Bobby told her as he sat down at the table, knowing she liked to do things her way when it came to food since she'd gotten a little older.

“Thanks. I tried something new with the fries this time. I had em’ like this in a diner once and wanted to try to make em’. Please be honest, on how they taste,” she replied while she put the burgers on a plate, and then brought them to the table.

Sammy grabbed the plate of bacon before Dean could, sticking his tongue out at his older brother, which made Maria stifle a giggle. Dean grabbed the buns before he sat down as far away from her as possible, which put him next to Bobby but across from his brother. Things were quiet until they bit into the burgers.

“You've become quite the cook,” Bobby told her, surprised at how the burger had come out, now curious about the fries. 

“Thanks, Uncle Bobby, I don't get to do it as often as I want to though,” she answered before eating one of the fries.

She was her worst critic, mentally making notes on how to change the amount of seasonings she'd used, also deciding it needed a dash of chili powder. She barely noticed Sammy scarfing the fries. Dean even liked them, but he wasn't about to say that.

“The fries are pretty good too, but it's like they're missing something,” Bobby told her, honestly. 

“Yeah, they needed a dash of chili powder and the spices aren't quite right. I'll have to try again while I'm here,’ she replied looking up at him.

“But, they taste fine, sis,” Sammy argued. 

She looked over at him and smiled, “Thanks, little brother. You like everything I cook.”

“Cause you make yummy food,” he told her. 

Maria only glanced at Dean briefly, managing to see a small amount of enjoyment in his expression before he quickly got a plain look. She rolled her eyes and went back to her dinner. Why did boys have to be so immature, she thought to herself. What she didn't understand was that boys, especially hunters, needed to be a certain way. The biggest was to keep their emotions out of their expression, and whether she liked it or not, she was helping Dean learn how to be a better hunter.

“I'll clean up tonight, okay munchkin,” Bobby told her, proud of her in ways he couldn't express, partly because he didn't know how.

She was a little surprised, but smiled over at him, “Thank you, Uncle Bobby. I'm glad you liked dinner.”

Maria went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, then her hair, and headed to her room where she sat down at her desk to do some reading. She knew her Uncle wouldn't quiz her on it, as it wasn't part of her daily schedule. It wasn't long before Ssmmy made his way into her room and looked over her shoulder. 

“What are you reading?” he asked curiously. 

“A book about witches,” she replied as she flipped to the next page.

“How come?” he asked, not understanding why she'd be doing that of her own choice. 

This time she looked over at him, still seeing that three-year-old boy she'd met five years ago, which made a soft smile cross her lips, “Well little brother, I'm going to be a hunter and I want to know everything I can so I am prepared and can kill what needs killing, without getting hurt,” she explained. 

Sammy thought about what she said for a minute. He too, loved learning but hadn't considered doing it like she was, “Makes sense I guess, but I like reading other stuff.”

What she didn't realize was that even now, Sammy was having his own internal battle. On one hand, he wanted to be a hunter like his brother, and father, and even like her, but on the other, he didn't want to. Dean had been listening from the hallway, unseen by either of them, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, annoyed. 

Dean moved so that he was in her doorway, “Challenge tomorrow, after breakfast.”

She smirked when she looked over at him, “What is it this time?”

“Knife throwing,” he said, confidently. 

“You brought the knives or am I using mine?” she asked.

“I brought mine,” he said before he walked away, feeling as though he would finally win one of these.

Sammy had been watching his brother, but turned back to her, “How come you two do those?” he asked her, not understanding the point of it.

“Pretty sure Dean doesn't like losing, let alone to a girl younger than him,” she chuckled. 

“Are you gonna win again?” he asked her.

“Of course,” she replied, as she got up and pulled her bag out from under her bed. Maria sifted through it and pulled out her throwing knives, showing Sammy, “I've been practicing,” she winked before putting them away.

Sammy giggled just as Bobby showed up in her doorway, “Time to clean up for bed,” he told Sammy, knowing Maria had already done her stuff.

“Okay Bobby,” Sammy replied, heading out of her room.

Bobby watched him leave before he looked back over at her, noticing she had sat back at her desk, “Dean told me about the challenge he came up with. Just make sure it's out in the scrapyard and not in the driveway,” he told her.

“Of course, Uncle Bobby,” she answered looking over at him, “You think he'll ever get tired of losing?”

Bobby sighed, “Probably not,” he replied, then chuckled, “Give him a run for his money, 'cause I'm bettin' on you.”

That made her smile, “Always Uncle Bobby. I'm not gonna let him win. He's gotta earn it,” she winked, “Not like a monster will let him kill 'em, same principle.”

“That's my girl,” he smiled before he left to check on the boys.

Once her Uncle left, she closed her door and changed into her pajamas, still thinking about what book she'd snag out of her Uncle's collection to read that night. He had so many options and they were all interesting. Maria wasn't even concerned about the challenge with Dean the following day, in fact, she was looking forward to it.

Maria waited till her Uncle wasn't in the living room, roughly an hour later, before she crept out there and grabbed one of his books as quickly as she could. She closed her door and got comfortable on her bed, gently running her hand over the raised letters of the book, Angels: Myth VS Facts. She knew that she couldn't believe everything she read. No one ever seemed to have all the truth of anything in just one book, hence why she loved her Uncle's collection. She read for an hour, finding the book fascinating before she heard a knock on her door, quickly shoving the book under her pillow behind her.

“Come in,” she hollered. 

It was her Uncle and Sammy, “He just wanted to say good night,” Bobby told her.

She smiled and climbed off her bed as Sammy met her in the middle of her room, “Night sis. Don't let me sleep through the challenge please. I wanna watch,” he told her, grinning. 

“Night little brother, and I promise, I'll wake you up,” she replied before she hugged him. 

Bobby watched from her doorway, smiling at the two of them, grateful they had each other. Most kids of hunters didn't ever get to interact with other kids in the same line of work, just getting jostled from school to school, always being the new kid, and it never lasted long.

“Night munchkin, lookin’ forward to Dean's sour face tomorrow,” he chuckled. 

“Same, and goodnight Uncle Bobby,” she replied. 

She glanced at her clock after her Uncle left. Eight, she thought to herself before calculating how long she could read before she had to sleep. Maria set her alarm for five, and then read the book for another hour before she reached the chapter on Nephilim.

It was eleven before she realized it, closing the book and sliding it under her pillow before going to bed.

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

Chapter 3

Tag List

@deans-spinster-witch

Link to the master list for this story.

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

[yellowhollyhock]

thinking about how the dynamics would be different if Venus hadn't been separated from the turtles

Raph would be the most similar. He treats her the most the same as how he treats his other siblings. Raph has his circle of people he is extremely protective of and devoted to; he can't have that level of responsibility towards everyone of course so if you're not 'in' you're 'out' (not (necessarily) in a malicious way). When he first meets Venus she's 'out,' but after he sees her fight at the park and realizes she'll put it all on the line for their family, he makes the mental switch to 'she is now my sister and I will care for and protect and make fun of and spar with her' pretty seamlessly. It would be fun though if she'd always been there, they would know each other really well (they're both quite observant about people) and the sort of 'twin' dynamic they have would increase. I can imagine them finishing each other's sentences, probably purposely in a way that derails or contradicts what they know the other was trying to say. It's a fun little game for them and everyone else is so confused

Leo is always trying so hard to impress Venus. He has so much doubt about himself and the way he leads his brothers; I think he's as excited as he is terrified to have an outside perspective. If he had known her forever, though, this aspect of their dynamic would be completely gone. I don't think he'd be as prone to seek her advice. On the other hand, when she gives it anyway he might be more likely to listen. Leo is so full of anxiety, it would be really interesting to see how he is with her if he were as comfortable as he is with his brothers (ie grew up together). He'd be more competitive with her, less performative, and they would definitely bond (more) over dream walking. If we're assuming Venus still learns magic (which I am because otherwise that's too much change for my brain to handle atm), he would learn with her, and even though he'd be more openly competitive, I feel he would also be more comfortable and okay with it being her thing if he doesn't have the same propensity for it. Also because of her encouragement he would lean more into. Idk how to explain. His speeches and catchphrases and just, The Way He Is. Venus is very supportive in general as a person and Leo specifically just really needs pep talks sometimes.

Donnie wouldn't have the same rivalry with her I don't think. Magic vs Science would be more of a fun intellectual debate. Which it often is anyway, but because of the situation there is this underlying bite. Donnie is defensive of his position as the smart one on the team, and also defensive of his relationships with his family. If Venus had been a cohesive part of that group from the start, there'd be no reason for that defensiveness. Venus can also be cutting with him; she misses her old life, it's a lot of change to take in, since he picks on her he's an obvious target for lashing out. I could see them still going at each other just because they are both, well a bit verbally vicious for the fun of it sometimes, but it'd be a very different kind of thing. And considering how Donnie is with Leo and Raph, and how Venus is with everyone ever, I definitely see her being very protective of him and him really appreciating having a Big Sister who does not let the bad guys be mean to him

Michelangelo. If they had been siblings from the start I think these two would get very into each other's interests! They share a lot as is, especially in particular their interest in 1) protecting animals 2) not sure how to explain this, peace? seeing the enemies' pov? social justice in general maybe?

but anyways, Venus would get into media by proxy and maybe even occasionally have a segment on the Sewer Hour. Mikey would be super into magic, and even more into the idea of Venus being good at it. They would dance all the time and make weird foods. I think if they'd grown up together Venus would have more of a soft spot for Mikey, letting him get away with stuff even when she disapproves. On the flip side when she puts her foot down Mikey would take it more seriously compared to how he responds in the show. Where I see their interests diverging is, Mikey would still be hanging out with Donnie figuring out how to make stuff go Faster and watching tv or something like, while Venus is more likely to spend time sparring or practicing other sports with Raph and Leo. Also I don't think Mikey would really like meditating. He might be better at it if he learned it earlier on, but it's definitely not what he'd choose to do with down time

Splinter is interesting. He does favor her in the show and it very much seems to stem from the situation (she lost her family, she's in a foreign country, he also probably has mixed squishy feelings about the idea that she could've been and was in fact this close to being his kid and yet he didn't meet her till she was practically an adult, and for that matter a more mature adult than his children who grew up with him). Same as with Leo (only different), I feel he wouldn't be trying to impress her as much. Other than that, they would still become very close-knit like they are in the show. Like he is with all his kids. It is also interesting to think about how Venus would respond to his insistence on hiding if it had been her whole life, and with her brothers' influence. Thinking about how she responds to Chung I (in the single very brief time we see of them interacting), I feel she would be very similar to Leo where she thinks of it as part of their training and takes pride in it. When they get older I could see her starting to see things Raph's way more, especially since I'm sure her and Raph would talk about it often. But I still feel ultimately she would always try to uphold Splinter's wishes even if she might disagree

[bubbashusbanddd]

-Tug of war-

You managed to survive the dinner and were kept as a pet by the youngest brother. One of your chores as "an outsider" was to bring game ideas from the foreign world to the Sawyers.

[In this sfw fanfic both Nubbins and Robert are alive, so I would imagine it being somewhere between the original tcm (1974) and the 2nd tcm (1986) after Sally got killed by grandpa and Robert got back from the war]

Word count: 709

Pairing: Bubba Sawyer × gn!reader, although the others are present too and there's not much romance happening

-

The chores were done and the family was bored. Nubbins had threatened you playfully with his knife multiple times, eventough you asked him to stop- which he probably just ignored. And after Robert started to ‚play' with you too, you had enough and decided to do an actual fun activity with the brothers. Only problem was what they'd considered fun.

You previously tried to entertain them with card and board games such as Uno, Chess and Monopoly, but the only one who seemed to really try playing the game was Bubba. The concentration and excitment on his face when playing those simple games were humorous, but you knew better than to laugh at his attempt to impress you with his intellect.

Since games that required strong brainpower seemed to not be enjoyed by the Sawyers, the idea of something more physical popped up. And the simplest game in that matter appeared to be tug of war, so you managed to find a thick rope in the dirty house and gathered everyone outside. The rules were easy to understand, at least to sane people, and you explained them thoroughly a few times until even the stupidest stone in Texas could understand them.

They started with the twins -Nubbins and Robert- on one side and you together with Bubba on the other, since Drayton called himself ‚too mature to play these silly games'. It didn't take much long until those two maniacs were pulled over the center line, leaving you and Bubba as the winners of the round. The next round had the same result and it became clear that you didn't even need to do anything- Bubba simply pulled them across the field himself. As the twins laid in the dirt you chuckled with delight, until one of them pulled you down. "Join our team! We can use every helping hand!" the other begged and you complied, wanting to find out how many people it takes to pull Bubba.

And although you and the twins pulled with all you had, Bubba surprisingly managed to pull everyone over the line again. But as he had tugged hard on the rope, you fell into face first into the mud below, much like the twins had earlier. The youngest brother immediatly rushed to your side and cooed something unintelligible, which you guessed were apologies.

"I'm fine, Bubba! No need to apologize!" you chuckled, amused by his worried attire. That statement wasn't enough for him though and he put a hand on your cheek, wiping the dirt off of it. His eyes were a bit watery and his posture slouched submissively.

"I promise you, I'm okay. Don't worry, Bu-"

The bonding situation got interrupted by Robert, who yelled at Drayton, telling him to join the war. "I already told you. I'm not doing that childish shit."

"But it'll be fun, Drayton! Come here!"

"I don't wanna fall into the mud! Unlike you animals"

Nubbins walked over to him at that insult and dragged him to the game.

"J-Just this o-once! Th-then we'll leave y-you alone!" he offered, his stutter present like always.

With a huff and an annoyed ‚fine' Drayton agreed. Bubba let your face go as he mumbled another ‚sorry' and went back to his place at the other end of the rope. Everyone got ready to pull and when you did, Bubba actually got hauled to the center. At the speed of light the twins began howling like wild animals, celebrating their success in their own way. You couldn't keep your laughter to yourself neither and watched Bubba as he came closer, squealing as well.

After the small party of excitment everyone got inside and you put away the rope, joining them inside the living room not much later. Nubbins and Robert were already on the couch, chugging down some energy drinks together, Drayton stood beside them, searching for the tv remote, and Bubba waited by the door for you. The moment he saw you enter the room, his face lit up in pure happiness and he hugged you with all his strength.

The evening got enjoyed by watching movies together and eventually going to bed, Bubba soon snoring lovingly into your ear as he laid beside you.

[loremaster]

me: ok i need to use my time wisely and edit some of these scans so i can--

also me: NDA BAND AU HEADCANONS GO

yakou: guitar (chords) + vocals. was used to being just a sad lonely man with a beat-up acoustic guitar, busking at the subway for minimal tips... until he put up a flyer and miraculously got himself a ragtag family of musicians to play along with. usually plays electric guitar for power chords (fills out the sound nicely) but will switch back to acoustic sometimes. he's got a good idea of what kind of sound works in the industry, and doesn't want the band to go down the same path of failure that he did as a solo artist... but his ideas can be a little outdated sometimes. these bright young musicians help open his eyes to the possibilities of what music can be. .....imagine if mr shue from glee wasn't a rapper or a creep no never mind i can't deny it any longer. he WOULD try rapping (and be bad at it)

desuhiko: guitar (lead). wants to do vocals too, but has to earn his mic privileges back after an awkward onstage confession to a certain reporter (and subsequent public rejection). his smaller fingers can't handle the same chord fingerings that yakou can (no matter how much he tells you otherwise) BUT he's real good with those fast licks and bright high-pitched melodies. he's CONSTANTLY practicing and coming up with new song ideas... which would be great if yakou wasn't constantly getting rickrolled at 5am

fubuki: the drummer!!! she keeps the time!!!! completely untrained, can't read sheet music, can't tell a sharp from a flat, but she's got powerful instincts (her internal sense of tempo is unmatched). as such, the language yakou has to use to direct her is a bit different than anyone else. think kronk in the kitchen. if he wants a slow latin 4/4, he'll tell her something like "gimme a smooth elevator ride with lots of clave" and she's got it!!

vivia: bassist. comes from an orchestral background but got fed up with the concert rigamarole. most of his classical music references are lost on the group. he's got an electric bass that he brings with him, but he keeps his concert bass at the studio because it's too heavy to lug around. he can often be found - you guessed it - sleeping inside the case with his arms crossed like a vampire. as the band's bass player he's usually more subdued, content to drone on in the background, but when he pops off, he POPS OFFFFFF

halara: keyboard. absolute fucking wizard who can sightread anything you put in front of them. classical etudes, jazz standards, pop hits, you name it. halara has a big ego and usually does not want to show up to practice, because they know they can nail any performance the night of (and they'd be right... if it wasn't a team effort). if you asked them why they chose to play piano you'd get an answer about something like demonstrating precision and skill, but the real answer is that keyboard cat has been living in their head rent free for... *checks youtube* 16 years

yuma: the roadie!!!! he's yakou's assistant who runs around venues flagging down stage managers, grabbing coffees, printing sheet music, etc. anytime the gang wants him to get on stage, he always denies any claims of musical talent, but one time desuhiko handed him a saxophone and forced him to play Run Away With Me and he did it perfectly the first try. what's up with this kid?

the band is called the Nocturnal Detectives and they get calls from people looking for actual detectives all the time

[thorniest-rose]

............ okay now im continuing to have thoughts about gareth and eddie

watching basketball practice or games, lurking under the bleachers, muttering to each other as steve harrington bounces around the court, all lean, slim arms and pretty thighs and bouncing hair and of course that round ass of his. imagining sneaking into the locker room after the game or practice, one of them behind him and the other in front as they corner him in the shower.

and like ,, eddie doing his tabletop speeches and declarations but he keeps slipping in reference to pretty princess steve, to the pretty golden boy, to the way he'd absolutely look so pretty on his knees. they're little lines but they confuse the fuck out of steve, who blushes and thinks about it late at night. and eddie doesn't care if the jocks all call himself a f*g when he does. gareth, less theatrical than eddie but the lyricist of the band; starts slipping steve little notes during class or into his locker. lines abojt mole-freckled skin and pink mouths and a pretty boy with a fuck-me mouth / on his knees begging let me suck you down.

oh my god??? Okay, obsessed with the idea of the two of them watching Steve as he plays basketball. Just know they'd love it, seeing Steve stripped down to his little team uniform, or at practice when he's just in his shorts and peels his t-shirt off when he gets too hot. The two of them practically drooling at the sight of his gleaming freckled chest. They probably steal the t-shirt when he's not looking, take it back to Eddie's so they can smell his sweat on the material and pass it between them to jerk off with it.

But omg I love the idea of them talking to him when they're at school too. Eddie always the more confident and daring one, getting right up into Steve's space when he's alone and calling him "pretty boy", telling him how darling he looks, how precious, laying it on so thick because it's funny and Steve blushes so sweet. From embarrassment and maybe because he likes it just a little.

Gareth, the quieter and more sensible of the two, doesn't think they should be talking to Steve at all, or drawing attention to the two of them, because one of these days they're gonna get beaten up by Steve's asshole jock friends, but Eddie can't help himself, he loves it when Steve's giving them attention even if it means he's annoyed. But Gareth also can't help staring at Steve, and like you said omg, leaving little notes for him?? Lyrics?? He never puts his name on them but watches from a distance when Steve finds them tucked between the pages of his books, and even though he frowns and goes pink, he never throws them in the trash either and Gareth loves the thought of Steve taking them home and maybe putting them on his bedside table where he can read them before he goes to sleep. Wonders if maybe Steve touches himself after reading them, all flustered from the praise and pretty words, and gets so hard thinking about it he has to go to the boys' bathroom and find an empty cubicle so he can jerk off. Something Eddie makes fun of him endlessly for doing, as if Eddie's not doing exactly the same.

[aew-kun-age-regression]

Heyyyyyy, can you do Spencer Reid headcannons for little Spence and caregiver Spence pleasee and thank you 🧡

You bet I can!!! I came up with this in class so I hope it's okay

Okay so Little Spencer:

I think he'd regress to the ages anywhere from either 2-4 or 6-9 (I also think he prefers being younger though as an older mindset makes him overthink, specifically about his mum.)

We know Spencer loves to read and that doesn't change when he's regressed. He doesn't read grown up books while small (courtesy of Hotch and Gideon being concerned at what content he may be reading) however that does not mean he necessarily reads books that are made for the age he regresses too.

Say he's regressed to 4 years old, you can guarantee the book in his hands is for a 8-9 year old.

Also I think he'd absolutely LOVE adventure books and as much as he loves reading he also loves being read too. Just imagine him and Gideon sitting next to each other on the plane and Gideon starts reading treasure island to him or something. 🥹

If you think he rambles a lot when big then you have a surprise coming because little Spencer loves to talk and he has so many interesting facts.

Now unfortunately on the topic of Gideon he would not handle him leaving well. In fact I feel like that's when the team found out he was a little, maybe Spence was on the plane after Gideon left and it just doesn't feel the same and he gets worked up and upset. Maybe Hotch notices and that's how Hotch becomes the new primary caregiver. (The rest of the team look after him too, including other littles. He is the baby after all.)

Building blocks!! SPECIFICALLY the ones with letters and numbers on them. He always finds ways to create fun games with them!

Imagine Spence, JJ, Penelope and Derek all just sitting at the round table (or on the ground in the room, depending on the day) playing blocks, watching TV or doing a puzzle! They'd have so much fun. I feel like Hotch and Rossi would walk in to just utter chaos as they play.

Spence doesn't like certain textures due to his autism and everyone is very aware and careful about his sensory issues.

ALSO both Hotch and Rossi carry ear defenders for him if he needs them.

Now Caregiver Spencer:

Will read you stories. If it's just the two of you around he will also put on silly voices for different characters.

He has coloured pens (glitter gel pens maybe?) In his bag along with a notepad so you have something to doodle on.

On more than one occasion he and Alex have been doing a crossword whilst you do your very own one than he created for you!

He has a plushy in his bag for you.

He always has a spare cardigan/sweater vest for you to wear if you find comfort in that.

Spence gives the BEST hugs! Like cradles you head whilst hugging you type of hug!! 🤗

He once forced Luke to give you a piggybag because you got an injury (you slipped in the police precinct you were in and got a minor scratch) but hey nobody was complaining and you had lots of fun.

If for some reason Spence cant look after you, Hotch, Rossi, Emily and Luke are his go to people he trusts to watch you.

[amberjazmyn]

dr spencer reid

𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓮 - is this safe for work? 

𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 - other than sexual references, not really anything bad 

𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 - "bite me" prompt - dr reid and his girlfriend agent florianne de angelis just mucking around when the rest of their team hear two words that they'd never thought would leave their resident genius mouth like ever

𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻'𝓼 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓮 - i just thought this would be a funny, short thing that would make up for the previous depressing chapter 

masterlist

- - - 

the rest of the bau's team sat in shock at the two words that had just fallen out of the mouth of their second youngest agent, their resident genius, dr spencer reid. no one could have ever imagined anything sexual to fall out of his mouth in a sentence, but, let alone so confidently and so easily as it just did moments ago. spencer and his girlfriend, the actual youngest of the bau team, florianne de angelis just smirked at their fellow agents and at each other as if what they just said was normal and as though they always say them out in the open and confidently. 

morgan finally stopped choking on his own saliva and spoke up, "...you said what, kid?" he was beside himself that his best friend and normally shy and clueless genius even knew the context of those two words together and what they meant

"i said bi--" spencer was interrupted by jj

"--we don't need to hear it again, spence--" and, jj was interrupted by their unit chief, aaron hotchner who had walked in on this entire situation 

"--hear what again?" hotch spoke up, files in his hand as florianne and spencer stifled giggles whereas morgan and jj looked like they had just heard their parents say the grossest thing ever 

"uh...uh, nothing--" jj and morgan were desperately trying to figure out what to say when florianne shut everyone up, repeating what her boyfriend had jokingly told her when they thought they were on their own 

"--jj and morgan were rudely eavesdropping spencer and i just joking around with each other and, i made an nsfw joke and he responded back saying bite me, it's really not that bad, hotch. jayje and chocolate thunder really need to put on their big kid panties if that is what they find offensive!" florianne nonchalantly responds, answering her unit chief's question as he shockingly chuckles

in hearing their unit chief's chuckles, confusing and slightly worrying jj and morgan completely, spencer, florianne, emily, rossi, penelope and blake happily watched on in glee at the whole situation in front of them. as everyone else stifled their giggles, jj and morgan were left dumbfounded at how much ridicule they were getting, not just from two of the babies of the bau but also from their unit chief. I mean, unbelievable, right, is it now all of a sudden bully jj and morgan day? 

hotch spoke up again after covering up a laugh with a cough, "i agree with de angelis and reid, if you guys find that offensive, you should have heard the ways haley and i spoke to each other when we'd spend hours in the elevator!" hearing that really grossed out everyone, not just morgan and jj as everyone either fake-gagged or did what florianne did and called him out on it 

"hotch, whilst what spencer and i did was safe for work in moderation, is what you and haley did safe for work?" florianne chuckled out as everyone blew up in laughter, including the usually stoic unit chief who also chuckled out a couple of rounds of laughter as well 

shaking his head, he responded, "that was the question haley always posited, is this safe for work aaron? and, every single time, i'd tell her no but, that wasn't what stopped us, it was gideon waiting for us in front of the elevator, waiting for us to walk into the bullpen of the unit whilst we were in the middle of a burning hot makeout session, bite marks trailing down haley's neck because she asked me the same question that spencer asked florianne..." hotch trailed off as the rest of his team were certainly grossed out about their boss's sex life 

"...did we really need to be told the ins and outs of your sex life, sir?" florianne was now disgusted, as was spencer, whilst morgan and jj laughed 

"well, you technically didn't stop me now, did you?" hotch fired back, throwing the files of paperwork to the desk as he walked back to his office with a chuckle, the biggest smile on his face his team had seen since he told them about his and haley's divorce 

whilst they really didn't need to be made aware of their boss's sex life, it did still make them smile knowing that they could get him to laugh and include him in the crude, nsfw jokes. even if it meant that they would need to wash their brains out with soap and water via their ears after hearing what their boss and wife did in the fbi quantico elevator. and, with the files splattered across the desk given by hotch himself, the team knew that the rest of their work day today would be paperwork since they hadn't had any new cases since three weeks ago. 

morgan was still dumbfounded about this entire situation so, he made sure people knew that "and, hotch just thinks we can continue the rest of our day like he just didn't clue us in on his sex life with his now ex-wife and that's completely normal?" everyone chuckled at the bamboozled morgan as spencer spoke up 

"uh, yeah, sex is completely normal, morgan, you of all of us should know that, right?" spencer jokingly jabbed his best friend who couldn't fight against that statement so, the older agent surrendered, his hands in the air 

"touché, you got me there reid!" morgan chuckled softly as everyone went back to their paperwork as small bursts of giggles every few minutes were heard throughout the rest of the workday 

- - - 

this was a very short one but, i didn't know how to expand it and honestly, it's just a filler until the next chapter which will be another sad one (kinda). 

ok ily bye xx

wc; 1050

[bisamwilson]

Hi! Sambucky + #6, pretty please?

thanks for the ask <3 #6: things you said under the stars and in the grass (from this list)

There's a firefly within reaching distance, so it shouldn't be any surprise to Bucky that Sam automatically reaches up towards it.

He doesn't catch it like Bucky expects him to, like Bucky'd seen him do with Cass and AJ on warm summer nights down in Delacroix, but just lets his hands hover a few inches away until it blinks off outward into the night. Sam's arms fall back down to his stomach.

"You know how a lot of people get seasick when they're lying out on a boat?" Sam asks, a tinge of melancholy in his voice that doesn't match the lazy haze of the night. He doesn't look over to see if Bucky nods, but he does anyway. "Sometimes I think I've got the opposite of that. Watching the stars from solid ground feels wrong in a way I can't really explain."

They'd been in upstate New York for entirely too long, training some of the new kids at the compound to teach them how to work as a team, along with Sam training Joaquín on some of the more advanced techniques with the wings. Bucky's even starting to feel a little homesick for Delacroix, for the allure of Sarah's living room couch, so he can't imagine how much Sam must miss it.

"I heard Cass won his little league game last night," Bucky says, knowing both that talking about his nephews tends to take Sam's mind off of things and that the reminder that Bucky texts Sarah on occasion now might be enough to playful irritate the melancholy away for a while.

Sam huffs a laugh out of his nose and turns his head to look at Bucky, his eyebrow raised. "Man, what did I tell you about talking to my sister?"

Bucky makes an exaggerated show of putting his hands behind his head and getting comfortable, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky above him. "No flirting involved, I swear," he says in a cheeky voice that implies the exact opposite. He's fully aware Sam knows any amount of flirting with Sarah is playful by now, a fun way for both of them to tease Sam considering how obvious it is to everyone around that Bucky's got it bad for Sam himself.

They haven't really crossed any lines on that front yet, even though Bucky's almost positive it's mutual, but they both know they're driving towards it at a pretty steady pace.

Sam reaches over and pushes him gently, and Bucky makes an even bigger show of lurching to the side. "Ignoring the fact that you were absolutely flirting with my sister, yeah, Cass did win his little league game last night. They're going to some kind of tournament in NOLA next week, and he spent like an hour on FaceTime with me last night telling me about all of the stuff he's planning to pack and all of the places he wants to go visit while they're already in town."

Sam smiles to himself with that soft, sweet smile that always makes Bucky's heart flutter in his chest before his grin drops just enough to notice if you're looking.

Bucky's always looking.

"He asked me if I could go watch him and I told him I'd try, but it feels like just about every day there's something new to teach the kids or some new urgent mission to fly out to. Sarah said she'd tape the whole thing for me, but it's still not the same, you know?"

Perhaps bringing up the baseball game wasn't Bucky's best move, he thinks.

Sam sighs and rolls back over on his back for just a moment before pushing himself upright and standing up, lightly brushing off his shorts. "We should probably head inside. Gettin' kinda late, and we have kids to teach tomorrow."

There's a grumpy retort about having to teach these new overpowered children on the tip of Bucky's tongue, but he holds it back and just shakes his head. "You go ahead. I'll catch up soon."

Sam's eyebrows knit together, but he doesn't press. "Night, Buck. Sleep tight."

"Night, Sammy," he replies softly, when Sam's a little too far away to hear.

He fishes his phone out of his pocket and notes the late hour, but he figures Sharon's probably still up, so he dials her number anyways.

"You know business hours don't extend till eleven PM, right, Bucky?" she asks in lieu of a hello.

He thinks about teasing her about her time running a nightclub in the midst of a stolen art selling operation that definitely stayed open past normal business hours, but he decides against it. "Hey, Sharon? Any way that Sam could get this weekend off? Cass has a baseball game."

She hums. "You willing to tag in if the world catches fire?"

Bucky looks off in the direction that Sam had walked off in. "For Sam? Always."