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lowkeychenle · 1 year ago

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Irrevocably [ZCL] (2)

Description: His decision has been made, but sometimes even Zhong Chenle can question his choices...

A/N: Thanks to popular demand, we have part two! I'm thinking this will be a three-parter. Do let me know if you would like a new one.

Genre: Angst, smut (no real sex but like smutty enough ig)

Content Warnings: Chenle is manipulative as hell in this!!! he is not a good guy in this fic!!! Do not read if you don't like it!!!!! This has gone into infidelity territory. Chenle is a bad dude in here, but the reader becomes a lil manipulative too. it's dramatic okay?

Word Count: 4,677

Pairing: Zhong Chenle x Reader | Mark Lee x Reader

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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Not hearing from Chenle for a while hurt, but you expected after he left. You knew better than to assume your spot in his life anymore, and when you heard from Mark that Chenle and his girlfriend had gotten back together, it stung more than you thought it would.

You had nowhere to direct your anger. After all, you had no real reason to be angry in the first place. Chenle never promised you anything. He never once said he wanted to be with you in any other way besides what you already had.

Embarrassingly enough, you’d tried to reach out to him. None of your messages went through, not even making it to the ‘delivered’ status.

“So, he came over to see you, screwed you, and then left you in the morning after she called?” Mark raises his eyebrows, blinking in surprise. He sits on the floor between your couch and the coffee table.

“So eloquently put.” You roll your eyes. Sighing, you lean back against the cushion. “But yeah, that’s what happened. And now he has me blocked on everything.”

“I guess I’m just confused,” Mark says. “Why would he do that?”

You grab a decorative throw pillow and cover your face with it. “This is Chenle we’re talking about. I stopped asking about motives a long time ago.”

“Was he like this before?”

“No.” Your chest deflates. “Honestly, he used to be a really good friend, even when we were…you know. Are you mad that I slept with him?”

“Why would I be mad?” He frowns. “I mean, you know I like you. But I’m not gonna tell you what you can and cannot do with your body just because of that. If we were exclusive, it’d be different.”

“I almost stopped him. He’s just…familiar, if that makes sense.” Your cheeks heat up as you bite your tongue to stop yourself from continuing. The last thing you need to do is make any of this worse.

“I think we all have that person we’re weak for.” Mark gives you a half smile. “I get it.”

You cradle your pillow in your lap and rest your head in your palms. “This is probably the last thing you want to talk about.”

“I’ve had more favorable conversations,” he agrees. “And…if you don’t want something with me, that’s fine, you know? You just gotta be honest with me.”

The stark contrast between him and Chenle almost makes you question everything. Mark treats you the way you’re meant to be treated—kindly, with respect, like you matter. Chenle, on the other hand? He was nice to you when sex wasn’t involved…for the most part.

Back before he’d met his girlfriend, he was as close to perfect as he could get. He was respectful of you, he didn’t push your boundaries, he took care of you. Now it was manipulation and heartache and lies. Chenle lied to you. He said he missed you, that all he thought about when he was with her was you, and you couldn’t even try to believe that anymore. It made no sense.

Actions speak louder than words.

But if Mark is perfect, why the hell are you still thinking about Chenle?

“I can do that.” You sit there for a moment, contemplating what you’re even going to say to make any of this better. “I…I like you, but I like him, too.”

“So it wasn’t just sex.” Mark tries to understand, confusion plastered across his face.

“It was. But when he was here the other night, I kind of realized I didn’t think that way anymore. Everything he said to me…It just doesn’t feel fake, I guess.” You fidget with your fingers, unsure of why you’re giving so much detail to him.

“That changes things a little bit.” He shifts, resting one of his arms on his knee. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not mad. But I think you need to figure things out. I’m not okay with being a second choice, (Y/N). And I hope you know you deserve better than the bullshit he’s been putting you through.”

“I’m trying,” you tell him.

“Right.” He stands, brushing his jeans off. “Do me a favor and call me when you figure things out, okay?”

“I–”

“It’s alright. I’ll talk to you later.”

You can’t even get another word out before Mark is out of the door. Shock courses through you, and you wonder if you made a mistake by telling him about your feelings for Chenle. Yes, his actions have been questionable lately, but that’s not the Chenle you knew. The Chenle you knew is the sort of guy who falls on the floor laughing, the over competitive to a fault sort, and whoever the hell left your apartment that night was not him.

Fantastic. Now you don’t have Mark, either.

The rest of the day is spent sitting in the exact same spot. You try to find something to keep you occupied, but without hearing from Mark, your phone is drier than the Sahara desert. Not to mention nothing seems interesting to you anymore. Staring at the ceiling has become quite the hobby.

You didn’t realize how often you spoke with Chenle until he was gone from your life completely. The two of you used to text constantly, not about anything in particular. Feeling the lack of his company hurts deep in your soul, in a way that shakes you to your core.

When you head into your kitchen to throw a bag of popcorn into the microwave, you don’t even get the bag out of the plastic before you hear a knock. Frowning, you check around to see if Mark had left anything, and maybe it was him coming back for it.

You don’t find anything, but you walk over and throw the door open. Everything inside you shifts, the blood apparently draining from your body at the sight of Chenle standing in your doorframe.

You barely even have a second to think before he’s lunging forward, a hand grasping the small of your back as he leads you back into your apartment and kisses you like his life depends on it. Shock courses through you, and by the time he’s pulling away, you’re at a loss for words.

You should be mad at him. You should push him away and ask him why the fuck he’s suddenly back.

Except that’s no longer on your mind when you catch the look in his eyes. You quickly realize Mark was right—everyone has someone they’re weak for, and for you? It’s Chenle. His chest heaves from the abruptness of the kiss, his tongue darting out to wet his full lips.

“God, I need you so fucking bad right now,” he groans, pulling you flush against him.

You don’t question it. In your mind, this means his girlfriend must’ve left again. She no longer exists in your mind. Chenle would never do that to someone.

“I saw him leave,” Chenle whispers, trailing his lips down your neck to where it meets your shoulder. “Every time I see him with you, I want to kill him.”

“Chenle, I—”

“You like getting me strung up like this, huh?” He nips your skin. “I hate thinking about anyone else fucking you.”

Your world spins around you, and you’re half-convinced this is a dream, but you feed into it regardless. You’ve craved him the entirety of his absence, so if this is all in your head, you’ll thank yourself when you wake up.

“You can’t leave again,” you say, tangling your fingers in his hair.

“I won’t, baby,” he hums, resting his forehead on yours. “Can’t stay away from you.”

You tug him back to you, mouths smashing together. Every logical thought you’ve ever had has quickly exited, leaving you alone with a next to primal desire for the man before you. When you pull on his hair, he moans into your kiss, sending excited chills up and down your spine.

Remembering Mark briefly, you push Chenle away, turning toward your kitchen and aching for oxygen. You hate the way you want to forget the past two weeks. Like everything he’s done to you doesn’t matter anymore because he suddenly wants you again.

It’s not okay. You know it’s not, but somehow, it’s not enough to change your mind. You have to distance yourself from him, or every ounce of self-respect you’ve ever had gets flushed down the drain.

“(Y/N), where are you going?” Irritation tinges his voice.

“Better question,” you say, pointing an accusing finger at him. “Where the hell have you been?”

His eyebrows pinch, creasing his forehead. You swear you see a hint of guilt, but it disappears from your view when he turns his head.

“You think you can disappear for weeks and then when you show up at my door, I’ll just drop my pants for you?”

“That’s not what I said,” he replies with a scoff. “I don’t know what I was thinking, okay? I saw you and it just…I need you.”

“No.” You shake your head. “You don’t get to do that anymore.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Chenle’s voice raises. “You were never like this before.”

You freeze, a laugh of disbelief escaping your lips as you slap a hand over your mouth. “I’m the one that’s different?”

A shaky breath follows, and then you break into a psychotic laughing fit, gripping onto the counter as actual tears well in your eyes as you try to regain your composure.

“Your girlfriend broke up with you because you left pictures of me in your phone,” you remind him. “And then your first response was to come to my house and tell me how much you missed me and how much you need me, but then you went running back to her the second she was willing to talk about it.”

“That’s—”

“I’m not done,” you snap. Your fury grows, and red clouds your vision. “I warned you. I warned you she would make you choose, and you left without any hesitation. And I haven’t heard from you this whole time, so what the hell was I supposed to think?”

“Are you done now?” He narrows his eyes at you, crossing his arms over his chest.

You run your tongue over your teeth, nodding slowly. “You know what? Yeah. I am. Get out, Chenle.”

“Hey, that’s not what I meant—” He takes a step forward, and you take a matching one backward.

“Does she know you’re here?” You raise your eyebrows. “If I texted you right now, would I still be blocked?”

Chenle glances up at the ceiling. He doesn’t even need to tell you the answer—you already know.

“Oh, my God.” You stumble a little further back. “You just barged into my apartment, tried to get with me, and you’re still with her?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Oh, then please do enlighten me. How is it?”

“Why do you have to do this right now?” he asks, tugging his fingers through his hair as he turns away.

You don’t know him anymore. That much is clear to you—you will never be his, he will never be yours. Nothing about this situation is going to work, not that you ever truly thought it would in the first place. Could you really even be mad at him? You knew what you were getting yourself into when everything started.

“What do you feel about me?” you ask, folding your arms over your chest.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he shoots back, recoiling.

“Am I even your friend anymore?” You scoff. “Be fucking serious right now, do you see me as anything other than an easy fuck?”

“There’s nothing exactly easy about you, (Y/N).” He narrows his eyes at you. “I’m not letting you go.”

“Your girlfriend doesn’t want you here, Chenle.” You try to stay as cool as possible, letting your anger dissipate. “If you’re not going to leave her, you need to leave me. She made you pick, and now I am, too.”

“Are you serious?”

“Clearly.”

“Not really sure where this fucking ego came from, but I don’t even know you anymore.” He shakes his head, turning away from you.

“Yeah,” you agree. “You’re too busy saving face in a relationship you’re clearly not too attached to. Does she not fuck you good enough?”

His silence is all you need. You imagine the way he closes his eyes, like his emotions are becoming too much for him.

“Or, I bet she hasn’t touched you at all since you got back together. Poor Chenle, can’t stand not getting his dick wet for a fucking month. You realize you’re doing exactly what she expects you not to do?”

“Yeah, because you’re such a saint, right?” He lets out a bitter laugh. “Hanging out with Mark and leading him on when I’m clearly the one you want.”

“If you don’t leave, I’m calling your girlfriend to come get you,” you threaten him, cocking an eyebrow.

“You’re gonna regret this,” he says.

“I don’t think I will.”

He leaves you alone, and all you can do is crumble to the floor when he shuts the door behind him. You trace over your lips, guilt sinking in at the thought of kissing Chenle when his girlfriend already thinks so low of you. How could you do this to her? She never did anything wrong to you.

As much as you know it’ll hurt, you steel your resolve. You deserve better, and this is exactly what you needed to catapult you toward Mark. He’ll be good to you, and eventually, you’ll get over Chenle. Hopefully, it’s not at Mark’s expense.

Jaemin was throwing a party. He invited Mark, who obviously decided he would take you. It’d been almost a month since Chenle burst into your apartment, so you figured you would be mostly over him in case he decided to show up at the same place.

Jaemin’s place was huge—hence why he’s always the host of these parties. The three story home is like a mansion, complete with dozens of empty rooms upstairs and vast space on the downstairs level for hundreds of people.

By the time you and Mark arrive, it’s already full. There are a few separate living rooms with giant couches, and random chairs strewn about for extra seating arrangements. Jaemin’s group usually sticks together. Years ago, when Chenle originally met them, he was the one who introduced you to the group. Everyone understood the dire situation between the two of you, but no one except Mark knew the full truth.

Since Chenle’s not there when you and Mark sit down, you hope that means he’s not coming at all.

Your relationship with Mark has gone well. You agreed to make it official, and the two of you proceeded to do normal relationship things. Even though you still have yet to sleep with him, you’ve done other things, and you were enjoying the slow pace you were taking. It was a nice contrast to the way things were with Chenle.

You sit on Mark’s lap, dropping your head into his neck while you laugh at something Jaemin said from across the room. His hands are latched around you firmly.

“No, that’s not even how that happened, dude.” Mark shakes his head, excitedly pointing at Jeno. “That motherfucker is just faster than me, okay? How was I supposed to know that?”

“You can just say you suck at sports,” Jeno retorts, grinning as he sips his drink.

Jisung stands from the other end of the couch. “Chenle’s here, gonna go grab him.”

You tense, and even though Mark feels it, you hope it’s not obvious to everyone else. Your boyfriend’s grip tightens on you, and he rubs his thumb on your hip in an attempt to comfort you. This’ll be the first time you’ve seen Chenle in a while, and you have no doubt in your mind that his girlfriend will be here too. You’ve met her plenty of times, but now it was different. She won. And she knows it, too.

“Are you okay?” Mark whispers in your ear. “We can do something else if you don’t want to be around him.”

“I’ll be fine.” You run your fingers through his hair and smile at him. “Thank you, though.”

“You sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? You know I don’t want him anymore.” You cup his cheeks and press a quick kiss to his lips. “You’re all I need and more.”

“Let me know if you change your mind. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” He squeezes you once, and then the two of you return to your conversation with Jaemin and Jeno.

Renjun brings drinks for everyone, and you gratefully accept yours. As you tip the cup to your lips, three figures make their way through the darkness and into their spots on the couch. Jisung, Chenle, and his girlfriend.

She sits between him and Jisung, leaving Chenle only a few feet away from you. You make brief eye contact, and the only acknowledgement he gives you is a quick raise of his brows. His gaze sweeps over how you’re positioned on Mark, and you’re almost certain you see a scowl on his face right before he sits.

He rests against the cushion, crossing his legs before he puts his arm around his girlfriend and tugs her close to him. She doesn’t even seem to notice your existence, and you feel hate bubble in your gut at the thought of them being happy together.

Mark pokes your side, making you laugh as you curl further into him.

“What are you doing?” you ask, grabbing his hand. “You know I’m ticklish.”

“I just like touching you.” He winks and takes a large sip of his drink.

“You’re pretty good at it, too.” You watch the smile on his face widen, and only when Jaemin says your name, are you shaken away from Mark.

“(Y/N), last time I had a party, didn’t you and Chenle get so drunk that you convinced him to dance on top of the pool table?” Jaemin’s voice is filled with laughter at the memory. “Guys, he wouldn’t get down. She had to go up there and try to get him down. They’re fucking crazy together. Makes a party.”

“Ah, yes, too bad you got rid of the pool table.” You set your drink down and shuffle on Mark’s lap.

Jaemin frowns. “No, I didn’t—”

“I’m sure you’ve got better stories than that trainwreck,” Chenle joins in.

You’ve been doing relatively well. Honestly, you thought you were making decent progress in getting over Chenle, but his words still sink into your gut and churn there until it turns into anger.

How can you make him hurt the same way he’s hurt you?

A plan forms in your mind, and you hide your smirk with your drink. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch the way his girlfriend is staring at you. Her gaze drags over you as if she’s assessing which parts of you Chenle ever liked.

Well, it’s not like she hasn’t seen them. He only kept them saved for a year.

Time for you to put on a show. You want to piss them both off, and you know exactly how you can do just that.

You lean in to whisper in Mark’s ear. “Does this make you uncomfortable?”

“No, of course not.” He pulls away to look at your face. “You know it doesn’t.”

“Good. Then you know that I want you.”

He smirks. “Keep squirming this much, and you’ll know how much I want you, too.”

Mark gets a little more confident when he drinks, and you enjoy it. He reaches down and squeezes your ass quickly, but all that does is make you move more. The two of you laugh together, and he leans forward like he’s going to kiss you.

“Yo, if you two are gonna fuck, can you at least take it upstairs?” Jaemin throws his empty cup at the two of you, but since it’s a red solo cup, it ends up barely making it half the distance.

Mark’s lips brush your ear. “Kinda like the sound of that.”

You can’t even hide the shiver that runs down your spine. Instead of answering, you slide off his lap and hold your hand out to him. He gets up quickly and wraps his arm around your waist and tugs your back to his front before placing a kiss on your neck. The other boys whoop and holler as he guides you toward the stairs, both of you giggling the entire way.

You look over your shoulder, giggles fading when you catch the glare on Chenle’s face. If looks could kill, you’re sure both you and Mark would be eviscerated by now. He’s almost taunting you, daring you to move forward and go upstairs with Mark. Chenle’s girlfriend is scowling for a different reason, irritation plastered on her face while her arms are crossed over her chest.

After a few seconds like that, Chenle disappears from your view as Mark hand dips to squeeze your ass again. You intertwine your fingers with his and lead him all the way to the end of the hall. The door is unlocked, and the room is empty, so you close it behind you.

Mark smiles as you wrap your arms over his shoulders. You barely take time to appreciate it before you press your lips to his. He hums against your mouth. He walks you backwards, hands on your butt, until the back of your knees hit the mattress.

“You’re sure this is okay?” he mutters, gently kissing down your neck. “I’ve wanted to fuck you for so long.”

Your breath shudders, and you nod. “It’s more than okay.” You refuse to waste anymore time. Reaching beneath his shirt, you nudge it up his body.

He pulls it off in a swift motion, allowing you time to trace your fingers along his muscles. You push him onto the bed, and he backs up until he’s sitting against the headboard. Without hesitation, you join him in taking your shirt off. The lace of your bra is practically non-existent, but he gulps as you climb on top of him.

You guide his hands to your breasts, sighing when he squeezes them. Grinding down on him, you hold onto his shoulders. You feel his hardness through his shorts, and you lunge forward to kiss him. His tongue battles with yours, and you start to slowly lift yourself from his lap and sink back down as if you were riding his cock. Groaning, he kisses you harder, grasping your hips and helping you grind down on him, back and forth in rhythm with the way his mouth clashes with yours.

The straps of your bra fall down your arms and you tilt your head back at the deliciousness of the friction. Mark nips your collarbone, thrusting up to gain more friction.

“Fuck,” he moans. “Want you on my cock so bad.”

“God, me too.” You move faster, your body shaking and heat infiltrating every inch of you. It’s about time you took this step with Mark, and despite the way the glare on Chenle’s face as you went up the stairs with Mark excited you, you know Mark is everything you want.

He unbuttons your shorts, and you lift up to allow him to pull them down. Before his fingers can even latch onto the belt loops, the door slams open. Mark reacts quickly, flipping you over so he covers you with his body until he can get the throw blanket at the edge of it over you.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Mark hisses, quickly grabbing his shirt from the floor.

You clutch the blanket to your chest as you let your gaze travel to the door, and when you make eye contact with Chenle, your stomach twists.

“I…” Chenle pauses, glancing between Mark and you. “I don’t know.”

Tears well, but you refuse to let them fall in front of Chenle. You can’t lie and say you weren’t hoping this is what would happen, but now that it’s here, you have two men looking at you for answers.

“You’re a shitty person, you know that?” Mark says to Chenle. “What is she to you? A fucking toy? You think it makes you fucking cool to ditch her and then not want her to be with someone else?”

“What, and you treat her better? You were about to fuck her at a party—”

“Better than fucking her while I still have a girlfriend,” Mark snaps.

“What?” A soft voice sounds from behind Chenle, and he grimaces.

“No, that never happened, I—” Chenle frantically looks to you for support, fear in his eyes as he silently begs you to help him.

But you refuse to. It’s his own fault he’s in this situation.

Footsteps retreat, but Chenle stays put, panic rising as he tries to figure out whether or not he should stay or if he should go after his girlfriend.

“You’ll never fucking be anything to her,” Chenle spits at Mark. “You think she’ll ever think of you the way she thinks of me? She’s mine, and you’re an idiot if you think you stand a chance—”

Mark’s fist connects with Chenle’s jaw, and you scream. Launching up from the bed, you push yourself between them before Chenle can retaliate. You pant as you pull the straps of your bra back up and face Mark, putting your hand up.

“Mark, I—”

“Oh, fucking forget this.” He laughs, slapping his palm to his forehead. “He’s right, isn’t he? No matter what I do, it’ll always be him?”

You take a step forward. “It’s not like that—”

“He just insulted you, and you stood in front of him. You stood in front of him.” The anger on Mark’s face is new to you, and you feel shame prickle in your gut.

“Please, let me—”

“I wasn’t the one throwing punches,” Chenle says. “So it’s not like she had anything to protect you from—”

“Fuck this. I’m done.” Mark pushes past both of you, stopping to turn back and point. “You two are both fucked up. I don’t want to hear from either of you ever again.”

“Mark—” You start to follow him, but Chenle grabs your wrist. Glaring at him, you try to jerk away from him. “You’ve done enough, leave me alone.”

“It’s not…not like that. You’re half-naked, (Y/N), at least get dressed before you follow him.”

You curse loudly, running back into the room to grab your shirt from the floor. Tears blur your vision as you tug on the fabric back on and button your shorts. You try to ignore Chenle’s presence—considering that’s how you got here in the first place—but the emotions become too much.

You fall to your knees at the edge of the bed, Chenle’s form a blur as he moves toward you. Your fists clench into the bedding, and your body shakes as you truly realize what you’ve done.

Chenle’s embrace feels natural, easy to melt into, but you push him away with such force, he sits down on the floor next to you.

“Don’t touch me,” you hiss at him. “This is all your fault. Why can’t you just fucking leave me alone?”

“It’s okay,” he replies, nodding. “You should be mad at me. I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what just happened.”

You grip his shoulders and start shaking him. “What’s wrong with you? What happened to you? Where did Chenle go?”

For the first time in months, you see the old him. The one who actually cared for you. Guilt and shame cover his face as he takes in the state you’re in. You eventually become so weak, you crumble. He catches you, stroking the top of your head.

“I’m so sorry.” Chenle squeezes you tightly. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

#nct dream #chenle #nct imagines #nct #nct dream smut #nct scenarios #mark lee #lowkeyjaemle #nct dream angst #zhong chenle #chenle x reader #chenle angst #chenle smut #nct smut #nct angst

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theshipminer · 10 months ago

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Decided to rewrite Hazbin Hotel because I was bored

You can consider this a fix, or whatever. I don't really care. I just thought that the show had fantastic ideas, meh execution. It's whatever. Anyways, shoutouts and apologies to my sister, @aimasup, for bouncing ideas with me, and for being the one who had to listen to me ramble on about all of this. If anyone wants to ask me questions or anything, I'll be happy to answer. Anyways, endless rambling for what basically is fanfiction under the read more:

Premise is still the same: Hotel in Hell re-Habilitates Horrible Has-beens

Probably at least three seasons

Season 1: Episode 1: Probably reuse the pilot for the first episode, albeit with their updated designs and other miscellaneous improvements.

This season establishes Hell, the Hotel, and other wacky shenanigans that the hotel goes through to rehabilitate sinners

Hitler probably shows up at least more than once

The Overlords of Hell are the main antagonists

There’s also the looming deadline of the yearly purge, so that’s fun

Season 1 finale: The Hotel staff finally go to heaven! Charlie’s ideas are finally being recognized! But, oh no! The head of the angels, Adam is a dick!

It gets worse! They couldn’t wait an entire year, so the next purge is in three months! What is everyone to do?!

In the end, everyone except Charlie has a great time. Alastor is conveniently absent for the entire episode.

Season 2: business as usual? Everyone is extra excited, except Charlie. Perhaps the time has come to ask daddy for help? More than usual?

Oh, yeah. Lucifer is probably gonna be one of the patrons in this season, I guess. Maybe we also discover what happened to Lilith in this season, but then again, it will probably depend on what the show does with her.

“I miss my wife, Tails. I miss her a lot.”

Somewhere, the truth finally gets out. Charlie has been keeping it in all this time because she hopes that maybe talking to Lucifer will solve this whole dilemma and Adam, massive dick that he is, won’t attack a former angel!

It doesn’t work.

Season 2 mid-season two-parter: the purge happens early. A massive battle between Hell and Adam’s forces happens. Maybe the hotel staff and the Overlords team up for this one, with some “persuasion” from Alastor?

Naturally, Adam is defeated, and Charlie wants to redeem him as well. The Overlords disagree, and take him prisoner.

While in captivity, Adam lets slip something interesting: God is nowhere to be seen. And he hasn’t been for a very long time now. Naturally, the overlords are interested, but of course they won’t want to let an angel leave alive, now wouldn’t they? The audience doesn’t learn this until the end of the season, when Alastor himself learns this vital piece of information. And only when he spills it to the main cast.

RIP Adam, you won’t be missed.

The rest of the season is back to business…? Nope! After hearing that God is missing, the Overlords realise that Heaven is basically prime for the taking. So they’re planning a full-blown war.

To help in this war, they plan to unseal the Root of All Evil, who shall henceforth be referred to as ‘Roo’.

Roo is considered the most powerful of all demons, even more than Lucifer. The angels sealed her away a long time ago, but the seal has started to weaken.

Season 2 two-parter finale: After learning about the vital piece of information, Alastor tells everyone that the Overlords are planning to go to war with Heaven, and also about Roo. He doesn’t tell them about God, though. Where would be the fun in that?

Roo has been unsealed and naturally, the Overlords can’t control her. Who could have seen this coming?

Charlie , naturally, doesn’t like war. The battle against Adam could be classified as self-defense, but she never wanted it to escalate to this. So she decides to try and kill two birds with one stone: defeat Roo to hopefully find a way to prevent war, and also to hopefully destroy evil at its source and have everyone stop being evil? Charlie really doesn’t want to have to kill someone. I mean, Adam was left alive, and he’s probably doing well for himself, right? (Does she know?)

A grueling battle is held, and against all odds, Roo is defeated. the Overlords no longer have a weapon against heaven, all should be well, right? All that’s left to do is find some common ground with Roo, find out why she’s so evil, and hopefully stop evil from happening.

Yeah, nah. Roo gives Charlie a HUGE “The Reason You Suck” speech about her naivety, and pretty much forces Charlie to kill her with her own hands. Sucks.

Oh, yeah, and Alastor finally lets spill that God is missing. Great job, Al. You fucking asshole.

Season 3 Episode 1: begins with Charlie pretty much depressed after the previous season’s events. Everyone tries to cheer her up. It’s all comedic, until the final part where they have a heart-to-heart and remind Charlie of all the things she’s accomplished with them, even if they haven’t gone to heaven yet.

The end of the episode has Charlie realize that, with God gone, that means that the yearly purges probably didn’t happen under God’s watch, meaning that if they bring God back, things will finally be right again!

It’s finally time to take action, and everyone is gonna go to Heaven! How? I dunno, how do the Exorcist Angels come down to Hell? I dunno, some kind of elevator that no one was brave enough to hijack?

The rest of the season takes place in Heaven. Hotel shenanigans happen again, but in heaven, this time!

Charlie meets the other archangels, and while they’re still dicks, at least they’re less so than Adam. Unlike Adam, maybe they’re more like Alastor in terms of demeanor: they don’t particularly care what kind of plot Hell’s up to, but they’d certainly be interested in how these sinners will manage to come up into Heaven.

Should they meet Jesus in Heaven? A parallel to Charlie in Heaven, he wholeheartedly supports Charlie’s endeavors and basically becomes her first friend in Heaven?

The overarching mystery is: where is God? What happened to Him? Why does Archangel Michael take so long to use the bathroom?

Eventually, like, near the end of the season, we finally meet God.

Wouldn’t it be funny if, after three whole seasons of extravagantly designed characters, demons, angels, sins and virtues alike, we finally meet the Big G Himself and He’s just… a dude in a robe and a beard? How funny would that be?

Anyways, we finally get a reason for God’s very, very long absence: after thousands of years of humanity’s evil, and His many failed attempts to purge evil from the world, His last attempt finally broke Him, and He spent the rest of time in a depressive slump, pretty much never ever leaving His room. He’s, ironically enough, lost faith in humanity.

The final ‘patron’ of the ‘hotel’ is God Himself. Charlie and the others have to convince Him that humanity is worth believing in, and to give them another chance. Of course, they succeed.

The finale could be that God has officially recognized the Hazbin Hotel as an official way for sinners to redeem themselves: a “very definitely final chance to enter Heaven”. If sinners can’t redeem themselves even in death, then they never will. Charlie’s friends are the first sinners to finally ascend to Heaven, but they stay behind in Hell to help run the hotel.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel critical #hazbin hotel rewrite #not gonna lie #kinda proud of this #too many characters to tag #i reblogged some fantastic redesigns from aimasup earlier #so you can check them out #and go visit her blog

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soulmate-game · 1 year ago

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Work burned me out, middle management positions are draining. What was supposed to be an angsty oneshot is now… yeah I’m continuing it. Not a full series, just a two-parter… hopefully.

Edit: I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK THIS CLUSTERFUCK OF AN EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER IS, but BUCKLE IN BECAUSE IT PROBABLY DOESN’T PASS SAFETY REGULATIONS! HOOOOO BOY

Part 1

—*—*—*—*—*

“…” she stared at the being in front of her, face frighteningly blank. Next to her, Bruce fidgeted.

“I’m not going anywhere, so you either gotta learn to love me real quick or get lost quicker,” the child snarked from where he was sitting upside-down on the bat computer chair. “And don’t call me Richard, my name’s Dick.”

“I don’t remember you working with a fetus, Batman,” Marinette slowly drawled, emphasizing the vigilante’s name despite none of the three of them being suited up. Dick shot up with a cry of indignation.

“I am not a fetus! I’m fifteen! I’ve been Robin since I was twelve!”

“Nope,” Marinette countered, unmoved. “I started out as Ladybug when I was twelve, and I was never as small as you,” she blatantly lied. Dick was already taller than her, which wasn’t much of an achievement considering that she was five-foot-one-inch tall. “You are six years old, tops.”

Dick let out an almost inhuman screech of complaint. Even as he rambled on angrily about how wrong she was, Marinette only nodded as if he proved her right about something.

“That was a good squawk though. Definitely a birdie.”

It took another twenty minutes before Dick ran off to tell on Marinette to Alfred, giving her and Bruce some alone time. With which she used to whirl to him and immediately hiss in equal parts fury and worry;

“Please tell me he wasn’t—“

“The timeline is gone,” Bruce reminded her, bracing her by putting both his hands on her shoulders. “He doesn’t remember.”

“Still!”

He let out such a heavy sigh that he seemed to deflate with it, his dark circles growing more pronounced.

“He wasn’t supposed to be,” he admitted softly. “When he turned sixteen, last time, I allowed him to form his own team of teen heroes. Supervised from afar by myself of course, not that they knew that. I had given them the order to stay back and guard their city, but they disobeyed me and snuck onto the battlefield anyway.”

Marinette rubbed at her temples, nodding. “Teenagers have a habit of doing that. This time around, can we ask Bunnyx to supervise them? She has all the energy of a teenager, so she’ll fit in, but the maturity of someone trusted to guard all the timelines.”

Bruce paused, thinking of what little he knew of the pastel rabbit themed hero, and then reluctantly nodded. “That… might be for the best. And giving them more opportunities to train with…” he hummed, hand on his chin. “I might actually change things up, in that case. Instead of jumping to put teens on their own in a tower, the old Justice League headquarters is more protected. And if we started with the ‘sidekicks’,” he gave very purposeful air quotes, “of other Leaguers, it would create a better support system than letting teenagers run around with… really, not enough regulation.”

“Gotta love hindsight,” Marinette agreed with a nod. “The whole teenagers by themselves thing only worked for my team because we were overly traumatized and each saw different apocalypses before we turned sixteen. Bunnyx could fix them herself back then, but still.”

“Best to do better by the new generation,” Bruce agreed with her unspoken statement. “I can still put that old team together again when they’re older, support their development elsewhere in the meantime.”

“Oh, and now that we’re done on that topic,” Marinette snapped her fingers before pointing to the staircase that Dick had disappeared up. “He’s going to make my life a living hell, isn’t he?”

Bruce groaned, offering her a lopsided grimace of apology. “He’s a menace,” he agreed. “He’s scared away any woman I’ve brought to the house, even though most of them are completely platonic. I have to make the press believe the whole playboy thing somehow, and inviting my friends over to chat is the easiest way to do so without breaking hearts for real. Dick hasn’t caught on yet,” Bruce rubbed his forehead. “His antics to scare away Selina Kyle are legendary already, and she’s sapphic. She couldn’t be attracted to me if I was the last man on earth.”

“Could have fooled me,” Marinette teased, suddenly impish. “She’s catwoman, isn’t she?”

Bruce narrowed his eyes, saying only: “Chat Noir. Year one.”

It was Marinette’s turn to grimace. “Point taken. But in my defense, he took way too long to realize he’s gay and watched too much anime at the time.”

Bruce let out one of his unfairly charming chuckles, changing position so that his arm was around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. She fit there surprisingly well, for someone almost half his size. She leaned into him, and the both just soaked in the comfort of one another for a long moment.

“You know,” Bruce started for a while. “If you want to stay in Gotham, we can make you another alter ego so that you don’t accidentally lure Shadow Moth here. Tell that fox of yours to make it seem like you’re in Paris and take some of the weight off of your shoulders for a change. Blackmail Constantine into charming some jars to keep the butterflies in until you can purify them.”

“Hmmm.” She closed her eyes. “Ladybird sounds nice. Fits with the bird thing that Robin has going for him.”

Bruce laughed. “That’ll really annoy him,” he warned, amused. Marinette’s close-eyed smile was pure mischief.

“That’s the whole point. I’m not letting a fetus win against me, bat-boy.”

—*—*—*—*—*

Marinette wasn’t speaking to Bunnyx. Bruce didn’t know what they had said to one another, but he could guess it had to do with Jason.

With his baby, who he just buried. The boy Marinette had thought of a son ever since he first brought him home. She had even smoothed things over between Dick and Jason, which he had considered nothing short of a miracle at the time.

But that miracle was nowhere to be seen now, with Marinette every bit as despondent next to him as he was. He wanted to be angry with her, he did, but he couldn’t. He had seen her blow up at Bunnyx, seen her try to hold her status as Grand Guardian over the bunny holder.

Bunnyx had simply said that she wouldn’t answer to Ladybug until after the grief passed then, and ran away into her burrow.

“Is this the payment?” He heard her whisper, her voice hoarse and broken. “For the do-over? We passed the old timeline. We took down Shadow Moth. Is this the price?” Tears dripped down her face silently, she didn’t seem to notice them. “Was I not a good enough mother? Should I—“ she stopped herself, shaking her head. He didn’t ask what she was about to say. Maybe he should have.

—*—*—*—*—*

Tim was great. He was too much like Marinette at times, which made Bruce’s chest ache, but he was a great Robin. A great son. His experience with Marinette proved priceless when it came to helping curb Tim’s overworking habits and caffeine addiction.

But not even Tim could find where Marinette had disappeared to, even with his detective skills surpassing Bruce’s already.

Tim was the first son of his that didn’t get to grow up with Marinette at all.

—*—*—*—*—*

“It’s fine, Baobei,” she whispered, stepping to the side. Behind her was the waterfall that hid the tunnel to the Batcave. “He’s not the one to blame. He did his best, even now he’s doing his best.”

“Then why does—“

“Because other people need him, and he has too big of a heart to turn them away,” her mouth tilted a little, smile lopsided and sad. “Timothy didn’t replace you. He just forced Bruce to live again. Bruce didn’t kill Joker, because he didn’t want to taint another child with the sight of murder.”

“And you?” The voice was dark, deadly, gruff. Older, and yet… so achingly familiar. She smiled at him again, soft and sad and… proud.

“I don’t have one,” she lied. She had tried, tried so hard. Bruce had gotten in her way first, and then the very same desire to not taint more children with the image of death.

But her baby needed a scapegoat, and she was willing to throw herself on the fire for him.

“That’s why it’s fine,” she repeated. “If this is what you want. Just, please. Let it end with me.”

This time, Marinette made sure she had the Time miraculous safely in her pocket. Nobody would interfere with this.

The bullet sent her into the flow of the waterfall, red flowing behind her like the carpet she used to walk down with Bruce whenever she released a new collection. She felt no regret as she closed her eyes and fell.

—*—*—*—*—*

The shot hadn’t been fatal. Red Hood might have been mad with Pit Rage, but his fondness for his only true mother figure was ever present. He simply wanted to see if she was serious about taking that shot.

His regret was immediate when she didn’t even try to dodge. The bullet had only grazed her shoulder, but she didn’t seem to notice that. She had been so ready to die— to let him kill her— that she had passed out before hitting the water. He dragged her to the Batcave, knowing he had a lot to answer for.

Bruce wished he could have found her sooner, found both of them sooner. But at least they were back.

—*—*—*—*—*

“… I mean,” she rocked on her heels. “You are growing a bit old for Robin…”

Tim glared at her, not appreciating the insight.

“Bruce is stuck in the timestream, and you aren’t doing a thing about it. I don’t hold your opinion very highly right now,” he snipped back. She snorted, glancing away.

As if that little stunt to “kill Batman” could ever fool her. She’d been there for the real thing, thanks, she could spot a fake a mile away. “He’s got Bunnyx going to find him. She owes me big time, let her do the heavy lifting for a change.”

“How many years have you held that grudge?” Barbara asked, eyebrows raised as she wheeled herself towards the bat computer. “Even Jason thinks you should have let it go by now.”

Marinette scoffed at the exact same time as a certain someone tutted next to her, making them look for a moment like a perfect pair.

Crossed arms, a scoff, annoyed glare? If a DNA test hadn’t already proven otherwise, they might have thought Damian was hers.

“Fetuses don’t get to judge me,” was her only argument before she turned on her heel and walked away.

“I am not a fetus! Lady Marinette, I am ten years old!”

—*—*—*—*—*

Bonus:

Jason was curled up around Marinette, despite being told numerous times not to crowd her on the med-bay bed. He argued that he shot her, so he gets to nurse her back to health.

Did she use her blood, tainted by years of use of the Ladybug, to purify his pit madness? Yes. Had he figured that out yet? Nope.

“Love you, Mom,” he murmured in his sleep. Marinette, who had been awake for about an hour already, smiled to herself.

“Love you, Baobei.”

#maribat #mlb x dc #ml x dc #dc x mlb #dc x miraculous #platonic jasonette #platonic daminette #platonic timari #platonic dickinette #brucinette #idk what this is #enjoy anyway

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onemoregayapollokid · 9 months ago

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Echoes Of Home

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Reader

Word count: 3.4K

Summary: Bucky has spent decades yearning to know what happened to his sister. When he discovers she's still alive, will he let her back into his life? Or is he too damaged for even family to accept?

T/W: Mentions of war, Bucky's past as the Winter soldier.

A/N: This will be a two parter! I'll have the second part out asap

I took a deep breath, gripping my steering well tighter, the object of my trepidation just outside the windshield- a nondescript brown building, low to the ground, a small sign reading “ Newark Community Home” nestled in the corner of the yard, dotted with picnic tables and umbrellas. I thought back to the events of the last six weeks that had brought me to this parking lot.

SIX WEEKS AGO:

“Y/N? Where are you?” Bucky’s voice called to me from our front door. I allowed a small smile, still disbelieving that it was our home. Bucky had truly been doing so well, he still had nightmares and occasionally drifted deep into himself, where I could not reach him, but compared to where he was a year ago, he had made leaps and bounds. It had actually been Bucky’s idea to get a flat together and make a home together. He had been so anxious to broach the subject, so uncertain that I would say yes as if he deserved anything less than love.

“In the bedroom!” I called back, listening as Bucky pulled off his boots and padded his way to our room. He peeked his head around the doorframe, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners, even as his eyes remained guarded.

“ Hey doll” He murmured, crossing to give me a kiss, “How was your day?”

I shrugged, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“Alright, I mostly hung around here, got some laundry and dishes done, plus sent off those emails for work. I did go out and get some groceries though. How was your day?’

“ Okay.” Bucky avoided my eyes, looking up at the wall over my head, shifting his weight subtly. He thought he hid his feelings well- and to be fair, he did, to most people. But I had spent three years watching him up close and personal, and much longer before that admiring him from a distance, and I’ve learned his little tells. He’s not as stoic as he thinks he is.

“What is it? What happened? “ I ask, standing from the bed, meeting his gaze.

Bucky sighed, sinking down in the spot I just vacated, picking up the socks I had discarded, and turning it over in his hands. His eyes finally focused on me, still guarded, but he at least was there.

“Sam gave me something today.” He finally said, his eyes searching mine.

“What did Sam give you?” I reached out, pulling the sock from his hands, and sliding my hand into Bucky’s. I sat down beside him, encasing his hand in mine. I shoved the socks into my hoodie pocket, making a mental note to put them away later. Bucky sighed, leaning his head against mine, and sweeping his thumb over my hand.

“ I mentioned that I don’t know what happened to most of the people I knew, back in the war and the 40’s. “ This didn't surprise me. Sam Wilson was easygoing, kind, and loyal. He wouldn't even tell me what Bucky said in confidentiality. He was a good friend, and I appreciated him more than probably anyone knew, he was exactly what Bucky needed after losing Steve.

“Sam gave me a stack of files. Some of them I know what happened to them, Steve, Peggy and my ma and pa are in them. But there's a lot that I don’t know what happened. I don’t want to live the rest of my unnaturally long life not knowing, but I don’t know if I’m ready to read the files yet.” I turned my head slightly, allowing my lips to just brush his cheek, scrunching my nose as his stubble roughed against my mouth.

“I know they're probably all dead, but I don't know what their lives looked like.” He continued, sighing with a breath of air that held 70 years of torment, of being uncomfortable with his hands, uncomfortable with his body.

“If you want to, Buck, I could read them to you?” I offered. Bucky considered my offer, brow furrowed, fingers tracing along mine. The silence dragged on, seconds turning to minutes. Finally, slowly, he nodded. He stood and walked out of our room, returning a few moments later with a stack of manilla folders, all tied shut with twine.

“ Who do you want to start with?” I asked, shoving the laundry piles to the side to make room. I spread the files out so we could read the names typed on the front. I could sense Bucky hovering hesitantly behind me. I glanced back over my shoulder at him, seeing the tension he held in his shoulders, the way his vibranium hand pulled at his flesh one, the tight look he wore. I smiled at him, hoping to reassure him. He smiled back, shaky but there. He glanced at the row of envelopes, tapping on one envelope that bore the name Philip Davie.

“ Him. He was a Private I worked with for a bit before he shipped out. He was a good man. ” Bucky murmured, blue eyes lost to the many years that separated the Bucky in front of me and the Bucky who knew Private Davie. I nodded, picking the envelope up off the bed, and undoing the twine that tied it shut. I skimmed the report. Clearing my throat I started.

“ Private Philip Anthony Davie:

Enlisted December 11, 1941

Discharged: October 20, 1945

Type: Honourable.

Private Davie served his country with honor, standing fast in the face of great turmoil. He served in the 107 and saw two overseas tours. He did sustain a leg injury, having been struck by shrapnel in the left calf on or near March 22, 1943. He was moved first to a field hospital and then to the Royal Alexandra. After a month recovering he was sent home on sick leave, where he continued to heal. He was soon back in the trenches. After the war, he married the nurse who had tended to him in the Royal Alexandra. They had four children, Andrew, Ruth, Edmund and Josephine. Philip died at the age of 62, surrounded by his family at his home.

I finished the brief report, glancing up at Bucky where he stood, seemingly frozen to the ground.

“ Buck?” I questioned, starting to stand up. He shook his head, sinking to sit beside me.

“ Keep, reading- please" He whispered. I nodded, reaching for another folder. Bucky’s hand caught my wrist gently. I turned to look at him. He reached for a different folder.

“ Read this one, please” He whispered. I took the folder from him, glancing at the name. Understanding dawned upon me. I nodded, clearing my throat once again. Rebbeca Fairhurst nee Barnes

Born: April 1921

Rebecca Fairhurst was 20 years old when war broke out. She applied to nursing school immediately but was denied. She found a job working in a local shop, supporting her parents while her brother was deployed. Becca was 24 years old when her brother was KIA, and after the war, she married Arthur Fairhurst. They settled in New Jersey. They had five children, Alice, Vivian, Edith, Charles and James. Arthur died at the age of 58 from cancer, followed by Charles at 25 from a car accident. Becca says her greatest wish is to know what truly happened to her brother in 1945. Becca currently resides at the Newark Community Home.

Bucky sucked in a ragged breath; hands splayed against the bed as if it was supporting him.

“She’s alive? He questioned softly. I nodded, just as shocked as he was. I glanced at the bottom of the report, seeing the address and phone number handwritten there. God bless you Sam I thought.

“Buck you can go see her,” I told him excitedly. He shook his head, the joy on his face fading.

“ I can’t. She thinks I’m dead. And honestly, it’s better than she thinks that” Confusion knit my brow into a deep furrow.

“ What do you mean?” I questioned, reaching to place my hand on Bucky’s arm. He shrugged, refusing to meet my eyes, fingers digging into the quilt.

“ Buck” My voice was firm. He slowly dragged his eyes to meet mine. Deep in the cerulean was hope but even more evident was despair.

“ Y/N, she doesn’t want to see me. I’m not the person she used to know. There’s so much blood on my hands and so much pain that follows me around. I can’t bring her onto this. It will be better for her if she thinks I died all those years ago like I was supposed to. I will not bring her into this.” His voice was pained, but firm. I knew I wouldn’t change his mind. I also knew he needed to see his sister and give him some closure he lacked. I glanced at him, seeing the mask slip into place. He smiled easily at me as if he hadn't just received life-changing news.

“ Any plans for supper?” He asked. I nodded.

“ Yeah but I have to run out for something. Can you finish the laundry while I go?” I asked casually, but my mind was racing. Bucky nodded.

“ Course I can doll” He assured me, kissing my cheek as I stood, grabbing my keys and wallet.

“I shouldn’t be long” I promised, stepping out the door. I hurried to the elevator, bouncing on the balls of my feet as I waited for the slow elevator. As soon as the door shut behind me, I had my phone in my hand, rapidly typing out my passcode, and unlocking the device. My finger found the contact I needed, waiting until the elevator delivered me to the main floor. Stepping into the chilly fall air, I walked a few feet before I dared call Sam. I didn’t trust Bucky’s hearing to not hear me if I called inside the building.

He picked up immediately.

“Hey, Kid!” He greeted. I groaned.

“ Hey, Sam.”

“ Everything okay?” He asked. I sighed.

“ We went through a few of those folders.

“ Did he take it hard?” Sam asked, concerned.

“ No, he took it better than I expected but Sam, one of the ones we read was his sister. She’s still alive” I heard Sam’s sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone.

“ He must be excited” Sam ventured. I groaned again.

“ No. He doesn't want to reach out. He says it’s better if Becca thinks he’s dead. But she has to be in her 50s or 60s now, and if I can give them any time together, I want to”

“ Well,” Sam sounded pensive. “ Did he tell you not to reach out?”

“No,” I said, “ but I know he doesn't want to. “ Sam sighed.

“ Tell you what. I’ll reach out to the home, and see if she’ll agree to meet you. Then if Buck gets mad at someone it’ll be me, and maybe we can give him some closure”

“Have I ever told you how thankful I am for you?” I asked, stepping into the market. Sam’s low chuckle reached my ears.

“ Not recently” He joked.

“ Thank you, Sam,” I said earnestly.

“ Anytime kid” I groaned.

“ Don’t call me kid. I am older than you.” I scolded, laughing.

“Yeah, but I’m taller. “

“ Goodbye, Sam” I laughed again.

“ Bye kid” The line went dead before I could offer a smart retort. Now I had to find something to justify an impromptu grocery trip.

I finally settled on a loaf of bread and a metric ton of garlic for garlic bread- it would pair well with the soup I had made. Heading back to the flat I shared with Bucky, I paused just outside our door, hearing the low tune of Bucky’s music through the thin walls. I opened the door, shutting and locking it behind me.

“ Buck?” I called, stepping into the kitchen, and smiling as I caught sight of him, reading another file. I crossed to the table, bending to kiss his head. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to sit on his lap. I glanced down and the fire spread across the table, seeing the name Rebecca Barnes across the top.

“ I was wrong,” Bucky murmured. His eyes were focused on the file, but his thumb swept over my hip, soothing without intention. I hummed softly, carding my fingers through his short hair. Bucky sighed, closing his eyes and turning from the table.

“Hydra took everything from me. ”He continued, eyes focused above my head, lost to the years he endured. “Everything including my family. I wasn’t there when Ma or Da died, and Becca thought I was dead too. Hydra can’t take this chance from me too. They may have taken my past from me, but I won’t let them take any future I have.” He finished voice firm. I smiled at him.

“ When do you want to go see her?” I asked. Bucky hesitated for just a second before asking in a small voice, “ Can you go see her first? I don’t know what exactly she knows about my past- even if I’m alive. From the file, it says she’s been in the home for a few years, and it hasn’t been that long since my past is common knowledge. I don’t want to show up if she doesn’t know I’m alive or if she doesn't want to see me. “

“Of course, love” I hurried to reassure him. He smiled at me then, hesitant but hopeful. I hopped off Bucky’s lap, and grabbed my phone, typing the number written at the bottom of Becca’s file quickly. The line rang once, twice before a brisk voice answered.

“ Newark Community Home, Tina speaking. “

“ Hi Tina, My name is Y/N and I am looking for some information and to come visit a resident”

PRESENT DAY

I unbuckled my seatbelt with shaking hands. I took a ragged breath, stepping out of my car. I glanced around the lot, heading toward the main entrance. Bucky and I had come up the night before, getting a room in a nearby hotel. He had elected to stay behind while I met Becca. When I left, he was video chatting with Sam. Behind the desk was a young woman, probably mid 20s. Her nametag read “Tina” She looked up as I walked toward her, smiling warmly.

“ Hey there, what can I help you with?” She asked. I smiled back.

“ Hi, we spoke on the phone, I’m Y/N” Her smile grew.

“ Of course. Mrs. Fairhurst is ready for you. We set her up in our common room. Most of our residents are in their rooms after lunch so you should have some privacy. Once you’ve signed in I’ll show you the way” Tina gestured to the sign-in book on the desk, standing and leading the way to the open room. Carpeted in deep red carpet, the was a long table against the far wall, with assorted puzzles and books on it, as well as a smaller two-person table off to the side where an elderly woman sat. She smiled as I approached her, white curls cut close to her head. Vivid blue eyes- Bucky's eyes- crinkled as I took a seat across from her.

“Hello, Mrs. Fairhurst. My name is Y/N and I appreciate you agreeing to meet me. I wanted to talk to you about your family, specifically your brother, Seargent Barnes. “ Becca shook my hand with surprising strength. She smiled at me again.

“ I appreciate you coming all this way” Her eyes were clear and focused on mine. I smiled, glancing around and searching for my words.

“ Mrs. Fairhurst” I began. Becca interrupted me.

“ Please call me Becca.” she urged. I nodded, starting again.

“ Becca, what can you tell me of your brother?” Her eyes gazed behind me, eyes lost to the years that separated her from her brother.

“ He was the best brother.” She said finally, voice wistful.

“ He was kind and funny and spent far too long worrying about me. He got into fights protecting me and when his number came up, he promised me he’d come home. “ Don't you worry, Bec. “ He said. “ I’ll always come back to you. “ When Arthur brought the news that he wasn’t coming home- my entire world fell apart. I couldn’t go to work, I couldn’t stand to be around my family. I wanted to lock myself in my room and scream. The funeral remains the hardest day of my life, and I’ve buried a child and my husband. I think it was knowing that Bucky wasn’t in the coffin, that he was lost somewhere in France, and not even his body would come home. And Steve was gone too. So much death those days and I was right in the middle of it. It hasn’t gotten easier, but I’ve grown around my grief.” She said with a sigh, hands laced tightly together. I nodded, biting my lip as I considered my next words.

“ pardon the change in subject but I promise there’s a point to this. What do you know about the Avengers?” Becca frowned slightly.

“ Not much. I heard about the fight in New York, with the aliens. And that Steve was still alive and spent all those years under ice. He called me once after he came back. He apologized for Bucky. I had just buried my Ma- Pa died years ago, only a few years after Bucky did. Other than that, nothing. News is pretty hard to come by here- the TV never works and I don’t have family nearby anymore. “ I nodded again. I reached a hand to Becca’s holding it gently as I explained to her.

“ There’s no easy way to tell you this- but Seargent Barnes didn’t die in that fall.” Becca gasped, eyes riveted on me as I continued. “ He was badly injured and he fell into Hydra’s hands, where they.... tortured him. Brainwashed him and turned into a weapon. But he fought his way out, time and time again, and came out the other side. He’s not the same man you remember- he lost an arm but he’s alive and as well as one can hope. “ I reached into my bag, pulling out the folder Bucky and I had compiled on his life. His past as the winter soldier, Hydra's ( and Shield’s) fall, the torture and abuse he endured, his time with Sam, everything we could find. There were articles, links to videos, interviews, and official memos from Shield. His whole life was comprised of a simple manila folder. I slid it across the table to Becca. She glanced up at me, questions in her eyes.

“ Where is he?” She questioned softly.

“He lives in New York now. But he’s currently here, in Newark. He is at the hotel. I tried to convince him to come with me, but he wasn’t sure if you’d want to see him.” Becca looked at me sharply.

“ Why wouldn’t I want to see him?” She questioned. I smiled softly.

“ He said he has too much blood on his hands. It’s been too long and it would be better if you continued to think he had died ‘when he was supposed to.” Becca snorted, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.

“ He was always stubborn. He’s my brother. I want to see him. We’ve spent too long apart. Will you bring him to me? “ I nodded.

“ I’ll give you the evening to read over the file. My phone number is in there, call me when you're done and we can plan a time for tomorrow if you agree?” Becca nodded, standing as I did, reaching her arms to me. She hugged me fiercely, her voice sounding in my ear as she whispered,

“ Bring him to me. He obviously means so much to you, and I need to see him and I think he needs to see me too. Bring him to me.” I nodded, stepping back. I smiled at the lady in front of me.

“ I’ll talk to you later?” I asked. She nodded, a determined set to her chin. I nodded softly and then turned and walked into the hallway. Hope surged in my chest, and I couldn't wait to get back to Bucky.

#bucky barnes #bucky x reader #marvel #marvel cinematic universe #marvel fanfiction #bucky barnes fanfiction

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purplecatghostposts · 1 month ago

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Top five miraculous episodes?

OOO alright alright!

Emotion. Not a huge shock to anyone who has witnessed me yap way too much about it but I’ll do it again and that’s a THREAT. I just love seeing the full spectrum of emotions (ha!) from Félix. He was already an interesting character to me from episodes like Gabriel Agreste and Strike Back but this episode bumped him up to number one and changed my life forever. RIP to Red Moon, my favorite senti, you are a tragedy </3.

Risk/Strike Back. Because they’re a two-parter, I’m counting them as one but these episodes were so GOOD. The Tension. The Twists. The ending completely changing the game for how things would be in Season 5. Also Flairmidable just, in general.

Gabriel Agreste. I know, shocker that the Félix Enjoyer’s top five episodes has three Félix-centered ones but this one was just so GOOD. It was very satisfying to see someone oppose Gabriel specifically. ALSO the subplot of Marinette pretending to be a terrible waiter and all the cute art of Knight Marinette and Princess Adrien? That is EVERYTHING!

Heroes Day/Mayura. I LOVED these episodes when they came out. The first time Full Hero Team fought together? The bits of banter when they’re all fighting together? Having to fight SO many villains in the first place? The reveal of what the Peacock did and Mayura in general? It’s all so GOOD!! Also there’s a sweet moment at the end!!

Passion. Not only is it a Kwami Swap episode but it’s also got one of THE most attractive Akumas, Safari, and hooooly shit is it a good episode. I’m have a great time all around. Also the reason for switching is pretty clever, especially on Adrien’s part! Just all around good things to say here.

Honorable Mentions To:

The Origins, because I love seeing how they started out, and of COURSE the umbrella scene.

Pretension, for Félix and Kagami alone, but also some genuinely clever moves from Félix!

Representation, not just for Holy Shit Backstory but ALSO, Adrien fighting his dad like he deserves to.

Sandboy, because I love the ‘Face Physical Manifestations Of Your Fears’ trope and all the kwamis interacting AND “Plagg? Nooo they turned you into a sock!”

Chat Blanc, for Chat Blanc.

Ikari Gozen, for making Kagami one of my favorite characters on the spot, and also the start of my love for Marigami.

Wishmaker, for having the BIGGEST GLOW UP for a character I didn’t care about until this episode.

Psycomedian, for being probably one of the funniest episodes.

And probably a bunch of others because I kept looking at episodes and being like, “Oh, I liked this one! And this one! Anddd this one!” And the honorable mentions are TOO LONG NOW so I’m cutting myself off.

Thank you so much for the asks!! I’ve been thoroughly reminded all of the parts I love about this silly show <33

(Send me an ask for a top five of something and I’ll do it!)

#SB Speaks #Top Five Ask Game #miraculous ladybug #Do I tag Felix here? I did talk about him a lot #yeah fuck it #more people need to talk about Felix anyways #felix graham de vanily #felix fathom #Thanks again for the asks!!!

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famousinfamous · 9 months ago

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ok look I’m as excited about unraveled as the next person, but, but but but but but I really wish people would stop bashing on Shannon for it since I seriously doubt this was her plan I think it’s most likely that with all the stuff going on in her personal life lately the tenth book could have taken like an extra year which would mean in total it would be a three year gap between book 9 and book 10 obviously Shannon (and probably the publisher that publishes these books) didn’t want this and were starting to feel the pressure so what do they do? Release book 10 as a two parter? Nope. Boom unraveled. Shannon probably just had it as a scene were Sophie read keefes mind and found out whatever was super important that we needed to know and then just moved on but now she’s just taken that scene and bam book. Keep in mind that my knowledge of the publishing process and book writing world is very limited so I’m probably wrong but that’s just my hunch

#shannon messenger #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #book 10 #book 9 #book 9.5

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amelikos · 1 month ago

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Going over titles from HZ071 to HZ073.

There are no summaries or staff lists available as of now for the upcoming episode titles.

I will also take this initial trailer for Rayquaza Rising released a few weeks ago into account to speculate on what's left to show.

Upcoming titles: HZ071 (here), HZ072 (here), HZ073 (here).

A lot of moments from the initial trailer for the current chapter were shown so far (such as scenes from HZ068 and everyone setting off again and battling the Six Heroes, meeting Zeiyu..).

The scenes with Briar, Sazare, Friede and Roy climbing up stairs somewhere, the trio "hiding behind rocks" and Basagiri weren't shown yet (the three Pichu playing with Cap is going to happen in HZ070 tomorrow). The scenes from 0:30 onwards in the trailer weren't shown yet (Lucius, Liko and everyone meeting the mysterious person at the Terasu Pool).

Usually, trailers only show stuff happening in the early episodes of a chapter, so the scenes not shown yet are going to happen soon, in the following weeks. Given the titles, it's pretty clear when some stuff will happen (they'll look for Basagiri in HZ072 and HZ073, etc). Though some others scenes, I'm not sure when they'll take place (such as Roy and Friede climbing up stairs).

The title for HZ071 mentions at encounter at the Terasu Pool (or Crystal Pool, etc). I don't think it's the scene with Liko and the others meeting the mysterious person there since Liko is wearing Lucius's belt which has four Pokeballs on it, so that will probably be after Basagiri joins them. Terapagos gains more power after meeting the Six Heroes, so Basagiri joining them is probably what will allow Terapagos to show more memories to the others?

So, I think HZ071 is about Liko and the others meeting Briar and probably Sazare too. She is the one who took pictures of Basagiri, so the group meeting her will lead into them searching for Basagiri, and Basagiri joining the group will lead into that last part shown in the trailer after 0:30, etc. Though, I'm not sure what Briar will do (in terms of information to give). Zeiyu said she was at the Terasu Pool so she is most probably showing up there too, and she will get excited over seeing Terapagos.

The Six Heroes episodes are usually two-parters. At least, that's how they've been so far. Oliva (ep 11 and ep 12), Galar Fire (ep 22 and ep 23), Lapras (ep 31 and ep 32). So, Basagiri will probably agree to join the group in HZ073. Also noting that the last time they met a hero (outside Rayquaza) was Lapras 40 eps ago. It's happening around the same time as last year.

Curious about Basagiri's personality (the title describes the Pokemon as a lone warrior). It seems a bit different this time since Liko and the others are going to battle him before Basagiri joins them. It probably won't be about defeating the opponent, but just making Basagiri respect them enough to join them. Lucius was probably a respectable trainer so Basagiri would want to test Liko and the others before taking a decision. We'll probably get another flashback Lucius flashback too? We usually get those after a hero joins the group (see ep 12, ep 23 and ep 32). Which makes me curious because maybe we'll get something about Lucius and then the meeting with the mysterious woman at the Terasu Pool will be something else entirely? Which means, potentially lots of information in the upcoming weeks. The memories shown by Terapagos get clearer every time a hero joins the group too, so we'll probably get a better view of Lucius?

So.. the meeting with the mysterious woman, and meeting back up with Diana is probably going to happen after HZ073. Since the trailer is showing things which will happen soon. Which is kind of interesting too, because it seems like we will get some truths revealed early in the chapter, and lots of episodes directly related to the Lucius plot back to back? And before we reach the end of the first cour for this chapter, too (aka, before 11/12 eps of the current chapter aired).

So far, the beginning of Rayquaza Rising is reminding me of the structure for chapter 2. HZ026 and HZ068 had quite a few parallels and interesting comparisons already. And the group met Lapras early in chapter 2 (6 eps in actually), while we're meeting Basagiri early in Rayquaza Rising too (5 eps in, according to the title for HZ072 which mentions searching for Basagiri, which potentially implies the Pokemon will be shown at the end of said episode, similarly to how Lapras was fully shown at the end of HZ031).

Back in chapter 2, we got four episodes related to the overarching plot back to back too (ep 31 and ep 32 were Lapras-related, ep 33 was written by Dai Sato, who is the lead writer, and had Amethio facing Rayquaza, ep 34 was Amethio training with Hamber, Gibeon talking, Liko and Amethio parallels etc..). So, I feel like it could be something similar here. We are probably getting several episodes related to Lucius/Six Heroes etc back to back.

Now, in terms of writers... not sure who could be writing HZ071, because that depends on whether we delve into Terapagos, or Basagiri. No summary so far, so I don't know what will happen exactly. It could be Naohiro Fukushima if the episode doesn't delve too much into the plot side of things? His last episode was HZ063 (Liko vs Grusha). Or Naruki Nagakawa. Still unsure, but we'll probably know next week or something.

The Basagiri episodes are probably written by Kureha Matsuzawa (the script coordinator). He is usually the one who writes the episodes when one of the Six Heroes joins the group (he did so for HZ012, HZ023 and the Lapras two-parter). Not sure if he'll take care of both episodes. The scripts for HZ011 (meeting Oliva) and HZ022 (meeting Galar Fire) were by Naruki Nagakawa and Muga Takeda respectively, so the lead up episode to the actual "hero joins the group" could be by one of the other core writers (though Muga Takeda hasn't written since chapter 1). We'll see.

Either way, since the scene showing Liko and the others meeting the mysterious woman at the Terasu Pool seems to be happening in a separate episode altogether, I feel like this increases the chances for Dai Sato to be handling an episode script soon. The similar structure to chapter 2 makes me think that (he wrote HZ033 which was almost in the middle of the chapter then, and HZ074 is in a similar spot too, an episode which takes place before hitting the 10-episode mark for said chapter). And since we're probably getting lots of truths revealed soon, especially in regards to the original Explorers, it would make sense for the lead writer to take care of that. He was the one who wrote HZ024 and HZ025, which is when we got a hint at a deeper connection between Lucius and the Explorers (when Diana said "the Explorers... weren't they Lucius's friends?"). Also noting that HZ074 is 50 eps after HZ024 (which is when Diana told the story of when she found Lucius's memoirs, etc). So getting some truths revealed one year in real time (a bit more than one year) after the first mention of the connection between Lucius and the Explorers also could feel fitting. Also, I'm thinking that we'll probably get a Dai Sato episode soon because Kureha Matsuzawa has been writing lots of eps lately, so if he writes the Basagiri two-parter, then I'm guessing Dai Sato will handle what comes after that?

Basically, that's what the upcoming titles make me think of. Of course, this is all speculation and me writing stuff because I like thinking about who could be writing what and what they could focus on.

A few additional things I'm thinking about. Amethio saying Gibeon's name in HZ065 makes me think that maybe, Liko and the others will get to hear his name (either Lucius saying it in a memory, or the mysterious woman saying it). Which could mean that Liko will connect the dots, and remember that Amethio said it? She is the only one who knows Gibeon's name so far. Though, she might have reported that info to the others offscreen.

Anyway, I feel like we could be getting lots of interesting info before the end of the year. Though that makes me curious about the second half of the current chapter if we're potentially getting answers early in this arc. What will it focus on? What will the characters do? Dot's VA did mention (here) to look forward to how Liko and the others will react and move forward after learning the truths behind the mysteries. Learning the truth is one thing, but it doesn't mean it stops there. How they move forward with that knowledge will be interesting to see, too.

Either way, I am looking forward to seeing more of Gibeon and whatever is going on with him and Lucius. He's been pining for so long. That, and I wonder if we'll get to know the exact connection between Liko and Lucius too (it's pretty clearly implied, but I wonder if he's her great-grandfather or higher in the family tree). Something, something Romeo and Juliet, Amethio and Liko, tragic friendship between Lucius and Gibeon.

#hz titles and summaries #episode notes #character notes #hz071 #hz072 #hz073

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graaythekwami · 7 months ago

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Little random game: name the eps you most hate and most love of each miraculous season and explain why

Hmm, there's not many episodes I'd say I hate, but my favorites and least favorites of each season are as follows:

Season 1:

Favorite: Origins -I don't care if this is technically two episodes, I loved seeing the origins of how the children met and how everything went down. The beginning of LadyNoir and oh my gosh we got such good LadyNoir moments here.

Least Favorite: Reflekta -Honestly looking through season 1 there really isn't any that stands out as a least favorite for me. So I chose Reflekta solely because this episode is the start of the curse of the many Reflekta akumatizations to come. xD

---

Season 2:

Favorite: Heroes' Day -I had to put this one as my favorite just on the premise that I feel that Heroes' Day is the best final/two parter we've had in the entire series. I loved everyone's role in these episodes, and of course we get to see Nathalie being an absolute queen as well.

Least Favorite: Frozer -Eh. Just an episode that's never stood out to me. Forgettable in the long run.

---

Season 3:

Favorite: Chat Blanc -Favorite episode of the season? More like my favorite episode ever! The angst. The feels. Chat Blanc's hurt and rage. Chat Blanc's design. It's all so beautiful the only change I'd make is making it a two parter and maybe adding a LadyBlanc kiss. But those changes aren't even needed because it's wonderful as is. 11/10. -Gamer 2.0, Oblivio, and Reflekdoll are honorable mentions. For the adorable LadyNoir moments, adorable Lovesquare moments via memory loss, and kwami swap! Season 3 is probably my favorite season overall.

Least Favorite: Christmaster -Just another episode that's never stood out to me. Plot wise it felt mid, and I can't see myself going back to rewatch it or basing a fic on it. Or including it in a fic. -Honorable mention of Miracle Queen though, as this used to be my least favorite of the season. I was really on board for a Chloe redemption when season three ended so this episode kind of stung (hehe) then, but nowadays I don't have the same issues with it.

---

Season 4:

Favorite: Qilin Least Favorite: Qilin

-Ha! Didn't see this coming, did you? I love love loved so much of Qilin. I loved the themes it addresses, Marinette and Sabine's relationship, the design of the akuma, it was all so good... until the very end!! They let Marinette take the blame when the real problem was racism?? I hate you ticket dude. And also bus driver dude you saw Sabine with her tickets and she literally gave you baked goods and you said nothing when she was taken away? Why???

And if you don't accept one episode being both the favorite and least favorite, then here are my thoughts on other episodes of the season: -I love the setup of Truth and Lies and would love more episodes focusing solely on Adrien. -Guiltrip when Chat Noir almost Catalcysms himself hurts me on a physical level someone give Adrien a hug. -I will forever live for the Plagg and Adrien moments in Kuro Neko.

Season 5:

Favorite: Evolution -Season 5 has a lot of plot-heavy focused episodes, which I always love to get. We got canon Adrinette, Gabriel getting Cataclysmed, awesome lore... but in the end I still think it's this first episode that's my favorite. I loved the action, how it picks right up at the end of season four, and also Rabbit Noir had such an awesome design too. I liked seeing Master Fu again, and the role Alix got to play. Gabriel got his good Monarch design with the stained glass look. Also timetravel can be tricky to write, and they pulled it off well.

Least Favorite: Action -After a whole season of the most plot-heavy episodes yet with a lot happening emotionally... Action has very little action is the way of plot or even as good “filler”.

Specials:

Favorite: Miraculous Paris -Gah honestly I think this is one of the very best episodes in all the show. Fantastic writing, great characterization, a fun adventure and seeing the alternate universe was fascinating. I love Shadybug and Claw Noir. Hesperia was awesome (I refuse to call him Betterfly). I have so many questions about the other world and who the Supreme is. Gabriel singing the intro. I could go on all day.

Least Favorite: ...idk -I mean there's only three specials thus far, and honestly I can't rank the Shanghai or the New York special as the lowest.

Movies: -Jk we only have one. xD But with how movie one ended with Nathalie I'm excited to see what they might do with this universe in the future.

#ladynoir #miraculous ladybug #ml episodes #adrien agreste #chat noir #anon ask #chat blanc #plagg #marinette dupain cheng #jj talks #jj speaks #ladybug

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coraniaid · 2 months ago

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Made a list of my favorite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by the order in which they aired in their respective seasons (that is: my favorite episode 1 across all seven seasons, favorite episode 2 across all seven seasons and so on). Much easier to do for some positions than others, I found. Episodes 1, 7, 16, 17 and 22 are probably the episode numbers with the most high quality episodes, while

When She Was Bad [I could have picked from any of five different episodes here, really: the season opener is usually very strong]

Real Me [I think the only competition is Bargaining Part 2 but that two-parter works better as a single episode; Real Me is morally the season opener of Season 5 anyway, I'd argue]

School Hard [obviously I was tempted to pick Faith's debut episode but I think this one is a bit stronger, simply because Kakistos himself is the sort of one-note villain like the Anointed One which School Hard was supposed to be moving past]

Fear Itself [here I was tempted to pick Help, just so Season 7 wouldn't feel left out of the list making process, but frankly Season 7 deserves to be ostracized a little]

Homecoming [on another day I might have chosen No Place Like Home (or even Never Kill A Boy On The First Date if I was really trying to be contrarian, but I think we all know I'd be wrong)]

Family [I think this is a pretty easy choice to be honest; Band Candy is fun, sure, but it's not as central to its season themes as this one]

Revelations [this was hard though! lots of good Episode 7s]

Lovers Walk [it's this or Tabula Rasa, right? and it's not Tabula Rasa]

The Wish [again, this seems a pretty simple choice; I suspect Something Blue might be the more popular option more generally, but not on my list]

Hush [another easy choice, and to be honest I don't even like Hush as much as some people do]

Out of Mind, Out of Sight [oh, look, a Season 1 episode. Those are rare; not a huge amount of competition here either although I suppose maybe Ted would be my choice on a different day]

Prophecy Girl [... maybe not that rare? I think I like Prophecy Girl a bit more than the average person and I like Helpless quite a lot less, and I'm not really sure what the other options would even be here]

Dead Things [feel a bit guilty about not picking Surprise but I really like this episode and the Season 2 Jenny retcon really doesn't hold up]

Innocence [another surprisingly easy choice; I don't think there's even an obvious second place here]

Consequences [this was trickier though; I really do like This Year's Girl a lot]

Who Are You? [a lot of good episode 16s as well! I think The Body is comfortably a top five episode but it doesn't have Sarah Michelle Gellar as Faith beating up Eliza Dushka as Buffy in a church while screaming through tears about how much she hates herself, so...]

Passion [also a lot of good episode 17s too, actually (and only one really, really, really bad episode 17, which I won't dignify by naming)]

Earshot [another pretty easy decision; this is, I think, pretty easily Jane Espenson's best episode]

I Only Have Eyes For You [I like Choices quite a lot but this isn't a hard decision either]

The Prom [I think a lot of episode 20s are actually quite bad; by contrast The Prom is the start of the arguably the best run of three consecutive episodes in the show's history (and maybe it's even Marti Noxon's best episode?)]

Graduation Day (Part 1) [this is the second of that run of three episodes I praised above; I think the obvious/only competition is Becoming (Part 1) but -- while I think Becoming (Part 2) is a little better than Graduation Day (Part 2) -- I think the first part of the Season 3 finale is better than the respective Season 2 episode]

Restless [not quite my favorite episode of the whole show, but I think the episode it would be easiest to defend as objectively the show's best; again, there is an absurd amount of competition here]

So, looking over that list, that's two Season 1 episodes, five Season 2 episodes, eight Season 3 episodes, four Season 4 episodes, two Season 5 episodes, one Season 6 episode and no Season 7 episodes. Which doesn't quite reflect how I'd rank the seasons overall (I think Season 5, as an attempt at a single overarching story and not just a collection of isolated episodes, is quite significantly better than Season 4; and I think Season 6 is better and more thematically consistent than Season 4 too, even if it doesn't have the same high points as that season) but it doesn't feel totally off base either.

I think every season has its run of good and bad episodes and I guess those runs line up a little more often than I'd realized. The two episodes of Season 1 that made it onto the list are really the only episodes of that season that could have plausibly made it, while there were several episodes from Season 5 and Season 6 (and even two or three from Season 7) that just had the bad luck of going up against really stiff competition.

#btvs #I think you can also tell from this list that I gave up on my last rewatch attempt about a third of the way into Season 4

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deejadabbles · 10 months ago

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Forbidden Blossom (Kix x Fem!Reader, Fantasy AU Part 2)

Part One || Part Two || Part Three Coming Soon

Summary: The tyrant king had never claimed to love you and you certainly held no affection for him. Thankfully, there was someone else who captured your heart. Rating: Gen (but minors DNI!) A.N: Listen....I'm just really obsessed with fantasy AUs right now, so I just had to continue what I created back during Halloween! As always, this got way out of hand and the continuation got too long, so this will be a 3 parter. Part 3 will be posted next week so I don't overwhelm anyone Word Count: 3,409 Warnings: Forced engagement, abusive relationships, implied physical abuse, life threats, and forbidden love. If you are concerned that this chapter's content might be triggering, please feel free to send me a message! I will do my best to answer any questions (without triggering language). That goes for all of my fics, I want everyone reading to be safe.

Masterlist /// Tag List Sign Up /// AO3

The sheets felt like sandpaper, despite their silken weave, the air cold and stifling regardless of the fire and windows ajar. A prison, even though the doors were not locked.

You didn’t know what time of day it was, but the chamber maids had cleared out recently marking that it was some time before lunch, probably. That wouldn’t matter, you had barely eaten anything since you’d been dragged to the palace of the tyrant.

So, it almost surprised you when you heard voices outside your door. One voice was the captain of your guard, the man who, at least once a day, insisted that you eat something. The other voice was not one you recognized and that alone made you stir just a little under your duvet. Not just anyone was permitted into your chambers, let alone this close to your bedroom door.

“Oh gods, please- please don’t let it be him!”

But even as the heartstopping thought came to you, it was wiped away by the gentleness of the stranger's voice. There was no way the King you had met could sound so…

“There has to be something you can do, Kix.” That was Fox, a good man despite his stern frown.

There was a sigh from the stranger “I can try but….” a thought mulled over, carefully considered, “brother, I can’t heal a broken heart.”

“And why would you think- actually, never mind just…just do something, before he does something.”

The sound of retreating boots followed, along with another sigh a moment later. A heartbeat went by and you hoped the stranger had abandoned his assignment, that he would just leave you to your gilded cage, but then the doors to your bedroom opened.

You retreated further under your blankets, sinking into their plush warmth that still seemed so abrasive to your skin. Maybe if he thought you were asleep he would try again later. Yet again though, this mystery man surprised you. His steps towards your lavish bed were slow and careful, as if approaching a dragon’s nest.

“Your Highness?” he asked, voice quiet and soft. Highness, not Majesty, because you were not yet married to that evil man- thank the gods. “My Lady, I’m a doctor, I’ve been asked to see to your health.” His voice was closer now, right beside the head of your bed.

“I’m not sure there’s anything you can do, Doctor,” came your voice from under the fabric.

Another beat of silence, then, “Would you be willing to let me try, at least?”

You had no idea what or why, but something in his tone made you pull back the covers and peer up at him. He was handsome, devastatingly so, with finely styled hair, but the thing that drew you in most were his eyes. A rich brown color and holding a look that…it wasn’t pity. This was the first time a member of the palace had looked at you softly without pity and that alone kept you from ordering him out of your room.

He smiled then, as soft and kindly as his eyes when he reached out to your hand. “May I?”

Soft and considerate, this man was impressing you more by the minute. You nodded and held your palm up to him. Gently, he took your wrist and pressed his fingers to the soft skin there.

“Alright, your pulse is fine,” he hummed then, again slowly so you had time to stop him, he reached that hand to your forehead. His fingers were cool, like a refreshing damp cloth on a hot day, and it was all you could do not to lean into his touch. “No fever, either,” he continued thoughtfully. Then, after a moment he took his hand away, “May I ask you some questions?”

You nodded numbly, silently.

Instead of immediately asking this and that about your medical history, he instead walked over to your fireplace and grabbed one of the chairs. He brought it over to the bedside and sat with a little satisfied sigh.

“Tell me about your home.”

That caused you to blink, “Wh-what?”

His knowing smile didn’t falter, “Talk to me, My Lady. Tell me about where you grew up. What you loved most about it. The things that made you happy there.”

Your brows came together in confusion and you finally sat upright to meet his handsome eyes better. He didn’t repeat himself, just waited patiently. Despite the fact that his gaze never left your face, you were suddenly very aware of the fact that you were in nothing but your thin night clothes. He was a doctor, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen exposed bodies before, but your sudden shyness prompted you to lift the blanket over your chest as you settled your back against the pillows.

“Well…” you started after clearing your throat.

Where would you even start with his question? You missed everything about home, every tiny detail that stood in stark contrast to this place. You missed the sun coming in to shine over a room you decorated and filled yourself. You missed visiting the village and all who greeted you with a smile and a wave. Missed the late nights with friends and people you loved. And the people who loved you back.

That and so much more came to mind, but, you only had to think for a moment longer before a memory two weeks old came back to you.

Nothing about this arranged marriage had pleased you, but you had at least tried to find some enjoyment in your first days here. Then you had taken a walk through the gardens and when even they did not spark joy, your emotions spiraled, landing you here, in your current state.

“I miss my gardens,” you said finally, staring off at nothing in particular. “They were so beautiful. So colorful and vibrant…. Not like the bare, minimal flower beds here.” You trailed off for a moment, pulling up fond memories from the depths of your mind and, for maybe the first time since you started your journey here, you smiled. A real, genuine smile. “There was one section where our gardener would let things get just a little overgrown,” a ghost of a laugh escaped you as you met the Doctor’s eyes again, “he said that it represented ‘wild beauty’ and somehow convinced my father to keep it. My loved ones and I set up a little tea area there and every afternoon we would go walking through the gardens and…just talk and laugh. Simple pleasures.”

The Doctor’s smile turned encouraging and your body turned to him fully. Before you knew it you were telling him stories, stories of you and your best friends racing through the flowers, of begging the bakers to let you help prepare the treats you’d stuff into baskets and carry out there. Stories of reenacting scenes from your favorite books like children playing pretend. He listened to it all, laughing along with you, asking questions here and there and encouraging you all the way.

You weren’t even sure how much time had passed before you realized that the weight that had been pressing on your chest for weeks felt…lighter now. Suddenly, the room wasn’t quite as suffocating as before. Maker, you even had the urge to pull back the curtains to let a little sunlight in.

The good doctor must have noticed your sudden silence, because he pulled his chair just a little closer to you. “Thank you, for sharing those stories with me, Your Highness.” He paused for a moment, seeming to think something over. “I know I’ve already asked a lot of you, but, could I ask one more thing?”

You couldn’t find it in yourself to even hesitate, you nodded silently.

“I would love to show you something, it’s a beautiful day and I think a walk would do you some good. Will you get dressed and meet with me?”

And there it was, he was still asking you, considering you, taking your wants into account. No one here had ever done that. Not truly.

“Yes, yes, I think that sounds nice.”

Those eyes of his brightened “Excellent! Take your time, I’ll tell Fox where to escort you.”

With that, he got up, pulled the chair back to its original spot and made for the door. Only now it was time for your own question, “Wait- Doctor! What’s your name? You didn’t give it earlier.”

For the first time, he looked surprised, “Kix, My Lady. You may call Kix.” He looked back at you with his hand on the doorknob. “I look forward to our walk, Your Highness.”

And with that, he- Kix, slipped out of the room. It was only then that you realized there was a small fluttering sensation in your stomach, something light and almost uneasy. Well, you hadn’t eaten much in so long, it must be that. You thought about indulging in one of the snack trays the maids left at your bedside, but the thought still didn’t quite appeal to you.

Still, the fact that you could pull yourself out of bed and start putting thought into what you wanted to wear was a good improvement.

You did not call on your handmaids, the idea of being surrounded by people, of hands on your skin and in your hair, did not sit well at the moment. Despite that, and the fact that it was the first time in days you had come out of your room, It did not take that long to get ready and ask Fox to escort you to this mysterious location.

At first when you stepped outside the east wing, your heart dropped slightly, knowing that this was the way to the gardens that were a stark, depressing imitation of your lavish grounds back home. But, the gentle doctor was not waiting for you there. Yes, you had to walk through those almost sterile flowerbeds, but obviously this was not the intended meeting spot.

You kept your eyes forward, not wanting to see the roses cut down to their stems so the thorns prickled in the sunlight, or how the lilies were cut free of any diverse or colorful petals, robbing them of unique beauty. At the edge of the overly pruned yard was a line of tall hedges and Fox led you past them.

What lay beyond took your breath away.

It was an orchard teeming with life. Countless trees bearing fragrant fruit and vine covered trellises blooming with even more. All of them were well tended, cared for, but not overly cut like the flowers before. No, these were how nature should be, respected and loved and free to grow.

And there among it all, looking fondly at a patch of strawberries, was Kix. His smile rivaled the warmth of the sun as he noticed you standing there and he bowed his head slightly. “Your Highness, thank you for joining me.” Then he turned to Fox, “You can leave the Princess to me, Commander.”

In answer, the leader of your personal guard sighed, but turned to stand sentry by the hedge archway without protest. Kix waved his hand down the humble pathway between the trees, an invitation to walk with him. You did, gladly, and didn’t try to hide how in wonder you were of the orchard as you two began your walk.

“Hardly anyone but the gardeners come here,” Kix explained, “It took a long time for them to convince the King that over pruning is bad for the harvest, and that’s the only reason these plants and trees aren’t cut down to their stems. When you told those stories about your garden back home, I thought you might like it here.”

“It’s beautiful,” your tone was breathless, which obviously pleased him to no end, if that look in his eyes was any indication. “Thank you, Kix, this is wonderful.”

He opened his mouth, a response on the tip of his tongue, but then he hesitated. Instead, he walked over to the nearest tree, which just so happened to be bearing one of your favorite fruits, and plucked a ripe specimen from the branch.

“I know that your situation isn’t an easy one, Princess,” he started as he walked back to you, “but if you ever need an ear to listen,” he took your hand and placed the fruit in your palm, “you just have to ask, and I’m yours.”

Your breath caught in your throat as you nearly gasped at his words and that’s when he suddenly looked a little flustered.

“My ear- my ear is yours, I mean.” He laughed nervously, then closed your fingers over the fruit, “What I’m trying to say is that, if you ever need a friend, I would be honored if you considered me one.”

It was hard to meet his gaze, not because you were embarrassed by his misstep in words, but because his promise made that fluttering sensation move to your chest as well as your stomach. This man, so full of kindness and care, he was making your heart feel light and heavy all at the same time. Maybe there was some joy to be found in this cage. You would take any you could get, so, you thanked the Doctor for his kind words.

“I would be the one honored to call you my friend, Kix.”

Something akin to surprise colored his eyes at that, surprise and something… tender.

“Then, whenever you need to talk, or want a reminder of home, just call on me.” Then, Kix closed his eyes and lifted your clasped hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss to your fingers.

It was that moment that your heart took flight.

It was no wonder that, over the next months, the Princess and the Doctor would fall madly and deeply in love.

Your room had never quite felt like a home, always a golden cell, always a sign of your lost freedom, or the way you were chained to him. But it had never felt as cold and unforgiving as it did now. The fire was out, leaving you in icy darkness, all while the fiance you never chose towered over you.

“I asked you a question, girl: do you think I am a fool?” The tyrant king’s tone was flat and cold, even as you tried to choke back the tears from your spot on the floor.

Even if you tried to get up, he would just force you back down again, so you answered him through gritted teeth. “No. You are no fool, Your Majesty.”

“Then why did you think I wouldn’t find out about this?” It was the first time something besides cold fury colored his tone. He was seething now. “Did you truly think I was so blind? That I wouldn’t see the longing stares or hear about your romantic walks?!”

You yelped when he grabbed your collar and yanked you onto your back.

“Did you truly think you could get away with making a fool of me?”

For all his cruelty, you had never seen him like this, his brutality had always been a cold and unfeeling blade, not this burning fire of rage. It was all there in his eye and bared teeth as he glared down at you and it made you wish the floor would open up and swallow you whole.

Then, the harsh curl of his lips eased, teeth no longer bared, as he leaned back and stepped away from your prone form. He was regaining his composure before your eyes as he straightened and clasped his hands behind his back.

“Get up,” he commanded, tone like cold steel once again. “I want you to have a better seat when my men bring in the good doctor.”

That caused your heart to freeze in your chest. “No- no!” The desperate plea left you as you scrambled to your feet.

The King smiled in that cruel curl of his lips. “Yes, my dear. You will watch while I make an example of him. While I show him what happens to men who touch what’s mine.”

“Please!” Your voice cracked with the force of your words, “Please- I’m to blame, not him!”

His smile only grew with more you pleaded, “Which is exactly why I will hurt him instead.”

That vicious mirth in his eyes is what made you lose any last shred of resolve. Of course this was his plan, cold and calculated. Bruises could heal, but the memories of this? They would haunt you forever, and in the end he still got his meek pet for a queen.

“I gave you an order,” he went on, “I said get up-”

He was interrupted by the doors to your chambers being thrown open. In marched a company of the King’s most trusted guards, with Commander Fox, who had been ordered to wait outside, hot on their heels.

“Your Majesty,” the head of this company said with a bow, “my men are still searching the grounds, but it would appear that the traitor Kix has…escaped.”

Oh, the king did not like that.

The fabric of his gloves strained as he clenched his fists, the knuckles surely white beneath. He drew in a harsh breath through his nose as he turned away from you without a second glance.

“Find him. Search the whole kingdom if needed,” all the guards, save for Fox, followed their king as he stormed towards the doors, “if you have to bring him back here in pieces, do it!”

With that threat ringing in your ears, doors were slammed shut again, the sound echoing through the room like glass shattering on marble.

Silence swelled, filling the void the King’s rage left behind. Leaving you in the cold and the dark. In your cage draped in finery.

Gone. Kix was gone. He had escaped somehow. The thought sent a myriad of emotions washing through you, tearing and shredding your body in a confusing whirlwind. Before you knew it, you were curling in on yourself, fists clutching the fabric over your heart and tears staining your cheeks.

Harsh sobs wracked your body and you couldn’t say whether they were from the relief of knowing he was safe or the sorrow of knowing you would never see the love of your life again. Deep down, they were likely both, you supposed.

You jumped when something warm and heavy was draped around your shoulders. You hadn’t even noticed Fox kneeling beside you, blanket in hand. Somewhere, in the back of your mind you remembered telling him that the blanket was your favorite from home, but at the moment all you could do was pull it tighter around yourself as you tried to steady the painful breaths you were taking.

Fox, possibly the only other man who had ever shown you any care in this hellish castle, didn’t say a word as he waited for your body to tire itself out with its mourning. When it did, he silently helped you to your feet. You don’t remember walking to your bed, just that the blankets had been placed over you and the fireplace nearby had been stoked back to life.

Finally, your trusted guard spoke, a firm if still cautious call of your name. Your actual name, not a title. “Please,” he said in a whisper, “don’t do anything drastic. Things won’t be like this for much longer. I promise.”

Confused, you blinked up at him, but he didn’t say anything more, just bowed his head respectfully and closed the curtains of your bed slowly. If there had been any strength left in you, you might have called for him, asked him to stay close. To not leave you. You didn’t need to ask, however, you heard his boots stop just outside your bedroom. Standing sentry, acting as your shield, as much as he could in any case.

The patterns of the curtains danced from the crackling fire on the other side, but it was just a blank canvas to stare at as your mind ran the same thoughts in your head over and over again. He’s gone, Kix is gone. At best, you’ll never know true love’s touch again, at worst, you’ll see that love slaughtered for the crime of existing.

Still, even in your spiraling despair, one other mantra crept in here and there.

“Things won’t be like this for much longer”

Divider by the amazing @dystopicjumpsuit

#kix x reader #clone medic kix x reader #fantasy au #clone wars fantasy au #deeja writes #reader insert #clone wars reader insert

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alicepao13 · 1 month ago

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Hudson and Rex S02E17 - The Graveyard Shift - PART B

Well, I'm not even in the middle of the episode yet. I'm scared.

Mankiewicz: "That's what I like about you, Hudson. Cheeky. Even under the most challenging of circumstances". Makes me think that none of the criminals in St. John's are professionals, because cheekiness in this situation would normally get one pistol whipped.

Dude has thought of everything. Too bad that Rex is a superdog.

I can't believe they had the forethought to back everything up and then instead of locking the flash drive in a secure location, they left it with Jesse!

He really, really shouldn't. Nor should he expose it to extreme weather temperatures.

Rex: Second time, only tonight. I want a raise.

Poor Charlie. But I love Mankiewicz's sadistic streak.

"I could never hurt a dog". Why would Mankiewicz reveal that? Also, I don't think Kai over there has the same sensitivity.

I want it on record that Rex was the one to hatch the plan for them to escape. At least the camera work and editing are showing that.

Kommissar Rex adaptation. That tracks.

So how come not one of the police officers recognized any of Mankiewicz's posse? Most of these guys must be in the system and a lot of them must have been arrested by this precinct, right?

I think this is the smartest Charlie has ever been in six seasons. I might call him a himbo sometimes but I have to give credit where credit is due. And they're actually showing us instead of telling us. Bravo.

lol they're trying the flash drives one by one. This will take a while, boys.

I'm sorry, Joe heard a voice that sounded like Charlie but said about Jesse, "His girl is about to dump him" and he didn't get suspicious? Since when would Charlie be so mean when talking about Jesse? Also, I thought the point of this phone call was to get Joe suspicious but that's not what happened.

There's no time for that!

Not the paperclip again!

I bet this is a trick he mainly uses when he's avoiding bath time.

The next part needs a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief, as Rex pulls the fire alarm to get the doors to open.

Rex: Argh, why can't humans understand me?

Well, she snatched the flash drive from Jesse with three cops watching and no one realized.

Okay, we do not need any more of Charlie's weaknesses in that building. But for my own enjoyment, go ahead.

If I was Sarah, I'd definitely have a couple of questions about what exactly Charlie has been telling about her to criminals.

Well, of course she'd say that.

Charlie: Can I get a fucking break?

I love this line! It's my favorite line in the entire show. The sass!

And of course he came. Is there a universe where he wouldn't?

Sassy couple of hostages lol

"Let her go". Why didn't you negotiate before? Now you have no bargaining chip. They already have all three of you. Okay, maybe he didn't have time to think things through because Mankiewicz said, "I'm killing Sarah in ten seconds". Fair.

"Doing a solid for my pal Charlie."

"You okay?" Ever since she started working in this precinct with you, probably not.

When Mankiewicz started leaving with Rex I'd seriously wondered if this was a two-parter.

"What do you mean, go with him? You go with him!"

Oh, now we're unlocking police cuffs with a paperclip.

Even more unrealistic part of the plot. While supposedly the criminals had been hatching this plan for sometime and we can assume they've gotten samples of Charlie's voice from various sources (the guy had already given one tv and one podcast interview that we saw), Jesse is now using Morgan's voice. Which he got from... where?

Rex: Ah, finally, I get to bite the dirtbag.

me when I watched the first time: Who could this boot belong to? (We don't get to see their shoes much.)

"Jesse, the hug was real". Shoo, Morgan. We don't accept ladies with criminal record who just fooled us.

Small praise from Joe to Jesse. Give the boy some encouragement.

"My heartbreak is the department's gain". lol

Well, that baby bump must have gotten huge, judging by the size of that box.

"Will Charlie join the festivities?" "In a bit. Something he needs to do". You mean gloat to Mankiewicz? If that guy ever escapes, he's coming for us hard. Hopefully.

Oh, please. It's all over your face.

For now. Only partner for now.

Rex: I'm so tired of hearing your voice *slams door*

Oh that's why Charlie went. For the cool shot in the end.

Well, I always have fun watching this episode. There's a lot to enjoy and few to grumble about. Also, I want Mankiewicz to come back and do an altered version of this https://archiveofourown.org/works/37336006/chapters/93163204

Altered because Charah is now canon.

Well, looks like I managed to keep it under 60 screenshots.

#the great hudson and rex rewatch of 2024

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crystalninjaphoenix · 4 months ago

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The Christmas Special - Part One

Paranormal Preteens AU: Episode Twenty-Six

A JSE Fanfic

I absolutely did not intend this adventure to be a two-parter but in retrospect of course it is, a lot happens. It's Christmas Eve and the guys have varying feelings on it. Chase and Schneep are excited for their family Christmas party! But JJ and Marvin are not as enthusiastic about stuff. Fortunately, it looks like things will be a bit exciting for them as JJ gets a visit and gift from a pair of strangers. This chapter is a lot of setup for the next one and it's still 7200 words. That should tell you all about how excited I am for this! :D Hope you guys enjoy!

More of this AU | From the Start | Read on AO3 at CrystalNinjaPhoenix

++++++++++++++++++++

Over the next few days, relatives from Chase and Schneep’s extended family started pouring into the small town of Hollewych. They would always stop to say hi at the house before going to the hotel they were staying at. Chase had forgotten how overwhelming it was to see everyone in the same location. Or maybe this was just the first time he really noticed how many people were in his family.

By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, everyone from Mom’s side of the family had arrived—save for the ones who weren’t invited. But though Mom assured Chase that he invited his dad’s side of the family, he hadn’t seen one of them stop by yet. “Flights across the ocean are really hard to get around Christmas,” she assured him. “They probably couldn’t afford it. At least we’ve got cards from most of them.”

Even with her reassurances, Chase couldn’t help but feel disappointed. There was one person he’d really been hoping would show up who hadn’t yet. He was still hoping to see him, though! Maybe he would show up on Christmas Day.

But at least there was stuff to do to distract him from that! Mom and him made gingerbread houses with Schneep, who had never done it before. They showed some of the visiting relatives around the city—Grandma and Grandpa said the nearby church was prettier than any they had back home—and Mom even offered to take the two of them caroling, though they both declined since it didn’t sound interesting. The living room had been decorated and the tree had been put up back near the beginning of the month, but Mom went shopping with both of them so they could buy ornaments for themselves.

“It’s a tradition we’ve always done!” Chase explained. “I get to pick out a new ornament for the tree every year. Mom said that it’s so when I grow up, I have ornaments for my own tree. It’s only fair that you get one too.” This year, Chase picked out an ornament in the shape of a skateboard. Schneep looked at a bunch of ones, almost overwhelmed by how many there were, until he settled on one that looked like a rocket ship.

On the 23rd, it snowed overnight. Mom said that the weather predicted a lot of snow tomorrow and on Christmas too, so Chase insisted that they do fun outdoor stuff today before the storm really rolled in. So, after Mom made some calls, the three of them headed down to the park to meet up with some other family members.

“You should really join in and stuff,” Chase said to Schneep on the car ride there. The two of them were sitting in the back together instead of Chase being in the front. He wasn’t sure when they started sitting together in the car. But he knew this wasn’t the first time. “I don’t think any of the kids in the family really, uh, got to know you much before. Jordan is your age I think. Maybe he’s a year younger.”

“We are the same age, Chase,” Schneep said, grinning.

“...well not exactly,” Chase said defensively.

Schneep laughed. Then he looked out the window at the street. The glass was starting to fog up. “I do not know.. . I think I would not enjoy snowball fights and snow angels. I do not like the cold.”

“Uh well when you move around a lot you don’t feel as cold,” Chase said. “That’s like... science. And also like—Bella and Jordan and the twins and the girls probably don’t know you too good. They might think you’re, like, a nerd.”

Schneep nodded. “I am a nerd.”

“You know what I mean!” Chase sighed. “They won’t know that you’re cool.”

Schneep smiled. “Thank you Chase. But I... I-I do not know if...” He sighed. “I am not good with other kids.”

“You get along with the Jacksons and Jackie and Stacy just fine,” Chase pointed out.

“That is true. But the family feels... different. I should know them, but I feel I do not.” Schneep looked down, kicking his legs for a little. “Chase, can I... ask you a... question? You do not have to answer.”

“Uh, sure.” Honesty, Chase wasn’t sure how to respond to Schneep’s issues, so he welcomed the change.

“Why did your papa leave?”

And now he regretted it. “I... I-I don’t really know,” he said quietly. “Mom and Dad were... They said that they ‘fell out of love’ and that it wasn’t because of me. So... that’s why, I guess.”

He never knew if he believed what Mom told him, though. He often heard the two of them fighting upstairs while he was in the living room playing video games. They didn’t shout, but their voices still carried. He would sit there with his game paused, listening to Mom throw around words like “irresponsible” and “dismissive” and, most importantly, “a bad example for Chase.” Dad would say things like “uptight” and “pressuring” and “it’s not a big deal.” They were fighting about him, in some way. About... how they should take care of him? Something like that. So... he knew it wasn’t really because of him. He hadn’t been a bad kid or anything. But sometimes he thought that, maybe if the two of them didn’t have a kid at all, none of the fighting would have happened.

“We’re here,” Mom announced. Chase jumped in surprise. He forgot she was driving the car for a minute. He wondered if she heard any of what he said.

“Uh—cool!” Chase said, quickly opening up the car door before the car even fully came to a stop. “Come on, Schneep! We can figure out something for you to do!” He undid his seatbelt and hopped out.

“Alright, alright, I am coming!” Schneep undid his own seatbelt, then scooted along the car seat until he was able to climb out the door. “I will follow your lead, unless it is too cold.”

To his credit, Schneep did try to join in, but he clearly wasn’t enjoying the snowball fight so Chase assured him it was fine if he wanted to just sit next to Mom. He did that for a while, but evidently just sitting on a bench was too cold, so he got up again and started walking around, kicking up the snow. Until he decides to make a snowball of his own. And to see how big he could make it by rolling up. Chase soon left the snowball fight to help him, and suggested they make it into a snowman. Schneep had never done that, so Chase took it upon himself to teach him. Soon, they had a three-ball-tall snowman and the other cousins were competing to see if they could make a taller one. In only a couple hours, most of the snow in the park had been rolled up into an army of snowpeople of varying heights and designs, and all the kids were shivering. Mom lured Chase and Schneep into leaving by promising to get them hot chocolate from Zelly’s on the way home.

All in all, Chase thought this was a great start to Christmas. And judging by Schneep’s smile, he thought the same. Tomorrow, the party would begin. Chase couldn’t wait.

++++++++++++++++++++

It was hard to ride a bike through the snow, so JJ ditched the bike on the way back and instead walked alongside it. Christmas Eve morning was cold and crisp. JJ needed a big winter coat to keep warm.

Mam and Dad didn’t know where he was, for once. And he relished that fact. He’d snuck out early that morning, asking Marvin to cover for him if anyone asked. “Huh? Where are you going?” Marvin had asked. JJ just replied that he wanted to be alone for a little bit, and that was hard to do while in their house. Marvin blinked, probably not entirely understanding why JJ would want that right now, but he nodded and said he’d pretend JJ was still in their room if anyone asked. JJ ran into Granmam for a moment when getting his bike, but she said nothing, only smiled and wished him a happy holiday.

Even when biking, the doll followed him. His bike had a basket in the front—he’d wanted it so he could put his bag there, but he’d deliberately left his bag behind for once, only taking the cell phone in his pocket. Nevertheless, when he let his attention wander to the side for a bit, the doll appeared in the basket, wearing a small version of his winter coat. Frustrated, JJ shoved his coat into the basket, hiding it from view. He tried to forget about it for the rest of the bike ride. But eventually he had to get off and walk.

He hadn’t been fond of Christmas for a while. When he was younger, he remembered it being so exciting, but over time, both he and Marvin got tired of seeing it everywhere for two months straight. And, just like with their birthday, they both became... aware, over time, of how... their parents got them different things. And how it was never really what they wanted. That really killed their enthusiasm for the holiday. And also, the two of them were never too keen on the celebrations their parents insisted on. Church was boring, opening presents took too long, and dinner was good but always a bit awkward. All of this, combined with the doll issue he’d been facing recently, and he’d almost been dreading Christmas. He just... he had to get out of the house for a little bit. He had to think.

But he couldn’t stay out all day. Not just because it was cold. He didn’t want to make Marvin cover for him all day. And lunchtime was approaching, which is when Mam and Dad would start to ask the most questions. He had to get back before then.

He turned his bike onto the street where their house was, walking down it towards home. A couple cars passed by, but besides him, there were no pedestrians on the street. No, wait. That wasn’t exactly true. He could see a couple of people lingering near the front of one of the houses.

...That was his house. There were people standing in front of his house.

JJ stopped walking for a moment, freezing, unsure what to do. Who were they? Part of the Circle? He stood in place for a moment until the cold started to bite at his coatless arms, and then he started to walk again, mind scrambling to come up with what to do if some of the Circle people tried to command him to do something.

But... no, wait. The pair of people weren’t adults, they were just teenagers. About Jackie’s age, maybe a bit older. The Circle wouldn’t let teenagers join, would they? So it’s probably not them. But still, that begs the question: why were a couple of teenagers hanging out by his house? Were they friends of Jackie’s? JJ couldn’t remember what Jackie’s friends looked like off the top of his head, but he didn’t think this was them.

As he approached, he noticed something. One of the teenagers was speaking in sign language. Huh. That was... unusual. He’d never heard of any teenagers who knew BSL. And while he clearly didn’t know everyone who spoke in sign—that was just absurd—he couldn’t help but think that he would have heard of someone like that. If only from other teachers in school mentioning it. There was only one secondary school in Hollewych, after all, all the kids would be taught there eventually.

He gave the two teenagers a look-over as he kept walking closer. They were both guys, both with dark hair. One was wearing a lot of black, with sleeves that had white stripes on them, and even a streak of black in his hair. The other was wearing a blue t-shirt over a white button-up, and had some sort of necklace or pendant. He was soon able to hear and see their conversation. “...won’t be any, like, consequences for this?” asked the one in black.

If we’re very careful, the one in blue replied.

“I dunno, like, it sounds a bit risky.”

Well we’re already here.

“We can just fucking leave. It’s so easy to not do something.”

Look, honestly, I think there will be more problems if we don’t do this. It’s going to start opening up questions if memories don’t line up, you know?

“Hmm... yeah, I gue—oh shit!” The one in black saw JJ approaching and jumped in surprise, staring at him with blatant shock. The one in blue spun around and looked at JJ with that same expression.

JJ walked up next to them, looking back and forth between the two teenagers. Now that he was closer to them, they looked a bit familiar. He wasn’t sure where he knew them from, though. Maybe he just saw them around school? He decided to be blunt. Why are you outside my house? he asked.

“Uh—well, uh—” The teenager in black hesitated. “...fuck, we didn’t actually come up with what we were gonna say.”

The one in blue laughed. Maybe YOU didn’t, but I’VE been thinking about this for a while.

“Well of course you have, fucking...” The one in black started to grumble.

The teenager in blue reached up and took off his pendant, briefly looping his arm through it while he signed. This is going to be very hard to believe, but we’re here to help you. You and your friends are currently dealing with a group called the Circle, right? And some annoying guy named Anti?

JJ started. How do you know that?

It’s hard to explain, and I don’t know if you’ll believe us, anyway, the one in blue continued. But we really are here to help. We know that something is going to happen tonight. This could help with that. He held up the pendant.

...What is that? JJ asked, eyes narrowed.

I’ve left some instructions for you on the inside, the one in blue said. I think it’s easiest if you read those. You’ll know when to use it.

JJ frowned. He didn’t like how vague these guys were being.

“Uh... J—my friend?” The teenager in black tapped his friend’s shoulder. Or—actually they were probably family. No, they were definitely family. They looked a lot alike. “Maybe explain a bit more?”

Well how do I do that without sounding crazy or threatening? The one in blue asked.

“Uhhhh...”

Exactly.

So, you want me to take that necklace thing? JJ asked, looking at it warily.

The one in blue nodded. You don’t have to. Here. He walked over to the front door and put the pendant down, inside an empty flowerpot (Mam always said she was going to put plants in there but all that ever went in was dirt). Then he walked back over. You don’t have to pick it up if you don’t want to. The two of us will be back here around ten thirty to pick it up from that same spot. If you don’t want to use it, just leave it. If you do, just remember to put it back by that time. You should be back home by then, if I remember correctly. Understand?

JJ blinked. Back home? From what? Was he going somewhere? He didn’t have any plans to. Christmas Eve was blessedly less busy than Christmas Day. You said you knew that something was going to happen tonight, JJ recalled. How?

The one in blue hesitated, so the one in black jumped in. “Look, it’s complicated, and we don’t even know how much we can tell you before fucking weird shit starts happening. It’s greenlight stuff.”

You know about greenlight?!

“We know about a lot of shit,” the one in black said. “Now. The longer we’re here, the bigger the chance that Mam and Dad might see us. And that’ll make shit weird.” He glanced at the front windows of the house nervously.

You don’t have to do anything you do want to, the one in blue said. Not just with this situation. With any situation. You can do what YOU want. He smiled, the expression unusually soft. Things will get better with time.

JJ just stared at him. He looked at the other teenage boy. The two of them really, really looked like each other. And they seemed to know what was going to happen. No... surely they couldn’t be... A lot of weird stuff has happened but that must be impossible...

“We’re, uh—gonna go now.” The one in black grabbed the one in blue’s arm. “See you!”

We’ll be back at ten thirty! the one in blue said quickly. Goodbye! Good luck!

And with that, the two of them ran off down the street, dodging patches of ice and snow. JJ stared at them until they suddenly ducked into the gap between two houses. He saw a faint flash of green light. And then nothing more.

...Somehow, that was the strangest thing he’d experienced yet.

He turned back to the house, walking over to the rain gutter and chaining his bike there next to Marvin’s before hurrying up the front step. The flowerpot sat there. Totally normal. He crouched next to it and looked at the pendant curled up inside, on top of the small layer of dirt and snow. The pendant was silver, totally circular. After a moment’s hesitation, he reached in and picked it up, sticking it in his pocket. If he was right about who those guys were, he should probably trust them. And besides, they weren’t pushy about what they wanted him to do. He liked that. So he felt he should at least check out what this thing was.

Upon heading inside, he immediately locked onto the sound of voices from the second floor. He froze for a moment, panic surging through his heart. That was Mam and Dad and Marvin. They were talking. Did they notice he wasn’t in his room?

Granmam poked her head out of the kitchen. “Scared of the stairs, lad?” She asked. “I don’ blame ye, given the birthday incident. Want me to walk up with ye?”

JJ nodded. He’d take any support right now. He hung his winter coat up on the coat rack, then together, he and Granmam walked up the stairs to the second story.

Mam and Dad were standing in the narrow hallway, looking at Marvin, who was standing in front of their closed bedroom door. Just the three of them was enough to block the hallway going forward. “—very important that both of you know the Christmas schedule,” Dad was saying, emphasizing his point.

“Well you can tell me, and I’ll tell him, that’s so easy!” Marvin said with the air of someone who’d been saying the same thing over and over and gotten nowhere with it.

“It’s much easier if we tell you both at the same time,” Dad replied, with that same air. “That way, nothing gets lost or forgotten.”

“It’s the same schedule as every year anyway!” Marvin folded his arms. “I don’t wanna argue anymore! I’ll just tell JJ, you don’t always have to talk to him!”

“I—Now—Listen here, young man,” Dad stammered, also folding his arms. “You don’t understand the value of—”

Granmam cleared her throat. All three family members turned to look at her and JJ. “Oh, um—Yeah I forgot! JJ wasn’t even in the room!” Marvin improvised. “He went down to—to—Granmam wanted to talk to him!”

“Oh my—Mam.” The boys’ mam sighed. “You couldn’ have said something?”

“T’is is me sayin’ somet’ing,” Granmam said, chuckling. “I jus’ wanted to ask the lads if t’ere was anyt’ing they wanted to do today, and JJ was the only one who came down the stairs. But I can’ blame Marvin for t’at—I would be worried around the stairs too, in his situation.” She stared at Mam and Dad very deliberately. “Wouldn’ ye also cut him some slack?”

Mam and Dad glanced at each other, looking a bit embarrassed. “Well... we just wanted everyone to be on the same page for Christmas,” Dad said awkwardly. “It’s easiest to discuss it with the whole family.”

“You two must’ve been talking for a while,” Mam said. “What about?”

“Oh you know, all the lads’ little friends,” Granmam said, smiling down at JJ and Marvin—though not too far down, JJ realized with a start. When did he and Marvin get so tall?

“Yeah, uh—Chase is having a Christmas party tonight!” Marvin said. “And we—want to go!”

JJ’s mouth dropped open. He stared at Marvin in shock. Had he lost his fucking mind?! They couldn’t just say that! What if their parents said no and didn’t let them hang out with the others at all from then on?! Marvin glanced back at him and subtly signed, Sorry, panic.

Mam blinked in surprise. “JJ, is this true?”

JJ didn’t answer, mind scrambling for what to say.

“Come on, JJ,” Granmam urged gently.

“Yes, tell us what you feel,” Mam said.

He felt that weird spell from the doll kick in immediately after Mam said that. Against his will, his hands began to sign. I really like Chase and Henrik and Jackie and Stacy and I want to spend part of Christmas with them instead of having it all be here. And I’m scared you won’t let me go see them because you want me in pictures or something else that happens every year. These are our first real friends and I think it’s more important to be with them for our first Christmas together than it is to do more of the same things we always do that never change.

The rest of the family was dead quiet as he signed. And the silence continued even after he was done. He looked back and forth between Mam and Dad, suddenly pale. Why did he say that? Why did he say any of that? The only good thing about any of that was that the compulsion only made him say what he was currently thinking, and didn’t force him to spill all his feelings. Even so—Mam and Dad would be mad about all of that, wouldn’t they?

“...well, then,” Mam said awkwardly, glancing at Dad. “I suppose... socializing is important.”

“Bet on my bollocks it’s important!” Granmam said.

“Mam!” Despite their mother’s shocked gasp, Marvin and JJ grinned and had to hold back laughter. Luckily, their parents either didn’t notice or didn’t care enough to chastise them.

“The lad just said it was their first friends,” Granmam continued. “They deserve t’spend some holiday time with them!”

“Well surely it’s not their first friends,” Dad said. “They get invited to all sorts of birthday parties.” Evidently he didn’t realize that they hadn’t been invited to a party since they were seven. “But... I guess they’ve never gone to someone’s house for Christmas... It might be a refreshing experience. What sort of party is it?”

“Uh... it’s for his family,” Marvin said awkwardly. “So like—there will be a lot of adults there, and stuff.”

“Hmm. A lot of supervision.” Mam nodded approvingly. “Are they going to serve dinner?”

“Um... I dunno. JJ, do you know?”

JJ shook his head. Chase hadn’t mentioned anything like that.

“Surely there will be dinner, Emma,” Dad said to Mam. “Who hosts a party for Christmas Eve and doesn’t serve dinner?”

“I suppose it will be less cooking, then...” Mam mused. “Alright. If you get permission from Chase and his mother, you can go over for the evening. As long as you’re back by your school holiday bedtime.”

Marvin made a fist pump, unintentionally sending a few greenlight sparks into the air. JJ jumped, glancing around nervously, but none of the adults seemed to see that. “Thank you!” Marvin said. “JJ, call them right fu—well I mean message them, but also, I wanna talk too, so—I-I don’t know! Contact them right freaking now!”

JJ smiled a little bit. He nodded, taking the phone out of his pocket. Then he inched past everyone else in the hallway, reaching for the bedroom door.

“Oh sorry.” Marvin scooted out of the way.

“We do still have to go over the Christmas schedule,” Dad said.

Let us reach our friends first, to be sure we can go, JJ said.

“Hmm. Good point, son.” Dad nodded, smiling approvingly. He patted JJ’s shoulder. “We’ll wait to hear from them.”

JJ smiled weakly back, and went into their bedroom.

Despite him leaving the doll in his bike basket, it was sitting on his bed when he walked in.

++++++++++++++++++++

“...huh.” Chase looked at the text he just got from JJ. Then he looked up, scanning the living room. The Christmas party was going to start soon. Well, technically it already started but only Grandma and Grandpa were here so far, Grandma sitting on the sofa next to Chase and Grandpa having claimed the armchair. There were some folding chairs set up around the perimeter of the living room for more visitors, since there weren’t enough seats in the living room normally. “Mom? Where’d you go?”

“I’m in the kitchen!” Mom called.

“Okay!” Chase got up from the sofa. Grandma gave him a friendly wave as he went into the kitchen.

Mom was busy setting up the snacks. The other family members had been asked to bring some food as well, so she was leaving spaces for their stuff. So far, there was only a platter of cheese and crackers and a mound of jello. Schneep was in here too, looking at the red gelatin with fascination. “Hey, sweets, what’s up?” Mom asked.

“I got a text message from JJ and Marvin,” Chase said, holding up his phone. “They want to come over for the party. Can they?”

“The Jackson twins?” Mom said. “Sure, they can come. They have to be prepared to stand, though, I don’t think we have many seats to spare, especially if more family members show up.”

“Cool!” Chase grinned. “Oh, can I invite Jackie or Stacy, then? We can all do stuff with the cousins!”

“Sure, but you have to be prepared for them having plans of their own,” Mom said. “Jackie might be having a Christmas party of his own, and Stacy might have plans with her family.”

“Got it! I’ll message them all!” Chase started with typing a reply to the twins. Mom says yes so you can! Then he paused. “Oh, uh... when should they come over?”

“Whenever they want, don’t worry about it,” Mom said.

Chase nodded and added that. “You don’t mind them coming over, do you, Henrik?”

“Hmm? Ah, no, I would like them to be here.” Schneep tore his attention away from the jello to look at Chase. “I hope they do not feel too awkward surrounded by all our family.”

“Eh, they can leave if they want.” Chase finished up his message and sent it, then looked up at Schneep. “Why are you staring at the jello by the way?”

“I have not seen it in person before,” Schneep said. “Or not one so big. Sometimes Mama would let me have those little cups as a treat. I liked the red ones.”

Mom smiled. “Strawberry, right? That’s what this one is too.”

“Is there enough for everyone?”

“There’s enough for you to have a big slice,” Mom assured him.

Schneep smiled up at her, then looked over at Chase. “Should we have gotten presents for all our friends?”

Chase’s eyes widened. “You’re asking me that now? On Christmas Eve? It’s too late to go shopping!”

“Well I did not expect to see them until after the holidays! I thought that we could go shopping afterwards!”

Mom laughed. “Don’t worry about it, you two. At your age, you don’t really get friends Christmas gifts. But you should start to think about it soon. If you guys are really concerned about it, we could get them a little thing. Soap, maybe. Or candles.”

Chase groaned. “I don’t think any of them would like soap or candles.”

“Well, Marvin might, they seem witch-like,” Schneep said.

“Just think about it,” Mom said. “No pressure. Like Henrik said, we can go shopping after Christmas.”

Chase’s phone pinged with a new message. He checked it. Great! We’ll be there around 4 then! =)

Sounds good! Chase replied. “Mom, they’ll be here around four o’clock.”

“Got it.” Mom nodded. “Now go on and ask your other friends.”

“Yep.”

After a few minutes, Jackie and Stacy both said they would stop by for the party. Though Jackie said that he would stop by closer to dinner, and Stacy said she would come over around 3, so they wouldn’t all arrive at the same time. But that was fine. The family was also arriving at different times, though Chase knew that soon the house would be bursting full of people.

Over time, that guess proved to be true. Uncle Terry and Aunt Eva were next to arrive after Grandma and Grandpa, bringing with them all their kids. Theo and Tommy, the younger cousins, saw all of Chase’s consoles and begged him to play some video games with them. He showed them some of the multiplayer party games they had, mostly Mario Party. Bella and Jordan also wanted to play, so Chase essentially got kicked out of using his own console since there were only four players. He didn’t mind, though. It was fun to just watch them go crazy trying all the minigames.

Stacy did show up around three, shortly after Uncle Bob and Aunt Kathy. She looked around, seeming a bit lost. “Hey! Stacy!” Schneep shouted, and he and Chase ran over to greet her.

“Sorry, I know it’s crowded,” Chase said, laughing. “You can take your shoes off here if you want, or leave them on, the grown-ups like to keep them on, I dunno why. Oh! And your coat, of course! Put it in this closet!”

“Hey guys,” Stacy said, taking off her white puffy coat and kicking off her pink boots. “Is this all your family?”

“On Mom’s side, yeah, almost all of them,” Chase said. “There’s just two more coming, our cousins Corinne and Maddie and Maddie’s uhhh... what was that word, again?”

“Fiance,” Schneep said.

“Right yeah. Her boyfriend who’s gonna be her husband. So three more people.”

“Wow. Your family’s a lot smaller than mine,” Stacy said.

Chase shrugged. “Well, like I said, this is just Mom’s side. Dad’s side is a lot bigger but they live all over.” He tried to not sound disappointed that none of them had bothered to fly out to visit them.

“We still have a pretty big family, I think,” Schneep said. “My Papa’s side of the family only had my Opa.”

“What’s that word mean?” Stacy asked curiously.

“Oh, grand-papa,” Schneep said. He paused. “I wonder if I should send him a card for Christmas... he was always very nice when I saw him. But, ah, h-he could not—His house was not good for children, so we... did not see him often.” Another pause. “I-I will ask Aunt Jess about the card later. F-for now, ah—” He looked at Chase for help.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to our cousins!” Chase said. “You’ll like Bella, I think!”

“Bella?” Stacy leaned to the side. “Oh good! I’m not gonna be the only girl here!”

The cousins immediately took to Stacy, though as expected, she and Bella bonded quickly over being the only two girls of the same age in the house. They immediately started talking about something called Bratz that Chase thought sounded boring but maybe it was a girl thing? Corinne, Madison, and Zeke arrived soon after that, and Stacy seemed happy to meet the older girls too. At one point, Schneep nudged Chase and chuckled, “Stacy looks at Corinne the same way you look at Jackie.”

“What? What does that mean?” Chase asked.

“Like they are the coolest person ever.”

“It’s not the same thing,” Chase grumbled. Though they did seem to be getting along.

JJ and Marvin showed up after that. Marvin had his cape on over his coat. “Hey guys!” Chase greeted. “Come on in! Put your coats in the closet and take your shoes off over here if you want.”

The twins did so—though JJ did so first, stiffening and following the directions robotically. “Duuude your family is so much bigger than ours!” Marvin said. “We just have Mam and Dad and Granmam pretty much.”

“Really? Wow. Stacy said earlier that our family was small.”

“Well I mean everyone is different, aren’t they? When we went to visit Jackie for his birthday he had a bunch of family there and there were more people there than here.”

Thank you so much for letting us come to the party, JJ said. Today was a bad day.

“You were having a bad day?” Stacy said, walking over with Schneep just in time to catch the sign. “I’m sorry. What happened?”

Just a bunch of stuff, JJ said vaguely.

“Oh come on, tell us!” Chase encouraged.

JJ immediately began signing. I’ve been having a bunch of bad feelings about how much this doll stuff sucks, especially with my parents always wanting me to do exactly what they say—

“You do not have to tell us!” Schneep hurriedly said. “If you do not want to!”

“Oh, shoot!” Chase winced. “Sorry JJ!”

JJ sighed, stopping his signing. See, this is what I mean. It’s so frustrating. I was getting bored of Christmas anyway but this is making everything really bad.

“It’s really shitty,” Marvin agreed.

“Well uh... maybe the party will make you feel better?” Chase offered awkwardly. “Our cousins are getting bored of Mario Party.” As he said that, Theo and Tommy started running around, eventually going upstairs. “Yeah, see?” Chase glared up after them. “Hey! You better not be going into our rooms!”

Schneep laughed. “I will go make sure they do not. You all can play video games if you want.” He headed upstairs.

“We always play video games while we’re here, do you guys have anything else?” Marvin asked.

“Uhhh we have cards?” Chase suggested. “We could do a card game? Maybe with the others?”

Marvin looked at JJ. JJ nodded. “Sounds great!” Marvin said excitedly.

The group of kids spent the next little while with card and board games at the dining room table, though they had to clear out after a while as the adults started setting it for dinner. Only then did they return to playing video games. They were halfway through a Mario Party game when Jackie arrived. “Jackie!!” All the kids shouted at once, even JJ signing his name as they all rushed over to greet him.

“Whoa! Hey, little guys!” Jackie laughed, shaking off some powdery snow from his reddish-brown coat. “There’s a storm starting up out there. I’m probably gonna be staying here for a bit longer than I wanted, don’t really want to drive in that.”

“Hey Jackie!” Mom smiled at him from the dining room entrance. “Good to see you made it! We were putting a plate out for you.”

Jackie waved. “Thanks for having me!”

“Your dad is fine with this? You don’t want to spend some time together?”

“He said he could go to a work party while I hung out here, we’ll probably be home at around the same time.” Jackie shrugged. “What are you guys having?”

They were having turkey (which Mom and Grandma had been working on basically all day), pork, mashed potatoes, rolls, some vegetables, the jello, and Aunt Kathy had brought some pies for dessert. There wasn’t enough room for everyone at the dining room table, so a card table was set up in the living room, and even then, there wasn’t enough room. The kids and Jackie decided they’d rather sit huddled around the coffee table to eat instead of fighting for space at the two tables. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but they didn’t mind.

Jackie brought his camera with him, and throughout dinner, he took pictures of the kids and the party. This continued as the party went on, with everyone snacking on the desserts and playing more games, both video games and cards.

“Oh hey, by the way, JJ, I was wondering,” Jackie said, looking at the last picture he took. “What’s that chain coming out of your pocket?”

JJ glanced down, mildly surprised. Not at the chain itself. More like, surprised at seeing it falling out of his pocket. He grabbed the chain and pulled it out, laying it on the table. It’s a weird pendant I got earlier.

Marvin blinked. “When did you get that?”

It’s a strange story... JJ told the others how he got the pendant as quickly as he could.

“Two teenage guys?” Chase repeated. “Do you know either of those guys, Jackie? JJ said they looked around your age.”

Jackie shook his head. “I don’t think so. That’s a pretty vague description of them, but I think I’d remember a guy who also used sign language.”

JJ nodded. That’s what I thought.

Schneep stared at him. “Do... did you have some idea of who they were?”

It sounds crazy, but... I think I do. You guys have to promise you won’t laugh, but I think—

There was a knock at the front door.

“One second!” Mom called, leaving the dining room and hurrying over.

The kids all watched, curious, as she did that. Chase had told the visitors earlier that no other family was expected to come. He perked up. But maybe—it was an unexpected visitor? Maybe from the other side of the family. Excited and curious, he got up and ran over to the front door—

But it wasn’t who he thought it’d be. There were four people on the front step outside. All grown-ups. Chase didn’t recognize three of them, but there was one he did: it was one of the doctors from the basement. One of the ones who’d almost poured Marvin’s blood into the Fissure. Chase froze.

“Oh, hey Chase.” Mom looked down at him. “Is everything alright?”

“Wh-what’re they doing here?” Chase stammered.

“I was about to ask that myself. Apparently they’re not just here to visit for the holiday.” Mom turned back to the strangers. “Is there anything we can help you with? We’re a bit busy with a party.”

One of the strangers reached into his pocket and pulled out—is that a badge?! “We need to search your premises, I’m afraid,” he said. “There’s a chance that there are dangerous goods inside.”

“What?!” Mom gasped. “Dangerous—but I’ve—we’ve never gotten involved in anything illegal!”

At that shout, many of the guests inside turned their attention to the doorway. Chase quickly ran back to the coffee table where the rest of the gang was. “What is it?” Stacy hissed.

“There’s people saying that there’s dangerous stuff in here!” Chase hissed back. “And one of them is one of the dark doctors! From the secret hospital basement!”

Marvin’s face immediately turned paper white. “Wh-what? What are they doing here?”

“I don’t know! I think they want to come in?”

“Well don’t fucking let them!”

“How?!”

“I don’t know! Tell your mom to kick them out!”

Jackie frowned. “If they have a warrant, then she has to let them in, no matter what. It’s the law. She could get in trouble for breaking it.”

JJ shivered. He picked the pendant up off the table again. Those teenagers had said he’d know when to use it. Maybe... was this the time? He just had to figure out how to open this.

After a brief talk, Mom stepped to the side, and the strangers walked into the room. “You’ll really find nothing in here, I promise,” she was saying. “Please, try not to disturb the guests. They’ve all traveled so far to be there for our family.”

Schneep looked over at the four strangers, then ducked down, dragging the others with him. “Should we go hide or something?!” he whisper-shouted.

“I think they’ve already seen us!” Chase whisper-shouted back. “It’ll look suspicious if we leave.”

Mom was still talking. “—the four of you could split up, if you want, I’m sure that will speed things up.”

The doctor frowned. “The four of us?”

Suddenly, one of the strangers turned white—she didn’t suddenly go pale the way Marvin did earlier, she turned white, hair and clothes included. And then—she bursts.

A blizzard erupted in the middle of the living room. Screams filled the air. JJ found himself flung backwards until he hit a cabinet by the TV and slumped to the ground. DVDs and games clattered on top of him. The room was suddenly freezing. JJ squinted through the white storm that was filling the room. He could see Schneep nearby, trying to stand up, but a layer of ice was spreading across his legs, sealing them together. “W-what is this?!” Schneep gasped.

Some tall figure ran forward, only to get their head snapped backwards. They fell to the ground and didn’t get up again. Ice was growing over the furniture. People were shouting in alarm as they were frozen to the floor and chairs they were sitting on.

This must be it! If there’s any time to use the pendant, this is it! JJ turned around, putting his back to the rest of the room, and fumbled at the seam he’d noticed in the pendant with numbing fingers. The pendant popped open—revealing that it wasn’t actually a pendant at all. It was... a watch? Like an old fashioned pocket watch.

A piece of folded paper fell out, and JJ quickly scooped it up before the ice froze it to the snow-covered floor. He unfolded it and read a note in familiar handwriting. Turn the minute hand back and press the button at the top of the watch to activate the power. Maximum time is an hour. You cannot use it again until you get back to the time you used it. If you concentrate, your friends will remember, too. Good luck. - You-Know-Who

Yes, with the familiarity of this handwriting, he did, indeed, know who had written the note and given him this watch.

Someone screamed. JJ’s head snapped up. Was that Chase?! Bright greenlight was flashing through the air. Was that Marvin?! He could see a tall figure helping a small one, and a pair of pink glasses frozen to the coffee table. His own legs were being bitten by ice. He had to hurry!

Without really thinking, repeatedly mouthing the words Let my friends remember, he pushed the minute hand on the watch back about fifteen minutes. Then he pressed the button at the top, where the chain looped through a metal ring on the top of the watch—

Everything went dark. JJ felt the rush of wind around him, and something tugged on his stomach, like a rope was suddenly wrapped around it and someone yanked on it.

And then, he was back sitting at the coffee table.

“What the fuck?!” Marvin gasped. “How—what—huh?!”

“H-holy shit!” Jackie stood up and looked around. The guests at the party all stared at him, confused. “Um—”

“What just... happened?” Stacy said quietly.

Chase patted himself down, looking at his chest with alarm. “Huh?!”

Schneep blinked. Then he looked at JJ. “What is that? You are holding the—the locket thing?”

JJ looked around the room. Everything was... the same. The strangers were not in the room, and most of the plates from dinner hadn’t even been cleared up. He glanced down at the watch in his hand. Part of the clock face had turned pale green. About a quarter of it. It started at the spot where the minute hand currently was, and ended at the spot where the minute hand was before he turned it back.

Turned it... back...

This is a time travel device! JJ said excitedly.

“It’s a wha-huh?” Chase blinked.

JJ stood up. Let’s all talk about this upstairs, away from everyone else.

“Okay!” Marvin nodded and also stood up. “Come on, everyone, we’re going upstairs.”

Jackie’s eyes were wide. “Holy... oh my fucking god,” he breathed.

Quick! JJ said.

The rest of the kids all got up. Without saying anything to anyone else, they all headed for the stairs.

What just happened... had never actually happened. Not anymore. But they knew it could. Now, they could figure out how to deal with it.

Maybe this would be a good Christmas after all.

#jacksepticeye #jacksepticeye fanfiction #jacksepticegos #septic egos #septic egos au #jacksepticeye au #chase brody #dr schneeplestein #jameson jackson #marvin the magnificent #jackieboy man #brigid writes fanfiction #pnptau

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seaofsunberries · 4 months ago

Text

"Flock Together"

Chapter 1

"Theft"

Warnings: hints and references of homelessness, abuse, prison, clowns, violence, theft, jaded views of life, deception, financial struggle, struggle to obtain necessities, angst

A/N: Welcome to my Bad Batch fic! This fic will be a long, multi-parter fic featuring the batch pre-Echo and an OC of mine. This story will run before TCW season 7 and into TBB season 3. The main pairing is a surprise that will be revealed later, but will have bits of TechPhee in it too (which will come in much later ^^;). I hope you all will enjoy!

Chapter 2 (coming soon!)

Before she had even reached double digits in age, she learned that there are five key components to survival: looks, charisma, intelligence, trickery, and selfishness. The former two give a boost in chances, the latter three are essential – especially selfishness. If you didn’t have that, your life might as well be forfeit from the beginning. She was lucky enough to possess all five components. If she hadn’t, she probably would have died long before she reached her teenage years, let alone be in her twenties.

It probably helped that her name changed at least once a week: Robin, Raven, Canary, Crow, Wren. “Sparrow” was her current one as she wandered through Naboo, but between the looks of familiarity of the denizens of the planet and the fact that she was starting to know her way around, it was time to shed that name and move off world. It was easy to do, with money or a ship.

Sparrow had neither.

She hummed against her smile, eyes scanning for her best bet. People passed by her, oblivious to her twitching hands that she had to hold back from darting into certain pockets, and none the wiser when they actually did. They continued on their merry way as she felt the credits in her hands and pockets. She felt against each one, mind crunching numbers as her fingers separated and ran across the metal. Her smile didn’t falter at the answer she reached. Not enough. Not enough for a shuttle, not enough for a bribe, not enough time to get what she needed, not enough ways to travel around the planet within one day to hit as many people to get what she needed, and if she didn’t figure it out, there wouldn’t be enough luck in the world to unscrew her from the mess she’d be in.

That’s when she saw it: a military ship.

Her smile grew wider as her heart thudded harder and faster, her legs carrying her closer to it. It was definitely a republic ship, more reason to keep up her pace. Her brain ran through several thoughts and played back memories of the ships she had stolen once, but none of them had a remotely similar shape to her target’s. Granted, it was a military ship and even if it wasn’t, any event where she piloted a ship with a gun is no longer in any spot of her head.

She paused. This is a military ship.

Stealing from the military wasn’t the worst thing she has done, but it is the most reluctant task she has brought upon herself by far. Between conditioning that soldiers go through and their dedication to their cause, twirling her hair and batting her eyes would be the same as dawning white face paint, a rainbow wig, and a bright red nose.

She’s a homeless, fugitive Pantoran – not a clown.

Even if she were to try the big, honking shoes, searching for memories of laughter yield dust and stale air. You’re already socially dead just by being several children’s nightmares posing as comedy, but being a clown with no gun and still attempting to steal from the military? If she wanted to be shot, she would have had it done in a way where she didn’t go out a fool. Digressing from that, Sparrow is not begging for anyone to put a gun to her head yet. She likes having a heartbeat, thank you very much.

With that aside, it’s still a military ship and the galaxy is still in a war. Morality is nonexistent in the law of survival – mostly – but she probably should have some forms of standards. Who was she to possibly jeopardize a military operation? How many people would she doom by doing this? Maybe she could just ask to be dropped off somewhere in exchange for something. What would military soldiers want anyways? If they’re clones, they would probably want money. She might as well turn herself in if she was coming across a Jedi. Anyone else-

The gray coloring of the ship is interrupted by colorful nose art of Senator Amidala. Her thoughts stop briefly, and she revitalizes her brisk walk.

These soldiers are creeps. They’re probably messing around and getting drunk all the time. These types of men are the type to catcall and leer women, expecting interest and affection just for existing. She’s seen it all before. This is no longer a theft, this is saving a military ship from the grubby hands of perverted, imbecilic people. In order to succeed, she can’t be a homeless, fugitive Pantoran. She smiles brightly, adding a skip to her step as she zips herself up into a new skin. She is now a peppy, friendly denizen of Naboo, ready to greet newcomers with a big smile.

She sees them before they see her, but her steps almost falter as she takes them in. She expected clones, but they’re not. One of them – the shortest – wore a red bandana with long brown hair. The other man to his left wore goggles and probably had scoliosis. The soldier on the right was huge, taller than any of them. The last one had a crosshair tattoo on his right eye and silver hair that she isn’t sure if it was natural or this soldier was succumbing to the weight of the war. Maybe he was actually old and the only thing that gave away his true age was his hair. Their armor was adorned with the colors red, gray, and white. Most – if not all – Republic soldiers were clones. Maybe they were exceptions, which would probably explain the nose art: clones were supposed to have some class and respect.

Soldiers or not, Sparrow already had confirmed they were creeps, so stealing their ship was not going to weigh on her already questionable conscience. If she steals it, they get reprimanded and retrained. She could return it to some clone soldiers later, so the Republic still gets its ship back. She gets offworld, slimy men get chastised and disciplined, and the Republic doesn’t lose any ships. Everyone wins in the long run.

She inhales deeply, taking off one of her wristbands to tie around her long, purple hair. She pats down the pink dress she ripped off a clothingline and smoothes out any wrinkles. She exhales and broadens her smile, taking jolly steps forward as she calls out a greeting with a wave. The men turn to her, no hint of suspicion or aggression – just surprise.

“I’ve never seen you guys here before,” She grins, tilting her head in the manner of a confused, naive person. “Are you guys new?”

“Not really,” the one with the bandana chuckles, turning his body to face her directly. “We’ve been here before, but we’re not planning on staying for long. We’re just finishing a few repairs before we head offworld.”

“The repairs are finished,” the soldier with goggles looked back down at his datapad, “we will need to restock on parts as we head back.”

“Why not just restock now?” Sparrow tilts her head, letting purple locks of hair shift slightly. “I work at a shop that has a lot of ship parts. I think our sale for Republic fighters is still going on.”

“That includes clones?” The one with silver hair speaks up, his voice much scratchier than she expected. Additionally, it confirmed these men were clones, just . . . abnormal ones.

“Why not?” She smiles, never skipping a beat, “clones or not, you’re all risking your lives out there for us. If you ask me, it’s the least we can do.”

The other clones open their mouth, but it’s cut off by the big guy’s celebratory shout.

***

Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair – those are their names. To the boys, her name is Dove, because if she ever has to come back here and has to fall back into an old role, it’s best that Sparrow has some sanctity to her name.

“I do not see any offers for sales to Republic soldiers,” Tech pipes up.

“We’re a small business,” Dove waves him off with her hand, “even if you looked us up, you probably wouldn’t find us. The boss is big on growing his business “the proper way” and tends to use outdated tactics to advertise.”

“And he expects his business to grow that way?” Hunter’s incredulous voice screams disbelief.

“He’s a stubborn guy,” she shrugs, “just a warning, he gets irate when you question him, so don’t ask him about it . . . or look into it, really. He has a sixth sense for people investigating his past or business, and he’ll probably force you to leave and fire me on the spot.”

“Charming,” Crosshair scoffs.

She spins around, stopping them in their tracks with narrowed eyes, “I mean it: I’d rather be able to pay my bills, so no funny business.”

After a “yes ma’am” and a smile from Dove, their trip is finished with comfortable silence as she leads them through the doors of the store. It’s empty, like it usually would be at this time of day, considering it’s the employees break time. The boss is likely still in the back, eating by now, which gives her at most an hour before they’re alerted that something else is up.

“Feel free to wander around the store,” she points to the back, “I have to let my boss know that we have some customers during our break and that I’ll be ringing you guys up.”

Hunter frowns, “you brought us here on your break? Does your boss even allow this?”

“It’s lunch break and I don't normally work today,” she shrugs again, “but I know the systems, so it should be fine. You guys need to restock, and I thought it would be safer for you guys to just have the parts you need now in case something happened. You never know in war,” she hums thoughtfully, “but you’re right. I should check with him. Don’t wait for me – the most that will happen is that he refuses to pay me for these five minutes – and five minutes extra won’t kill me.”

She waves them off again before they can get another word in, heading into the back and locking it behind her. Her feet carry her to the backdoor with barely disguised haste. The second she’s out, before the door even closes behind her, she sprints. She doesn’t stop even when her legs beg her to and she refuses to waste a single second on tripping over herself. When their ship comes into view, she runs faster, tumbling into the door they left open and making her way to the cockpit. She gazes over the buttons and dashboard, lost before her hands start touching everything. Suddenly, the ship rises, and she’s steering and speeding it into the sky. Another button closes the door, and she fumbles with the hyperdrive. There’s another button that’s beeping and blinking – that one she decidedly ignores – and another button has her thrown back into the chair as the stars blur around her. The familiar beauty of hyperspace greets her eyes once she opens them.

She relaxes, back sliding against the chair as she melts into the floor. Her heartbeat slowly calms from its rapid speed induced by her panicked escape.

Her escape will probably have her on a wanted list very soon. “Dove” is a name that will have to be retired immediately, and she’ll need to find money to make a new bribe. This was all for nothing if she got stuck somewhere and got caught. Prison is not a place she would survive. She knows her short stature might as well be a neon sign screaming “beat me! I’m vulnerable!”

She had a taste of that already – she’s not going back.

She pulls herself off the ground, resting her hand on the back of the chair to balance herself while she takes in her surroundings. Wires and projects are everywhere, weapons are on the floor, dirt and dust and dirty laundry are scattered all over the place, and the smell-

She scrunches up her nose, closes her eyes, and exhales deeply. When the smell infiltrates her nose again, she immediately tells herself that it’s not and she actually doesn’t smell anything at all. She forces her thoughts on the weapons, tools, and explosives. She pulls out each one, examining and doing the mental math in her head.

It’ll be enough, enough to last her a while.

Within a few hours, she has one pile and one mountain set up. The mountain is loaded to the top with valuables that she’ll trade for means of getting hair dye, makeup, new clothes, food, and water. The pile is made up of smoke grenades, a blaster, some scrap metal, rations, and two clean, black shirts. She spreads out the smaller one, ripping, tearing, and cutting into the fabric until it can no longer be recognized as a shirt. Carefully, she places the rest of the pile on top of it, and then ties the former article of clothing into a bag.

She leans back against the wall, ignoring the honking of a strange droid that she was sure those clones could probably track to wherever she landed. She knows a place where she could quickly sell everything and leave – all she needed to do was plug in the coordinates and toss it over to the man running the market. Worries of how to get food and water and how much she should get in a day won’t plague her head for what she hopes to be a while. Stability is rare, but she’ll cherish it while it lasts. She could possibly gain more if she sold the ship too, but that would be too risky. It might not sell for much anyways, with its worn down appearance. The Senator Amidala nose art isn’t doing the poor thing any favors either. Wherever the ship ends up after she leaves it, the art piece of the senator won’t be on there. Maybe a pink smiling face would do better instead. The man who runs the market has a daughter, she would probably like that.

She sighs, pulling herself from the wall and making one last round of the ship. Her eyes double checking shadows and narrowing in on other items. She lifts the items she deemed worthless to her eyes and scrutinizes them, her mind going over the possible value over and over again. When she turns to go back to the cockpit, confirming that she got everything she could, her foot brushes up something soft and smooth. Blinking, she kneels down and gently lifts a black and red object from the ground.

It’s a tooka toy, she realizes as she absently runs her fingers across it. She can see the wear in it, but any tears that existed have been sown back into shape. She has to narrow her eyes and lean forward to see the stitch marks. It’s clean, only having tiny hints of the stench that plagues the entire ship. It’s soft – so soft – with little, red, round eyes and downwards mouth. Gravity has its limbs and heads flopping back innocently, at least in the way she’s holding it. If she were to move it around, she could probably pretend it talks in a high pitch voice.

Something inside her feels soft, and there’s pressure and burning in her eyes that she didn’t feel before. An inhale becomes a sniffle, and she wraps her body around the doll, shielding it from something she can’t see. A small whisper tells her that the doll should be shielded from her, and she doesn’t think she can disagree. An inner knife stabs her when she doesn’t let it go.

***

The ship reaches its destination several hours later, early into the next day. The owner of the market tosses her some paint and tells her to cover up the nose art before his daughter wakes up, and then he’ll pay. She doesn’t know what to make, so she dumps some purple paint over it and watches it all drip to the floor. She stares at the splatter for a few minutes, before she paints a few strawberries and a teddy bear on it. It’s when she finishes the last eye of the toy that the owner calls her.

“Here, Finch,” he pushes a bag into her hands, “for everything you sold me. I dunno what I’ll do with the ship, but I’ll figure it out long before the Republic finds it.”

She gives him the same smile that is always on her face with a nod, feeling the weight of the bag in her hands. She places a few of the credits inside into her pockets before storing the rest into the makeshift bag she made yesterday. The fact that it’s weight makes the pouch sag a little more makes her smile widen. It’s enough.

“How much for the toy?”

She turns her head quickly to the owner, bringing the Tooka doll closer to her chest. Her smile never fades, but her tone becomes sharp and firm.

“Not for sale.”

***

Hunter likes to believe he is a patient, rational man, but he might have to pass that title over to Tech.

Granted, Tech is frozen into a rigid statue, so maybe he isn’t keeping his composure either. He had given one “this is not ideal” before falling silent. His disbelief and anger are probably manifesting in a way that none of the brothers have ever seen before. Tech has always been one to be ruled by logic and facts, not emotions.

But this? This takes the cake and eats it too.

The Marauder has almost been stripped clean on the inside, the only remains of what had been were a few wires, some clothes, the smell, and the parts of the ship you just couldn’t move in general – like the bunks and seats. Gonky waddles past them, tracking purple paint back into the ship. By the fourth step, Hunter hears Crosshair’s toothpick snap in half between his teeth – never a good sign.

Hunter turns around, just in time to see his brother fail to put another toothpick in his mouth because he snapped it in between his fingers before he could even get it close to his mouth, “Did we manage to get anything back? Anything about that woman?”

“Not enough,” Crosshair growls, managing to get the third toothpick into his mouth and rolling it. “All he said was that her name was “Finch,” and Wrecker can’t find-”

“She took my Lula!”

The sound of Wrecker’s devastation causes Crosshair to snap his third toothpick while Tech breaks free from his statue to turn towards them. Hunter inhales deeply – he’s the leader. He is a rational man.

He looks inside the Marauder, purple paint spreading everywhere. He looks outside their ship, the nose covered in the same paint with strawberries, sparkles and a large teddy bear on top. He looks at Wrecker’s tearful face, Crosshair’s pinched expression, and Tech’s tight grip on his datapad.

“We,” Hunter growls, “are going to track her down.”

Of course, they couldn’t devote the time needed to track the Pantoran woman down, but her actions made the batch declare her as their personal public enemy number one.

#the bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb tech #tbb hunter #tbb wrecker #tbb oc #tbb fanfiction #Flock Together fanfic

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