#me: I am going to write a fic that is normal plot-driven amounts of angst

[whattraintracks]

Because it's my self-indulgent fic, I've decided this takes place somewhere in those three months at the end of season 3 when Morgane and Karadec are both single but not dating yet.

Cops & Robbers Pt 3 - First | Prev | Next

Same warning for guns and hostage situations with an added warning for a depiction of overstimulation/panic attack.

[]

They're watching her.

There are a dozen other hostages, and all four robbers are watching her. Like they're just waiting for her to mess up. They won't have to wait long; nobody ever does. Gosh, she can hardly focus with their eyes on her.

The phone starts ringing, startling her mind into overdrive.

Théa squeezes her hand.

There's something caught in her throat.

The robber sets the phone down with a snap.

Too much. Too quiet. Too loud.

théa's grip is too tight

when did she swallow her gum?

what did he say on the phone?

someone is breathing too hard

she's suffocating on a piece of bubblegum

can't think can't breathe they're still watching her

"Mom?" Théa whispers.

Morgane jolts out of her head, pasting a reassuring smile on her face that does little to ease the worry on Théa's. Shaking her hand out of her daughter's, she takes a moment to tighten her ponytail and straighten her clothes. The urge to cry hovers in her periphery, so she allows herself exactly two unsteady breaths. Then continues to ignore it.

She looks around their little circle. "Everyone's okay, right?" Those close enough to hear her nod. "Cool. Stay relaxed, do as they say, and we'll get through this."

Her favorite robber is on the phone again, introducing himself as Dr. Blue. Which is, certainly original. Then again, if all their names match the color of their scrubs, it'll be easy to tell them apart. She's primarily surprised he's still talking, given how quickly he hung up the phone the first time. She could've sworn she heard him say he'd only speak to Karadec.

Oh. She can't hear the other half of the conversation, but it must be him. It's pretty obvious why Dr. Blue wants to communicate via Karadec, and she'd like to make it known that she is very annoyed about being a bargaining chip. Still, she's relieved he's the one handling the negotiations. There's no one else she trusts more with her life.

That relief and trust buoy her through the next round of Dr. Blue's threats. He stalks toward her, and she looks him straight in the eyes as he promises to bump her off first if the cops lie, cheat, or storm the bank. He makes his point, hangs up, and heads to the back of the bank.

He's barely out of sight before a man to her right whispers frantically, "This is your fault, you know?" Turning to the rest of the group he continues, "She called the cops. I saw her. If it wasn't for this chick, the bank robbers would've come and gone, and we'd already be out of here."

A very short and very pregnant woman—Simone, according to her name tag—shakes her head. "The cops were coming anyway. The bank robbers pulled the bottom bills from the cash drawer."

"Which automatically triggers the silent alarm," the bank manager explains. "No one's fault."

Their panicker reluctantly settles down, and Morgane glances gratefully at the other two. She catches Simone rubbing her baby bump and goes to ask how far along she is, only to be interrupted by a short-haired brunette.

"I can't believe they're holding a pregnant woman hostage. They should let you go."

"Lady, they're not letting her go. They're not letting any of us go," wheezes a thin man in cheap glasses. "I've seen this movie before. I know how it ends." He pauses dramatically, then whispers, "All of us dead."

"Oh, quit it. We're not going to die," Morgane cuts through the ripple of distressed murmurs. She jabs a thumb at the front wall of framed glass, with its faint flashes of blue and red. "I work with the police. Trust me, they have a lot more experience than some characters in a cheesy action flick. They'll get us out, and we can all laugh about this tomorrow."

That earns her a variety of incredulous and generally un-reassured looks. Clearly, she needs to find some way to keep herself and all these people busy if she's to avoid mass amounts of panic.

"Okay, maybe not tomorrow, but we'll be fine. Now, M. Bank Manager." He points to himself. "Yes, you."

"It's uh," he glances down, shifting his jacket to reveal his name tag, "Dallaire."

"Sure. What's behind those doors back there?" She nods at the security gates leading to the back. The ones Dr. Blue went through a few minutes ago.

Dallaire glances over his shoulder. "The security room, break rooms, restroom, and the safe deposit boxes."

Dr. Blue reappears suddenly, and they fall silent. His compatriot in red tosses him Dallaire's stolen key and a black duffle bag. He returns to the back, and they fill a few more uneasy moments with silence.

"Okay," she whispers, blinking slowly to picture the shape of the key. "So, the key they took from around your neck was for the safe deposit boxes, right?"

"Yeah, that's my security key."

Théa leans forward. "Why aren't they trying to get into the vault behind the counter? Isn't it full of cash?"

Morgane snaps softly and points at her. "Exactly, Théa! There's something off about all this." She pushes to her feet.

"Mom! Sit. Down," Théa hisses.

"Yoohoo, M. Teal!" Three guns track her intently, but she keeps her eyes on the man in teal scrubs. The one who locked them in. "Oh, pardon me, Dr. Teal."

"You got a death wish?" he asks.

"Not at all, but I do got to go if you know what I mean"—Théa groans into her hands.—"And since it looks like we might be here for a while..."

He glances at the lady robber, Dr. Purple, for approval, then gestures for her to follow. She's escorted to the restroom, which, as she'd hoped, is just past the safe deposit boxes. As luck would have it, Dr. Blue pulls one out as they walk by. She discreetly observes its contents, and—huh. It's not jewelry or confidential documents, just photos and letters. Lots of them, but likely nothing of monetary value.

Dr. Teal shoves her along to a quite lovely but windowless bathroom. She spends several minutes checking for possible exits or an opening of any size to the outside, to no avail. A bang on the door and a shouted warning later, she washes her hands and allows herself to be led back to the others.

The man to her right asks to go next as Théa stares at her askance.

"Shush. Let me think."

Closing her eyes, she lets the sensations of the room fade. The light and warmth streaming in through the upper windows. The robbers' footsteps. The clothes against her skin. She nudges all of it to the back of her mind and imagines every detail she's gathered of this mystery laid out before her like papers scattered across the floor. She grabs a random page.

None of the robbers are trying to access the vault, which is full of cash. So this is about something other than money.

Dr. Blue is spending an awful lot of time in the back, presumably with the safe deposit boxes, but none were broken into, and he only recently came out to get the security key from Dr. Red.

Was this entire bank robbery for a single deposit box? Seems a little below the pay grade of professionals.

Some professionals, though. Simone said they set off the silent alarm.

But Dr. Red disabled the bank cameras, all four hold their guns like military folk, and when the cops arrived, Dr. Blue said they had "trained for this."

So they set off the alarm on purpose. But why waste time with hostage negotiations?

Time. It took the cops less time to get here because she was already on the phone with Karadec. But Gilles likely only called the robbery in a couple minutes before they set off the alarm.

Time. Dr. Blue asked to speak to Karadec only. Was that a bid for time? He couldn't have known how quickly Karadec would respond.

Time. The robbers could have gotten in and out quickly if they had avoided the silent alarm, taken cash from the registers or vault, and left, but they didn't.

Why? Because they needed time!

Safe deposit box keys are a pain to keep track of because they don't have numbers on them. Accessing your safe deposit box is quick if you know which box is yours and the bank manager uses their security key simultaneously. So, the key isn't his, and he needed time to check every lock and find the correct box. Time he bought by creating a hostage situation.

The box is the key.

Her eyes fly open, startling those watching her. "M. Dallaire, how are the safe deposit boxes numbered?"

He explains the ordering system with a raised brow.

Tapping her chin she traces the picture in her mind, "North wall, four columns over, three boxes down. That's box 120."

The jaw of every bank employee drops, and Théa grumbles about mothers who enjoy showing off too much.

"Do not," Morgane snips back. She looks around furtively. "If I can get a message to my partner, he can figure out whose box that is and what these robbers are really up to."

"How? I doubt they'll let you make a call," the brunette whispers.

"Probably not," she agrees. "But I've got a better idea. Théa, give me your bracelet."

Théa whines, "Aw, man."

[newyorkbaby]

top 10 favorite fics?

This has been sitting in my inbox for a hot minute, honestly, because this is a super difficult question. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to answer! I want to preface by saying that I’ve read a ridiculous amount of fic in this fandom, and I’ve loved so much of it, and there are plenty of fics that I would die for that aren’t on this list. also i’m constantly reading and finding new universes to love, so this list could change any day? but here goes, my top 10 favorite (at this very moment in time) hl fics:

10. Relief Next To Me by dolce_piccante (334k)

What can I say? Is this fic overhyped? Maybe. Is it ridiculously long? Sure. Is it nothing but pure fluff? Yeah, you’re right. Would I die for it? Absolutely. I find myself revisiting this universe over and over again, and that’s saying something for a fic this massive. I just love how fun the relationship is, so whenever I’m feeling blue and need to get away from anything angst, this is one of my go-to’s.

9. let it shine under the morning star, orphaned (22k)

This is one of the first fics I ever read twice (I’m not normally a fan of re-reading fics) and I still go back to it from time to time just to experience the amazing aesthetic this fic has. It’s set during the Belle Époque, one of my favorite historical eras in terms of the arts, and the imagery is just beautiful. Read this while listening to some Chopin or John Field; it’s totally lovely.

8. the impossible now by stylinsoncity (54k)

Oh, god. This fic is incredible. There are a lot of really great original plots out there, and there are a lot of good time-travel/universe swapping fics, but this one takes the cake. The angst and the conflict resolve are super well done, and this is one of those fics you just can’t stop reading even for a second. I remember staying up one night reading it all in one go, yelling at Kelli the entire time. I think I’m due to revisit this one myself!

7. You Come Beating Like Moth’s Wings by supernope (81k)

The Barcelona Fic™!!!! I read this pretty early on when I became a 1d fan and it’s stuck with me as one of the most fun and adventurous fics I’ve ever read. The entire idea of a whirlwind romance while traveling abroad is an automatic set-up for fun times (as well as a little angst) but the best part of this fic is the slow burn. If you haven’t read this one, you absolutely must.

6. Black with Autumn Rain by whimsicule (93k)

If you’re looking for originality, look no further tbh. Listen, I’m a huge horror/sci-fi/fantasy fanatic, and I’m obsessed with anything different, so obviously there’s some bias going on here, and I recognize that this fic may not be for everyone. However, it feels like this fic was written for me. This is one of those fics where the romance takes a bit of a back seat to the actual story, which is something I love, and the actual story is what keeps you hooked. On top of that, fucking phenomenal writing. Read this one when it’s raining, preferably with the lights off.

5. 210 Days by cherrystreet (16k)

Listen. Are you listening? Okay, good. This fic changed me. This was the first of Shelly’s fics that I ever read, and I couldn’t stop screaming about it for weeks. Shelly is, quite honestly, the queen of hurt and comfort. Did I cry while reading this? Of course. But I finished this fic feeling so content, hopeful even, for Harry and Louis, and for how strong their love is in this universe. I got hooked on the writing right away, but even more than that, I got introduced to Shelly’s incredible ability to write about the pain of the real world while highlighting all of the good things that happen as well. This fic is a huge gift; it brought me comfort during a really shitty time in my life, it made some of my friendships stronger, and it introduced me to one of my favorite people in this fandom. Anyway, the writing in this is totally poetic, so if you want to know what it feels like to be adored, read Harry’s letters to Louis in this fic and get back to me.

4. Have You Coming Back Again by whoknows (31k)

It’s crazy to me that this fic is number 4 on this list instead of number 1, because the first time I read this fic I ranted and raved about it for a ridiculously long time. The first time I tried to read this, I couldn’t get into it. Fortunately, I tried again after a few weeks and when I did get into it, I got into it. I adore the characterization in this fic. The writing is, of course, totally on point. “You’re just obsessed with fluff,” you might say. Well you’d be right, but that doesn’t change the fact that whoknows has a gift for writing a fun, playful romance.

3. Here in the Afterglow by fondleeds (89k)

Ah, here’s where I really get emotional. When lysha posted this, I had already read her first work, which I adored, so I was really excited for a well-done historical au (I’m a hoe for historical au if that isn’t obvious, btw). But nothing could have prepared me for this fic. Not only are all of the historical details totally spot on (the MUSIC IN THIS IS.. INCREDIBLE!!!), but the story itself handles the coming out “trope” with such incredible finesse and care, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There is so much LGBT+ history in this fic, and it’s treated with the respect it deserves, which is something I really haven’t ever seen in any other fic before. When I finished it, I just had this immense feeling of thankfulness for the pioneers of LGBT+ rights, which is not something you’d necessarily expect to get from a fic?? Anyways I’m rambling but I really can’t emphasize enough how wonderful and important to me this fic is. You absolutely must listen to 70′s rock while reading this, btw.

2. It Comes and Goes in Waves/It Always Does by roaroftheninth (51k)

Am I a fake for making this my #2 even though I only first read it a few days ago? Maybe. This fic, just recently completed, is another absolutely original fic that stands out from anything I’ve ever read. The thing about this fic is, the romance (like BWAR) is secondary. This is more a story about a soldier, who has to deal with the loss and pain he was left with after WWII, and his struggle to accept his own self-worth and happiness. Everything about the story itself is just flawless: the writing, the characterization, the plot, the imagery, the dialogue, the vocabulary itself - all of it is fantastic. I know the MCD tag scares people (it definitely scares me too!) but I promise it’s survivable, and the ending is happy! Given, if you like cookie-cutter fic with a predictable plot with all smiles and no tears, this fic isn’t for you. Then again, real life probably isn’t for you. If you want to read something real, something powerful and thought-provoking, read this. (Also, bonus points to this fic for SLOWWWW burn, an amazing tension-release, and a beautiful ending).

1. Tug-of-War by cherrystreet (63k)

You knew I couldn’t make a fic rec without having cherrystreet on here twice, right? The reality is, all of Shelly’s fics should be in my top 10, because I love them all, but there is no universe that compares to TOW. As always, her writing and characterization are on point. It’s obvious how much Shelly cares for this universe in the details of this fic, and it’s obvious how much she loves Louis and Harry in the way she carefully handles their fragile hearts in this particularly angst-driven story. Like the previous recommendation, this fic perfectly captures the pain of the real world, while still emphasizing that things can get better, that if you don’t give up, or even if you have already given up, you can change things for yourself just by believing that you deserve it. This fic is, naturally, littered with hardships and addresses real human sorrow, but it’s also full of love and hope, and lots of laughter. I’ve read it multiple times, and every time I’m left smiling and a little more in love with hl than I was before, so if you’re waiting to read this one or you haven’t done it yet because you’re afraid of the angst, I promise it won’t hurt you.

Sorry this was so long and so extra, but Top 10 is truly an outrageously difficult question! And like… it could change by tomorrow, for all I know! Anyways I hope you enjoy these if you haven’t read them yet, and even if you have read them maybe try giving some of them another go! All of these universes are too wonderful not to enjoy multiple times.