#like over ten years ago she was abandoned why whoever and then some asshole shot at her with an air rifle

[etchif]

Getting kind of emotional over my dog rn

[magicmanias]

Greyhound Station [Prologue]

Chapter: Prologue

Pairing: Firefighter!Bucky Barnes x Ballerina!Reader

Summary: Since she was eight years old, Y/N Parker knew only one thing for certain: that she would always love James Buchanan Barnes. By fourteen, she was positive she knew everything—including that Bucky would be hers forever. When she was eighteen, she realized she really only knew three things: one, that New York was rotten, two, that she would be a dancer no matter what her parents said, and three, that she would do everything in her power to never see James Buchanan Barnes again. But now, Y/N is twenty-four and somehow, she’s back at where she started all those years ago, at a Greyhound station on 206 Livingston Street.

Warnings:  Fluff, (Loveable) Asshole Clint Barton, Swearing

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: I’m rewriting this series with my good friend, Angelina! Please go check out her account and follow her. She’s an amazing human being and she’s so amazing for helping me write this god forsaken story. I hope you all enjoy what’s coming soon!

Co-written by @dearspacepirates ​​ and @angelinathebook​.

GHS Masterlist // Next >>

[Summer of 2011, Freshman Year, 15 y/o.]

July 12 was going to go down in history as the day that Y/N Julianne Parker conquered her fear of heights. 

For the past seven years you've lived in Brooklyn, you and the gang went to Coney Island every day that you possibly could in the seventy-seven days of summer that school offered you. And every year, everyone would buy a ticket for the Wonder Wheel… except you. So for an hour of waiting time and ten minutes while your friends could be heard from the top screaming and laughing, you sat at the bottom waiting. But it wasn’t so bad. Someone always sat out with you to keep you company while the rest rode the wheel. Of course, you always felt a little guilty about it; like the little sister that no one wanted to deal with. They drew straws and the unlucky member that was picked didn't get to partake in, apparently, the “best ride ever” that year. 

[Summer of 2004, Third Grade, 8 y/o.]

The first time the gang went to Coney Island, well, the gang was much smaller. Just you, Steve, and Bucky. Sarah was the one to suggest that the boys draw straws.

“We don't leave each other behind,” she'd said, taking out the straw of her coke and cutting it into different sized pieces with the pocket knife from her ex-husband. “Now, that also applies to me. Three straws. Steve, Bucky, and me. Whoever picks the shortest straw stays with Y/N.”

You stared at your feet and shuffled your feet. “I-I don't want to keep you guys from—”

A comforting hand landed on your shoulder and Sarah gave you a warm smile. “Hey, we're not abandoning you.” She ruffled Steve and Bucky’s hair with her spare hand. “These two little buggers and I? We're with you until the end of the line, baby.”

Steve had drawn the short straw that particular time, but he didn't really mind. He said heights triggered his allergies anyway.

[Summer of 2011, Freshman Year, 15 y/o.]

“You can do this. You can do this. Just brea—”

“Hey, relax, will you? You've been shaking since we picked you up. It's a ferris wheel.” Tony slung his arm around your shoulders, chewing on the stick of the lollipop he started on the walk there. He peaked at you imphisly from under his sunglasses.

“Lay off, Stark. Just be nice about it, ok? She's nervous,” Steve butted in. Always the hero, you thought. 

“Thanks, Stevie. But really, I am… ok. I can do this,” you insisted. You looked up at the giant wheel and your stomach floored. The line shifted forward and Bruce bumped into you.

Bruce adjusted his tilted glasses. “Oh sorry—”

“I can't do this!”

Half of the crew sighed and started digging through their pockets. Tony, Thor, and Natasha muttered small curses before handing fives to Clint, Loki, and Bucky. 

“I really thought you were going to this time around,” Natasha groaned, but she still smiled at you before glaring at a very satisfied Clint.

You huffed in annoyance. “Even you, Bucky?”

“Don't hate the player. Hate the game, killer,” he smirked, shoving Thor's five into his pocket. You continued to frown.

“Aw, come on, doll. Don't be that way.” Bucky came over to you, placed his hands in his jacket, and shot an innocent pout at you. “You know I love you. You're my dream girl.”

You punched him in the arm. “Fuck off, James.”

He backed up like a wounded dog, holding his arm. “Hey, I'm just trying to make us some money. So we can start a life together, baby. You and me.” 

Flirt. You rolled your eyes.

“Whatever,” Tony muttered, putting his wallet back in his pocket. “Who's got the straws?”

Steve bashfully pulled out multiple straws of different lengths and began to shuffle them in his palms. The routine started again. Everyone pulled a straw: Tony, Clint, Bruce, Thor, Nat, then Bucky. 

Bucky drew the short stick. 

The gang patted his shoulder—their clandestine form of sympathy, just as the routine went. The gang entered the line and you and your unlucky companion for the next hour and ten minutes sat on the bench near the vintage ice cream parlor that sold flavors all the way back to the 1930s. And then, you'd thank whoever sat with you. Sometimes, they bought you a cone or if they had historically Irish luck, then you'd buy them a sundae because it was the second time they had to sit with you. (A rightfully bitter Clint once asked for the most expensive item on the menu and Coney Island prices weren't cheap.)

Something about this time was different though. It was funny. In all the seven years you'd known Bucky, he never once drew the short straw. Never. Long had he been accused of cheating, but your peers could never prove it. Until now.

Apparently, he wasn't cheating.

You decided to stick to the routine anyway, despite the sour frown on Bucky's face. 

“Thanks,” you mumbled. You tried to shoot him a small smile, but his pout persisted and he shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. 

You sat there for a good ten minutes until you started to get sick of Bucky’s frown. Bucky was always difficult when he was in a bad mood, but after years of trial and error, you knew how to deal with his moodiness. “I’ll be right back,” you said.

You got up and waded into the crowd of people before disappearing altogether from Bucky’s view. He slumped further into the bench. “Why am I even here if you're just gonna split?” he muttered.

After several minutes, Bucky’s cheeks began to hurt and he sat up. Where were you? He stood and scanned the surrounding area for his annoyingly evasive friend. 

“Hey!” A finger poked him in the shoulder and when he turned, he was met with a large ice cream cone shoved in front of him. Behind it, stood Y/N with an innocent grin lining her face.

Bucky took the cone and smirked, “You remembered.”

“Burgundy cherry on a sugar cone. Two scoops,” you recited, rocking back and forth on your heels.

He chuckled. She always knew how to cheer him up. He stared at the scoop of pink ice cream. “I’m sorry for being… dumb about the ferris wheel. I know you don't like it,” he mumbled. 

“It’s okay.” You blushed behind your cone, hoping Bucky wouldn't see. “You’re lucky you've got those baby blues, Barnes. It's what's kept me around all these years,” you joked, shoving him playfully in the arm. 

Bucky pulled away in pretend pain. “Careful killer, you just might make me fall in love with you.”

“Save it, Barnes.” 

Bucky watched you while you returned to licking your ice cream. As much as he loved you, Bucky was going on that ride.

He stood up and reached out for your hand, smiling warmly. “Come on, Killer. I've got a surprise for you.”

You looked up with excitement. “Really?”

“Yeah, but you gotta close your eyes.” Bucky walked behind you and covered your eyes with his free hand. “Trust me. You'll like this.”

“Holy fuck, Bucky!” you screeched, pushing into Bucky’s side, trying to get away from the edge of the seat. Your heart pounded out of your chest as you rose higher and higher. You screwed your eyes shut, but it only accelerated the tears that poked at the corners and threatened to spill down your cheeks. 

“Bucky, I want off…” you whimpered. “I want to get off.” 

“Hey, just don’t look down. You’re safe with me,” he assured you, taking your hand in his. You squeezed it, hard. He pulled his other arm away from where you pressed against it and wrapped it around your shoulders, beckoning you into his embrace. 

“Please Bucky, I want to get down,” you whispered, one single tear rolling down your cheek as you spoke. You knew what you were asking wasn’t rational, but logic and reason were left on the ground below, along with your confidence. 

“Just focus on your breathing and focus on me,” He coached, making stupid deep-breathing gestures with his arms. 

“What about you? Focus on how much I hate you or the strong urge I have to punch you?” You fire back, not feeling at all comforted. If anything, that made it worse. You were slowly rising higher and higher and the pit in your stomach grew deeper and deeper. 

“Well I… was thinking more like something along the lines of this,” he murmured, taking your hands. He started to rub small circles into the skin of your hand with his thumb, “And this,” he said with the same soft intensity, the arm that was wrapped tightly around your shoulders, snaking itself around your waist, pulling you in closer to him. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, warming you from the breeze of being so high. And then Bucky made that stupid face that made you feel all warm and fluttery inside. So stupid…

Bucky watched as you calmed your breathing. He knew you’d probably uphold your promise to punch him when you got off, but it was worth it. You shivered at the cool temperature from being at the top of the ferris wheel. Bucky’s instincts pulled your closer to him; he was always warm, so you would always cuddle up to him. It was then that Bucky realized that he was still holding your hand and you were still staring at him with your stupid, doe eyes. 

And that’s when Bucky couldn’t take it anymore. 

All of freshman year, you and he had been dancing around each other, daring the other to just say something, but the two of you were probably the most stubborn people on the planet. He wasted all of freshman year flirting with other girls because he had too much pride to just admit that you were the only one for him. Fuck friendship, Bucky Barnes fell hard for you and he didn’t want to come up for air any time soon. 

“What’re you starin’ at, pretty boy?” you mumbled. 

“Killer, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

“Oh, just wait until we get off this damn—mphf!”

Lips connected to yours. The butterflies in your stomach that started flapping because of your sheer terror, began to fly for entirely different reasons. His lips were soft and gentle. You gripped his hand a little tighter and lifted your free one to drag it through his hair.

“Oh shit! Are you guys fucking making out!?” You could hear Clint’s voice two cars down. 

“Holy shit!” Tony. “Someone get a picture! Also, Thor owes me 20 bucks!”

“What!? You couldn’t have waited like another week, Barnes!?” Thor’s voice boomed. 

Bucky placed his hand on the side of his mouth and yelled down, “Stop betting on everything!” He sucked in his lip in annoyance and huffed at his friends’ commentary and his ruined moment with you. But you just chuckled.

“I think this is my new favorite ride,” you said and Bucky’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He placed his hands on the sides of your head and kissed your forehead.

“So does this mean you’re my girl, killer?” he mumbled against your head.

“I don’t know, James. I’m still pretty mad that you tricked me.”

“Didn’t you say you liked this ride now. I remember you calling it ‘your favorite ride,’” he said, bending his fingers in air quotes.

“I’m punching you when we get off this stupid machine, jerk.”

“If it means I get to kiss those pretty lips again, then hit me with your best shot.”

[Summer of 2020, 24 y/o.]

“We are now in New York City. This is 206 Livingston Street. Thank you for riding with Greyhound and we hope you have a good day.” 

The double-doors of the bus opened with a hiss and you gathered your bags after saying goodbye to the nice father who was taking his boys on a trip to the Big Apple for their summer vacation.

Your phone buzzed.

Today | 10:00 am

Wanda: Hey, just wanted to make sure you got here ok :) Y/N: I just got off. I’m headed to your apartment right now. Wanda: Are you sure you don’t want me to help you with your bags? Y/N: I’m ok. Just waiting for a cab.  Wanda: Ok, stay safe <3.  Wanda: And remember! Drinks at the Odinsons’ at 8, ok?  Y/N: Ok, I'll think about it… Are you sure he won't be there? Wanda: No, drama queen. He took an extra shift at the station anyway. Wanda: Be there! x

You stared at the apartment in front of you and thought about Wanda's last text. You were hesitant to go anyway. Seeing everyone again… It'd bring back too many memories that all involved him. Maybe Wanda was right. You were a drama queen. You couldn't even think his name without being upset. And even though you were in the largest city in America, you had a feeling it would be hard to avoid him. 

God, you couldn't believe you were back here. Six years ago, you swore you'd never come back to New York and here you were in the same place you started. 

Hopefully, Thor still made good drinks.

[paynesqueen]

Fall into Midnight: Chapter Two

A Liam Fanfic, K Rating (suitable for most ages)

Sometimes to move on, you need to go back in the past to get some perspective for your future.

CHAPTER 1 |

+NOTES+

I have no idea how many chapters there will be in it. I’ll see how it goes.

I started this a while ago and it got re-written so many times so I hope it still makes some sense.

This fic will mostly have romance and a bit of drama and some smut at some point.

I’m always open to suggestions or comments so feel free to leave some.

There will always be a lot of grammatical errors. I apologize for those.

Chapter Two

He had never expected to ever see her again. Perhaps maybe at a 10th year high school reunion, but not like this for sure. She hadn’t changed much either. It was strange standing here with her since they hadn’t been friends back then. She was hanging with the popular crowd since she was dating a guy on the football team, but she had never really acted like it. She was always nice to everyone and even when he got bullied, she was one of the first people to try and make it stop. So no they hadn’t been exactly friends, but they had spoken from time to time because that was that kind of girl she was; she liked to talk to everyone.

“Yes, it has.” He finally spoke. “How have you been?”

“Peachy.” She retorted, but her eyes didn’t reflect the word. “Grams, I’ll just go put away the grocery and be right back.”

And with that, she turned her back on them and walked back to the car to unload it.

“Don’t mind her attitude.” Mrs. Parker said. “She’s going through a hard time.”

“It’s alright.” He assured her.

“Well, I’ll leave the gardening for tomorrow then. I’ll go help her out in the kitchen. Thank you so much for your help today.” She thanked him as he walked her to the backdoor.

“It was my pleasure. If you want, I can come and help you out tomorrow.” He offered her.

“That’s really sweet of you. I’ll be sure to have a cuppa for you when you come over.” She smiled.

“Perfect. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He replied before letting her go inside.

He waited a little bit before heading back to his own house. He felt like a creep as he looked towards the kitchen window, but he just wanted to see Rosalie once more. She emerged in the kitchen, her arms full of packages. Seeing her was actually bringing back memories from high school and how he thought she was one of the most beautiful girls in the school. She used to keep her hair shorter, but now they were longer and in waves.

“You could have been nicer to him, Rose.” He heard Mrs. Parker chastised her taking him out of his thoughts. “He’s not the reason why you’re upset.”

“Grams...”

Liam didn’t stay longer as this was a private conversation and he didn’t want to feel creepier either by listening in. As he walked back inside his house, he wondered what had been the chances that the house next door to his was going to be occupied by one of his classmates. Life was strange like that sometimes.

When he came back inside, he checked his cell and saw he had one missed call from his real estate agent. He had called him yesterday about putting Amber’s name on their house. He listened to it and took note about what he would need to do for it to happen and he sort of hoped she hadn’t destroyed it before he got his name off it.

+++

Later that night, he was just done doing the dishes when there was a soft knock on the door making Watson bark at whoever was on the other side of the door. It was nearly 10 at night and he wondered who it could be.

“Watson, sit.” He ordered his dog as he opened the door. Watson wasn’t a mean dog, but he was big and he didn’t know how the other people could react to him.

On the other side stood Rosalie looking unsure of what she was doing there and he had to admit that he was intrigued as why she was standing in front of him.

“My grams sent me over to apologize for my attitude of yesterday.” She told him before he could ask her. “I guess you being a man was just enough to set me off, but you did not deserve that.”

“No need to. I mean, I did just leave my fiancée a week before our wedding so perhaps your attitude was on point.” He tried to joke.

“Well I guess you did deserve it then.” She sent me a small smile. “I read about it online. Not that I believe everything they say, but I guess they did have that part right.”

“I didn’t read them. I knew they wouldn’t care about the truth anyways.” He sighed.

For a moment, they just stood there in silence as neither of them seemed to know what to say. She had obviously said what she needed to say, but Liam didn’t really feel like being alone tonight and wondered if she would have a drink with him.

“I- I should probably get going.” She finally said as she backed away.

“Want to have a drink with me? Talk about old times or whatever.” He quickly offered her.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment and then finally nodded. Watson sniffed her a little and apparently found her to his liking as he started licking her hand and demanding her attention.

“Aren’t you a sweet boy?” She genuinely smiled at him as she petted him.

While she did that, Liam went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of red wine and two glasses. It wasn’t his drink of choice, but he thought that it might be something she enjoyed. When he came back, she was still kneeling in front of Watson who was on his back accepting the belly rubs she gave him.

“Hope you like red wine or else, I have beer and probably have some bottle of liquors somewhere.” He said to her.

“Wine is good.” She assured him.

He sat down and poured the wine. He watched her as she gave one final rub to Watson and walked up to him.

“So want to tell me the real reason why the wedding is cancelled?” She asked him as she sat next to him and accepting the glass from him.

“Will you tell me why you hate all men?” He retorted.

“I will if you will.”

“Fine. I was the one who cancelled the wedding because I realized that it was a mistake. I had this feeling for months, but it took a long time before I finally voiced it. She wasn’t happy and I can’t blame her. The conversation wasn’t easy with her and I tried to do the right thing and take care of everything myself so she wouldn’t have to deal with it, but I think that she mostly felt humiliated in the end. I’m pretty sure that if I forgot something at the house, it’s being destroyed at that very moment.” He told her.

“Yeah, that would be a good gut feeling.” Rosalie chuckled. “Women tend to have quite a taste when it comes to destroying our exes’ stuff.”

“Yeah, but I still think I took the right decision about this wedding if only a bit late. I didn’t think it was going to end up on a happy note for us you know. Honestly, I sort of realize that a part of me even regretted proposing to her so that’s how far long I had started to have doubts, but I guess they became louder as the months grew shorter.” He sighed. “I hope she’ll be able to forgive me and find the right one for her. She deserves to find the guy that won’t break your heart.”

She sat there in silence for a moment and he wondered what was going through her head at that moment. He was seconds away of asking her what was wrong when she finally spoke.

“You’re a good guy, Liam. I mean, yeah you did take your sweet time before finally telling her, but you didn’t play around once you did and you took your responsibilities and believe a lot of men would have just said no can do and left. Not caring what the other could go through.”

Now he felt they were about to start her sad story as she was once again lost in her thoughts.

“Now your turn.”

“I don’t hate all men, but since the targeted one isn’t available to deal with my wrath, well, all the other men must pay.” She sighed. “I’m pretty sure you remember Adam Carlson.”

He nodded because who could forget the football player she dated throughout high school? He wasn’t a bad person either, at least back then, but popularity did get to his head the year they graduated.

“Well, he’s the unavailable man who should be dealing with all my leftover anger of what he caused.” She went on. “That selfish bastard didn’t think for once second what his leaving would do. I don’t care what it does to me; I’m an adult and I can handle it or at least learn to deal with it. But did he think what it did to his kids? No no no... He just woke up one morning decided he didn’t want to be married anymore or have children. Apparently, it was not something he ever wanted but felt obligated to do. He asked for a divorce giving me full custody of our children and then disappeared. No number or anything to contact him in case something happens to the girls. That fucking asshole just decided that none of us were worth his time.”

When she was done, she finished her drink in one shot and he quickly refilled it; she obviously needed it. So many information he learned in the minutes it took for her to tell her story. She had kids as in more than one and she had them with her high school boyfriend which meant she had been with him for over ten years.

“Wow...” He finally spoke. “He deserves all the ass kicking in the world that’s for sure. I just can’t imagine someone doing this to his own children. I mean, it sucks about the divorce and I wish you didn’t have to go through it, but its one thing to divorce and another to complete abandon your kids.”

“Well he did. My oldest is old enough to understand what’s going on. She knows what her father did and still, she will ask me if it’s okay that she still loves him. I mean, what am I supposed to answer? I can’t say no, but at the same time, a part of me wishes she could hate him as much as I hate him for doing this to them.”

Tears were starting to streak down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away; “I’m sorry. I didn’t think I would spill it all like this on you.”

“It’s okay. You obviously needed it.” He reassured her. “But I’m trying to understand something. You got full custody, so shouldn’t he be paying you alimony or something?”

“In our divorce terms, the money we made on selling our house was going all to me. It was his way or getting rid of all of us and be sure that we wouldn’t have a connection anymore.” She answered him. “I think that he just wanted out so badly. I mean, he told me that a year ago, the divorce was finalised six months later because there wasn’t much arguing. What I asked I got as simple as that.”

“Do you think your children will ever look for him? I mean, when they are older.” He asked her.

“I don’t know. If they do and they find him, he will have to deal with it, but I made it clear to him that he can’t come back into our lives if he ever feels the need to have his children back his in life after they all have been raised.” And then a sad laughing sound came out. “The worst part is that he probably won’t want to come back, but if by any chance he did, I’m not sure I would be able to tell him he can’t see his children if my girls want to see him too.”

“That’s because you’re a mom. I’m guessing most parents want the best for their kids and we’ll do what it takes to make them happy.” He replied. “But I honestly feel that if that time ever comes, you’ll do what’s right for your kids at that moment.”

“Thanks, Liam.” This time the smile she gave him seems a little bit less saddened.

“But since you brought them up in a way I wasn’t expecting. You have two girls?”

She laughed; “Yes. Grace is nine and Cora just hit the big two. They are both such balls of energy and probably the only reasons why I haven’t broken down completely.”

The surprised look on his face obviously made her go on; “Yes, I got pregnant at 17. It wasn’t an easy decision. I could have turn towards other choices, but I knew that I wanted this kid. I was lucky enough to have a family behind me and at that time, Adam had been onboard or at least, he made it seems like he was. Juggling my pregnancy and school hadn’t been easy and it may have taken me longer to graduate Uni, but she was worth it.”

And it was obvious in the way her voice softened that she meant it. He couldn’t imagine what she had to go through being pregnant so young. He wanted kids, but he was about to be 27 years old, but he wasn’t in a hurry to get any.

“It’s weird to think Adam was there for Grace when he wasn’t even sure he was the father, but Cora was for sure his and he suddenly couldn’t take it.” She admitted taking another sip of her glass.

Wait? What? He felt like he might have heard wrong. Adam might not have been the father? The way she spoke before, he hadn’t even doubted that there were other possibilities.

“Huh... I-” He stuttered not knowing what to say when she added more.

“We had been on and off in the time I got pregnant. I hooked up with a few other guys who could have easily been Grace’s father.”

Okay, the wine was obviously loosening her tongue. Liam wasn’t sure if she meant to tell that detail or if she just needed it off her chest. Still, that new information brought its load of questions he had about it.

“Didn’t he do a paternity test knowing there was a possibility that he was not the dad?” He asked her.

“No. When Grace was born, he decided that he was her father and no test would prove him wrong.” She sighed. “Honestly, I was surprised that he didn’t bring it up in the divorce. He could have easily made it that he was maybe not Grace’s biological dad, but he didn’t. I guess he just didn’t want to make it more complicated.”

She closed her eyes as she inhaled and exhaled softly; “God, I can’t believe I just threw this all on you. I’m so sorry, Liam. Perhaps, the wine wasn’t such a good idea.”

“I don’t mind at all. I mean, I wasn’t expecting to learn that much about you in less than 20 minutes, but it’s nice to know you feel enough at ease to share that much.” He reassured her.

“So would it be now your turn to talk? I think I did a lot of sharing tonight.” She laughed.

He had way more questions to ask about the subject, but she was clearly done talking about it and obviously needed the breather so he simply nodded.

“Honestly, I don’t know how much more I can say about a cancelled wedding. I mean, right now I’m just trying to think of the next steps to take, you know. Like, the guys and I are on a hiatus or whatever this is actually is anymore and I have worked on my music, but I still feel like I haven’t gone in the direction I was supposed to. I don’t know, maybe this wedding hadn’t been my only mistake in the last few years.” He sighed.

“Liam, you wanting to get married was not a mistake, you just chose the wrong girl. I mean, perhaps subconsciously, you are ready to get married and you were with her and you thought it was the obvious next step, but she just wasn’t the one you were supposed to marry. I’m pretty sure when you’re ready to date again, you’ll eventually find her. It might be in six month, a year or even two years, but you will find the right one.” She assured him.

She had a point. He did want to get married. It was something that always felt like the natural next step in a relationship. But yeah, he didn’t want to get married just to be married. He wanted the kind of commitment his parents have; he wanted something just as strong with its ups and downs.

“And as for the career, well, I can’t be much help there. You’ll eventually find your sound once you stop putting so much pressure on yourself. You didn’t say it, but I feel like you are comparing where you are and where the other guys are and god don’t we all know that’s the worst thing someone could do.” She continued. “So maybe you could try to relax and don’t rush your next album. Take your time. It doesn’t matter if it takes two or three years if it actually captures what you want to share with your fans.”

“Thank you Dr. Parker.” He laughed. “Any other advices?”

“Not at the moment.” She grinned. “If I ever do, I’ll be sure to send them to you.”

After that, they talked about random things. He listened as she told him about her dream of opening her own bookstore and café and she did the same when he told her about the few auditions he had done in hope to see if acting was something he wanted to pursue.

“Can’t you hint about what roles you auditioned for?” She asked. “I mean, you can’t tell me this with any details whatsoever.”

“I can’t. I mean, rumors are being spread as it is about what roles I audition for and most of the time, they are wrong because basically, no one is supposed to know what I audition for.” He answered. “Look, if one of these roles ever goes further than the first two meetings, I will give your more details. I promise you.”

They spoke about their families and she told him more about each of her daughters. Grace wanted to be a dancer and Rosalie had just signed her up for a few classes so she could decide what she preferred. Cora was in her terrible twos and Rosalie’s thin patience over the last few months was often tested.

“She inherited of my stubbornness, that’s for sure. I feel the need to apologize to my mother for what I have put her through when I was that age.” She exclaimed. “Grace was much calmer and maybe it was because she was an only child and she had no one else to look up to. Cora just wants what her sister has.”

“Well my mom always told my sisters and I that we would pay for what we put her through when we were going to have kids. So I guess that’s what’s happening to you right about now.” He laughed.

“That I am.” She laughed too and looked at her watch. “Oh damn, it’s nearly 1am. I should head back home.”

“Going to be awakened early by the girls?” He asked her.

“They are at my parents’ for the week. My mom wanted to give me time to settle in the house and give me some alone time.” She answered him. “I just think that this bottle of wine was the first alcohol I drank in the past two years and I feel its effect more than I thought or perhaps it’s the unloading I did earlier on you. I still apologize for that.”

“Might be a mix of both, but there’s no need to apologize for that.” He chuckled.

“Thanks. Well, it was really nice catching up with you, Li.” She said getting up. “If you ever feel like doing this again, I promise that the next time we’ll keep it lighter than tonight has been.”

Yes, he wanted to do this again, but the night was ending and he didn’t want her to leave before he asked her the one question he meant to ask her before she changed the subject back to him earlier. He needed to know now.

“But can I ask you one thing before you leave?” He said as she looked at him. “And please don’t take it the wrong way, but don’t you wish sometimes that Adam had taken the test so you would know for sure if he was the father? I mean, especially if he wasn’t, perhaps one of these other guys could have been a better father and wouldn’t have done what he did.”

“Now, I do, but back then, I was just happy he wanted to be the daddy. I mean, which 17 or 18 years old boy would easily just accept to be a father? I don’t know many who would have done this and I loved him. I was so much in love with him and it seemed like the simplest solution to just accept on faith that he was indeed Grace’s father.” She admitted.

“Maybe you’re right, but I feel like that this decision might have robbed some other guy’s chance of proving that he was capable of taking his responsibilities also.” He stated.

“What is this really about, Liam?” She asked him directly. “You obviously have something on your mind, so why won’t you just say it.”

They stared at one another before he finally asked her the question he meant to ask earlier; “Is there a chance that I’m Grace’s father?”

[zenithlux]

Cadence - CH 17

In which Vergil learns what might be wrong with him, with help from his friends and family.

Catch up on the story here!

Don’t say I’m out of touch With this rampant chaos your reality I know well what lies beyond my slipping refuge The nightmare I built my own world to escape.

Imaginary - Evanescence

It took less than ten minutes for Vergil to have an existential crisis. 

Why did I call Nero?

Why didn’t I call Dante?

What is wrong with me?

Why will you not leave me alone?

And the questions went on and on; a never-ending wave of increasingly dark and impossible to answer things. Vergil tried to stop them. He tried not to think about the possibilities or the mark on his chest. He tried to convince himself that the voice in his head was no more than a nightmare. That the portal he would have opened would have led to nowhere, and he’d just looked like a fool in front of Kuro. 

That sword no longer belongs to you. Kuro had said. 

What does he know?

A knock on the door startled him. “Verge?” Dante’s voice echoed inside. 

Go away, Vergil tried to say, but nothing happened. 

“Nero said you might need some help.”

Vergil held back a swear as he forced himself to his feet. He’d barely started zipping his vest up before he heard. “Oh hey Kuro! Didn’t know you could open the door.” 

“Are you calling me a fool, mortal?”

“... Why do you have Yamato?”

“Your brother almost returned to his master.”

Vergil took a single step and hit the floor before he could stop himself. 

When he opened his eyes again, he saw nothing but pure darkness. He tried to sit up, but a pair of burly hands pushed him back down. Panicked, Vergil fought back. Something cold slipped from his head as he yanked on the arms. They pushed harder, fingernails digging into his skin. Voices echoed in from all directions- a rabble of nothingness. “Let me go!” He snapped. “I will not…”

Nelo. 

“I’m not...”

Come back to me, Nelo.

“I’m not his…”

“Dad!”

He froze as a single word broke through the chaos. Dad? No one had ever called him that. No one should call him that. He wasn’t a father. He was barely a man. Just some pawn in Mundus’ endless game. Vergil thought he could escape. He thought this was over. Was two decades of his life not enough? Would the consequences of his mistakes never end?

“I wouldn’t do that, Sunshine,” another voice said. “He’s not exactly in his right mind.”

“It’s alright,” A woman said. Vergil recognized them both, but couldn’t place their names. Everything was dark. So dark. So cold. He was trapped again. Paralyzed and lost in the suit he’d been shoved into. 

Then a soft hand brushed his cheek. “Vergil,” The woman’s voice whispered again. “You’re alright. We’re all here for you.”

His eyes snapped open as he gasped for air. Dante’s hand tightened on his shoulder, but it was Roxy’s eyes he met first. Behind her was Nero with a look of pure relief as his shoulders sagged forward and he shook his head. Even further away was Nico with Aki in her hand and a smaller Kuro on her shoulder. “Let go,” Vergil said. This time, his voice was calm enough that Dante listened. Yet, Vergil didn’t sit up. Instead, he let his eyes drift back to her. “You’re awake.”

“Thanks to you,” Roxy said with a nod. Her hand had yet to leave his cheek. “Kuro didn’t have to do much this time.”

“How long has it been.”

“A little over a day I’ve been told.”

“A day,” Vergil said, his voice hollow. “I’ve been out for a day?”

“I found you unconscious in the bathroom,” Dante said. “Don’t worry though! I cleaned ya up and the kid only found ya sleeping,” He gave Vergil a lazy grin, but he heard the truth behind his brother’s oddly peppy words, nobody saw the mark but me. Vergil nodded, hoping to convey his gratitude. If Dante understood or not, he didn’t respond.  

“What happened?” Nero said. 

Vergil’s eyes closed for another moment. What did he say to that? The truth seemed more unbelievable than anything else he could say. But he had called Nero here for… something. 

Why had he thought that this was the right call again?

Yamato. 

And, as painful as it was to admit it, Vergil said. “I need one of you to take Yamato.”

Nero, Nico, and Dante all exchanged glances. “Who are you and what have you done to my brother?” Dante said. 

That time, Roxy pulled away as Vergil practically shot upright. “Do you honestly think I’d joke about such a thing?”

Dante threw his hands up between them. “I mean the things practically your security blanket, Verge. I’m shocked you’re not holding it right now.”

He wasn’t wrong necessarily, but Vergil really thought his brother could word that entire sentence differently. Instead, he explained what was happening. Or, at the very least, what he assumed was happening. It was difficult to know for certain what was in his head or not. He’d recognize Mundus’ voice from anywhere, as it had permeated all of his nightmares since even before he’d escaped hell. But whether or not he was actually calling to him…

He stopped short and glared at Kuro. “You knew.”

Kuro snorted. “I used to be one of Mundus’ pets myself a long time ago. I remember you.”

Vergil’s eyes widened. “I don’t…”

“I escaped just after he promoted you,” The dragon said. “As did my brother. But my story isn’t important.”

“Promoted?” Nero said. “So you were, what, working for this… Mundus guy?”

That time, it was Dante and Vergil who exchanged glances. “Listen, kid,” Dante said slowly, looking to Vergil for permission. When Vergil said nothing, Dante continued. “Did you ever wonder why your dad was gone for so long? Why he never sought you out or all that jazz?”

Nero frowned. “I just assumed…” He trailed off.

“That I wanted nothing to do with you?” Vergil said.

A slight red tinged Nero’s cheeks. “Well I know now that you didn’t know about me. But still… figured you were an asshole for just abandoning whoever my mom was too.”

“He abandoned everyone,” Dante muttered. Vergil glared at him, but his brother didn’t meet it. “He was trapped in hell, Nero. Twenty years of his life, gone to this ‘Mundus guy’.” 

“I’ve heard of him,” Roxy whispered. “But I never imagined…” She closed her eyes and shook her head before meeting his gaze again. “Kuro explained what happened, and we have a theory as to what’s going on. I’ve already called Dia on the matter but…” She trailed off as her eyes flickered away. 

“What?” Vergil asked.

“You’re probably not gonna like it.”

 “Just get on with it,” Vergil snapped. She flinched before he caught himself, but an apology didn’t come. If she expected one, she didn’t show it. “What’s your theory?” Vergil said, his voice much quieter than before. A part of him already knew what she was going to say , but hearing it was much better than assumptions.

“Kuro believes that Mundus forced you to make a pact with him,” Roxy said. “Now that you’re free, he’s trying to call you back.”

The room went dead silent. Even the younger devil hunters, who had learned Mundus’ name all of five minutes ago, went slack-jawed as their eyes snapped to him. Vergil couldn’t read anyone’s expressions. Dante’s lips were pressed together, and his gaze had hardened to the point that even his eyes didn’t give anything away. Nero looked somewhere between horrified, confused, and trying to find the right words to say. Nico looked like she was pondering something beyond Vergil’s comprehension. Only Roxy’s expression was soft as she placed her fingers on the back of his hand. “It’s alright,” She said. “We can fix this.”

“How?” Vergil said. “How can you fix this, Roxy?”

It was Nico who snorted. “Who knows more about pacts than our resident summoner, V-man?”

“Dia, technically,” Roxy said. “But yes, I know a good amount.” She pushed herself to her feet and took a small step back. “Can the rest of you leave for a bit? I need to speak to Vergil.”

“Are you sure about that?” Dante said. “He’s nearly lost it twice.”

“Keep that sword away,” Kuro growled as he crawled onto Roxy’s shoulder. “And she’ll have nothing to fear.”

“No offense,” Nero said. “But I’m with Dante on this one.”

“I’m not a wild animal,” Vergil said. 

“But are you in control?” Dante said.

Vergil glared at his brother. “Yes.”

Dante shrugged. “Alright then,” He beckoned to the other two. “I’ll grab Yamato. You’ll have to take Nico back to the van.” He waved his hand in front of her face to make a point. She didn’t even blink. “She’s far, far away in a galaxy I like to call the Nico-veerse.” He disappeared into the kitchen before returning with Yamato. “We’ll be nearby, sunshine. Holler if you need us,” He glanced at Vergil one last time. But, when Vergil nodded, his brother smiled and left. 

“We hadn’t planned on leaving for a few days,” Nero said. “So…”

“We won’t be long,” Roxy said. “Promise.”

Nero hesitated, but he soon followed after Dante, dragging a very distracted Nico behind him. Aki chirped his goodbye as he hopped off Nico’s shoulder and found his way onto Vergil’s lap where he curled up and promptly fell asleep. And while Vergil thought he should have found this annoying in any other situation, the creature’s soft purrs against his legs was oddly soothing. All he could remember was Shadow sleeping beside him on the few nights his human self got any rest. He recalled how he’d wake up in the morning with the oversized kitten lying right on top of him, only a few pounds shy of crushing him outright. 

He’d found that comforting too.

“Dia’s going to visit tomorrow,” Roxy said. “But I need to know what we’re dealing with.” She hesitated, followed by a sigh. “I know you’re probably not comfortable with the idea, but Dante mentioned a mark?”

“... It appeared yesterday.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“How could you possibly know any of this?” Vergil said. 

“I know how pact making works,” She countered. “Every demon can be made into a familiar, Vergil. Half-demon or otherwise. My father and Dia studied the effects of half-demon familiars for years before he died. I don’t know everything, but I know enough.” She shook her head. “Humans are able to escape it. Demons can’t. The two halves of your mind are fighting with each other. However…”

“However?”

“Half-demons need a powerful item to bind them to another soul,” Kuro said. “Marks can manifest, yes. But they are not enough. Not when the host wishes to control the other.”

“We think Mundus may have used Yamato,” Roxy said. “If he knew of its portal capabilities, then it’s likely he assumed he could bring you back whenever he wanted, so losing you wasn’t an issue.”

“He likely did not expect you to resist.”

“How can you be certain of any of this?” Vergil asked.

“I’m not,” She said. “With everything I and Dia know, it’s still a shot in the dark. But it’s all we’ve got right now, Vergil.”

“Luckily for you,” Kuro said as he hopped down to the couch. “We may already have a solution.”

“Which is?” Vergil said. 

“Dia thinks that we may be able to break your connection with him by creating a new one with me.”

Vergil didn’t understand why his body clenched at the thought. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt light headed, or why the world was spinning. And he certainly didn’t know why he recoiled at the sheer idea of making a pact with her. But there it was. An uncertain and terrible fear that burned in his veins and pulsed in his head. But, as if noticing his distress (was it really that obvious?) Roxy quickly sat across from him. “I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” She said. “And Dia thinks I can break it the second you are free from Mundus’ control.”

That didn’t make him feel any better. “You’re asking me to risk…” He trailed off, self-conscious. Servitude was the word on his tongue, but was that even fair? He wanted to believe that he trusted Roxy. They had gotten to know each other over the last nine or so months. Almost a year now as friends, and at least three months as close companions.

But did that mean he trusted her with his life?

And if not… Did he trust anyone?

“If it would make you more comfortable,” She said. “Then I can show you my own marks as well.”

“You would do that?” Vergil said. “For me?”

“I’m asking you to give me something very personal,” She said. “It’s only fair that I do the same for you.”

“Besides,” Kuro said with a flick of his tongue. “If making a pact is the only way to protect you, then you’ll have to trust each other, or it will never work.”

Vergil was starting to think that the dragon might be reading his thoughts, but he didn’t dare mention it less he gave himself away. But his heart stilled as Roxy held her hand out. “Are you alright?” She whispered; the silly, special phrase that had quickly become their own. Slowly, Vergil met her fingers with his own and nodded. And in that moment, as she squeezed his hand with a quiet reassurance and returned his gaze with a confident smile, Vergil decided that he would trust her. Her, his brother, his son, Nico… all of them. 

Because if there was one thing Vergil had finally learned over all these years, it was that he couldn’t fight a war on his own. 

“I’ll go first,” She said. “If that’s alright.” She pulled away from him and shed her sweatshirt, revealing a tight fitting tank top beneath. And it was at that moment that Vergil fully realized just  how small the woman before him was. He’d known this already, as her head only came to his chest even in shoes, but she looked even more petite than before. The thought of hurting her… of crushing her with a single hand… 

He squeezed his eyes shut when she wasn’t looking, and pulled his thoughts back to reality. He wouldn’t hurt her. He couldn’t hurt her. Not Roxy. Not the woman he’ d grown to care so deeply for. 

Care deeply for. 

He really was a fool.

And Vergil might have blushed once she removed her shirt, but his eyes drifted to the ice blue swirls on her stomach. Her marks were much lighter than his had been, but Vergil could still see the exquisite details of every small snowflake. The lines continued around her waist, and when she turned, Vergil saw that both sides connected to a dragon-wing. Vergil could feel the demonic magic pulsing from the lines themselves, and he realized that this was the power he'd been feeling. Kuro's power, yes, but mixed with her own humanity. But behind the marks were scars; long, jagged scars that Vergil was certain would never truly fade. Momentos of the accident, he assumed. But they were worse than he thought. But right now, as she shared a piece of herself with him, he didn't dare ask for more. 

He had a feeling he'd know soon enough. 

When she turned back to face him, there was a playfulness to her tone. It was almost as if this was all completely normal and she wasn't sitting before him in a rather lacy and debatably risque blue bra. And it was that thought, of all things, that finally brought the heat to his cheeks. But only a little. No more than was necessary. (He'd have to ponder the strange buzzing energy that pulsed through the rest of him later). "Your turn," She said. And when he did unzip his vest, she waited for a nod before pressing her fingers against his mark. 

Her touch made him shiver. This was wildly intimate. More so than any hand holding. But if she felt any discomfort, she didn't show it. Professional, Vergil thought. And if she could manage that, so could he. 

“The good news,” She said as her fingers traced the lines. “Is that this isn’t a very strong mark, meaning he’s aware that you can fight him off if given enough time.” 

“Why would it appear now?”

“Could be to scare you,” she said. “He might want you to think that you don’t have a choice, or that returning to him is an inevitability. But do you see how faded the lines are?” Vergil nodded before she continued. “His link to you is tenuous at best, and I think Kuro was right about Yamato.”

The dragon huffed. “Of course I was.”

“Regardless,” she said with a soft glare in the familar’s direction. “Dia will be able to tell us more tomorrow.” Her gaze shifted back to his chest and she frowned.

“What is it?”

“This one in the middle,” She said. “ It’s not a mark, persay. It’s more of a scar. But you heal everything… right?" 

Vergil reached for the zipper of his vest. "I guess some wounds never heal… even mine."

Then their eyes met, and it took everything Vergil had to keep his gaze on hers. Roxy was close now. So…. very close. If he turned just right and leaned forward just enough… 

“Are you alright?” She whispered, but there was something else to her tone. Something else Vergil couldn’t quite pick out of the chaos raging in his mind. He found himself reaching for her cheek, and his knuckles gently caressed the skin as he stared into her beautiful emerald eyes. She tilted her head and nuzzled against him, eyes never leaving his own. The hand on his chest drifted to the side as she shifted closer. Her breath was cool on his lips and smelled of mint. He tilted his head and leaned in…

“If you were planning this,” Dia’s voice echoed in disapproval. “Then you probably shouldn’t have called me.”

Roxy jumped at the same time as Vergil. And, in an uncharacteristic show of clumsiness, his forehead knocked straight into hers. The resounding thud made his ears ring. She groaned as she pulled away, rubbing the side of her forehead as she fumbled around for her jacket. “It wasn’t like that,” She muttered. “And you said you were coming tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow. Today. It’s all the same.” She waved her off. “Now lets see if we can fix our little Mundus problem, shall we?”

Ko-fi – Master List – AO3

[pandamothium]

A Close Call

A Pokemon Go AU fic ft. my OC Cecylia DeLune

Warnings: Language and Violence 

Set within surfacage’s incredible And The World Will Turn to Ash AU, thus I do not own their OC Noire or their interpretations of the Team Go leaders. Neither do I take any credit for their AU as I am merely piggybacking because I love the story and world so much :) 

So if you’re curious and want to know more about And The World Will Turn to Ash, please checkout surfacage’s page and be amazed!!

See the notes at the end of the fic to learn more about some of the characters featured

It was an oddly cold night in late August, Cecylia watched her breath form billowy vapors as she made it the roof of the Pokemon Center. From this vantage she had a clear view of the Team Instinct breeding facility as she shuffled to find the small bluetooth headset she received from Professor Sebastian. Positioning it in her ear, she switched on the device and waited through the static until the connection was set.

“Eclipse, can you hear me?” Hun’s collected voice broke through the static, “Yeah, clear as a bell.”

“Don’t forget the main objective: get in, get the data and get out with as little trouble as possible, do you think you can pull it off?” They continued, the slight hint of sarcasm in their voice irritated her, “I do, although why Executive Karen was so hard pressed that I be the one doing this is beyond me. Breaking into one of Team Instinct’s most renowned facilities? Isn’t this a mission for a higher ranking member? Someone like you and Attila?”

She could hear an exasperated sigh through the headset, “Eclipse, you know why. If it wasn’t for Attila and I vouching for you to Professor Sebastian and Dr. Namba, she would have had you flogged and assigned to janitorial duties after what happened last time. And that’s if she hadn’t killed you first.”

Cecylia chewed her lip, not wanting to admit that they were right. Executive Karen was cruel and she did not appreciate when her plans were interfered with especially by the mistakes of those under her.

“I was being fictitious Hun, I know. And I’m thankful that you two stood up for me, otherwise-“, but she was cut off, “Don’t misunderstand Eclipse, we only did so because we believe that you can still be useful despite your novice mistakes. Aside from Executive Noire, you’re one of the few survivors of Cipher’s experiments which makes you useful, as a tool. Don’t forget that. It’s your abilities we need, not you.”

They paused, clearly waiting for a smartass response. Asshole. “Oh no need to fret, I know that… better than you think. Now are you going to keeping yapping or can I go already?”

She grabbed a ball from her belt, releasing Xatu just as Hun answered, “According to our intel the building should be sparsely inhabited because of some sort of seminar event the leaders are having in Celadon. Anyone you may come across should pose little threat… but still, don’t get caught.”

Cecylia laughed, “That’s the plan, I’ll make contact once I have the data. Eclipse out.” She didn’t wait for an answer before muting the device, turning to her glimmering Xatu who was wistfully grooming its feathers before noticing Cecylia approach. She gently stroked over its plume, “Care to give me a lift friend?”

…

She landed softly on the ground near the rear entrance of the building. Quietly she called Xatu back into its ball before making her way through the hedges towards the door. For a brief moment her eyes flashed a bright fuchsia and the door opened with a soft click. She smirked, no lock could stand up to her telekinesis.

She slipped through the door, closing it silently behind her and like that she was in.

This facility is top-notch that’s for sure, she thought while peering into the many rooms she passed along the hallway. Several rooms were retrofitted to accommodate the different types of Pokémon inside, some having thermostats set to ridiculous temperatures while others were overgrown in plants or filled with sand.

This must be the day-care ward of the building, Cecylia pondered as she continued down the long hallway, her senses tuned to detect any movement and thanks to Lux’s power she could simultaneously redirect the security cameras as she searched for the main laboratory.

Luckily, Hun’s intel seemed to hold true, the facility seemed deserted say for the few research assistants that she managed to slip past undetected thanks to Nox, whose powers allowed her to cloak herself in the shadows. According to the blueprints of the building Hun had sent to her cell, the main lab was at the top floor. Shit, I should have just came in through the roof!

…

Finally on the sixth floor, Cecylia slipped into a dark room to escape a group of researchers making their way to the elevator.

“This week’s hatch proved a huge success, the F2 generation shows the expected 9:3:3:1 ratio like we were hoping for. I think Spark will be pleased to know that we managed to successfully pass on the mother’s hidden ability and the father’s stats to the majority of the offspring.”

Cecylia resisted the urge to eavesdrop more on their discussion, as a geneticist she was eager to satisfy her curiosity but thought better of it and continued her trek to the lab according to Hun’s blueprints.

This sector of the facility was all but abandoned, no lights were on in any of the rooms she passed aside from the idle blinking of equipment and incubators. Finally she found the main lab, inside were several lab tables covered in documents strewn haphazardly across the surface and several incubators and monitors beeped along the furthermost wall.

Cecylia stood idle for a moment observing the room for security alarms or cameras before she quickly trotted over to the lone computer which was surprising already on. She pecked at the keys to bring the machine out of hibernation and there she was meet with a password locked screen.

Hah, like a little password is gonna stop me, she mused and proceeded to rest her hands across the keyboard. A fuchsia glow arose from her fingertips and eyes as she traced the memories from the last time the computer was used. Psychometry was another helpful trick she had gained from Lux and was probably another reason why she was assigned to such a mission.

E-G-G-C-E-L-L-E-N-T.

“Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of idiot makes THAT the password to a hi-tech research facility?” Team Instinct’s leader must be really confident in the breeding facility’s security to have a ridiculous password like that, and an egg pun at that?!

She was going to enjoy stealing from these dumbasses and as soon as the home screen popped up, she dug through her hip satchel for a small flashdrive. Once loaded she began the program installed on it and it immediately began copying and swiping all the files saved to the computer. Files from as far back as ten years ago flashed by the screen as they were saved onto the drive.

Cecylia took a step back, it would take a few minutes to collect everything and she proceeded to search for a way out. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a roof access panel on the ceiling, Bingo.

She drew a gun from her holster and launched the powerful magnetic hook-shot into the ceiling which to her luck was fitted with metal tiles that created a secure hold with her Magneton steel anchor. She grabbed the hanging cable and gave a sharp hard tug to test it before turning to the computer screen showing that the download had completed.

She ejected the flash and quickly started to erase any trace of her presence and set the computer back into hibernate. Satisfied she switched on her bluetooth.

“Hun… can you hear me? I’ve got the data and am ready to exit, how’s things on your end?” Cecylia winced at the loud screech of static that answered, “E-Eclipse? Did everything go smoothly? No fires to put out or buildings razed to the ground?” They finally replied, though she struggled to make out their words through the poor connection and constant interference.

“HA-HA very funny, I’ll have you know that everything went according to plan,” she jeered.

“Well, perhaps not everything.”

Cecylia jumped and whirled around towards the voice behind her, interrupting Hun’s answer.

“Who the fuck are you?!” she growled as the silhouetted figure in the doorway stepped into a better light. It was a man of reasonable stature dressed in black leather accented by bright yellow. His blond hair was haphazardly styled and his cool blue eyes were drawn into near slits that made a chill run down Cecylia’s spine.

Whoever he was, he was dangerous, she could tell by the way the air seemed to grow thin around them, teeming with electricity that made her hair stand on end.

She could hear Hun’s voice growing irritated by the lack of response, “Eclipse? Eclipse, what’s wrong? What happened?” but she didn’t answer. She was too focused on the blonde man in front of her, who was sporting a devilish grin, “What do we have here, a little rocket rat scurrying about? How bold of them to send only one of you to break in here, or are there others waiting to jump our poor assistants?”

The man took a few steps forward, “Rocket didn’t need to send anyone but me to break in to this hack facility. Six floors and not a soul detected me, what a shame. And with an idiotic password like “eggcellent” you guys were practically begging me to take whatever I wanted.” Cecylia goaded trying to stand her ground despite the slight tremble in her legs.

She was trapped in here, the only exit was above and there was no way he’d let her have the chance to reach the access panel. So she hoped her bluff would earn her some time to figure a way out of this mess.

The man laughed clearly not fazed by her insult, “What? I thought that was an egg-traordinary password!” He grinned, but the humor did not reach his eyes and Cecylia braced herself. “But what does bother me, is how you got in so quietly and made it here without anyone detecting you… you wouldn’t be so kind as to tell me how you did that would you?” he cocked his head slightly, taking another small step forward.

Cecylia stepped back, “Damn, is everyone in Instinct this dense, why would I tell you anything?” Again her bluetooth blasted static, making her wince and in that second of distraction the man made his move.

Except he was so fast, she didn’t actually see him move before she was slammed against the wall, his forearm pressing hard against her throat making her gasp for breath.

“ACK!! Instinct…bastard!!” She choked, her feet kicking against his chest in a futile attempt to push him back. She raised a hand to strike him but with his free hand he managed to pin both of hers above her head.

“Man, you guys are so rude, breaking in here, stealing our stuff and worst of all insulting my password setting skills… you know, doing something like that deserves punishment.” A pit grew in her stomach hearing the murderous tone of those words, his lips grazing the shell of her ear as he whispered, “What shall I do with you?”

Cecylia heart pounded in her ears making it near impossible to discern the blond man’s words from Hun’s shouting through the headset. If she didn’t do something fast, she would be arrested… or worse. The man’s arm against her neck was making her grow dizzy and finally she knew what to do.

“P- Perhaps… you could get the FUCK AWAY FROM ME!!” she managed to shout against his strangle hold and in a bright flash, she threw him back with a psychic shockwave that caused him to smack into the opposite wall.

Her legs collapsed under her weight as she gasped for air and retched. But she didn’t have time to recover before the man was back on his feet, yet he surprisingly stayed in place. She jerked up to see a confused expression on his face, clearly taken aback from her attack, “What was that?” he asked knowing he wouldn’t get an answer.

Hun’s voice cracked again through headset, “Eclipse!! What the hell is going on in there!?” Cecylia was surprised to hear how panicked they were, which was a wildly out of character for the usually calm and collected officer.

“Some…blond asshole jumped me,” she managed in between rasping breaths and coughs.

“Fuck!”

Cecylia was even more surprised, “What? Do you know who I’m talking about?” but Hun didn’t bother to answer her question, “You need to get the hell out of there, NOW!”

“Great fucking idea, Hun but this jackass is keeping me from doing just that!” She growled back, still rubbing her aching throat as she rose to her feet to stare down the man who was still maintaining a distance.

“That ‘jackass’ is Team Instinct leader!” Hun’s voice was calmer but Cecylia could tell how freaked out they were. Cecylia couldn’t believe her ears, “This idiot is Zapdos’ chosen? You have GOT to be joking!”

This time the man answered, “Oh! I guess I did forget to introduce myself. I’m Spark, Team Instinct’s leader and the head of this facility, now would you care to share just who you are?” Knowing he was not going to get an answer, he took a small step forward.

Cecylia inched back, bracing herself for Spark’s next move, “PA196197.” He stopped, “What? This that your phone number, sorry love but you’re not my type.”

She scoffed, “As if sparkplug, you asked who I was and I told you. PA196197, that’s who I am. Now how about you forget I was ever here and let me go about my merry way?” She grinned awaiting the leader’s response but was instead met with a small chuckle, “Sorry, as much as I’d rather be at home watching my dramas, I have a little rat problem that I need to take care of.”

He hadn’t finished his sentence before he was already closing in, his eyes burning a bright gold and Ceyclia barely managed to block the brunt of his kick which to her surprise still threw her back a few feet. She rolled out of the way in time to land a sharp punch to the gut and used his back to launch herself over the nearby desk.

Her training with Executive Karen seemed to pay off but only enough to allow her to remain on the defensive. Again and again she managed to dodge his kicks and punches but only just barely, his strength was obviously enhanced by his bonded Titan and it took everything she had to avoid what would have definitely been a crippling blow should he land a direct hit.

But then she slipped on one of the hundreds of papers now littering the floor from the scuffle and he didn’t waste a moment. He landed a sharp kick to her chest causing her to be thrown back into one of the research tables. She gasped, unable to breathe as the force of the kick emptied her lungs and she collapsed.

“Eclipse!! What’s happening? I told you to get out of there!! You and your bonded can’t stand up to a Titan! Get out before he kills you!” Hun was screaming, but she could barely make out the words, her head was swimming as she struggled to catch her breath.

She braced for another blow, but none came. She looked up to see a bizarre expression on the Instinct leader’s face, “Your… bonded?”

Shit, how the hell did he hear that? Cecylia cursed to herself, “I guess for what you lack in IQ you make up in hearing, right kilowatt?” But there was no humor in the team leaders expression, in fact he looked somewhat wild, even more so than before.

“What do that person mean by your ‘bonded’?” his voice seemed to reverberate and Cecylia noticed the various beeps and screeches coming from the electronics in the lab.

She was running out of time and though she knew the consequences, she only had one option left. The Instinct leader was closing in, his footsteps were methodically slow which gave her the time she needed to gather her strength.

Lux.

She closed her eyes, trying to focus but Sparks’ footsteps were drawing closer and finally when the time was right, her eyes flashed open burning a bright fuchsia. He flinched at the sight, mouth agape in confusion as he tried to close the distance between them but he was too late and was thrown back by the shock wave that exuded from her body.

He stared in shock as she disappeared before his eyes in a bright flash that sent lab equipment and papers flying across the room.

Spark stood in awe of what he had just witnessed, his mind racing with questions before he was finally able to calm down, allowing the golden hue of his eyes to dull and return to their normal blue shade.

“Damn,” he muttered, “Blanche and Candela are going to lose their shit.” But before he could begin cleaning up the disaster he and the rocket agent had made, he pulled out his cell, “Hey Professor… can you get in touch with Candela and Blanche, I believe we may have a problem.”

…

A few miles away atop the Pokemon center, a bright light flashed across the sky to reveal Cecylia, who subsequently collapsed on the roof. She groaned, her body ached both from the beating it had taken from Spark and from the strain of teleporting such a long distance. She couldn’t move, so she resigned to taking the moment to rest. She managed to roll over to look up at the stars which were unusually bright for this time of the year.

Her peace was interrupted by Hun who still seemed slightly alarmed, “Eclipse are you alright? You alive?” they asked, she coughed when she tried to speak causing her chest to ache where Spark had kicked her.

“Y-Yeah, I somehow managed to get out of there, thanks to Lux” her voice was barely a whisper, “For Arceus’ sake, Eclipse you know how dangerous it is to use that ability!! You could hav–”, but Cecylia interrupted, “Like I had a choice! It was either that or get beaten to a fucking pulp by that charged up hedgehog they call a leader!!” She regretted raising her voice as her chest seized in protest.

A burning sensation in her nose forced her to move as blood began to pool in her sinuses, she rolled to her side to try and ease her breathing. She had suffered nosebleeds before after using Lux’s power but never had she attempted to teleport such a long distance before and it was obvious that her body was beginning to suffer the side effects.

Hun sighed and said something illegible to who Cecylia assumed was Attila before addressing her, “Can you move?” they asked in their usual calm demeanor, “No.”

Another sigh, “Alright, stay put Attila is coming to get you, the bluetooth has a GPS so be patient and I’ll report to Executive Karen who I assume is going to expect a full write-up of what happened… but I’ll try to see if I can’t get her to postpone it until we get you checked out and the Doctor gives the okay.”

“Thanks Hun,” she could barely keep her eyes open, “I think I’ll just lay here until he gets here…” Hun said something else but she had already pulled off the headset, tossing at her side.

She stared at the stars, her thoughts returning to the encounter she had just barely escaped, causing a chill to run down her spine when she remembered the burning gold of the instinct leader’s eyes and how heavy the air felt around her as she struggled to deflect his attacks.

Shit, Hun’s right there’s no way Lux and Nox can stand up to a Titan. The more I think about it, the more surprised I am that I even got out of there in one piece, she thought.

You’re underestimating us, kit.

Cecylia smirked, she wasn’t surprised that Nox would be offended by her thoughts, “Perhaps, but you can’t argue that we have a long ways to go before we even stand a chance.”

Or maybe the both of you are not seeing things as clearly as I am

“Oh?” Cecylia muttered as Lux chimed in, It seems to me that the Team Go leaders and their Titans would make better allies than enemies.

Ha! That’s just cause you’re weak-willed and would rather suck up to them than actually fight, Nox barked.

At least one of us needs to be thinking clearly, besides who else to aid us in tearing down Team Rocket than the Titans themselves?

At that Nox actually seemed to laugh, And who says that the Titans and their bonded would give a shit about our kit to help her? Besides the Beast of Orre has been antagonizing them for years, if they were going to take out Team Rocket they would have done so already just to be left alone!

“Hush!! Both of you, how am I supposed to think straight with you two arguing?” Cecylia snapped and a jolt of pain made her bite her tongue. Thankfully both Lux and Nox remained quiet for the rest of the night while she waited to be picked up.

Although she knew Nox was right, the Titans would never help her regardless of whatever explanation she could come up with it was still an interesting thought.

Notes:

Cecylia DeLune- presently a glorified Team Rocket Grunt in the Johto Division under Executive Karen (link contains nsfw art)

Lux- Cecylia’s bonded Espeon

Nox- Cecylia’s bonded Umbreon

Hun and Attila- two high ranking Team Rocket officers, for my fic Hun is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns

Karen- A Team Rocket Executive that heads the research branch in Johto

Dr. Namba- A Team Rocket scientist and researcher who has been assigned to managing and monitoring Cecylia and her bonded.

Professor Sebastian- A Team Rocket scientist and researcher who has been assigned to managing and monitoring Cecylia and her bonded. Hun and Attila work with him and often interact with Cecylia in his stead.

Spark- Team Instinct leader and Zapdos’ bonded (Based on surafage’s AU)

And to reiterate: Noire is a Pokemon Go OC created by surfacage  as well as the “And The World Will Turn To Ash AU” which I am just borrowing for the setting and characters. I do not own them and any questions concerning them should be directed to their creator (which I am not)^^ 

Cecylia’s story and existence has absolutely no impact what-so-ever on surfacage’s comic and characters. This is just a wild tangent I made up for my own OC.

Let me know what you think!!