#i will get to sara's after i eat (trust) (hopefully)

[datastate]

kurumada's mini-ep destroyed me;; specifically the point of change in his mindset when he is shoved back to reality - there's no nobility in life. whether it's for money, status, revenge… safety. people will do whatever they must for it.

initially, it began with thinking of police officers as weak for the fact they cannot uphold the system they attempt to (his comment of 'damn, they must be letting crooks go all the time huh?'), but it's now moved on to more personal grievances. kurumada's given the chance to really see where crime forms and where it is allowed - people will near kill each other for deals behind the scenes. and that weakness, as kurumada names it, is now found in the fact they can't stand on their own/keep to what they claim when they don't have people or threats to back them up.

& sure, kobushi was unable to survive alone, but he 'failed' to hold his own for understandable reasons; he was outnumbered and clearly manipulated in some manner. there was foul play, and it isn't weakness that should be blamed in his case - but there is blame in that gruesome boxer, who did do something rotten to achieve the desired result.

because of him, kurumada's lost everything. all because he tried to make things 'right' again for who he cared about - who was unfairly and indubitably fucked over. he tries to tell them: you know it was unfair! it was done specifically to end his career. kurumada's the only one who sees he's returned to reality (beyond the ring) of injustice, and though it hurts, he has to discard what kobushi tried teaching him - because he recognizes the strength is found not only in how one uses their skills, but in their personal resolve. which makes the team kobushi trusted full of weaklings, too. kurumada is the only one who bothers to act. who even wants to make things right, even though he doesn't know how - to incapacitate those who've hurt others with malicious intent and will do so again. this is the only way that has proven to get anything done, to make sure they can't underhandedly manipulate you, & this is the only way kurumada has really found his worth. head in hands.

"a weakling's fate… is mine to decide" is so. utterly heartbreaking, with all this in mind. & then, as it contextualizes the death game and kurumada's perceptions of the group working together & his surprise when kanna helps him in emotion route - even though it leaves her vulnerable (without the group to protect her), she still holds the confidence to reach out to him and that just shows a strength that he can't scoff at anymore (though he tries! but it can be read as more playful after a point, esp w his interactions w kuboshi). & then of course sara's leadership & the realization she's still a kid who feels like she needs someone behind her (upon keiji's 'execution') as kurumada once did); & the expected, but nonetheless hurtful betrayal of ranmaru for that supposed promise of 'escape…'

articulating things is difficult atm, but i'll say it's also interesting kurumada doesn't seem like he'd take the opportunity to kill in the death game (once he's 'revived'), even if he does challenge q-taro, because... he's already lost.

the others who still crave life… well, he can't interfere at all! it's their right. but as dolls their lives are still in asunaro's hands - they can't live on their own any longer, and the organization/creators that are at their side aren't allied in any way. it's not at all like the team he once knew. even though he's afraid of losing this 'new life' … his fire is gone, unless it's centered upon for another's sake (there has to be a connection/trust built there first, but it's still. augggh. it's not like he's entirely reluctant to it, he's just been burnt before… and, in his experience, knows there's no cost at which someone wouldn't sell you out. that's why he tells ranmaru to just tag him when he sees him approach. he's a lost cause anyway, he's known that since he saw his own death and certainly once he's been face to face with his own guts, but if ranmaru's that desperate to live… give it to him. don't hesitate, just do it before kurumada lets fear sink in and does some selfish shit himself… he doesn't want to become the weakling he once loathed.)

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #462

i am way too tired to mentally flip through lyrics to put here, rip

Who in your family has been married the longest? (and how long?) I have zero idea. When did you last travel alone? Where were you going? The last time I visited Sara in Illinois. Do you take your shoes off when you come inside? Yes. What was the first color you ever dyed your hair? I think I got purple highlights? What was the first social media site you ever used? MySpace. Do you have any exes you really regret dating? One. Of all your friends & family, who has the most nicely-decorated home? Sara's house is lovely. Have you ever been catcalled? No. Are you allergic to any dogs? I might be. Have you ever touched a plant and had hives shoot up your arm? No. Do you think dragonflies are cool? Absolutely! What’s your favorite thing to draw? Meerkats!! Did you toss your hat in the air at graduation? Not high. I wanted to keep it. Do you like fudge? I CAN FUCKING DESTROY SOME FUDGE. Are you an affectionate person? Very. Name something you have to do today: Girt and I are hangin', making fun of bad Netflix anime and going to Buffalo Wild Wings. :^) Would you ever write to a death row inmate? No. People don't get on death row for no reason. I ain't got shit to say to them. Do you reckon online friendships are real? No fucking shit. Most of my most genuine friendships began online. Do you like Slipknot? Yep. Can we talk about how fuckin BADASS Corey's new mask is btw?????????? What do you think of Gorillaz? I like "Feel Good Inc." and one other song I can't remember the name of. Bow ties on guys, dorky or adorable? BOTH!!!!! :') What is the cutest Halloween costume for a baby to wear? GUYS I recently saw a picture of a little baby dressed up as a Little Oogie Boogie and it made my ovaries cry. Which of your friends is the tallest? Which of them is the shortest? Jesus, Girt is a giant. I don't know about my shortest... If you could re-paint your bedroom, what color would you choose? Pastel pink. :') What has been the best night of your life so far? Why? Probably something sexual so let's keep it on the down low lmfaooo Would you ever even think about taking part in a wet t-shirt contest? Uh, no. Even if I WAS confident in my body. Is you hair color the same as it was when you were a baby? No. It was dirty blonde. Have you ever been in trouble for being too loud? Ha, yeah, at school with friends. Not big trouble or anything, we were just hushed. Did you ever attend a wedding that was a complete disaster? No. What is something that you were surprised you were able to do? Hm. What is the most bullshit-sounding true fact that you know? Male cats have spiked penises lkasdjfal;kje;kjwr it's something to do with preventing other tomcats from mating with her. What Oreo flavor is your favorite? Gimme that Double Stuffed, friend. Sour gummy worms or plain gummy worms? SOUR. Ever been in a talent show? How many times? What did you do? Nope. Ever try out for the talent show and not make it? Did you cry? Nope. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever cried about? Y'all when I was a very little kid, during my older sister's b-day party, I sobbed because I couldn't pin the tail properly on the donkey lmaoooo How do you feel about the use of nuclear weapons? Absolutely fucking barbaric. What song has the most meaning to you? "Life Won't Wait" by Ozzy Osbourne. What is your favourite dinosaur? Spinosaurus!!!! :') Have you ever made bread? No. Has anything ever fallen asleep on you? Pets, a baby I was watching after, and Jason. Ever been dominated in a game you were/are really good at? yep alskdjfla;jwej Have you ever decided to set fire to something out of anger? No. Would you rather be a house pet or a wild animal? Wild animal, I guess? Have you ever listened to a group of chanting monks? I haven't. If you had to get a portrait tattoo, who would it be of? Probably of Teddy. I've still yet to decide on the total design of his tribute tat I'm getting. Do you like the smell of men’s colognes better than woman’s perfumes? I think so, yeah. How mad would you be if someone copied your original work (story, poem)? I'd be pretty fuckin pissed. Have you ever blown something up in science class? Ha, no. Have you ever gotten a serious wound from shaving? Not serious, no. Have you invented anything, only to find out it actually exists? I feel like I have? Ever realize you never truly LOVED your first love? Absolutely not. I loved him. Would you want a Bachelor/Bachelorette party before you get married? Sure, sounds fun. Do you prefer pads, tampons or something else? As of very recently, I returned to using pads. I used tampons for most of my maturity, but I got annoyed with them for TMI reasons and resorted back to pads, even though I don't like them either. Have you ever dated a model? No. What is your ultimate goal in life? To die happy with my life and what I (hopefully) accomplished. What colour are the socks you’re wearing today? I’m not wearing any. Who was the last person you sent a Facebook message to and what did you say? Girt. It was something regarding how I once considered doing the suicide mission at BWW where you eat a select number of their hottest wings, but I didn't wanna die via chicken. :^) Are you tall, short or average? Would you change this? I'm average in height. I wouldn't change it, nah. Especially now that Girt and I are together the ridiculous height difference is hilarious but also cute lmao. Have you ever worked in a store while someone shoplifted there? Like, while I was there? No. Have you ever had casual sex? Nahhhh. What’s your favourite flavour of frosting? Chocolate. @_@ When you think of your childhood, are the memories mostly happy or sad? Mostly happy, I guess. What is it like being you? Is it enjoyable? It's very boring with few sources of joy. What are your thoughts on the cause of homosexuality? I would *assume* it's a genetic mutation. Reason being, having a romantic partnership without the ability to reproduce defies the motives of science. There is nothing, absolutely NOTHING, wrong with said (and hypothetical) genetic mutation, though. Mutations are just another part of science. They occur naturally. What subjects did you find most interesting in school? Least? Most interesting: literature/English (especially reading like, old mythology and epics and stuff like that), LOTS of branches of science (but primarily genetics), art, and I looooved my four semesters of German. Least: ANY and ALL math, history, economics, social studies... that kind of stuff. Which do you enjoy more–hot or cold beverages? Cold, for sure. What were some of your favorite bands from childhood? Green Day was one. Would you be more afraid of drowning or being buried alive? Buried alive, for sure. It would be much, much slower. Should you really be doing something more productive right now? Well, I SHOULD be sleeping. Today's going to be a long day, because when Girt comes over, he has a tendency to not leave until like fuckin midnight or later alksdjfl;waje Have you ever lived out of your car? No. Does your family own more than two houses? HUNNY we r poor. A relative just committed a very serious crime, do you turn them in? It depends on the exact crime, but odds are, yes. If you're endangering others, byyyyeeee. You’re in the woods, alone, at night…are you honestly not afraid? Bitch I'm terrified. I have zero survival skills. You are on life support, what would you want a loved one to do about it? For the love of god, please kill me. Your child has only a while to live, do you still enroll them in school? That would be up to them. Also, define "a while." How would you feel if you met your idol and they ended up being rude? WELP I have a tattoo in his honor so that would suck ass lmao According to the tale, was Eve wrong for eating and sharing the apple? "God was wrong for even setting up an apple tree and making up rules in the first place." <<<< There ya go. And the punishment was fucking ludicrously extreme. Are you working on any goals? Yes. I'm currently going to the gym regularly to try and better my physical health and then find a job. I know that being connected sounds odd, but trust me: I can barely carry out very simple tasks just because I have absolutely ZERO stamina to do almost anything. I need energy and endurance. I'm also working towards developing some self-love. Which parent named you? I wanna say my mom. Are you currently frustrated with someone? I mean, myself. Aforementioned self-love is hard. I'm just annoyed my head is so reluctant to accept that I'm not a piece of shit for a million reasons. Why have most of your past relationships ended? They all ended for different reasons, really. Are you having any online conversations, currently? I'm not. What’s on your mind? I'm just tired and going back to bed real soon. Have you ever had an argument with a teacher? No.

[hopesbarnes]

Black Swan (5)

Summary: Y/N used to be a Russian spy under the code name Black Swan. But that was a lifetime ago, now she’s a part-time avenger, dance teacher, surrogate sister to Natasha Romanoff, and trainer to new Shield Agents. She’s come a long way from the days of killing targets and being tortured. But when someone from her past comes around will she be able to ignore her history anymore? Or will she end up falling in love with the only man her sister ever loved?

Warnings: Like one curse word, mentions of addictions 

A/N: Tell me thoughts, feelings, predictions? 

The talk with Steve a few days ago went well. Well, as well as talking about your previous job as basically an assassin can go. He swore up and down to not speak a word and you were so grateful. 

Today though, today was exciting. There haven’t been that many days that made you this eager. It was Saturday, and Natasha had finally agreed to tag along to your dance class. The two of you made a complete girl’s day around it too.  You decided not to yell your students, and you were sure they would freak out. They had been begging for her to come in for so long. In fact, you were pretty sure some of them had posters of her on their walls. She was their dance idol.

After waking up and getting dressed, you drove with her to the studio early. You showed her around and brought her to the room you used to hold your classes. She helped grab the barres and spread them out through the room while you set up the music and got ready for the class.

“I missed the smell of sweat and dance shoes,” Nat said while leaning on a barre. She was looking around at the pictures on the wall of dancers. She took in a breath of air before continuing, “Hard not to remember what came with it. But I really liked the dance part at first.” 

You nodded in agreement, “Trust me, all the girls in this class love it. They beg to be at the studio and hate leaving. When you see how excited they are for competition season, you’ll get excited too.” These girls lived and breathed by dance. A sad smile fills her face. 

“I have duet practice after this, and it’s kind of emotional. So if it’s too much to stay, just let me know. I get it. Then after that, I have an hour with two girls for solo practice. I should be done at 4. If you wanna go at any time that’s fine you don’t need to stay the whole time!” you let her know. 

“I wanna be here y/n, but I’ll let you know if it’s too much,” she says and hugs you. “I’m so proud of you, sissy,” she adds on.

To say it thrilled the girls to see Natasha would be an understatement. They had all come into the room as usual and went to their barres before noticing her. Once they did it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then they all started asking questions and praising her. 

You got them to quiet down and convinced them that if they all worked hard every 20 minutes the hardest worker could ask one question. They quickly figured out that meant only 6 girls could ask, so they all worked harder than you’ve ever seen. (You didn’t mention to them you and Tasha would eat lunch with them too). 

Their questions ranged from, “What’s your favorite dance move?” to “How different is fighting to ballet?” to your personal favorite “How does it feel to work with stupid boys most of the time?” 

Nat answered each question gracefully (all while following the barre work with the girls), “Sissonne attitude, it just looks pretty.” and “Not that different, but in ballet when you work with a partner it’s super important not to knock them out, considering they’re holding you in the air.” That one got some laughs. “It’s so annoying. You’d think adults wouldn’t be stupid anymore, but nope! I swear I’m the only one with a brain sometimes.” Was her answer to the last question.

After a lunch full of stories, the girls went to their other classes to work on their other dances. While they did that, you were starting duet practice with two of the seniors. They wanted their last duet together at the studio to be raw and powerful, and you had a perfect idea. One that meant a lot to you.

“Okay, before we begin I figure we should talk through it first. My sister Nat is here today if that’s okay with you guys.” The guy and girl, Mya and Tobias, both nodded enthusiastically. And the four of you sat in a circle in the middle of the studio. 

“We will do the song Gravity by Sara Bareilles. When you guys get a chance really listen to the lyrics. They’re heavy. If you two are okay with it, the duet will be about addiction though,” you said and looked at them for approval. They looked at each other before nodding at you.

You look at the girl, “Mya, you’re going to play the addict, and Tobias is going to be the actual thing you’re addicted to.” They both nodded and continued to listen to you carefully. 

“I know you guys are young and hopefully don’t relate to this too much but I will need you to dig deep for something in your lives to relate your emotions in this to.” You all let out a breath. “On that note, let’s get started,” you say standing up and giving your hand to Nat to pull her up. She squeezes your hand and you smile at her.

After duet practice you had two girls for solos, then you and Natasha decided to go for coffee and a snack. 

“So what did you think?” you asked the redhead. 

She smiled back, “It’s nothing like it was for us. They’re all so excited to be there.” 

“I told you!” you remind her. 

“Do you think I can come back another day?” she asks. 

You smile back to her, “Whenever you want, I’d love you there. Plus the girls would too.” 

You chit chat about the girls and the class for a bit before she asks about the duet. 

“It’s about you isn’t it?” you look at a cup of coffee in your hands and nod. 

“Yeah, doing this dance is helping me come to terms with who I was. I was in a terrible place after leaving Россия (Russia).” 

Nat reaches for your hand, “I know сестренка (sis), I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I didn’t know where you were, nor how to help.” 

You rub her hand back, “I know honey, I was the one who disappeared. I buried that person without closure, and at times I want to go back. But having you around, and the weird family you made is helping.” 

You take a sip of coffee and decide to switch topics. 

“So how did the date with birdbrain go?” She smirks and blushes slightly. You haven’t seen her this way in a long time. 

“It went really well. I’m seeing him again tonight.” 

You smile, “Who would have thought a dumbass would be who The Black Widow falls for.” you both laugh. 

“I didn’t say I was falling for the idiot, yet. But I mean if you told me all those years ago that I would date a guy who can’t remember his hearing aids, doesn’t function without at least two cups of coffee, and was the one to save me from myself I wouldn’t believe you.” 

You’re happy for her, but can’t help but feel a sadness that you’ve never had what she has.

[dragonotaku-justineverything]

Single Mom AU: (is hopefully completely different from the single father AU) Blake is a single mother that just got divorced from her abusive ex-husband, Adam. Her and her son move to the new town of Argus and they meet the owner of a local hole in the wall restaurant named Jaune.

Sure! It’s Blake’s turn to have some spotlight in an AU. This one can maybe focus more on Blake and her son rather than Jaune.

AU accepted!

Blake had done it. She was free from the monster. She’d wanted to leave him for over a year, but she’d been too afraid. That was until he struck their five year old son Kilo. For no reason other than SHE hadn’t been their for him to hit after he got angry…

She started the divorce process months ago, something Adam hadn’t been exactly happy about. Now it was finally over. Her and Kilo were now in Argus, far away from Adam now. 

They were safe now.

…

And also broke.

…

While Adam may have been an abusive monster to them, he was also their only source of income. Blake was the stay at home mom for Kilo and Adam worked to support all of them.

She had managed to stow away quite a bit of funds after she first realized her wish to leave him. She was scared, but she wanted to be ready in case she ever got the chance to get her wish. Adam smugly signed the divorce papers, thinking that Blake would just come crawling back after she realized she didn’t have the money to support herself. Especially when she also had their kid, which is how she got full custody. He thought Blake was dependent on him both financially and mentally.

Well he was wrong. The same day Adam signed the papers, Blake grabbed Kilo, all their personal belongings that Blake could fit into two suit cases and a duffel bag, her stashed funds, and bought two tickets as far away as she could.

In hindsight, that was a very poor decision. Just the tickets almost depleted all of the money Blake had saved. Then she had to pay for a hotel room for a few days since she had no living plans and food to sneak into the hotel room to eat. They weren’t big meals, snacks more than anything, but they were better than nothing.

It had been three days now. Each day Blake went out to hunt for a job, Kilo having to go with her as she searched all around Argus. She couldn’t get one. Wherever she went, either they were not hiring, they were too far away, or she didn’t have the skills for the position.

She tried not to consider the thought that they turned her away because she was a faunus.

Either way, three days passed with no luck, and Kilo asked if they could go to the park instead of walk around again. Blake looked to her son and his pleading eyes. Her poor boy had been put through the ringer the last few days, he deserved a break. So Blake relented.

The went and spent the whole afternoon in the park. He played on the playground, climbed a tree (much to high for Blake’s liking), and they rested under a tree together while Blake read a story to him. It was only when the sun started to set that Blake realized how much time had passed. So she took her son’s little hand and started to head back to the hotel. 

As they walked towards the front entrance to the hotel, they passed by a restaurant. Kilo tugged on her arm. “Hey Mommy! Mommy! Can we get some food please!?”

Blake looked to where her son was pointing. The restaurant was named Jaune’s. It didn’t look very expensive. However, Blake didn’t want to spend any more money than necessary. She looked down to tell her soon no, but her traitorous stomach growled. It wasn’t her fault the snacks she’d brought to the park weren’t very filling…

Regardless, Blake followed her son as excitedly ran towards the door to Jaune’s. As it was late, the place wasn’t very busy. It was also probably close to closing for them. Luckily for them it meant that they got a booth all to themselves. 

Her son happily doodle away on his kids menu with the crayons that came with it. He asked their waitress very politely if he could have the crispy chicken fingers and fries. Blake ordered the cheapest thing on the menu, a grilled chicken sandwich with cheese, lettuce, and mayo. Blake also got a vanilla milkshake for the both of them, much to the joy of Kilo.

The meal was good. Great actually. It also helped that the food was relatively cheap, cheaper than what the delicious food could have been charged for. It cost nothing like the dinners that A-….Adam took them to…

They eat in relative silence, only talking briefly in between bites. Though they took their time, enjoying the peacefulness of the meal as the last of the patrons around them left, leaving them as the only customers left. When they were all done and the trays were taken away, Blake had to face the part of the dinner she was dreading. Paying the bill.

‘O-okay…. 22 Lien…..not that much at all… Maybe I just won’t leave a tip…. I don’t like it bu-…oh no…’ While Blake stared at the check, she had pulled out her wallet and opened it.

She didn’t have enough. The 20 Lien card she thought she had was actually a 10…she only had 15.

“K-Kilo sweetie, can you wait right here for a minute? Mommy will be right back okay?”

“Okay Mommy.”

Blake left her son sitting in their booth as she walked up to her waitress, a young blonde girl named Sara. “E-excuse me…I h-have a small problem.”

The kind girl looked at her with a smile. “What is it ma’am? Did you want something brought to your table. Or was something wrong with your meal?”

“N-no no. Nothing any of you did wrong. I-it’s just that I….don’t have enough money to pay for our meal…”

“The waitress’s smile faltered, but she kept it up, though it was much weaker. “O-oh. I-I’m not…uh sure what uhhhh…. I-I’ll go get my boss. Please,” She put a lot of emphasis on the please there, “Wait here.”

The girl quickly hurried to the back of the restaurant and disappeared as she walked into the kitchen. A minute later, she came back into the view. With her came a tall blonde man whose was taking off an apron. The waitress pointed to Blake from the kitchen doorway and the man said something to her before walking out of the kitchen and over to Blake nervously fidgeting form.

As he approached, Blake saw just how much taller than her he was, by almost a full foot! Though when he spoke, his voice wasn’t angry or annoyed. It was pleasant, if only a little curious. “Hello, I heard you had an issue with the check?”

“N-not with the check itself… I just don’t have enough Lien to cover it.”

“Oh. Well, how much was the check?”

“U-uhhh…22 Lien….I only have 15. I-I have more, b-back in our hotel room….but no wait, I need that to pay for the room! I-I can pay you back once I get a job, though I don’t know w-when that’ll be. I’ll pay you back I promise, j-just p-p-”

The man’s eyes widen as he watched as the woman in front of him started to breathe heavily and frantically while she rambled on. It even looked like tears were about to start falling. 

“I’ll pay you back I promise, j-just p-p-please don’t call the police. I-I’ll-” A hand on her shoulder snapped the brunette faunus down out of her panic. 

She noticed the tall man looking down to meet her eyes. “Woah woah woah. Please calm down ma’am.”

Blake took a shaky breath and rubbed the build up of tears from her eyes. “I’m s-sorry. I’ve never done this before. I’m not doing this on purpose I swear!”

“And I believe you. Unless you just one heck of an actress, no one would be this upset over being 7 Lien short on a check. Something tells me that more to this….so I’ll make you a deal.”

“A….a deal?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t make sense to call the cops over 7 Lien, so I won’t. I’ll cover the bill for you, but only if you tell me what’s got you so upset.”

Blake blinked at the man “W-what? Why?”

“Why cover the tab or why do I want to know why you’re upset? For the first one it’s only 7 Lien and for the second, I don’t like seeing people upset, especially in here. This is a place where people come to have good food, chat with friends, and to forget about their troubles for a little bit. So, do we have a deal?”

Blake glanced back over to her son in the booth. He’d gotten up to moved to the other side where she’d but her belongings on the bench and had pulled out the book from earlier and started flipping through it without a care in the world. She wasn’t sure she should be so trusting of this stranger, but he seemed to be very kind and understanding. The air he carried around him seemed, almost comforting...

She looked back to the tall man and nodded. “Yes. Thank you. Can we do it over there so my son isn’t left alone?”

He smiled warmly and nodded himself. “Of course. By the way, Sara said he was a really polite boy too.”

“O-oh...thank you.”

Blake walked with the man back over to the booth. Kilo kept looking at his book even as she slid into the booth. He definitely was her son. “Kilo?”

He finally looked back up, looking slightly surprised that she returned, and definitely surprised to see the new man stand at the end of their table. “Yes Mommy?”

She gestured to the tall blonde man. “This is.....ummm I’m sorry sir, but I don’t even know your name.”

The tall man blinked owlishly at her, then he started to chuckle nervously and scratched the back of his head, a light dusting of red spread across his cheeks and nose. “Oh haha, yeah I guess I never told you my name huh? Hehe.” He dropped the hand from his neck and offered his other one out to her. “M-my name is Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls of the tongue, the ladies love it.”

[sweater-daddiesdumbdork]

Life After Snowpiercer: Whos Left?

Summary- 5.3k. Curtis x Y/N. Curtis takes Yona and Timmy towards the back of the train, finding unexpected survivors along the way. You are caught in a situation not so simple to escape from. Violence 

a/n- The scenes involving gun fire, I cant claim to know exactly how they work, seeing as Ive never dealt with them, so details might be sketchy. 

Chapter 5 / Masterlist

The group followed you, but hell if you knew where you were going, more and more people came out of the cars scattered around, equally in as much shock as you. Somewhere someone was wailing uncontrollably, there was still who knows how many guards in the car you all left, and right now the mix of people looking at You, of all people to tell them what to do. It was just overwhelming. Almost to much. You could feel your breathing rush in hurried huffs, and your senses starting to swarm.

Babygirl Breathe. 

Curtis Its to much. 

Think, you need to get them out of the cold first, Shelter. Pick the best car. 

Okay....

“Alright everyone were not gonna last out here, and its gonna be dark soon.” Shadows were starting to stretch around you all, and the sky above you all was going from a bright blue hue to purplish and bits of stars were scattering around. When you looked up, it was still like out of a dream. When did you last gaze at stars? “Is there any car anyone knows of that might have food, blankets... anything?” 

Everyone looked among one another, when someone you were least suspecting to see stepped forward, Paul, who had been taken from the tail end years ago cleared his throat. “That one on the end, its full of protein bars, the machinery is all broke, but that one and the one behind are still connected together when I came out, and it was abandoned before Curtis came through. Plenty of room for all of us.” You nod in agreement, and sure everyone stayed together, you all moved as a group. Falling back to where Paul brought up the rear, you walked beside him, silent for a bit. 

“Paul... have you been in that car this whole time?” You did the math, it was five or six cars up if the old maps in Gilliams place were correct. 

“Yea, it wasnt a bad gig” The man shrugged his shoulder. “Lonely, but I still got to see people a few times a day. They came to collect the bars, hand me the red letters.” 

Your brows come together, the ones Curtis depended on. “Red letters, the ones giving us clues on how to break out?” 

“Oh I dont know what they said, I was just told to place them in random bars and make sure they went out to the tail end.” Paul just stated as if it was common knowledge.

Fucking hell, this whole time it was a set up. The thought occurred to you, the weight of it was so heavy in your chest, you held back a sob. All those hours Curtis planned around the information sent. All of it just a set up. Why? 

“How was Curtis when he went through?” Was he okay? How long ago was this? Must have been a couple days ago at least. 

“He was fine Y/N, shocked to see me, and and pissed about the red letters, but hey, I do what Im told. Okay, this should be the one.” He broke away from you, and climbed up to the door, ducking inside. You glance over your shoulder, and your old car is barely in view, and you could see a few men standing near it, but unable to really tell if it the armed guards. Hopefully they are unable to get there shit together and try anything. Luckily you and the kids had a good amount of weapons collected before you bolted to the outside. 

Paul called from inside “Y’all can come on in.” Sara limped up next to you, pressing a red rag to her shoulder, looking up. “I’m gonna need help this time” You nod and lope an arm around her waist, feeling her weight lean into you. “I got you this time Sara, were in this together.” The woman flashed you a grateful smile, and together you two wait for the crowd to disperse inside. Once it was just the two of you, you climb up first and reach back, taking her good arm, and as quickly as you were able, you help her up into the doorway, and together you two enter. 

It was dim, but nothing like the tail end darkness, so your sight adjusts quickly, already people are huddling together, passing along protein bars, and mostly its quiet except for the occasional hushed whispers. The person wailing endlessly had since stopped in one of the many cars you all passed. Exhaustion and Shock kept you from searching them out. You should, guilt eats at you. But you turn away from the door for now, checking over the people instead. So far all the kids, including a few from the other cars all seemed fine. You knew Sara was bad off, and you found a few others with lacerations, bad bruises and concussions, and at least two who had a shoulder thrown out of joint. But the reports of those that couldn’t be helped was outstanding. 

The one thing you were relieved to find was that no one seemed to be fighting. It was a mix of all sorts of factions, there were at least ten cars that dropped, and it ranged from you tail enders, a few from the prison section from what you could tell by there clothing, and a few “lower class” carts that were still much better off then you all were. But now everyone simply were together, there was no breaking of class. Hopefully it would just stay that way. All in all, there were about 30 of you crammed in as tight as possible to stay warm. 

You moved back to the entrance and set on the edge, with the gun you had brought with you, keeping an eye on the landscape. Watching for any others to follow there trail, friend or foe. You roll up the collar of your coat you were wearing. It wasnt keeping you very warm, but better then nothing. Your eyes half closed hours later, and nodding off.

It was so damn cold... 

I know it is baby, you should close your eyes. 

Liar, thats just my mind playing tricks. 

All you could hear was his agreeing laughter, yea you couldnt sleep.

“Miss?” A warm hand came to your face, the back of it touching your wind burned ruddy cheeks, making you gasp in surprise and jump slightly. 

“Wh-at? Oh sorry... I must have nodded off.” 

The man smiled, settling down in the doorway across from you, his jacket was slightly heavier, but still clouds of breath escaped him to glide into the night. “Its okay, you should let me take over for a while? I know we dont know each other, but its not on just you to watch. I can help any more that might arrive inside.” 

You eye him, and he had warm eyes from what you can tell, god you wish you knew if you could trust him. “Im not just looking for more survivors. Our tail end was being held under guard. When we left, it was escaping them as well. Not many survived, but enough.” 

“Yes, we saw the guards come through after the revolution passed through.” Another sign of Curtis, further up from Pauls car. You couldn’t help but smile hearing about him, fuck you missed him terribly. You hid your smile in your coat, finally it passed and you turned back to the man. “He is a stubborn man when he wants something. And he wanted us out of the tail end.” 

“That he does, we had no cause to stand in there way, he passed us peacefully. Some of out people actually joined his cause. Its not as bad as your car, but we are tired of the imprisonment as well. My name is John by the way.” He held his hand out, and you unfolded yours from your sleeve, shaking his and gave your name as well. You werent going to give up your post, and he relaxed on the opposite side, apparently not willing to leave. You two were quiet for a time, when piercing through the night was the worst sound youve heard in a while. It kareened from the top of the cliff, a scream that echoed around the valley you were all stuck in. 

It made you jump up, leaning out of the doorway to look up. And John did the same, cussing softly “Fuck what was that?” You shook your head. 

“Nothing good.... “

 During the time You were settling the survivors in the car, Curtis paused panting, it had long since grown dark out, following the light of the stars above them, it made the snow glow silver, stretching out in front of them. The train didn’t seem this long when he was fighting his way through the cars. Of course then it was adrenaline fueling him on. This time it was exhaustion. “Timmy, lets take a break buddy.” The boy on his back tightened his arms around Curtis neck, not wanting to let go, muttering sleepily in against his neck. “Okay... just swing around man.” Curtis coached him, and soon he had the boy slid around to his chest, stepping over to stand next to Yona, who was already curled up against the side of the train to get out of the wind. She needed more clothes, better clothes, fuck. 

“Yona, take Timmy... “ Curtis pried the boys arms from around his neck, and she sleepily reached up to take the kid, drawing him into her. Curtis shrugged out of his jacket and draped it over them. Looking into the dark car they were huddling against, maybe there was some blankets in there. He heard rustling inside, but nothing more. Grabbing an outside bar, he pulled himself into the entrance to look inside He couldn’t make out anyone in the shadows, but that meant nothing. “I’m coming in, I don’t want any trouble.” 

Hearing nothing more, he slid inside, it didnt look like he was going to have much luck. Nothing but bodies scattered around, and axes, the smell of blood, dried blood prominent. Shit, this was the car from the bridge. Thats when he saw that the tied prisoners he had left behind were killed to, deep ax cuts to there neck, squatting near one, he studied the man, drawing his own conclusions. They must have finished off the rest after he left. Breathing in deeply and rubbing a hand against his face. They had the right to after all the torture they had endured over the years, but part of him was still disappointed in the death. So much fucken death. 

At least it was quicker then starving and shit, he thought. 

Its still wrong Curtis, they were unarmed at this point. 

Yea I know, but can you blame them. We were unarmed and starving in the tail end and they never gave a shit. 

A touch of your hand and sigh, you just were so damn tired in his mind. 

“Curtis?” a voice from the other end mentioned, and he pushed to a stand, brows furrowed at the noise, he swore he heard his name. “Hello?” 

“Curtis! back here!” It was louder, more urgent. He recognized that voice, Tam from the back, she had come up behind them once the fighting was done, helping the injured. Curtis made his way over the scattered bodies and debris scattered around, and what did he find, fuck he found a small group of his people, helping one another up, and others laying out side by side, ones that had injuries, preventing them from moving to much. Tam moved to grasp Curtis pulling him into an affectionate hug “Damn are we glad to see you! We lost most everyone Curtis, were all thats left. They came back through and pinned us down, claimed 74 percent of us were to be killed.” The tears streamed down her face freely, as she released him and pulled back. “they were about to march us back when the train, I’m guessing went off the track? It caught them unaware enough we were able to fight back. There wasn’t many.... but we just didn’t know what to do, what was ahead, if you, Tonya, Nam... the rest were still alive?” 

Curtis shook his head, swallowing down the sorrow. “No, they didn’t make it. Its just me, Yona, and I was able to get Timmy back. Not Andy, I never saw him.” 

Tams head hung for the loss of there friends, and Curtis turned his attention back to the door. “I got to go get Yona and Timmy, now that I know its you all, we we will stay here. Tomorrow those that can, we are going to see about whats left of the tail end. I was told they went over a cliff... but I have to know.” 

Tam nodded, as well as a few others that came to join in the conversation, Curtis questioned. “No ones seen Y/N, have they?” Maybe you didn’t listen, he could hope.

“No, she stayed in the back with the kids.... just like you told her she had to.” They had all seen you drag her back into Gilliams quarters just before it all started. Curtis sighed to himself, not his finest moment thinking back on it. It tore him to think now how you two left things. How you might not be.... 

STOP IT! You cant think that way. 

I shouldn’t have done that babygirl, left you in anger. 

No WE shouldn’t, we will fix this, go get the kids now. 

Turning away from the group, he made his way back, and looking out the door, he saw his two charges still under his jacket, hiding away. “Timmy, Yona, lets get inside, its safe.” Yona first poked her head out from there little hideaway, and pushed Timmy into a stand, the two of them making there way to the entrance. Reaching down, Curtis grasped Timmys arm and hauled him up the side, pulling him in “Go all the way to the back, Tam and them are up there.” The boy nodded and started to head towards the back, Curtis leaned down and took a wrapped Yoda by the arm, and she was slightly heavier, grunting with the effort and pain lacing his ribs as she scrambled best she could up the side, landing with a oof when she fell in. “Sorry Yona” He apologized while she brushed herself off and made to take off his coat to return it. “ no you hang onto it for now. I will take it back tomorrow morning. Maybe they have something back there you can use before we head out.”

“But your gonna freeze Curtis” Her head tilted, studying him. He dismissed it with a shake of his head and together they headed back to the group. Tam was kneeling next to Timmy, cupping his face and studying some of the bruises on his face. The boy was starting to come out of the trance state Curtis first found him in, talking more. He had yet to ask about his mother, and Curtis figured right now it would be to much to have that discussion, Not yet anyways. If he wasn’t asking, Curtis was content to let it just stay silent till they were all in a better place. 

“Our wounded, how bad are they?” Curtis asked another as he headed over to see whom was over there, it wasn’t your, or the it was Our, they were a group again, looking out for one another best they could. There looked like five or six, some perfectly silent, another one was groaning in his sleep. Tam came over, her arms folded around her “Bad, I don’t know if they will all make it. What I wouldn’t give for Y/N to be here, at least we would have some direction in what to do” Curtis clenched his jaw hearing this. 

Fuck I wish you were here to baby. He sighed inwardly, what he wouldn’t give to hear you tell him it would be okay. 

“The one i’m most worried about is Edgar, the wound is deep, and it took a while for the wound to clot. I mean hes conscious...” 

“Wait! Edgars alive?!” Curtis scanned over the covered people again, looking for anyone familiar. 

“Yea, hes that one up at the end, wait... you didn’t know Curtis?” Tam followed along behind and Curtis made his way over, and sure enough, Edgar was fast asleep, pale as hell, but damn it the kid was alive. “No, we left in such a hurry after the bridge...” He rushed his words to Tam, just in shock. Curtis collapsed to his knees next to him, relief just washing over him. “Fuck man its good to see you” He whispered, and beside him Edgar groaned and opened his eyes. 

“Yea man, its good to see you to.”

What happened hung in the air, but left unsaid for now, Curtis knew he had yet another apology to make, another mistake. Edgar went to sit up and Tam immediately put a stop to that. 

“You lay your ass back down Edgar. You lost to much blood to be moving around any, and that wound reopens, no telling if we can get it to stop.” With a roll of his eyes he fell back to lay still. Curtis looked questioning up at Tam.

“The knife missed the spine and vitals, but its deep enough to leave a gaping hole. It needs to be sewed up, or cauterized. But we just don’t have the materials.” Edgar raised enough to lean on his elbow. 

“Well someone should go looking for that shite, right?” Curtis was relieved to hear that accent of his once more, never thought he would hear it again. “I cant be laying up here the whole damn time.” 

It occurred to Curtis that maybe they could do one. “Yona... Yona, has my jacket. Nam gave me a smoke just before, theres some matches in the pocket.” Tam hurried over to where Yona was sleeping, searching in the pockets of his jacket. Rewarded when she pulled out the old half disintegrated book of matches, and miraculously they were still dry. Curtis started looking around for things to burn, searching the deads pockets for anything flammable. Finally having an plan in place, meant he could at least fix part of something. 

Having enough materials gathered, Curtis collected one of the Axes, cleaning off the dried blood caking the edge. He hoped the fire would burn off any other debris to keep from infecting Edgar. Tam worked on getting the fire hot, and Edgar laid on his stomach, watching the flames. Curtis eyes would glance up once in a while to catch his expression. Clouded, unsure if it was from pain, or remembering how Curtis how turned away when Masons men had the knife to his throat. Curtis couldn’t forget it, He shouldn’t have left him. 

“Edgar I---” 

“Stop man, were not doing this. Not now, not ever.” Edgar glared at him to shut him up, and Curtis closed his mouth, running the rag once more over the blades edge, there was a tiny spot, he swore he could see it although the axe gleamed spotless. 

Moments later, Tam blew lightly on the fire, and it went from hot reddish orange to white hot laces of blue. “I think this is as hot as were gonna get it Curtis, put the blade in.” She sat back, and rested her hands on her knee. “Edgar, your ready for this?”

“As ready as I’m gonna be” He winced a bit and settled in. Giving the axe time to heat, the trio remained silent, all till there was a slight smolder rising from the head pushed in the coals. “Bite on this” Tam informed, holding out a cloth. Reluctantly, cause damn this was gonna hurt like a bitch, Edgar wedged it in his mouth, nodding. 

Curtis moved to hes shoulders, his uninjured arm pressing on either side of his shoulder blades. Putting his weight behind it, he was sure Edgar would thrash, and it was vital to keep him as still as possible. He felt the man drawing in deep breaths and surprisingly he seemed relaxed under his hold, calm. Tam moved in close to Edgars side, lifting the handle of the ax and drawing it out of the fire. They had seconds to sear it shut, having the metal hot enough to scar him closed. Curtis gave a curt, ‘Im ready’ nod, and Tam laid the broad side of the axe right over the wound. 

It was a hiss at first, the scent of burning flesh rising almost immediately, and Edgar tensed rigidly, trying to push away and the noise. The noise was probably the hardest part to deal with. Not the smell, not feeling Edgar try to escape pain. It rose so sharply, that Edgar lost what he was biting on, and it just seemed magnified from where they were in the hollowed car. Curtis almost lost his hold on him, having to dig in his heel and lean fully into him. “Come on Edgar, its gonna be okay, were almost done” 

His words had no meaning, and finally after a bit, Edgar just collapsed under him, Tam yanked the axe away, and Curtis broke into a sob, dropping his forehead to lean against the passed out Edgars head. “Fuck, I’m so sorry... “ his voice dragged out. Edgar was like his brother, this on top of everything else just fuck was tearing him. After a few moments to calm himself down, Curtis leaned over to check that he was breathing fine. Thank fuck he passed out, Curtis could hear your worry edging your voice. The wound, make sure its sealed Curtis.... 

His hand slid down Edgars back, and deep redness had settled in, around the cut it was black, a few shallow boils forming, but all in all, the hole was shut. “I think we got it Tam” He said as released his hold on Edgar and Tam as careful as could be dragged the blanket up to where the wound was still red hot, not daring to put anything on it. 

“What do you wanna do next Curtis?” Tam moved over to sit next to him, drawing her legs up and staring into the fire that was loosing its drive to burn, having scored most of the material into ash at this point. Curtis nudged some of it with his boot, shifting the coals. Already he was falling into that leader roll, he could sense others were listening into there conversation, waiting to see what he would say. 

I wonder how they would feel if they knew I caused the train to derail. 

No different babes, now were not prisoners anymore, were actually free to make our own choices for our future. 

“Going to check on the end cars like my original plan was. There is probably survivors and we have to check on our people, if they survived, there might be some that need help with injuries. Then back towards the front, theres food up there, the cars up there are in better shape.”

“What about the front enders?” Tam questioned, and Curtis looked at her with a shrug.

“They either accept us, or we will push them out. Thats been the goal this whole time, and I’m not stopping now.” So matter of fact, Tam went silent, and together they waited till morning to come seeping in, a new day, a new way of life. 

You were watching the beginning of your first sunrise, and you couldn’t help the tears that yet again got caught in your lashes. There are different kinds, and in the past few days you shed them all. Grief, pain, fear... but these felt different, rewarding. There salty drops fell on your lips and a flick of the tongue collected them before you brushed them away. John stretched and with a pop of his arms over his head, he moved to a stand. “I’ve seen many of these over the years... “ You look up in surprise, then consider, well maybe his section had windows. “... But this is the best damn sunset i’ve seen.” 

“Its the first one I’ve seen in seventeen years” You remarked, blinking against the light bouncing off the ice and snow. “And I have to say its more beautiful then I remember it being.” 

I wish you could see this Handsome, a wistful tone in your thoughts. 

I am baby, almost the best thing I’ve ever seen.... almost. 

Love you to Curtis. 

While you were admiring the arrival of light, a flash out of the corner of your eye catches your attention, and you tilt your head to the side to see what it was. Mistake.... as you found out when a sharp whizz blew over your head and bounced off the metal with a loud ping and sparks flew, both you and John tumbling back with wide eyed gasps. “What the fuck!” he exclaimed and you scramble low to rest the weapon you stole from them the day before out the entrance of the car. 

“Remember how I told you we were being held under guard? Well... I might have stabbed one in the eye just before the train derailed. They want us back for other things as well.” 

“Do you even know how to use that Y/N?” John asked as he to ducked out of line of sight, staying further hidden then you. 

“No, but I can give an educated guess. How about you see if there is someone back there who does?” You use the scope to look, they were still a distance off, and with luck John would be back sooner with someone who knew how to use one of these thing. So far nothing more has been fired, since you no longer made yourself a target, but you tried to study them, count how many there were. So far give made up the line, but who knows, some might be on the other side of the train, holding back... You scanned away from the edge, across the landscape, but that didn’t hold anything worth noticing. Maybe, just maybe there were only five left. Five fully trained to use there weapons men. FUCK. 

“Hey, found someone!” John exclaimed and a petite woman slid up beside you, glancing over the edge. “These bastards wanna play fire with fire? Lets give them some back.” Well damn, you hand it over immediately as she made herself comfortable. “Johanna by the way, nice to meet you Y/N” she caught you by surprise knowing your name, and she smirked. “Hey I was a few car up from John, weve all heard of you tail enders and your revolution. About fucken time.” She peered into the scope and flipped off the safety. Seeming to take measure of where she was aiming, Johnana proved patient. John had long sense disappeared back among the group to gather more bullets, hopefully they had enough to keep this new threat back.

It was so sudden, her finger was resting on the trigger, and then a couple shots went off, she barely flinched at the moment, but you cringed with them both. A curse muttered from her lips as she pulled back “They are sticking pretty close to the train, hard to get a shot off at this side angle, but they are now at least aware were not defenseless.” 

Curtis shook his head at Yona, who stood defiant before him, her arms crossed over her chest and head tilted to the side. “Your not going, thats that. Stay here and help look after the others.” 

“That is foolish, I can help.” She pushed, trying her hardest to convince him. “My dad... he might be out there.” A softer tone making her look down, trying to also convince herself that maybe, just maybe he survived. Curtis squatted down closer to her level, his hands cupping her face to make her look at him. 

“Yona, I swear if hes alive, I will bring him back, okay? After everything he did for us, you have my word. I really need you here, Timmy trusts you more then these others, and Edgar needs to be taken cared of. Please, can you do this for me?” 

This seemed ot appease the young woman, who gave a nod relenting and once they both agreed to these terms, she went to Edgars side, kneeling beside him and touching his forehead. The man was still asleep, and Curtis hoped it wasnt a sign of any kind of fever, although Tam remained nearby constantly hovering. His back was still an angry red, but it wasn’t as intense feeling of heat rolling from the wound, so that was something. 

Gathering others to join him, they all worked there way out of the train. Mostly they had axes shared among them, there were a few discarded rifles from the earlier battle at the bridge, in which Curtis himself collected one, slinging it around to hang off his back. They went in a single file, the few of them that joined, and every car they came to, they checked for survivors. After the brutal cold night, they weren’t successful in find any stragglers. Before they even got to the cliffs edge, a noise was brought to them. Sounds like... gunshots. The whole group looked at one another and sped up, pushing through the snow as fast as they could break through it. Once they reached the cliff, they looked down to see what the hell was going on. 

The cars below were scattered around, some on there sides, some had still somehow remained upright, but it was a mess, there old car, the tail end was on its side, dented and half split at the seam. It must have hit the hardest the way it was bounced away from the others, sure its momentum had dragged the rest down with it.. From what Curtis could see, the survivors were pinned in one car, the one that seemed to still be upright, by the cliff face. Those outside of the car, Wilfords men, the ones Wilford issued the kill orders to. Shots were exchanged with from a group of men pressing along another car for coverage. But a scan of showed others coming up the backside. Shit... He was sure none of them had any idea there was more then what those that was shooting at them. 

Curtis swung the weapon he carried around, and took aim best he could. There was no telling at this distance and his general inexperience if he was close to any of the targets, the couple others that also had the same advantage took up sentry on each side of him. Picking a target, Curtis took a breath and steadied himself till his sight wasn’t shaking. A breath out, and he pulled that trigger. The resounding BOOM flooded the valley, snow spitting up feet from the man. He missed but the guy stumbled back and raced around the corner of the car. Curtis other companions also fired at around the same time. And one aimed just so, the guard falling back with a burst of red scattering across the snow. Direct kill shot. 

Surprised at now being shot above, the rest scrambled away, heading away from the cliff face and using the demolished cars for cover, they soon were out of sight for the time being. Curtis swung the rifle in a sweeping motion, checking before going to the pinned car, and studying it for movement. 

Thats when he caught a glimpse. It was not even a second, and Curtis could only guess that it was actually You, but it was enough for his chest to tighten painfully, and all those other things just narrow into one single thought. 

YOU WERE ALIVE. 

@curtisbbq @what-is-your-plan-today @p8tn0lish @jeremyrennerfanxxxx123

@jtargaryen18 @thatweirdwalangpake @official-and-unstable-satan​

[vlindervin7]

“22. basorexia - the overwhelming desire to kiss” for Davenzi.

From this prompt list! Not my best work and also too long to be a drabble but! i hope it’s a little enjoyable at least! 

basorexia - the overwhelming desire to kiss 

The first time David meets Matteo he’s pretty sure he stops breathing for a moment. It’s a windy October afternoon when he goes to meet Leonie at their favorite coffeeshop. His shoulders ache with the weight of his backpack. He’s a bit grumpy, tired from class after class after class, his ears sizzling. He’s excited to see Leonie, though. She’ll hopefully be able to snap him out of his mood and make him laugh. 

When he arrives, he sees a group of boys with their backs to him, but no Leonie, which is weird because she’s never late and it’s already five minutes over the decided time. He’s just about to take his phone to send her a message, when he hears his name being called. There, from behind her hiding spot in front of the boys, Leonie steps and calls his attention. David loves how tiny she is. 

Once he stands next to her and gives her a quick hug, she turns away from him and gestures to the boys in front of her. ‘These are friends I went to school with. I’ve told you about Jonas, my ex.’ She points to a curly-haired boy who offers him a warm, albeit sheepish smile. ‘Carlos, Abdi’, both of which give him a goofy one, ‘and that’s Matteo, Jonas’ best friend.’ And oh. 

The boy, Matteo, is possibly the most beautiful person David has ever seen, and as an artist, he spends most of his time collecting beautiful things. Matteo has messy blond hair that’s blown back by the wind, and eyes that make David want to find a way to press the ocean into a pencil, a cute button nose above a pair of soft-looking pink lips. There’s this one song that plays sometimes at his job at the student’s common room I’ve never seen a mouth that I would kill to kiss and it’s the only thing coming to his mind right now. It’s a sappy thought, and a ridiculous one that would ruin his whole entire tough exterior, so he dismisses it immediately, but it still lingers at the back of his mind. 

He tries to nod at the boys in what he hopes is a collected manner. Matteo gives him a small smile, but so sweet and David can’t handle this. 

‘We were just telling Leonie about the party at Carlos’ place tomorrow’, Jonas says, finally pulling David’s attention away from Matteo. ‘You can totally come too if you want!’ 

David hesitates for a second. He has so much work to do, but he has to admit a party would do him good. He might see Matteo again, too, this way, but that’s definitely not why he answers: ‘Yeah, maybe. That sounds cool, thanks.’ 

Not soon after, the boys go on their way and Leonie and David get that coffee they’ve been wanting since they woke up. 

The next day David dresses nice and heads over to Carlos’ place with Leonie and Sara. They soon get lost in their weird flirting and don’t even notice when David slips away and finds himself in the bathroom with the boys he met yesterday, smoking a joint and trying not to stare at Matteo too much. He has a surprisingly good time, the boys easy company, never making David feel left out. At the end of the night, he leaves the party slightly drunk and still a bit high, having been added to the ok.cool group chat, which he knows will both make him laugh and give him a headache, with four new friends. And maybe a crush, too, but that’s not what is important here. 

***

They all grow very close, very quickly. As swiftly as the boys had added him to their group chat, just as swiftly they’d accepted David as one of their own. They hang out, and meet at one of their apartments to play video games and eat kebabs, to smoke sometimes. They go to more parties, hang out in parks, coming up with crazy ping pong tournaments that last hours. 

He even goes as far as telling them he’s trans when talk of high school comes up one day, and they eventually asked David for input. They take it well. Some stupid question are asked, but all with good intention, and none offensive. 

Sometimes, he hangs out with just Matteo, too, and it definitely does not lessen his attraction. He learns more about him and starts to trust him with secrets of his own. Their conversations are often light, but they always feel important, never feel unnecessary. It turns into one of David’s favorite things to do. 

He finds out Matteo is gay, which his brain is having a field day with, that he studies programming at uni and that he’s crazy smart even though he tends to underestimate himself and downplay it, that he has a complicated relationship with his mother but that he loves her more than anything, and that he’s quite possibly the cutest person David has ever met. 

They’re having a movie night at Matteo’s flatshare, watching some Hollywood blockbuster David could drag through the mud if he were in the right mood. He’s not about to ruin it for everyone, though, and he does m anage to just enjoy himself sometimes. It’s a nice night. Hans and Linn join them after a while, and they bring them more snacks. David’s met them a few times in passing before, but he’s never really spent time with them, but unsurprisingly they turn out to be equally lovely as everyone else he’s met through these people. 

When the movie is over, no one moves, too content to sit there and be stupid. They play some silly drinking games with shitty beer that won’t actually get any of them properly drunk, although David does start to feel slightly tipsy after a while. 

Abdi is just telling some complicated story when David looks to his right, having forced himself to stop stealing glances at Matteo every two seconds as it would soon become glaringly obvious, and notices Matteo has dozed off. He’s laying on the sofa’s headrest, a light blanket covering his legs. He looks so peaceful, much to David’s confusion. He’d never be able to fall asleep that deeply with this much noise around. 

Jonas must see him looking, because he leans closer to David, making his voice clearer over Abdi’s passionate story telling. ‘Luigi can fall asleep everywhere. Once when we were smaller, he’d invited me to one of his cousin’s wedding. I lost him after a while, but then when everyone was dancing in the evening, I found him behind one of the buffet tables, fast asleep. He’d made his suit jacket into a pillow and didn’t seem to mind the party around him in the least.’ 

David laughs imagining a tiny Matteo being fed up with everything and just deciding to make himself a makeshift bed. He must have been even cuter back then, as hard as that is to imagine. ‘I can’t relate.’ 

Jonas looks down at Matteo with an amount of open softness he’s rarely seen, and adjusts the blanket a bit, and with a laugh says: ‘Yeah, me neither. He’ll probably wake up here tomorrow morning wondering what happened.’

Looking at Matteo like this, so peaceful and serene, there’s an undeniable urge building inside David to just reach out and. Comb through his hair, kiss his forehead, cuddle up to him, convinced he’d feel warmer than ever just being close to him.

He shakes those thoughts off, focuses back on Abdi. It’s weird, he tells himself, to think of a friend in that way without their consent. Or maybe it isn’t and David is just too much of a coward to act on his feelings, for fear of rejection and the possibility of losing this group of people, knowing they’d pick Matteo’s side if it came down to it. 

***

They’re at another party, which this time one of Leonie’s friends is throwing. The boys are here, too, but he’d told them he wouldn’t have that much time to hang out this time as he’d be hired as Leonie’s official wingman. Her and Sara are finally starting to get somewhere in their relationship, but it just won’t actually take off and Leonie’s getting frustrated. She’d decided this would be the night she’d finally kiss her and David would help her with it. He wasn’t exactly sure how he was supposed to do so, but he was sure Leonie had some sort of plan so he didn’t question it. 

When the boys had heard about the plan, they’d laughed. David hadn’t understood at first, why everyone but Matteo seemed to be dying of laughter, and Matteo was so red, until they’d explained about him dating Sara before coming out and how it all been very awkward. They were on better terms now, but Matteo still seemed to regret the way he’d strung her along. 

David is standing under the fluorescent lights now, talking to a girl he vaguely knows from school. Leonie had disappeared a while ago. He’s still on the lookout for her, but she’s so tiny he has a hard time finding her. He’s holding a half-empty cup with liquor that’s slowly having an effect on his body and he can’t quite hear everything the girl is saying, but enough to understand he’s not super interested. He’s polite, though, so he keeps listening. 

On the other side of the room, Matteo is talking to Carlos, having a much more interesting conversation it seems, as they keep bursting out in laughter. Every few minutes, Matteo catches David’s eye and offers him a smile, lighting drunken sparks in David’s stomach. 

He’s desperately trying to look at least a little bit interested and not lost in the boy on the other side of the room, but it’s not working very well, he has to say. He’s never felt like this before, never had someone he just wanted to spend all his time looking at, someone that made something burn under his skin, an itch that told David to touch.

He manages to keep himself under control until the music switches and he sees Matteo do the silliest, smallest little dance David has ever had the pleasure to see, and something snaps. Everything inside him is screaming to walk over there and push Matteo against the wall, gently box him in with his arms and -- 

He excuses himself from the conversation, renewing his efforts to find Leonie. He comes across a shots table on his way and does two in quick succession, trying to feel the music only and get lost in it, banishing images of blue eyes and silly smiles out of his head. It doesn’t really work, but at least he has a good time and gets to third wheel Leonie and Sara at the coffee shop now.  

***

Matteo is being annoying. Well David isn’t sure if annoying is necessarily the best word to use as, really, David isn’t actually annoyed, and has never been with Matteo. He’s just being silly, but it’s so endearing David can’t help but smile when he tells him to stop. 

They’re watching a movie, on his bed, just the two of them, which is already reason for David to freak out a litte. He’d picked the movie of course, something he was required to watch for his course, and thought he’d make more interesting by sharing it with Matteo. It works, but while he’s having a better time altogether, he’s also not really paying attention, so it proves a less than effective plan.

Matteo keeps fidgeting first of all, which David doesn’t mind. He can deal with that, and he knows it’s just something Mattoe does sometimes, to concentrate better or because there’s some kind of energy inside him he doesn’t know how to get rid of otherwise. At first, it was just that, but then he’d started poking David and shifting the computer and making very dramatic sighing noises when ‘nothing happened’. He’s clearly bored and wants David to pay him more attention, but David refuses to give in so soon, no matter how hard is whole body is screaming for him to. He needs to keep up some kind of facade. 

It’s not long before he can’t take it anymore, though. Matteo is poking him in the side now, sending stupid sparks through David’s stomach, and okay, he hasn’t heard what’s been said for ten minutes now, there’s no use continuing this. 

He hits the space bar and turns around, trying to feign annoyance. ‘Oh, my God, Matteo, what?’ 

He shakes his head softly when he sees Matteo sitting there with his big eyes and that grin on his face, looking to anyone like a devilish little angel. His hair is a mess and his cheeks are a bit pink, but David is afraid his are, too. His eyes are so blue. ‘I’m bored.’ 

The thing is that David can’t even blame him. He should be able to get all the important nuances in the movie, but even he thinks they could’ve added something to make it more interesting. 

‘What do you want me to do about that?’, he answers, tilting his head and smiling just a little bit because he can’t help it. 

‘Entertain me.’ 

David lifts his eyebrows and looks at Matteo for about ten seconds and then they’re play fighting. It’s not the first time it’s happened, but when he can help it David tends to avoid it because it’s a lot to feel Matteo all over him like that. He can forget about in the midst of the fighting when he gets too competitive. That’s not a problem. He always wins, though, and that is a bit of a problem. 

He has Matteo on his back, hands above his head and hair splayed out around him. There’s a dangerous glint in his eyes, and his cheeks are still pink. Their bodies are pressed together, too much for David to relax. They’re so close David can smell Matteo’s deodorant.

God. 

The things he’d do to him like this if he could. He’d bend down, pressing him deeper into the mattress, before kissing him and --

They’re still staring at each other without saying anything, and the heat is suddenly just on the right side of uncomfortable and David has to get out. 

‘I need to pee.’ 

He scrambles from the bed as fast as he can, and he just has the time to get a glimpse of Matteo’s face, who perhaps looks a little disappointed, but David’s sure that’s just his own feelings being projected. 

He forces himself to calm down in the bathroom before coming back out. When he does Matteo is sitting on the bed. ‘You can continue watching. I’ll be quiet, I promise.’ David normally loves how soft Matteo’s voice is, but he thinks it’s just a little bit too soft right now. It almost sounds a bit sad, and David hates to think he might be the cause of it, acting as shifty as he is. 

He gives him a real smile this time, putting everything in it, no holding back. He climbs back on the bed, putting the laptop in-between the two of them, trying to be subtle about it. ‘Are you sure? We can watch something else, I know it’s not the most interesting.’ 

But Matteo vehemently shakes his head at that suggestion. ‘No, no, watch.’ He takes a look at his phone, before turning back to David. ‘Actually, are you hungry? I could make us some pasta or something?’

David’s heard about his pasta-making skills, from the boy himself, but also from their friends. Even Leonie and Amira had attested to it, which is proof enough for David. ‘Yeah, sure. That would be nice.’ 

‘Okay’, Matteo jumps up, with enthusiasm he doesn’t often show. ‘You watch your movie, I’ll be back.’��

David settles in, turning the movie back about ten minutes and pays real attention this time. 

When Matteo comes back with two steaming plates, there’s only about twenty minutes left. Matteo settles in next to him and keeps quiet until the very end, all the while looking a mixture of cocky and embarrassed whenever David compliments the pasta. 

This time, David wants to kiss him for another reason entirely.

***

It all comes to a head one night. David should have seen it coming, should’ve known one day he wouldn’t be able to hide it all anymore. 

He used to deal with his problems by running away, and in a way that’s still what he’s doing, except it’s not as effective because there’s something about Matteo that just won’t let him leave all the way. Like an invisible string pulling him back in when he gets too far. 

He doesn’t even want to run from him, is the thing, and he’s not strong enough to force himself to like he usually is. Too scared to jump into the water, too weak to leave the cliff he’s standing on, so now he’s just looking out over the edge into Matteo’s ocean eyes, poisoning the breeze on his skin and in the end not only hurting himself, but hurting Matteo, too, every time he acts distant.  

He’s stuck, though, can’t move, no matter how much he wants to, feels that he’s overstaying his welcome where he is. 

It’s the two of them again, which has been happening more and more the longer their friendship lasts. They’ve come to be referred to as matteoanddavid by their friends, which David doesn’t mind, although it does unfurl something hot in his stomach, that tells him it’s not enough, both what he’s doing and what they are. 

They’re playing video games this time, and Matteo has just taken out the weed. It’s getting worse, is the thing. At first, David would get overwhelmed with the urge to touch when Matteo did something particularly cute, said something sweet, something funny. He was able to ignore it then, mostly, still able to look away when he felt it coming up. He can’t anymore. 

It’s come to the point where everything Matteo does, is reason for David’s insides to riot. He’s not even doing anything, just lighting the joint between his lips and setting up Mario Kart, but David is already panicking. 

It’s too hot, too much, too little. He can’t do this today. 

It feels wrong fishing his phone out of his pocket, pretending to read a message on the screen. Feels awful, painful almost, turning to Matteo and telling him his sister needs him and he needs to go now. He hates lying to him, that sweet boy who’s never hurt David in any way he could control, but whom David keeps pushing away, keeps on being the reason his smile slips and his eyes lose some of their light. 

He’s up before he has the time to take in everything about Matteo’s reaction, and is already in his hat and shoes, with jacket in hand in the hallway when Matteo joins him. 

‘David, wait. Please, wait.’

David inhales, exhales, clutches his jacket tightly between his fingers and turns around to face him. ‘Yeah?’

For a moment, Matteo doesn’t speak, just stands there looking a little bit sad and a lot beautiful. ‘Why are you avoiding me?’ He says, then, finally, and lets out a breath of air right after like just saying those words took a lot out of him. 

David hates that he can’t stop lying. ‘Avoiding you -- Matteo, I really need to go.’ 

‘God, David, I’m not that stupid. I can tell when someone doesn’t want to spend time with me.’ And that’s officially enough to make David break character, at least a little bit because he’ll do anything before he’ll let someone call Matteo stupid, especially he himself.

‘You’re not stupid at all, Matteo.’ 

‘Then why are you acting like I won’t see what you’re doing?’ He doesn’t quite sound choked up, but there’s a thread of breath running through his voice, so fragile David thinks it’ll break if he moves, so he stands very still. 

Matteo’s always been so brave. God, he -- 

He’s too scared to take the plunge and let Matteo know how he’s feeling, because he doesn’t want to lose him, doesn’t want to feel that rejection. He’s been slowly losing him this way, too, though, and suddenly he can’t stand hurting him anymore. He’d rather be hurting himself because Matteo turns him down, which he’ll do gently, he knows this if nothing else, than to have to hurt Matteo cruelly, the only way he knows how to.

So. He hangs the jacket back in its place. He takes a breath. Looks into the gentle waves in Matteo’s eyes. ‘Do you know what basorexia means?’ 

Matteo frowns at that, understandably. David would roll his eyes at himself in his place. ‘What?’ 

‘It means -- ‘ He takes another breath. ‘It means ‘the overwhelming desire to kiss’.’ 

Matteo’s still frowning in confusion, but there’s something else in his eyes now, too, a spark of something lighter, hope or something close enough. ‘Okay?’

David looks just right of Matteo’s face when he says what comes next, like not clearly seeing his reaction might lessen the blow. ‘It means I want to kiss you. It means I like you and sometimes you do things that make me want to kiss you, but I can’t, so I leave because I’m scared and overwhelmed.’

Silence. David dares shifting his eyes a millimeter to the left, just enough to look at Matteo, and then when he sees he looks. Happy? straight at him. He’s blinking rapidly and rubbing his face with one hand. ‘You want to kiss me?’, he asks, and this time a smile is breaking through the clouds of David’s fears. 

David nods.

It’s quiet again for a moment. And then: ‘Why don’t you?’

David can’t have heard that right. ‘What?’ 

‘You heard me.’ 

‘What do you mean?’ Because he has to be sure. 

‘It means I want you to kiss me, you dumbass! I like you, too.’ 

He’s been waiting months for this, holding it all in, so now that he’s allowed, it’s impossible to keep his body from rapidly going to stand right in front of Matteo. They’re both giggling at this point, which doesn’t make for the best circumstances when David puts one hand on Matteo’s cheek and the other on his neck, and kisses him. 

There’s no fireworks or eruption of golden light beneath his eyelids. Matteo’s lips are chapped against his and the giggling hinders them from doing anything serious. But it’s perfect. It’s perfect because it’s them and as simple as it is, it might be the best thing David’s ever experienced. He doesn’t want to ever stop, doesn’t think he can physically get himself to right now. 

He’s still giggling when they pull back, and he buries his face in Matteo’s shoulder, wanting to feel him as close to him as possible. ‘You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do that’, he says against it. 

‘I’ve wanted to since Leonie introduced us at that coffee shop. I thought you were the most handsome boy I’d ever met.’ 

David looks up again, not laughing anymore, but overcome with too many feelings to name them all. Matteo had once told him he always feels like his chest is overflowing with emotions and that sometimes it’s easier to just shut it all off by smoking or drinking or sleeping, because sometimes it’s so much he can’t think. David wonders if this is how he feels like then, and it makes him want him even more because it’s been three minutes and David is already at his limit. 

He pulls Matteo in, kissing him again, properly this time, putting it all in that kiss. The ocean water is warm all around him and he doesn’t need to breathe, doesn’t think he’ll ever need to breathe again as long as he has this.

[afy2018]

A New Legend

Harsh wind swept through the air in loud gusts, kicking up clouds that rolled over the desert in a grainy fog. A human trudged alone through the cool air, a bag strapped across her chest and her face completely covered with goggles over her eyes. Her terrain coloured clothes whipped and flapped in the high winds. She stopped and tightened her belt for the fifth time that hour while her goggles got clouded over again. This planet was unforgiving but it was home for her, a decrepit haven for criminals and outcasts. No real names here, not even to trusted employers such as her own at the Tosche Station or Chalmun's Cantina. Sometimes she didn’t really even know her name. Better for her though, safety for an unlucky descendant of the Mandalorian Knight, Dorjander Kace.

Sara held her saber close to her heart, walking to Mos Eisley for work again. She came up to the residences on the outskirts of the town. Maybe she could get some food from Mick and Leo while she had time. They usually spent a lot of time in Mos Eisley, a secret home away from home for them. She wiped the sand from her goggles again as she neared the matmatas. She glanced at the house numbers, searching for the correct address before rapping on the wooden door marked 30. A large rugged man opened the door with a wide grin when he realized who was standing before him. He yanked her in by the collar.

“Where have you been?” Mick asked.

“Working,” she laughed, removing her goggles and mask.

“Luckily we don’t have to clean up after you,” Leo joked from the doorway. “Here for another refill?”

“And to catch up. I’m not that much of a freeloader,” Lance sighed pulling her hair back into a neat bun.

“You should really settle down, find a friend to share with while you’re working,” Mick suggested, searching for some older rations that had to go.

“Then I’d have to actually spend my money on food and shelter.”

“See, you really are a freeloader,” Snart confirmed with a side smirk. “So where are you coming from?”

“Jabba’s Palace.”

���Again?”

“He’s just needing someone to smuggle droid parts onto Tatooine from… Naboo, I think. I’ve just been going from here to his palace for the… fourth time. What have you been doing?”

“The usual. Stealing droids and fixing them before resell. Makes good money.”

“Here,” Mick cut in, holding a bag of food. “Some dewback jerky, hubba bread, and the rest of our womp rat soup -which I would eat first.” He nodded handing the bag to her.

“What would I do without you guys.”

“Get food from someone else, I would assume” Leo considered. “Now go on your merry little way, bother another bounty hunter.”

“Wait, come on, I haven’t seen you guys in months. How’s it going with Ray?”

“Great, really. Kind of weird,” he began.

“He means that he’s deep in love and doesn’t know how to act,” Mick explained with a playful nudge to the ribs.

“Okay, that’s enough. What about you and that guy. The rich boy?”

“Oliver? Nothing. I don’t see him. I moved on to this other girl, but she’s too busy with her family’s business to have any sort of relationship.”

“We should tell her,” Mick broke in.

His partner side-eyed him, “Why did you make it sound so ominous?”

“Tell me what?” Sara asked.

“There’s a large group of people who are getting together in secret trying to overthrow the Empire. You know, the Sith. They’ve been coming here to recruit as many people as they can. Apparently, there have been some older kids joining. We’ve been thinking of going as well.”

“I never would’ve thought that you’d be part of a rebellion.”

“I’m not usually serious, but life is only so long, Sara. We need to do something with it before we die. This is way bigger than us, bigger than everyone. It’s important,” Leo tried to convince her, crossing his arms and grabbing a medallion from his pocket. He glanced down at it and sighed before looking up at Sara. “Now, I know that you may not care, but by next month, Mick, Ray and I will be gone.”

“So this is goodbye?”

“Hopefully not, but maybe.”

Sara nodded and hugged Leo and Mick. “You guys have been like brothers to me. You saved me and brought me here. I’m so glad that I got to meet you two. Thank you.”

“I hope we see each other again, and that this isn’t really goodbye.”

Lance nodded and turned away. “I’ll think about it.”

“If you change your mind, they’re planning to come back by the end of the year.”

“Okay,” she nodded. “Well, I’m going to the cantina to get a drink, you wanna join?”

“Of course, but you’re buying.”

“My treat then.”

~

Music blared from the stage as the musicians in the corner livened up the dark room. Aliens of various races drank and talked at the bar, the table, or against the wall. People walked in and out, checking and stealing from one another as they passed by. It was shady and suspicious, but it was home for these people, she guessed. Maybe hold her belongings a bit closer. That’ll work, hopefully. The foreigner warily approached the bar, not that she really tried to fit in anyway. With her hair tied back in a tight bun, and in traditional garb to protect her skin. She rapped on the bar and waited for the bartender to turn around. He glanced at her, looking her up and down before nodding.

“Tatooine Sunset.”

He grunted in response and filled a glass with the sweet liquor. He slid it over to her, waiting for her to pay him before letting go of the glass.

“So what’s your name sweetie?” A young Rodian asked in his native tongue.

She smirked at the alien and chuckled “Yeah I’m too old for you, tyke.”

“Just tell me your name.”

“Ava.”

“Beautiful. I’m Greedo.”

“Well, Greedo, while I’d like to sit and chat, I don’t have a lot of time to… play,” she smiled. “Sorry.”

Greedo cocked his head to the side, turning away to a corner where a few other shady aliens sat. Ava watched him talk with his friends. She shook her head with a slight grin and went back to her drink. A hand roughly grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. The alien garbled at her in a foreign language that she couldn’t really comprehend. Ava turned back to her drink, finishing it in a swift tilt of the glass. A young humanoid alien tapped her on the shoulder.

“He doesn’t like you,” he explained.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized with a scoff.

He clutched her arm, yanking her back into the conversation. “I don’t like you either. Don't insult us,” he warned her, tightening his grip on her arm. “You just watch yourself. We're wanted men. I have a death sentence in twelve systems,” he bragged.

“I’ll be careful then,” she smirked in annoyance and turned away to end the conversation.

“You’ll be dead!” he hissed with a vicious grin.

Another human quickly walked between them. She pressed her hand against Ava’s shoulder to nudge her away. “This little one isn't worth the effort. Let me buy you something-”

The alien shoved the human into Ava and whipped out his blaster. Ava reached for the lightsaber at her hip. The blonde looked at her and put her hand over the weapon.

“You can’t use that here,” she warned her.

“No blasters! No blasters!” The bartender exclaimed.

The two aggressive aliens turned away and walked out of the bar. Ava turned to the blonde and smiled.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing. You’re not the only tourist I’ve had to save. Tatooinians don’t really like… us. In fact, most people don’t trust us or anyone who wields a weapon such as yours. You have to be very careful,” she explained in a hushed tone. “So obviously you’re not from here. Where are you from?”

“Nowhere you know.”

“Try me.”

“Is that common here, bar fights?” Ava asked switching subjects.

“Of course. You’re most definitely not from here. Tatooine is a very shady place. People are always fighting. Honestly, I’d be suspicious if an hour went by without a fight,” Sara smiled. “Well, hey, if you’re not too busy, my friends and I are having a quick drink. Wanna join?”

“... Why not,” Ava nodded.

“Great,” Sara smiled, sliding back over to her friends. “This is Leo, Mick, and I’m Sara.”

“Hi, Ava,” she greeted them.

Leo smiled and drank from his tall glass, leaning against the bar. “So what brings you to Tatooine? Obviously not the weather or people.”

“Just a new adventure.”

“Well, you must live on the wild side then if this feels like an adventure and not just a death sentence.”

“Don’t mind his sarcasm, here, have this,” Sara offered, sliding her drink to Ava.

“What is this?”

“Bantha Blaster” she smiled.

“What does it taste like?”

“Sweet and fizzy,” Leo explained. “They drink it all the time.”

“I swear by it,” Lance grinned, leaning towards Ava as she ordered another drink.

Ava sniffed the drink; Endor, she thought, it reminded her of Endor. She inhaled and took a swig from the pink and green liquor. The bubbly concoction fizzed and popped on her tongue before a very sweet sugary sensation coated her taste buds. It burned at first, but then warmed her throat and became tart at the end. Ava coughed at first, and chuckled, shaking her head.

“A little strong?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, but good. It’s a very fun drink.” Ava smiled, covering her mouth. “So you’re from this area?”

“Not really. I’ve spent the past six years here, but I’m originally from a different planet.”

Leo leaned over to Sara, whispering to her. “You know, it’s great to see you head over heels. I haven’t seen you reveal this much since we met.”

“What are you talking about?”

He pulled back, turning to Mick. “I think we should go back home. We need to get packed.”

“Leo,” Sara called.

“I know, but we must go. See you ‘round, little canary,” he teased on his way out of the cantina.

“Mick!”

“Gotta go.”

Sara huffed as she watched her friends leave, shaking her head and downing the Bantha Brew. Ava also finished her drink and cleared her throat.

“Well, I’m glad that we had this time to talk. Sorry for driving your friends away-”

“Huh? Don’t worry about them, Leo’s just weird like that. You know, I can always show you around Mos Eisley if you have time.”

“Yeah, why not.”

After they escaped the cantina, Sara pulled off to an alley to her guest’s concern. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to out you for having that,” she gestured to her saber. So, how did you get your hands on such archaic tech?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You can’t hide it from me, I literally saw you almost whip that thing out in a Post-Empire Tatooine. This is their playground. Did you at least bring a blaster?”

“Yes, I guess it’s just a force of habit.”

“Was that a pun?”

“Huh, oh Force, ha, no,” she chuckled.

“You’re an intriguing sort, Aves, but you’ll be dead in ten minutes with that thing strapped to you.”

“Well, no offense, but I’m not going to hand this over to you.”

“I understand, just try not to reach for it unless you’re in deep trouble.”

“Now for that tour, you promised me?”

“Oh yeah, of course. Follow me.”

~

Hours seemed to pass in minutes to Ava, she had never met anyone like her. There was something about her, the mysterious way that she knew everyone and yet they never revealed her true name. Sara wasn’t offended by it and only laughed, responding with a variety of sarcastic phrases. She felt the end of this journey with her new companion nearing as the suns set, finally cooling the air again. Ava sat on the edge of a short wall dividing a stretch of road that was secluded from the main streets while Sara watched the citizens pass them by. The few people who did pass by seemed focused on other things like surviving or thriving in this city.

“You know, I really don’t know much about you, Little Canary,” Ava admitted.

Sara sat down next to her, shrugging, and looked her in the eye. “No need to. We don’t need to know everything to respect one another, just enough to understand.”

Sara turned to her and pursed her lips. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head before she fell to the ground. Ava rushed to her before feeling electricity stun her. Her body tensed as she dropped to the sandy ground. A pair of feet approached her before reaching down and pulling her up by the collar. A pair of pink eyes glared at her, their smile revealed a set of sharp teeth behind thin lips. It sighed and whispered something to someone behind them.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark - Lance thought as she woke up - pitch-black and empty. She heard the sound of shuffling feet nearby. Sara shifted to her knees, focusing the Force to her sight. It felt nearly impossible, years had passed, repressing her powers to stay alive, but in a moment like this, anything was game. She looked around the room, flickering between her force sight and the darkness that suffocated her. She spotted someone with her, crawling to the wall to get up. Their heart pounded in fear and familiar clanking meant that they were sporting a pair of handcuffs. Sara carefully got to her feet and neared them. She held out her hands, reaching for the other prisoner before making contact and clutching on to their shoulder.

“Who are you?” she whispered. “Ava?”

“Sharpe,” they responded. “I’m Ava Sharpe.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Good,” Sara nodded, her response more of a note to herself than to be comforting to Ava. She sat beside her, “Why do I recognize that name?”

“I’ve probably shown up for a bounty a few times.”

“That’s it! Wait, why? You seem like the kind of person who’d follow the rules to the T.”

“A prude?”

“... Kinda… yeah.”

“Most people say that,” Sharpe sighed. Gripping Sara’s hand, she continued, “I’m- I was- a guard for those who remained of the Jedi Order.”

“What’d you do?”

“I… abandoned my post and may have been spotted by the Empire. I’ve been trying to hide for a year now. Do you know where we are?”

“No, I can’t see a damn thing.”

“The last thing I saw was a scary looking guy. It had pink eyes and… waxy skin. There was this tentacle thing wrapped around his neck. He looked like a demon,” she almost shivered.

“What about his teeth?”

“Sharp, almost like a monster.”

“I think I know who it was. And with that, welcome to Jabba’s Palace,” Sara sighed.

Light began to flood from the ceiling. Sara shielded her eyes from the brightness and took a step in front of Ava. Once the pit was fully open, Sara looked up, meeting the smirk of Bib and Jabba as well as the prying eyes of other bounty hunters and guests.

She chuckled and shook her head, “Hey, Jabba! How ya doin’ buddy?”

“Lance, sa i fun gee cheekta down ya?” The Hutt asked with a bellowing laugh.

“He does remember my name,” Sara shrugged.

“Who is that?” Ava asked.

“That is Jabba the Hutt, these are his goons, and this is his pit.”

“His pit?”

“Greedo has doe bounty che cheekta.”

“Well, I found her fair and square, Greeds, I think she’s technically mine,” Sara charmed to no avail.

“You stole her!” he yelled down into the pit.

“Okay, fine, I’ll back off. Just give me a moment” Sara sighed, turning to Ava. “A moment, to meld.”

“Me-”

Sara swiftly grabbed Ava’s jaw in her hands and kissed her.

‘Ava, focus.’ A voice echoed in her head. ‘A monster will come out. We have our sabers, we can take it down.’

Sara pulled away, nodding to Ava. She twisted on her heels and shrugged to Jabba.

“Now what? You gonna help me out?”

Jabba let out another bellowing chortle and tapped Bib on the shoulder. The pale alien smiled and went out of view. A gate behind them raised with a deafening creak. Ava reached for Sara’s hand, grabbing her saber with the other. She switched it on, the two golden blades whirring and burning the dusty air. Sara let go of Ava’s hand and grabbed her double-sided saber and disconnected them before turning them on, a thin orange blade coming out of the one side and a blood red blade out of the other.

“What, did you steal those?” Ava asked as the monster stepped out.

“Only if illegal mining is stealing.”

“Practically the definition,” she joked with a side glance at her guide.

Sara got into a ready stance, a slightly familiar surge of focused adrenaline running in her blood. She felt her breathing slow and her sensitivity heighten, feeling the beast’s heartbeat pounding in her chest. A oneness with her ally who road the same aura as her. Ava whirled her staff in a neon blur, a flourish to intimidate as they stared down their opponent.

The monster roared and shook its head, the rolls of skin shifting and stretching with spikes poking through while its muscles flexed in anticipation.

Sara sprinted up to the monster, sliding under at the last moment to slice its leg. Ava pulled the beast close and held out her saber like a spear to stab it. It screamed and slapped her away, sending her across the pit and flat into a wall.

Lance slipped behind it, running up the wall and using the solid dirt to leap onto its back. She stuck her blade surely through the spine and slid down, red blood leaking and coagulating around the wound.

The beast shrieked again, collapsing to the ground and pawing at its assailants. Sara walked up to the face and forced her saber through their eye, watching it scream and writhe on the ground. Its final breath caught in the back of their throat.

“New record?!” she called up to Jabba, but the gawking group of hedonists was gone. Sara growled and ran to Ava, turning off the sabers and attaching them before holstering it and kneeling down to her. Although she wasn’t bleeding, she was still probably injured. “Ava, you okay?”

“Yeah,” she groaned while struggled she to sit up. Ava took her hand and stood up, leaning against Sara.

“Let’s get out of here,” Sara suggested and earned an exhausted nod.

They walked through the gate, a dark corridor greeting them until it suddenly lit up, leading a way to the stables. They could hear the distant calls of captive animals.

Ava straightened her back but continued to lean against Sara. “Why’d you kiss me?” she inquired. “Melding doesn’t even require touch.”

“I just… I thought…”

“I don’t mind, just wanted to know why.”

“Oh… it just felt right.”

“It felt right?”

“Look, I’m sorry if that’s not how you go, I just needed anything to get you off your mark.”

“I never said I didn't like it.”

“Well, it was implied.”

Ava grabbed Sara’s collar and pulled her close, kissing her gently. She slid her hand up her throat, tucking her fingers behind her ear before finishing their moment with a peck on the cheek.

“What was implied there?” Ava asked.

“That you are very interested,” she blushed, biting her lip. “We should go, come on.”

She took Ava’s hand and rushed down the long hallway to the open desert. Sharpe tugged on her shirt and pointed to a landspeeder.

“Quicker transport.”

“We may have gotten stuck here because of you, but I’m so glad we met,” Sara prodded while they sprinted to the vehicle.

“Did I at least make your day a bit more exciting?” Ava asked, limping behind Sara with a hand pressed against her ribs.

“Oh yes.”

Sara opened up the hatch, trying to hotwire the speeder as Ava climbed in. Grunting quickly filled the halls as twenty gamorreans ran down the hallway.

“Um, would you mind hurrying up, Sara?”

“Really, what seems to be the problem?” she sarcastically jibed.

“The guards.”

“I know,” Sara sighed, sitting up.

“What are you doing? Keep working!”

“It’s done.”

“Drive, they’re getting into some speeders.”

“Shit,” Sara cursed, starting up their land speeder.

“Go!”

“I know!” Sara yelled, speeding off. She grabbed her blaster and shoved it into Ava’s chest. “Take aim.”

Sharpe huffed and aimed the gun on the back of her headrest, shooting at a guard and knocking him off the bike. She aimed at another, getting the gas tank and watching it slow down and leak out in the sand. Ava pointed her blaster at another bike closing in on them. The guard shot at their speeder, catching the headrest, barely missing Ava’s shoulder. Ava force pushed the bike away, making it tumble away in the sand and blow up. She sat back down in her seat and regarded the dry terrain.

“Where are we going?”

“Mos Eisley, we need to meet up with Mick and Leo.”

“Why?”

“They’re leaving soon. So, I was thinking that maybe we can bum a ride.”

“Well, where are they going?”

“They’re joining the Rebel Alliance.”

“I’ve heard of them. Wait, they work closely with the Jedi.”

“Then we’ll protect you,” Sara promised, looking into Ava’s dark eyes. “I promise. You’re one of us now.”

“What do you think of the cause?”

“I’m game for anything that means I can escape this place. I’m past this point in my life.”

Sara brought her hand under Ava’s chin and pulled her in for a brief kiss before focusing back on the road.

“We pledge out property, our honor, and our lives.”

“Long live the Rebels.”

[smkkbert]

Time for a story - Green Arrow’s EA

Staring at the small clock at the edge of the desk, Felicity willed time to just pass more quickly. The more she wanted time to fly by, the more it felt like the hands of the clock were slowing down even more though. The last thirty minutes had felt like an eternity already. The next thirty were probably going to feel even longer.

The soft knock at the door made Felicity lift her gaze. The sight of Emily’s corny Christmas pullover with the reindeer and the blinking red nose tickled another smile from her. It was never different when she saw her Executive Assistant in that or any other pullover that she was wearing around Christmas time. There was just something really amusing about that look.

“Why exactly did I decide to work these two days between Hanukkah and Christmas again?” Felicity asked. “I feel like I didn’t do anything productive today.”

Emily smiled. “I think you wanted to establish company holidays from the first day of Hanukkah to the third of January, but the board decided against it. They said it was too long and exaggerated given the Holiday bonus you are paying.”

“And since when exactly do I care what the board says?” Felicity asked, narrowing her eyes. “Because I can’t remember when I start caring.”

“I doubt that you ever cared or ever will care,” Emily replied, her smile turning into a proud grin as she loved her boss’s rebellious side, “but you couldn’t attend the board meeting to the end, so it got kind of forgotten.”

Felicity puckered her lips. Now that Emily had reminded her, she remembered. She had indeed suggested this during a meeting with the board. Before her idea could have been discussed to the end, she had been needed at the bunker though. The last weeks had been exhausting. Felicity felt like she had just rushed through the days.  She had simply forgotten about her plan.

“Screw the board,” Felicity said and dropped her pen to the desk, “we will call it a day. Please call every department and tell them that we will close early for the holidays. It’s a paid leave of course. Everyone should be at home and prepare for Christmas or use the time recover from Hanukkah or just spend time doing whatever the hell they want if they aren’t celebrating any holidays. Either way, nobody should be here.”

“Gladly.” Emily smiled widely, happy about the unexpected turn since she had mentioned before that she wasn’t done shopping the gifts for Christmas yet. “There is a visitor for you though.”

“A visitor?” Felicity perked up her eyebrows and shot a brief glance at her schedule, but she hadn’t had any appointments planned for today. “Who?”

“Mr. Christian Rodgers,” Emily replied, “he said he needed to talk to you about a rather private matter.”

Felicity frowned. She tried to figure out if the name should ring a bell, but she couldn’t say that she remembered anyone with that name. There wasn’t even the slightest familiarity to it though.

“Ask him in, please.”

Emily nodded her head and turned onto her heels, walking outside. Felicity shot another brief glance on her watch before she got up and walked around her desk.

“Mrs. Queen is waiting for you,” Felicity heard Emily’s voice, “please go right in.”

“Thank you.”

Felicity tried to make any connection between that warm voice and the name, but there was nothing she could remember. Even the face wasn’t familiar. If Felicity knew Mr. Rodgers, she was sure that she’d remember him. There was something about his face that reminded him of her maternal grandfather, not that she had ever met him. She had just seen photos.

“Mrs. Queen, thank you for your time that soon before the holidays,“ Mr. Rodgers said, shaking her hand, “I am sure you have a busy schedule.”

“Actually, I was just calling it a day,” Felicity explained with a smile and gestured towards the seating area, “because working between the holidays is just so annoying.”

Mr. Rodgers chuckled and sat down on the black leather couch across the table. Felicity crossed her legs and leaned back. She watched her visitor quietly for a moment. He was fidgeting with his hands nervously, avoiding her eyes. He looked nervous and insecure.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Rodgers?”

Mr. Rodgers lifted his gaze towards her. He still looked nervous like the bare thought of talking to her unsettled him. Felicity smiled at him softly though, hopefully giving him the courage to speak. Even if she couldn’t do anything for him at the end, she didn’t want him to think that she would eat him alive. Something told him he was kind of a good guy.

“My sister-in-law, Amelia Rafferty, was murdered last month,” he said after taking in a deep breath, “she was just found dead in her home one morning.”

Felicity nodded her head slowly, unsure what to say or where this was going. She faintly remembered that she had read about that case a couple of days ago. The police had done what they could, but they hadn’t been able to find out who was responsible for her death. Felicity didn’t remember anything about the case or the circumstances surrounding her death.

Mr. Rodgers did look honestly sad about his family’s loss. His hands rubbed together between his thighs and his shoulders sank.

“I am very sorry,” she whispered, “that’s terrible.”

“She was killed with two shots to her chest,” Mr. Rodgers continued, his smile breaking, “the police said it looked like it was done by a professional killer.”

Felicity nodded her head slowly. Two shots to the chest required a really cold-blooded killer or a fight that had caused someone to act on impulse. If the police suggested that it was the first, she was sure they were right. Usually, the latter was more obvious, so there had to be reasons that the police still suspected a professional killer was responsible.

“I just don’t understand how that’s possible,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief, “Amelia was such a wonderful person. She has never gotten into any troubles with anyone. She was the easiest person to be around, someone who held no grudges and was happy when the people around her were happy. She was a really good person.”

When a good person died that cruelly, it was always terrible. It was unexpected for everyone around her, leaving those people closest to her devastated and with broken trust into the world. In a fair world, bad things wouldn’t happen to good people.

“My wife is devastated,” Mr. Rodgers added and shook his head with a sad smile, “she lost her parents at young age. Amelia was the only family she had left after that. Now she has lost her too. It’s… I am worried about her.”

Once again, Felicity nodded her head. When Sara had died once again, Laurel had been devastated. Despite all the differences between the two sisters, losing Sara had been almost unbearable for Laurel. They had stuck together through so much in their childhood, youth and after Sara’s return after the Gambit. Their relationship had been so deep, and her death had seemed to pointless.

What had helped Laurel was finding out why Sara had been killed. Just like it had helped Nyssa. Although Sara’s death had still been devastating and the circumstances surrounding her death had caused a lot of chaos for the Lances and the Queens, knowing who was responsible for it had at least helped everyone to direct their anger in the right direction. It had helped them to recover from their loss, at least a little.

Felicity shook her head slightly, shaking off the thought of Sara’s death. This wasn’t about her or the Arrow Family. She just didn’t know what else it was about.

“Your sister-in-law’s death is tragic, and I don’t want to be insensitive to that,” Felicity said, clearing her throat, “but I don’t understand what exactly you expect me to do now.”

That questions seemed to be the very trigger for the Mr. Rodger’s nervousness. He moved back and forth on the couch, rubbing his sweaty hands along his thighs. His eyes were taking her in intensely, but his smile gave away how insecure he felt in this moment.

“The police told us that they wouldn’t continue to investigate this case,” Mr. Rodgers explained with a shake of his head, “because there are no leads to follow. There is no motive. There are no traces. There is nothing that could help.”

Felicity nodded her head slowly, telling him that she understood and listened. She still didn’t see where this was going, but she had an open ear nonetheless. If she could help this family to find a little bit of peace before the holidays, she’d do it.

“I have been to the police station yesterday to try and convince them to continue. Captain Hall was great. She took her time and listened to me, and she explained to me why it doesn’t make sense. She assured me that they would still follow every lead if there was any, but there was nothing left to be done right now. She was honestly sorry.”

A small smile spread on Felicity’s lips. Mr. Rodger’s had all reason to hold grudges against the SCPD and everyone working there. That McKenna had managed to prove that the decision hadn’t been easy for her looked like a good sign. Quentin must have chosen wisely when he had suggested her as his successor.

“On my way out, a cop took me aside and told me that maybe the Green Arrow could help.”

Felicity could almost hear the little alarm bells in her head starting to ring. She had thought that a warm and grandpa-like face as his couldn’t mean any harm. Now she wondered if maybe she had been wrong. It wasn’t the first time that people noticed her connection to the Green Arrow and used it to threaten them.

“He also said that if I wanted to get in touch with him, maybe you were the one to help me with it,” Mr. Rodgers explained, “so I wanted to ask you to contact him for me and ask if he can do something to find out who did this? My family would forever be grateful.”

Felicity felt every inch of her body tensing the more Mr. Rodger’s spoke. Maybe she had been wrong and he wasn’t the good person she had seen in him. Maybe all his talk about his sister-in-law and how much his wife was suffering hadn’t been true. Maybe it had all been made up to break down her reserve.

It’s been a while since they had been hunted by the police or anyone else the last time. Maybe all the police had been trying to do was making them think they were safe while they were secretly going after them. Without Quentin at the head of SCPD to inform them about what they were planning, all Felicity could do was trusting her stomach and that told her that something was fishy here.

“Who exactly told you this?”

Felicity leaned back slightly and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She tried to buy some time with her question. The thought that maybe Nick had sent Mr. Rodgers here crossed her mind at least briefly though. So far, there was still a chance that her worry was without reason.

“Officer Juan Alvarez.”

Apparently, it hadn’t been her brother’s idea to send her here. There were just two possibilities. Either Mr. Rodgers was lying and this was a set-up, or Felicity’s connection to the Green Arrow was, in the words of Professor Dumbledore, a complete secret, so, naturally, the entire city knew. Felicity didn’t know which one should make her panic less.

Felicity had been taken to the interrogation room to answer questions about the Hood once. Quentin had basically caught her on the street and taken her to the SCPD. She had been so nervous and so scared. Still, she had kept her mouth shut because she had known exactly what she had been fighting for.

By now, Felicity knew even better that what she and the team were doing was right. She didn’t have any doubt about it, and she would feel a lot safer if she answered questions about him now. With the thought of all those people that would lose their jobs and the children that would lose their parents if she spilled anything or if she trusted the wrong person.

When Susan Williams had blackmailed them, causing Oliver to turn himself in, their entire life had been turned upside down. Felicity wasn’t sure if their family could go through something like that, especially with a good ending like they had had. They’d been lucky once, but twice? Felicity wasn’t sure, and she really couldn’t tempt faith like that.

“Maybe those rumors were wrong,” Mr. Rodgers suddenly said, clearing his throat, “I am very sorry that I bothered you, Mrs. Queen. Happy Holidays to you and your family.”

Felicity watched Mr. Rodgers getting up and tightening the belt of his coat around his middle. He shot he a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes that were filled with sadness and defeat. She had been his last hope, and she had turned him down.

With one last smile in her direction, he turned around and walked towards the door. Felicity managed to watch him take exactly three steps before she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Wait.”

Usually, Felicity had a good feeling for people. Of course she wasn’t without mistake, but her stomach told her whether or not to trust someone most times. She might have her blind spots, especially when it came to heartbreaking stories like this one, but Oliver had once told her that her belief in the good in people was one of the many reasons that he loved her so much. Her faith in people balanced his mistrust.

Mr. Rodgers had turned around and was looking at her with eyes full of hope now. Felicity should be damned if she was wrong about him. She wouldn’t turn into someone that doubted everyone around her out of fear. Fear would never be the emotion to run her actions.

“I can’t promise anything,” Felicity said, “but I will do my best to make it work.”

→ → → → →

Under Oliver’s vigilant eyes, Felicity walked back and forth in her working area of the bunker. She was gesturing wildly with her hands while she was telling him everything that had happened in her office before. Oliver was listening closely, keeping his arms crossed in front of his chest and his eyes narrowed down on her slightly.

“So,” Felicity said eventually, “what do you say?”

She stepped towards Oliver, putting her hands to his forearms. She leaned her body against him completely and looked at him intensely. No matter how many doubts she had had before, she was sure now that Mr. Rodger’s story was honest. He really just wanted her to contact the Green Arrow to make piece with what had happened to his sister-in-law.

“Maybe she just knew something that she wasn’t supposed to know,” Felicity continued, shrugging her shoulders, “or maybe she had a secret double-life. I know I could look into it myself, but it would be so much easier if you helped me.”

Oliver looked at her for a moment longer before he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even more against him. He frowned slightly, cocking his head.

“Have I ever turned you down if you asked me for something?”

“Repeatedly,” Felicity replied without hesitation, “when I ask for junk food for dinner.”

Oliver chuckled, brushing his lips against hers. Amusement was sparkling in his eyes when he leaned back a little to look at her.

“Of course I will help you,” he said instead of answering to her little mention of junk food because he just knew that it would get them into trouble, “we can look into it tonight.”

“Good.” Felicity nodded her head. “Sounds great.”

Continuing to look at Oliver, Felicity could see the furrow forming between his eyebrows. She frowned and lifted a hand to his forehead. Her fingertips stroked against the furrow in an attempt to smooth it out. No matter how firmly or how often her fingers stroked against the little crease in Oliver’s skin, it didn’t disappear though.

“What’s going on?” she asked, locking eyes with him. “Why are you looking like that?”

“Because I am worried,” Oliver replied firmly, “it really doesn’t sit well with me that people make a connection between you and the Green Arrow.”

Felicity cocked her head, chuckling softly. She put her hand to Oliver’s cheek and stroked her fingertips through his short stubble. Oliver almost purred like a kitten at the touch. He rested his face into her hand and closed his eyes for a moment. He looked so incredibly at piece that Felicity couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s almost like in old times,” she said eventually, prompting Oliver to open his eyes again, “when I was your EA.”

“The good old times.”

Pursing her lips, Felicity punched his side playfully. Even if she used all her strength, she doubted that Oliver would even flinch. He was used to fight trained assassins. Everything she could do was like a little tickle in his experience.

“What was that for?”

Oliver rubbed his side, pretending to be hurt by her little punch. He was a father of five, so he knew exactly how to react to that kind of teasing.

“Because you said that those times were good,” she told him pointedly, shaking her head, “there was nothing good about those times. I was way overqualified for the job.”

“Of course you were,” Oliver replied easily, rubbing his hands up and down her arms gently, “but we spent almost every minute of every day together and I had a great view on your ass.”

Felicity chuckled, resting her forehead against Oliver’s shoulder for a moment. If she remembered something about her time as his EA, it was that she had been terribly annoyed by the littler work she had managed to do. She had let out all of her frustration at him because he had been the one who had gotten her into this situation. The passive aggressiveness had run high between them.

When Felicity angled her head back again eventually, looking at Oliver with a soft smile, she could see that his thoughts were still at the risk of security for their family.

“If people make a connection between you and the Green Arrow,” Oliver said slowly, “it’s only a matter of time until you are made a target for the police or criminals.”

Felicity continued to stroke her fingers through Oliver’s stubble. She hoped that it relaxed him at least half as much as it relaxed her.

“It was easier if they made that kind of connection between the Green Arrow and the mayor,” Oliver said slowly, the expression in his eyes turning blank although they were still directed at her, “and if he was used to get into touch with the vigilantes.”

Frowning slightly, Felicity watched Oliver. Soon, her lips spread into a smile.

“You’ve got an idea,” she stated, seeing it in Oliver’s eyes, “you know how to solve it.”

“Maybe,” Oliver replied, looking at her, “but I could need your help.”

“Always.”

* * *

@fannaz @promiseyoullbepatientwithme @bytemegeekette @felicity-said-just-in-case @phanseptiic @orangeisorange @mspotatohead14 @whentheheavenfades @emmaamelia95 @smoakingskye @seaolicity @ourwritinginvein @1022bridgetp @felicityqueenforever @leagueofolicity17 @yryssss @myhauntedblacksoul @sherlock44 @sinceriouslybea @olivyflavescentdeer @olicitys-castle @ofnothingcharming @vaelisamaza​ @smoakedandcharmed @alexisa1206 @mysaudadespt2 @florence-bubbles​ @addictiontelly​ @queens-of-arrows​ @memcjo​ @hysterical-for-joshifer-blog​ @oswinelevenforever​ @olicitylovemaking​ @bandanab310​ @mymusiclove101​ @lynslogic​ @scarletqueen23​ @olicityshipper19​ @alex-wesley​ @arrows-4ever​ @unabashedlynerdypatrol​ @louehmysoul​ @ligiapimenta​ @chattyyana​ @charlie-leau​ @coal000​ @samcrowleys​ @ishippolivia​ @julianegomesqueen​ @malafle​ @miriam1779​ @charlinert​ @melaux​ @ontheolicityship​ @myshipperlife​ @wrightainsley​ @lexi9515​ @ladygreenwood​ @multi-fandom-crazy-fangirl​ @morinamel​ @mje-thomas​ @kebarry​ @canadianheartgirl​ @nannett2307​ @almondblossomme​ @kathrynelizabeth89​ @imdfabulous​ @mrt2501​ @arsipaci14​ @salasvia​ @brandis91​ @cainc3​ @morganmiguess​ @pr0fessi0nal-fangurl​ @iamisalima​ @nessafrancis-blog​ @jonhdiggle​ @niki-is-amazing​ @universed-posts​ @hopeful-warrior​ @senoritaswiftie​ @bellemmie @green-arrows-of-karamel​ @iheartarrow​ @olicityovereverything​ @oliverfel4​ @olicity-in-the-heart​ @fullychippedcreation​ @geemarie​ @everything-but-normal-cat @myarroworld​ @tjmartinez​ @pleasantfanandstudent​ @j69confessional2​ @scentedcolorpirate​ @icanica74​ @tjmartinez98​ @certainmentalityface​ @tatianadamaceno @ryelew @wildwillowzepplin​ @missafairy​ @letsplaymurde-r​ @lipizette​ @positivepiper​ @nuttymilkshakehologram​ @laksagirl​ @turnupthemusicandscream​ @pumpernickle93​ @onceuponanolicity​ @1106angel​ @jaspertown​ @fadinglands​ @morganashimi83​ @mochababychristy​ @omglovechrissie​ @mariejr88-blog​ @thetaufactor​ @onceuponanolicity​ @speakandseethetruth​ @bri206​ @aglasgo​ @geemarie​ @pineprincess​ @nerdgirljen​ @eternal-olicity14​ @allyouhadtodowas-stay-stay-stay​ @lovelycssefan​ @tsseract​ @flowerandsunshine​ @dcnmarvelgamergeek​ @blondeeoneexox​ @monetsmark​ @bb-olicity​ @mashamarty​ @rulerofsilence​ @erika-amber​ @nothingmorethanmyotps​ @kayleenyc​ @tonto16​ @olicityfluv​ @olicitea1990​ @haahaaa2408​ @pattid1​ @faegal04​ @24karatgem​ @wrldtravler​ @readerkas​ @olicity-beliver​ @greencoffeecups​ @snorlaxishere​

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[singledarkshade]

Come With Me If You Want To Live

Part Two Rip carried Jonas into the gym, despite him asking to be put back down. Gideon was at his side, looking around watching for threats.

“Hey,” Sara appeared, a towel around her neck, “What are you guys doing here?”

Finally allowing Jonas down Rip shrugged, “I’m not quite sure.”

Sara wrapped her arm around Jonas who hugged her, “What?”

“Can you watch Jonas for a few minutes?” Rip asked Sara before looking at Gideon, “We need to talk.”

Gideon frowned, “Jonas should not be left unprotected.”

“Sara can look after him,” Rip stated.

Before he could stop her Gideon walked to Sara, quickly scanned her and focussed on the lanyard around her neck.

“Sara Lance,” Gideon read the name and tilted her head in thought, “Daughter of Quentin and Dinah Lance, sister of Laurel Lance otherwise known as Black Canary. Trained by the League of Assassins and assisted the Arrow in saving Star City.”

“What?” was all Rip could think to say. He knew Sara was a martial arts expert but assassin?

“She can protect him,” Gideon nodded before turning to Rip, “That will allow us to talk.”

Rip looked at Sara who was looking as bemused as he was.

“Use the main office,” Sara said after a second, “I’ll take Jonas to the staff room for a snack.”

  Gideon watched Rip pace in front of her for several minutes giving him the time to focus his thoughts.

“Alright,” Rip finally stopped and turned to her, “I want to know, right now what the hell is going on, who are you, who is after my son and why?”

Moving to him, Gideon took a hold of his hands, “My dearest Captain, I have missed you so much and I am sorry.”

“Why do you keep calling me Captain?” he pulled away from her.

“Because you are Captain Rip Hunter,” Gideon stated before shrugging, “At least, you were. I know you do not remember but you were raised to be a Time Master. And you were one of the best, feared by Time Pirates while you saved so many, keeping the timeline intact.”

He took a seat, confusion covering his face while Gideon continued, “But then you broke their cardinal rule.”

“Which was?” Rip demanded.

Gideon smiled, “You fell in love. With an amazing woman, another Captain by the name of Miranda Coburn.”

Surprise filled Rip’s eyes.

“For a long time, you managed to keep this secret,” Gideon continued, “With my assistance of course. Unfortunately, one day you were not careful enough and the Council caught you both.” She sighed sadly, “By this time Miranda was pregnant. You made an agreement with the Time Masters that once Miranda had the baby then you would leave to raise the child, she would stay, and you would have no more contact with one another.”

Rip grimaced before asking, “Why did I leave?”

“Because Miranda was raised since near birth by them,” Gideon explained, “While you were only taken in at the age of ten. You knew how to survive outside of the structure which Miranda did not.”

Thoughtfully Rip mused, “Which is why I think she left us?”

Gideon winced, “Not exactly. You and Miranda couldn’t stay apart. And she wanted to be with her son, she loves you both so much. Three years ago, the Council caught you once more. They decided to wipe your memories and transplant you here.”

“And Miranda?”

At the whispered question, Gideon took his hand again, “She returned to working as a Time Master. Until three days ago.”

“What happened three days ago?”

“Miranda contacted me,” Gideon explained, “I don’t know how she learned of this, but the Time Masters discovered that they would be destroyed one day by Jonas. So, they have sent their best bounty hunter back here to kill him.”

Rip sat in silence for several minutes taking in all this information before he asked, “Why you?”

“I am Gideon,” she stated, “The AI for the Waverider, your ship and the only one you trusted to keep your secret.”

“AI?”

She shrugged and motioned to herself, “This is a cybernetic construct designed to allow me to assist my Captain outside the ship. You created it for me.”

“This can’t be real,” Rip shook his head.

“Captain, I wish I could give you the time to get your head around this,” Gideon said, “But the Waverider will be here shortly and we cannot remain still. Chronos will find us if we stay here.”

“The Waverider?” Rip asked.

Gideon nodded, “Your ship. Our ship. I could not leave her sitting in case Chronos realised I was here, so I sent her forward. We need to get to the rendezvous point.”

Dropping his head as he thought, Rip looked up as Gideon took his hands.

“Look in my eyes,” she whispered, “I am your Gideon, I protected you for many years. Let me protect you and Jonas. That is all I want to do.”

He nodded, they both turned when the door flew open and Sara marched in with Rip’s son at her side.

“Why did Jonas just tell me a strange man attacked you?”

  Rip sat in the backseat of Sara’s car with Jonas in his lap again, Sara was in the passenger seat and Gideon was driving. Sara had listened to the explanation before she shrugged, noted she had heard stranger stories and told them she was helping.

Gideon tried to argue but Rip knew Sara, he trusted her and was glad to have her with them.

“Where are we going, Daddy?” Jonas whispered, cuddling close to him.

Rip hugged his son gently kissing the top of his head, “Somewhere safe.”

“Will that man be there?”

Hugging him tighter Rip whispered, “That man will never get anywhere near you. I promise.”

“Where are we going?” Sara spoke up from the front seat.

“I have already explained this,” Gideon stated, annoyance in her voice, “We are going to get the Waverider.”

“That doesn’t explain anything,” Sara reminded her.

Gideon glanced at her briefly, “It shall once we get there.”

Sara fell silent, annoyance radiating from her which Rip could understand. He couldn’t put into words why he was trusting Gideon, but there was a part of him that knew she would protect them with every part of her.

Finally, they reached an empty piece of wasteland in Central City and Gideon parked the car.

“Well, this is safe,” Sara noted sarcastically, as she looked around the large open space.

Gideon shut the car door, took three steps forward and clicked her fingers. Rip gaped as a ship appeared before them.

“Welcome home, Captain,” Gideon said softly.

Rip took Jonas’ hand and started walking towards the vessel sitting there. An explosion threw him forward and he scrambled trying to stay on his feet, pulling Jonas close.

“Chronos has found us,” Gideon yelled, “Get into the ship, now.”

Rip scooped his son up and ran, Sara just behind him while Gideon fired a pistol at the man chasing them. Jonas was screaming in terror as Rip ran up the ramp into the ship, Sara following quickly before Gideon joined them and the door closed.

“Hold on,” Gideon called, just before the ship jerked.

Falling against the bulkhead, Rip held onto Jonas who was crying while clinging to him.

“Gideon?” he yelled.

“We’re almost out of range,” Gideon told him, “Just a few more seconds.”

Hugging Jonas tightly, Rip was relieved when the ship steadied, and Gideon started out the room.

“We need to get to the bridge,” she called back, “Follow me.”

  Gideon ran through the corridors of the Waverider heading up to the bridge, knowing that Rip, Jonas and Sara were following her. She had to get them into the time stream so they could lose Chronos, giving them some time to work out how to retrieve Rip’s memories, try to track down Miranda and hopefully form a plan to protect Jonas.

“Take a seat and pull the restraint down,” Gideon told them.

Jonas tried to cling to Rip when he sat his son on one of the chairs. Gideon crouched down in front of the little boy and brushed his hair back.

“Jonas,” she whispered, “I know you’re scared but in a few minutes we’ll be safe. You have to sit nicely for a little bit, okay?” The little boy nodded, and Gideon pulled the restraint down before she kissed his forehead, “Good boy.”

Sliding into the pilot’s chair, Gideon sent them into the time stream and headed to a haven that Rip had used often in the past. Once they were there, she set the autopilot and released herself turning to them.

“We will be safe here for now,” Gideon said, “If you come with me, we can have something to eat and discuss our next step.”

                                  *********************************************

  Rip watched Sara and Jonas play a card game Gideon had produced, relieved that Sara was keeping the little boy focussed on something other than the strange things that had happened that day, including the fact they were on some kind of spaceship.

Sara glanced up and nodded they were fine, allowing Rip to slide away for a few minutes to have a look around.

Gideon said it was his ship. He would know if he had a ship, wouldn’t he? Walking slowly through the corridors Rip waited to recognise something anything but there was nothing. It was completely new to him.

“You do not know this place,” Gideon said softly before she appeared from a nearby room, “Do you?”

Rip shook his head, “I want to because if I do then hopefully, I will know something that will protect my son.”

“Captain,” Gideon breathed, moving to him, “I can teach you everything about this ship. Anything else, it’s inside you already. Your intuition is not taught, you are brilliant and time travel came completely naturally to you.”

“I wish I could believe you but,” he sighed, “Until a few hours ago none of this existed. I work as an IT engineer for Mercury Labs. I take my son to the park at the weekend and help him with his homework after school.”

She stayed silent just letting him speak, get everything off his chest.

“For the past three years, I believed my wife walked out on me because she couldn’t handle being a mother,” Rip shook his head, “And now, you appear and tell me I’m not who I thought I was, my wife didn’t leave me but stayed away to protect us and the people who apparently raised both of us want to murder our son.”

Gideon stepped forward and rested her hands on his arms, “Are you done feeling sorry for yourself?”

Shaking his head Rip smiled, “I’m guessing you didn’t let me away with anything.”

“I am here to assist my Captain,” Gideon stated sweetly, “And sometimes that means kicking him in the head when he is wallowing in self-pity.”

Chuckling softly Rip leaned back against the bulkhead and studied her for a moment.

“Can I ask you something?”

Gideon nodded, “Of course, that is why I am here.”

“If you are an AI,” Rip said hesitating for a moment before continuing when she nodded, “Why have the Time Masters not reprogrammed to follow another Captain?”

Gideon smiled, “Because they could not.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Many years ago, my former Captain and I stopped an attack by Time Pirates on the Vanishing Point,” she explained, “The Waverider and I were deemed irreparable. Until a boy found us,” she smiled, “He asked if he could repair my systems, to repair the ship and have it when he became a Captain.”

Rip shrugged, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Because,” Gideon said softly, “That boy was you.”

“Me?”

Gideon nodded, “When you repaired me, you slid little additions into my code that allowed me to learn, to grow beyond what I was supposed to be capable of, to become your AI alone. When you left originally, I was given to Miranda. But after they caught you both for the second time, the Time Masters did not wish to take the chance that I would take her to you again. They turned my beautiful ship into a training simulator.”

“What about your…” he grimaced before saying, “Body?”

“It is not something they know about,” she shrugged, “It was a secret project because we always said it would be easier if I had one.”

Rip nodded, “I can definitely attest to that. I would have lost Jonas if you hadn’t…”

“Captain,” Gideon touched his arm comfortingly, “Jonas is safe. He and Sara are currently having ice cream.”

“I need to know everything,” Rip said, “I need to know who I was and where Miranda is.”

Gideon nodded and led him towards the bridge again, “Of course, Captain. Come, there is a great deal to discuss.”

[lokikingofasgardslover713]

Viridescent Odium: Ch.11

Aesthetic courtesy of @prettybubblesintheair

Masterlist

Viridescent Odium MASTERLIST

Bucky Barnes x Plus!Size Reader SKRULL

Warnings: ANGST! CUDDLES!

A/N: Just heartbreak, I'm so sorry!

Words: +2,900

Bucky had Y/N back for 86 hours & 5 minutes after the centarian tried to take his green skinned lover from him. Then, Monday, November 5th he lost her to HYDRA at 13:30, they found her on November 15th & he shot her at 18:06 to be brought back at 19:03. So, that meant Bucky had Y/N back for a total of 73 hours 47 minutes 23 no 24 seconds.

Today was November 19th 19:47, no 19:48 hours & all he could do was lay awake to watch the clock. The skrull’ screams from the previous week echoing through ringing ears as she had gone through withdraws from the shit Rumlow had the skrull on & could only be described as toxic sludge that had burned veins. Shirl cries echoing just like the twins small voices asking of where green was & would she eat thanksgiving dinner with them like planned when they went to their grandparents.

It was hard to sit & just watch the withdrawals from whatever it was to make her compliant the shivering screams made Bucky’s skin crawl because he knew all too well what she went through. The soldier visiting every chance he got, even if it ended in breaking his heart because she refused to communicate with anyone, staying huddled on the small cot in the glass cell Tony himself refused anyone to take out of the med bay, stating Y/N stayed where they all could keep watch.

That night though at 20:06 hours a break through, Thanksgiving in a few days, but Shuri wasn’t about to give up on the Skrull. The young scientist getting the nervous creature to realize they were helping & not hurting like originally thought, Shuri calling Bucky out of a restless sleep at midnight after a hell of a time getting the twins to sleep stating he needed to hurry to Y/N’ glass cell.

“Shuri! What the fuck sweetheart! It’s midnight is Y/N ok? What,” Bucky rambled rushing into the private room that was occupied of the cell before she cut him off with an excited smile.

“Calm down Bucky! Look,” Shuri smiled & hurried excitedly to the cell.

Bucky froze the instant he laid troubled gaze on Y/N resting peacefully on the small cot, the blanket Bucky had brought at the urging of Shuri pulled around full figure like a cocoon barley able the make out a set of pale green eye lids as it was clutched tightly around her.

“How long,” Bucky asked leaning against the glass like an excited child himself, unable to look back at the exuberant scientist in fuzzy pajamas.

“Since you were left at 7. I came to check on her, Y/N  made a point to ask who you where & why you cared,” she smiled at the bed headed soldier that was peering in the cell, wrinkled t-shirt & lounge pants telling her Bucky wasn’t sleeping well just as much as his haggard eyes.

“What language,” he asked cautiously, the skrull had still spat Russian at them a few days ago when she was still talking or actually cursing at them.

“English actually,” Shuri reassured him excitedly, the soldier stepping back to speak with her obvious Bucky was excited about the break through but trying not to get hopes up.

“What did you tell her,” he asked worried what the young woman possibly blurted out in eagerness making Y/N question her sanity.

“What do you think. I made sure that Y/N knew how much you mean to each other but didn’t mention the twins,” Shuri smiled taping the tablet screen that showed a picture of Bucky & Y/N hugged together.

“How did she take it,” Bucky asked looking back to Y/N who slept quietly only twitching slightly at an unseen danger.

“In stride. Read outs are steady. When she wakes you should be here, should do good since she took the news well about your relationship,” Shuri smiled at Bucky the soldier looking around for a seat to realize Shuri had an idea he would want to stay, spotting a fluffy chair pushed against a wall with a blanket folded up on it.

“Good. Um I will get Steve to watch the twins & stay for the night,” Bucky admitted looking to Shuri curious if it would be a good idea but knowing the young woman wouldn’t tell him no.

“As long as she takes it well I see no problem but if….,” Shuri began quietly, giving him a knowing look.

“I know. I’ll have to leave,” he sighed looking back to the sleeping skrull that stirred slightly before settling back down.

“It want come to that, Y/N’ system is clear which means she should start regaining memories or will help me to find a way to regain what was lost,” Shuri reassured the troubled soldier who continued to look her over, fingers twitching in wont of touching soft green flesh to soothe over troubled body to let Y/N know it was ok & he was here to help.

Bucky woke to the filling of eyes on him, one of the many things he couldn’t shake from having been HYDRA’ assassin all those decades, opening hazy blue eyes from his seat across from the glass cell, covered in the throw the young woman had brought from Wakanda. Caerulean eyes lazily searching around the room to realize sparkling crimson stared back, the Skrull squatted behind the glass watching close it made him upset they cut her long hair & looked to have removed all piercings from pointed ears.

Crimson following the metal armed soldier close as he took time getting out of the chair, all he needed was freak Y/N out, she already feared him because of whatever they had told her while in HYDRA’ control he didn’t need to make it worse. Slowly stepping up to the glass Y/N got to bare feet with a slight limp thanks to him but didn’t back down fingers twitching, a tic when she ran battlefield scenarios through her head quickly.

“How you fillin’ doll,” Bucky drawled allowing his accent to shine through while approaching the glass stopping just as bare sock feet touched it.

Short cropped black head cocking to the side, obviously debating to answer to finally utter an “ok” before taking a seat where she stood Bucky following suit.

“You remember me,” Bucky asked slowly keeping focus on the pondering creature that looked so nervous, wanting so bad to open the cell door & take her in his arms, hold tight but that was a move that would possibly make the skrull shut down.

“A little. You have twins right? Boy & girl,” she asked voice gritty from not being used in a while, fuzzed bed head making him smile but not as much as her admittance to the twins.

“Yeah you remember those rug rats,” the metal armed soldier asked, laying flesh hand to the back of overheated neck as he smiled, the skrull fixing him with a worried glance eyeing the metal arm before focusing back on troubled blue eyes.

“I… I remember when I first came they weren’t afraid of me,” she began slowly watching his reaction close, green fingers twitching.

“No, they weren’t. Do you remember us,” Bucky finally asked the burning question, hating to rush into it like that but he had to know, cursing himself for being so forward, but he had to know, Y/N was his & calmed his demons.

“I… I want to. I know you & I stayed together, shared a bed, we loved each other, I'm sorry… I can’t… they… he, took what I felt for you & the twins. I’m sorry,” the nervous skrull apologized sadly, green fingers twitching wondering what she was working through in her head.

“It's s’okay doll, calm down or you’ll have Shuri worried. We’ll help you get it back, I will help you sweetheart it's ok,” Bucky began watching crimson gaze flick nervously to the clock, holy shit what had Rumlow done to make the once confident skrull edgy.

“86 hours, 4 minutes, 31, 32 seconds,” the skrull spoke staring at the clock fingers jerking.

“What did you just say,” Bucky began, snapping Y/N out of it.

Bucky needed to know he heard correct before waking Shuri. The young woman would kill him if he got her up early without due cause but this was Y/N he was talking about, the two had hit it off when introduced when the skrull first came there, crimson eyes snapping to the soldiers as if something was said wrong.

“It's ok, it's nothing bad I want to make sure I heard you correctly. You were counting down how long you hade been back right,” Bucky began, reaching into the lounge pants for the phone, the skrull cautiously looking at it, noting the picture with her & the twins in what looked like Halloween costumes she had green wings.

“Wings,” she breathed out, on que a set of green wings materialized, Bucky typing quickly to switch off the screen, turning it to show the picture, holding it to the glass as wings melted away, green palms pressing to the glass looking the picture over, eyes glassing over before looking back up to Bucky.

“James Steven Barnes, Sara Ashley Barnes, they turned three the 28th of October,” Y/N breathed out mostly to herself but nodded for her to continue a smile taking over troubled face.

“Yeah baby,” Bucky whispered, pulling the phone away to find another, one that would hopefully trigger something else, something HYDRA wouldn’t know but Y/N would.

“What about this day,” he asked showing her the visit to the orchard with the team & twins, the skrull looking the picture over observing familiarity trying to catch hold.

“I… you had a bad day, started to leave… you thought I was leaving. Why did you think I was leaving,” Y/N began, looking up to Bucky puzzled as Shuri walked up with Steve & Tony close behind both looking to the three.

“Clint’s watching the twins, heard she was doing better,” Steve began, Y/N stepping back from the glass slightly, not sure what this meant looking worriedly to Shuri who smiled at her.

“She’s counting down time, like I do,” Bucky spoke quietly to Shuri who smiled swearing he heard her thoughts rambling at what it meant, that they wouldn’t have to come up with a idea from scratch it gave her a great place to start.

“Good, why don’t you let her out,” Shuri spoke to Tony who hesitated for a second.

“Yeah. I trust her more than Barnes anyway,” Tony spoke hurrying to open the cell, Bucky shooting the billionaire the bird.

The skrull hesitating to step out till everyone backed away from the door to allow her space, Bucky the first to great her, his own fingers twitching, wanting to touch green flesh but knew better, she had been touched enough it would have to wait.

“Why don’t you come with me,” Shuri began stepping forward, hinting for Y/N to follow her through the med bay to another room, the young scientist hinting for the men to leave them alone so a few test could be ran before she was cleared.

Quiet except for the talking of Shuri explaining what she was doing, the same calming voice she used with Bucky when helping him, the skrull doing as asked, while Bucky had to leave to see the twins before they went with the grandparents. This wasn’t the way he planned thanksgiving, it felt off since Y/N had…. it was going to be a different this year but promised he would be there to eat with the twins on Thursday & green couldn’t come because she was still sick.

Shuri letting Y/N go with Steve, both just hoping she remembered the two got along now & didn’t think of how the blonde acted towards her when she first came. The skrull walking with Steve as he explained Bucky was lost without her, bringing up of how she protected the twins from a centarian among other things. The talk turning to the upcoming holiday, the dinner they were having & as long as Shuri gave the all clear she would probably get to stay with Bucky that evening.

“It hurts him that I don’t remember,” Y/N began finally starting a conversation with Steve as they stepped towards the elevator to the Avengers floor.

“Bucky's a tough guy, he’s been through the same as you. He understands so don’t worry about it,” Steve explained, trying to put the skrull at ease as they entered the lift, the short ride opening to Bucky starting for the elevator a smile spreading across his face.

“I was just coming down to get you,” he smiled, Steve watching his friend light up though it was easy to see how nervous Y/N was, following Steve out.

“Well, special delivery,” Steve laughed as he stepped back to the lift before turning in the cab to look back at the two, “I got a debriefing, looks like you get the floor to yourself.”

“Punk,” Bucky shouted after Steve as the doors shut.

“Jerk,” Steve yelled back to Bucky the soldier smiling as he looked over Y/N, the tank & leggings ones he had taken to Shuri a day ago.

“Would you like a shower? Like a normal one shower that doesn’t time you,” Bucky asked the puzzling creature that looked him over, fingers twitching.

The t-shirt he wore, black compression shirt stretched over strong abs that felt wonderful under bare fingertips, against green flesh torso, hot, sweaty…

“What? Uh.. yeah that would be great,” Y/N began, the soldier not thinking to reach for green hand the skrull jolting back in a panic as if he had shocked her.

“Stop,” she yelled out jumbled mind registering searing pain as human flesh ghosted over the back of green hand.

“I'm sorry doll, I wasn’t thinking,” he apologized quickly making sure to keep a safe distance & give her space.

“It's ok, it hurts,” she apologized nervously, looking up to him & hoping he would continue to his room.

“I know,” he sighed out in hurt, looking at her worriedly but turn to hint for her follow to the room they shared.

A quiet shower without a ticking clock was one thing she didn’t realize she missed, relaxing to the bottom of the tub to allow the water to wash over tire body, hand filling over short hair that made her want to scream out. That day Y/N held down for it to be sawed off with a dull knife as a cruel joke. Arms wrapping around bare green legs, body shivering, thankful to not be under constant observance & taking the moment to finally have her breakdown. Forehead resting on quivering knees as tears fell, swirling down the drain, sobbing quietly, green hand going to quivering nape to touch over the scar from the tunnel & remembering a man yelling telling her…

Oh, gods this was terrible, no wonder her shower was timed, to much silence that echoed with the skrulls screaming, no wait that wasn’t in her head, jolting when the curtain flew back to find the metal armed soldier looking at the shaking creature worriedly. Screams making Bucky’ blood run cold because it was the sound memories made when they came back, kneeling next to the tub to be eye level, but not daring to touch, reaching slowly to cut the water off explaining what he was doing.

“I'm going to get a towel & put it around you, that ok,” he asked gently before ever reaching back for a towel, crimson eyes, red rimmed but drenched head shaking yes.

Slowly, taking time, careful not to touch bare flesh he laid it so Y/N could pull it how she wanted, leaning on the edge of the tub watching patiently, the skrull burying her head into pale knees a ragged sigh leaving before she looked up at him once again.

“Take as long as you need. You want me to leave,” he asked quietly, meeting troubled gaze, shocked wet head shook no.

“Stay, I’ve been alone for a while, please stay,” she pleaded quietly eyes begging along with her voice.

“Ok doll. Can I at least get you out of the tub? I know your cold & you have been in here for over an hour,” he gently asked the shivering creature that studied him over before shaking tired head yes.

“Is it ok if I…,” Bucky began but didn’t get to finish, Y/N knocking the towel away to wrap chilled arms around scorching neck to pull tight, Bucky burying his nose into the crook of trembling neck before strong arms snaked around shivering torso, slowly lifting & looping an arm under shaking knees to lift her out.

“They cut my hair,” she whimpered while he carried her to the bed, quick to lay with her, shivering green body curling into him, holding her close, allowing her to do what was needed to calm ragged nerves.

“It's ok sweetheart, it will grow back,” he reassured, slowly lacing flesh fingers into the short mess as she gradually calmed quiet sniffles sounding from his chest as ragged breath fanned over the wet t-shirt.

“It gets better,” he soothed grabbing the blanket to throw around them & daring to soothe along oddly relaxed spine.

“Hold me close, so I can sleep,” Y/N’ small voice echoed, without a word strong arms pulled tighter as green legs tangled with cloth covered ones.

“Anything doll, get some rest, I’ll stay right here,” he reassured, filling her go lax the instant he spoke, obvious she hadn’t been sleeping like Shuri thought but he knew better.

“It's alright doll, I gotcha,” he breathed out to the sleeping skrull finally safe in his arms.

Tags open! And re-blogs are ALWAYS welcomed!

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[officialleehadan]

Christmas Cookies

“I love you from the bottom of my heart, but I don’t trust your cooking. Stay out of my kitchen.”

For @justsomewritingprompts Winter Challenge! Thanks for tagging me. This was fun!

My three categories were:

Holiday Decorating/baking

“If I eat another cookie, it will be too soon”

Necklaces

+++

“I’m pretty sure this is MY kitchen,” Aiden said mournfully, but stayed on the other side of the marble-topped island. “I can cook.”

“Okay,” Sara agreed with her best you’re-full-of-shit smile even as she dropped softened butter and sugar into his never-used mixer. “What do you like to cook?”

“...pasta mostly,” Aiden said when her smile didn’t waver. “And sauce from a can. I didn’t say I was a GOOD cook!”

Big bad super villain indeed. She had to make a store run just for basic ingredients. How he lived like this, she had no idea.

Of course, the only reason Sara was in his kitchen at all was because a rival villain had tried to kidnap her out of her own coffee shop. A modern woman, she didn’t like the idea of hiding behind her Big Male Protector.

She also didn’t like the thought of going back to her definitely-underprotected apartment by herself. It was one thing to see the super villain battles on TV- including Aiden’s- and quite another to have a blood-covered monster threatening her life.

In all honesty, she was glad to have taken Aiden up on his offer of his guest room. Just for a day or two while he upped the security in her apartment. The sprawling penthouse was surprisingly welcoming.

“What are you making, anyway?” He asked as Sara cracked an egg into the the mixer and turned it up. “We already ordered dinner.”

“Christmas is in twenty days,” Sara said wistfully and measured out vanilla. “And I love Christmas cookies. I make a bunch for the cafe, but it’s different making them at home.”

Even if it wasn’t HER home. This was more festive than she usually got, anyway. Usually she was busy turning out huge orders for Christmas parties.

“I never seem to celebrate,” Aiden admitted, and went for her half-full shopping bag when she pointed. “What do you need?”

“Nutmeg,” Sara said, and tapped a careful teaspoon into the mix before slowing the mixer. “Just a little spice for Christmas. Normally I use lemon. I thought you always have parties? Doctor Rimehart invites me to his, by the way. I have no idea what to say.”

“Say yes, if you want to go,” Aiden retreated away when Sara folded in the flour with a white puff. “I’m going, If that’s any reassurance.”

“It is, honestly,” Sara admitted, and eyed the cookie dough. It was ready, and she scattered flour across the counter before rolling it out.

He didn’t have a rolling pin. She had stolen a bottle of wine for the job. Hopefully it wasn’t shockingly expensive, because now it was covered in butter and flour. An upturned glass served as a cookie cutter.

“Would you like me to be your escort?” Aiden offered quietly as Sara slid a pan of cookies into the oven. “I know it’s your first Villain party.”

Something in the way he said it made Sara focus on him. He was fiddling with his wine glass. She had come to recognize the habit. He only ever fidgeted when he was having Emotions and didn’t quite know what to do about them.

“Like a date?” she asked carefully and hoped she wasn’t reading him wrong. “Or just friends?”

“Like a date,” he confirmed, and stole a bit of cookie dough unrepentantly. “If you want. If not, forget I said anything.”

“No, no,” Sara hurried to reassure him and smiled brightly. She had been nursing a crush on the handsome villain for a while and thought he was just being a flirt. “I would love to go to the party with you. I hope you know I can’t dance at all.”

“I’ll teach you,” He grinned, and leaned back when Sara started to measure icing sugar into small bowls. “Rimehart always books the Central Park Ritz-Carlton.”

“I hear their ballroom is beautiful,” Sara murmured, inwardly calculating how much she could afford to spend on a new dress for the occasion. Her Super clientele tended to tip handsomely, and the number turned out to be higher than she expected. “It’s not too far to drive, either.”

Aiden gave her an odd look. “You aren’t planning to stay at the hotel?”

“I can’t really afford it,” Sara shrugged. He sometimes forgot that she was just a barista. Sure, she owned her cafe, but it seemed silly to drop that kind of money when home was close enough to drive. “I’ll take a cab after.”

“No-“ Aiden seemed to realize the problem. “That’s Not What I meant. When I said that Rimehart rents out the Ritz, I meant he rents out the WHOLE THING. Room and transportation are included in the invitation.”

Sara dropped her spoon into the half-finished blue icing.

“You’re joking,” she said flatly. The sheer thought of that much money made her head spin. “For a party?”

“He doesn’t really do half-measures.”

“I see that!”

“Actually, on the note of half-measures,” Aiden sat up and gave her a sidelong glance. “Would it be strange of me to give you your Christmas present now? I know it’s too early, but I’m not good at waiting.”

“If you want,” Sara blinked at him. “I was going to ask what you wanted, but I haven’t hade time to shop...”

“You don’t have to get me anything,” he called back as he went for his office. “But you could make me a cheesecake. I would fight the whole Hero Consortium for one of your cheesecakes.”

“It’s not nice to beat up the heroes!” She hollered after him and heard him laugh. “What flavor do you want?”

“Chocolate!” He yelled back, still laughing. Sara pulled the cookies out of the oven and set them aside to cook even as she put another batch in. “With the Oreo crust.”

Aiden reappeared with a small velvet box in hand. Sara felt a flash of worry, but the box wasn’t small enough to be a ring-box.

“I’m terrible at wrapping presents,” he told her cheerfully, and waited for her to wash her hands before offering it. “I didn’t figure you would mind.”

“I don’t,” Sara said dumbly, mind whirling at what he possible could have gotten for her. When she opened the box, she discovered a necklace with an oddly fractal pendant. The junctions glittered with different gems. “Oh, Aiden...”

“I saw it and thought of you,” he said with a smug smile. “It’s a caffeine molecule.”

That cut through Sara’s shock, and she started to laugh. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed, and lifted it out of the box. She turned and lifted her hair so he could fasten it. “Only the best for my coffee goddess.”

“It’s beautiful,” she told him, and ran a finger over the metal. She carefully DIDN’T ask if it was real. Not that she needed to. Aiden had more money than sense and tended to be extravagant. “Thank you. And I’ll make you cheesecake whenever you want it.”

“Dangerous offer,” he grinned, and reclaimed his seat. “And you’re welcome. What are you doing to the cookies, anyway?”

Cookies. Right. She was making cookies. With practiced hands, she began tracing designs in brightly colored sugar.

“Christmas ornaments,” she explained, and handed him the first one. He grinned when he discovered his Villain Signature in sparkly purple glitter. “I would do trees, but I need a cookie cutter for that.”

“I have eaten so many cookies,” he said, and ate the one in his hand with enthusiasm. “If I eat another cookie it will be too soon.”

He made a liar of himself by stealing two more and winked when she laughed at him.

Her new necklace warmed against her skin, and Sara felt peace creeping in around the edges of the kitchen.

Maybe it wasn’t too early for Christmas after all.

+++

Doctor Rimeheart (Supervillain Coffee Shop)

Handicapped

Power Rests in the Eye

Nuclear Option

Incidental Villain

First Summon

Even Supervillains run from Fangirls

The Blackest Coffee

Deal with the Devil

Fear and Coffeegrounds

Personal Space

Broken Countertops

Christmas Cookies

Revealed

Wannabe Wannabes

Home Life

Shadows Unleashed

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[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #374

“doctor, doctor, won’t you please prescribe me something?  /  a day in the life of someone else...”

Does someone have a crush on you but you don’t feel the same way? No. Who do you feel most beautiful around? No one. What’s one makeup item you cannot live without? I could live without any makeup. What’s the most expensive thing you own? My snake, I think. Or my laptop, idr. Are you more of a book person or a TV person? Book. Relationship status? Single. What color are most of your clothes? Black. Did you french kiss before you were 16? No, I was 16. Last song you listened to? "The Heretic Anthem" by Slipknot. Would you ever go back to any of your past relationships? Yes. What’s your favorite thing about life? That's a big question. I guess seeing acts of mass love and kindness, reminders that we're all in this together through all hardships. Who pays for the first date? Whoever asked the other person out, imo. Who has always been there for you? My mom. Have you ever written on a wall? No, at least not to my memory. Do you play any computer games, if so, what ones? I think anyone who reads these by now knows, haha. I don't much play anything else. I prefer console games. What would you name a baby boy if you had one? Probably Damien or Victor. What would you name a baby girl if you had one? Alessandra, no questions asked. What lyric means the most to you? I mean there's tons, but the first one that came to mind is "for such a little thing, you sure are in your own way" from "Get Up" by Mother Mother. Like in the big picture, we humans are so so so minuscule, but with brains that are too complicated for our own good. It's my own head that creates so many obstacles for me. Who is the smartest person you know? Probably my friend Girt. Have your parents ever been to jail? No. Do you share a bed with anyone? My cat, haha. Does it flatter you when guys open doors for you? It's flattering if anyone does, not just guys. Do you enjoy taking naps? Yeah. That's like part of my daily routine. If your friend asked you to hold their drugs, would you? Nope. Is there anyone you try to be a good influence for? My nieces and nephew, but I don't feel like I am. I'm a poor example of an adult. Do you own a pair of fishnets? No, but I have a pair of fingerless fishnet gloves. Which do you prefer: french toast, bagels, pancakes, waffles, bacon or cereal? All are great, but french toast. Yes or no: eyebrow piercings? I'd actually have one if I didn't have glasses. I think I'd look weird with one as I look now. When I say "The Beatles," what is the first song that comes to mind? "Hey, Jude." In your opinion, what is the very worst type of weather? Extremely hot and humid. You can only listen to one band for the rest of your life, who do you pick? Ozzy Osbourne, of course. Can you snap with both of your hands? Yeah, but it's harder with my left. What is something that you had to learn the hard way? For some people, promises don't mean shit. If you could re-paint your bedroom, what color would you paint it? Maybe like a light peach. When was the last time you got butterflies? I think not since Sara told me I look really pretty in eyeliner. ;_; <3 When was the last time you felt like your heart was actually breaking? There was this one time I was listening to "The Ghost of You" by MCR a while after finding out about Jason's mom's death and I just like... broke. When’s the last time you were in a line? When I was getting my second COVID shot. Do you trust the media? HA! Fuck no. If you could kill off one species of animal, which would it be? At first I was appalled by this question, but like... do wasps serve a purpose? Of all fauna, they annoy me the most. I mean bees are already endangered enough, and they prey on them. They don't pollinate, so like... why are you here. I may be mistaken and they have a valuable role, in which case I take all this back. Who’d you last say I love you to? My mom. What’s the most overpaid job in your opinion? I have on idea. Most jobs are underpaid. What’s the last thing you wrote down? I was doing some paperwork at the TMS office on my first day there. When’s the last time you heard a gunshot? I don’t know. What are you looking forward to? Now that my tattoo (which looks fucking stunning, by the way) is out of the way, I can focus on other things. I'm particularly looking forward to hopefully seeing the results of TMS manifest (which should take 3-4 weeks). It sounds horrible, but I'm also keenly awaiting this dog we're stuck with to go somewhere... The person who gave her to my sister to give my mom won't take the dog back, and we can't find another option that doesn't risk her being euthanized, which we absolutely do not want. We just don't know what to do, but she's driving Mom and me INSANE. Do you listen to online radio stations? No. Have you ever done something sexual that you regret? No. Have you ever said anything to the last person you kissed that you regret? Multiple things. Have you ever ate so much you puked? Ugh, no. That sounds awful. Do you care about what others think of your physical appearance? Very much, sadly. Would you rather eat cookies or brownies? I gotta say brownies. Which YouTuber have you learned the most from? I mean, this depends on the subject. From Mark, I've learned most about life and how (I think) to be a good person, but there's a lot of pet channels I watch that have taught me loads about proper husbandry. This answer just depends on what knowledge you're talkin' about. Who would you want to be the flower girl at your wedding? Probably a niece. Do you want to be married within the next ten years? It'd be nice. Do you feel like your life is too fast-paced, or do you wish it were busier? Ugh, I wish it was busier. My days are a COMPLETE, routine drag. What are some hobbies which you want to pick up? I want to just be more artsy. I wanna draw and write more, and I'd love love love to be in healthy enough shape to handle going on walks with my camera. There are sometimes I miss editing videos, too. I'm unsure about completely new hobbies. Does anyone encourage you to go after your dreams? My family and a few friends. Oh, and definitely my psychiatrist. What group are you most active in on Facebook? None, really. I mostly just observe. Are you ashamed of anything? A number of things. Primarily not having a job at my age or even being in school. What were your favorite Disney rides as a kid? I loved Splash Mountain, I think it was called. What were your favorite rides at Cedar Point? Never been. What are some places you want to visit that you’ve never been? South Africa, Alaska, Canada, Yellowstone National Park, Bahamas, Venice, Rome... What are some places that you’ve been that you’d like to go to again? Disney World, Chicago, and this one super clear lake I swam in once a few hours away that I don't recall the name of. Have you ever owned a succulent? No. While they're pretty, I've never been much of a plant person. Do you support small businesses? I REALLY want to start doing that more when I have the option to buy my own stuff/have my own income. As someone who wants to be a freelance photographer, I get it. Starting an independent business is hard as hell. If a brand were to sponsor you, which brand(s) would you prefer? Uhhh I dunno. Have you read the entire Bible? No. Do you make bucket lists for each season? No. That does sound kinda fun, though. How old were you when you first dyed your hair? I have no idea. Do you dye your hair regularly? No. :/ I desperately want to, though. It's just not something we can afford to spare cash on. What is the most comfortable type of pants, in your opinion? Pajama pants? haha Do you think you could ever be famous? No. I'm way too boring and don't want to be anyway. What are some jobs you’ve had in the past? Sales associate, cashier, and deli worker. None lasted long whatsoever. What are some jobs you want to or would like to have? List five. FIVE? I don't know. I just know I want to be a photographer. Well, being an artist or poet would be very cool. And a reptile breeder, maybe tarantulas, too, but that makes me kinda nervous with JUST how many babies they have. What are some jobs you have considered? In rough order from youth to now: paleontologist, vet, movie director, game designer, author/poet, artist, music video editor, wildlife biologist, photographer... Maybe there's more that just aren't coming to me. Are you thankful for social media, or do you wish it didn’t exist? Depends on the day for me, but I'm generally thankful for it so I can keep up with the lives of people who are important to me. It's just that it's a breeding ground for self-doubt and rampant comparisons that can easily depress me when I see some people are "further ahead" and more "established" than me. What are some of the best medications you’ve ever had? The combined efforts of Latuda and Lamictal saved my life. What was a video you watched over and over as a kid? There were lots of movies, like The Lion King, a certain Barney one when I was very young, and I watched Finding Nemo like crazy. Do you know a lot of people who were loving, and then turned cold? Jason????????????????? Is that you??????????????????????????????????????????? Do you own anything plaid? Ha, what a coincidence, I'm wearing my red plaid pj pants. Are you good at remembering names? Definitely not. Have the cops ever gotten on to you for anything before? No. What email thingy do you use? (yahoo, gmail, rock) ... Rock? lol anyway my main is Hotmail, but I inevitably have a gmail to have a YouTube account. What game system(s) do you own? PS2, Wii, Nintendo DS Lite, and a GameBoy Advance. Are you any good at Guitar Hero? I used to be; I played most songs on Expert, then some really tough ones on Hard. I was soooooo addicted to those games. I remember when I got the first one for Christmas, I literally played it all day. Have you ever played Call of Duty? Nah, not my jam. What is your favorite/most visited website? YouTube. Is your bed comfortable? Sure. I've definitely had way worse. Do you have a garage? No. Fun fact, I've never lived in a house with one. Should you be doing anything right now? What? There's a number of things I could be doing that are definitely more productive, like finishing decorating my damn room. Do doctors or dentists make you more nervous? Not really. I only ever get nervous to hear my weight at the doctor's. Did you ever think you were about to die before? I don't quite know. When I ODed, it was more like I didn't care if I did. Have you ever really had a near death experience? Was it cool? "Was it cool." Literally fuck off. I guess you could technically consider my OD a "near death experience," especially given how many pills I took, yet I somehow experienced almost no ill symptoms. Maybe because we got to the ER for fluids quickly enough, idk. I'm just glad I didn't die. What is your favorite kind of weather? Snowy! Like a steady snowfall of large flakes with no breeze and total silence. *chef's kiss* Ever tasted beer? Ugh, no. Just the smell makes me sick. It was my dad's drink of choice when he was an alcoholic so I just have a very negative association with it. Have you ever seen a dead body? Yes, at an open-casket wake. Ever poured salt on a slug? As kids, my sisters and I would get our parents to do it because they grossed us out. So, so cruel. I still have this weird but pretty extreme phobia of them, but I wouldn't torture the things like that.

[zombierunfiction]

Season 2 Mission 22: No Future

The following morning Charlotte was trying to sharpen her axe in peace but her thoughts kept running back over to the suicide of Francesca. She knew that there was nothing she could have done to save her but she still felt horrible about it.  Even Sam and Sara were affected by it.  Sara was concerned about how Charlotte was taken it while Sam was quieter than normal.

"Hey." Sara said as she walked over sitting next to her by the coms shack. The ground had a light snow on it but Charlotte didn't seem to really care about the cold.

"Hey." Charlotte said as she sharpped her axe the best she could.

Sara watched her for a while.  "How are you doing?"

"Could be better.  You?"  Charlotte asked.

"About the same.  Concerned about my friend."  Sara said softly as Charlotte stops sharpening before sighing softly.  

"And who could that friend me I wonder?"  She said sarcasticly.

Sara smiled slightly then leans against her shoulder.  "A lot of things have happened since you came here.  I wanted to make sure you were handling it well."

Charlotte takes a deep breath.  "If you asked me before Archie was killed I would have told you yes I am.  But... since she was killed..."

"Things are harder to shake off?"  Sara supplies.

"Yeah..."

Sara wrapped her arm gently around her.  "Do you blame yourself for her death?"

Charlotte shook her head slowly.  "No... but I feel responsible for her getting tangled up in with Van Ark."

"Van Ark targeted her because of her ability to retain knowledge.  You did everything you could to save her.  Both you and Jamie.  It just wasn't God's plan to save her."  Sara said softly.

"Yet God lets Van Ark continue to do what ever he pleases while Archie took a bullet to the chest.  Not one but two."  Charlotte said bitterly.

Sara sighs softly.  "Nothing I say is going to make you feel better. The only thing you can do is continue to fight.  Don't let Archie's sacrifise be in vain."

Charlotte slowly looked at her.  "Sara... Are you afraid that I might try to eat my gun so to speak?"

Sara looks at her seriously.  "Are you?"

Charlotte shook her head.  "No.  But the thought has popped up once or twice.  I had an aunt who commited suicide when I was little.  I wouldn't want to put anyone through that.  Especially Sam."

Sara nods slowly.  "I'm glad you have something anchoring you to us. I'd hate to have to break in a new partner."

Charlotte chuckles dryly.  "Same here.  When you were gone you left me with Simon.  Now he is a good runner but he's no Sara."

Sara smiles gently petting the top of her head.  "Come on.  Sam asked me to come get you for a run."

"Figures." Charlotte said standing up putting the sharpening stone away.

Soon Charlotte and Sara were outfitted with packs and headsets standing by the gates.  "Raise the gates!"  Sam said as the gates slowly raise for them.  "And you're good to go.  So, Runner Eight, Runner Five, the mission briefing is - oh God, I sound like Janine, don't I?  The aim today - no, can't do that, either.  Yeah, look, we've had a bit of intel.  One of the outlying settlements picked up a transmission from one of Van Ark's men.  They're transporting some audio equipment through Hamling Fountain Park today, probably to do with the tone signal control of the zombies. And, uh, well, we want you to-"

"Spy on them?"  Sara suggests.  "What would make you think I'm the right person to send on an assignment like that?"

"Oh, you've always had a bit of a spy vide to you, you know?  I mean, just that you're a crack shot, and sort of secretive, and uh, that sort of thing."  Sam said quickly.

"Before the apocalypse, I just had an ordinary office job, Sam.  Just a boring bureaucratic job."  Sara said offhandedly.

Sam chuckled slightly.  "Isn't that what you're suppoused to say if you're a spy?"

"Maybe." Charlotte suggested.  "And it's also what you'd say if you did have a boring office job.  How do we know this isn't one of Van Ark's traps?"

"Yeah, I'll be honest - we don't."  Sam said softly.  "But you know, don't worry.  We've got a lot of cams in place around the fountains.  We'll spot any trouble before it sees you."

"And what are they showing you right now?"  Sara asked.

Sam took a moment to answer.  "Hang on... Yeah, just fountains.  Or, well, you know - nozzles where the fountains used to be before all the water got cut off."

"No sign of anyone around yet?"  Charlotte asked as they continued to run.

"Nope." Sam said confidently.

"Then let's get there before they do."  Sara said as they sped up heading towards the fountain.  After a half hour of running, Sara spoke up.  "Approaching the foundtains now."

Charlotte looked around seeing an abandoned playground with overgrown plants starting to overtake the swings and slides.  "Dead playgrounds are always really errie."  She said slowly.

"Yea. Imagine - once upon a time, these fountains would be surrounded by kids playing, laughing -"  Sam said before a gunshot rings out making Sara and Charlotte looking around fast.

"Do you hear that?"  Sara said quickly.

"Mm, getting it on long-range cams."  Sam said.

"Is it Van Ark's men?"  Charlotte asked.

"It is, yeah.  It is, but they're not transporting anything.  They're chasing someone.  A man-"  Sam responds before Sara jumpped in.

"Our enemy's enemy is a friend.  Who is it?"

Sam hums softly.  "Mm, I can't quiet-"

"I see them!"  Sara said pointing towards the small group. "They're coming closer.  Behind the trees, Char."  The two of them moved to the trees hiding behind the large trunks.

Charlotte peeked from behind the side of the tree as the men continued to chase a single man firing as they went.  "I don't like the look of this.  We should move."

Sara nods.  "They'll never see us if they're not looking for us. Hopefully they'll run straight past us."

A few minutes later, the man that was being chased managed to lose the men briefly.  “I knew you’d come!”  The man said as Charlotte blinked.

“Ephraim?!” She squeaked suddenly as the religious man jumped over the bushes to them.

“God, it really is the rerun episode of all our best traitors from last season, isn’t it?”  Sam said as Sara and Charlotte backed away from Ephraim.

“You’re the one who led us straight to Van Ark’s men the last time we met him.”  Sara said as a gunshot rang out making the three people look over seeing that the soldiers were running over.

“Wow. Looks like he’s not working with them anymore, judging by the fact they’re firing guns at him.”  Sam said quickly as the three of them took off away from the soldier.

“You have to help me.  I sent that message so you’d come when I left my hidey-hole.  I knew you’d come.”  Ephraim said quickly.

“Yeah… no, you don’t have to help him.”  Sam said.

“I second that notion.”  Charlotte said as Ephraim speaks up quickly.

“I know one of you is betraying Abel Township.  Someone told Van Ark that you were planning to go to his old labs when your runner Archie got caught.  You were betrayed!  If you don’t help me, you’ll never find out who it is!”  He said quickly making Charlotte and Sara look at him fast.

“We have a mole in Abel?”  Charlotte questioned.

Sam takes a deep breath.  “I’m agreeing to this under duress.  No bringing him back to Abel.”

“Van Ark already knows where Abel is, Sam.”  Sara said slowly.

“Yeah, but he could have like, a tracker or something.  Or a bomb strapped to him!”  Sam said.

“He’s thin as a rail Sam.  Weak too.”  Charlotte said quickly.

“Oh, well, I dunno.  Some kind of hypno-ray.”  Sam suggests as Charlotte sighs heavily.

“Sam enough ok.”  She said slowly.

“I don’t expect you to trust me, the good Lord knows.  You just have to listen.”  Ephraim said slowly.

“Hey Char look!”  Sara said stopping on the street they had been running down.  “This manhole cover’s been lifted.  If we go down into the dewers, we can get away from the area before Van Ark’s men get anywhere near us.  I’ve used sewers before for transport." She said pulling it open completely pushing it to the side.  "Good for confusing the enemy."  She climbs down in as Charlotte gave Ephraim a look.

"You next."  She said as the man nodded and rushed down the ladder. Charlotte followed pulling the lid closed over their heads.  She dropped down into the calf high water.

"We'll find somewhere to take him, away from Abel, Sam."  Sara said.

"The sewers?  What is this, Buffy the Vampire Slayer?  Or the substantially less-good Angel, which had a few too many sewer scenes in it, if you ask me.  I know vampires have to hide from sunlight, but what's wrong with the tube if you need to get around without getting really bad sunburn?”  Sam questioned as the three of them ran as best they could through the sewer.

“This way, Char.  Sorry it's a bit smelly.”  Sara apologised.

Charlotte laughed.  “It's better than being shot at.”  

“Are you sure this is safe?”  Sam asked concerned.

“I've held conversations down here before.  Secret conversations.”  Sara explained vaugely.

“But is it zombie free?”  Sam asked.

“Well if it's not then we can just leave Ephraim down here.”  Charlotte suggested.

“I'd have to say no.  There are definitely zoms about.”  Sara said as the sound of groaning seemed to echo around them.  “Hard to say how close.  Sound does funny things down here.”

“Great. Two of our finest runners leading a known traitor through a zombie-infested sewer.  What could possibly go wrong?”  Sam questioned.

“No plan's perfect.”  Charlotte said as a gun shot rang out suddenly.

“That way, go!”  Someone shouted from behind them.

“Sounds like Van Ark's soldiers have found their way into the sewers.” Charlotte said looking back to see how close they were.

“Never mind, I know a few tricks to throw them off our tail.”  Sara said as she reached into her pack digging for something.  She pulled out something then chucked it behind them with a plop when it hit the water.  “Two minutes until that goes off.  Come on, keep moving. You can tell us what you know while we're on the move, Ephraim.”

More gunshots flew around hitting the sewer walls as Ephraim sighed heavily.  “I'm sorry, ma'am.  I surely am, to have brought you to this plight.  I thought you'd come from my message, I could leave my hiding place, and we could talk.  But as soon as I moved, that devil know what I was about.  The good Lord's brought you to my rescue.” Suddenly another gunshot rang out making Ephraim shout and fall into the water.

“It's over, Ephraim!  Come back and we can treat that wound.  It's your only chance!”  The soldiers shouted as Charlotte grabbed Ephraim's arm lifting him out of the water.

“You're of the devil, all of you!”  Ephraim shouted back at them.  “He has you in his power, and the Lord knows it!”

Sara came around and helpped Charlotte lifthim out of the water and back onto his feet.  “Char, support him.  If they keep chasing us, they're end up in just the right place.”  She said as Ephraim groaned deeply.

“I'm not a cripple.  The power's in me, I can-” He shouted in pain as he stood on his leg that was shot nearly toppling Charlotte and himself over.

“Damn it idiot.  Let me help you!”  Charlotte said quickly straightening them up.  They  started back down the sewer as Sara goes to a gated area and opens up the door.  

“This way, fast as you can.” Sara said quickly as Charlotte and Ephraim ran as fast as they could through the gate.  Sara shut it behind them and took off right behind them.  “It's a maze down here.  Even if more come and know we're here, if we can just get away from these guys who've seen out location-”  

“I'm bleeding out fast.  It's not time for me, Lord, tell me it's not my time yet.  I can't run.” Ephraim said slowing down drasticly.  

“You might not have to run.” Sara said  an explosion suddenly rocked the water at their feet sending several waves towards them.  “Come on. Fast as we can.”  Sara took up Ephraim's other arm and helpped Charlotte take Ephraim down the tunnel as fast as they could.  

After several turns Charlotte looks back behind them.  “I think we're clear.  We've lost Van Ark's soldiers.”  She said.

“Mm... yeah, and gained a whole lot of zoms shambling right towards you.” Sam said quickly.

“Dammit. We need to get out of here, now.”  Sara said quickly.

“I can't!”  Ephraim shouted in pain as the two girls led him down an access area.

“Come on move it alter boy.”  Charlotte said as Sara let go to climb up the ladder.

“I'll get this cover up.  Just hold him up.”  Sara said as she pushed at the cover grunting hard.

“What's wrong?”  Charlotte asked looking up at her.

“It's stuck!”  Sara grunted as she pushed harder.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”  Ephraim said paniced.  “Oh, the Lord is merciful.  Leave me here.  He'll take me up in His arms.”

“Uh, I'm afraid you might have to.”  Sam said slowly.

“It's too late for that.”  Sara grunted as she pushed again poping the lid up pushing it open.  “That's it!”  She said as she climbed up fast.  “Come on Char let's go!”  

Charlotte helpped Ephraim hold onto the ladder before climbing up herself. “Come on Ephraim!”  She said turning holding out her hand to him. Sara followed suit letting Ephraim grab both of their hands.

The zombies shambled towards him as he was yanked down slightly.  “One of them's got hold of my shoe!”  Ephraim shouts.

“Come on Char, pull!”  Sara said as the girls pulled as hard as they could trying to get him up through the hole.

“Ah, Runner Eight, the devil will drag you under!”  Ephraim said as he was released letting them pull him up.

“He's free!”  Charlotte shouts as she pushed Ephraim's shot leg out of the way while Sara pushed the cover back into place.

Once done Sara knelt on the ground breathing deeply.  “Fresh air, thank God!  And the zoms won't be able to get through that cover.”  She said before turning her attention to Ephraim.  “Alright Ephraim. Time to tell us what this is all about.”  She said standing up looking down at him.

“Yes, yes...Oh Lord, the pain.”  Ephraim said holding his bleeding leg.

“He doesn't sound too good...”  Sam said slowly.

“I don't care!  Talk!”  Sara snaps as she looks down at Ephraim.

Ephraim sighs heavily the nods.  “I'm a sinner, I know it.  I sinned against you, and for that, I'll answer.  But I did it all for my sister.  She got bit, see?  Van Ark promised he could save her, put her in this tank.  Said if I'd only do as he asked, he'd give her his medicine, turn her right back human again.”  He took a deep breath lowering his head.   “Only he never did.  There was always one more thing he needed me to do.  Then one day, Patty's body was gone.  He'd used her as a soldier!  Never had no intention of letting her live. So I ran, hid.”

Charlotte stood up slowly looking down at him.  “But why run to us?  You can't have expected a warm welcome.”  She said.

“The good Lord told me to come to you, because of what I know.  There's a traitor in your midst, and I know you'll want your eyes opened to that.  And why did I come to you?  My enemy's enemy is my friend.” Ephraim said as a gunshot rang out making Sara and Charlotte look over.

“Sounds like Van Ark's soldiers followed over ground.”  Charlotte said.

“Can you carry Ephraim?”  Sam asked worriedly.

“We'll have to try.”  Sara said as the girls helpped Ephraim to his feet and headed towards the lake that headed down to a river.  

More gunshots were heard as the soldiers shouted.  “Surrender, and we won't kill you!  We know you cannot get away!”

“You're right, I'm hurt to bad.  I can't outrun them.  You can.  A message – I brung you a message.  You have to tell them – I heard the plans, the plans made with that traitor.  Van Ark's gathering zoms – fast zoms, hundreds of them, his whole force – a vast army like the battle of Gog and Magog, the last battle in all the world!  He's going to march on Abel and New Canton and grind them into dirt.” Ephraim said quickly.

“Surrender, it's your last warning!”  The soldiers shouted.

“Last warning?”  Sam questioned.  “They must be a mile and a half off, on foot. And Ed's got some of his bikes stowed around here.”

Sara looked around then pointed ahead of them.  “Hey Char, see that boat?  If we can just - “

“-purposing to kill you all!  Every last one from the oldest to the tiniest child.  He's tired of waiting!  Now go, warn them!”  Ephraim continued as they headed towards the boat.

“We can't leave him here to die, even him.  Help me put him into the boat, Char.  We'll cast him off the shore, and-”  Sara sad as they all but dumpped into the boat.

“The betrayor at your table – I never saw them or heard their voice. But it's the one your Major loves best of all.  That's what I heard him say.  The one she trusts most of all.  The best beloved is always the one who betrays.”  Ephraim continues to speak as he gets situated in the boat.  “He's coming!  He's coming with his army, and he will have you all!”  He said as Charlotte and Sara pushed the boat off sending him into the water with his oars.

Charlotte breathed deeply as she looked at Sara, her head still reeling from the information Ephraim just gave them.  “We should go.”  She said softly.

“Yeah... he will have a chance at surviving now but we need to get to those bikes before Van Ark's men get near us.”  Sara said as they took off away from the water.

“You were too kind to him Sara.”  Charlotte said.

“No mercy from you?  How about you Sam?”  Sara asked.

“Not for anyone who tried to get my runners killed, no.  If he lives or dies, well, it's none of our business.”  Sam said.

“But he did bring us that information.”  Sara supplied.

“Yeah... let's hope it's not too late.”  Charlotte said softly as they ran towards the bikes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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Season 1 Beginning

Season 2 Beginning

[avaquet]

Oki doki. Romance asks 1 and 2,17,26, 24 and 30.

Thank you so much anon!!!! And i’m so damn sorry this took me forever I was dying well just allergies but still

(okay tumblr don’t eat my answer)

LONG POST AHEAD:

1. What drew your character to their LI and vice versa?

- It definitely was not love at first sight, they had to build up trust with one another. But, Sara was feeling extremely alone at the time and she didn’t want Jaal to feel like an outcast on the ship because she knew how being alone felt, so she started hanging out with him more, and she got interested in angara and their culture and then just Jaal in general. It built more and more after that. Jaal appreciated what Sara was trying to do and he was horrible at trusting too early, but Sara was different, right? He was relieved to find out that he had been right, and he started learning and asking questions about humans and then Sara in general. He saw her at first, more of like a rubix cube, she was shy and introverted and awkward, and just over time she started opening up and stuff. At this point they both started to get that feeling like they’ve known each other forever, even though they really don’t. Like finding each other so easy to talk to, they continued learning new things but couldn’t shake the feeling of this “Maybe I’ve known you in a past life?” kind of thing.

Sara, doesn’t flirt, and she’s never been in a relationship before, but her words became more and more suggestive over time and she didn’t even realize it herself until SAM was like “Your heart races when you talk to Jaal” “you seem to smile more around him” “Your tone is different” etc etc. and she was like “o shit” and then Jaal sent her that email and she started freaking out because she discovered feelings and oh someone actually cares for her in that way. She actually thought Jaal sent it to the wrong person despite it having her name and being addressed to her. For Sara, she just had a very strong emotional attachment to Jaal and found him attractive internally first, through his personality and stuff, and then just over time she became more like “mm dat ass” Jaal was similar, attracted to her spirit first, her kindness, her heart, and then over time he started to get attracted to her physically and at meals would catch himself just staring at her and taking her form all in, smiling when she would smile, and just getting lost.

2. What was the first moment that they knew they were in love with their LI?

- I kinda answered this above, but here is the breakdown lol (sorry i can get carried away)

Sara basically had to be told by SAM that she was developing feelings for Jaal. There wasn’t really a pin point moment for her until Jaal sent that email after returning the Moshae to Aya, when she realized that “holy shit” her feelings are being reciprocated. There might have been a lot of squirming around in her bed with her clutching a pillow and smiling like an idiot but also just doubting everything after reading that email.

Jaal sorta had an interest in her from when he first saw her on Aya, but a different kind of interest. She’s alien, unlike anything he’s ever seen. After getting through her shy shell, he found that she was very emotional, empathetic, sympathetic, artistic, kind, etc etc. That she followed through on her actions and promises to help others, that she was steadfast in her beliefs. After a while these feelings of, “I want to know more about her” started peaking up. He found himself drawn to her and started to pay active attention to her words, and figured out that she seemed to be flirting with him. So, after he made sure he was staying on the Tempest, he sent her that email to hopefully try and get her to talk to him about these feelings they both might be having and maybe even spark a flame sometime.

17. Their ways of expressing love.

- Oh boy lol here we go… Jaal… doesn’t hold back. After every battle on the field he is constantly asking Sara if she is okay and checking her over and over. Every morning he asks about her dreams and how her sleep went, sometimes he would wake her up by planting kisses all over her face, or just zapping her, and sometimes both at the same time. Every morning he reminds her to eat, not that she needs the reminder, but she has hyperthyroidism and he wants to make sure she’s healthy as possible. He holds her often, embraces her, tries to make her laugh as much as he can (which doesn’t take much). He asks her to read him Earth stories from books that his translator cannot translate. He makes her things and writes her poems. He gives her space when she needs to be alone. He respects that she doesn’t like to show PDA, but slowly pushes those boundaries because he can’t help himself sometimes. He will draw her, he tries to immortalize her in art basically. He will treat her body like a temple and see her as a goddess. He isn’t obsessive, he doesn’t see her as weak, in fact if he’s worried that she might be doing something a bit off like hand to hand maybe, he will seek out a way to help her learn and try to teach her. At the same time he takes in everything Sara teaches him. There’s always times where he would just bathe her in affection, that’s usually before a battle, because he understands losing someone and having regrets about not spending enough time with them or just leaving things on an argument. Even in situations where he had no words, like when she is having an anxiety attack, he would just hold her and let her cry on him. He would whisper phrases in Sheelesh that cannot be translated in english, and these phrases just hold so much meaning, a meaning which cannot be translated.

Sara on the other hand, she’s hard on herself so she feels like she needs to show him more affection all the time but he reassures her that she does a lot already. and I have a headcanon angaran philosophy of; “Giving is receiving and receiving is giving.” Basically you can give someone a gift and their emotion and how they use their gift is basically a gift right back to you. That you were able to encourage this kind of reaction from someone, kind of thing. ANYWAYS, she plays music for Jaal on the violin that he made her (long story). She will draw him as well, she will worry about him, too. She lets him lay in her lap, play with her hair, etc. She gives him massages constantly, she will treat any and all wounds on him after a battle. She might not like PDA but she’s constantly testing her own limits for him. She takes in and listens to everything he says, especially when he’s in an existential crisis. She’s learning Sheelesh from him so they don’t have to rely on translators anymore in the future. She will have silent meditations with him. Sometimes she will sing him (or hum) him to sleep. She cuddles up against him constantly, which he just fekin loves. She loves to try out new things with him. She’s always communicating with him, and being honest with her emotions, and not holding anything back which he deeply appreciates. She makes sure that his work doesn’t get in the way of him eating or sleeping. She makes him feel like a god when she can. She’s always shy about her bellydancing but Jaal can get entranced by it so she gives him little shows once in a while, and over time she’s not that shy about dancing in front of him anymore. She’s always talking to Sahuna about everything really, and surprises him constantly.

Together, you’ll find them touching each other in some way. They will talk philosophy and spirituality. They constantly ask each other if they’re okay, if they’ve eaten, or how well they’ve slept. They talk about their futures together, and can be seen having late night conversations in the Pathfinder’s cabin with all the lights off, cuddling with the blanket he made her, under the stars until they’re ready to fall asleep. In battle it’s like they can get hyper aware of the other and can worry constantly. Sometimes they have little heated debates after a battle, no yelling or calling each other names or getting personal, cause they are mature, but mostly one just being very feking worried about the other. They will give each other alone time and some time apart because they know that a healthy balance alone can bring them even closer together later. And it’s also important to have time alone and it’s part of self care. They also have a lot of silent moments together; meditating, reading, star gazing, just caressing one another, doing reports, drawing, one reads while the other uses their lap as a pillow. All the fun stuffs.

24. Is there any moment that happens between them that you know happens that just makes you melt?

- Oh yes, definitely. I think… There are three main ones that happen in game that will always make me squirm in my seat. In no order:

*When Jaal says things like, “You make my heart sing.” “You are the most incredible person I’ve ever known. In body, and spirit.” And the way he just looks at her when he says these things like he’s speaking directly into her soul from his and just adkfjlashdgakjf;g

*That split second moment at the end of the game before he kisses her. Like it just hit him all the times she could (and) have died in that battle, so many times their future plans would just be ruined, that they are free of the Archon, that these future plans can come to fruition, that she is alive. And he just can’t help himself but bring her close into a fast and deep kiss because he was just so worried and now just so damn excited and just a barrage of intense emotions that he just can’t express any other way.

*That moment when she’s taking off her clothes by the waterfall and his lip does that little curl, he was just so damn ready for her. And while she was checking him out while they were both naked and he just maintained eye contact with her and just had this deep ass smile like fhsaldkjfa

and sooo many other moments too don’t worry lel

26. How important is the romance in your OC’s overall story?

- Honestly? They could’ve remained very close friends like brother and sister and still have built each other up and such, with the same amount of support and gifts. So, not a groundbreaking thing in reality. Don’t get me wrong, they’re madly in love, but if they were just friends then well like I said above. Eh, it’s hard to explain, they’re very close as friends and lovers, but the love thing was more of a cherry on top sort of deal, they realized like hey this person is one I’m attracted to intimately. They do believe (and as their writer hueheuehuehue) that they are soulmates and twin-flames so win win XD

30. How does their love change as they get older?

- Well, they were serious and mature in the relationship to begin with so that part doesn’t change much. But in the beginning, Sara was shy and Jaal was afraid of overstepping his boundaries. Things were nervous, awkward, exciting, worrisome (because of battle). As much as they enjoyed their first kiss, they had to build up to it again after a while because of nerves and such. As they experienced more together and got older, they became a hell of a lot more open with each other. They always laughed about awkward things but now it could make them roll on the floor laughing so hard. They kiss all the time, PDA isn’t much of an issue anymore, they feel so damn comfortable in the other one’s arms, things just calmed down and they found home in each other’s presence. They are (mostly Sara, cause Jaal already was) more open and honest about their emotions to each other. They learned to communicate much better, and after a while (long while), they don’t need the translators anymore. They would talk to each other in Sheelesh and in English, sometimes both in the same sentence (sometimes merging words together and being like ??? at the same time and then laughing their ass off)

Anyways! Thank you again so very very much for sending me this ask so very long ago and I apologize again for the late response, and as you can tell my urge to write is kicking in XD please send more asks! I love them all

[afy2018]

A New Legend Chapter 1

The wind swept through the air in loud gusts. Dust cloud cluttered the air as grainy fog in the desert. A human trudged alone through the cooler air, a bag strapped across her chest and her face completely covered, goggles over her eyes. Her beige and grey-brown clothes whipped and flapped in the high winds. She stopped and tightened her belt for the fifth time that hour. Her goggles clouded over again, so she wiped them off. This planet was hard to live on, but it was home for her. Her. That was her name now. No real name to her employers at the Tosche Station or Chalmun's Cantina, even Jabba- her main employer- didn’t really know her name anymore. Better for her though. Better for Sara Lance, a descendant of the leader of the Mandalorian Knights, Dorjander Kace.

Sara held her sabre close to her heart, walking to Mos Eisley for work again. She came up to the houses at the outskirts of the town. Maybe she could get some food from Mick and Leo while she had time. They usually spent a lot of time in Mos Eisley, home away from home for them. Sara wiped the sand off of her goggles again as she neared the small manors. She glanced at the house numbers, searching for the correct address before rapping on the wooden door marked 2490. A bald man opened the door, a rag tied around his neck. He smiled and pulled Sara in by the collar.

“Where have you been?” Mick asked.

“Working.” Sara laughed, removing her goggles and mask.

“Luckily we don’t have to clean up after you.” Leo joked from the doorway. “Here for another refill?”

“And to catch up. I’m not that much of a mooch.” She sighed pulling her hair back into a bun again.

“You should really settle down. Find a friend to share while you’re working.” Mick suggested, searching for some older rations that had to go.

“Then I’d have to actually spend my money on food and shelter.”

“See, you really are a mooch,” Leo smirked. “So where are you coming from?”

“Jabba’s Palace.”

“Again?”

“He’s just needing someone to smuggle droid parts onto Tatooine from… Naboo, I think. I’ve just been going from here to his palace for the… fourth time. What have you been doing?”

“The usual. Stealing droids and fixing them before resell. Makes good money.”

“Here.” Mick cut in, holding a bag of food. “Some dewback jerky, hubba bread, and the rest of our womp rat soup -which I would eat first. Here.” He smiled handing the bag to her.

“What would I do without you guys.”

“Get food from someone else,” Leo smirked hugging Sara. “Now go on your way, bother another bounty group.”

“Wait, come on, I haven’t seen you guys in months. How’s it been going with Ray?”

“Great, really. Kind of weird.” Leo began.

“He means that he’s deep in love and doesn’t know how to act,” Mick explained nudging him with his elbow.

“Okay, that’s enough. What about you and that guy. The rich boy?”

“Oliver? Nothing. I don’t see him. I moved on to this other girl, but she’s too busy with her family’s business to have any sort of relationship.”

“We should tell her.” Mick broke in.

“Why did you make it sound so ominous?”

“Tell me what?” Sara asked.

“There’s a large group of people who are getting together in secret trying to overthrow the Empire. You know, the sith. They’ve been coming here to recruit as many people as they can. Apparently, there have been some older kids joining. We’ve been thinking of going as well.”

“I never would’ve thought that you’d be apart of a rebellion.”

“I’m not usually serious, but life is only so long, Sara. We need to do something with it before we die. This is way bigger than us, bigger than everyone. It’s important.” Leo said, crossing his arms and grabbing a medallion from his pocket. He glanced down at it and sighed before looking up at Sara. “Now I know that you may not care, but by next month, Mick, Ray and I will be gone.”

“So this is goodbye?”

“Hopefully not, but maybe.”

Sara nodded and hugged Leo and Mick. “You guys have been like brothers to me. You saved me and brought me here. I’m so glad that I got to meet you two. Thank you.”

“I hope we see each other again, and that this isn’t really goodbye.”

Sara nodded and turned away. “I’ll think about it.”

“If you change your mind, they’re planning to come back by the end of the year.”

“Okay.” Sara nodded. “Well, I’m going to the cantina to get a drink, you wanna join?”

“Of course, but you’re buying.”

“My treat then.”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13801614/chapters/31731924

~

The loud music from the group of musicians in the corner livened up the dark room. Aliens of many races drank and talked at the bar, the tables or against the wall. People walked in and out, pushing and stealing from one another as they passed by. It was shady and suspicious, but it was home for these people, she guessed. Maybe hold her belongings a bit closer. That’ll work. Hopefully. A blonde woman walked up to the bar. Her hair tied back in a tight bun, obvious that she didn’t actually belong on Tatooine even though she was wearing a traditional long dress and poncho to protect her skin. She tapped on the the bartender’s shoulder, waiting for him to turn around. He glanced at her, looking her up and down before nodding.

“Tatooine Sunset.”

He grunted in response and filled a glass with the sweet liquor. He slid the drink to her, waiting for her to pay him before letting go of the glass.

“So what’s your name sweetie?” A young rodian asked in his native tongue.

She smirked at the alien and chuckled “Yeah I’m too old for you tyke.”

“Just tell me your name.”

“Ava.”

“Beautiful. I’m Greedo.”

“Well, Greedo, while I’d like to sit and chat, I don’t have a lot of time to… play.” She smiles. “Sorry.”

Greedo cocked his head to the side, turning away to a corner where a few other shady aliens are. Ava watched him talk with his friends. She shook her head with a slight grin and went back to her drink. A hand roughly grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. The alien garbled at her in a foreign language that she couldn’t really understand. Ava turned back to her drink, finishing it in a swift tilt of the glass. A young humanoid alien tapped her on the shoulder.

“He doesn’t like you.” He explained.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized with a scoff.

He clutched her arm, yanking her back into the conversation. “I don’t like you either. Don't insult us.” He hissed tightening his grip on Ava’s arm. “You just watch yourself. We're wanted, men. I have a death sentence in 12 systems.” He bragged.

“I’ll be careful then.” She smirked getting a bit annoyed and turning away.

“You’ll be dead!” He yelled with a vicious grin.

Another human quickly walked between them. She pressed her hand against Ava’s shoulder, pushing her away. “This little one isn't worth the effort. Let me buy you something-”

The alien pushed the human into Ava, pulling out his blaster. Ava reached for the lightsaber at her hip. The blonde looked at her and put her hand over the weapon.

“You can’t use that here.” She whispered.

“No blasters! No blasters!” The bartender exclaimed.

The two aggressive aliens turned away and walked out of the bar. Ava turned to the blonde and smiled.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing. You’re not the only tourist I’ve had to save.”

“Why can’t I use my sabre here?”

“Tatooinians don’t really like… us. In fact, most people don’t trust us or anyone who wields a lightsaber. You have to be very careful.” She explained in a hushed tone. “So obviously you’re not from here. Where are you from?”

“Nowhere you know.”

“Try me.”

“Is it usual here, bar fights?” Ava asked switching subjects.

“Of course. You’re most definitely not from here. Tatooine is a very shady place, but it’s home. People are always fighting. I’d be suspicious if an hour went by without a fight. ” Sara smiled. “Well, hey, if you’re not too busy, my friends and I are having a quick drink. Wanna join?”

“... Why not.” Ava nodded.

“Great.” Sara smiled, sliding back over to her friends. “This is Leo and Mick, and I’m Sara.”

“Hi, Ava.” She greeted them.

Leo smiled and drank from his tall glass, leaning against the bar. “So what brings you to Tatooine? Obviously not the weather or people.”

“Just a new adventure.”

“Well, you must live on the wild side then if this feels like an adventure and not just a death sentence.”

“Don’t mind his sarcasm, here, have this.” Sara offered, sliding her drink to Ava.

“What is it?”

“Bantha Blaster” She smiled.

“What does it taste like?”

“Very sweet and fizzy,” Leo explained. “They drink it all the time.”

“I swear by it.” Sara grinned, leaning towards Ava as she ordered another drink.

Ava sniffed the drink; Endor, she thought, it reminded her of Endor. She inhaled and took a swig from the pink and green liquor. The bubbly concoction fizzed and popped on her tongue before a very sweet sugary sensation coated her taste buds. It burned at first, but then warmed her throat and became tart at the end. Ava coughed at first, and chuckled, shaking her head.

“A little strong?” Sara asked.

“Yeah, but good. A very fun drink, though.” Ava smiled, covering her mouth.

“So you’re from this area?”

“Not really. I’ve spent the past 6 years here but I’m originally from a different planet.”

Leo leant over to Sara, whispering to her. “You know, it’s great to see you head over heels. I haven’t seen you reveal this much since we all met.”

“What are you talking about?”

He pulled away, turning to Mick. “I think we should go back home. We need to get packed before our trip.”

“Leo,” Sara asked being ignored.

“I know, but we have to, see you around little canary.” He sighed walking out of the cantina.

“Mick!”

“Sorry, gotta go.”

Sara huffed as she watched her friends leave, shaking her head and drinking the bantha brew. Ava also finished her drink and cleared her throat.

“Well, I’m glad that we had this time to talk. Sorry for driving your friends away-”

“Huh? Don’t worry about them, Leo’s just weird like that. You know, I can always show you around Mos Eisley if you have time.”

“Yeah. Why not.”

~

Hours seemed to pass as minutes to Ava. She’d never met anyone like his woman. Maybe there was something about her, the mysterious way that she knew everyone and yet they never really knew her name. Sara wasn’t offended about that, only laughed and would say, “Yeah, Her.” like some kind of mononym. The midday suns lowered to the evening. She felt the end of this journey with her new companion nearing. Ava sat on the edge of a short wall dividing a long road, secluded from the main streets. The few people who did pass by seemed focused on other things, focused on surviving or thriving in this city. The suns were finally setting, cooling the air again as it had in the morning. Sara watched the citizens pass by.

“You know, I really don’t know much about you, Sara.” She admitted.

Sara sat down next to Ava, shrugging and looked her in the eye. “No need to. We don’t need to know everything to be close. Just enough to understand one another.”

Ava smirked and placed her hand on the stones between them. There was a part of her that didn’t really know what she was doing, but a larger part was really just looking for anyone to help her, or at least be with her so she wasn’t alone. Anyone, so she wasn’t alone. Sara turned to her and pursed her lips. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head before she eventually fell to the ground. Ava rushed down to her before feeling electricity stun her. Her body tensed as she dropped to the sandy ground. A pair of feet approached her before reaching down and pulling her up by the collar. A pair of pink eyes glared at her. Their smile revealed sharp teeth behind thin lips. It sighed and whispered something to someone behind them.

[smkkbert]

If loving you is wrong (I don’t want to be right)

Summary:  They live in a society where the Ministry for Procreation decides who you get to marry. Once you get the letter with the contact details of your partner, you are supposed to marry within few months. Sexual relationships with any other partner are forbidden, even before you receive contact details. Everyone who disobeys that order will be punished brutally. Oliver and Nyssa have come to terms with that. Although they are married, Nyssa can secretly be with Sara, and Oliver can do whatever he wants to do. When Oliver decides to make changes, he falls madly in love with Felicity. Therefore. his life takes a pleasant turn because although they cannot publicly be together, at least they can be in secret. Things soon get complicated, though, when Felicity receives a letter that shall change her life.

Rating: Explicit

Previous chapters: 1

Chapter 2 of 16: Can’t help falling in love

“Oh, you are here,” Oliver said when he walked down the stairs and found Nyssa and Sara making breakfast in the kitchen. “That’s good because I need to talk to you.”

“Good morning to you too, Ollie,” Sara said, holding out a mug of coffee for him.

Oliver chuckled. “Sorry. Good morning, ladies. I hope you had a wonderful night.”

Sara and Nyssa looked at each other for a short moment before Nyssa put the scrambled eggs on a plate and handed it to her girlfriend, who started eating eagerly. Nyssa meanwhile turned to Oliver, cocking her head. “I didn’t notice any girl sneaking out of the loft last night.”

“That is because there wasn’t any,” Oliver replied and took another sip of the coffee.

“Then how come you are in such a good mood?” Nyssa asked. “As far as I remember you haven’t been in a good mood since… I don’t even remember the last time you have been in a good mood like this.”

Oliver chuckled, nodding his head. Nyssa was right. He had been in a terrible mood lately. Of course she and Tommy had noticed that. Despite the terrible way Nyssa had been introduced into his life she was one of the people closest to him. They shared the loft and were married, at least officially, after all.

“I know I have been in a bad mood lately, but I think or at least I hope that is over now,” Oliver replied, “because I met someone.”

Nyssa’s eyes widened as she looked at him with an expression of surprise. Sara’s hand stilled midair on its way to lead the fork to her mouth. Oliver chuckled about their surprised reactions. If someone had told him that he would say this only a few days ago, he would have probably reacted the same or even more surprised.

“Is it going to be something serious?” Sara asked, putting the fork down. She crossed her arms on the top of the kitchen island and looked at Oliver carefully. “I mean as serious as it can get given the circumstances?”

Oliver shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know yet. I only met her yesterday.”

“But you like her?” Sara asked.

Oliver thought about Felicity’s babbling and couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face. He had lain awake for the last three hours since he had come back home, unable to get Felicity out of his head. He didn’t know what it was that had made it impossible to stop thinking about her. He had decided to stop trying and instead memorize every second he had spent with her.

“You do like her,” Sara answered her own question with a smile. “Good for you.”

“Thanks,” Oliver replied. “I invited her over for dinner on Friday, so I need the loft.”

“Laurel wanted to invite us over for dinner again soon anyway,” Sara told Nyssa. “I will tell her to invite us for Friday.”

“I just hope she doesn’t try to cook again,” Nyssa replied. She shot a short glance at Oliver before she looked at Sara once more. “Could you give us a minute?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Sara replied. She quickly slid off the chair, grabbed her plate and fork and walked upstairs.

Nyssa’s gaze followed Sara. Only when Oliver heard the door upstairs being shut, Nyssa looked back at him. She watched him closely, not saying a word. It was one of these intense gazes that seemed to reach right under his skin.

“What?” he asked, noticing the slight challenge in her eyes.

“You are being careful, right?” she asked.

Oliver took in a breath. Nyssa didn’t trust easily. Given that her mother had been executed after she had started an affair with someone who had sold her to the police later, he understood that. When you lost your mother at a young age because of something like that, you saw betrayal everywhere or at least some people did.

All the things he had been through had made him almost indifferent about getting caught. Almost. He didn’t want the people close to him to become suspect. They would never again have a moment of peacefulness in their lives. That was the one thing he was worried about. Everything that could be done to him made him feel nothing at all.

“I am careful,” he answered. “I promise.”

Nyssa nodded slowly. “A deal is a deal, so you can do whatever you want and that includes dating in a more serious way than you have done so far. I just need to know that you are not jumping into this with your head first and eyes closed. If she works for the government or-“

Oliver chuckled. “If you had seen her or rather heard her speak, you wouldn’t assume that. I took higher risks with some of my one-night-stands.”

“And the emotional risk?” Nyssa asked after a moment.

Oliver kept looking at Nyssa though he felt the need to look away. Since he had come home, he had also thought about that. There was an emotional risk because as crazy as it sounded, there was something about Felicity that made her special to him already. He didn’t believe in love at first sight or in soulmates or anything like this. Yet, the way he felt when he thought of Felicity seemed to be a sharp contrast to those believes. He couldn’t explain it, but in some way she had managed to make him throw away all his principles and jump into something he had sworn he would never even get into with a lot of consideration.

“Felicity is…” Oliver started, but he didn’t know how to continue. He couldn’t describe Felicity yet or at least not in the way Nyssa would need to hear for her to forget her general distrust in people. He shrugged his shoulders with a sigh, moving his hand through his short hair.

“Felicity,” Nyssa said, nodding slowly. “That’s a nice name.”

“She seems to be a nice person.”

Nyssa looked at him for a long moment, trying to find any doubt his face. When she didn’t, she nodded slowly. “I am happy for you, Oliver. I just hope you won’t get all of us into danger for a woman you don’t even know yet. This is not me telling you not to try things. This is just me, asking you to be careful for all of ours sakes.”

She walked past him and upstairs to follow Sara into their bedroom. Oliver stayed where he was, drinking his coffee. He knew it wouldn’t be easy. He knew it was risky. He had decided to take that risk, though, and he wasn’t going to let his anger at the law, the government and the world in general stop him from doing so. Not even Nyssa’s distrust in the world would stop him.

He had made the decision to ask her out, and now he was going to stick with it because it had been the right choice. Friday would hopefully prove that.

* * * * *

“Traca!”

“Yes, that’s the tractor,” Felicity said, clapping her hands in delight about that little word. “And now say Felicity.”

“Lili!”

“Fe-li-ci-ty.”

“Lili!”

Sighing, Felicity pulled her goddaughter onto her lap and pressed a kiss to the little girl’s head. She had been begging Andria to say her full name for months now, but the girl just refused to do so. She stubbornly kept calling her Lili.

“It is hopeless,” Felicity said with a sigh, looking at her friend who watched the two of them. “She is too stubborn.”

“She definitely got that from John,” Lyla replied with a smile. “I have never been so stubborn.”

“Of course not,” Felicity said with a grin. “I would never dare to even think about it.”

Lyla smiled and took a sip of her tea before she stated, “You didn’t tell me if you decided to go on a date with that guy yet.”

Felicity looked up from Andria’s face to look at her friend instead. Lyla’s facial expression didn’t give away what she was thinking. She had kept a straight face the entire time while Felicity had been telling her about Oliver. Felicity knew her friend too well to assume that she didn’t have an opinion about it.

“I am meeting him for dinner on Friday,” Felicity explained, “and before you tell me to be careful because he could be a spy for the government or whatever, I really think he isn’t. He really seems to be a good guy.”

Lyla watched Felicity for a long moment before she replied, “I know you wouldn’t get into something like this without thinking about it, but I still need to ask you to be careful. You don’t know him. As nice as he seems, he could still be a bad boy and I don’t mean that in a sexual way. He could break your heart or even sell you to the government and they will break your neck. The punishments for affairs like that are harder than ever, especially when one of the parties involved is married.”

When Andria struggled to get free of her hold, Felicity put the girl onto her floor. She quickly walked over to her toys and started playing there. Felicity meanwhile tried to think about what she could say.

She knew Lyla wasn’t wrong. Of course it was dangerous, but nothing had even happened yet. She had just agreed to have dinner with Oliver. Maybe they would figure out that they were completely opposite and didn’t have much chemistry anyway. If she didn’t meet him to find out, though, she might forever regret that. Something about the night she had met him had just clicked with her. She had enjoyed talking to him.

“I trust him.”

“You don’t know him yet, Felicity,” Lyla said gently.

“I thought you of all people would understand,” Felicity replied. “You dated John before you knew you were going to be paired up, too. How is a date with a nice guy any different from that?”

“John and I knew each other for years already,” Lyla explained, propping her elbows up on her knees. “We knew that we were on the same side regarding those laws, and we knew we could trust each other. And neither of us were married.”

“Oliver and his wife don’t love each other,” Felicity replied. “How is that any different than being single?”

“It is different because more parties are involved. With John and me it was only him and me. If you start something with this guy, it’s-“

“It’s only one dinner, Lyla,” Felicity told her friend, slightly rolling he reyes. “We don’t plan to run away together or anything. It is just a dinner to get to know each other.”

Felicity quickly drank off her glass of water. She had come here to talk to Lyla because she was her only friend here. She was the only person she really trusted. She hadn’t thought Lyla was going to try talking her out of this. Lyla didn’t believe in the political system, and she had disobeyed the law by getting into a relationship with her co-worker John Diggle. They had been one of those lucky couples who had fallen in love with each other and later been officially paired up by the government.

Lyla was supposed to understand that Felicity just needed to follow her gut in this, and her gut told her that she should have dinner with Oliver. She wanted to get to know him. She wanted to find out if he was someone she could enjoy spending time with.

“Felicity, you are like my little sister,” Lyla told her gently. “I don’t want you to get hurt, so please promise me to be careful.”

“It’s just a dinner,” Felicity repeated.

“Maybe,” Lyla replied, “but I can’t shake the feeling that you have a crush on him already. Don’t get yourself into something that you can’t control. Get to know him before you decide to take another step and-“

When the door unlocked behind her, Lyla stopped and turned her head.

“Dada!” Andria exclaimed, quickly getting up on her feet and running towards her dad.

“Hi, princess,” John replied, lifting Andria into his strong arms. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before he directed his gaze at Lyla and Felicity. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your woman-to-woman-talk?”

“No,” Felicity replied quickly. “I think everything that needed to be said is said already.”

John perked up an eyebrow. “Sounds quite serious.”

Sighing, Lyla got up from the couch and took the grocery bag from her husband with a quick peck to his lips. “Felicity has a date with a guy she has only talked to for a few minutes.”

“Before you say anything, your wife already explained to me in all details why I should be careful,” Felicity hurried to say. “I probably should have told my mom instead. I am sure she would have encouraged me more than my friend does it seems.”

John let Andria back to the floor, replying, “Of course it is dangerous, but it might be worth it.”

“Thank you,” Felicity said. “See? That is the answer I wanted to hear.”

“Hey, I never said he wouldn’t be worth it,” Lyla hurried to say, unpacking the grocery bag. “I just wanted to make sure that you don’t get lost in enthusiasm and do anything you will regret later. If you get to know each other and it works, I am more than happy for you. I am just asking you to be careful.”

“We weren’t exactly careful either, were we?” John whispered into Lyla’s ear, but Felicity could still hear.

Playfully Lyla poked her husband in the ribs. “Hey, she doesn’t have to make the same mistakes. What you do you think would have happened if we had been getting caught?”

John whispered something that Felicity couldn’t hear this time. Leaning back into the cushions of the couch, she watched the two of them smiling at each other and kissing. She knew that there were only few people that got so lucky. What John and Lyla had was amazing.

Felicity didn’t even hope that she would ever be so lucky, but the least she wanted was to be happy. If she got the chance to find someone who might be able to make her happy, even if only for a short of time, she felt like taking a little risk was worth it. Was that so wrong?

* * * * *

When the doorbell rang, Oliver felt his heart start racing in his chest slightly. The whole week he had barely been able to think about anything but the date with Felicity. Never before had he felt like this, and he was sure that it was more than just the fact that he had changed his mind about his principles. It was Felicity herself who made him feel like this for some reason he couldn’t quite grasp yet.

He quickly stroked his hands over his chest to smooth the invisible creases from the fabric of his dress shirt while taking in a deep breath. When he opened the door and finally saw Felicity again, his smile widened. For a long moment he was focused on her face that was framed by her long blonde hair that she wore down tonight. When his gaze traveled down her body, taking in the form fitting red dress she wore, he felt his mouth running dry.

“Felicity,” he said with almost choked voice. “You look stunning.”

“Thanks,” Felicity replied with a shy smile, blushing slightly. “You look quite nice yourself.”

“I am trying.”

For a short while they just looked at each other without saying a word until Felicity cocked her head slightly and asked, “Don’t you want to ask me in?”

Oliver quickly cleared his throat and stepped aside to open the door wide. “I’m sorry. I am just-“

“-nervous?” Felicity asked, walking past him into the loft.

“Yes,” Oliver admitted with a nervous chuckle.

“Well, line forms behind me.”

The last week he had mainly been excited. He had been happy he had decided to take the step and excited about Friday to finally come around. He hadn’t been nervous, though. There probably was a first time for everything then.

He closed the door and turned back around to Felicity, who was looking around in the loft with wide eyes.

“Wow,” she said. “I never expected something like this in the Glades.”

“It is a little treasure,” Oliver replied. His eyes followed her gaze to the gallery upstairs shortly before he gestured to the set dining table. “Do you want to sit down? Dinner’s almost ready, and I promise that you can have a full tour through the penthouse after you tried my specialty, a chicken cordon bleu.”

“That sounds more than promising,” Felicity replied, following his gesture towards the table.

He set the chair in place for her and poured her a glass of wine before he excused himself into the kitchen area to arrange the homemade dinner on the plates. When he shot a glance into her direction, he found her looking at the wine intensely. He bit his tongue for a moment, wondering what to do. He had never really dated someone, at least not that way that it would have included dinner and much talking. He was almost a little surprised by how clueless he felt about what to do.

“Everything alright?” he asked before he could really think about it.

Felicity looked up at him, smiling quickly. “Yes. Yes, I am fine, just… thinking.”

Oliver nodded, unsure what to say about that. Taking the plates and carrying them to the table, he decided to rather say nothing. Smiling, he served the dinner to Felicity.

“Thank you,” she said. “This looks delicious.”

“I hope it will taste delicious too.”

He walked around the table and sat down opposite to Felicity. Smiling, he took a sip of his wine and gestured for her to start dinner. “Bon appétit!”

“Thank you,” Felicity replied, smiling at him for a moment longer.

While they were starting to eat, neither of them said a word. Apart from the quiet music that was playing in the background it was completely quiet, uncomfortably quiet even. Oliver tried to think about something to say or ask, but his mind was almost blank. For the first time in the last days he really doubted his decision.

Maybe inviting her here for dinner had been a bad idea. He had just had that talk with Tommy about how his lifestyle might have to change for him to finally be happy when he had met Felicity. Maybe whatever he had thought she would awake in him really had just been a result of something else. Or maybe-

Felicity clearing her throat quietly pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see her eyeing him up intensely and he smiled quickly.

“Everything alright?” he asked.

“At the risk of sounding like a crazy person,” she replied and cleared her throat once more, “I am just going to tell you what’s on my mind and hope that it will make this evening a little...”

She gestured around, trying to find a word that fit her thoughts.

“That it takes away from the tension?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah,” Felicity replied. She nodded, smiling insecurely and took a sip of her wine before she put her cutlery away and focused her gaze on his face. She took in a deep breath before she explained, “When you asked me over for dinner last week, I hesitated at first because… well, I don’t know you. I don’t really know who you are or what you believe in and whether you are a good guy. In some weird way I felt like you are, though. A good guy, I mean. I can’t really explain it, but I feel that way. That is why I agreed to come here to dinner despite the fact that I don’t know anything about you other than what you told me and that could even be a lie.”

Felicity was talking quickly, and she was cute when she talked like that, using her hands to gesture around. It reminded him on why he had asked her out in the first place. It had been more than just the change of heart he had had that night. Not the change of heart had made him invite her. Inviting her had changed his heart.

“I kind of feel safe being here, though,” Felicity continued with an insecure smile. “My friend told me to be careful because I don’t know you and, logically speaking, I think she is right. I just really don’t feel like I have to be careful here. I don’t know you and yet I feel like I can trust you. And in a way that scares me.”

Oliver nodded slowly, understanding exactly what she meant. Nyssa had reminded him again and again that he had to be careful. He knew she was right. He should be careful. Just like Felicity he didn’t feel like he really had to be, though. He didn’t want to be careful.

“You are allowed to laugh at me now,” Felicity whispered.

Frowning, Oliver looked at her. Felicity held his gaze for only a moment before she lowered her gaze to the table top. Oliver cocked his head, watching her for a long moment.

“Why would I laugh at you?” he asked and waited until she looked back at him. “I am glad that you told me this because dinner was weird until now.”

Felicity chuckled. “Understatement of the year.”

Smiling, he added, “I am not good with dating, at least not with dating like this.”

“Which means?” Felicity asked, perking up an eyebrow.

“The dinner and talking part,” Oliver replied honestly. “Usually it’s just sex.”

Felicity’s eyes widened and she took a sip of her wine. “Okay.”

Oliver bit his tongue, quietly cursing himself for being so direct. His sexual past was probably not something he should address on a first date. In some way, he felt it was necessary, though.

“You said you feel it’s dangerous that you feel safe though you don’t know me,” he said after a while. “Well, a first date is there to get to know somebody. I suggest I tell you everything there is to know about me and you decide if that makes me the good guy you already think I am. Maybe that guy could get a chance to get to know you. You don’t have to tell me a single thing about you before you are sure that it’s safe. Is that a deal?”

Felicity bit down on her bottom lip, watching him intensely. Oliver didn’t look away, though. He held her gaze, looking right into her grey-blue eyes and waiting for her answer. After several minutes Felicity finally smiled.

“Deal.”

Oliver smiled back at her. “Great. You should eat your cordon bleu before it gets cold. Besides, if I do the talking, you have plenty of time to eat.”

Smiling, Felicity pulled her plate closer to her again and took the cutlery. “The cordon bleu is delicious by the way. I understand why it is your specialty.”

“Thank you,” Oliver replied. “You will enjoy dessert. It’s a chocolate soufflé.”

Felicity hummed appreciatively. “I like what I know about you so far.”

Oliver chuckled. “I hope I don’t ruin it with everything else I will tell you then.”

* * * * *

Three hours later, they were sitting on the couch, facing each other while eating the last bits of their dessert. Felicity was hanging on Oliver’s every word even more than at the beginning. They had moved from the lighter subjects of hobbies and funny childhood stories about him and his little sister Thea to the important parts that had really shaped his life. Oliver revealed himself to her in a way that made Felicity’s heart beat quicken.

He had told her about how he had gotten married to Nyssa. From what she had heard it sounded like she was an interesting person – headstrong and leery. Given what she had been through with her mother it was more than understandable she had trouble trusting. Who she did trust was her girlfriend Sara. Sara wasn’t only Nyssa’s girlfriend, though. She was also Oliver’s best friend’s wife’s sister. Felicity doubted that she had ever heard of more complicated family relations.

When Oliver and Nyssa had been forced to get married, he had considered just packing it all in and running off despite the risks there were. Nyssa had come here, though, and told him that she was never going to be with him, but if they got married, they could both lead the lives that they wanted. He had been hesitant about agreeing, but at the end he had. What had developed from it was a friendship which was more than other people could say about their relationships to their chosen spouses. Just like Lyla, Nyssa had warned Oliver to be careful several times those last days.

He had never been in a serious relationship because he had wanted to spare himself the pain of having a complicated relationship like that. Instead, he had picked up women at the club and had limited himself to one-night-stands. She was the first woman he had asked for a date and she was first woman he had really sat down and talked to, especially as long as this. He was glad that he had, though.

He had told her all of that and even more, so if the last hours had proven anything, it was that she could trust him. He seemed to trust her already. You didn’t tell someone such private things if you didn’t trust them.

Felicity put her empty plate to the small couch table and took a sip of her third glass of wine. When she leaned back against the cushions, propping her head up onto her arm on the backrest and mirroring Oliver’s position, she looked at him with a gentle smile.

“What about your family?” Felicity asked him. “I heard about Nyssa’s family and your friends, but what about-?”

Felicity stopped when Oliver lowered his gaze. It was the first time in the last hours that he had broken eye contact. Until now his eyes had always been on her, watching her reaction to each of his words. The mentioning of his family seemed to make him feel uncomfortable, though. He was rubbing his thumb against the tips of the other fingers of the same hand.

“I’m sorry,” Felicity hurried to say. “You don’t have to tell me. You have told me so much already, and I haven’t told you anything about me yet. I kind of feel guilty about that. I mean here we are, and you told me all these things about you, revealed yourself to me completely. It’s almost like you are naked.“

Oliver perked up an eyebrow.

“I mean not naked-naked obviously. You are still quite dressed, completely dressed actually,” Felicity added with a glance at his shirt, a quiet sigh in her voice. When that comment made Oliver perk up his eyebrow even more, she realized that it must have sounded almost disappointed. “Not that I mind. You can stay dressed as long as you want to. Wait. That came across wrong again. I mean-“

Oliver chuckled, taking her hand from her thigh and gently squeezing her fingers. It made Felicity shut up, focusing on the way he linked their fingers and rested them on his knee. He stroked his thumbs over the knuckles of her hand.

“Is that okay?” Oliver asked when she looked back up at him.

“Yes, it is,” Felicity said with a nod. It really was okay. It was more than okay actually. It felt good. Smiling, she squeezed his fingers back. “So I guess it’s my turn now. What do you want to know about me?”

“Oh, I want to know everything about you,” Oliver replied with a chuckle. “But first I want to answer your question.”

“You don’t have to,” Felicity hurried to say. “After everything you told me I know that I can trust you and families are-“

“Felicity,” Oliver interrupted her, squeezing her fingers once more. “It’s okay.”

Felicity watched his face closely, trying to find any doubt or uneasiness. She didn’t, though. Oliver looked determined to answer her question. Biting down on her bottom lip, Felicity nodded. “Okay then.”

“My parents got along quite well. They didn’t really love each other or at least they weren’t in love with each other, but they did get along,” he told her and hesitated for a long moment. “They both… I think they supported the marriage laws.”

“What?” Felicity whispered.

Oliver nodded. “They weren’t into politics or anything, but they did believe in the law. They never really said it, but I really think they did.”

“Wow,” Felicity said slowly. After everything Oliver had told her about him that was the last she would have expected. He did come from a privileged family who more likely approved to the law than others. Yet, she he hadn’t thought his family would follow that tendency. “You said they did believe in the law. So they changed their minds?”

“They are dead,” Oliver replied.

“Sorry,” Felicity whispered. “You don’t have to talk about it. I’d really understand if-“

“When I was 22,” Oliver continued, “my dad and I went on a boat trip. I thought it was just the two of us and the rest of the crew, but it turned out that despite his beliefs he had an affair. Her name was Isabel Rochev. She was more my age than his, and she had just gotten to know who she was supposed to marry. Dad only took me with him to be his alibi. It was safer if he could prove that he wasn’t doing that trip alone. The boat trip should have been their last days together. Isabel’s plan was different, though.”

Felicity gulped, squeezing his hand in silent comfort. She regretted that she had asked in the first place because whatever Oliver would tell her most definitely wasn’t anything you told on a first date. Only few of the things he had told her had really been appropriate for the first date. She had appreciated his honesty, but she felt like this was more than he should feel obligated to tell her.

“You really don’t have to-“

“She sabotaged the boat,” Oliver continued, ignoring her offer to stop. “It went down. She, my dad and the crew died.”

Felicity gulped. Her voice was barely louder than a breath when she whispered, “How did you survive?”

“I was stranded on an island,” he answered. “It was used for military operations. I thought they’d take me home, but once they talked to some officials here and found out about my dad and Isabel, they kept me there for a while. They wanted to find out if I knew about a plot against the government or anything. Apparently, my father had been suspected of plotting something. I have no idea if he had been planning on something like that. I kind of doubt it actually. Anyway, those people believed he had been involved in some group like that and that maybe I knew something about that. They… tortured me.”

Felicity felt her stomach twist and turn painfully. She could see the pain in his face. This was everything but easy to say for him. Yet he did. He did tell her.

“A lot happened on that island, and I don’t ever talk about any of-“

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” Felicity assured him. “You don’t even have to continue. I shouldn’t have asked in the first place and-“

Oliver squeezed her fingers, and Felicity fell quiet. There was a question in his eyes, the question if he could or even continue or if it was too much for her. Felicity hesitated shortly, but eventually she nodded. If he really wanted to share this, he could talk to her. It was the least she could offer after everything he had told her so far.

“When I came back five years later, my mom had been assigned to get married to someone else. She had changed her mind about the law because of what had happened to dad and me. One year after I was back, she went out. She said she wanted to meet friends, but Walter later told me that she was working on getting engaged into the politics to make a change. She was shot that night. We never found out who it did, but…”

“Probably the government,” Felicity whispered knowingly because people who worked against the government were killed or disappeared suspiciously often. So many people had lost so much. “Oliver, I am so sorry.”

“It’s been a while,” he answered. “I’m fine, really. I… I survived it and I got over it.”

Felicity doubted that someone could ever truly get over something like this, but she nodded nonetheless. What did she know about torture and loss like that to object?

“I never talk to anyone about all of this,” he told her, looking into her eyes. “Neither to Tommy nor to Nyssa. Most of what they know, they know from the news like everyone else. You told me you have only moved here recently, but if you had been living here some time already, you’d know about this too. The news revealed everything but the five years on the island and the fact that my mother was going to work against the government.”

Felicity shook her head slowly. “It must be terrible when everyone knows about your life like that.”

“And now I told the one person in this city who didn’t know about it the truth,” Oliver said with an almost sad chuckle. Oliver frowned slightly, looking at her. “You still look at me the same way like before, though.”

“Why would I look at you differently?”

“Because usually people look at me like I am damaged once they know.”

Felicity frowned slightly. “Then why did you tell me if you thought that would happen?”

Oliver looked at her for a long moment, not saying a word. He just took in her face. His eyes moved from her eyes to her lips and back up to her eyes again. Their gazes locked, but still neither of them said a word.

“I don’t know,” Oliver replied in a whisper. “Maybe it’s because I don’t want to be on an island any longer, and I feel that is where I have still been living the last years since I am back. I don’t want that anymore. I want things to change and I think for that it is necessary that I am being honest with you. Maybe I want to have what Sara and Nyssa or Tommy and Laurel have. Everyone around me is happy, even if they’re in complicated relationships. Maybe I can finally admit that I want that too.”

“But why me?” Felicity asked. “Why me of all people? Is it just because I came along at the right day and-”

“No,” Oliver replied quickly. He took in a breath, shrugging his shoulders slightly. “There is just… I can’t really put it into the right words, but… there is just something about you.”

Felicity felt her heart starting to race in her chest. The way Oliver looked at her with his deep blue eyes and the way he talked to her in this husky whisper…

When he licked his lips, her gaze flickered down to his mouth. Slowly she moved her hand away from under her head and reached out for his face. She hesitated for the split of a second, but when Oliver held her gaze, she gently put her fingertips to his cheek. The short stubble scratched her sensitive skin gently, making her smile.

Biting down on her bottom lip, Felicity slid a little closer to him on the couch until her knees touched the side of his thighs. She took in his face intensely, feeling her heartbeat quickening. Slowly Oliver leaned forward until their noses gently touched each other’s. His lips were only a breath away. They stayed like this for several seconds before Felicity closed the distance and kissed Oliver chastely.

His lips were soft like pillow mountains against hers. His stubble scratched the skin around her lips deliciously. When she sighed quietly, Oliver used the opportunity and stroked his tongue into her mouth. Felicity moved her fingers into the hair at the back of his head, angling his head to her and deepening the kiss. She felt her breathing quickening and her heart skipping a few beats in response.

When their lips parted, Oliver rested his forehead against hers. He put a hand to her cheek and gently stroked his thumb along her jaw. Felicity licked her lips, chasing the taste of his lips on hers. She pulled back a little to look at him, taking in his face closely once more. Oliver smiled contently, not saying a word.

“So,” Oliver said after a while. “I guess it’s time for you to get naked now.”

Felicity pulled back a little more, perking up an eyebrow. “Sorry?”

Oliver chuckled. “Well, since I am emotionally naked for you now, as you pointed out before, I guess it’s time for you to join me in nudism, isn’t it?”

“I guess it is,” Felicity replied with a smile. She slid a little away from Oliver, feeling the need for more distance when she wanted to talk to him. Their fingers stayed entangled on the back rest of the couch, though. “So what do you want to know?”

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