#little guy thinks alan is his mommy...
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nkgrimmie · 2 months ago
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i may have done some thinking
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alan adopts someone (unwillingly)
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^ said someone (little guy)
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williammorgan45 · 8 months ago
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You know what time it? It's Realizin' time!
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Here it is! The result of the brain rot of @realizinau art and Alan Wake (I took inspiration by drawing this.The games are so cool) so here we are. It's a bit wonky but I think it's decent. Please ignore the little blue spooch on the suit. I made a boo─boo while painting :/
I'm still thinking about on how to name this guy but I have a little of his backstory on how his role would be in the Realizin' AU.
First he's a wolf if you're wondering.
Alright, now into his story: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before being put into the Bigger Bodies Initiative, he was just a child like any other with a mother and father who loved him and loved them back. But after a tragedy to both parents in a car accident, leaving him as the sole survivor of the crash, he was alone in this narrow dark place.
He was put in normal orphange just with many others parentless but he was different to other kids. Just as the kids where loud, energetic full innocence and some didn't apply to the rules he was the opposite. He was quiet, didn't move alot from his bed, his innocence gone for the result of the crash and allways following orders from the caretakers of the orphange.
Since he didn't talk to the other kids besides to the caretakers to see of he was okay and only respond with a nod, a shake or a short phrase, they began calling him names like 'the silent kid', 'downer', 'the staff's pet' and other names behind his back.
He already got used to this new 'life style' on the orphanage. Wake up, breakfast, gaze outside the window of his room, nap, lunch, more gazing outside again, dinner, sleep, repeat.
He told himself that's going to be his life until he was adopted to a new familly.
...That was the plan before him and others kids where called on the hall as their caretaker was explaning that they were getting 'relocated' to a better orphanage. He didn't understand why tho but if they where getthing relocaded to a better orphanage was probably for the best.
...Right?
Him along with other orphans entered the bus that was meant to transport them to the new orphange. The name on the side of the bus caught his attention before entering. Playtime Co. He knew that name. Tha was the name of the company who sell those toys that appered on TV. His guess was that maybe they are expanding or something.
After that, everything where blur and pieces. How he arrived to Home Sweet Home, meeting the staff, Huggy Wuggy, Kissy Missy, Mommy and Daddy Longlegs along with other toys,doing some sort of test of memory and running, being told that he got adopted, on how he was guided to a room with a bed as they put him on the bed before putting anesthesia and how he became...like he is now.
He felt...weird to say the least but he quickly got used being taller and getting used to his new body. A few bumps here and there but he got used to it. Faster than the others. The Doctor thinks to himself.
And before he know it, he got a brand new suit (he allways wanted to wear one when he was older.It made him feel...important.) and got a new... 'job' as the new guard of Playcare and Home Sweet Home. At day he would help some of the staff carry important papers so he was given a mesanger bag to carry those paper more easier and organize smaller toys for the kids and making sure the wasn't something a miss or any complications among the staff and the children. And by the night, he would roam Playcare and Home Sweet home hall's with his trusty flashlight to make sure there wasn't any stray kid or someone suspicious was around.
He took extra careful in the night because he read in a book once that the dark can by tricky and dangerous. But what caught his attention more was one sentance in particular.
"Trust no one in the dark."
After that, he took his night patrols very seriously, with careful steps and eyes all open for anything. Something tells him there something off but rapidly dissmiss the thought.
Sometimes when doing the day shift, some of the kids would run to him and would either drag him to play with them, show him drawings of him or hug him out of nowhere. He would stay still with no idea what to do or react. Thankfully, some of the staff or caretakers would save him from that embarassment and he would fix tie and continue with his duties for today.
Just like before he is still silent with a neutral looks almost all the time. Responding with a nod, shake or short answer to long questions. He would been doing this for 5 years. Making him 15 years old if his math is correct.
None of the staff, the caretakers or even the children have see him smile. Not even once. Always on focus on the task. Some even says he's more of a robot than someone alive.
It would take a miracle to even make him smile.
...Maybe that miracle could be in the form of 8 new Critters know as The Smilling Critters.
Only time will tell...
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And that's that! (Jesus, that was long.) Anyway, if you read till the end, thanks! 'preaciated! Hoped i could have entertaied you a little. Again, thank to @realizinau for inpriring me to make this little thing and maybe i will do more. But for the mean time...What's the time? Playtime...
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boomblebee-420 · 2 years ago
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Random MHA headcanons
Random MHA headcanons while I procrastinate finishing part 2 of snowflakes
Genre: Fluff, slight angst, crack
Warnings: Mentions of abuse
Characters: Katsuki Bakugou, Izuku Midoriya, Shouto Todoroki, Sero Hanta
A lot of this is me projecting onto characters lol. Also includes some BakuTodo and SeroRoki
IF YOU DON’T LIKE THESE, KEEP SCROLLING
Katsuki Bakugou
-Gay, demisexual
-He/Him
-Secretly loves Twilight 
-Had a doberman, its name was Dynamight 
-Cries when he’s angry
-Has OCD
-Introvert
-Really into chemistry
-Reads a lot
-Extremely touch starved, so he doesn’t really mind when people hang on him (he still acts all pissed off though)
-He and Tokoyami are good friends, they’ll read together in each others dorms 
-Cooks dinner most of the time
-Knows sign language because he’s hard of hearing
-Goes grocery shopping with Todoroki 
-Trans FTM
-Major mommy issues because Mitsuki’s abusive, but still loves her because she was extremely supportive when he came out to her and Masuru
-Goes mountain climbing with his dad and Kirishima 
-Has memorized The Raven by Edgar Alan Poe and uses this to his advantage (its how he and Tokoyami started hanging out)
-Eats really healthy, hates it when Todoroki makes him dinner because it's usually instant noodles, but he still eats it 
-Sucker for cuddles. Loves it when Todoroki lays his head in his lap
-Writes in a journal when he’s upset, but it's pretty much impossible to read because his handwriting deteriorates when he’s worked up
-Has blown up said journal before
-Taught the rest of Class 1A sign language per Aizawa’s request 
-Listens to dad rock but also really likes indie and grunge
-Knows how to play drums (obviously) and the guitar
Izuku Midoriya
-Pansexual
-He/They/She
-Genderfluid
-Keeps all his old notebooks
-Hangs out with Tsuyu and Kirishima a lot
-Keeps a pet fish, her name is Goldeen
-Autistic, hyperfixated on Pokemon for a long time, hence the fish’s name
-Currently hyperfixated on All Might
-Growing out her hair because Ochaco told them that she can braid
-Visits Eri as often as they can, gives her his old hero action figures and pokemon cards
-Extremely tone-deaf
-Listens to pop-punk and emo, Green Day is her favorite artist
-Can’t play any instruments
-Picky on what books she’ll read
-Read The Book Thief over 20 times
 -Ambivert
-Thinks about his dad a lot, and writes letters to him monthly
Shouto Todoroki
-Unlabeled
-He/They
-Loves to dance
-Really likes vines and memes, surprised the entirety of Class A and B when they all had a vine war and he won
-Very protective of the people they care about
-Autistic, but not diagnosed yet because Endeavor refuses to let them get one
-Plays piano
-BUCKET HAT SUPREMACY
-Loves to lay his head in people’s laps, especially Sero’s and Bakugou’s
-Keeps everything their classmates give them
-Like my guy has shelves and boxes full of little gifts from everyone
-Can’t cook for shit but still tries their best
-Daddy issues, as we all know
-Chews on his pens and pencils
-Writes a lot. Mostly just random thoughts but has written several short stories
-Also likes to draw, and is very good at it. They’ve drawn Sero and Bakugou before
-Non-verbal most of the time, was overjoyed when Bakugou taught everyone sign language because it made it so much easier to communicate
-Likes to stick to a schedule 
-Fully believes Tokoyami is related to Hawks in some way
-Loves conspiracy theories and crime shows
-Listens to the Howl’s Moving Castle soundtrack on repeat. It also helps them sleep
-Obsessed with Sero’s piercings 
Sero Hanta
-Non-binary 
-They/He
-Omnisexual
-Autistic, was diagnosed at a really young age
-Has several piercings and stick and pokes
-Let Todoroki tattoo a smiley face on their leg
-Wears a lot of chains
-Beanies for l i f e
-Grew up in lower middle class, and wasn’t always able to buy new clothes so they’re really handy with a needle
-Makes his friends clothes all the time
-Has an older sister, they love her to death
-Flips off Endeavor whenever he turns his back. Hasn’t gotten caught yet, probably never will
-Obsession with pins
-Listens to shoegaze and indie rock
-Has bad vision, wears contacts most of the time
-Dances with Shouto a lot
-Really likes to garden
-Loves frogs
-Likes to dress up as Spiderman and swing around
-Is actually really quiet when their happy and content
-My guy’s a nervous talker
-Comes up with nicknames for his friends. Actual nicknames, not weird shit like Pink Cheeks and Icyhot (Cough Bakugou cough)
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mae-dwrites · 1 year ago
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Taking Flight - Chapter 17 - Arrival
| Master List | Previous | Next |
| Ao3 | Wattpad |
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October 9
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Huang really didn’t expect his sister to summon him to Paris of all places. He expected it to be to trick him into coming to the city to visit Xia and her family, which if he was being honest all of them should have been doing more often. But out of all of them, Xia had chosen the most normal life she could despite everything.
He spent quite a bit of time trying to figure if should he book a flight or take a portal…
Yeah he wasn’t going to waste a few hundred dollars if he could just portal his way to the city. Besides with all the magic that should be circulating through the area the spell would be more than stable. Especially if it’s been harboring it consistently for over a year.
“Are you sure you don't want me to come? My family can watch the kids.”
“If she says not to bring you then I’m not bringing you,” Huang said before facing his wife. “Besides, it's better for the kids to have one of us if they can’t have both.”
Elvira sighed and took Huang’s hands, “I’d rather be there and not be needed than not go and be needed.”
Huang took a hand to smooth the worry lines on her forehead with a small smile, “You may know more, but I am just as capable as you.” Huang kissed her forehead when he was satisfied with the lack of worry lines.
“Now you know well tha-“
“Mom! Alan hit Mira!”
Both of them sighed, Elvira kissed Huang’s cheek, “Think before you jump.”
“I do,” Huang grumbled as Mira’s screams became louder. The couple and their eldest winced at the sound from the hallway. Their son pushed his hands on his ears, as if that would lessen the sound.
“Oh Mira sweetie, Mommy is right here,” Elvira said as she made her way to her crying daughter, leaving Huang and his son.
The boy looked at the portal, his little fists clenched and a pout formed on his round face. He never liked seeing them, it always meant no mom or dad.
“Do you have to go?” The boy asked as his father moved the suitcase next to the portal.
“Ren,” Huang kneeled down, “I understand what it’s like for someone to be coming and going a lot, but I need to go help Āyí Baihu in fixing Āyí Xia’s home. And it can’t be done without my expertises.”
“What’s wrong with Āyí’s home?” Ren looked his father up and down. His pout forever something Huang wanted to preserve to memory, but he knew his memory would loose it one day. And no photo could ever catch it right, no matter how many times Huang had tried.
“I don’t know everything, but there’s this bad guy abusing magic to hurt people,” Huang said carefully. He knew his son wasn’t stupid, but he couldn’t dump it on him.
“How come people use it wrong,” Ren’s pout deeped.
“People are selfish, bad, sometimes a person doesn’t know any better even.”
“Well they should,” Ren crossed his arms. If the situation was his son wanted another bowl of ice cream Huang would have just laughed at the stance. Ren though was upset over something more serious, and something that’s not quite so trivial.
“Some people are just like that, but that’s why Mom and I do what we do. Get rid of people who should know better,” Huang booped his son's nose. “So cool kids like you get to have fun and be safe.”
Ren’s nose had a short flare, the young boy looked down clearly frustrated, “Can’t someone else do it?”
That question was a shot through the heart. Huang asked himself that when Bǎo left, when their mother took him and Baihu to America, he’d had this question run through his mind so many times.
Huang looked back at the portal, he could only leave it open for so long. His lips pressed down in thought, if this was anyone else he would say find someone else. He would tell them he can’t leave his family again, but Baihu was family; Xia and Tom were too, and they had a daughter in a horrible environment seeping with misused magic. He couldn’t leave any of them to struggle like that, and he knows if any of them were in the same position they would choose to help. Even if all Xia wanted was a peaceful, normal life, she would still answer a call.
Huang looked at his son again, “You only trust mommy and I to pick the clothes you would like right?”
Ren looked up confused, he nodded in confirmation to the strange question. Huang smiled, “Well your Āyímen trust just me to help get this problem solved.” Huang fought the urge to bounce his leg as his son mulled over the explanation. Ren looked at his father while he looked like he understood he was convinced that his father shouldn’t go.
“Do you trust anyone to fix it for them?” Ren’s question was an easy one to answer for the man.
“Only your mother,” Huang said with a strained smile. Ren opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by his mother.
“Ren, come watch your sister while I put Alan away!”
Ren took a few steps to do as his mom asked but stopped. Huang had the wind knocked out of him as small arms did their best to wrap around him.
“Come back soon,” Ren spoke, his voice muffled from burying his face into his father’s shoulder.
Huang returned the hug tightly, “I will.” Huang gave a kiss on his son's head before Ren pulled away, the boy ran out of the room, “Bye Bàba!”
Huang sighed, finally lifting himself from the kneel position. He stretched his back with a groan, he wasn’t that old but he never really prioritized self preservation when he was younger.
Huang slid his backpack on and pulled the handle of the suitcase up. He faced the portal, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath before stepping through. He stepped out of the portal dizzy and nauseous, he stumbled out into the room. The portal closed with a prominent “zwimp.”
Huang flopped onto the couch in front of him, a groan came out of him after a moment of silence in the room. As much as portaling nausea was easier to deal with than jet lag it still took some time to let it make its course.
His sweet silence was broken by his phone ringing.
“Hi,” he answered the phone.
“Thank you for actually having a phone,” Bridget’s voice rang through.
“Of course I have a phone,” Huang sat up. “Did you think I got rid of it?”
“Well the last time I saw you, you just handed me a page and told me to contact you with the spell on it.”
Maybe he should have been more specific about the terms of the spell. Did he mention how long he would be without his phone? He might have forgotten.
“Anyway, your magic letter said you’d be in Paris about now sooo, are you here?”
“Yes I’m in Paris,” Huang ran his hand down his face.
“Well where are you?”
“I’ll be there when I get there.” Huang suppressed a groan, he just wanted a moment to himself. A very long moment at that. This city was practically infused with magic, the air around him left him tired. How the city was bustling outside with this weight was beyond him.
“Marinette’s coming home from school for the day in about thirty to forty minutes; if she doesn’t decide to eat out or go to a friend's place. And you can come surprise her,” Bridget let out huff before the sound of shuffling came through.
“She doesn’t know I’m coming?”
“I don’t know if Sabine told her, but if she did I don’t remember telling Xia when you’d be here just that you were coming. So if Marinette does know, she just doesn’t know when,” Bridget explained. Huang frowned, Marinette didn’t really like surprises, at least not very often. Well that’s the impression he got when she was younger, he didn’t really interact with her his last visit.
“Anyway, I think it would be good for you to just come on over. They can afford for Tom to handle the front alone before lunch rush,” Bridget’s voice started to sound a bit giddy.
Huang looked at his backpack and suitcase, it wasn’t a lot. Not really. He could take care of it later.
“Let me get over the portal neasoua and then I’ll be over.”
His sister’s voice could be heard as she made a chain of yeses. Huang smiled, she may be an adult but sometimes it felt like Bridget had never truly grown up. He couldn’t help but think of the time she did the same string of yeses, dancing in a circle, with a pile of dirt and earthworms in her hands.
“I’m gonna go tell Xia.”
It took a moment for Huang to realize that his sister had left her phone. Huang hung up, taking to tossing his phone on the coffee table before him. He leaned back on the sofa, just a few more minutes and he would be on his way
“So there was a meeting on Monday?” Marinette finally asked when they parted the school.
“Yes,” Alya stated, her voice saying the word like it was an absolute.
“And you left a note on my desk to go to it, because you couldn’t,” Marinette spoke each word almost as if each word were a different sentence. Her hands helping by moving them with each syllable.
“God, yes Marinette. You’ve asked me this three times already,” Alya’s frustration made itself more known despite her efforts to keep herself calm. She was used to Marinette’s need to ask for confirmation multiple times even if was a simple yes or no.
“I know, I’m sorry,” Marinette spoke as they made their way to the crosswalk. “The thing is there was never a note on my desk on Monday. No one even told me!”
“Did you check your email?” Alya asked. They made their way across the street, Alya raised her hand in thanks. The driver gave a wave back.
“I always check my email,” Marinette frowned at her. “You watched me check every other minute once.”
“And we didn’t get any of the homework done for at least an hour because of that,” Alya pointed out as they rounded the bakery. The lunch rush was starting, they didn’t want to distract Marinette’s parents.
“You get my point,” Marinette gave a huff as she opened the residents door. “I would have seen if there was anything. I have it set up so I will!”
Marinette moped a bit on the way up the stairs. It was all too frustrating. She should have seen it, she would have seen it! She wasn’t stretched out that much, she was balancing things sufficiently. She only had a few things left over from last week to finish, she get them done before patrol today and tomorrow.
It’s not like she wasn’t trying to keep up. She just had more now. Besides she-
Marinette’s chest blossomed in a sudden warmth that slowly spread, it was slowly followed by a slight chill as she felt a tug. As Alya and her came up the last steps to her family’s apartment a heavy ball formed from the tug. Marinette swollowed as they came to the door, it was just her anxiety. Everything would be fine, her parents were downstairs working, her aunt was probably in a meeting, and Makzenie was most likely beading.
They were fine.
Marinette tested the doorknob to find it already unlocked, Makzenie or Bridget must be up here the teen figured.
“Do you think someone mistook it for trash,” Alya asked as Marinette opened the door.
“Maybe,” Marinette shrugged but stopped at the doorway to see her mother sitting on the couch like she had with Bridget last month. Briget was lounging on the right side, and a man sat between them, his back to the door. The man seemed to tense before turning around to see the two girls, he relaxed and smiled.
“Marinette! I was wondering where you were,” the man got up to round the couch while Bridget sat up.
“Uncle?”
“Wow Marinette, how many family members are you hiding,” joked Alya, she gave a slight nudge to get Marinette going.
“We almost have everyone,” Bridget said as she sorted through some papers on the island. “We just need Bǎo to drop by.”
“Do you really think that would end well,” Huang joked as he opened his arms in an offer to Marinette.
“I’m good,” Marinette said, her voice feeling a bit tight. She had to be asleep, today was just unreal.
Huang nodded, he looked over Marinette. His eyebrows formed confused creases as he seemed to look not really at her. A look Marinette got from Master Fu or the Kwami.
Marinette gave an awkward smile. The heaviness in her chest seemed to fade as she stood in the room, she instead felt just a wave of anxiousness overcome her. Her stomach felt like a hearth aflame as she came to terms with another thing to worry about.
“I don’t remember you having a necklace last time,” Marinette spoke mainly to herself. A deep faded green adder stone wrapped by a leather strap around his neck.
“Oh this was an anniversary gift Elvira got for me, I love these things,” Huang smiled, lifting it closer to Marinette to see before letting it fall back down.
Her uncle turned to Alya and his eyebrows raised slightly, “You’re Alya right? Marinette’s best friend?” His eyes gave a slight squint as he spoke the last two words.
“Yes,” Alya nodded firmly. A serious action but she leaned on her left with a hand on her hip. “What about it?”
“Can you believe it?” Bridget dramatically cried, “She replaced Quel and I so easily, and after everything we did together!” Bridget dropped herself over the back of the couch. Marinette frowned at her aunt unamused as she pretended to cry her woes. Marinette’s rolled at the antics as the sound of papers was put in a bag.
“I hear you were one of the heroes, is that right?”
Marinette looked over at her friend, immediately catching her thin lips and the anxiousness in the shape of her eyes.
“Yeah, I was,” Alya confirmed a beat later than she would if it was about anything else.
“Aw that’s neat,” Huang’s smile looked more forced as he looked over the two girls, fiddling with his stone.
Marinette took Ayla’s hand in her, “Well we have a paper to write! Nice to see you uncle, and Adrien is coming over tomorrow!” Marinette shouted as she brought herself and Alya up the steps to her room.
“Your model boy?” Bridget called to the retreating girls.
“Who’s that?” Huang asked, not seeming to direct it to anyone in particular.
“Why is he coming over,” Sabine asked, having made her way to make her head in view for her daughter.
“School thing. Tell you more at dinner! Love you,” Marinette said before shutting the door. Marinette sighed, letting her body relax. Her hands on the trap door and letting her thigh muscles give out to sit.
Everything really was piling up now, wasn’t it?
The family downstairs was muffled through the door but Alya flopping on the chaise wasn’t missed by the girl. She turned back and looked at her friend face down on the furniture.
“Uh, you okay Alya? I'm sorry about my family, I didn't know my uncle was coming. I’m sorry if they made you uncomfortable, I really-“
“It’s fine,” Alya brought herself up. “Let’s just get to the paper, okay?”
“Of course,” Marinette said hesitatingly. She moved items aside to make room for Alya to do work on the table with her. Marinette pushed her keyboard to make room for herself to have her own packet out and papers out. They went over possible books or folktales to do the term paper on. Marinette and Alya both having their own lists of possible candidates, trying to come to some final decision.
A few times did Marinette notice a sound that shouldn’t have happened and anxiously cast a glance at her friend. Alya, thankfully, seemed to not notice even the nervous bounce of Marinette’s leg. While Alya used her phone to search possible titles, Marinette used her desktop.
Marinette did a quick search through her email to find it lacking an end of week email, which was more than odd. Maybe someone had accidently forgotten to add her to the list of people. No, she was listed as a receiver for the group. So why hadn’t she gotten an email about a meeting on Monday?
Beside Marinette, Alya was lightly tapping her foot back and forth, from heel to ball. When she wasn’t fidgeting with her pen she was tapping her fingers on the papers, none of the tapping giving sound. Her thumb scrolled through the articles about the books she was looking through.
A banner came down, just seeing the app icon she swept it up. It was better to ignore until later, she had homework to get done. But another came down, and another, she kept swiping the banner away, but to no avail the messenger was persistent. After what was possibly the fifteenth time Alya let out a strangled cry of frustration and dropped her phone on the table.
The actions made Marinette jump in her seat; the phone buzzed against the table while Alya ignored it. Face in her hands as she continued to take deep breaths, Marinette eyed the phone and then looked between her friend and the device.
“Alya,” Marinette started hesitantly, “what’s wrong?”
It felt like the wrong question, but to ask if she was okay was stupid! She was unmistakably not okay, what else was she supposed to ask?
“Nothing-ing,” Alya’s voice cracked, filled with nervousness. The phone buzzed again, making Marinette’s eyes shift to it again.
“Alya,” Marinette started again quietly, this time with more concern than hesitance. She placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder, “Something is wrong. Even if you don’t want to talk about it you can’t pretend there isn’t.”
Marinette felt her insides grow warm, a bad warm. Those were words she had come to terms with not too long ago. It felt strange actually saying them for the first time. Thinking words was very different from saying them, and Marinette didn’t think the feeling of finally saying them would ever pass.
The phone buzzed multiple times again. Alya rubbed her eyes with her palms, possibly pushing a little too hard. She picked it up, after a few taps on the screen the vibrations on her had ceased and no banner came down. But she knew that they were still coming through, she’d just have to wait to open them. And the words would hit her again.
The girl still held the object, fiddling with it as she stared at nothing. Contemplating what she should do, or even say.
“Do,” Alya cleared her throat before continuing, “do people come up to you about us?”
Marinette blinked before frowning in confusion but quickly the pieces put themselves together, “Do you mean the hero thing?”
“Yeah,” Alya nodded, playing with the charm on her phone case. “The…hero, thing.”
Marinette shifted in her seat, “What exacting about it?”
“Anything. Do they?”
Marinette sat there for a moment, partially perplexed.
“Well no, but there’s stares.” Marinette frowned. She sighed as she thought back on her date with Luka, it had been amazing, but…but the people around them in the packed spaces. They’d notice Luka but then they’d notice her would start murmuring and stare, and stare, and stare, and-
Marinette eyes shut as she took a deep breath, when she reopened her eyes she found Alya staring at her phone. She was tried. Marinette’s heart ached for her friend as she recognized the exact form her friend was under.
“Do, do people come you?” Marinette leaned so if Alya looked at her she’d be able to see her eyes.
“In person? No,” Alya’s face seemed to sag still staring at her phone, “Online though, there’s hundreds.”
Marinette looked at Alya’s grip on her phone, fingers tense against the case and thumbs pressing hard against the screen. She slowly brought her hands to Alya’s and gently pulled the phone from her friend’s grasp. Alya sat up a bit as she became aware of what was happening, she watched as Marinette set the phone down next to her desktop.
Alya opened her mouth to ask a question but Marinette beat her.
“Want some palmier and we’ll just hang out for a bit?” Marinette smiled at her friend, “Unless you don’t like palmier anymore and you want to go right back to working?”
Alya smiled back, “I would really like that.”
Marinette’s smiled widened, she gave the girl a quick hug before making her way to her trapdoor.
“Marinette,” Alya called causing Marinette to look back up confused, “You’re an amazing friend.”
Marinette smiled at Alya her face flushed from the statement, “Thank you Alya.” Marinette made her way down the stairs.
Alya sighed and relaxed in the chair she sat in, eyes closed. Unaware of all the mini sized gods peaking at her and Marinette with smiles on their faces.
Trixx though, more than anything at the moment, wanted to just hug the blogger. But instead decided to do his own form of tipping some luck her way. He flew below her and rounded behind her floats right next to the top of her head, he felt his fellow Kwami watch closely and anxiously.
Trixx lifted his flipper over the crown of her head, a deep orange with brown strips orb was generated. Only half an inch in diameter and was dull in color, Trixx carefully pushed the orb of energy onto her crown and it dropped down.
The fox Kwami watched as it did as he’d hoped and floated back up to his Guardian’s bed.
Alya felt like a ball dropped from her head to her chest, this heavy sphere became a warmth that soon spread through her body. The last of her tension in her shoulders dropped and she slowly opened her eyes, she rubbed her chest confused but certainly happier.
The air in the room suddenly felt clearer and she enjoyed it.
Not even seconds later was Marinette back enthusiastically with palmier and other treats. While Marinette spoke loudly to Alya making her laugh Trixx smiled.
“I bless you my kit, see through swindle and wield your own guile,” Trixx spoke under the much louder girls below.
Makzenie had not expected the Cheng family to be so big. And as she heard Huang talk about his four kids she couldn’t help if her mouth was open from hearing about his family. Not jaw dropping style, no it had to be something so out of the ball park for her jaw to just drop. But she felt real close to it when they brought they had an older bother named Bǎo.
Mackenzie ripped her bread apart as the expressive family around her spoke loudly. Marinette appeared to be in the same boat as her at the beginning of the meal but had soon joined in as if this were the norm.
Perhaps the older girl was used to situations like this, but then again this was her family.
Huang Cheng was certainly a character of a man, talking about how he escaped a pack of wolves on won of his trips in the Carpathian Mountains in Romania or how he had been suck on a mountain while in Sweden.
Mackzenie was beginning to slowly grow concerned over the youngest Cheng siblings as Bridget brought up her neat death experiences while traveling to different cities in the States for job. (That of which Mackzenie had not figured out.)
As the aware was small not everyone would all eat at the island Tom sat with his food at the counter with Marinette next to him, which Mackzenie sat at the end of the island making it easier to see the two and converse with them. Unlike Mlle. Cheng and Bridget, who had to turn to face the two.
As each person finished their meal they washed their dishes and set them in the dry rack. Mackzenie found herself feeling out of place and a bit awkward, but Marinette was her saving grace.
“I think I’m gonna head to bed now,” the girl spoke getting up. “I school tomorrow and still need to double check my suitcase again.”
“Right of course sweetheart,” Sabine said.
“I, I think I’ll be heading off to bed too,” Mackzenie spoke up.
“Okay, I’ll be down in a bit,” Bridget said sending a reassuring smile to her.
Marinette made her way up the stairs while Mackzenie went to the door.
“Mackzenie actually can I have a gift for you,” Huang spoke up. Mackzenie turned around very confused, she looked to his sisters. They both looked as confused as Mackzenie.
Huang came around the couch searching his pockets and muttering to himself in English.
“Ah, here,” he exclaimed once he had found whatever it was he had been looking for. He held up a necklace, it had a leather cord like his own necklace but what it was wrapped around was different.
“An arrowhead?” Mackzenie looked at the necklace with curiosity. The stone was yellow brown and smooth, it appeared to be polished too.
“Yes, arrowheads while used through history for weapons they were also used as magical charms or amulets; treated as talisman. They commonly represent strength and protection,” the stone piece spun and swung. “I made this one out of jasper. Supposed to be a calming stone,” Huang gave a shrug, “I personally believe items represent what we want them to.”
Huang held out the arrowhead necklace with a kind smile, “I made my sisters and Marinettte all jasper arrowheads, I thought it ought to be right to make you one too. Perhaps next time I can make you a quartz one.”
Mackzenie stood there for a moment before stammering, “Thank you. I, this is for me?”
Huang nodded, this made Mackzenie look back at the necklace for a moment, “You’re sure?”
“Yes, I believe I am,” Huang stated not pulling away. He simply stayed still. Mackzenie finally gabbed the necklace and looked it over, feeling the smoothness of the stone material. She smiled at it not seeing Huang beaming or his siblings behind him.
“Thank you,” she said again.
“Of course,” he nodded. “Well, I should be off now. It is going to be a bit late by the time I get to where I am staying.”
Huang left after saying goodbye to everyone and Mackzenie made her way to her room. True to her word Bridget came down and she heard her lock the door. The young girl had the cord around her neck while inspecting the piece before her. She thought back to what Huang had said, but what came to her mind was how his eyes looked amber for a moment before returning to the gray-blue all the Chengs had.
She sighed shaking the thought away and taking the necklace off setting it on the nightstand. She just needed some sleep, she thought before eventually falling asleep.
Ladybug stared at the window across the street, the gentle breeze passing through made her hair tickle her face. The young hero took a deep breath; Master Fu’s words echoed in her ears.
Pick an ally you can trust to fight alongside you in this mission.
Ladybug raised her chin before throwing her yo-yo and hung in front of the window. Kagami sat at a desk on a desktop peacefully working, her back to the window of her room.
Ladybug knocked on the window causing Kagami to jump and spin holding a pair of scissors, ready to defend herself. Ladybug gave an apologetic smile while Kagami’s body relaxed. She set aside the tool and let the heroine into her room.
“Ladybug,” Kagami nodded, welcoming the hero. “While I am pleased you are not an Akuma or a criminal I ask what are you doing here?” Kagami looked over at Ladybug, taking her in hidden curiosity.
Ladybug straightened and opened her yo-yo pulling out a black box, the same box Kagami had seen just weeks prior. Her eyes widened on their own accord as she realized what was happening.
“Kagami Tsurgi, here is the Miraculous of the Turtle, it grants the power of protection. You may use it for the greater good, once the time comes you will return the Miraculous to me,” Ladybug watched Kagami look as though the wind was knocked out of her. Ladybug held back a smile as she spoke the last line, “Can I trust you?”
At that Kagami looked back up at Ladybug and cooled features. Kagami raised herself in pride and nodded, “Yes, Ladybug.”
Ladybug let the smile envelop her face as her friend took the box and opened revealing Wayzz. The two bowed their heads in greeting; Kagami put on the now red bracelet with her family engraving instead of the usual shell pattern. Both of them faced Ladybug as Kagami asked, “Is there an Akuma now? Or are you expecting one?”
“No, and yes but no,” Ladybug let a soft sigh through her nose, “Myself and Chat Noir will be gone around the same time. If there is an Akuma will be back to Paris as quickly as we can, and for the time being, I thought it would be wise to have another holder out until we’re back.”
Kagami nodded taking in the information before looking back at Ladybug after letting her eyes stray, “Is there anything else I need to know or should be doing during your time away?”
Ladybug could spin around the room with pure joy. Kagami always to the point and on topic.
Ladybug nodded, “Not required but patrols if you feel the need to.”
“Then it will be done,” Kagami promised her chin raised, a look of determination on her face.
Ladybug smiled, “Thank you Kagami.” Ladybug threw her yo-yo out the window and gave a salute, “Bug out.”
Kagami made her way to the window to close it, she paused looking as Ladybug was still visible to her. Kagami bowed at the now heavily distant hero, “Thank you Ladybug.”
Kagami closed her window and turned to the turtle Kwami; she gave the chibi-like being a questioning face, “From what I gather as you give power to the holder you need substance. What exactly is it you require?”
“Anything is technically suitable, but I do have a preference for seaweed,” Wayzz answered with a smile.
“Then I shall have seaweed on hand till our time together has ended,” Kagami assured him.
Wayzz’s smile softened as Kagami did not wait for a response and went back to work. It had been quite a deal of time since he had a turtle such as her.
-
I'm alive <3
Hope you enjoyed!
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greywake · 2 years ago
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Assignment Prompts #2
Okay, so...the second prompt was "Unexpected Death". A totally different kind of beast from the first one. Pretty predictable, but I've set this scene at Lucille's wake. Gonna put in a cut here so that people don't have to read more than they want to.
Jeff sighed and closed the door to the room his youngest two shared, struggling to hold back his tears.
Gordon, at the age of nine, had a general understanding of what death meant, but little Alan…all the four-year-old could grasp was that mommy had gone away.
He dragged his feet as he returned downstairs to those attending the wake. There was some comfort to the stories being shared of how his beautiful Lucille had touched people's lives. How she had been kind and loving, how she had gone out of her way to help…
He took a breath and went to check on his older boys, all still dressed in their funeral clothes. Scott glanced up as he entered the room and nodded reassurance that they were okay. Well, as okay as they could be.
Returning to the "grown-up's room", Jeff found a glass of whiskey being pushed into his hand by his old friend and colleague Lee. He nodded his thanks but couldn't bring himself to take a sip.
He knew he was running on autopilot but just couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. How the avalanche had taken his boys' mother, his beloved wife. How there hadn't been any equipment available to start digging her out. How maybe she'd still be here if there had been…
He took another breath and ran his hands through his hair. Someone in the room laughed. Amusement tinged by sadness.
He wanted to be angry. How dare anyone find something funny when Lucy was gone! But it had been in response to one of her favourite stories. One that always made her smile.
He managed to excuse himself and head outside without running. He needed air. He needed space.
He needed his Lucy.
"Jeff?" He nearly jumped out of his skin when Lee put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I got you, man."
He found himself pulled into a fierce hug and for a brief moment he wanted to fight free, to not show weakness. But it wasn't weakness. It was missing his other half, his confidant and best friend, his partner, his wife.
"Why?" The question was torn out of him and he crumpled onto Lee's shoulder.
Lee just held him tight and let him sob into his shirt.
"Why didn’t they get there in time? Why didn’t they have the equipment to save her?”
Lee said nothing. They both knew the answer after all.
Money.
It always came down to money. Or the lack thereof. And it being in the control of someone who was willing to do what was necessary to save as many lives as possible.
Money and the will.
Money and…
It was a lightbulb moment. He had money. Tracy Industries had made him more money than he knew what to do with.
Lee pushed him back when he felt Jeff stiffen and studied him closely, “I know that look, Jeff. What crazy idea’ve you come up with now?”
Jeff blinked and smiled slightly, the first that had come to his face in the last twelve days, he would make this idea happen. It would be a love letter to his Lucy and a gift to the world on her behalf. But what would he call it? His darling girl had always teased him that he was a “go big or go home” kinda guy…
Got it.
“International Rescue.” He looked Lee dead in the eye. “I’m starting International Rescue and you’re going to help me.”
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rookie-ramsey · 4 years ago
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Eclipse, Chapter 3 (Ethan x MC)
Description: Five years after the birth of their unexpected twins, Ethan and Olivia are expecting their third child. Even if they planned the pregnancy this time around, they learn that not everything goes as planned.
Preview: “We know now that she’ll definitely need heart surgery. She has what’s called an atrioventricular septal defect. She’ll be okay for a couple of months, but then she’ll have symptoms of heart failure. The good news is that the surgery has a very high success rate,” Ethan explained.
Alan nodded softly. “Well, you know that whatever you need, I’m there. I’ll watch Zoey and Jonah anytime you need to be with the baby.”
Previous Chapter
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At the end of the month, they left Boston for a trip to Alan’s house.
When Ethan pulled into the driveway, Zoey and Jonah clambered out of the backseat and rushed to the front door. Alan answered moments later and knelt down to hug his grandchildren.
“It’s about time you got here!”
They hugged him tightly. Jonah smiled widely. “What are you making for dinner?”
Alan chuckled. “I’m glad you asked. I’m making spaghetti and I need some taste testers for the sauce. I just don’t know who to ask.”
“We’ll do it!” Zoey volunteered.
“Sounds like I found the right people.” Alan ruffled their hair and stood up. The twins raced each other into the kitchen and Ethan and Olivia followed Alan inside.
“Something smells good,” Olivia noted.
Alan grinned. “It better! It was one of the first recipes Ethan learned how to make. His results back then weren’t nearly as good as they are now, but he learned fast.”
“Too bad that doesn’t apply to pancakes,” Olivia teased.
“Or dessert!” Jonah chimed in.
“He never did learn how to bake, did he?” Alan agreed,
“Nope. He always messes it up,” Zoey added.
Ethan rolled his eyes. “We’ve been here a minute and I’m already the topic of discussion?”
“Always.” Olivia squeezed his arm. A few minutes later, dinner was ready and everyone took a seat at the table.
“Jonah, Zoey, how’s kindergarten?” Alan addressed his grandkids.
Jonah smiled sheepishly, with the hints of pride in his eyes. “I got put in time-out today cause I woke someone up at naptime.”
Alan chuckled. “Has your daddy ever told you about his kindergarten time-outs? He had a few, if I remember correctly.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Alan confirmed. “One time he stole chocolate out of the teacher’s desk drawer. He even had an elaborate plan to get her to leave her desk.”
Olivia snickered, entertained. “That’s painfully adorable. How did he get caught?”
Ethan rolled his eyes, but his lips curled into an amused smile. “I wasted time trying to choose between the Hershey bar and the Snickers. When she turned around, I tried to get back to my seat but she caught me with a candy bar in each hand.”
“Such a shame. You could have gotten away with it.”
Ethan smirked. “Who says I didn’t? For all you know, I spent my time-out eating chocolate every time she turned her back to me. The plan wasn’t a complete failure.”
“Just when I thought the story couldn’t get cuter.” Olivia and the twins laughed out loud and resumed eating.
After dinner, they gathered in the living room. Alan gave the kids a photo album to look through, something they always wanted to do when they visited.
When they found the picture of Ethan as a child, his lips locked with the plush mouth of his teddy bear, Zoey giggled and held it up. “This one’s my favorite!”
Ethan cringed. “You remind me of that every time we’re here.”
Olivia grinned. “It’s a pretty fascinating picture. Little Ethan making out with a stuffed animal is pretty fascinating.”
“CPR.”
“Nuh uh, Daddy.” Zoey shook her head, tucking the picture back into the album. She and her twin continued flipping through the pages, amused with the pictures as if they didn’t look at the album every time they visited Alan’s house.
Jonah found Ethan’s basketball picture from middle school. “Daddy looks like a giant.”
Alan laughed. “He was the tallest kid in his class until his senior year of high school. Then he met someone taller than him and refused to learn the kid’s name.”
“How petty of him.” Olivia giggled. “I’m pretty sure these two are going to be skyscrapers, too.”
Once they’d looked through another album, Jonah and Zoey left the room to play in Ethan’s old bedroom, which now served as a room for them to stay in if they spent the night.
“We had another appointment yesterday to check on the baby,” Olivia announced.
“How did that go?” Alan asked curiously.
“We know now that she’ll definitely need heart surgery. She has what’s called an atrioventricular septal defect. She’ll be okay for a couple of months, but then she’ll have symptoms of heart failure. The good news is that the surgery has a very high success rate,” Ethan explained.
Alan nodded softly. “Well, you know that whatever you need, I’m there. I’ll watch Zoey and Jonah anytime you need to be with the baby.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
They stayed until the kids emerged from the bedroom, both visibly sleepy. Jonah tried to contain a yawn as he leaned against Ethan’s knee.
“Can we spend the night?”
Ethan shook his head and ruffled his son’s hair. “Not on a school night.”
“School is closed tomorrow!” Zoey tried.
“Nice try.”
Olivia stood up. “I think it’s time to start going home.”
The kids sighed but gave in and hugged Alan goodbye before they followed their parents to the car. Despite their insistence that they weren’t tired, they were both sound asleep before they’d made it out of Providence.
XXXXXX
Even though they spent most of their after-school time in the daycare for staff children, Zoey and Jonah knew the halls of Edenbrook just as well, if not better, than the employees.
When they  saw Bryce checking his schedule at the front desk, they rushed to the desk. “Uncle Bryce!”
Bryce grinned. “Hey, Double Trouble.”
Jonah pointed at the schedule on the wall. “Are you gonna cut anyone open today?”
“Two. I’m doing a kidney transplant. I cut the first guy open, take out his kidney, and then put it inside his brother.”
Zoey’s eyes widened. “Cool!”
Bryce laughed. “Sure is. What kind of trouble do you two have planned?”
Jonah glanced around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. “We’re gonna watch TV in the lounge. Don’t tell anybody.”
“Your secret’s safe with me,” Bryce assured them. Satisfied, the kids waved at him before they left, sneaking in the direction of the lounge.
They poked their heads inside to make sure nobody was inside. Then they dashed into the lounge and started perusing the available snack options. Once they’d picked out something to eat, they sat on the plush couch as if they belonged there.
They’d only been in the lounge a few minutes when the door opened and a confused-looking handful of interns stuck their heads in the room. One of them sighed and shook his head.
“Nope. This is the lounge.”
Curious, Jonah stopped clicking through the channels on the television.  “What are you looking for?”
“Uh… Dr. Ramsey’s office?”
“Which Dr. Ramsey?”
The intern’s eyes widened. “There’s more than one?”
Zoey hopped off the couch and grinned. “Yup! Our mommy and daddy. But Mommy usually goes by her old last name so people don’t get confused.”
“Uh… this folder says E. Ramsey.”
“That’s Daddy,” Jonah confirmed. He finished his cookie and pointed at the door. “We’ll show you.”
Looking simultaneously grateful and awkward to be accepting directions from five-year-olds, the intern looked back at the little group and nodded. “Thanks? We just transferred from another hospital, so we don’t know where anything is.”
“C’mon.”
Zoey and Jonah led the interns through the halls, knowing the way to the diagnostics office by heart. When they reached it, Zoey pushed the door open. “There!”
Ethan looked up from his charts and arched a brow. “What are you two doing, and why do you have interns following you?”
“We’re helping them!” Jonah explained.
“I mean, why aren’t you-” Ethan stopped, dropping the subject. The twins managed to escape daycare regularly enough that he knew better than to interrogate, so he motioned for the puzzled interns to step inside.
Curious, Zoey and Jonah lingered in the doorway to watch. When they heard a voice behind them, they turned around and smiled. “Naveen!”
Naveen grinned. “I think I need to put you two on the payroll.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “Don’t encourage them.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they get where they’re supposed to be.”
“I presume you’ll be taking them on a detour.”
Naveen chuckled. “Would I do that?” With a wink, he ushered the kids out of the office. “I’ll tell you what. I think we need to go check out the new ice cream machine in the cafeteria.”
Tags, part 1
@princess-geek / @lapisreviewsstuff / @silverlitskies / @paulfwesley / @dr-brianna-casey-valentine / @junehiratas / @choicesstanblog / @trappedinfandoms / @justanotherrookie / @bellcat2010 / @desmaranj / @lion-ess24 / @nooruleman / @caseyvalentineramsey / @xee-na / @edith-eggs1 / @oofchoices / @schnitzelbutterfingers​ / @tefigranger​ / @jlynn12273​ / @laceandlula / @crazy-loca-blog / @somegdchoices / @briefdreamlanddream / @forthebrokenheartedthings​ / @lilyvalentine​ / @parkerattano​ / @drramseysownsme​ / @misswhit12​ / @drethanfreakingramsey​ / @juneiswriting​ / @macy-ray85​ / @swimmingauthordreamerbonk​ / @myusualnerdyself​ / @siaramsey​ / @takemyopenheart​ / @queencarb​
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I Loved Him... Once - CH 2
Title: I Loved Him… Once
Author: jiminthestreets-bonesinthesheets
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairing: Heid (Aaron Hotchner x Spencer Reid)
Rating: This ones General but eventually as the series goes it will be Explicit
Tags: canon typical violence and gore, eventual smut as the series goes, angst, fluff, pining., its gunna be a slow burn guys.
Summary: A series following the team as they solve crimes and take down the bad guys.
     In Part one of this series, we follow the team as they take down a serial killer that has taken a piece of one of their own. And through it all, Spencer and Hotch come to a few conclusions and realizations of their own.
AO3 Link
Masterlist
*** My works are not to be posted on any sites without my permission! But comments and reblogs are love! <3 Please and thanks!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter two
     "Mommy, Mommy! Are you watching me?!"
     "I see you, Honey! That's very good!"
     "Watch again!"
     JJ smiled as she sat in the folding lawn chair, the legs slowly sinking down into the soft sand, a smile gracing her face as she watched her son swimming in the lake. A hand came from her side to rest over hers on the arm of her chair, entwining their fingers together, and she turned to smile over at her husband. 
     "I can't believe we've actually had five full vacation days without an emergency call in."
     "Me neither," Will smiled back as he brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss it, "it's nice to have some family time, no work, no cases, just you, me, and Henry."
     She hummed her agreement, then added, "We'll have to send your Aunt some flowers when we get back, thank her for letting us use the trailer this week."
     "Yeah, she'll like that."
     They sat in comfortable silence, watching Henry splash around, blissfully happy to just be together and free of the burdens of their heavy jobs. 
     The sun was starting to set, the air around them beginning to chill, so JJ turned over and pressed a quick kiss to Will's lips before standing and calling out, "Henry, come on out now!"
     "Ok!" 
     He ran out of the water towards his mom who was waiting to wrap him up tight in his favourite Captain America towel. She lifted him and held him close, pecking his cold wet cheek with a smack making him giggle. "What do you say we change into our pjs while Daddy starts a fire, and then we make smores!"
     "Yeah!" The boy shouted, throwing his arms in the air. 
     JJ laughed as he just missed smacking her in the face, and Will joined them after packing up the chairs and Henry's water Toys. He walked with his hand on the small of JJ's back as they headed back to the trailer, Henry extremely excited about smores. 
~~~~~~~~~~~
     Day six of Spencer's lecture series and he had finally made it to the lecture he was most anticipating. ��Synthetic Metals: A Novel Role For Organic Polymers’ presented by Dr. Alan G. MacDiarmid, and he honestly hadn't known himself to ever be more excited then he was right now. 
     He arrived at the venue early, was the first person in line to enter the auditorium, and found himself a seat front and center. It wasn't long before the doctor was standing at the podium, instantly diving deep into the bones of the lecture, and Spencer couldn't believe he was finally here. Dr. MacDiarmid was enthralling. He captivated the attention of everyone in the auditorium, including spencer. And even though the topic of the lecture was something Spencer had been very interested in learning more about, and nothing against the amazing Dr. Macdiarmid, but about halfway through the lecture Spencer found his mind beginning to wander to other things.
     It was about the thirty minute mark of the lecture, and the doctor was talking about what he and his team had been working on over the past few years regarding the emerging potential technological applications of synthetic metals, beginning with the topic of spun polyaniline fibers and their applications to the future of nanotechnologies, when Spencer really found his concentration moving on to other things. Suddenly he was brought back to his brief conversation with Aaron in the bullpen before he left. His eidetic memory replaying the entire scene perfectly, right down to every twitch and shift in Aaron’s face, and every slight change in his demeanor while they spoke. Even the falter in his words before wishing him a good night before leaving the bureau. It wasn't like his steadfast boss to hesitate like that, his words and movements were always so sure, so he couldn't help it if he wondered if there was maybe something more behind the awkward exchange between him and Aaron.
     And in relation to those thoughts, he was also reminded of his conversations with Emily and Derek earlier that night. Were they right? Was he too uptight? Should he take their advice and have some fun for once, relax? Let his brain shut off and as Derek had so gracefully put it, take advantage of their time off to enjoy ‘a little sand, a little sun, and a whole lotta’ fun’? Maybe it would be good for him to spend a day doing something that didn't involve endlessly shoving knowledge down his throat, just doing nothing. And on that note he wondered if maybe… maybe Aaron would like to spend a day doing nothing with him…
     Suddenly, in an instant Spencer was on his feet, standing stock still in the middle of the auditorium. Dr. MacDiarmid stopped mid-sentence, staring at Spencer with concern along with the rest of the guests in their seats. When he didn't move or make a sound for a good few minutes, the doctor slowly moved from behind the podium to approach Spencer with caution asking, “Sir, are you alright? Do you need anything?”
     Spencer turned towards the doctor but didn't look at him. His eyes remained fixed on the floor in front of him, almost as if they were searching for the answer to his unasked question. His brows furrowed as his brain continued rapidly searching through every memory of him and Aaron, every encounter, every conversation, every look between them, and suddenly… he was pretty sure he had found his answer. A moment of pure enlightenment.
     “Son…” The doctor took a few more steps closer, placing a gentle hand on Spencer's shoulder, “Son, are you alright?”
     “I…” He finally looked up from the ground, his thoughtful expression turning to one of elation, of contentment, a smile slowly creeping across his face as he answered, “I have to go.”
     “I… Son?” The doctor called after him, but Spencer was already gone. He slung his book bag over his shoulder as he took the stairs out of the auditorium three at a time and burst out the doors. 
~~~~~~~~~~~
     Aaron was just about at the end of his patience. He had spent the first two days of his vacation on the phone with Haley fighting to get time with Jack while he was off, and now on day two he was at the point of practically begging. 
     “Haley, please. I have fourteen days off but who knows how many days I'll actually get before I have to go back for a case,” he sighed into the phone, running a heavy hand down his face as he plopped down on the couch, “all I’m asking for is a few days with my son. You have him full time while I'm working, the least you could do is give me a few days.”
     “He's supposed to be spending the weekend with my parents, Aaron,” she sniped back at him, not a care to the fact that Aaron hadn't seen Jack in over a month.
     “He sees your parents all the time, he saw them two weeks ago. You can reschedule the visit with your parents for any time, but I never know how much time I have before getting called away. I would appreciate a few days here and there when I ask for it, without having to go through this every time.”
     Silence fell over their call for a moment before he heard Haley sigh and knew he had won his case. “Fine,” she huffed, clearly annoyed, “I'll drop him off in an hour, call me in a few days when you want me to come get him.”
     “Thank-you, I'll be ready for him.”
     Without a good-bye or even another word, she hung up the phone. 
~~~~~~~~~~~
     Not two hours later there was a light knock at his door and Aaron jumped off the couch, running to open it.
     “Daddy!” 
     “Hey, buddy!” 
     Jack ran through the door and jumped into Aaron’s arms, sinking his entire body into hugging his dad as tightly as he could. And Aaron gave as good as he got, squishing his son with a smile. 
     Haley walked in behind Jack, watching them, then making eye contact with Aaron over Jack's shoulder. “Call me when he's ready to come home.”
     Aaron nodded, then gave Jack a pat on the back before lowering him to the floor and saying, “Go say bye to Mommy, Jack.”
     He ran over to capture Haley in much the same way as he had hugged Aaron, whispered a goodbye and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Good-bye, my sweet boy, have fun with your Daddy, call me every night before bed, okay.”
     “Okay, Mommy.”
     “Alright,” she said, placing one last kiss to the top of his head before standing and heading for the door, “I'll see you in a few days.”
     She closed the door behind her and Jack immediately ran back over to hug Aaron, who willingly lifted him in his arms again. “I missed you, Daddy.”
     “I missed you too, buddy, I always miss you when you're not here.”
     “I know.”
     Hotch chuckled, then walked Jack over to the kitchen table and placed him in a chair before sitting across from him. He pushed the plate of snacks he’d put together before Jack got there, grabbing one of the small sandwiches for himself, before asking, “So, Jack, what do you want to do while you're here?”
     He made a show of thinking about it while he picked at the sandwich he had taken from the plate, then answered, “Can we go to the park?”
     “Of course, whatever you want.”
     Jack nodded, taking a bite then said, “I was supposed to go to grandma and grandpas house this weekend.”
     “I know, I'm sorry you couldn't visit them, buddy. I just don't know how much time off work I’ll have, or when I will be able to see you next.”
     “It's okay, I'm glad I didn't have to go.”
     Hotch couldn't help but smile a bit, “Why's that?”
     Jack shrugged, “They never take me to the park. They just tell me to play in the backyard, but that's no fun, there's no slides in the backyard.”
     He laughed, Jack was never one to hide his feelings and he loved that about his son. “Well, I promise I will take you to the park everyday while you're here with me, and you can go down the slide as much as you want.” Jack smiled at that, clearly pleased. “Is there anything else you want to do?”
     He made his adorable little thinking face again, but this time came up with nothing. Obviously trips to the park was the only expectation Jack had for this visit with his dad. So Aaron made a suggestion, “How about we go to the movies tonight? And we can get take out for dinner.”
     “Can it be McDonalds?!” 
     He was so excited he nearly jumped over the table, his mom never let him have McDonalds. “Sure, why don't you go get a sweater and we’ll head out now.”
     “Yay!” 
     It took Jack all of two minutes to run to his room, grab a sweater from the closet, and was ready and waiting at the door before Aaron had even grabbed his shoes.
~~~~~~~~~~~
     Four days, he had gotten four full days off with Jack without any interruption and it was great. Jack was all smiles, loving every minute of being with Aaron and he was much the same, enjoying every second he could get with his son. They did go to the movies their first night together, and got McDonalds for dinner as promised. Aaron knew Haley never let Jack have things like fast food, pop, or candy, so he always made sure Jack got his fill when he stayed with him. 
     Over their time together, Aaron had also taken him to the local science center, where Jack was all too happy to learn about space in the astronomy section. They also visited the aquarium, Jack's favourites were the sharks and Aaron had to admit they were pretty awesome, the art gallery, and not to mention daily visits to the local park by Aaron’s apartment. Which is where they found themselves now on their fourth day together, walking across the soccer field to get to the large playground. 
     Jack wiggled excitedly in Aaron’s arms as he walked them over, scanning the playground and desperately trying to get free when he saw his friend on the swings. “Daddy, Markus is here!”
     Aaron put him on the ground and Jack was speeding off in an instant. “Stay where I can see you!”
     He didn't answer before making it over to sit on the swing beside Markus, but Aaron wasn't worried, Jack knew well enough to stay exactly where his dad could keep a close eye on him. And seeing as how Jack was having a good time playing with his friends, Aaron found himself a bench close by and sat to watch. He waved to a few of the other parents sitting and doing the same as him, but was perfectly happy to just sit by himself and enjoy the peace and quiet while Jack played happily.
~~~~~~~~~~~
     It was getting late, they still had dinner to make and the promise of a movie in their pj’s on the couch. He wondered if Spencer might like to join them. Wondered if maybe he should take Rossi's advice and call him, see if dinner and a movie with him and Jack was something Spencer might like to do with them. And after a few minutes of thinking about it, imagining the three of them on the couch together, tucked under the blankets with Spencer in a pair of borrowed pjs from Aaron, he decided he was going to call. When he got back home with Jack, before they ate he would do it, he would take the leap and make the call to Spencer.
     The other parents were starting to round up their kids as well, and Aaron was just about to call Jack over to start heading home, when his phone rang in his pocket. 
     He pulled it out with the all too familiar pang in his heart that came everytime he was in this position. On vacation, with Jack, and his phone rang. And everytime he has this moment where he thinks to himself maybe it's fine, maybe it's not work, but everytime he is always thoroughly disappointed. This time is no exception.
     He sighed, looking at the caller ID on his screen before answering, “Hotchner.”
     “Aaron, I need you and your team to come in.”
     “Erin, we’re supposed to be on a two week mandatory holiday,” he tried his best not to convey his anger through the phone, but he was sure he did not succeed. His team deserved this, needed this, and now he was going to have to break the bad news and ruin everything they had planned. 
     “I am aware of that, Agent Hotchner,” her no nonsense tone coming through, “but the other teams are all out in the field, and the California Police Department needs help now. You're all I've got, I have no other choice.”
     “Can’t one of the other teams finish up their current case, or split up their team to at least start working the case in California?”
     “I need you in the field, Aaron,” she was putting her foot down now and Aaron knew that was it, there was no fight here, “when can you get everyone back?”
     He waited a beat to answer, allowing himself a second to absorb the guilt he was feeling, then answered, “We have a few members of the team out of the country right now, I can probably get everyone back and in the office tomorrow afternoon if I start making calls and arranging flights now, evening at the latest, and we will leave for California right away.”
     “Great, I will see you all tomorrow.”
     And with that she hung up, not even giving Aaron the chance to say anything more that might refute her orders. And god, he wished he could. He wished with everything he had that he could tell her no, that he could let his team have the vacations they deserved. The time to relax, to spend with friends, with family, doing what they wanted for their full allotted two weeks. But he knew deep down he couldn't, and he also knew that despite how angry he knew his team would be, they would never blame him for their vacations being cut short. They would always drop everything they were doing, no matter how much it hurt them to do so, because there were always people out there who needed their help, and they would always be there to help them. That's one of the reasons they were the best team the Bureau had, and one of the reasons he was endlessly proud of them.
     With one last hard sigh he ran a hand down his face and called Jack over. He scooped him up and started making his way back to the car, strapping Jack in with the promise of still watching a movie of Jack's choice together after dinner. 
     After they ate and Aaron explained to Jack that he would have to go back to his moms the next morning, he settled Jack on the couch with popcorn and some blankets to scroll through their movie selection. 
     “Alright, you find a good movie for us to watch, and I'll be right back. Daddy just has to make some calls for work tomorrow.”
     “Okay, I'll find a good one.”
     Aaron nodded, but turned back to Jack with a last minute thought on his mind. “I'm sorry we have to cut the visit short, Jack, but I have to go in to work tomorrow, people need my help, you understand that right?”
     Jack nodded, eyes fixed on the tv while he answered, “It's okay, Daddy, I know you have to catch the bad guy. I can come back when you're done work and we can watch more movies.”
     Aaron smiled, so proud of his kid. “You sure can, buddy. Now you pick something good and I'll be right back.”
     He ducked into the kitchen holding his phone in his hand and just staring down at it for a moment. He took a second to compose himself back into boss mode, then dialed the number that had already been pulled up, wishing with all his might that this was not the call he was having to make to Spencer right now.
~~~~~~~~~~~
     Spencer burst through the door to his apartment like a man on fire. He tossed his shoulder bag aside, pulled out his phone, and looked at the time. It was a little after five, Aaron was probably at home right now, maybe eating dinner or watching tv, and more then likely with jack. So, it was now or never. One brief moment of bravery was all he needed, he could do this. He faced criminal masterminds every day, he could gather up the courage to send one text to Aaron asking him to have dinner… maybe.
     He quickly typed up a message, kind of a mess of his thoughts all forced out in one big push. But thankfully he read it before sending it, ‘Hi, I was just wondering how your vacation is going? I hope it's going well. I'm assuming you have some time with Jack these two weeks, maybe you'd both like to join me for a walk in the park, or even dinner and a movie night? I was thinking we could have some fun together since I believe we are the only two remaining in town.” 
     His thumb hovered over the send button, but he stopped himself, erased it and tried again. ‘Hello, Aaron. I hope your vacation is going well. Mine has been adequate so far. But before our departure from the BAU, Emily and Derek informed me that I could use some fun in my life. I hadn't been aware that I was lacking in the area, but perhaps you would like to join me for some fun before we return to work?’
     Again he erased it before he could bring himself to send the message, and he tried three more times after that, each one a failed attempt at asking Aaron out. And that's what he realized he was doing here, he was asking his boss on a date. It wasn't exactly something that Spencer had ever done before, always being the awkward, quiet guy who was far too shy to ever make the first move, but he found himself this time saying why not? Why not take the first leap? But every message he typed out sounded wrong, or awkward, or too formal, or not formal enough. 
     He stopped himself then, taking a deep calming breath before closing the text window and pulling up Aaron's phone number. Maybe it would be better to just call him, that way he couldn't overthink this as much as he was right now. He'd be forced to just jump right in.
     “Yeah, let's just call him. That's… that's the best option, right.” 
     He nodded to himself, psyched himself up a little bit, and was about to press the call button when his phone started ringing in his hands. The caller ID coming up as none other than Aaron Hotchner, the very man he was just about to call. His heart gave a little flutter at the idea that Aaron was calling him, maybe even for the same reason he was going to be calling him for. Maybe Aaron wanted this as much as he did, and he just hadn't seen it. The thought sent a jolt of electricity through him as he answered.
     “Hotch, hey, I was just about to call you-”
     “I'm sorry, Reid,” he stopped him short, “but whatever it was you had planned this week, is there any way you can cancel or rearrange? We need everyone back in the office no later than tomorrow evening.”
     “I…” He sighed, trying not to let his disappointment flow through the call. So he cleared his throat and tried to answer professionally. “Yeah, yeah, sure I can be there.”
     “Good, can you meet us at the office tomorrow evening, everyone should be back by then?”
     “Absolutely.”
     “Thanks, Reid, and I'm sorry to have to cut your vacation short.”
     “No problem, I will see you tomorrow.” They both hung up and it took all of Spencer's strength not to slam his phone down on the counter. “It's not like I had any fun plans anyways.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Next chapter we will be getting into more of the case and more Spencer and Hotch moments XD
Let me know what y’all think <3
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whatisgoingonpaul · 4 years ago
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Charecter “study” p2
I didn’t exactly focus on these guys but these are just little things I noticed. I didn’t study them as theyAren’t going to be the focus of my Fic and they have the luck of being main charecters (yes. The literal title of the film charecters take a backseat the whole time)
Star-
- when she catches Micheal staring at her she shows two emotions : confusion and then confidence she gives a smirk. David mentions having her lure in the comic, she’s the lure. Micheal is just another meal, just another toy a nobody. However he’s different from how David mentioned him. She makes sure he follows and sees the boys. That’s the plan.
- she treats Micheal like nothing as he’s probably just another snack for the boys and she shouldn’t get attached to food. Well technically he’s going to be one of them. She saw how quick he got the jacket and the earring after just seeing them, he’s going to be them. However she quickly sees he is different and goes all nuts for him, instantly poors her hopes out onto him. He is a escape.
- says I can’t tell you, sex time. Smh sis...
- I don’t think she wanted the boys dead, as much as I joke about it. She just wants a escape, she saw Micheal as that way out more for laddie then for her, she kinda enjoys it. She knows David isn’t the lead as he’s hiding the sire. She didn’t expect them to kill the boys she just knew they’d be coming. She doesn’t know why. She doesn’t know Marko is dead
Sam-
-“Lose the earring Micheal” he says... while having a earring
- he is the most openly gay you can get without outright saying it and tossing sparkles he doesn’t really try to hide it he just doesn’t say it or make it his complete personality. Hes 16 gods sake.
- he will say he hates something and then immediately become obessed with it.
- 100% a mommy’s boy.
-he’s handling the divorce better then Micheal. (Who was planning on dropping out)
-very convincing liar
- will ramble.
- afraid of to many things
Edgar-
- if trust issues was a person.
- Rambo is god, Chuck Norris is Jesus
- literally watching to many movies as a kid.
- purposefully makes his voice rough and deep like his hero’s his whole life. Only person to hear his actual voice is his brother and it’s when he’s having a nightmare or unraveling in the face of the enemy(this one is a headcannon)
- takes life extremely serious. Like he is the star of a action movie
- literally everything he does is a act plaid up for show. As he is very scared for a lot of things (including commitment but that’s a sequel thing) will scream and cling, however he does his best to just. Not.
Alan-
- a year older.
- also a mommy’s boy... when she’s awake that is.
- the responsible one, more business wise
-belive it or not the stronger one; will chase down a theif for miles if he has two, good punch to (IE: surf Nazis taking the comics and Edgar says something alone the lines of “get em alan!”
- really really soft, he tries to play it up , the fake fearless his brother does however when he is scared he is SCARED. When Paul pops up from the tub Half melted he is not screaming. He is WHAILING, like seriously crying out of fear gripped to his brother who is just as frightened.
Micheal-
- handling the Divorce poorly
- If the world himbo was a person
-David gave him gay thoughts that he has no idea how to process
- poser
-voice cracks
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sepublic · 4 years ago
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Origami and New Apex!
           …Y’know.
           I kind of half-expected Simon to, y’know…
           …But I didn’t expect it like THIS.
           When he fell I thought that was it! Perfectly karmic given what he did to Tuba! But then Grace saved him, and I was like… Dude there’s no way you can truly hate her now, she just stuck her neck out for you after you tried to KILL her, she genuinely wants and cares for you as a person and even if she doesn’t always get along she wants to make up for what she did and she wants to see YOU be happy and alive, just for your sake!
           …So in all honesty YEAH, Simon deserved to die for kicking Grace off anyway. She couldn’t even threaten his position with his top number.
           And, like… I was FINE with the idea of him being separated from the rest, and forced to figure things out on his own away from others he could hurt! At the very least I wasn’t outright opposed to the idea of Simon having a redemption, but also coincidentally getting the shit beaten out of him everyday, somehow, because Fate decrees that as karma!
           Well. All I can say is that Tuba is probably fortnite-dancing in heaven over this, so! I guess I can’t be TOO sad…
           …And Grace. OHHHH Grace you messed-up person. You are SO messed-up, it’s genuinely surreal seeing people like Tulip, Jesse, and Lake be happy at the end; Like sure Grace may have sicced Mace and Sieve upon Lake, but Lake got the last laugh in that she’s actually happy and not haunted by the guilt of the objectively-horrible things she’s done!
           It’s really wild seeing that the ‘denizen’ who chased Grace was actually just the Steward, who can fly now…? Regardless, finding out that Amelia didn’t even knowingly interact with Grace, and the circumstances of seeing her arm reach out from the pod… It makes a lot more sense what happened, as well as the idea of Grace –not too far off of the spot- assuming Amelia was the Conductor and a man, because why would she be hiding her voice? Who would she be hiding it from?
           (Plot twist: She’s not hiding her voice, Amelia is instead trying to listen to someone else’s…)
           But yeah, it says a lot more about why Amelia does not feel any guilt at all, and while I wouldn’t put it past her character to forget an interaction with some child… It also makes a lot more sense this way, that Amelia just had NO awareness of Grace in that situation whatsoever, but to a desperate and scared kid, she seemed like a god!
           And let me tell you, as someone who’s already watching another show with an abused kid who’s got emotionally-neglectful parents… COME ON, Grace looks beautiful in that dress! What kind of parent sees their kid happily playing dress-up and doesn’t want to cheer them on?! Or at least tell them, “If you don’t want to meet the ambassador right now, you can do your own thing! But Mommy and Daddy also have to do this, we’ll be right back with you!” Like jeez… Also, the revelation of the Infinity Train appearing indoors, and even dressing up its appearance to others!
           Now it just comes across as a cruel siren! Like it could appear RIGHT BEHIND me as I’m typing this… Remember when Book 1 was like, “Oh this train is scary… No wait it’s GOOD actually!” And then Book 2 said, “Okay this Train is imperfect, but ultimately it means well and does well in the end, right?” And then Book 3 was just, “Okay this train is just straight-up terrible. Jeez just let people figure out their issues in a normalway.”
           Hazel… poor Hazel. She deserves SO much better than this, she started off so happy and unconditionally loving, so innocent and pleased with Tuba, she didn’t WANT to leave and then all Simon and Grace did was take everything away from Hazel and leave her traumatized, cynical, and betrayed! She got NOTHING from her interactions with them, besides hanging around with Amelia I guess… But Amelia’s got her issues. I do agree though, she IS snappily-dressed, and hopefully these two can help each other…
           …I just wish Grace got to say sorry for straight-up ruining Hazel’s life though.
           Simon, oh Simon! I think The Cat saw this coming… If she heard the news, she’d be disappointed yet not surprised, and I think a part of her had come to terms with this inevitability by now. It says a lot that even after the memory of Grace being a kid and risking her own life to save him, amidst everything else, he STILL acted out of spite. I have to say, it’s interesting seeing that Ghom flying around, when normally they’re always buried in the dirt of the wasteland!
           In Book 1, Tulip accidentally led a Ghom onto the train and left it behind… Do some Ghoms get tired of waiting, or get stuck on the train in their pursuit, and start roaming around? Regardless, given this show’s allusions towards thing being fated, I have to wonder if it was just that; By the decree of Fate that a Ghom would just be randomly flying around at this point in time, at this SPECIFIC car…! Imagine if it was the same one that had chased Simon all those years ago.
           …Also JEEZ DID THEY NEED TO BE THAT GRAPHIC!?! I knew HBO Max was a way for the writers to tackle more mature things, but this was straight-up a SKELETON, this was out of Indiana Jones or something! Owen wasn’t thinking, “Is this too far…?” When writing Simon’s death. He was thinking “Is this FAR ENOUGH…?”
           I’ve had past speculation before that passengers who die are reincarnated into denizens. It seems like the Ghom was about to transform or something when it poofed… Either way it was clearly made with some purpose in mind, because what creature would choose to feed on something if doing so would result in its death? It’s clearly another programmed feature of the Infinity Train with a horrific purpose…
           …That could’ve happened to Tulip also-
           Not so sure about Lake, Mace, and Alan Dracula since they’re denizens, but alas. Regardless I have to wonder if the Ghom teleported somewhere and transformed into a denizen, if Simon was reborn as one as penance for sins too high to count, like others before him… If he’ll atone for his past life by helping others heal, since he clearly could not heal himself! Maybe we’ll see a denizen in a hypothetical Book 4 with a voice just like Simon’s, in a situation similar to Terrance the Toad…
           Maybe that’s who Terrance was, a passenger so awful and beyond redemption that he was absorbed by a Ghom and converted into a denizen as a liability to others! And that him choosing to willingly offer himself up to be kicked by Jesse and Lake, just to see them get away and be happy… That was HIS redemption, which led to Fate allowing Terrance to escape his life of being kicked constantly! Sure he still gets kicked, but it’s an active choice and one he gets to benefit from, so can he complain?
           This season KILLED me. I want off the train. I’m really wondering if we’ll EVER see who made the Infinity Train, if it was even a person and not something that’s been around since the beginning of people and their issues themselves…
           …SERIOUSLY. If you have the money to spare, do it NOW, because you aren’t just paying to watch Book 3. You are LITERALLY PAYING for Book 4! You are literally, personally funding Book 4’s very existence by this point people! So if you want a resolution for poor Hazel, and maybe Amelia, and MAYBE a reconciliation between the two and Grace… YA GOTTA PAY! Because if you don’t then there’s a good chance that it’s not just you who doesn’t get to watch it, it’s everybody else!
           And I don’t meant to guilt-trip, I just want the situation to be understood, all right? So with that in mind…
           …Maybe until the next stop, you guys!
           (Also no One-One. We do get a badge shaped like him and those little robots similar in appearance, so it really is just Randall and The Cat who are constants here huh?”
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allthingsfangirl101 · 4 years ago
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Safe & Sound–Mitch Rapp
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Part 2
Requested by Thomas2921
I clutched Logan's small hand in mine, hesitating to knock on the door. I knew that he promised if I ever needed anything, I could come to him but. . . Bringing Logan here? With all the dangerous things that could happen?
"Mommy?" Logan whispered as he tugged on my hand. I looked down at him with a hesitant smile on my face. "Why haven't we knocked yet?"
I let out a forced laugh as I lifted my hand and finally knocked on the door, sending my 6-year-old son a wink. I held my breath as I waited for someone to answer the door. I gasped when it finally opened, revealing a familiar face.
"Y/N?" Victor stuttered as he looked at the dirt road behind us. "What are you doing here?"
"We need to see Hurley," I got out, ignoring the look of my son glancing between the two of us. "Alan is back."
The second that name left my lips, I felt Logan tuck into my side. Victor's eyes widened as he looked at me before glancing down at my son, clutching onto me.
"Come inside," he said quickly as he grabbed the suitcases we had behind us and ushered us inside. I turned around and saw him glancing around the property before closing and locking the door.
"This house is big," Logan whispered, tugging on my arm.
"I know, baby," I chuckled. "You'll get used to it."
"Victor?" We looked over to see a man around my age jogging towards us. "What the hell is going on? Who are these people?"
Logan hid behind me as the man reached for his gun. Victor immediately grabbed the guy's arm, stopping him. "Seriously?" He scoffed. "Relax, Rapp. These are some old friends. They need our help."
"Mommy?" Logan stuttered, pulling on my arm. I turned away from the two men to see my son eyeing them. "You've been here before?" I ignored the look Victor sent me as I knelt in front of Logan.
I reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. "When I was a little older than you, my daddy brought me here."
"Why?"
I looked up at Victor and sighed before turning my attention back to my son. "Remember mommy telling you that we lost grandma when I was little?"
Logan nodded as I explained. "Well, after mommy lost her mommy, grandpa brought me here."
"To keep you safe?" Logan stuttered. My heart sank into my stomach when I saw the scared look on his face.
"That's right."
"So, if grandpa brought you here to keep you safe, we're going to be safe here too?" Logan asked, glancing at the men behind me.
"Baby," I whispered, making him look at me. "We are going to be safe. Think of this place like a castle. A king wouldn't leave his home unguarded, right?"
"Of course not," Logan giggled.
"Exactly," I smiled. "As long as we are here, we are surrounded by people who can, and will, protect us."
"Promise?" He asked, his voice getting caught in his throat. I pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, my lips lingering on his skin.
"I promise," I smiled as I pulled away. "Mommy isn't going to let anything happen to you."
Logan smiled as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I sighed as I pulled him closer into my chest. I let go of my scared son as I stood back up, turning towards the two men watching us. Victor was smiling while Rapp was looking between the two of us with a weird expression on his face.
"Where's Hurley?" Victor asked, turning towards Rapp.
"He should be in his office," Rapp stuttered as he continued to look between my son and me.
"Thank you," I stuttered. "I'm really sorry about this, Victor. It's just. . . I wouldn't come here if I didn't have to but. . . Hurley promised. . ."
Victor shook his head, with a small chuckle leaving his lips. "I know what he promised. And you were right. You have nothing to worry about. We are going to keep the two of you safe."
We continued to walk through the house until we got to Hurley's office. Victor stopped outside, put our suitcases down, and knocked on the door.
"What?" We heard Stan sigh from inside.
"Sir," Victor said, clearing his throat as he opened the door.
"What is it, Victor?"
"We have a situation developing."
"What kind of. . ." Stan stopped talking when he finally looked up and saw Logan and I standing in the doorway. He instantly tossed the file he was reading onto his desk and ran over to us. I laughed as he wrapped his arms around me.
"Are you alright?" He asked as he pulled out of the hug. He put his hands on my shoulders, glancing me over for injuries.
"We're alright."
When I said "we", Stan glanced down and smiled at Logan hiding behind me.
"This must be the brave Logan I've heard so much about me," Stan said smiling sweetly as he knelt in front of my son.
"You know me?" Logan stuttered softly.
"Your mommy has told me a lot about you."
Logan looked up at me with a proud smile on his face. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as I explained. "Logan, this is Stan. Remember grandpa's partner?"
"Uncle Stan? Grandpa's secret spy partner?" Logan asked, making us adults laugh–except for Rapp who was still watching from the doorway.
"That's right," I chuckled.
Logan looked towards Stan, his eyes filling with tears. "Please help us," he whispered. "I don't like it when daddy is here. He's mean and he smells. Plus, it scares me when he hits mommy."
Everyone in the room looked at my son before looking back at me. I sighed as I ran my fingers through his hair. "It's okay, baby. Daddy isn't going to hurt either one of us. Uncle Stan is going to help us. Grandpa told me that if you and I were in any danger, we could come to Uncle Stan and he would protect us."
"Even from daddy?"
His words made the three men look at me sadly. I sighed before clearing my throat. "Even from daddy."
There was silence as I reassured my son and the three men watched, starting to grow uncomfortable. Stan cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"Victor, why don't you take Logan to the kitchen and get him something to eat while I talk to Y/N?"
Logan took a step closer to me, hugging my leg. I knelt down and smiled at him. "It's okay, baby," I whispered. "Victor is an old friend. It's okay. We're safe here. We can trust them. Go with Victor and get something to eat. Mommy will join you as soon as she's done talking to Uncle Stan."
Logan hesitated before nodding. Victor smiled at him, offering his hand. After glancing at me to make sure it was still okay, Logan took his hand and let Victor guide him away.
Stan put his hand on my shoulder as I watched them leave. "He's going to be fine," Stan whispered. I nodded as I turned towards him. I followed Hurley's gaze when he stared at something behind me.
"Rapp," he said, going back to his usual tough facade. "Come inside. This is something you should hear."
We ignored Rapp's frown as Stan led me over to his desk. He sat me down and handed me a water from his mini-fridge. "Okay, Y/N. Tell me what happened."
I took a shaky breath as I asked, "You know about Alan, right?"
"That abusive drunk asshole?" Stan scoffed.
"Yeah, him," I sighed. "About two years ago, I took Logan, packed our stuff, and left Alan. We found a house across the country and started over. But two weeks ago, I could feel us being followed through the grocery store. When we got home, I noticed the house across the street had been sold. I looked at it and thought I saw someone in the window. It was Alan."
My voice broke as my eyes filled with tears. Stan reached over and gently grabbed my shaking hands.
"I know it was him," I said, my voice breaking. "I came home from work the next day and saw that our house had been broken into. Without even thinking, I packed all of our stuff in my car and went to the neighbor's and picked up Logan. Maybe I'm overreacting. . . Maybe it wasn't Alan."
"No," Stan shook his head. "I know you. If you think it was Alan, it was. You did the right thing coming here. My guys and I will keep an eye out for Alan and we will keep the two of you safe."
"But Stan," I stuttered, the tears starting to stream down my cheeks.
"Y/N," he said gently, reaching up and catching a tear. "You and Logan are going to be just fine. You are perfectly safe here with us. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promised your father that if you needed anything, I'd be here for you."
"Thank you," I whispered.
"Of course," Stan smiled. "Your father saved my life multiple times. The least I can do is protect his daughter and grandson."
                       * * * * *
It's been a month since Logan and I appeared on Stan's doorstep and he kept his promise. Stan gave us our own room and I started schooling Logan while Hurley and his men searched for Alan.
Everyone had been amazing, helping me with Logan. Except for Mitch Rapp. He seemed to be a bit skeptical of this whole thing but he did as he was told.
I looked up when I heard footsteps coming down the path. Logan and I had gone on a picnic to get him out of the house.
"Rapp," I stuttered as he walked through the woods, standing a few feet from us. "What are you doing here?"
"Hurley wanted an assassin with you guys at all times."
I scowled as he used the word everyone agreed they wouldn't use around my son. "Why?" I asked.
"We aren't a hundred percent sure but a man matching your ex's description was spotted two towns over."
"Daddy's here?" Logan stuttered. "Is he. . . Is he coming here? He's going to try and take me from you again, isn't he mommy?"
"No," I said instantly, turning towards him. "I promise, mommy is never letting anyone, not even daddy, take you away from me."
"We should get you guys back to the house before. . ."
Logan let out a scared yelled as Rapp was hit over the head and collapsed. I felt him hide behind me as Alan dropped the piece of bark he used to take down Mitch.
"Alan," I stuttered as I took a step back. "What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" He scoffed. He looked down at Logan and grunted angrily. He glared back at me, his hands tightening into fists. "The correct question is what are you doing here with my son?"
"Mommy," Logan stuttered, his voice cracking.
"It's going to be okay, baby," I whispered.
"That's right, son," Alan smirked. "I'm going to take you away from here."
"No!" Logan yelled. "You're going to take me away from mommy!"
"Yes," Alan sighed, trying to sound fatherly. "Logan, mommy is trying to keep you from me."
"She's protecting me," Logan's small voice said firmly.
"From me?" Alan sighed. "Why would mommy need to protect you from me?"
"Because you're a bad guy," Logan stuttered. "You hit mommy. I've seen it. That's why we left."
I gasped as I could see the anger building in Alan's eyes. He reached behind him, pulling out a gun.
"Logan," he said through his teeth. "I'm not letting you go, son. Come with me."
"No," Logan said, tears building. "I don't want to go with you. I want to stay with mommy."
"Hard to stay with her when she's dead."
I sucked in a breath when he pulled the trigger. The pain flooded my body as I fell to the forest floor. "No!" I heard Logan yell as he knelt down next to me. "Mommy? Mommy, wake up!"
I rolled over just in time to see Alan grab Logan. "No," I gasped in pain as I watched my ex-husband dragging my son behind him.
"Mommy! Help me!" A tear streamed down my cheek as I tried to sit up, collapsing in pain.
"Hey!"
I looked up with wide eyes as I watched Rapp tackle Alan to the ground. He grabbed Logan, turned him towards the path, and yelled, "Run!"
"But. . . My mommy. . ."
"She's going to be fine, Logan. Run back to the house and find Uncle Stan. Tell him your daddy is here and your mommy is hurt. Go!"
Logan looked at me before running down the path.
"Rapp! Behind you!" I yelled as I saw Alan stand back up. I watched, clutching my side in pain as I watched Alan tackle Rapp to the ground. It didn't take long for Rapp to overpower Alan. Rapp easily got the upper hand, dominating the fight.
My vision blurred as I watched the two men fight. The pain got too much as I collapsed again.
"Y/N?" I thought I heard my name. I couldn't move as I heard fighting and a few gunshots. I jumped when someone gently cupped my cheek in their hand.
"Y/N," Stan said gently. I grunted in pain as he pressed his hands to my bullet wound.
"Logan," I stuttered. "Where is he? Is he okay? My baby. . ."
"He's fine, Y/N," Stan instantly reassured me. "He came running to the house and told us everything. Victor and I came as fast as we could. Logan is still at the house. He's with Anthony, waiting for us to bring you back."
As Stan helped me sit up, I looked over and saw Rapp standing to the side, blood dripping down his face, as Victor roughly grabbed Alan. Victor escorted Alan back to the house as Rapp jogged over to Stan and me, the two of them helping me to my feet.
"Are you alright?" Rapp stuttered as he looked me over for injuries.
"She's fine," Stan said as he wrapped his arm around my waist. "But we should get her back to the house."
With one assassin on each side, the two slowly helped me down the path. We limped our way back to the house. I looked up and smiled as I saw Logan running towards us.
"Mommy!"
Stan looked at Rapp and nodded as he let me go, stopping my son. "Is she okay? Mommy, what happened? Where's daddy?"
"It's going to be alright, Logan," Stan soothed him. "Your mommy is going to be fine. We're going to help her."
"What. . . What about daddy?"
Stan looked at Rapp still holding me and sighed. "Your daddy is never going to hurt you or your mommy again."
"Promise?" Logan stuttered.
"I promise."
Stan stood up and led Logan back inside. "Rapp," he said, glancing over his shoulder at us. "Take Y/N the infirmary."
"Yes, sir."
With that, Stan took Logan back inside while Rapp led me through the house to the infirmary. We didn't say anything as we walked in, the emergency medical team instantly rushing to our sides.
After they patched me up, I looked over to see Rapp still standing by the door.
"Thank you," I said. He looked up at me, a shocked look in his eyes.
"It's. . . It's not a big deal," Rapp stuttered. "It's my job."
"Well, it's a big deal to me," I sighed. "You protected me and my son. You don't even know us or our situation but you came through when we needed you. You saved us. Thank you."
Rapp smiled but instantly dropped it. He cleared his throat and nodded at me as he started to leave. When he got to the door he hesitated.
"You're welcome," he whispered. "I'd do it again."
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tsarisfanfiction · 4 years ago
Text
Silent V
Fandom: Thunderbirds Rating: Teen Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Angst Characters: Gordon Tracy, Scott Tracy, Alan Tracy
Part 5 of my response to @gumnut-logic‘s SensorySunday: Taste challenge. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 
Thanks to @mythicalviper-fr for giving me a bit of a prod with Gordon tonight.  He didn’t want to talk to me, apparently.
“Hey, Tracy!”
Gordon would have ignored the call if his brother’s grip on his hand hadn’t tightened, and then pulled him to a stop.  In front of them were four older boys, probably Scott’s age, blocking the sidewalk.
“What are you doing with those?” the one at the front asked.  He was tall, if not quite as tall as Scott, and blond hair was short-cropped. “Running a creche?”  The other guys sniggered, and something stirred in Gordon’s tummy for the first time since Mommy had gone to heaven.  He wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but he didn’t think the boys were Scott’s friends.
“You know I have brothers, Wilkinson,” Scott said.  His grip on Gordon’s hand was tighter still, keeping him close by his side.  Gordon squinted at the boys, wondering what they were doing to make Scott so clingy.
“Who them, Scotty?” Alan asked, from his perch in Scott’s arms.
Scott didn’t correct Alan – who are they – like he used to.  Instead he sighed.
“They go to my school, Allie,” he explained.  “We have classes together.”
“And you’re going the wrong way, Tracy,” the leader one said.  “Our school’s that way.”  He pointed back the way they’d come, and that feeling in Gordon’s tummy got stronger.
“My school is this way,” he snapped.  He didn’t like these boys.  He started walking forwards again, determined to push past them, but Scott hadn’t moved and he was tugged back to a stop.  “Scott, I’ll be late!”
He didn’t care about being late, never had done and cared even less now Mommy wasn’t around to tell him he shouldn’t be, but he wanted to get away from these mean boys. And they were mean, Gordon could tell.
He might only be six, but he knew Scott only held him tightly when he was scared.  Scared he might run into the road, scared he was hurt, scared because Mommy was buried.
He wasn’t trying to get away from Scott, he wasn’t hurt, Mommy wasn’t here.  Gordon wasn’t doing anything that might scare Scott, which meant it wasn’t Gordon.  That meant it was these boys.
“We’ll make your apologies to Teach for being late, yeah?” the leader said after a moment.  “Take your time, Tracy; got to make sure the babies get to their school safely, after all.”  He didn’t sound like he cared whether or not Gordon and Alan were safe.
“I won’t be late,” Scott said bluntly, finally starting to walk forwards again as the three boys behind the one doing all the talking moved out of the way.  “School doesn’t start for half an hour.”
The leader stayed where he was, leaning into Scott as they passed.
“You will be,” he grinned quietly.  Gordon didn’t like that grin at all.  “See you at school, Tracy!”  He walked off, catching up with his friends and sharing a laugh with them as they headed towards the big school Scott went to.
Scott’s grip on his hand stayed tight.
“Bad boys,” Alan said after a moment.  “No like.”
“It’s okay, Allie,” Scott said after a moment.  “They’re not my friends.”  Gordon squinted up at him, and tugged on his hand.
“Too tight, Scott,” he complained.  “Let go.”
“Sorry.”  Scott sounded sorry, but he still didn’t let go until they reached Gordon’s school.  “Be good again today, okay, Gordon?  I’ll see you again after school.”  He crouched down for a hug, Alan in the way as always – Mommy always made Alan walk, but Scott didn’t.  Gordon thought that was another sign that he was scared, but didn’t know why – maybe that Alan would fall over?  Alan only fell over if he ran too fast.
He hugged Scott back, though, then walked over to his teacher, who greeted him with a big smile he didn’t believe she meant at all.
No-one should be smiling right now.
Scott wasn’t smiling later when he came back after school, carrying Alan again.  Part of Gordon wondered if Scott even went to his own school or if he just stayed with Alan all day.  There was a bruise on his face, which his teacher fussed over.
“I just tripped at school today,” Scott told her, giving Gordon a smile as he took hold of his hand. “Forgot about the small step going into the science lab.”
“Don’t forget to put some ice on it,” she said.  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Gordon.”
“Bye bye,” he muttered. Scott’s hold on his hand was tight as they left.
Scott was scared again. Or maybe he’d been scared all day.  Gordon wanted to ask what was scary, but he knew Scott would say he wasn’t scared, or he’d lie about not wanting Gordon to run off.
Scott didn’t know Gordon could tell when he lied.  Gordon used to play pranks, with Mommy, and the best prankers knew how to lie – so Gordon had watched all his brothers to learn how to lie.  Scott was lying a lot now – to his teacher, about Mommy, about school.
He’d heard the story about the exploding can yesterday.  He’d heard John and Scott having a quiet talk last night – too quiet to hear what they were saying, but it wasn’t happy.  Something was happening to Scott and he was pretending it wasn’t.
“Was it the boys from this morning?” he asked.  Scott jumped.
“Was what them, Gordon?” he asked.  “Alan, no, don’t do that.”  Gordon’s little brother was exploring the bruise on Scott’s face with his fingers.
“You didn’t trip,” he accused.  “They pushed.”  Scott’s eyes widened.
“No,” he said, just a little too loudly.  “I just tripped, Gordon.  Don’t go making up stories about other people.  You know that’s not nice.”
“Pushing people isn’t nice,” he pointed out, and Scott sighed.
“They didn’t push me,” he said, and Gordon squinted, because that wasn’t a lie, but what he’d said to his teacher had been.
Just because he could tell when Scott was lying didn’t mean he knew what the truth was, and he decided to find out what was going on.
He turned to John when they got home, but before he could say anything, John was taking Alan off of Scott and putting him on the chair to take his shoes off.  Since Mommy had gone, Gordon had always tried to be alone at home, ignoring his brothers as they tried to play happy families.
Today, he had a mystery to solve first and he sat down on the floor, tugging off his shoes without prompting.
“Go put ice on that,” John said to Scott, talking over Virgil asking what had happened and trying to get a look at the bruise.
“Scotty trip!” Alan answered gleefully as Scott disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a green packet with pictures of peas on it held to his cheek.
“I can see that, Alan,” John said, and Gordon squinted at him, remembering quiet voices in the night. John knew.  But John wasn’t doing anything about it!
The phone rang, and Scott hurried to answer it.
“Hello, Grandma,” he said after a moment.  “We’re okay… Do you know when you’ll get here… That’s okay… yes…  We’re managing…  No, I’m not lying…  I promise, Grandma…  We’ll be fine until you get here…  Yes, Grandma…  No, Grandma…”
Gordon had heard the same one-sided conversation every night that week, but this was the first time he’d been in the room to see Scott’s face.  He was clutching the bag to his face tightly, and not smiling at all.
And he was lying.
This time, Gordon knew what he was lying about.  They weren’t fine.  They weren’t happy, and they needed Grandma.  He loved Scott, but it was always Mommy or Grandma that could get the thoughts to leave his head long enough to fall asleep.  Having his biggest brother sit with him wasn’t the same.
The phone got passed from brother to brother, and for the first time, Gordon accepted it when it was his turn.
“Hello Grandma,” he said quietly.
“Gordon!  I was beginning to think your brothers were hiding you from your Grandma!” she said.  She sounded happy to hear him, and Gordon was happy to hear her, too.
“They would have to catch me first,” he said, curling up where he was, the arm not holding the phone wrapped around his knees.  “You know they can’t catch me.”  She laughed. It sounded weird, and not just because it was over the phone.
Grandma wasn’t happy either.
“Well you’re quite the slippery little fish, aren’t you?” she reminded him.  “So, how’s school been for my favourite fish?”
He told her everything – not that there was much to say.  No pranks, no getting in trouble.  Scott had begged him to behave until Grandma came.  “Don’t give the school any reason to try and call Mom, please, Gordon.”  He hadn’t said why, but Gordon had overheard him telling Virgil the same thing, and he’d told Virgil that if someone tried to call Mommy, they’d end up taking them all away from each other.
Gordon didn’t want to lose any of his brothers, not ever and definitely not with Mommy only just gone. He’d sat on all his prank ideas, done his work, and pretended Scott wasn’t lying when he explained that “Mom’s ill, so I’ll be the one picking Gordon up but I don’t finish school for another hour so can Gordon stay with the after-school club?”  The after-school club was boring if he wasn’t allowed to play pranks.
“I’ll be there soon, little fish,” Grandma promised him once he’d finished.  Over the phone, he couldn’t tell if she was lying.  “Then you can play your pranks again – but don’t tell Scott I said that, okay?  That’s our little secret?”
He agreed, then gave the phone back to Scott, who’d lost the green bag.  His bruise didn’t look any better, and Gordon said so, to ssshhh-ing from Scott.
Alan was allowed to talk into the phone as long as Scott held it for him, and Gordon was about to leave when he heard his little brother say “Scotty trip today!” and Scott hurriedly putting the phone up to his own ear.
Gordon thought there was no way Scott would lie to Grandma, but he said the same things he’d said to the teacher about tripping and science.  Lies, and he saw John frowning, too.  Scott glared back at John, and he shook his head before going into the kitchen to start on dinner.
Long after the phone call was over, Gordon kept watching Scott.  He wanted to know what was really going on.
Part VI
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buzzdixonwriter · 4 years ago
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Super Duper Supermen
This will be a long one, so pour yourself a cuppa and settle down.   We may seem to meander, but we’ve got a destination.
. . .
I’m tired of superheroes.
I’m tired of a lot of genre fiction.
Part of the reason is that too much of the current material is ugly and loud, but the real reason is it isn’t fresh, it isn’t fun.
I tried watching The Boys.  I got to the end of the second scene of episode one and realize, “This ain’t for me” and turned it off and went over to YouTube and watched guys build model airplanes.
At least they look like they’re having fun.
. . .
Look, superheroes are a power fantasy and they’re okay for little kids who want to believe there’s always going to be a mommy or daddy who will protect them, but they’re an absurd genre at best and when you start taking them seriously -- and recently even the funny parodies and spoofs take themselves Too Damn Seriously -- they become horrific.
What prompted me to realize this is an article posted on The Vulcan by Abraham Riseman “The Boys Is the End of the Superhero As We Know It.”
Highly recommended, by the way.
. . .
It’s not like Riseman was the first to make this observation.
30+ years ago Gary Groth observed:
“Superman is one version of the hero with a thousand faces -- to employ the title of Joseph Cambell's excellent book on the subject -- and his appeal should therefore not surprise us.  But Superman is a crude version of the hero; if you will, an elementary one.  Unlike his more developed analogues in all the world's great religions, Superman does not offer love or goodwill, self-knowledge or contemplation as keys to man's salvation.  He offers his own physical powers.”
And he ain’t the only one.
Alan Moore recently chimed in:
“They have blighted cinema and also blighted culture to a degree. Several years ago I said I thought it was a really worrying sign, that hundreds of thousands of adults were queuing up to see characters that were created 50 years ago to entertain 12-year-old boys. That seemed to speak to some kind of longing to escape from the complexities of the modern world and go back to a nostalgic, remembered childhood. That seemed dangerous; it was infantilizing the population.
“This may be entirely coincidence, but in 2016 when the American people elected a National Socialist satsuma and the U.K. voted to leave the European Union, six of the top 12 highest-grossing films were superhero movies.  Not to say that one causes the other, but I think they’re both symptoms of the same thing — a denial of reality and an urge for simplistic and sensational solutions.”
. . .
I don’t like cruelty.
I used to enjoy old weird horror films back in the day -- movies like The Reanimator -- because I appreciated their absurdity and never took them seriously.
When the torture porn sub-genre came along, I lost interest in horror films.  
The Babadook is the only modern one I’ve seen in the last 5 years and I enjoy it because like earlier horror films (and here I include both classic Universal / RKO movies and the artistry of Mario Bava and Dario Argento) it’s essentially a very dark fairy tale, not an exercise in cruelty for the sake of cruelty.  
Violence doesn’t turn me off.
Sadism does.
And sadism is all about power and fascism is all about power, so when I remark on modern superhero and thriller and horror stories as being fascist, I know whereof I speak.
. . .
Superhero stories may not necessarily be tales told by idiots, but they are full of sound and fury, and signify nothing.
Ultimately superheroes fail because:
they can’t lose
they can’t win
There is no finality in the superhero genre.  The damn Joker keeps crawling back, Les Luthor constantly schemes, Dr. Doom and Galactus pop up whenever things lag in the sales department.
Superheroes as a genre are failures insofar as they can’t permanently deal with these existentialist threats, nor can they step out of the way to let others deal with them.
Superheroes promise salvation but deliver bupkis, slapping a band-aid on a cancer and telling us it’s all better.
They can’t permanently defeat their greatest threats, yet neither can they be truly harmed by them.
I’ll grant you the occasional Captain Mar-Vel but they are very minor exceptions to the rule.  Gwen Stacy was bumped off in The Amazing Spider-Man #121 in June 1973, first reappeared as a clone in May 1975 then several times thereafter, and most recently shows up as Spider-Gwen in Edge of Spider-Verse #2 (September 2014).  
As Roy Thomas aptly observed:  “In comics they’re only dead if you have a body and even then only maybe.” 
(In fairness, there’s no finality in most formula / genre fiction either, but we’ll get to that in a bit.)
. . . 
Before we delve deeper, let’s be clear as to what we’re discussing when we say “superheroes”.  
They don’t need to possess “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men”.
As noted above, they just have to be:
always victorious
never in real danger
You can bash ‘em / trash ‘em / slash ‘em / smash ‘em and they still bounce back -- heroically -- to save the day.
Break both legs, riddle them with machine gun bullets, hit them with a car, cave in their skulls with sledgehammers, and yet somehow they summon up the super-human reserves needed to keep in the fight.
Mind you, in the real world there are people who display super-human endurance in horrific situations and not merely survive but go on to achieve incredible success.  They don’t do such things every year (as do heroes in movies), much less every month (comics) or every week (television). They sure as hell don’t make a career out of it.
Let’s veer away from brightly colored naked people flying & fighting to superheroes in a different genre than costumed crime fighters.
Mike Hammer is a superhero.
Sherlock Holmes is a superhero.
Philip Marlow might actually be a literary character.
Look at the criteria:  Can they lose?
Never in Hammer’s case.
Rarely for Holmes (and when he does, it’s always with bittersweet irony).
Frequently enough with Marlowe that one can’t anticipate if any of his stories will end with him victorious (yeah, he solves mysteries, but always at profound personal cost, and in more than one novel he ends up realizing he’s been a sucker all along).
Here’s another example that snaps the dichotomy into ever sharper relief:  
Samuel L. Jackson’s Shaft is a superhero.
Richard Roundtree’s Shaft is just a hero.
Roundtree’s Shaft is aware he can fail.
No “macho bullshit irony” as they say over at the Church of the Sub-Genius.
. . .
Superheroes don’t grow -- they decay.
They never truly use their power for good (because that would involve changing the world) nor do they adequately protect the innocent.
They serve no true function except to entertain and to be exploited.
Series novels and television shows can feature character growth, but the concept has to be baked in from the beginning (Jan Karon’s Mitford series and Armistead Maupin’s Tales Of The City books are two examples that spring immediately to mind).*
More typically, in series fiction the character/s show little actual growth; they are more or less the same at the end of their adventures as they were at the beginning, maybe a little greyer, maybe a little creakier, but essentially the same person.
Sometimes, particularly in military or nautical or police series, they may start out as a callow cadet but soon wise up to the stalwart hero we want to see.
As perfect an example of superhero decay can be found in the Die Hard movies.
The original’s superhero character, Detective John McClane, implausibly goes through a night of hell yet actually shows some character growth:  By the end of the film he’s able to swallow his pride and admit to his wife he was wrong.
A very farfetched movie but an emotionally satisfying one.  We’ll overlook a multitude of injuries that would have rendered him hors de combat in reality in exchange for the movie actually being about something.
All that gets chucked out in the first sequel, Die Hard 2, where the characters are thrown into a contrived situation to mirror the first film without the satisfying emotional growth but with far more ridiculous action;  Die Hard With A Vengeance jettisons McClane’s marital relationship except as an afterthought and ups the absurdity of the story (indeed, it’s best viewed as an action comedy); Live Free Or Die Hard totally trashes all the character growth before it; and A Good Day To Die Hard not only trashed previous character growth but went so badly over the top that it and the star’s aging out hopefully are the one-two punch needed to end the series once and for all.
. . . 
Look at non-superpowered / non-comic book superheroes and see how they fare.
D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers are superheroes (conversely, Cyrano de Bergerac is not because the focus of his story is on who he is and not the what but the why of his actions; all the cool sword fighting is just bonus material).
Natty Bumpo is a superhero; anybody who can jump into a birchbark canoe from a tree branch 30 feet overhead without crashing through is a superhero because that character simple Can Not Lose.  
For that matter, most 1950s TV cowboys and virtually all Italian Western protagonists are superheroes.
Tarzan is a superhero. 
James Bond is a superhero (the SPECTRE / Blofeld arc in the novels and short stories actually do end up with him going through significant growth and personal change, ending with Smersh brainwashing him and sending him back to assassinate M…but then the British Secret Service intercepts him and a couple of paragraphs later he’s all better and off after The Man With The Golden Gun).
Modesty Blaise is a superhero.
Claire Starling is not a superhero, but Hannibal Lecter is (don’t give me that; even if you’re evil, when you’re the central character of a series of books / movies / TV shows you’re a damn superhero).
They’re all superheroes because they can’t lose and they can’t change their world and more importantly they can’t change themselves.
. . .
There is one exception to the above re superheroes, and that’s in the realm of sci- fi and fantasy stories.
Occasionally we find a character who becomes a king (viz Howard’s Kull) or a demi-god (viz Herbert’s Paul Atreides) and does alter their world for good or ill.
That, of course, is the ultimate power fantasy.
. . .
Fascism focuses on the Will and the Act.
It is a philosophy of movement.
It’s a philosophy that attracts the weak and the sadistic, because it promises protection from and power over others.
It’s a philosophy that actively seeks conflict, not necessarily overt violence, but the promise of same is always there.
. . . 
A brief sidebar to the other side of the comic book spinner rack.
Funny animals are essentially anti-authoritarian.
From Aesop forward to Carl Barks, their characters, filled with all too human foibles, can and do fail.
And when they win?
Ah, then it’s almost never by force or action, but by cleverness.
Funny animals are tricksters, accurately sussing out a situation and maneuvering to gain the best outcome for themselves without obtaining dominance over their opponent.
Bre’r Rabbit and Bugs Bunny.
Ducks Donald, Daffy, and Howard.
Superhero stories seems obsessed with keeping everything orderly and in continuity.
Without continuity, anything goes, and that’s fatal to the superhero trope as it annihilates authority.
Funny animal stories rarely feature continuity and when they do, it’s rarely rigorous.  If Porky Pig needs to be a businessman or a farmer or a studio executive or a traveling salesman, so be it.
He’ll be something else in the next story.
As tricksters, funny animals are bounded by one rule: They may save themselves and seek justice, but they will pay a penalty if they try to use trickery for selfish gain.
Howard the Duck -- “trapped alone and afraid / in a world he never made” -- is just trying to stay survive.
Daffy Duck -- greedy little miser that he is -- inevitably gets it in the neck when he tries to cheat someone.
Donald Duck -- floating somewhere between Howard and Daffy in his motivations -- finds no guarantee of success and reward, yet achieves success often enough to keep striving.  
He may battle mummies or a reluctant coke machine, his stories may take him around the world on an adventure or no further than his kitchen to fix dinner.
It doesn’t matter.
Who he is makes his stories compelling far more than what he does.
He’s not on a power trip.
He doesn’t feel he has to win every time.
And as a result, he has a much richer life than Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark.
. . . 
“So whaddya sayin’, Buzz?  ‘Superheroes is bad’?”
No.
I deny no one their pleasure.
But I also think there are times when we have to demand not just more of creators but of ourselves as an audience with the media we consume.
I only saw the first two scenes of the first episode of The Boys.
That was all it took to convince me not to watch it anymore.
For similar reasons, I have no desire to watch Mad Men or Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul or Game Of Thrones.  
I’ve picked up a strong enough vibe from each to know I’m not going to connect with them.
I’m certainly not saying you can’t enjoy them if you like.
Bu I am saying we’re cheating ourselves by not demanding more.
And until we start demanding more, the studios and streamers are only going to offer us less and less variety.
C’mon, people, we deserve more than that.
  © Buzz Dixon
  *  I’m sparing you a whole long analysis of The Mary Tyler Moore Show because frankly it goes too far afield of this essay’s central thesis and besides I can use it for another blog post in the future.
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takadasaiko · 4 years ago
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Love Me Twice: Chapter Seventeen
FFN II AO3
Summary: Ressler and Park follow a lead to Bonn, Scottie arrives in DC, and Tom hits a wall with his memory therapy.
Chapter Seventeen
Cooper had sent Ressler in as lead to Bonn in part because he needed a seasoned agent with a deep understanding of the delicate nature of their situation, but Ressler was also the one with a contact there. He had known Mike Weiss in Quantico and the two had traded favours over the years, especially when Ressler had been abroad so often with the first Reddington Task Force. He was always good for a few beers, a collection of absurd stories, and - if Ressler was lucky - an answer or two if he could get him around to it. Weiss was the kind of guy everybody liked and he loved to be the center of attention. It didn't hurt to gather intelligence either.
He motioned for another round and Ressler heard Park's less-than-subtle sound of annoyance as she excused herself for a moment. Weiss chuckled. "That one's wound up almost as tight as you used to be."
Ressler's lips quirked you at the corners. "She's a good agent."
"Most people that tightly wound have something to hide."
"I'll vouch for her."
"I don't care. I know you. I know you're clean. So listen fast." His voice dipped a little so that it was hard to hear him over the music and the chatter. "Emilia Schmitz isn't a name you want to toss around in this town. She's a ghost that supposedly died around the time the Berlin Wall fell. She was East Berlin and vicious."
"What's she doing here?"
Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "What makes you think she's here?"
"A case I'm working. There was a man named Petrov that blackmailed a German attaché to deliver a file. We think it was being sent to Schmitz. What do you know about her?"
"I know mentioning her name can get you killed." He took a long drink from his stein. "Maybe… eight or nine years ago her name came across our radar for a case. Had these partners that were like bloodhounds. Mick and Jamie. They could find anyone with just a scrap to go on."
"Could?" Ressler echoed.
"They'd just started making progress when Mick got hit crossing the street late one night. Car drove off without stopping and left him bleeding in the street. He didn't make it to the hospital. Jamie picks up the trail, right? She's pissed, swears up and down it had to be Schmitz somehow. Three days later we found her dead in her flat. Local cops ruled it a suicide and I got word in from D.C. to drop the case."
"Did you?"
Weiss offered a small shrug. "Alan Fitch made the call himself. You don't exactly tell the Assistant Director of National Intelligence no."
Ressler made a small sound of acknowledgement. "Saying you will and doing it are two different things."
"What'd I miss?" Park asked as she returned and Ressler watched his old friend's expression close off.
"Just reminiscing about Donnie's mishap with the lap pool second week into training," Weiss answered lightly and that was that. The rest of the night was chatter and a frustrated Park, even as Ressler worked through the details of the story and the fact that a known Cabal leader had been the one to cut the case off at the knees.
As they wrapped it up for the night Weiss - a little clingy that many beers in - wrapped an arm around Ressler's shoulders, pulling him in and hanging into the front of his jacket. "You got one of the best here," he told Park and she tried not to look as irritated as she clearly felt. "Sorry I couldn't get you what you needed."
Weiss offered Ressler one more squeeze and sauntered off. Park rolled her eyes as they started for the door. "What a waste of time."
"Maybe not," Ressler mumbled as he patted at his own jacket, feeling something that felt suspiciously like a jump drive in his inside pocket. Leave it to Weiss. The bastard always had had a flare for the dramatic.
--------
Liz remembered her own memory extraction had left her feeling violated and in desperate need of solitude and a shower from the inside out. She'd been taken and drugged against her will only to find out that she'd been used as a child to traffic one of the most dangerous blackmail files that the world had seen. It still left her unsettled all these years later and the vague reference that Krilov had made after Ressler's equally twisted experience with him to the fact that he'd screwed around with her mind yet again only made it worse. Part of her wondered if, after Tom had his memories back, she should speak with Selma about trying to find out what had been altered or taken from her the second time, or if it had just been an attempt to throw her off her game. If history had taught her anything it was that the not knowing was just as dangerous as knowing in the life she led. Another part, though, didn't want to crack open yet another round of danger. Maybe when this was over she should just be done.
Not that Reddington would let her.
Thankfully Tom's experience with the memory extraction hadn't been quite as horrifying. At least it wasn't all bad. Where Liz's buried memories were filled with smoke and fire and gunshots, Tom had a mixed bag. He had been exhausted after the session, falling asleep next to her on the couch as she'd worked. It hadn't been until late that evening that the nightmares had crept in, but even as he'd come flying off the couch like he was ready for a fight he could only remember pieces of what he'd seen. It was something they would have to talk to Orchard about when they saw her later that day.
Before that, though, Liz needed to get Agnes safely dropped off at school.
The four year old had wanted nothing to do with leaving the apartment that morning. Liz wasn't sure if Tom had won all that affection through pancakes for breakfast since Agnes had re-met him or if she remembered him on some level. Their kid had always been more intuitive than Liz thought was possible and she'd loved her daddy before he had been snatched away from them. He could always get her to laugh, that giggle filling the whole apartment and he was all she'd known in the first month of her life. Even in the painfully short time that they had had in Cuba together after they'd run, Liz had seen it. Tom had changed over the years, but Agnes had taken that growth to a whole new level. Now, even at the beginning of the process that they hoped could return his memories, she saw that connection between dad and daughter, and it had been a chore to get her out the door without him.
Now she just had to get her to her classroom and they'd be doing alright.
"Grandma!" Agnes squealed, pulling Liz out of her thoughts as they crossed the parking lot.
She tugged her hand almost free, but Liz clamped down a little harder just in time. "Hey, you know not to let go of my hand with cars around," she chided softly and followed to where Agnes had tried to run.
Scottie Hargrave stood on the sidewalk, her skirt and sleeveless blouse perfectly pressed and a sharp look fixed on Liz. It softened as it shifted to Agnes, and as they reached the safety of the sidewalk, Liz let her go. Scottie showing up without warning couldn't be a good sign. Let the grandkid work her charm on her first.
Agnes flung her arms around Scottie's long legs. "Hiiiii! Mommy didn't say you were here!"
"I thought I'd surprise you," Scottie answered, her tone light.
"But I gotta go to school," Agnes pouted and looked to Liz like she hoped she'd give her another option.
"Yep. School's a must," Liz answered.
"What about this?" Scottie asked and there was something in her tone that said as much as Liz was willing to let Agnes' natural adorableness soften whatever Scottie was about to drop on her, Scottie was willing to use her granddaughter to get her foot in the door. "I'll pick you up after school and we can get ice cream?"
Oh…. Liz never stood a chance against ice cream.
"Ice cream!" Agnes cheered and hugged Scottie again. "Love you, Grandma!"
She started towards the door where her teacher was waiting. "Hey, what about me?" Liz called after her, her lips quilting up at the corners in a teasing smile.
"Love you, Mom!" Agnes shouted with a wave and was gone.
"She's just like Tom was at her age," Scottie mused softly and Liz would have bet a sizable chunk of change that she knew exactly what Scottie was doing there. Her mother-in-law turned a look on her.
Liz squared her shoulders just a little. "Why don't we get out of the pathway?"
"No, I think we should have this conversation right here." Brown eyes caught hold of blue and the older woman held her gaze. "I'm not sure what I did to offend you."
"What makes you think I'm offended?"
"I took Agnes in for months so that you would have time to process everything and grieve. I understood. I was mourning him too." Her tone was biting, the boiling rage just barely kept under control. "I kept it to myself because I thought you needed time. I suffered in silence so you could heal and that sweet little girl - my Christopher's little girl - wouldn't suffer like we did. And this is how you repay me. Why?"
Liz bit back the first snarky reply that came to mind and then crushed down the truth that she'd suspected Scottie at first. That wouldn't do either of them any good now. Instead, she stepped off the path and under a tree, waiting for Scottie to move with her. "Because I just found out he's alive."
"Is that so? When? Because there had to have been enough time for you to tell that insufferable partner of yours and for him to run a DNA test. Did you really think —"
Well, at least Liz knew how Scottie had found out. She would deal with Ressler later. "A week and a half ago," she cut her husband's mother off. Might as well fill her in at this point or she'd start digging and who knows what she would throw off balance. Liz had never wanted Scottie for an enemy. "He lost about a decade's worth of memories. He didn't remember me or Agnes. It's been…. busy."
She watched shock slowly settle if Scottie's features. "Is he…. alright?"
"Mostly. He's been working at St Regis. It was the last thing he knew when he woke up, he said."
"How did that bring him to DC?"
"A job. He was hired to…. We're still sorting it all out."
"There are people and methods that can help with that. Let me—"
"I know. I've had it done." Scottie turned to look at her a little more sharply than the statement warranted.
"Had what done?"
"Memory extraction. It's a long story and one that I'd rather not get into outside my daughter's school if you don't mind."
Scottie pursed her lips. "Do you think his memories were taken on purpose?"
"Seems to be that way. We don't know for sure by who yet. It's…. a really delicate situation."
"Yes." Liz could see the woman's clever mind spinning and brown eyes met blue. "I'd like to see him."
"Scottie…."
"I need to see my son," she pressed. There was a desperation in her voice and there were tears forming in her eyes. She was a strange woman for the CEO of a company that dealt in spycraft. She wore her emotions on her sleeve, but the more Liz had gotten to know her, the more she suspected that it was a tactic.
Even so, she knew how much Scottie loved Tom and how much Tom had come to love his mother.
"Let me talk to him. He's been…. overwhelmed, but I'll talk to him."
"I'll be in town."
"You better be you owe your granddaughter ice cream after school," Liz answered with a small smile.
Every moment there seemed to be a new complication added. Something that made an impossible situation that much more difficult. Scottie knew. Okay. She could deal with that. She could even use that, potentially. It was the fact that Ressler hadn't trusted her enough to let her know what he was doing. He'd snagged DNA from Tom - likely from something left behind at his apartment the night he'd stayed there - and sent it out without saying a word. As soon as he got back from Germany, Liz was going to have a chat with him.
---------
For as well as the session the day before had gone - at least after Liz had gotten there - this one kept getting sidetracked. Even with Liz next to him, her voice working as a tether to better things, his mind kept trying to go a different direction. The result was fractured memories joining together like a Picasso painting. Nothing made sense and he couldn't find a way to break through and make it.
Tom loosed a frustrated breath as he felt himself being pulled out of it and then he was back in Selma Orchard's clinic, strapped back in a chair and hooked up to machinery. Liz reached out, her hand in his forearm and he tugged away, the movement making him realize he had already been unstrapped from the chair. "We're not done."
"For today we are," Orchard answered.
"You took me out too soon. I could've gotten there," he growled, his voice sounding as agitated as he felt.
The doctor offered a sympathetic smile. "This isn't something you can push, Tom. Not without substantial risks."
"And if I'm willing to take those?" he shot back.
"Then it may cost your life and that defeats the purpose, doesn't it?" Orchard asked pointedly. "I have another patient like you. She had trouble with limitations at first too. She wanted something she could fight. It took a while for her to understand that you do more damage by pushing past the limits your mind and body are clearly setting than working within them."
"What happened once she got that?" Liz asked.
"She started to improve. Little things, but better a half a step forward than two back," Orchard answered. "And you have something she doesn't."
"What's that?" Tom grumbled, not really in the mood for some life lesson about patience his second day in.
"The ability to surround yourself with what your mind has forgotten. Your wife, your daughter, your home. I know you didn't have a breakthrough today like yesterday, but that doesn't mean we didn't push at those blocks that have been put in place. Think of it like a dam holding back water. You're putting cracks in it with the work we're doing. As the dam weakes, memories could start to slip through when triggered by external forces."
"Happened with me," Liz said softly from his side and Tom felt a sudden and unfamiliar wave of guilt for pulling away from her. He reached out and she took the offered hand as Orchard continued.
"The more you surround yourself with the familiar, the more likely you are to find yourself remembering things." She glanced over at Liz. "Why don't I give you two some time to talk?"
"Thanks," Liz answered and Tom tightened his fingers around hers.
"Sorry."
"For what?"
"Pulling away. For… You've done nothing but help me."
"I love you," she said softly. "And we will get there. I promise."
He sighed heavily, letting his head drop back against the rest behind him. He could feel the ache coming on and all he could do was hope it didn't turn into a full blown migraine.
"So Scottie showed up at Agnes' school this morning."
"Remind me who that is?" Tom asked tiredly.
"Your mother."
That drew his attention. "Is that normal?"
"No. She found out you're alive. Apparently Ressler ran your DNA."
"Asshole."
Liz snorted a laugh at that. "I'll handle Ress, but with what Orchard said, this might be a good opportunity."
"What? You want me to meet this woman?"
"You guys got… well, you were getting close when everything happened." Her other hand came up to cover his, almost like she needed as much of a reminder as she could get that he was right there. "She wanted to have dinner. If you feel up for it, maybe it'll knock something loose?"
He thought about it for a long moment, trying to conjure an image of the woman Liz was talking about in his mind, but he had nothing. Not a glimpse of the woman that Liz had said - despite what Bud had told him and that Tom had believed growing up - loved him.
"Okay," he breathed at last. "Let's give it a shot."
That smile of hers could light a room, and as Liz leaned in and kissed him, he felt some of the frustration ease away.
----------
TBC
Notes: Well, Ress is busted. Good thing he walked away with a successful trip to Germany at least?
Next Time: The Keens have dinner with Scottie, Red takes a trip down to Texas, and Ressler runs into trouble.
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winryofresembool · 5 years ago
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Edwin Fic: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
A/N: This is my fic for the final day of @edwinholidayweek! Yes, I totally got the idea from the song that I used as the title. I just found it a funny idea that the twins would see Winry kissing Ed as a Santa and this fic started expanding from there. And in case someone’s still wondering, I HC Edwin having 6 kids: Alan, Emma, Elena, Arthur and the twins Erika and Henry, who will be the “heroes” of this story. Pls enjoy and let me know what you think! Ps. In Finland it’s usual that Santa actually stays in the house for a bit so I’m going with my own experiences here.
Words: 1100ish
Genre: maybe a bit fluffy, general silliness
Warnings: none
...
”Ho, ho, ho! Have you kids been nice?”
“Santa!” The 5-year-old Rockbell-Elric twins exclaimed in unison when they saw who arrived and raced to give him a hug.
“Yes, we’ve been very nice!” Erika gave the white bearded man a bright smile, patting her eyelids a couple of times.
“So nice you can’t even believe!” Henry accompanied his twin sister, trying to look as innocent as possible.
“Hmmmm? That’s good then!” Smirking, Santa Claus added: “Although, my elves have reported that sometimes you little rasc… um, sweeties, have caused some trouble for your parents, but maybe they have made some kind of mistake there. Mum, what do you say?” He turned his attention to Winry, who had just arrived to greet the guest.
“Well…” she gave the old man a significant smile. “Whatever small naughty things they have done, my husband has been good at dealing with it, and they rarely repeat the same mistake. They are just enthusiastic kids, that’s all.”
“Oh,” Santa couldn’t help but return to the ‘husband’ topic. “Sounds like your husband is a great person. But where is he? I was looking forward to meeting him!” He turned his head left and right as if trying to spot the man in question.
“Well, he can be a bit absent minded sometimes, so he forgot to get the dessert for our Christmas dinner… He’s out picking it now. That is, if he can find any on a holiday.” Winry rolled her eyes.
“Alright then! Well, I suppose we are gonna have to start giving out the presents without him because I’m a busy man!” Santa said and started lifting his heavy sack.
“Yes, let’s do that. The rest of the kids are already waiting in the living room.” Winry noted and swore she could see the Santa winking at her once before following the twins inside the house.
When the oldest Rockbell-Elric kids, Emma and Alan, saw the Santa, they both snorted a bit for a reason the twins couldn’t understand, but quickly wiped the smiles from their faces and sat down to wait for the gifts. The two middle kids, Elena and Arthur, didn’t show any signs that there was anything weird about the Santa, so soon the twins forgot about their older siblings’ weird reactions, instead focusing on the pile of gifts that was waiting in the huge bag. Winry got the honor of helping Santa to read the names in the packages and soon enough all the gifts had found their respective owners. The twins’ pile might have been slightly bigger than the others’, but no one really cared as long as the two were happy. Last year Henry hadn’t gotten the exact toy he had wished for, throwing a tantrum that had lasted for several hours, and no one wanted a repeat of that.
Before the Santa left, the kids sang him a familiar Christmas song (the twins messing up the lyrics constantly, while Arthur was the only one who really tried) and then wanted to take some pictures with him. Once the photos with the kids had been taken, Santa seemed to be eager to get one with Winry as well. At first Winry was a bit reluctant, but after some coaxing from both the old man and the kids, she finally sat on his lap.
“Santa is a married man, but still, it’s an honor to get to take a picture with a lady this pretty!” he exclaimed and made the older kids giggle. The twins were a bit confused again, they didn’t understand why Santa was acting so comfortable with Winry when dad wasn’t around, yet she didn’t seem to mind. But then the old man announced it was his time to leave, and Erika and Henry forgot about the weird behavior because it meant they were finally allowed to open the presents.
Despite having the most gifts, the twins were naturally the fastest to open them. Erika’s favorite present was a brand new football while Henry seemed to be excited about a picture book about Amestris’ history. They also got a lot of chocolate, which however made them thirsty, so they decided to go to get some water from the kitchen. They thought they’d find their mother there preparing the Christmas dinner, but little did they know she also had a guest there. When they noticed the familiar red clothed man near their mother, they stopped on their tracks to see what was going on.
“- c’mon, later!” Winry tried to shoo the man farther from her. “The kids are gonna start whining about the dinner soon. Please, get rid of that costume now.”
“Not before Santa gets a kiss!” the man demanded.
“I, ugh… Fine, if you go after that.” Winry finally gave in, and turned that she could give Santa a kiss – straight on the lips.
“MUM!” The twins had seen enough. They were glaring at the two adults and pointed at their mother accusingly. Winry quickly withdrew from Santa’s arms, slightly shocked to see the twins had been there all this time.
“Wha…  I didn’t realize you guys were…”
“Why did you kiss HIM? What about DAD?” They yelled in unison.
“I can explain…” Santa tried to come between the kids and their mother.
“Don’t say anything! You were just as bad!” Henry growled. “Who are you anyway? There’s no way a real Santa would kiss our mum!”
Erika jumped forward before anyone could stop her and reached for Santa’s beard. It fell off. “See, Henry, it was a fake!” Then she looked at the face that was more visible now that the beard was away. She realized she recognized that jaw. “DAD?!”
“Yeah, kids, it is me,” Ed sighed and took off the hat and the glasses he was wearing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“I thought it was weird that you weren’t at our present opening,” Henry noted coolly after recovering from the initial surprise, but Erika’s lip was trembling a bit.
“So you were lying about Santa to us all this time?” she asked sadly.
“See, Winry, we shouldn’t have even tried. The kids are way too smart for that.” Ed noted. “Well, what’s done is done. Erika, Henry, we’re sorry. We promise to no longer lie to you about Santa and elves.”
“Not elves too!” Erika yelped, and the parents’ faces told them they had made a pretty big mistake.
“Oh boy,” Ed sighed in his mind. It was gonna be a long Christmas. Well, at least he got that damn kiss, he thought before running after his kids.
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solastia · 6 years ago
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Faith | Epilogue
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Pairing: Namjoon x Reader 
Word Count: 1,421
Warnings: Childbirth (not really that graphic), epic amounts of fluff
Note: Here it is, the end. I hope everyone enjoyed this story. I know I did. This is one of my favorite Namjoon’s that I’ve ever worked on because it basically just felt like him being himself. I may do drabbles for certain scenes in the future if people wanted them. Happy reading! 
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You groaned as another contraction rippled through you, banging your head against the lumpy hospital pillow in frustration. You were trying your best to hold on since Namjoon would be here any moment, but it was getting harder to do. Small hands wrapped themselves around one of yours, squeezing them comfortingly. 
“This is why you should have married my daughter instead. She would never have made you wait this long.” Namjoon’s mother says playfully, though her eyes are filled with concern. 
“He’ll be here, Mom. You know how New York traffic is. How’s Faith?” 
“She’s fine. Keeps asking about you, but Kyungmin is keeping her well occupied in the waiting room. She’s watching cartoons on her tablet and one of the nurses gave her some “paperwork” to fill out for you because she wanted to help.” 
“That’s my girl.”
The doctor at your feet snaps her gloves off and writes a few things down on her chart before turning to you with a smile. 
“Alright, we are at a nine. Just about showtime. How are you feeling?” 
“Like I’m going to beat my giant husband to death for putting his giant child inside of me.” 
“Is now a good time to mention Namjoon was ten pounds when he was born?” Mom chuckles dryly, patting your hand in comfort. 
Oh, Jesus Christ. Of course he was. 
“The epidural still working for you?” The doctor asked as a nurse took your vitals. 
“For the most part. It’s not as painful as it was, but it’s still no walk in the park.” 
“That sounds okay then. I don’t want you so out of it pushing is difficult. I’ll give you about five more minutes until I check again. Once we’re at ten, it’s time to push.” 
You nod, deciding not to tell her that you felt like you could probably push at any moment. You needed to wait for your husband. 
You stroke your massive stomach comfortingly as you wait, feeling little ripples as your body prepared itself. You were so much bigger with this one than you were with Faith. Frankly, you were terrified to see what your stomach was going to look like after this one was out. Still, it was worth it. It was all worth it. 
You and Namjoon had married in the courthouse as soon as the paperwork was finished, with his family and your brother Alan as witnesses. The both of you had decided that although he could afford it, you didn’t want some huge event and have to wait to get married, so a quick thing like that was perfect. So naturally, when he had to go back to New York, you and Faith had gone with him. He sold the fancy apartment he’d been using and got you guys an actual house. You were a little frightened by what was going on in that head of his that made him think you guys needed eight bedrooms, however. 
His parents followed soon after, deciding that New York was too far away when they had Faith to spoil and soon another one on the way. Namjoon’s sister was still in California, but she was talking about moving here too. 
You had enjoyed your time working in daycare enough that you were now taking online classes to get an education degree. You were thinking that maybe you’d teach elementary school or something. Whatever you ended up doing, it was still more than you’d ever hoped to be able to do before. 
Namjoon’s career continued to skyrocket, leading him to have an office full of awards and several number one hits. While you would, and have, loved Namjoon regardless of how much money he has, you had to admit it was nice. You no longer had to worry about rent or food, and you loved that your children were never going to have to want for anything. 
Speaking of children, the moment that Namjoon had discovered you were pregnant he’d gone insane. You now had the most opulent nursery that you’d ever seen, with new items being purchased constantly. You didn’t even know what the baby was yet as you both had wanted it to be a surprise, but he still bought everything, saying you could save it for the next one if it didn’t get used. If he had his way, you would have been on bedrest from the moment he found out, but you’d gotten him to settle for carrying you around a little bit more than usual. Every day he was reading a new book, and you swore if you heard the phrase, “Hey, baby, did you know that...” one more time, you were going to strangle him in his sleep. 
Suddenly, the door to your room banged open so hard you were afraid it might have broken, and your husband came barreling into the room looking freakily similar to an angry gorilla you once saw on tv. He rushed to your bed and inspected you from head to toe with wild eyes, leaning over to kiss you. 
“Hey, baby. You okay? Are you hurting? What do you need?” 
And just like that, your body relaxed (as much as it was able) and you directed him to sit on the bed near you, leaving the chair for Mom. You smiled gently, secretly amused over his panic. His Mom looked like she was fighting off laughter herself. 
“I’m fine, now that you’re here. And you’re just in time because they’re coming out now.” 
You hadn’t thought it possible, but his already wide and panicked eyes grew even more. “Right now?”
“Yup. Doctor, it’s time.” 
She raised an eyebrow at you and sat at the foot of the bed. 
“Alright, let’s see how it looks. Oh yeah, it’s go time. Nurse, if you please.” 
After that, it was a flurry of movement at the bottom of your bed as they worked. Namjoon was still cradled against you on the bed, letting you squeeze the everloving hell out of his hand. 
“You’re doing great, baby. So good. I love you so fucking much,” he murmured into your ear as he wiped your hair away from your gross sweaty head. His mom reached over to pat your shoulder a few times as a reminder that she was here to support you. 
The labor was going so much faster than it had with Faith, just a few orders to push was all it took for you to feel that baby nearly out. 
“And we have a head out, one more push guys!” 
You clamped down on Namjoon’s hand as you pushed as hard as you could, breathing with relief as you felt it being pulled the rest of the way. Seconds later, the room was filled with angry crying as your child entered the world. 
“It’s a boy! Congratulations,” the nurse smiled and handed him to you, letting you cradle him to your chest as you and Namjoon looked him over. 
Your son was ugly as hell. Huge, wrinkled, covered in goop, but you still thought he was perfect. You could already see some of Namjoon’s features, but who he looked like more would clear up in a few days. You glance up at Namjoon and absolutely melt at the way he’s staring at his son with pure adoration and wonder. 
“Hold him, daddy. The deal was you got to name him if it was a boy.” 
You gently hand Namjoon your son, and the poor man cradles him with frightened eyes like he’s terrified of dropping him. After a few moments of observing the baby, like he didn’t have a list of names he’d been working on for months, he finally nods. 
“Taeyoung.” 
“That sounds good,” you grin, leaning over to boop your son’s nose. “Hi, Taeyoung. Mommy is going to call you Tae a lot because I’m not screaming ‘Taeyoung’ whenever I need you to clean your room.” 
The nurse collects the baby to clean and take his vitals as the doctor completes her work on your downstairs. 
“I love you. And I love our children. Thank you for my family,” Namjoon nuzzles into your neck, trying to hide the fact that he was crying. You and his mother share a look over his shoulder, smiling at how cute he was. 
“I love you too, Joonie.” 
You notice a nurse finally finishing up weighing your son and you just have to know. 
“So, how much did he weigh?” 
Namjoon’s head shoots up and he stares at the nurse, knowing his doom his upon him. 
“Baby boy weighed eleven pounds, two ounces. Big boy.” 
“Goddammit, Namjoon!” 
“I’m sorry, I love you!” 
- The End -
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deans-baby-momma · 5 years ago
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The Padackles Link-Chapter 52
A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to be updated. Hopefully now I am back on track and can update more regularly. 
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IN DALLAS 
Jensen woke up and slowly opened his eyes. He glanced around at the room he was in; the guest room of his parents’ home. When he had packed up and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career,  his mom had turned his old room into a crafts room. A place where she could go to get some quiet time and do what she enjoyed, creating little trinkets and keepsakes that she gives out to family and close friends as gifts. 
He sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He knew he had fucked up yesterday and last night, going off on Drea and ultimately leaving without much of an explanation. He knew that even though he had finally answered the phone when Jared called and had asked him to explain to Drea where he was headed it wasn’t the best recourse but by the time he had calmed down and realized his mistake, he was already halfway to Dallas. 
Jensen just hoped he hadn’t ruined what he and Drea had, that she would let him justify himself and forgive him. He also knew he wasn’t above begging.
A knock brought him out of his thoughts and his dad, Alan, stuck his head through the door.
“Morning son. Your mother wants to know if you’ll be staying for breakfast?”
“Morning dad,” Jensen rasped, his voice gruff from sleep. “Tell Mom I’ll be down in 10.”
Alan nodded and turned to leave. But then he stopped and looked back at his grown son. 
“Listen Jen. I know you are an adult and probably don’t think you need advice from an old man like me but I’m going to give it to you anyway.”
Jensen smiled at his dad. He actually would like to get some guidance and opinion from his dad. He looked up to the man, always had. Alan Ackles was what he intended to become.  A loving, hard-working man who took care of his family’s wants and needs.So any help his dad was willing to dole out Jensen would take to heart. 
“Now I don’t know why you showed up at our doorstep at bedtime last night but I have a feeling it has something to do with what happened at the party yesterday,” Alan paused long enough for his son to answer. When Jensen nodded he continued. “I know seeing your ex-wife with someone new, someone that isn’t you had to be…unsettling but you can’t let it ruin the other relationships in your life. You’ve moved on and you cannot expect Danneel not to. 
"So whatever you are feeling, suck it up son. You and Drea seem to be getting along and you do not want to destroy that.”
Nodding, Alan shut the door gently, giving Jensen time to reflect on his words. Jensen knew his dad was right. He couldn’t really be upset about Danneel moving on; and he really wasn’t. Not like everyone thought, at least. It was more of whom she moved on with. Dr. Josh Daniel’s, Drea’s ex. He didn’t know the whole story behind their breakup because he had never asked, but to know that Drea had given him her time and affection and he just threw it away like yesterday’s garbage didn’t sit right with Jensen. He knew firsthand just how loving and caring Drea was and he couldn’t imagine tossing it aside. Drea Murphy was the most respectful, most kind, supportive woman Jensen had ever known. She reminded him of his mother with her encouragement and loyalty. 
Running a hand over his head,  Jensen got out of bed to go downstairs to visit with the woman who he admired the most, Donna Ackles.
IN AUSTIN
6:45. Jackson begins his whimpering and I knew by the time I made it to his room, it would be a full on wail like it is every morning. I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed and by the time my hand touches the doorknob, the first loud cry sounds through the monitor.
“I’m on my way baby,” I mutter as I tread to his room. “Hey mister. It’s okay. Mommy’s here. Is my big man hungry?” I coo to my son as I pick him and lay him onto the changing table to switch the soiled diaper with a clean and dry one. Jackson lays there, watching me, his fussing down to just sniffles.
Gen is already in the kitchen, pouring coffee when I walk in carrying Jackson. “Good morning. Did we wake you?”
Gen smiles as she takes a sip of the scalding brew. “Nah, my internal clock wakes me up at 6 every morning. Guess it’s from all those years of getting up early for soccer practice and now with the boys,  they hardly ever sleep past 7.”
“Even now?” I ask, astonished.  I had been hoping that as Jackson got older he would begin sleeping longer. And both Gen’s boys were older than him so it wasn’t looking promising. 
“Yea. Welcome to motherhood. It’s great!” She chuckled.  “No seriously though, I love the time I get to spend with my kids teaching them things and watching them learn. And if that means I lose a few hours of sleep, then I’m not complaining. I can sleep when I’m dead and buried.”
I looked down at Jackson as he ate, staring back at me and took in her words. She was right. If I got to watch this precious little baby grow up and teach him right from wrong, a few lost hours of sleep was nothing. 
*GEN’S POV*
Drea was an excellent mother. Not once had she shirked her duties as Jackson’s parent. It made me even more hopeful of the idea I’d had. Now if Jared was receptive of it. He was wary of it when we spoke last night but I knew I could get him on board eventually.  It was way too soon to bring it up anyway with Drea and Jensen’s current dilemma.
“Did you ever hear from him after I went to bed?” I asked gently, not wanting to make Drea upset.
“No, but Donna did call to tell me he is set up in their guest room,” Drea explained to me. “She just wanted to assure me he was okay." 
"That was nice of her,” I said with a smile. “So what are you going to do today? Wanna take the kids to the park or something?” I sip on my cooling coffee as I watch her mull over the idea. 
“Yea, I guess that would be good,” she says as she switches Jackson from one side to the other and coax him onto the new breast. “After his nap, we can head over. I can’t stay here and wonder what went wrong. Why he up and left, saying he needed time, can I?”
“No, sweetie. You will just drive yourself crazy,” I soothe. “I’ll go wrangle my guys and then we’ll go let them run off some of that Padalecki energy. And give you a chance to get your mind off things for a while.”
“Yea sounds good.”
*END GEN’S POV*
After Gen left to go back home, I got Jackson changed again and entertained him until he began yawning, signaling that it was time for his mid-morning nap. 
Once he was asleep and settled into his crib, I wandered into mine and Jensen’s bedroom to grab my phone. Checking it for messages, I was not surprised to see the notifications were empty. No messages, no missed calls.
I sighed and placed the phone back onto the nightstand and grabbed some clothes to change into after a quick shower.
A day with the Padalecki’s would surely get my mind off of wondering if my relationship with Jensen was over.
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