#nowhere to run au

[moonsoupstar-ao3]

Working on my little villains/crazy bastards(?)! modern!TCF au (nowhere to run), going to choose a few song for every important character to remind myself how I'm planning to write them 🐍

For now in the list are:

Dumb, dumb - mazie

Pacify her - Melanie Martinez

Can't be tamed - Miley Cyrus

Entropy - Awkward Marina

Enamorado tuyo - Cuarteto de Nos

Villain - Stella Jang

[invye]

So @kacievvbbbb asking about modern AU headcanons had me revisiting my 'modernised' MiShanks AU I thought up a couple months ago.

I call it 'modernised' because it is more of a medium modern AU, where I keep much of the base OP lore and history, but shrink the 'active' world down to just a few islands. The overall tech level and societal developments are much closer to what we have now and I do away with most of the political plot. I haven't yet decided if Devil Fruits still exist, but if they do, they are much more rare and are kind of a thing of legend most people don't believe in. Only very select few people would know about them and the curse associated with them.

So lets get into it, I've got plenty of thoughts on Mihawk, Shanks and how their relationship plays together in a more modern world. (And because Rosinante is also one of my favourites, and I can't seem to not smush them all together, there is a CoraMiShanks bit at the end too.)

- Mihawk -

Basic weaponry is a bit more in line with modern expectations in this AU, but that will never ever stop Mihawk from being a swords guy. Mihawk is the authority on fencing, especially in historical context. He's basically got a PHD in swords, identifying them, maintaining them, using them. He's filthy rich, not just because he won every fencing tournament there is, but also because he straight up inherited that half maintained castle outside of town along with stupid amounts of money from an uncle everyone thought already died decades before Mihawk received his testament.

These days Mihawk only competes in the highest level tournament once a year to defend the title (his 'rivalry' with Shanks makes the news every time) and otherwise spends his time at home, reading, drinking, occasionally taking small sailing trips with his beloved Hitsugibune, and of course training his swordsmanship. Everyone thinks he's just living it up big in Kuraigana castle, but the people in town know that he just wants to raise his kids in peace.

Where did the kids come from? No one knows. They're definitely not his though. Anyway, turns out that Mihawk is really good with kids, so it takes barely a couple years for the whole town to load off their kids with him during holidays and days off school. (Look, Zeff runs a busy kitchen, and as much as Sanji tries to help, he's still too young for the holiday rush. Garp has to leave on Marine assignments at the most random times, and his bum of a son has vanished to who knows where years ago, and the grandkids are friends with Zoro and Sanji anyway and can do with burning out their energy running around the woods behind the castle. Bellemère has to leave on those assignments with Garp most of the time, so Nami joins the fray while Nojiko mostly plays with Perona. Mihawk usually leaves the teen girls be on their own, especially since Robin showed up a while ago to join them [she seems to stay on her own, and Mihawk keeps an eye on her in case she needs additional help, but Crocodile seems to have that sorted already]. Usopp's mom is still sick, and she's grateful to know her son is out there having fun with his friends while she tries the next medicine with horrible side effects.)

The kids love Mihawk. Mihawk loves the kids too and to much of his dismay, the kids know it. He is a figure of authority to them, but also a person of trust, who they can approach with problems and worries when their usual parental figure is unavailable or out of reach. Given that Mihawk is pretty much always around, he begrudgingly accepts his new job as free childcare provider for the town (Garp tried to pay once. They all realised very quickly they get much farther by paying in favours, food, or doing little odd jobs because that old castle always needs something done).

Mihawk promised to teach Ace and Sabo to sail this summer, and with Luffy insisting to bounce around them, he already plans on doing more swimming and child fishing than actual sailing.

- Shanks -

Shanks is still a pirate, but it's all on a much smaller scale. He's still got the 'Red Emperor' epithet, but his reputation is much more Robin Hood of the seas. The Red Force gets into small tussles with other pirates more often than the Marines, and really, as long as they have food and alcohol on board they are all perfectly fine just sailing and enjoying their freedom. No one ever knows where the Red Force is at any given time, but they are known to show up when natural disasters strike, not to plunder the remains, but to help the people rebuild long before the Marines get around to offer their help (once the Marines show up on the horizon the Red Force clears out, a couple shots are exchanged, none of them ever hit). Garp tried to yell them into joining the Marines more than once, really Shanks could even stay captain and keep his ship and crew, he just needs to fly the Marine flag, but they all simply laugh and wave as they go off again to who knows where.

However, there is one week every year, where everyone knows exactly where the Red Force will be. Shanks won't ever miss his chance to duel Mihawk in the grand fencing tournament a couple islands over from Mihawk's home. As opposed to Mihawk, who has his fixed position as defending champion, Shanks fights his way through the other contenders every year. He leans into the pirate reputation, taunting opponents, refusing protective gear, tiptoe-ing the line to breaking the rules. The people love to hate him, it's a spectacle every time. The grand finale inevitably is a duel between Mihawk and Shanks, even after Shanks lost his arm (he sat out for a year and people thought that was the end. They were very relieved when Shanks made his over the top entrance again the year after).

They have long abandoned the actual fencing rules and equipment during the finale. People clap and scream when Mihawk steps on stage carrying Yoru, the black blade just as legendary as his own reputation. Shanks never fails to grin and deliver a witty one liner (the people's boo is part of the performance) and then they lunge. Watching that fight is exhilarating. No protective gear, real blades, and two absolute masters going at each other with a force that would leave less competent fighters with the gravest of wounds. It's every bit as real as it is a performance. Everyone knows Mihawk will win before they even start, and the people can recognise a small collection of moves that they build in every time, the more flashy and wide swipes that could easily be punished but never are. It's not simply about Mihawk winning and Shanks losing, it's about witnessing a piece of history being brought back to life right in front of their eyes.

The fencing tournament has always been held within the context of the summer solstice, and with Mihawk and Shanks putting on their show its become a part of a bigger festival that focusses on celebrating history and old rites, the origins of which aren't always known anymore. Every year after the finale they throw a huge feast, traditional food all over, as historically accurate to a long past pirate era as it can get (Mihawk makes sure of it, that history PHD has to be good for something), dressing up accordingly is very much encouraged. Shanks and Mihawk keep carrying their blades and play up their daring villain and chivalrous hero act and no one thinks twice about drinking with the Red Hair Pirates (they have amazing stories to tell). Usually Mihawk ends up in the middle of a group of kids and answers all kinds of history questions, all professor like, but in his full on historical get up. Shanks catches a glimpse of him and sighs dreamily and all the people he's jokingly been flirting with and threatening to kidnap as part of his role know that they're talking to a very much taken man. They enjoy his company anyway and talk to him about what it is like to raise a kid out at sea as they watch Perona and Uta tease Zoro in the distance.

What people don't know, is that the Red Force winters. Pretty much everyone aside from a volunteer skeleton crew leaves the ship for home during the winter months.

No one in town mentions to outsiders that the Red Emperor stays with the Strongest Swordsman up in Kuraigana castle. Why would they? They're great with the kids. And Uta singing with Brook during the Baratie winter solstice celebration sells out the house every time (the townsfolk get a cheeky 50% off that day, it's a community event after all [except for Mihawk. His filthy rich ass can pay double and wouldn't notice {he does pay double. He does notice. He does not care}]).

- Rosinante & Law -

Because I can't help myself and I love thinking about Rosinante together with MiShanks, this story's active events that would make up a proper fic make it a CoraMiShanks story, which starts with Cora-san and Law arriving in town. (Rosinante is genuinely a situational mute in this one, and Law's illness is a bit less horrifying, and potentially cured/managed with medicine.) They're on assignment from Doflamingo who heard that there's a spot that has gone unfilled in the island's underworld and wants to take full advantage of the opportunity to weasel into Crocodile's operations.

Little does Doffy know that: a) Corazón accepted the assignment so he could get away from him; b) Corazón insisted on taking Law because he's still working on getting Law's illness cured; [c) {depending on if Devil Fruits exist} Corazón may have secretly taken the Ope Ope no Mi on his way out;] d) Dracule Mihawk personally checks out every newcomer in town and seems to know much more than he reasonably should; e) Dracule Mihawk loves kids and bonds with Rosinante in a single meeting that included him pulling Law out of a lake; f) gods damned Dracule Mihawk directly protects Crocodile's operations in a infuriating 'someone will do it so I pick the smallest evil' mindset and Crocodile is so damn smug about it; g) fucking Dracule Mihawk decides to keep Rosinante and Law under his protection; h) and WHERE DID THE FUCKING RED EMPEROR COME FROM???

Doffy is seething at his plans foiled. Crocodile laughs at him, tells him to go pound sand and uses the opportunity to poach a couple of Doffy's operatives. Doffy has no choice but to retreat and plot his vengeance for later.

[psychologeek]

Whumptober #17: The Cyclist AU

Background: Jason never came back to Gotham. There's no Red Hood.

During his Brucequest, Tim gets assistance from an unfamiliar person.

The map is destroyed.

Kid's staring at it like it's a crowbar, and Jason can't help feeling a twitch of compassion for him.

“Well,” he put his hand on the kid's shoulder. “We had a good run.”

The kid looks wrecked, honestly. His eyebags got bags, and there's this glimmer in his eyes that makes him wonder if part of the reason B took him was to prevent him from becoming a future raugh.

(Kid managed to set up a clone lab, become an international thief, and there's this whole thing with Ras he very carefully doesn't think about.

And that's just in three months.)

“It's over, Kiddo,” he tells the boy. “There's nothing we can do now. This was your last shot. You said it yourself.”

“No!” The kid says. “No, no, no, no. No. It's not– no, it can't. I'm not– this isn't over. This isn't. I can't. You can't make me. You can't – I'm not going. I'm not. You can't make me–”

“Wow, chill there,” Jason stops him. “I don't know what you're talking about, but it's like. You said it yourself. This was the last shot to find your - whatever cave or something.”

“It's not a cave,” the kid spits. “I've already told you - it's an ancient site used to worship a bat-like deity, which seems to be a local version of Pazuzu, that was discovered in –”

“I get it,” Jason stops him. “It's some important Batshit thing. But the map is gone. What are you gonna do? You said it yourself. No one's been there for over 70 years. What are you going to do? Get an Ouija board and start questioning the last archaeological team?”

Uh.

Oh no.

Jason recognises that look

This Look™ 

There's something sharp in the maniac smile on Tim's face.

“I mean… I bet you always wanted to break into a nuclear weapon factory in North-Korea.”

That crazy bastard.

Jason REALLY likes him.

(Like it? I have more mini-fics Whumptober index | And full size fics on ao3. )

[anshares]

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED TWITTER

(I dont have a public twt i just saw it on our discord server but im compelled to draw)

[thereareeyesinsidethetrees]

ford: go left

other ford: oh, go right actually

ford: what.

mabel: i'm getting some real mixed messages here

ford: listen to me, don't listen to the other me, go left

other ford: there's a jackalope burrow to the right

mabel: ooh-

ford: no- stop it! stop talking to her, i'm the guiding one!

other ford: no one ever said you're the guiding one, why can't i guide her?

ford: she doesn't need to go right!

other ford: i'm just giving her options

mabel: i can get down with that

ford: wh- no! you are in active danger! left left left!

other ford: it's not like you'll be in more danger if you go right

ford: YES SHE WILL???

other ford: how do you know?

ford: because right is the safe way to go?

mabel: okay but how do you know that

ford: why are you on his side?

mabel: why are you expecting me to choose between two grunkle fords?

ford: he's not even the real ford!

other ford: woah, hey, i take great offense to that

mabel: yeah, stop being mean to grunkle ford, grunkle ford

ford: he's literally leading you into your death

other ford: i would never

ford: you were trying to break my neck five minutes ago!

other ford: i'm sorry, are you mabel? i didn't think so

mabel: hey, he's honest

ford: and i'm not??

mabel: ...well...

ford: D:>

mabel: not any more than grunkle stan isn't!

other ford: the guy that pretended to be a different guy for forty years straight?

ford: not helping

other ford: i think i'm very helpful :]

[blu3cl0v3rs]

I have a Ninjago AU.

If you didn't expect it already, it's Morro-centric. Also it is half an idea and a bag of funny quotes to go with it, none of this is laid out and, if I post about it again, the lore will probably change a lot.

But anyways, it kinda goes like this:

• Morro gets revived

• He maybe runs into Wu and the Ninja??

• If he does, he says fuck that and runs away (because avoidance is his "solution" to all of his problems)

• He eventually stumbles upon these children

• SURPRISE!! It's Brad and Gene! (And maybe Sally and possibly little Lloyd. I'm still trying to decide all of this)

• Morro's immediate reaction is "whose kids are these and why won't they leAVE ME ALONE???"

• Forced Found Family Moment TM

• Morro kind-of-but-not-really adopts the gaggle of children

• Said children decide to drag him through a redemption arc, and so now he goes around just helping people around Ninjago, mostly in Ninjago City.

• They become known by the locals as the "Unhinged Community Service"

• The name sticks and the kids start recording their weird bullshit and post it on social media

• The Ninja/Wu find the account and visit Morro bc conflict (I'm I'm a sucker for Wu and Morro content-)

• Therapy ensues

• Happy ever after(?)

(At least until I decide to ruin it >:) )

[thesoulspulse]

Great news everyone! I finally got a ton of my original art project files back recently which means I can at long last resume a bunch of them I was working on before my laptop crashed. And to celebrate this I thought I'd ask you, my followers, what you'd like to see artwork for next!

[tigirl-and-co]

being a writer is a fucking nothingburger. had an awesome idea for an au/fancontinuity but I'm not super interested in making a full Thing out of it. and like artists can do doodles and shit to get the point across but I can't even do THAT much

[fruitageoforanges]

jace strong, weirwood lord of harrenhal —

‘harwin raises the strong boys’ au (explored more in my 1640s historical fusion fic!). i decided to lean in to both jace’s connection to cregan and the old gods of the north and the general weird, magical, cursed atmosphere harrenhal in this conception of him. ie. that he takes after auntie alys rivers in his leaning towards magic and being just a tad creepy.

[kintatsujo]

Hyrule Warriors Definitive Edition is one of my favorite games like, period, entirely because of shit like just now when I ran into the allied base as Ghirahim to find boss-character Ghirahim literally doing his ookie-spookie threatening hands casting animation over my flag,

a literal chicken

[kelpiemomma]

He hesitated as the child below him smiled and reached up. His claws rested right above its head and yet it looked delighted to see him. Did it not realize the danger it was in? It grabbed his fur and giggled.

"Puppy!"

...if he was asked, he was simply raising it up to help him infiltrate human settlements better.

[missathlete31]

Nowhere To Run- Chapter 8

Chapter Synopsis- After Rooster and Hangman's fight, a trip to the hospital is needed and Jake and Javy get to talk things out.

Story Synopsis + Link to Other Chapter Here -

Despite Naomi’s insistence that she was fine, Javy drove the trio straight to the nearest Florida hospital he could find. He pulled right into the emergency bay, ignoring his wife’s glare at the imposition they were creating for any possible ambulances that might need to get through before he turned to the injured blonde in the backseat. “I’m taking her straight in to be seen,” he shared, his tone as cold as his eyes as he looked at his former best friend, “you can park the car.”

“Javy-“ Naomi moved to argue but Jake waved her off. “I got the car” he confirmed, sliding out the left side of the rental’s back seat to move up to the driver’s, “you just help her.”

Javy made no reply, moving to the passenger chair and taking his wife into his arms carefully. Naomi bristled at the treatment, “I can walk” she mumbled but she was paid no attention to as Javy carried her cautiously inside.

Jake watched for a moment, making sure they got in okay before he started the car and drove towards the parking lot. A part of him wanted to just keep driving, taking the vehicle as far as he could if only to protect the people that he seemed to just keep hurting. He was so disgusted with himself, with his actions, his lack of control, his inability to act like a rational adult whenever Bradshaw was around. Fighting with the older man, in his dress whites and at a teammate's wedding no less was embarrassingly stupid and not the calculated and cunning person that Jake had spent so many years training himself to be.

And the scariest part of all? It could have been so much worse. If Naomi hadn't come out, if the others didn't pull the two feuding pilots apart, Jake was confident the fight would still be going on. Bradshaw had infuriated him tonight, bringing up his childhood and his parents' abuse and flinging it like it was his fault. Of course Hangman shot dirty too, implying that Rooster was only in the Top 1% of the Navy because of who he knew instead of his own merit. In reality, Jake knew that the mustached pilot had the talent to back up his own placement but Jake wanted to hurt Bradley, he wanted to get a response, he wanted the fight. All reactions that normally Hangman would try to avoid, yet once again Bradley freaking Bradshaw managed to bring out the worst in him.

He was ashamed.

But Hangman hated himself even more so when he thought about running away now. He hurt his family: Javy, Naomi and their son; the people he loved more than anyone else in the entire world and his solution was to run away? No, Jake shook himself, he would own up to his mistakes, he would apologize and he would be better. If Javy and Naomi pushed him away after all that than he would respect their wishes and leave them but not before. He was not abandoning them at a random hospital because he was scared to show his face to Coyote’s wrath. No, he deserved all the anger he got from the other man, all the harsh words. Hell he couldn’t even blame Javy if the man punched him in the face like Bradshaw did. Jake would take it all without a word of compliant but he wouldn’t leave them, not until he knew what his stupidity and his emotions ruined once again.

Jake parked the car and headed into the emergency room, taking a few seconds to orient himself as the bright lights of the hospital mixed with the clinical smell of antiseptic and bleach. The blonde’s stomach rolled, not for the first time that night but he held strong and proceeded forward, ignoring the reception desk as he noticed Naomi being helped into a wheelchair. He stepped forward, hesitantly, not wanting to overstep but also needing to know the woman was being helped right away. The pregnant woman caught his eye and turned to the nurse at her side, “he needs to be seen too” she motioned up to Hangman, “he’s bleeding.”

The nurse looked up, her blue eyes scrutinizing the battered blonde in front of them. “We will make sure he gets cleaned up honey, but first let’s get you into a room-“

“But-“

“He will be fine Naomi,” Javy’s tone was set, his hands already moving to steer the wheelchair and his wife through the swinging doors and to an exam room, “can we worry about you for a moment?” The woman didn’t look happy but she didn’t fight, allowing her husband to wheel her around.

When the three disappeared through the doors Jake was finally satisfied enough to go check himself in. He headed back to the desk, a middle aged woman with curly red-hair and glasses typing something on an ipad. Hangman waited until she finished before he cleared his throat, “um excuse me” he murmured softly, not wanting to startle anyone.

The nurse looked up with a concerned gaze, “how can I help you?”

“Uh, I think I need to be checked out” Jake motioned to his face, “I had a bit of an altercation-“

“I’d say” but the nurse didn’t sound unkindly, instead she bustled around the desk for a moment, while she got herself in order. “Take a seat for now” she gestured to the waiting room, “but I’ll have someone out to see you in a bit, and here” she handed over a few bandages, “for your cut.”

Jake nodded in thanks and took the dressing to the gash under his eye. He held in the moan at the slice of pain that radiated from the touch and wasn’t surprised when he saw the white bandage turning red quickly. He sighed, heading to a chair and noticing a few of the others in the waiting room watching him with a weary judgment. He knew he must have been a sight, bleeding and bruised in his Navy dress whites, a member of the armed services looking disgracefully rumpled. The blonde choose to keep his head down, hoping that avoiding eye contact would make this situation even the tiniest bit more bearable.

After only a few short minutes a different nurse called him over and Jake was taken through the same swinging doors that Naomi and Javy did but towards a different room. He was ordered to sit and then put through the works. A flashlight was shown immediately into his eye, his reflexes tested, his neck prodded. He was ordered for a CT scan and then an x-ray for his ribs as the nurse and orderly in his room both paled at the sight of the coloring of his sternum when he was getting undressed and called back for the resident on call. That resident, Doctor Klein, his white coat displayed, looked to be about 40, he aura of command showing he was a trusted and experienced man in the hospital. He ordered blood work with a practiced ease, the other staff jumping straight to it. The older man allowed Jake to explain the events of the night and how each injury was sustained with no comments and minimal questions, making sure to get the whole story first. After the bruised pilot was finished, the salt and peppered haired man ordered a toxicology report; Jake blushing in embarrassment at the thought he not only looked like a fool to the hospital staff but a drunken one as well. Hangman was pleased though when the work came back with only the minimalist amount of alcohol left in his system.

“You’re lucky” Doctor Klein, the medical resident announced slapping a scan of Jake’s skull onto the board behind the bed and lighting it up, “I thought we were looking at an orbital compound fracture but it’s not that severe. You’re going to be bruised for a bit, and it will be painful, but you don’t need surgery and that’s always a win.” He traced a finger along the picture of the bone line under Jake’s right eye, “if you got hit any harder we would be having a very different conversation” the older man warned.

Jake swallowed roughly, even that motion causing pain to his sore face, “so- uh-“ he cleared his throat, “I’m good to fly?”

“I didn’t say that” the doctor warned, crossing his arms sternly and reminding Jake of a disenchanted parent readying for another lecture, “your timetable here is going to be based upon the symptoms you present. It’s still early, the injury only an hour or so old, so it’s harder to gauge what you will be dealing with and what your body can handle. I don’t recommend any cabin pressure for at least a week to play it safe.”

“A week?” Jake couldn’t help his whine; he had been hoping to catch the first flight back to California tomorrow, away from all things Florida and the memories of this wedding nightmare with Bradshaw. Waiting a week to be able to fly put a big wrench in his plan. “But I need to report back to my base” he lied, hoping the doctor might concede to giving him the all clear if he sounded urgent, “I will be considered AWOL if I don’t.”

“I suggest you call your CO then” Doctor Klein replied, not even fazed, “and we will be happy to send over any paperwork you need to explain the situation directly.” He offered a smug look that told Jake he knew exactly what the blonde was trying to pull. “I know it’s frustrating” the resident admitted, softening a bit, “but it’s for the best. Tomorrow you will be feeling this a lot more, and showing it” he pointed to the bruising colors on the blonde’s right side. “May I?” he questioned as he waited for Jake’s consent. When he got it, the doctor moved in closer, taking gentle but practiced hands along the wounded flesh, “bruising and swelling are a given but be on the lookout for any double vision, headaches, nausea or vomiting. Also” he pressed a little harder and Jake couldn’t contain his hiss as a flash of pain shot through the area, “sorry�� Klein offered though he kept up his ministrations, “you need to be watching if your eye ball starts to sink-“

“Sink?” Jake felt his brain stutter with the vivid images that came to his mind at the doctor’s caution, “sink where?”

“Sink in” the older man stepped back, offering a small sigh, “you should be okay, like I said it wasn’t a compound fracture, but your eyeball could sink back a little into the socket because of the jarring hit the area sustained. I don’t think it will be the case here but you should be aware.”

Hangman couldn’t get over the absolute terror he would feel if his eyeball was falling back into his head but he mustered up a small nod, “right, okay, well I’ll make sure I pay attention to- for” he corrected, “for that.”

“Also your ribs” the doctor put up another scan, this time the x-ray. “No broken bones or fractures but direct impact to that area is always worrisome. We didn’t notice any internal bleeding but the vicinity is tender and bruised” he looked to the pilot, “you said you’re a fighter pilot right?”

Jake nodded as he swallowed his nerves, “I am Sir.”

“Well then no G’s for at least two weeks.” He raised a hand when Jake looked to immediately argue the diagnosis, “you can’t put that sort of pressure on these ribs, they are too susceptible right now-“

“But you said no fractures” Hangman quarreled, knowing in his heart that he couldn’t handle yet another casualty of this night. Two weeks or not, Jake needed to get back to the skies, if only to clear his own head and get himself back to neutral.

“I know what I said” Klein voice moved to a more authoritarian tone, “but it doesn’t mean you didn’t do any damage. Multiple hits to the sternum is not a joke and flying with pressures like you do is just going to make you get a fracture and then you’re out for months.” He levied the blonde with a serious look, “would you prefer that Lieutenant?”

“No Sir.”

“Good, now your cognitive responses are all sound and like I said before, no internal bleeding. I’m ready to prepare discharge papers, we should be able to get you out of here and resting within the hour, how’s that sound?”

The thought of heading back to the hotel that all the Daggers were staying didn’t exactly sound appealing but Jake knew it was better than being admitted. Plus he also was dying to check on Naomi and the baby. He met the doctor’s gaze and mustered a grateful smile, nowhere near the wattage of his typical Hangman smirk, “I’d appreciate that Sir” he spoke.

“Good” Doctor Klein patted him gently on the shoulder, took the scans from the board and headed from the room. Not a half an hour later, Jake was re-dressed with paperwork for his CO, a copy already scanned and sent to his base in Lemoore. The nurses waved him off, expecting the blonde to leave but instead Jake headed back to the red-head behind the reception counter and waited for her to look up.

“Lieutenant” she greeted, pointing to the butterfly bandage now closing the cut below his eye (Jake was thankful he didn’t need stitches). “That looks better" she offered.

“Yes” Hangman conceded, slowly turning on the charm, “and thank you for your help before with the bandage. I appreciate it.”

“That’s my job” she shared drily, though she looked amused.

“I was hoping you could help me with one more thing, if you didn’t mind.”

She eyed him suspiciously, “Okay.”

“A couple came in before me, Naomi Machado, she’s pregnant and she took a fall-“ because I pushed her, Jake wanted to admit but he knew he needed the nurse on his side for this and saying he hurt a pregnant woman was not the way to do it, “could you tell me if she’s still here?”

The redhead typed on her tablet, looking back up when she found the information she needed, “she was given a room for her examination.”

“I’d imagine you can’t tell me how that examination went right?”

The nurse’s eyes narrowed, “no Sir, I can’t.”

“Can I visit then? If they okay it?”

“I can check” she promised, “take another seat, and I’ll let you know.”

“Thank you Nurse… “ he moved to see if she had a nametag.

“It’s Bradley” the woman shared, not noticing when Jake almost snorted in disbelief at the coincidence, "Sheryl Bradley.”

“Thank you Sheryl” he finally managed, cursing his forever association with all Bradley’s of the world. However this Bradley followed through, arriving not ten minutes later with directions to the exam room that housed the Machados. Hangman hurried down the hall, checking rooms rapidly before he caught a looming figure approaching him.

It was a disheveled Coyote, heading out of a room with a hunch to his shoulder and the sounds of sobs in his throat. The blonde pilot felt his pulse run cold. Javy’s face was blanched from crying, his reddened eyes the only color he seemed to have left as they spilled tear after tear. Jake immediately feared the worse, the devastation building inside of him ready to topple without any more provocation. “J-Javy” he gutted out, his voice ruined, his emotions overflowing, “Javy no, what happened?“ He didn’t think he could ever think clearly again, “the baby… Naomi-“

“She wants to see you” the other man spoke up, wiping his tears from his face with the back of his hand and refusing to meet the blonde’s eye. “She’s in exam room 7.”

“Is she-“

But Coyote repudiated to give him anything more, just nodding towards the direction of his wife. “You shouldn’t keep her waiting” he warned, a taste of cruelty on his lips but he held back at the look of pure devastation on Hangman’s face. “Go Jake” he finally whispered, passing the blonde without even a nudge as he headed in the opposite direction.

It took a few seconds for Jake to gather himself enough to continue walking. His legs were jelly, barely holding his weight but the need to see Naomi, to hear from his biggest advocate this entire night about how he had taken the most precious gift away from her, was too strong to stop him. He deserved this, he deserved to feel like his heart was ripping from his chest, he deserved to hurt like he did to all those around him.

Jake stopped outside the door and took one last breath before knocking three times. When he heard someone call for him to enter, he pushed the door with barely a scrap of strength, petrified at the sight that would greet him.

There in the hospital bed was Naomi, dressed in hospital gown that was pulled up and exposing her belly while a blanket covered her bare legs. A nurse was next to her, checking vitals and machines with no hurry, both women talking calmly and amicably. Compared to how he just saw Javy leave, Jake was undoubtedly confused at the sight, unsure what exactly was going on. Naomi offered him her normal jovial smile, “Jake” she greeted, motioning towards her own face, in mimic of his injuries, “you got checked over” she spoke up, not quite a question. 

Jake ignored her words, staring between Naomi and the nurse trying to figure out what he was missing, "The baby" he all but whispered, "is the baby-"

“Fine” she answered, putting him out of his misery, “the baby is just fine.”

“And you-“

She nodded, “Also fine” the woman shared, “you think you can take a breath now?” she joked at the way he still seemed frozen in the doorway.

“But Coyote” Jake’s mind was still racing, “he was crying-“

“It’s been an emotional night” Naomi conceded, “and I think this last batch of tears was more in relief,” she spoke before lowering her voice in almost a conspiratory whisper, “he just spent the last twenty minutes with his head on my bare stomach, just whispering to the baby. He’s going through a lot, trying to process everything-"

"But you're okay, and the baby is okay?"

She nodded again, patient like a saint as Jake walked himself through the news. The blonde praised his healthy heart because he didn't think he could have handled the roller-coaster of emotions from the night otherwise, "the baby's okay" he repeated again, almost like a mantra, "and so are you."

"We are both okay."

"I didn't kill your baby."

He missed the flinch from both the nurse and Naomi, his face staring down at his traitorous hands instead, the ones that had pushed Naomi not so long ago. "Jake" his friend called, waiting until he met her eye, "you didn't hurt the baby, and you didn't hurt me-"

"I did" he argued back, shaking his head, "I pushed you, intentional or not, and I put you and Javy through all this worry and heartbreak-I mean it" he continued urgently when the other woman looked to interrupt, "Javy is crying out in the hallway right now because of what I put your all through-"

"You're right" Naomi agreed and Hangman was enough of a selfish asshole to admit it hurt to hear her concur so quickly. "He was crying, but it was because of you Jake-"

"I know and I'm so sorry-"

"No" she sighed, "he was crying because he was worried about you too." She watched Jake's confused furrow of his eyebrows and gave a sad smile, "he was scared he pushed you too far away. He was scared you both wouldn't be able to get past this, that the baby would lose his godfather-"

Hangman sniffed back a sob, the tears clinging to his eyelashes as he stubbornly tried to hold them in, "how could you still want me?"

"Because you love this baby as much as we do" Naomi shared softly, urging Jake to come forward but the blonde persistently stayed by the door, almost as though afraid to get too close. "And we love you and we always will. Fights are going to happen, it's inevitable with family but we don't quit on each other because of it, and you're still here despite everything."

"I think that's just because I don't have anywhere else to go-"

"We both know that's not true" she informed him, getting emotional herself, "now come here" she waved him closer, "I want you to meet someone." She gave a nod to the nurse next to her who brought a machine closer to the bed. Using a transducer probe over Naomi's exposed stomach, an image of an almost fully developed baby flickered on the screen. Jake's breath hitched, the sight making the tears finally release as he shuffled closer hesitantly to get an even better look.

The nurse smiled, "there he is again, your strong and healthy little man."

"See" Naomi grinned merrily, keeping a hand on her stomach while she looked over to the blonde, noticing his snuffles, "he's fine Jake, all fine."

"But it could have been so much worse-"

"Yes" she didn't pull any punches, "it could have but it wasn't. Be thankful for that and let your guilt go okay? Please."

"But-"

"And go talk to Javy-"

Jake shook his head while he wiped at his face stubbornly, “I can’t- he- he has every right to hate me-“

“But he doesn’t Jake" Naomi insisted passionately, 'he really doesn’t. Like I told you before, he was crying in here because of you-“

“Because I almost killed his wife and son-“

“No" she raised her voice a tad to be heard, "because as much as he wants to be mad at you right now, he can’t. He loves you Jake, and he always will. Please, go talk to him. For me" she added putting the final nail in the coffin of their argument and all but ensuring Jake would go find his friend. There was no way he would deny Naomi anything especially after tonight.

So there Hangman went, back out into the cold and sterile hallways to search for Javy Machado. He wasn't quite sure where to look at first; not finding him in the cafeteria or even in the chapel. Jake thought about checking outside, thinking perhaps the man needed some fresh air, until the signs for the nursery caught his eye. Knowing his best friend, and the sentimental bastard the man tried to deny being, Jake headed towards his left, not shocked when he saw the darker skinned man staring through the windows at the new born babies.

Jake stepped closer, clearing his throat a bit not to startle the other man. Javy still jumped though, turning to see the blonde pilot before looking back to his window. Since he wasn't told to leave just yet, Jake decided to push his luck, moving to stand next to his friend and watch the same view. It didn't take a mind-reader to understand why Javy had been drawn to this place after his family's close call, no doubt seeing the latest images of his healthy boy and needing to see his impending future. Just a glance over to his right made Jake flash with a sort of pride for his best friend, Coyote was going to be a great father.

The two men stood in silence for a few seconds longer until finally Javy sighed, "did you get checked out?" he asked quietly.

Jake nodded, "I did."

"Anything broken?"Coyote's mouth twitched, "besides your dignity?"

The blonde looked down, "just a lot of bruises. But I can't fly for two weeks just to be safe."

Coyote looked strangely sympathetic, a grounded pilot always hitting a nerve for other aviators, "That sucks" he shared, his tone warming.

"Tell me about it" Jake scoffed, "and they sent the paperwork to Lemoore to let them know."

"Shit" the man trailed off, the not so comfortable silence rising around them again. Jake tapped his foot waiting to see if Coyote was going to say anything else before he started his long and apologetic spiel that he had prepared to say.

When the other man stayed silent, Jake took a deep breath and turned to face his friend, "Javy" he began, waiting for the man to face him, "I just wanted to say how sorry I am, for everything. What happened tonight..." he shook his head, his words feeling inadequate but Hangman knew he had to try to get it out anyway he could, "it was unacceptable. I can never apologize enough for what I put you and Naomi through- what I put your family through. You guys are the most important people in the world to me and to hurt you, especially like this- I'll never forgive myself and I don't expect either of you to every forgive me either." Coyote continued to stand there, listening to Hangman's words silently, his face betraying no emotions. Jake swallowed roughly, "you were right out there tonight, Rooster brings out the worst in me and I don't really know why, but I can't blame him for all this. I yelled at you to leave me alone tonight when all you were trying to do was help me, when all you ever try to do is help me. I didn't leave when you suggested it. I was too embarrassed that I would cut your night short and ruin the fun just because I couldn't deal with being in the same room as Bradshaw and Maverick. I instigated the last fight, I pushed Rooster's buttons until I knew he would hit me. And I pushed Naomi away, I hurt her. I hurt you and I am so sorry, I don't think I will ever be able to say it enough. I'm sorry."

“I know how sorry you are" the other man whispered, his voice breaking slightly, "And I know” Javy paused, inhaling sharply, “that I’ll forgive you for all of this" he looked at Jake, a tear in his eye, "but just not tonight okay?” he told the blonde, his face crumbling with emotion, “I need tonight to be mad at you. I need tonight to be angry about what you put my wife and my unborn son through. Do you understand?”

“Yes-“

“But tomorrow” Javy voice cut out as he became choked up. He shook a shaky finger at Jake, “tomorrow I will forgive you because you are my brother and I love you. And I know how much you love my family.”

“I do" Jake admitted desperately, "I do Javy and I can never apologize enough."

The other man nodded, "tomorrow it's forgiven and forgotten Jake, I'm not letting you carry this over yourself for the rest of your life okay? You got that?"

"But I-"

"You're not the only one at fault for tonight. I could have insisted we leave just as much as you. I saw how uncomfortable you were after the talk with Mav but since you said you were good I let it go-"

The blonde shook his head immediately, "this isn't your fault Javy-"

"I know it's not" the other man shot back, a little of his fire returning, "I'm just saying you're not the only one to blame. I could have made us leave. Rooster could have been less of an ass-" he waved his hand for emphasis, "about everything. He could have stopped goading you constantly, stopped trying to get in your face each time. Fanboy and Harvard and Yale could have kept Rooster inside after your first altercation. I could have been faster out of my chair when I saw Bradshaw leave again instead of rounding up the others. Naomi could have waited and not tried to break up the fight when me and Bob were literally three steps behind her." Coyote watched Hangman shake his head, still ready to argue, "There was blame everywhere Jake" he told the blonde, "and shit man, I'm too tired to feel it anymore. My wife is okay, my son is okay, you're" he motioned to the pilot's bashed face, "kinda okay?" he wagered, "standing at least" he corrected, "so let's just put this behind us."

The blonde's face crumpled but he nodded his assent, afraid to disagree with Coyote anymore, "O-Okay."

Javy released a long breath, his shoulders instantly relaxing as though the burden of his anger was finally leaving him. He patted Jake's shoulder gently, "I'm going to help Naomi get dressed and get her discharge papers and then we can head back to the hotel alright? We will meet you at the entrance-"

"You're going to drive me back?" Jake asked in confusion, "But you said you wouldn't forgive me until tomorrow-"

"That doesn't mean I'm ditching you in some small Florida town" Coyote announced in exasperation, "Your dumbass will get eaten by an alligator or something walking back to the hotel-"

"Javy-"

"I told you" and Coyote's voice didn't waver, "you're my brother and I love you. That's applied all these years despite you being an asshole half the time and a dumbass the other. And it will continue to apply for the rest of your life man so just deal with it okay?" At the slight upturn on Jake's face, Javy smiled, "and besides" he looked at his watch, "it's midnight, officially tomorrow. We're good now."

"We're good?" Jake looked at the watch himself, not quite believing what the other man was saying. "But-"

"Come here" Coyote reached over, pulling Jake into his arms and enveloping the man in a hug. Jake felt himself sink into his best friend's embrace, his sobs fumbling out as he tried to hold onto any semblance of composure. "You're better than the man that Bradshaw makes you become," Javy urged, "I need you to see that."

"I know" Hangman snuffled.

"And him and Mav, they don't know shit about you. The people who love you, they are the ones who know the real Jake Seresin, and they are the ones who will always be by your side. No matter what."

"Thank you" Jake sobbed softly, his head buried in Javy's chest despite the pain it caused his face, "I could never thank you enough for everything you do for me- for everything you forgive me for."

Coyote clutched him tighter, his own eyes tearing, "This isn't a one way friendship man, you've been there for me more times than I can count. I'm a better pilot because of you, a better man. I love you Jake, always."

"I love you too man."

"Jeez" Javy pulled away, and though Jake hated losing that warmth, he reluctantly stepped back. Both men wiped at their eyes, before a laugh escaped them both at their emotions. "We're a sight aren't we" Coyote joked with a sniffle, "crying like a bunch of pansy in the hallway."

"Yeah" Jake agreed, though of all the things he was ashamed for this night, crying with his best friend wasn't one of them. If anything, this might have been his proudest moment, as his best friend patted him one more time and headed to collect his wife, the view of a dozen new babies sleeping soundly left behind in his wake.

[piedoesnotequalpi]

ok for the au thing !! i got Western AU and Dark AU !!

Thank you for the ask! I got distracted talking to my partner!

Anyway a bunch of this is yoinked from a book series I never finished due to it being a bit too politically conservative for my tastes (specifically the book Nowhere to Run) and I also spent far too much time browsing Wikipedia for locations. Not sure if this is what is meant by "dark AU" but it's late at night so

TW for some mild gore and death

Carbon County (MT; there's also one in Wyoming) game warden Jack Kelly was reassigned to temporarily work in Granite County, MT and he's finally almost due to go back to his normal post in Red Lodge. He'd left it in good hands--the Stillwater County game warden (Finch) and county sheriff (Charlie) have most of his duties covered and give him near-daily updates. But he'd rather be back in Red Lodge, where he knows most of the people and their habits and can use his friendship with Katherine, the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper, as an excuse to stop by the office and flirt with one of the staff writers.

However! The week before he's supposed to leave, he starts getting reports of disappearances and campsites being attacked and mysteriously murdered wildlife in Lolo National Forest, so he very reluctantly goes in to investigate. He has a penchant for getting caught up in far more murder mysteries than any self-respecting game warden should, so he's resigned himself to dealing with this nonsense yet again. On the other hand, despite the looming threat of who (or what) ever's behind all this, it is kind of nice to be out camping in the woods.

Jack had made plans with Sean Conlon, the game warden from the neighboring county, to separately make their way through the national forest (both on horseback) and meet somewhere in the middle, with the goal of covering more ground and hopefully finding more information about whatever's going on. But he's struggling to get a hold of Sean, so he resigns himself to investigating alone--he hasn't run into anyone so far--even though part of him knows he should turn back.

The day he decides to turn around, he finally finds Sean, accompanied by a backpacker with a mischievous smile who won't give his real name.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," Sean says. "We have murders to prevent."

"I've been helping," the backpacker says. "We have murders to prevent."

Jack is skeptical of the backpacker, but he's annoyingly charming and Sean seems to trust him, so what else is he supposed to do? They start investigating together, and the backpacker, who still won't give them a name beyond "Racer" and won't say where he's from beyond the UP ("What's that? The Union Pacific?" it's the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but Jack and Sean haven't paid enough attention to Michigan to realize that), brings them to a campsite, where they find a whole bunch of dead elk and also the bodies of a couple of the people who have gone missing. There aren't a ton of clues, but it's the first new information they've gotten the whole time, so they're feeling a little better about the whole thing. Being game wardens, they're used to seeing dead animals, but the decomposing human bodies are a little (a lot) unsettling.

The problem is, when they try to signal the local authorities with the location of the campsite, their radios keep running into technical difficulties. Racer seems unbothered by the whole thing, weirdly, but they decide to note the coordinates as best they can, keep going, and see if they can find anything else.

The thing is, Jack and Sean have been feeling the effects of all this time outside--they're getting sunburnt, they have scrapes everywhere, and they're definitely going to need a shower when they get back. After they find the campsite, they start to notice that Racer is as pale and clean and un-scratched as he was when they first met. And now that they think of it, they haven't seen him eat or drink anything the whole time he's been traveling with them...

And now they're in the middle of nowhere together, with malfunctioning communication gear, and it's been a week since they entered the national forest, and they haven't encountered any other living humans during that time.

[stingslikeabee]

@dojimakaichou . from here

Melissa listened intently to what the captain had to say - the reinforcement of regulations was not surprising in itself, and it was indeed a fact amply established among the crew on board of the Tojo. But to an extent, Daigo likely knew that his counselor was aware of what was provided for in these handbooks; and in the same fashion, the man had probably anticipated that it wouldn't be an ordinary situation that would end up bringing the Inadian to his ready room with that subject.

But not even the telepath had predicted the tale that followed - the very personal experience that had pained Daigo enough to go to a certain extreme to prevent such suffering again. While he delved into these details about the emergency on his last assignment and just what it had cost him in terms of peace of mind (and the evident loss of life for the unfortunate souls who were not able to escape), it all made sense; it was a very upsetting moment, but one that also clicked for Melissa.

A lot about Daigo Dojima suddenly was cleared up; the woman would be among the first in the ship to sustain that their captain was not 'heartless' (stubborn, sure; a bit of a rebel, too - but never heartless when he literally took bullets and hits meant for other people serving under him). But Melissa had noticed the peculiar addendum to the Tojo's regulations in relation to families, and now it was clear that it derived from structural aspects of the craft that were also connected to a conscious decision of his.

Daigo had not only parental problems of his own (seeing how he was forced to go to therapy not by Sohei Dojima as his father, but on orders from the Federation risking the potential forfeiture of command if he failed to do so), but also carried the immensurable burden of feeling like he had destroyed the families of his innocent passengers.

"I understand where you additional precautions come from, captain," the woman said at length, having moved back into her seat and just watching the Japanese man walking around the room to fetch some coffee. It didn't take a trained specialist to realize that speaking about these matters was akin to a trigger for Daigo (if not a real one) - he was agitated and very much closed-off to the discussion as a matter of principle. However, the Inadian was also careful to not word her thoughts in a way that suggested she agreed with Daigo's approach.

As every good psychologist in most cultures would say, avoiding one's fears would only make them come back stronger at a later period. And as logical as the captain's arguments could be, it didn't change the fact that they would now put him into a very delicate and painful position - at the end of the day, Daigo would be unable to avoid the emotional distress.

It was as natural as breathing - and Melissa found herself inhaling sharply before too standing up, pathing towards the captain and making use of the replicator next.

"Bronsian bourbon, neat," the counselor ordered without a moment of hesitation or pausing to look at Daigo for permission. While the machine worked to materialize her drink, it felt as if Melissa was focused solely on the spectacle of the particles being arranged and coming together to create the alcohol she desired, but the Inadian did not linger when the order was complete: she picked up the glass, placed it on the opposite palm and then faced the human male.

Her eyes were open - and perhaps the captain could be expecting a fierce rebuttal or some sort of argument, but all Melissa offered him was a small smile, holding his gaze in an unwavering way before bringing the crystal tumbler to her lips and sipping it minimally.

"In that case, I can give you more information. The parents of the baby imagined this would happen, so I'm authorized to speak on their behalf," the counselor clarified, but did not allow the silence to stretch for long given the delicate matter of the conversation and the fresh wounds uncovered, "It's Shun and Azumi, Daigo. A half-fae baby - if it wasn't because of that particular detail, I wouldn't have been asked to talk to you."

[misuutira]

Okay so I initially told myself that the Calamity AU (an H2O AU I’ve been scheming over the past couple of months) would mostly be plot-heavy and serialized, but now that I’m drafting out the story I’m finding myself getting more and more excited about the prospect of like small episodic adventures that tie into the greater narrative. 

Forget Mako angst! Forget the looming threat of the girls gradually losing their legs! I am on the verge of dedicating an entire storyline to Emma and her family where Lisa and Neil decide to invite the gang over to dinner to meet Bella and catch up, but Emma is afraid to tell her friends that her family knows her secret while her family thinks they have to hide the fact that Emma is a mermaid from her friends (they are incredibly bad at it), unbeknownst to them that Emma’s friends are mermaids as well and-

[melancholeemars]

Does anyone have any tips on keeping on track with writing fanfic?