#i'm so sorry my keyboard has to die right in the morning

[sleep-nurse]

OAGGHHHGHHJKHJKEHHTETHEKJTH£ITY()£YOTY()🥹🥹🥹🥹💥💥❗❓❓❗❗❓❗❗💥💥❗❗

@sleep-nurse pet pet pet pet pat pat pat pat

[just-dreaming-marvel]

I'm From Brooklyn, Too ~ 161

OUT OF TIME MASTERLIST

I'M FROM BROOKLYN, TOO MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 2,186ish

Summary: Y/N lashes out.

Notes: THERE’S A FEW! First, sorry if there were any mistakes I didn’t catch! My puppy, Milo, gets jealous when I’m on the computer. He likes to slam his paws on the keyboard, try to close my laptop, and try to eat my hand. Second, I’m actually really excited for RDJ to play Doom! I know there are various opinions about the casting, but I’m excited. I’d love to hear your views, but please be respectful.

Y/N tried to put her focus on Morgan as Natasha was trying to figure out this new Captain America situation. Both Morgan and Natasha noticed that Y/N’s powers were acting up despite Y/N trying to push away the Captain America problem. Random portals would appear throughout the house, or whatever Y/N was holding would turn to dust. There was also the time when Y/N froze time for a few hours. Natasha had to answer Morgan’s questions about what was happening, since Morgan seemed too scared to go to to her own mother about it.

One week since the new Captain America announcement, Morgan was put to bed so Y/N and Natasha found themselves in the living room with the tv on. They had been up for hours, trying to figure out what to do about the new Captain America.

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about this new Captain America,” Natasha said.

“There has to be something,” Y/N retorted. “They can’t do this.”

“They believe they can. It definitely doesn’t help that Sam gave away the shield.”

“The shield wasn’t his to give away. Howard made the shield—or Tony, or whoever made it! It’s not theirs!”

“Y/N, there’s portals behind you.” Y/N took a deep breath and the portals closed. “Your emotions are controlling your powers. I thought you had more of a handle on this.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Nat. I’m sorry that in the last six months I’ve watched my husband die, saved the world, and was trapped in Wanda’s fake reality. And let’s not forget that my brother left me and died and his—my—our best friend is moving on.” Y/N shook her head angrily. “There’s also the fact that I’m failing as a mother to my child and the two that I adopted because Tony loved them so much!”

“Y/N. Your fists.” Y/N looked to see that her fists were glowing purple. “You need to see a therapist.”

Y/N scoffed. “Why? So that I can be judged for my actions by some unknown stranger?”

“That’s not what a therapist does and you know it. I’ve begun seeing someone and I know that Bucky has.”

“I’m sure Bucky’s is court mandated.”

“And I’m sure, with Rhodey’s help, we can do the same thing to you.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a help. You are not in a good mental place, which is understandable. But you cannot be of help to anyone—including Morgan, Peter, and Harley, without getting some help.”

Before Y/N could answer, their attentions turned to the tv, where a high school marching band was playing ‘Star Spangled Man With A Plan’ and the new Captain America was coming out on stage to where a news anchor was waiting. The crowd in the stands of the high school football stadium cheered as an announcer welcomed the new Captain.

“Good morning, America!” The man greeted. The crowd cheered and Y/N felt like she was going to puke. 

“Thank you so much for coming,” the anchor said as the man sat down. “This has gotta be fun, though, coming back to your high school after so much as changed?”

“John Walker!” A man shouted from the stands.

John chuckled. “Oh, it’s great.” The crowd cheered again, cutting John off from saying more.

“John, I think the first thing everyone wants to know is what is it like being Captain America?” The anchor asked. “Do eagles fly overhead wherever you go?”

John laughed. “Uh, yes. Yeah, that and flags tend to start majestically waving in the wind.”

“And how’s the tour been? I know they did a big rollout for you, right?”

“It’s the greatest honor of my life. Um, but I’m just a little shocked, I think. How did a guy like me end up here?”

“Oh, wait, wait, wait. ‘A guy like me’? Somebody’s being a bit too humble. For those of you who aren’t familiar with his resume, John Walker, first person in American history to receive three Medals of Honor, ran RS-One missions in counterterrorism and hostage rescue.” 

Pictures and video clips were shown on the tv of what the anchor was talking about. Including a video of him practicing with the shield. Y/N’s hands began to glow purple. 

“The government did a study of your body at MIT, and you tested off the charts in every measurable category,” the anchor continued.“Speed, endurance, intelligence—“

“Look, here’s the thing, uh, I’m not Tony Stark, I’m not Dr. Banner, okay?” John interrupted. “I don’t have the flashiest gadgets, I don’t have super strength. But what I do have is guts. Something Captain America always had, always needs to have, and I’m gonna need every ounce of it. Because I got big shoes to fill.”

“Did you know Steve Rogers?”

“I was two years out of West Point when Steve came back on the scene. I followed his career very closely as an Avenger. I like to think that I modeled my work after his.”

“So, you’ve always wanted to be a hero?”

“I liked that what I was doing would make people feel safe. Steve Rogers was the kind of guy who could do that, he gave me hope. Even though I never met him, he feels like a brother.”

Before Y/N could even think, she was rushing through a portal to where John was answering questions. Natasha called out for her but the portal shut between them.

“A brother?” Y/N’s voice wickedly echoed through the stadium as she climbed up the steps of the stage. The crowd grew eerily quiet as wisps of her power floated around Y/N. “He feels like a brother to you?”

John was quick to stand up. “Y/N. It’s an honor—“

“You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about. You are a false Captain America. You will never be what Steve was.”

“Why don’t we go somewhere private and talk—“

“Maybe you should have thought about this before you pranced around the country. Maybe even before you said yes to this position. A position that wasn’t even yours to take.” Y/N’s hands grew brighter with her anger. “That shield is not yours. You do not deserve the history or the weight behind it. You’re done here.” 

With a snap of her fingers, Y/N set the camera’s on fire. The crowd began screaming and rushing out of the stadium. John held his ground, though Y/N could sense that he was growing more terrified by the second. In a flash, Y/N was standing centimeters away from John.

“The shield is property of my family,” Y/N’s whisper was terrifying. “I will get it back unless you want to do the right thing.”

“I am Captain America.”

“Fine. Have it your way.” A darkness found Y/N’s eyes that terrified John to his core. “I will have that shield and you will not be Captain America. I will make sure of it.”

~~~

Rhodey threw down the magazines with an anger that Y/N had never seen before. The headlines were on the same: Y/N ROGERS-STARK GONE CRAZY! The articles were all similar as well. How dangerous Y/N’s powers were. How she should be locked up.

“I thought you had it under control,” Rhodey’s tone meant that there was no room for lies.

“I do have it under control,” Y/N replied. She was looking down at her hands, unable to meet the gazes of those staring at her. 

Natasha, Pepper, and Rhodey were all standing on the other side of the dining room table. Happy was outside, keeping Morgan busy. The Secret Service was stationed inside and outside the house, keeping Y/N and Rhodey in their sights.

“This doesn’t look that way!” Rhodey continued. “They want me to lock you up in Raft! Raft, Y/N! No Morgan, no Peter, no Harley.”

“I have it under control. I just— I lost my temper. It won’t happen again.”

Rhodey scoffed. “Too late, Y/N. The whole world saw you and your powers. They know that you have the power of the Stones and they are calling for action.”

“I can fix this.”

“How?”

“Let me talk to Sam. Sam is meant to be Captain America.”

“That’s not fixing it.” 

“Y/N,” Pepper finally spoke up, “there is something you can do to help this. It’s a failsafe that Tony came up with.”

“No!” Natasha was quick to answer. “Tony only created those for life threatening situations. This is not life threatening.”

“The people don’t see it that way,”

“What are you talking about?” Y/N finally looked up at all of them.

Natasha sighed. “Back when your powers were emerging and our knowledge of the Stones began to grow, Tony noticed the toll it was taking on you,” she explained. “He created a device to control your powers.”

“What?” Y/N was devastated to think that Tony might have been scared of her and that he created something to protect everyone from her.

“Tony created it as a protection for you more than from you. The Stones were taking so much of your strength each time you used powers. He was worried that one day it would be too much and that they would fully control you.”

“He— you all knew?”

“It was a backup,” Rhodey added. “He gave us access to it before the mission to retrieve the Stones.”

A part of Y/N felt betrayed, while another understood the concern surrounding her abilities. “What are they? How do they work?”

“FRIDAY, pull up project ALWAYS.”

A hologram appeared above the table. Two bracelets spun around in it as well as a video. Y/N kept her eyes on the video, an image of Tony already showing.

“We’ll leave you to watch this alone,” Pepper said as they all left the room.

Y/N stared at the hologram. She couldn’t get herself to play the video. Tony would be so disappointed in her, and she couldn’t handle that. Not now.

“Would you like me to play the video?” FRIDAY asked.

Y/N swallowed down some of her emotion before responding quietly, “Yes.”

Tony’s image took over the hologram. His eyes bore into Y/N’s like he was actually there. Images of Tony’s last moments played through Y/N’s mind.

“Hey, honey,” Tony’s words brought her out of her thoughts. “If you’re seeing this, then something has happened where I couldn’t be there for you, and your powers overtook you… I am sorry that I couldn’t be there myself to help you go through whatever you are going through. I hate myself for it.” Y/N began to cry. 

“Before I continue, I want you to know that I made these bracelets to protect you,” Tony continued. “I didn’t make them because I was scared of you or to protect others from you, but to protect you. Your powers… I have watched them take more and more from you as the years go on. I know that you don’t have them as I speak, but bringing the Stones back will do something; I know it. You will have them and have to do your best to control your power before it controls you.”

“This bracelets were made out of materials that once harnessed the Stones,” Tony explained. “I was able to get scraps here and there. There’s also an updated grade of whatever SHIELD made their detention cells out of. The bracelets were never tested, but many simulations were run. The bracelets are controlled by FRIDAY. FRIDAY has the ability to turn them on and off by command. Your voice is the only command she won’t listen to unless it’s an absolute emergency.”

“Y/N… I love you… Always.”

Tony’s image disappeared, and Y/N wiped away her tears as he tried not to break out into sobs. Natasha was the first one back in the room. 

“Y/N…” a whisper fell from her lips. She came over and sat beside her friend. Natasha grabbed one of Y/N’s hands.

“How… how could he love me so much… he knew… deep down, he knew that it would always be Bucky for me,” Y/N was going to break. “Yet… yet he continues to amaze me, even after death.”

“Tony also wanted what was best for you, no matter what.”

“I’ll do it. I’ll wear the bracelets.”

~~~

The bracelets felt heavy on Y/N’s wrists, despite knowing they were lighter than most. Everyone had left after Y/N recorded an apology video. She hated that she had to do that, especially since she meant the threats she made to the false Captain America. Currently, it was dark outside. Morgan was asleep in bed, and Y/N sat on the porch, staring at the water. The peace was interrupted by her phone buzzing. She answered it before even looking at who was calling.

“Hello?” She answered.

“Hey, Y/N,” Bucky’s voice rang out through the phone. “How are you?”

next chapter >

[way2gowillow]

Why does no one listen??? Like I remember when I was like 10 i started having intense wrist pain and at the time I was cheerleading so i thought it was just carrying the girls so of course I tell people hey hey my wrist hurts rlly bad can you help me but of course they say "it's just from the handstands and cheerleading just ease off" then I 'complain' so much I can't cheer anymore but the pain still persists and I'm telling people I'm in pain I'm in pain hello??? And they're like "well you know you have an bulimia it's probably just being bulimic things" so no doctors or parents listen to me then I recover from bulimia then I gain weight right and they go "oh y'know it's just you being a women that's why your back hurts" then I join my art school and I start taking dance classes to help with my theatre degree im going for so I start dancing, and the pain doesn't stop. "Dad I'm serious my feet hurt so bad I can't even walk" he goes "well maybe you should stop dancing" I go to the doctor for a checkup late last semester 'hey I'm having excruciating pain and it won't go away." "Maybe it's arthritis." But my dad cuts her off "no, they don't need any tests their fine." I'm like 15 atp and I'm trying to literally TYPE ON A KEYBOARD and my fingers lock up I show people LOOK MY FINGERS ARE STUCK I'm in pain, I'm ALWAYS sick I get sick like twice a month something is wrong. I'm taking acting classes that semester so it's not like I'm doing heavy exercise for them to blame it on he goes "you're really being dramatic you're just stressed" now here I am. 16 years old middle of the summer. I've been trying any and everything to feel better to stop the pain from coming in. And I wake up this morning and my entire body hurts. Every. Single. Inch. It's never been this bad before in my entire life. My neck, my shoulders, my elbows, my wrists, my fingers, my ENTIRE BACK EVERY INCH, my hips, my knees, my ankles, and my feet and toes hurt so bad I have literally been unable to even walk more than a few feet without having to sit down, I have a pretty intense pain tolerance too, so I walk downstairs having to get my sister to practically carry me, theyres tears pouring down my face I've never been in this much pain, I walk into my dad's office "dad please it hurts so bad make it stops" HE TELLS ME that "You've been eating pretty bad recently lots of sugar..." (He's a 2 almonds per day type of person, which is ironic because my mother is 350 pounds... But anyways) and I say"okay??? What about my PAIN"

He says "I'll take you to the gym tomorrow, and eat better, you're really doing way to much with all this crying go wash your face." THEN HAS THE AUDACITY TO SAY "your room needs to be clean by the way"

WTF I AM SOBBING I AM IN SOBMUCH PAIN and I just like get dismissed like this IVE BEEN IN PAIN FOR 6 YEARS. IT WONT STOP and like why does no one listen to me I'm sick of this shit I'm just gonna just die. Like curk up in a ball and die. I can't even get out of bed, my sister helped walk me upstairs and I'm laying here but like I don't think he understands how much pain I am actually in. I never cry for pain, like ever, yet no one listens.

I don't know, I'm stuck. I need advice. Im not an adult yet I don't know what to do. I'm not like angry or anything but I'm in so much pain how can I convince anyone someone that I need help and if you don't know that any tips to make it stop. I've taken like 1000 mlg of Ibuprofen and it has bearly cut the edge off so please tips god anything would help.

-rosy

I'm so sorry. :( I know how much joint pain can hurt.

I can't convince your father, but I wouldn't give up reaching out for help. Whether it's from him or not, you make sure they don't silence you. Don't give up until you see a doctor again. Describe your joint pain- how long it lasts. If it keeps you awake, if it interferes with your daily activities. Do not hold back. Tell them about how ibuprofen does not help with the pain. (Don't directly ask for pain meds because they will be suspicious that you are only there to get some strong prescription drugs). Instead ask if something can be done to prevent the root cause of the pain.

I'm not sure why your father would object to have testing done for you. It's honestly a pretty simple laboratory test. They'll draw your blood and they'll be able to check your white blood cell count, as well as a bunch of other things. If it's autoimmune, then your white blood cells will be abnormally high. And then they can begin treating you. Any good father would want the best for their child. Him refusing to take you is extremely negligent.

Some advice? let's see...

During my early stages, I took OTC joint pain reliever. It worked for a little but I got worse. Now, whenever I get a flare up I take ibuprofen or Tylenol (whatever I have, but NEVER both). CBD products also help. Lidocaine cream like Icy-Hot helped a great deal too. I'd also invest in some compression gloves or socks. Supposedly ice can help with inflammation but I find that heat works much better for me, so I have a heating pad. If you don't have one that's okay. Just take a rag or clean cloth and wet it under a faucet. Stick it in the microwave for a minute and you can use that. (Just make sure the cloth is damp. If you can, low impact exercise is good since it keeps your body from getting so stiff. For me sometimes I feel like being a blob because everything hurts to move, but I know if I don't at least walk around a bit, then I'm going to feel so much worse.

I know this advice is kind of weak-sauce, but I at least hope it'll do something to help. Again, I highly encourage you keep telling everyone you can that you're hurting. I'm hoping maybe you can get some laboratory work done and they can identify what exactly is going on with you. I would agree that it sounds like arthritis but it could also be something else. I'm not a doctor though, and I can't diagnose anybody. I'm not qualified in any way to make an accurate and informed statement about your own health. :'D

Best of luck. <3

[lauwrite1225]

Somebody to die for.

Finan x OC; The Old Guard inspired Alternative Universe

Summary : Victoria’s life is rather simple until she has a car accident from which she ends up miraculously unscathed. A series of weird events animates her daily life, everything seemingly bringing her to a strange man. Until this very man knocks at her door.

Spotify Playlist • Masterlist

A/N : Happy Finan Friday my friends! Alright it's still thursday to most of yall, but it isn't in France anymore and I was to excited to post to wait the morning lmaoo. I had so many good feedbacks on chapter one, you all can’t imagine how happy it made me! So as you noticed, I like to change the moodboard for each chapter, I hve fun making this ahah, I hope you all don’t mind!

Warnings : blood and death

Chapter 2 : There’s a truth and it’s on our side

Victoria blinks several times at the man standing right in front of her. Her eyes go down and up his body, analysing every inch of him and when she realizes he is wearing the same sweatshirt as the man in the bookshop, she’s panic-stricken. He doesn’t even have the time to say a word as she closes the door in his face and presses her back against it. Did this psychopath follow her to her home? She doesn’t see any other explanation, or maybe it’s just the one making the most sense. Because even if it's the guy from the bookshop, it doesn’t explain why he is the one she’s been dreaming of for a month now. Christ, things couldn’t get weirder. 

She gathers all the courage she has and shouts through the door. “Who the hell are you?”

She hears the man scoff, the sound attenuated by the door. “Ya wouldn’t trust me if I tell ya like this.” 

Her fingers nervously drum on her thigh. “Are you… Are you the “time traveller”?” This question would probably make her sound crazy, but a stranger knocking at your door after following you from your work place is undoubtedly crazier. The thought makes her realize that keeping talking to him maybe isn’t in fact the best idea, and as the man hesitates to answer, she looks around for her phone. 

“Hum… Yes kinda.” He replies and Vicky freezes. He doesn’t even deny, which confirms her assumption that he really is mad. “But I’m not really a time traveler.” 

Victoria frowns. “What do you mean?”

“That’s hard to explain to a door.” He jokes but Vicky doesn’t laugh, so he answers in a more neutral tone. “I think you and I are the same.”

“The same?” She repeats, her eyes finally falling on her phone. She walks aways from the door to take it from the table and leans against the door again. 

She starts to type the number of the police when he speaks. “It’s goin’ to sound really weird. But… I’ve seen ya in my dreams.” Victoria immediately pauses, her thumbs hovering over the keyboard. Her breath strangely accelerates as she considers his words.

“How can I know you’re telling me the truth?”

“Ya’ve been in a car accident. That’s the first dream I’ve got of ya.”

Victoria is breathless. She has spoken to no one about it, only giving lies, affirming her car has been stolen. She doesn’t know if his answer should reassure her or not, but she switches off her phone and slides it in her pocket before unlocking the door and opening it just slightly. “How do you know that?” She asks him, her voice between fear and curiosity. 

The man’s gaze is soft as he rubs the back of his neck. “Told ya, I dreamt of it. Maybe we could talk inside? It's better if there’s no one to hear us.”

Vicky hesitates, staring alternatively between him and the inside of her flat, until she finally moves away. Every part of her mind is screaming at her how bad an idea it is to let this strange, very strange man in, but her intuitions and curiosity are thinking otherwise. She has spent the weirdest month of her life, and something is telling her he would have the answers. 

“What’s your name?” She asks, closing the door behind him.

“Finan.” He smiles. “And ya’re Victoria?”

She narrows her eyes at him. “I am.” She studies him from a decent distance, actually more like a safe one. He is every bit of the man she’s been dreaming of, tall, thick dark hair, a few scars on his face, strong shoulders and something she has grown to find endearing about him, his childish smile. She wonders if he knows she’s been dreaming about him as well, he would have probably already mentioned it if he did. “So, why do you think we are the same?” She asks, her arms crossed over her chest. 

Finan looks around, as if to be sure that there is no one else listening. “I think you died during your accident.” 

“What?” She exclaims, her eyes widening. “I wouldn’t be standing here if I was dead.” She answers, tilting her head at what seems to be obvious to her. 

“That’s why I said you died.” He replies, insisting on the last word. 

“So I came back to life?” 

“Yes.”

“That’s the craziest shit I’ve ever heard.” She says in an awkwardly neutral tone.

Finan rolls his eyes. “Then you should have a wound, anything that would prove you’ve had a crash. T’was quite violent of what I remember.” He raises an eyebrow and Vicky finds nothing to answer. He is right, she is miraculously alive, but the blood she found in the car and on her clothes doesn’t match that reality.

“How do you know all of that?” She asks again.

He moves forward but she immediately steps back. “I told ya, I think we’re the same. I died several times before.”

Vicky’s face twists in disbelief. “I can’t believe that.” She says. 

The man sighs, his shoulders falling heavily and looking up to the ceiling. “I guess I don’t have another choice than to make ya believe me.” He puts his hand in his pocket and removes a folding knife from it. 

“What are you doing?” She panics, stepping back even more.

He raises his hands in sign of peace. “Calm down, I won’t hurt ya.” He promises.

However, he unfolds the knife and to Victoria’s surprise he doesn’t try to attack her, but brings it to his neck. Finan takes a deep breath and murmurs something before sinking the blade in his throat, grimacing at the pain that occurs. A scream of horror escapes her as he falls to the floor, blood coming out of the wound and his mouth. She rushes to his side, removing the knife and pressing her hand on his throat to stop the bleedings.

“No, no, no, no… Stay with me, please.” She freaks out while Finan is bleeding to death on the floor of her flat, gasping for air. He holds her gaze, and in contrast to the time she dreamt of his death, he seems calm. With her other hand, she tries to find his pulse, but there’s nothing. “No…” She whispers, breathless. “No, no, no! You can’t be dead!” She starts to shake his shoulders and as he remains inert, she grabs her phone in her pocket and starts to tap the emergency number, trying not to tremble too much.

But before she can press on the green button, Finan takes a deep breath as if he is coming out of the water. Surprised, she drops her phone and falls back. He coughs several times, spitting blood as he sits up. Victoria can’t keep her wide opened eyes from him, especially when she notices how the wound in his neck heals by itself in a minute until there’s nothing, not even a scar. He wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand and looks at the red puddle around him. 

“Hum… Sorry for the mess.” He apologizes as his eyes meet hers.

But Vicky can’t care less. “You were dead, and you’re fucking alive.” She whispers, not believing what she just witnessed.

“D'ya trust me now?” He asks her.

Vicky opens her mouth, but no sound comes out of it. She rubs her face with both her hands, not caring about the blood still on them. None of this makes sense, but it is undeniably real. “How did you do that?” She questions him, removing her hands.

Finan's gaze darkens for a brief moment. “I wish I knew.” He stands up, stretching his arms and her mind still can't grasp the fact that a few minutes ago he was dead. He walks towards her but he keeps the same distance she has settled before. “But I'm sure the same happened to ya.” 

Victoria looks up to him and there's some sort of joy sparking in his eyes to know she is like him and she wonders if until now, he has been the only one like this. She frowns, she knows nothing of him, but in a short time, he has revealed her every secret of what she could only call a superpower, and she feels like he deserves to know everything as well. 

“I dreamt of you too.” she says softly and it's Finan's turn to stare at her with wide eyes. 

He crouches in front of her. “Really?”

She shakes her head up and down vigorously. “I saw your death too. But you were wearing a leather armour, fighting in a clearing during the night.” Finan's face becomes as pale as a ghost as she explains her own dreams. “And then you're stabbed from behind, and I can feel all the pain, how the life is leaving your body.” She is quite surprised she succeeds to actually put words on it, thinking of it still giving her thrills. “I dreamt of other things, during other periods of time, but you’re always there.” She concludes, looking up from her bloody hands to him. “What does it mean?” 

“I’ve no idea.”

They both say nothing for a moment, simply trying to understand all the information. Everything seems so surrealistic to Vicky but she can’t deny all of this somehow makes sense. She sighs, like it could clear her confused thoughts and looks at the amount of blood on her floor. 

“Hm… I think I should clean that.” She says, pointing vaguely at the area. 

Finan looks behind him, grimacing. “Aye, let me help ya with that.”

“Sounds fair after you killed yourself in my entrance.” She adds as she rises to her feet, Finan doing so as well, chuckling lightly. 

She walks to a closet and comes back with a mop and a bucket. While she fills it with hot water and a little bit of cleaning soap, she discreetly observes Finan. It’s really strange to see him in a modern outfit after dreaming of him so many times in Middle Age clothes. She frowns, this thought bringing a new question.

“I have a question.” She declares, stepping towards him with the bucket while he grabs the mop she has leaned against a chair.

“Ask it.” He sinks the mop into the water and wrings it out while waiting for her question. 

“When did you die?”

The corner of his mouth rises. “I told ya, I died many times.” 

Vicky rolls her eyes. “I mean the first time.” 

Finan pauses, stopping to clean her floor, his eyes darkening as earlier. “Sometime during the ninth century.” He answers finally.

She makes a strangled sort of noise. “The ninth century? You’re what? A thousand years old? You look barely thirty!”

“I guess I should take that as a compliment.” He chuckles but Victoria isn’t in the mood to share a laugh. 

“Oh fuck me, you must be kidding me.” She sighs, sitting on the nearest chair. “Are you the only one like this?” She hesitates on a word that describes what she means but can't to a better one than : “Immortal?”

Finan shrugs. “As far as I know, there was just me until now.”

“So we are two.” She points her finger at her chest and then his. “Just you and I.” He nods, pinching his lips in a thin line while she shakes her head. “That's fucking insane.” 

“You're tellin' me!” He exclaims exaggeratingly.

But again Victoria ignores his attempt of jokes to ask another question. “How did you find me?”

His cheeky smile fades and he leans on the handle of the mop. “Well, in my dreams I could see moments of your life and I just tried to put all the pieces together.”

“That's creepy.”

This time he is the one rolling his eyes. “Trust me lass, when you'll have kept living for a millennial, being creepy will be the least of your problems.”

“So it was you in the bookshop?” He nods. “And you followed me?”

“I did.” He admits, finished with cleaning the floor. “Alright, maybe it really is creepy.” Victoria raises her eyebrows, as if she's surprised by his affirmation. “But it never happened to me before, and I just… I just had an intuition.”

“Well, it's maybe the least weird thing you told me since you knocked at my door.” She sighs taking the bucket and the mop from his hands to empty it in the toilets. When she comes back after putting everything back into the closet she pays more attention to the blood staining Finan's sweatshirt and her own clothes. “I should change clothes.” She says, pulling the edge of one of her sleeves, already annoyed by the time it will take to clean it correctly. “I must have something for you.”

Finan raises, probably doubting any of her clothes could fit him as she is a head smaller than him. 

“From my ex.” She answers, clearly having read his mind. 

“Ah, yeah. Thank ya.”

She walks away to her bedroom, taking the first clothes she finds and changing, making a pile of the dirty ones. Then she pulls out of a drawer a sweater from her ex that she hasn't thrown away yet. Before coming back to the living room she stops in the bathroom to wash her hands and face from the dried blood. The water is enjoyable, the only thing constant during this day where all her truths are being riled. She stares at her reflection in the mirror, meeting her own green eyes. 

“Maybe it's just a dream.” She says softly and brings her finger to her mouth. She bites in it, hard enough to break the skin. She hisses when she tastes a drop of blood on her tongue. It wasn't a dream. 

Suddenly, knocks at her door startle her and she bursts out of the bathroom. Finan is still in the middle of the living room, looking between her and the door. He looks as panicked as her and Vicky points at the room she just walked out of. 

“Hide in the bathroom.”

Finan doesn't object, grabbing the sweatshirt she hands him on his way. Once she has heard the door of the bathroom closing behind him she rushes to the front door and slowly opens. 

“Becca? What are you doing here?” Victoria asks after recognizing her best friend. 

Rebecca raises a surprised eyebrow. “You seem pleased to see me. I texted you I was coming.” She says, waving the hand with which she's holding her phone. 

“Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't really check my phone.” Victoria rubs the back of her neck. “Anyway, what do you want?”

Rebecca narrows her eyes, warning her that she's sounding weird, so she straightens a little and plasters her best smile on her face. 

“I forgot my gym bag here, yesterday. I just wanted to get it back.”

“Yeah, sure.” Victoria moves away from the door and Becca steps in, patiently waiting for her best friend to come back with the bag. 

She searches in the living room but she becomes pale when she hears a noise from the bathroom. “Is there someone else here?” She hears Rebecca ask. 

At the time she answers, she has found the bag and is walking back to her, quite nervous. “No.” She replies dryly and oh, how bad she is at lying, especially to Rebecca.

Her friend's face breaks into a mischievous smirk. “Are you hiding a boy?” 

Vicky stares at her with wide eyes before scoffing. “Absolutely not!” She hands her the bag quite abruptly. “Here's your bag. Do you need anything else?”

The tan skinned woman studies her for a second, no doubt knowing she's lying and Vicky is sure will probably hear of it in the following days. “No, that's all.” 

As soon as she's gone, Victoria heaves a sigh and turns around when the bathroom door opens. 

Finan's head appears from the small opening. “Am I the boy she's talking about?” 

“Obviously not, you're a thousand years old, old man.” She snaps, joining him.“The hell were you doing?” She pronounces her last words slower as she notices that he is standing bare chested in front of her, his skin covered with scars. She tries to keep her gaze on to his face, the blood now washed away from his beard and neck. “Doesn't matter. Get dressed.”

Vicky waits patiently in the living room for Finan to come back. When he comes back he’s wearing an uncomfortable smile, one of his thumbs jammed in his trousers pocket while he has his dirty sweatshirt in his other hand. There’s an awkward silence but Vicky couldn’t care less, sitting on a chair, her elbows resting on her thighs and her hands sliding into her hair. Finan comes closer to her and gently puts his hands on her shoulder, she doesn’t push him away, even if she wouldn’t usually allow such proximity with a stranger.

“Maybe I should let ya alone, so ya can process everythin��.” He says softly and when she lifts her head his gaze is as soft as his voice. She nods and he squeezes her shoulder before stepping to the fridge and writting something on a post-it glued on it. “That’s the hotel where I sleep, if ya need anythin’.” 

“Thank you.” 

He leaves right after, and somehow, Vicky hoped that as soon as he’d leave things would appear to be just a big joke. But she looks at the finger she bit earlier and there is no mark of her teeth, no wound. Her skin is as soft and healthy as usual.

A/N : This chapter’s dialogues are clearly the base of this fic, espacially the “a thousand yo??!!” sksks, or Finan killing himself, as @maggiescarborough​ told me : a real drama queen. Anyway, see you next week for the next chapter ;)

Tag : @obipoelover​ @for-bebbanburg​ @naps4bats​ @osferth​ @maggiescarborough​ @finansarms​ @dumbledoreisnotmyhubby​

[goldenhour-goldenboy]

I will send you ask until I'm out of breath!! You're awesome! I think the number is 25? Anyway, the line is "You're so fucking hot when your mad" if I can, I'd like to ask that Will's S/O says it to him

Thank you bb! i’m terribly sorry that I took so long but I’m finally getting to the bottom of the asks and I just had this wonderful scenario popping into my head when I thought the prompt. I hope you love it as well! This got kinda long so I put the rest under the cut, also this is not proof read and I should probably wait until tomorrow to edit and post this but I’m just so excited! (guys, it’s 2:40 in the morning, I better get my ass to sleep, lol) ALSO: I hope there’s not an author named Joseph Clarke out there. If so, sorry! I just had to made up a name real quick, lol

You’re on your after-work-routine as you step through the door of your shared apartment. Get your shoes off that have been hurting you all day, drop the bag on the kitchen counter, put the tupperware with your lunch into the dishwasher, spot Will through the door on the couch, reading, ask what’s for dinner - spot Will on the couch reading? 

“Will?” You have to lean back, glancing through the opened door to see that his usual space is indeed empty. For a moment you’re puzzled. You swear you’ve heard him greet you back as you first stepped into the place.

“WILL?” 

“In here!” His voice echoes back to you, coming from the other end of the apartment and you pat out of the kitchen, dishwasher still open and bag only halfway unpacked, to go on the search for your lost boyfriend. Not only is it an unusual sign for Will not to be reading after getting home, it’s almost a worrying one. It’s his time to unwind, to relax and calm down and whenever he skips it, you’ve found him with raging thoughts and a racing heart. 

You round the corner to your bedroom almost carefully, stopping in the doorframe as Will comes into view, hunched over the small desk near the window with his back to you, typing away furiously on his laptop. Clearing your throat and making your presence in the room known, you approach him with caution, making your way into the room slowly, almost holding your breath. 

“Hey …”

You stop. Will’s brows are knitted together tightly, his jaw set as he barely looks up from typing out words, fingertips punching so hard you fear for the keyboard to actually come apart. The look he gives you through his glasses is one of restrained anger and you settle down next to him, your eyes skipping over the desk, trying to make out what has him this enraged. 

“Hey, what’s up?”

Will doesn’t stop writing until you muster up the courage to place a soothing hand on his shoulder. He pauses, hands hovering over the keyboard with his fingers clenching into fists before he sighs deeply, trying to gather his thoughts and then finally leans back against the office chair that seems to small for his bulky form. 

“I’m writing a letter.”

Whatever you’ve expected, this was not it. “Okay?”

“I’m writing a letter to Joseph Clarke.”

“Who?” You can only stare at him. Will heaves another sigh, eyes darting over to a book that lays open next to his laptop, worn out pages and faded colors. You spot his name on the cover. “An author?”

“The author.” Will corrects you and grabs the book, eyes glowing behind his reading glasses. “The one fucking author that - .. Look, I have supported him through everything! Miranda and Clarke breaking up in the second book? Fine, whatever. Him taking the job even though that means they have to move halfway across the country? Sure, have it your way. But after everything, everything that he’s put them through - and me, especially after everything he put me through - he just let’s him die? From the fucking plague?””

Will looks at you with wide eyes, holding up the book as if he’s presenting you a sacred texts and preaching to someone who knows who those characters are. You can only stare back at him, lips spreading into a smile slowly as your bad feeling seeps away and you realize this is the reason Will hasn’t been in his spot.

“So you’ve finished your book?”

“I finished the goddamn book alright.” Will almost slams it down on the desk. “Never would’ve picked it up if I knew it ended like this.” He glances over to his half typed email. “And Joseph fucking Clarke is going to know exactly what I think about it.”

A soft snort escapes your lips as you watch Will reading over the paragraphs he’s already written and you notice how attractive he looks, eyes glued to the screen with a concentrated look, his shoulders tense over his disappointment about the ending. He’s still ranting under his breath about the plot as you make your way into his lap, arms closing around you on instincts while both of you try to settle in a way where he’s still able to go over his ‘letter’.

“Really, what a fucking asshole …”

“A book … ” You laugh to yourself, resisting the itch to reach out and pick the glasses from his nose to prop it on your own. Curled up in his lap you have the perfect view of Will’s jawline, deliciously moving as he mouthes And although you know is very … emotionally invested in his email, you just have to lean forward and press your lips to his neck. Will’s response is a grunt, he doesn’t even move his eyes from the screen as you travel up to his ear, leaving small wet kisses along the way. It’s only when you start to suck on that one spot right beneath his jaw that you feel his leg jerk underneath you and his eyes dart down to you. 

“I’m trying to start a revolution here, Y/N. The people need to know about this injustice done to his readers!” 

You follow up with another kiss on the spot, teeth teasingly pulling at the soft skin and now you swear you can feel his heart skip a beat in his chest as his breath hitches in his throat.

“Can’t help it.” Your tongue darts over the spot you just nibbled on and this time you’re sure you hear Will let out a soft moan, although his eyes shoot laser beams as you blink up again. “You’re just so fucking hot when you’re mad.” 

Your hand grips Will’s shoulder to move yourself on his lap, swinging your legs over so you get much more comfortable straddling position and Will’s head slowly leans back as your lips connect with his neck again, your hands making their way into his hair, fingers tucking at little pieces gently as -

Will shoots forward, nearly knocking you into the desk as he spots another point he needs to elaborate on, finger’s already typing away eagerly. You wrap your arms and legs around his torso in the last second, clinging onto him in a desperate attempt not to fall from his lap as a string of curses leave your lips.

“WILLIAM MILLER!” 

[jerrysmithsexy12-blog]

Jerry :( I'm sad, something really depressing happened earlier and I need your help cheering me up.

ok please enjoy this. :)

JERRY X READER FANFIC

——

Your name is (Your First Name) Bungalow Bill… and your the sexiest mother fucker on this street. every day your just so sexy that you have to cover all your mirrors. your orbs is (your eyecolor) and your strands are (your haircolor)

One day youre just taking a swim in the lake downtown. Just swimming all around in there with your pecs and swimming down and grabbing trouts in your bare hands. You hear a little something and you look around. You don’t see anything but then you keep looking… And. You see… someone drownding…

your legs go fast and your arms to fast and you swim to them. you pick their body up out of the water noting how buff it is… and ripped. Your blushing cause well you just think thats so handsome. you pull the man out of the water and hold him above. He coughs up water and blood and he looks at you with those big sexy marbles (eyes)

His wet brown lock curls and strands are on his head. “Hi thank you” he says handsomely, his voice like a speedrun of darksouls 2. “I’m Jerry… Jerry smith. thank you for rescuing me my prince…”

Your just so embarassed and you swuirm around. “Ahhh!!!! X_X 0mg Lol… anything for you bigboy… Glad i could help baby boy.” your so sweaty and your shoes are so small on your feet. You take off your shirt cause its so hot and reveal a tattoo of vegeta.

Jerry sees this and his eyes go blind of love. “Omg… I know you… Are you by any chance BungyChungyBill62 on ao3?!” he screams. “Yes” Uou say firmly back. “Oh my god i love your vegeta fanfics so much he is just so smexy am i right?!” he says. You smile proudly. “I agree.”

Papa J stands up and brushes off his shirt. “Well i should probably get going soon i have to go back home and cook dinner for my children” he holds up a fish that he caught in the water. “Those babys are gonna love this. Just kidding they hate all my meals and I’m alone”

You both chuckle and laugh at that funny joke!

You part ways and go back to your apartment where you sigh dreamily. Jerrey….. Oh he was so epic. but now that you have tasted perfection, what does life matter? you sit on your couch and play super monkey ball until you pass out at 6 am.

—–

The Next Morning

you wake up and take out your laptop and look at it. you have 3 new private messages. one is a continuation of your teen titans go roleplay thread. one is from your boss telling you that youre fired. and one… is from Jerry

“Hi (your name). Do you want to come camping with me this weekend, we have 6 pairs of hiking boots and there is only 5 of us in my family. I need to repay you for saving my life. Please respond. Love Jerry”

you fcking type “Yes” into the keyboard so good and you hit send. You are so excited you go to Walmart and you buy fishing line and bug spray and a whole canoe and you go home and knit yourself a sweater and it says “I LOVE JERRY” on it and you wear it.

-/——-

the next day

you hear honcking of a car outside and you go out there and see Jerry waving from his car. you take your suitcase and you go out there so fast and you see him. “Hi (name)? my family is so happy to see you are coming” he says. “guys this is the man who saved my life. ”

They are all playig magikarp jump and they dont say hi or look at you

“Haha well you know how it is” he says sexily. Everything about him is so tender and strong. “Hop in the trunk sorry we have no other room” he says and he gets out of the car and helps you into the trunk. You lay down in there and he kisses your forehead and closes it down and you just play your 3ds in there for a few hours

On the way there they stop and you get out cause you are all going in to get food on the way from McDonald’s. you step out and stretch and Jerry and you all go in.

You decide to talk to his family. “hi are you jerrys wife?” you say to Beth.“ unfortunately LOL” she says. Your so mad and angry. Beth goes to the counter. “uhhh can i get a. Fucking large Coke and 3 tomattos and a cookie and a salad and crotons and just a little Oreo mcflurry yes that will be all” she says. When she isnt looking you take her Coke and you put 10 salt packets into it.

Next you talk to morty he is just sitting at a table tying his shoes. “Hi morty jerrys son? I’ve heard so much about you” you say. Jerry didn’t tell you anything about him but also I forgot you have mind reading powers and you just know. morty looks up at you and he says “yeah” and he takes off his shoelaces and throws them in the garbage and takes off his shoes and throws them in the garbage cause he does not know how to tie them.

now youre talkig to summer. she is skyping with her boyfriend. “And so then they all shoot the ancient minister and his cape catches on fire and its fucking rob!!!!!Oh hold on one second. Hi what do you want” she says. “Oh hi summer just…… well just saying hi cause we are camping together. Are you having fun” “no” she says. “Ok well… maybe i have something for you…” you reach into your suitcase and just pull out a book. it says WARRIORS volume 1. you hand it to her. “try reading this bitch.” “Ok maybe i will bitch!!!!”

You walk up to their grabdpa Rick. “Hi Rick.” you say. “Dontever talk to me again” he says and he takes a real gun out of his pocket and shoots you

You wake up in the trunk of the car and walk back into McDonald’s. They are all eating their nuggets. “Ok there you are you died for a little bit there” they say. Jerry takes your hand. (your name) please come in the play place with me" he says. “Ok” you say and you both go in the McDonald’s play place and you have a fun time on the slide playing tag

When you are done you go back in the trunk and go to the campsite. When you get there you get out and breathe in the fresh air and 4 mosquitos. “Ahh… The fresh air” you say… “Boy do I love camping” you say and you take your suitcase and open it up and just chug one of those bottles of bug spray.

Jerry comes up to you. He has a headband that says JERRY RULES on it and he is wearing a shirt with Dwayne the rock Johnson smiling and giving a thumbs up. he is wearing very short shorts and sandles with socks and fingerless gloves and eyeshadow and blue lipstick. He winks at you. “Are you ready to have some fun” he says. You do a little dance. “Oppa gangnam style yes i am Jerry!” You are wearing skinny jeans, your I love Jerry sweater, a wolf hat because your fursona is a wolf, high heels, and a ripped vest with fake plastic crystals on the back.

You and jerry help set up the tent whole beth and summer just drink mountain dew and no one knows where rick and morty are. when you have finished setting up the tent there are 2 wasp nests in there and you are very scared. “Kyaaa…” you squeal and hide behind Jerry. “oh no need to fear (YOUR NAME HERE) they dont call me Jerry for a reason” he said. he Walks in there and just rips off the wasp nests in his bare hands and eats them and you see him grow slightly larger as he does. He turns to you and winks. You fall over and faint

When you wake up you are in the tent. it’s pretty dark out. you go outside and morty is on fire and everyone is roasting marshmallows on him. “oh hi (name) you sure sleep a lot and die a lot!” says Jerry and they all kek and laugh together. You blush in embarrassment. Jerry walks over to you handsomely. “Hi motherfucker do you want to take a walk and play pokemon go” he asks. You pull your phone out of your (your area of choice) “Yes” you say. both of you hold hands and start walking down the dark streets.

You can see illuminated from the fires that people are having. And also Jerry is giving off a faint glow. “Wow Jerry… you’re so beautiul tonight” you say bash fully. He smiles. “Yeah I know” he whispers. “Want to go somewhere cool?” he asks. “Yes” you say and dab.

Jerry and you go deep into the woods. “Jerry I csnt see anything” you say. “Oh one moment.” He grunts hard and focuses. Hundreds of fireflies come flying over to him and land on him and he is glowing now. You are amazed and crying. “Jerry I have to say something…” you say. “I’m in love with you!”

Jerry gasps and puts a hand up to his face and he swallows some fireflies accidentally. “Oh (your name)! I’m in love with you too!”

you both lean in… but then suddenly… a green portal opens behind you. some ricks come out and one of them pushes Jerry off a cliff and he dies. “Ahhhhhhh my beautiful Jerry!!! you… you mother fuckers will pay…” you say and flex hard. You start transforming into your beast form. Your hands get long and your ears get wolf ears. Your teeth become sharp and your eyes are glowing red and you are shacking. But before you can do anything a tranquilizer dart is shot into your back and you can’t see and you fall asleep.

————

You wake up in a brightly colored room well its white. It’s space jail and you are in it and to your right is a big buff space man and he looks so mean and weird. “where am i…?” you moan and you look around. Then a tv comes down and a Rick is on the tv.

“Ok so we thought you were gonna be Beth lol” he says. “we didnt excepet jerry to be kissing some stranger in the woods but i guess thats just fucken jerry bitch!!!!! Anyways we cant let you go now cause we found a rare mineral in your body. in 2 days we will harvest it and you will die sorry.” and he hangs up

You collapse to the floor and start crying and bawling. Why does this happen to you? “Jerry…” you cry out. “I want your hot and sweet tender loins to come and hold me…”

“Oh really?” a voice says. You recognise that voice… Its Jerry. But he is not here! Then the alien to the left of you takes off its mask and it is Jerry. “Hi motherfucker” he says.

“OH JERRY!!!!!” you scream and run into his arms. “oh Jerry I thought you were DEAD!!!” you whisper loudly. and kiss his little eyelashes. “Oh I was. but I respawned then.” he says. “and now I’m gonna get you out of here bich!!!!”

He raises a hand above him and starts screaming. The entire prison you are locked in is turned into minecraft blocks. he absorbs them all and quickly crafts a spaceship for you to fly in. You both get in. “Hey you can’t do that what are you doing!!!!” Some ricks scream… But your flying just so much. And you go.

—–////–

You arrive back at the campground in the morning. you both step out. “Jerry what the fuck” says everyone at once. you are so glad to be back on earth.

Then Jerry collapsed onto the ground. “J… Jerry…? what’s wrong…?” you ask and get on your knees to feel his forehead. He is getting sick.

“I can’t survive this long without… Nutrients…” he whimpers. “I need the earth and wood and grass to survive im running out of time” he says his eyes fading away.

You grab some dirt and wood chips and put them in his mouth. he eats them. “yum… thank you…” he says softly. “But. I’m afraid it’s too late…”

His body goes limp.

“Ah Jerry…! No!!!!!!!!!” you scream and you put your lips to jerrys and Kiss him. He starts to glow and you are kissing and he rises up and he is glowing and he suddenly had a Beaitiful white suit on and he is alive.

“Oh (your name) you brought me back…! To life…!” he says and he hugs you. “thank you the power of LOVE saved me” he says crying. Your also crying. “Oh Jerry I love you so much you are so ripped and handsome and muscular and stronf and desirable and underrated and underappreciated…” you both embrace and kiss.

“Honey” says jery to Beth. “I think… I need to see someone else.”

“ok” says Beth. “we have been divorced for 3 years Jerry.”

“haha lol!” you all have a good laugh and slap your knees and you and Jerry are glowing and kissing and you both combine and melt into each other and fuse into one big buff man.

——- EPILOGUE ——–

You now enjoy your life as a fusion perfectly happy and married and you go around giving warrior cat books to people to get them hooked on warriors.

summer also is a cat now cause she loves them so much she asked Rick to turn her into one.

Beth is single and she is loving her life she is strong and goes on dates and she brings horses to life.

Morty hasnt worn shoes in 7 years. That’s ok though he is working on it.

Rick is exactly the same but he wears eyeliner now.

—– THE END ——

[ecotone99]

[SF] God Among Men

So, I recently watched the latest season of Black Mirror titled 'Smithereens' and really enjoyed the build up of the tension towards the CEO. Although I liked how the story turned out, I had a different expectation of how the ending would turn out. This is how I thought Charlie Brooker was going to end the story. The story jumps in at the moment Billy Bauer, the CEO of Smithereen, hangs up the phone with the members of the board. I would appreciate any feedback and advice as I am just starting to write short stories as a passion.

Based on an episode of Black Mirror Season 5 Episode 2: Smithereens. Imagine the episode playing out the same until we reach the point Billy Bauer hangs up on his staff to try and negotiate with Chris Gillhaney himself.

*Scene begins at the 10-day silent retreat right after Billy Bauer hangs up the phone with his board members, determined to reach out to Chris Gillhaney himself* Tipi pulls out a giant suitcase from the car and walks over to hand it to Billy. Billy, eager to get started, meets her halfway and grabs the case and walks back to his humble abode used to sequester himself from technology. He sits near the edge and unlocks the case to find his laptop ready for use. As he pulls it out and opens it up, he takes a moment to remember something while on call with the other board members. “Uh, what did Penelope say? Can you make a note for me? Christopher Michael Gillhaney.” Tipi pulls out her smartphone and begins taking notes per Billy’s request. “UK, user since '08, didn't log on for 18 months.” Tipi affirms her dictation while Billy is furiously typing on laptop. Then a moment occurs to Billy and he pauses to look up at Tipi. “Sorry, what's your name?” Surprised, Tipi replies with her name as Billy extends his hand with a cordial smile. “Hi, I'm Billy.” Tipi shakes his hand and feels special in this brief introduction. Despite all that is occurring, with two mens lives hanging in the balance, Billy still finds an opportunity to treat Tipi with respect and sincerity. This makes her question why so many of her friends and coworkers were frightened for her when she mentioned she was promoted to be Billy Bauer’s new assistant. Perhaps some of the rumors about him were not as true as she heard about through the office. She was excited, yet nervous, to start this new chapter in her life assisting the CEO of Smithereen. “Tipi, really the only good thing about my position is every once in a while I get to invoke God-mode.”, as Billy finishes this sentence, he presses enter on his keyboard starting a chain of very complex scripts that seem to connect through various satellites. *Scene switches to the car Chris Gillhaney is sitting in with Jaden, the Smithereen intern, sitting in the back, hands still tied* Chris Gillhaney’s phone rings, he stares at the number unable to recognize the caller. As exhausted as he feels, the realization that the moment he has been waiting finally arriving gives him a quick adrenaline rush and helps fight back the impending dread sitting at the bottom of his heart. Chris carefully presses ‘ACCEPT’ on his cell phone as he nervously puts it up to his ear. “Christopher? Is that Christopher? Hello?” Chris sheepishly replies, “Yea, I’m here.” Jaden in the back seat leans over a bit to get a better look at Chris, to somehow get an idea on the conversation he may be having with the founder of the most popular social media site in the world. “It’s me”, Chris softly speaks back into the phone, still unsure whether to believe who may be on the other line. “Hi. I'm Billy Bauer. You wanted to talk to me?” “I did. I did, yeah. I do.”, as Chris’ heart rate increases, he finds himself rushing in response, still in disbelief that he finally reached the reclusive man himself. “Okay, well, uh you got me on the line. Tell you what, why don't you let our guy Jaden there go and, uh you and I can just, you know, chat? We can talk about whatever it is you want.” “If I let him go, you'll hang up.” Chris retorted, refusing to fall for such a simple ploy. “I'm not gonna hang up, Christopher.” “I want you to listen to me!” “I’m listening. Let's just not blow up, okay? Let's just, you know, be calm and you'll just kind of tell me what it is that you want.” “I just told you. I want you to listen to me. Just fucking listen to me!” despite Billy’s words to ‘be calm’, this was definitely not the time to ‘be calm’. Not after all he has been through for the past year and a half. Now he was going to hear him out, fully, with all that he has to say. “I'm listening. There's no one else here. Okay, Chris? It's just it's you and me. You have my attention...Chris?” “Yeah, I'm just I'm just it's hard to get my thoughts in order. I've rehearsed this though, and I just..” the fatigue and stress of the day was starting to catch up with Chris and he was having a hard time staying focused. “Take your time, man. Just take your time.” “You run Smithereen.” Chris demanded, starting to feel the words he scripted coming back into his mind. “Uh-huh. Since 2008.” “I used to use Smithereen all the time” Now Chris was determined to state his message, the message that caused so much time, money, resources, and pain for numerous people involved on this day. On his last day. “Okay” “I mean, constantly. Like, my phone was glued to my hand. I was the whole cliche, you know, first thing I saw in the morning, last thing I saw at night. Tamsin was…” Chris broke off, filled with an intense pain that surged through his heart as he tried desperately to fight back the tears. The tears that still refused to stop after all this time. Jaden looks up to see a man continuing to deal with his own personal hell. He looks on and wonders how deep this pain goes. “Chris? I’m here” “Tasmin was the same,” fighting through the agony, Chris continued on, as he had to at this point. “She was my fiance. Three years ago I was driving home with her. We'd been visiting my mum. My mum was sick and we'd been visiting my mum and I was driving Tamsin back to our flat. She was asleep. She was tired and I'm just driving her home. And it was boring. I got bored. I got bored every ten seconds back then, I think, and I'm on this road. It was very quiet, straight...and my phone lights up and I check it. I just glanced at it, you know. There's this little notification thing saying someone liked a comment that I made about some photo of theirs. I just glanced at it, you know. That's all the time it took...” Chris pauses briefly, the damage still too real to him. “It took her two months to die. I was at her bedside. It was no use. The man in the other car died, too. He was drunk. He got the blame. They said it was him. Everyone felt sorry for me. Mr. Tragic.” *Scene switches back to Billy Bauer’s retreat destination* Tipi is still standing by Billy waiting for anything he may need, but her face looks like a combination of confusion, worry, and complete shock. As she looks on towards Billy, she notices him still frantically typing at his keyboard. At a slight angle, she can view his laptop screen. She notices a small window in the upper corner parsing Chris Gillhaney’s words into text and seemingly running various calculations underneath it in a massive tree like structure. The visualization is confusing to figure out, but from what she could tell, it seemed as if the program was figuring out the right responses and phrases to say back to Chris on the other line. What also amazes Tipi is that the program is replicating Billy Bauer’s voice and having direct communication with Chris without his knowledge. This was one of the many secret weapons at Billy Bauer’s disposale. For over a decade, he pooled company resources to research how to leverage machine language to not only mimic any person on earth, but to also have fluent conversations with others without their knowledge. This program passed any Turing test known to man. It even helped boost his popularity around the world as once this technology was advanced enough, Billy mostly held public interviews and meetings through phone calls. This allowed him to spend more time on more interesting endeavors rather than putting on 'public performances to the media', as he would put it. Although, those who work closely with him believe this caused him to become more detached from society. “My god, this man’s taste in music is just….ooff”, Billy spoke to no one in particular. He was sifting through, dissecting, investigating this shattered hostage taker’s Smithereen profile. He was trying to understand Chris’ mind, thought patterns, characteristics, anything he could use to end this situation, anything to help exploit him. “Mmm, no siblings, mother deceased, father still lives close by. Quite a recluse now I see. Hrmm, maybe we could…”, as Billy trailed off he started opening up a new window on his laptop and typing furiously what looks like code for a script that Tipi could not fathom to understand. Likely, most other programmers could not either. Tipi receives a phone call and leans over to Billy in a whisper, “It’s Pen.” Billy waves her off as he continues typing, in deep concentration. “She is insisting not to do this ag…”, before Tipi could finish her sentence, Billy gives a look to Tipi that stops her mid sentence. She could not quite put it into words, but the intense, brooding glare he gives up at her says something more, something worse if she disobeyed. “I am sorry, but Mr Bauer is currently indisposed at the moment. I will let him know you called the moment he has a chance.” As Tipi hung up the phone, Billy slightly nods and continues to feverishly write out what now looks like a number of scripts waiting for execution. “I killed her over a fucking dog photo!”, Chris sobs into the phone as he finally pours the deepest darkest secret of his heart out to the CEO, or so he thinks. “I killed her over that.”, as Chris finishes his story, silence takes over the phone call. As he wipes tears from his eyes, he beckons “are...are you still there? Did my fuckin sob story put you to sleep?” “I am still here, Chris,'' replies the machine language program. “I never left, I’m just listening to you, that's all. You must be dealing with so much guilt and shame from all of this. Like, you’re all alone with this burden and can’t tell anyone with what you’re going through for fear they will judge you. That they will not understand you. Judge you, like the terrible person you believe you are. Am I right in thinking this?” Chris is in shock to hear all his emotions and pain get reflected back to him so clearly and concisely, he nervously replies “y-y-yeah! It’s been just so fuckin hard, you know!?” The program picks up the subtle inflection change in Chris’ voice to realize its reaching out to him and pushes forward with its message. “And not to mention the amount of grief you must feel for the lost of your one true love.” In the background, sobbing is heard through the receiver. “That sounds so heartbreaking. You have endured so much through the fault of this app, and for that, I am truly, truly sorry for your loss. But you are not alone, Chris” “Yes, I am! I did this! It was my fault!” “You are not. I have lost someone deeply as well. Someone very close to me” *Scene switches back to the car with Chris sitting inside listening very intently* Jaden perks up upon hearing this new information from a man who very much values his privacy. Chris, taken aback, questions him, “what? What do you mean?” “I have also lost someone, Chris” “Don’t fuck with me, Billy! I won’t hesitate! I’ll shoot this fuckin’ intern right between the eyes, I swear to god! I swear if you’re lying to me!”, Chris, emotionally drained, cannot stand anymore disappointments at this point. Calmly, the program replies, “I am not, Chris. I would not lie to you. Her name was Abby. We were in love. This was before Smithereen, back when I was a freshman in college. I was deeply in love with her.” After a small pause, Chris started to become curious, “how…” “How can you know I am not lying? Go ahead, look her up”. As the program was speaking these lines to Chris, a plethora of other scripts, outside of Billy’s work, started executing. “Her name was Abby Leauril, that is spelled L-e-a-u-r-i-l. I’ll wait” Chris put the phone away from his ear and did a search. “She’s not on here, you fucking liar!” “No, she was never on Smithereen. Try searching on the web instead, Chris” Chris proceeded to open a browser and did a search on the woman and found some relevant information related to the program’s message. In disbelief he remarked, “it says here she’s dead...by suicide.” “Yes, Chris. She was chronically depressed. And no amount of therapy, drugs, or loving support and encouragement from myself could make her believe she was not alone. In the end, she took her life and I blamed myself. I blamed myself for not finding more ways to help her feel connected. And that is why I built Smithereen” “...really?”, Chris sheepishly asked, unsure of how to take such a deep, personal story from the CEO of the biggest company in the world. *Scene switches back to Billy’s location and focuses on Tipi* “Really, Chris.”, replied the program empathetically. Tipi, upon hearing this, become quite baffled upon hearing this story. She had every right to be in disbelief, since in preparation for this position, she did a deep analysis of Billy Bauer’s life in order to better serve his needs and she knows very well that Billy dropped out of college halfway into his first semester to continue writing an application he had already started in high school. In fact, Billy never really had any girlfriends, at least not until he become incredibly rich and famous. Yet, upon pulling out her phone and doing a cursory search, there she was, this obituary of Abby Leauril popped up at the first search result. How odd that such an unknown figure would have their obituary show at the number one search result. And then it dawned on her how sophisticated this machine language program could act. During their conversation, the program created a completely false person, generated a fake obituary, and, upon closer inspection, a full backstory with several other links relating to her passion for poetry, trips with friends going snowboarding, and even pictures that must have been generated as well. Such complex actions took this program mere seconds to generate and Chris had no clue how all of this was fabricated. “So, Chris, as you can see you are not alone. I also blamed myself for her death, but that was not true. There are situations in life we just cannot control and it took many years of coping, meditation, and therapy to help me realize that. Do you see a therapist, Chris?” “No, no I don’t, and it really won’t fuckin matter at this point”, Chris replied dejected and depleated. “Why do you say that?” “Come off it! Because there is no tomorrow after what I’ve done here today. Don’t play like there is any other end to this than what we know is going to happen” “Chris, what if I said I could get you out of this? No jail time, walk away scot free, would you want that?” *Scene switches back to the car* A long pause hovers over the phone call. Chris and Jaden are both stupefied upon hearing such an incredulous proposition. Billy Bauer may be the CEO of a giant corporation, but even businessmen must obey government laws. Also, Billy resides in America and could no way have any leeway over UK jurisdiction. “Chris? Chris, are you still there? I hope you did not fall asleep on me, haha”, the program chimed into the receiver, attempting to continue the rapport it was building with Chris. “But….that’s..” “Impossible? Maybe for you, but c’mon, Chris, you’re talking to Billy fuckin’ Bauer! But I can only make this work if you agree to let Jaden here go. Will you agree to that?” Hesitantly, Chris replied, “H-how can you do that? You can’t do that, can you?” “One sec, I’ll get my lawyer on the phone…”, the program replies as it generates a new voice and background information while Chris waits patiently thinking Billy is calling this other person. “Hello, this is the law office of Mr. Ray Billebu, how may I assist your call today?” a kind receptionist responds into the phone. “Hey, its Billy, get Ray on the phone, please. Its urgent” “Oh, of course, Mr. Bauer. I will put you right through” A few moments pass and another voice generated by the program begins to speak. “Hey, Billy? I’m here, what’s up?” “Have you been following the news?” “Yea, I am up to speed” “So, I am on the phone now with Chris. He’s been great to talk to, just a little down on his lucky lately. Any chance we can help him out of this situation?” “Hrmm, that’s going to be tough. I know some higher up fellas though over in the UK police department that owe me a favor. Is he on the phone? Chris? Are you there?” “Ye-yes! Yea, I’m here”, Chris stammers, almost unable to process what he was hearing on the phone. Who is this Ray Billebu? Does he really have this kind of pull? The whole situation sounds almost too ridiculous, but before he can think this through, ‘Ray’ interrupts his train of thought. “Ok, so I may be able to pull a few strings, but I already know they’re going to ask this. Will you release the hostage if I can broker you a deal?” A momentary lull hits in the car, yet it feels like an eternity as Jaden leans in slightly wondering if his nightmare may end here soon. Chris almost cannot respond given how quickly this whole scenario suddenly is playing out. And as if on cue, the program chimes in as Billy, “Look, I know this is a lot to deal with right now, but I promise you, we are going to set you up with the best therapists, psychologists, massagists, whatever! Hahaha. The point is, you have a second chance here, Chris. A real chance. Isn’t that what Tasmin and your mother would want for you now? To move on from this and to have a real fulfilling life? To forgive yourself?” As the program states this, Chris can feel his tears rolling down his face once again. He almost forgot about the recent loss of his mother. All the love and care they provided him seemed to flood back, followed by a torrential betrayal of remembering they were gone. Gone forever. But perhaps, if Billy is right, this does not have to be forever. “Al….alright. I will let him go. I was gonna do it anyways, so that’s fine. If you can get me off…..I’ll let him go” *Scene switches back to the police officer, Linda Grace, continuing to observe the hostage situation* Inside the police car, the officer next to her nudges her to get her attention. Linda looks up, and rushes to open the door to take a better look. She starts giving cautionary demands to the force to be on the lookout in case the perpetrator attempts to do something suddenly. She almost cannot believe it, but she is watching the Smithereen intern exiting the vehicle, arms raised high, walking right towards them to safety. *Scene switches back to Chris inside the car* Chris looks at the rearview mirror and witnesses Jaden getting taken in by the police officers. As nervous as he feels, there is a small gleam of hope in his heart. That possibly amidst all this madness there may actually be a road to redemption for himself. It is the first time he has allowed such a feeling and he cannot believe it came about in the strangest series of events. He did not care, as he thought about Tasmin, he realized from here on out he was going to try and do better. Do better in this world, to help people make better decisions. It would be a long hard road, but he knew that is how he would honor the memory of his dear beloved. Just then, he could hear laughing over the phone line, Billy sounded quite jovial...a bit too much so. “Hahahaha, wow, I just cannot understand how people like this pile of shit. Do you really listen to this? I mean, I have been trying to, but I just….I can’t! Oh god, it is so awful” Chris is thoroughly confused, Billy’s demeanor and cadence has taken a completely different turn. As he continues to try and understand this shift, the truth slowly starts to loom in. “Did they just say ‘my whole heart is all yours?’”, Billy questioned, to no one in particular. “Talk about some pretty weak mess. I have been trying for the past 20 minutes to get into this, but I just...wow. You really should have killed yourself ages ago just for listening to this remedial tripe. That’s probably what killed her, isn’t it? You were playing this pussy shit in the background and you all just fell asleep trying to keep up! Hahaha! And if that car didn’t do it, I bet she was already ready to slit her wrists from having to bear through this dog turd of a song. Oh. My. God….its just...so…” “What did you... what did you say about my wife?!”, Chris interrupts, his face turning more serious as the rage in his heart starts to boil up. Not realizing the full gravity of the situation he is in. “But seriously, your taste in music? Sucks. But I don’t know what else I would expect from someone who wanks it to furry porn”, Billy continued on, giving no mind to Chris’ question. “What are you...I don’t! Wank it to furry porn! Why in the bloody…” “June 8th, 2 minutes and 34 seconds. I mean, perhaps you were just curious, but let’s be honest. That’s enough time to let one go for you. And hey, I’m not judging! I am actually impressed! I figured you to be 1 minute, 130 max. Kudos, my man, kudos. Hahahah!” “Now, you listen here! You don’t get to rummage through my life like that and you sure as shit don’t get to say those things about my wife!” “Ah, but she wasn’t really your wife, right? Remember? Because you killed her before you could actually get married? I mean, c’mon man! You’re doing all this for her and you can’t even fucking remember whether you got married?! Hahaha, god, you all are such complete imbeciles! Seriously!” “How dare you say such things to me! How dare…” “No, how dare you! And, just because of that, boom there it goes.” In the background, Chris could slightly here a tap go off, almost indistinct, but definitely pressed with determined force. It almost sounded like a key pressing down on a keyboard. “You still scoping out your feedback over on the app? Why not go take another look. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.” Chris, still enraged and very perplexed by what is transpiring with his conversation with Billy, pulls his phone down and starts sifting through Smithereen’s data feed. On the screen he can see messages such as ‘Breaking News: Chris Gillhaney’s Mother a Drug Dealer’, ‘Hostage Taker’s Mum Dealt Drugs to Little Kids’, ‘Psycho Son’s Mother Killed Herself Rather Than Go To Jail’. Chris’ eyes widened as his heart rate spikes into trembling with fear. Trembling like his hands, as he can barely keep them still as he views the comments ravaging his poor mother. After a few more comments, he cannot look anymore and pulls the phone slowly back to his ear, slowly starting to feel the ominous weight Billy projects onto his victims. “Why?....why would you do this to her? She…..she had nothing to do with this”, Chris pleads for answers as tears start flowing from his eyes in shameful pain. “Why? I did this just to show you how serious I am.” Billy coldly and calmly replies. “But you didn’t have to do this. I released him. What about the deal?” “Yeaaa, that wasn’t even me.” “What are you on about? I heard you!”, Chris exclaims, desperately trying to keep mind within reality. “Oh, you did, but that wasn’t me. Yea, that was a little pet project of mine. What you heard was a fake. An algorithm. It's able to replicate my voice and was able to pool together the best psychologists, sociologists, negotiators, and mental health experts throughout all of time to figure out the best way to reach you. To figure you out. To get under your skin, so you could bend and move the way I wanted you. And it worked! Well, it always does” “But if it can do….this whatever, then why post all this God awful lies about my mum? Why?!”, Chris yelled into the phone, hoping to find some reason to this real trend of madness that was coming onto him. “Oh, this? This is just for fun! Sometimes I like to still get hands on from time to time. Honestly, I couldn’t give a shit about that intern fuck. He’s going to get fired, that’s for sure. I can’t have some idiot getting taken captive by some societal fuck up like you. That’s just….oof. So low” “But why? Why are you doing this to me? I don’t under…” *Scene switches to Billy’s location, a close up is on his face as he stands up* “Because, Chris, no one, and I mean NO ONE, gets to fuck with my 10 day silent retreat!” “Your what retr…” “You don’t get to come along and pitch your whiny, bullshit sob story for offing yourself and fuck with my week while you’re at it! There are consequences to your actions! You would’ve done yourself a lot of good by just putting that bullet in your head when your whore of a fiancee... “Hey! Hey, don’t you dare speak to her…” “YOUR WHORE OF A FIANCE and expect to just have some nice casual conversation with the CEO of the largest fucking company in the goddamn world! You don’t! Do *lightly laughs*...do you have any idea how little your life is worth to me? I know the real name of the prostitute that the chancellor of Germany uses on a daily basis. I can pinpoint within a day the moment an assassination attempt occurs throughout Russia. With a snap of a finger, I could change an entire young generations music fad into some other derivative horse garbage. Last week I gave up the identities of several members of a resistant group in a country in exchange for exclusive rights for our app to get used in the country. The stupid fucks don’t even realize we’ll own them too by the end of the year! This phone call alone made me trillions. Your pathetic porn habits are meaningless to me. Your existence is just a sputtering hiccup that should have never happened. Now, here is what I am going to do, you either go ahead and finish the job that drunk fuck up couldn’t do properly or I am going to tell the WHOLE WORLD that you organized a kiddie sex dungeon. You have 1 minute to decide or else. I hope this was worth it, you worthless piece of shit!” *Credits start to roll* *Scene shows two teenagers live streaming the car, a loud gunshot is heard in the distance. The teenager holding the phone looks slightly distraught as he slowly lowers his phone* *Scene switches to officer Linda Grace, steadily watching the car, suddenly looks more intense and steps slightly forward. She pulls out her radio to hear confirmation of what she thinks she witnessed. Next to her, another officer hears a notification go off on his phone and pulls it out to read. As he skims through the headline, he looks ghostly white as he slowly comes up to Linda and nudges her to look down. She peers over to view the screen and quickly looks up at the car with a menacing stare* *Scene switches to the board room, as Penelope, Shonelle, and Don wait nervously for feedback from Billy. They all receive a notification at once and immediately check their phones. Each of them have a distraught look over their face. Immediately after, another notification chimes in. Shonelle covers her mouth in horror. Penelope struggles to keep her composure as she reads through the entirety of the article. Don merely blurts out in frustration, “that son of a bitch did it ag...!” Refusing to allow his emotions take hold, he cuts off the sentence and instead clenches his phone with both heads, pretending they are grabbing someone else* *Scene returns to Billy’s retreat, focused on Tipi* Tipi looks on towards Billy as he walked away, carrying the laptop in one hand, when speaking with Chris personally. She is quite unnerved after hearing Billy’s inflection and tone of voice turn quite vitriolic over in the distance. Billy was walking back, already finished with his call with Chris when a couple notifications went off on her phone. She only has time to briefly read a couple of the breaking news headlines, but she was able to process “Suicide” and “Child Sex Offender”. The full spectrum of the situation suddenly dawned on her in horror when contemplating the actions she just witnessed along with these recent headlines. A surreal clarity breaks through in her mind when piecing together her cursory understanding of Billy’s character. With no peers to keep him in check, no authority to put him in his place, no morality to keep him straight, he is a God among men. One who rules ruthlessly and carelessly with ceaseless abandonment to goodwill for no other benefit than his own. He is more feared than the devil himself, for Billy is only human, yet his realness shows the sobering truth; deep within, any one of us could become him. “Water, please?”, Billy asks, in a very cordial manner. Tipi barely has time to let this recent discovery sink in before she goes on autopilot and hands him a water bottle from some place she cannot remember. “Thank you”, remarks Billy as he is packing away his laptop into the suitcase. “Let Pen know the situation is resolved and Jaden was unharmed.” “Y-yes, Mr. Bauer”, Tipi timidly responds. “Oh, and also tell her that Jaden is fired, once he recuperates, of course. Give it, uhhhhhh, a few weeks? Then let him go.” “.....yes, Mr. Bauer” Billy is very calm and loose as he is closing the suitcase with his laptop inside. He hands the case over to Tipi, without a care in the world from the look in his eyes. As Tipi grabs the handle, Billy holds onto it a bit longer, looking her peacefully in her eyes. “You’re from Chicago, right?” Tipi is taken aback, a mixture of surprise and slight fear dawns on her by him somehow already knowing her background. She slightly nods, her mind still too paralyzed from the events that have taken place recently. “Stanford as well? Top of your class? Your mother must have been so proud, especially since she raised you all on her own. College never really made much sense to me, but I always admire those who work hard to better themselves, against all odds. I am impressed with all that you managed to accomplish in your life, Tipi”. Billy looks at her and gives a warm, seemingly genuine smile towards her. Tipi, a bit flattered that despite this possible invasive breach of her privacy, that he recognizes the real value she admires in herself. Slightly flustered, she replies, “Thank you...Mr Bauer” As Billy is about to let go of the case, he proclaims, still with his affectionate smile across his face, “please, call me Billy”

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