#oh and the scar. i forgot about the scar. and the ear notch too

[existencebringsonlypain]

god I love how my mom looks. she's got fantastic character design tbh. like she has a handful of features to her than are so fantastic and I would adore in a fictional character

[quinloki]

The kinky ask game is such a good idea! Could you do Kid, Law, and Killers feelings on Chemical play and Piercing play for all three and Medical play for Law and Interrogation play for Kid and Killer

Learned more kinks!

Learned I have a Personal Hard No in one of the new kinks, but what can I say - piercings, even ear piercings, are not happening on this body. But I'm okay! Let's do this - (Also, Re: Chemical play, not what I expected, but am relieved to learn about! \o/ )

We have a little conspiracy chart forming with who has what, so let's do this one by Character... uh, alphabetically, so Law first!

Law:

Chemical Play - Yes - Law's a little bit of (or a lot of a bit of) a sadist, and this is a relatively harmless way for him to fill that itch. "Chemicals" are everything from herbs and spices to baking soda and ammonia. Law is, I think, smart enough to not mix anything damaging, and enough of a control freak (affectionately) that he's probably the safest person to do this with, but also the one with the capacity to run things Right On The Edge. Whether the sensation is uncomfortable or ticklish, you'll be squirming yourself into a mess with little effort from the awkward doc.

Piercing Play - FUCK Yes - Decorative acupuncture? Barely skin deep loops that can have ribbons threaded through them to make elegant designs? The focus, the control, the slow burn pacing that could drag for hours? This man is nearly in heaven - and when done properly, you heal up easily and cleanly, with, perhaps, only the barest of smallest of scars that would only be noticed by your attentive and detail oriented surgeon?

Honestly, this is probably an Oh god you don't even know. Just for that last bit.

Medical Play - Rather Not - Some of Law's kinks, and how he goes about them, can be pretty clinical, but actual medical play is almost a hard no for him. It's hard to blame him too, it's the man's profession. I'm not working 40 hours a week as a data wizard to role-play being a data wizard outside of work. You can probably get him to do it once, for a birthday maybe, but I feel like it'd fall flat.

Eustass Kid:

Chemical Play - Not exactly a chemist, but not stupid either, Kid's slides in as a Yes on this because there's just enough mean stuff he can do that's safe. Plus, he's willing to do at least a little work to expand what he already knows. So when you're tied down, legs open with drops of Tabasco sauce slipping down your thighs, shivering at the idea of the spicy liquid getting too close to sensitive parts... well, you asked for it. >.>

Piercing Play - I see all the Kid Pirates being good with piercings, and piercing play. Not to type-cast a kink, but it's pretty punk let's be fair. Kid's creations tend to stick up and out from your skin, a contrast to the corset and mandala inspired designs Law is into. Kid's a solid YES on this, adding accents of red and gold as though the world doesn't already know you're his.

Interrogation Play - Rough, loud, brash and honestly a little terrifying. Eustass shines in this role - he might just be a Yes about the idea when it's first suggested, but eventually he's an Oh god you have no idea. It quickly becomes his favorite way to lead into punishing you, when punishment's something you've earned/requested.

The first time he went so hard you had to use a safe word because some fight or flight part of your brain forgot he was acting. But with Kid's top notch aftercare skills, everything was fine and you - successfully - tried again.

Killer:

Chemical Play - I've always head canon'd that Killer has a powerful aversion to marking his partner permanently. Because of that I feel like the temporary reddening that can be caused by dry spices and such can become permanent, it would put this soundly in the No category for him. Maybe a I Guess pre time skip, but post? Nope. We don't know canonically how his arm was scarred up, but it looks like chemical burns/fire burns. Killer's made to defend and get hurt in place of his captain and crew, he's not going to risk his partner - even if you already have marks as it is - he won't be adding to them.

Piercing Play - Piercing play is a little different for Killer. He likes the more relaxing, focused, meditative aspect of it, and surprisingly sits as a Yes rating for it. Small needles, gentle actions - you can almost fall asleep while this man is working on intricate patterns along your skin. He also covers the areas he poked with salve afterward, making the teeny tiny holes even less likely to leave behind ghosts.

Interrogation Play - Killer shines in this type of play for all different reasons from his Captain. He's easily a FUCK yes and he's almost more terrifyingly good at than Kid is. Where the captain is loud, Killer is icily quiet. Unnervingly quiet.

When he does speak, it's a low, soft, deep, demanding voice that sinks into your stomach and runs your blood cold. It's an impossibly soft touch across your skin, promising you leniency if you'd just confess like a good girl/boy.

... Oh I think I got myself there at the end...

Kinky One Piece Head Canon

[askaalaska-vdeppressed]

Seeing Stars and Stripes

18+ ONLY MINORS DNI

This is just porn, I have no excuse for it other than I need the practice

Here you go babes 

You were sure that many would see the upturned lip, the finale of the cacophony of scars that marred his face as off-putting. They’d see the way the injured skin forced his lip up into a permanent snarl as a warning. Yet as you stared at him from across the room you couldn’t help up imagine what it would be like to run your tongue across it. Letting the tip slide quickly over the before quickly jumping back and smirking. Would he grow at you? Call you a minx? Drag your head back to do it again? Put you over his shoulder and take you away to have his way with you? You hoped a version of all three.

So engrossed in your daydreaming you completely forgot where you were or whom you were with till one of your friends—Alma-- cleared her throat.

“Y/n?..... Y/N?” She playfully slapped your shoulder getting your attention. You turned to her, still clearing your head of the vision.

“Are you going to continue to make eyes at strangers or are you going to take your turn?” Your other friend at the table Jordie chimed in.

“Are you saying I have a choice?” you replied. As they both laughed you reached out to grab the dice that were in front of you on the table.

“I say you just go for it” Jordie said looking down at the scores for the game and then back up at your roll,

“Damn Y/n, 650 you gonna take it?”

“What’s my score again?” You asked coyly. Jordie looked down at the board with the scores and back up at you.

“Plenty high” She said not giving you a proper answer. You had been ahead of both the girls for quite some time. Poor Alma having only just gotten on the board about three rounds ago.  

“I’ll take it” you answered passing the dice to Jordie.

“I’m with her on this one” Alma stated splitting her attention between you and Jordie’s rolls “You never go after men on our girls’ nights, if this stranger’s got something that’s getting you going I say chase after it”

Jordie let out a small curse as the dice went cold for her. You waved a server down to refill your drink as you contemplated Alma’s words.

It was true you never were one to go get lost in a man’s arms. It wasn’t that you were prudish or that you lacked offers. It really boiled down to two factors. The first being that your town was small. And any news, especially who slept with whom was bound to get spread as soon as your legs were. The second being that all the men and near all the women for that matter lacked depth. There lives were firmly planted in this village. They were born in this land, they grew in this land, they will die in this land and they will eventually become this land.  Every thought in there heads was of this land. Even your friends were not immune to this. Sleeping with men here felt more akin to sleeping with a very polished rock.

Your mother blamed your wanderlust on all the reading you did. Your family was the only completely literate one in the whole village. You and your mother being two out the three women that knew how to read. The third being Jordie. Together you were trying to teach Alma, though she insisted it was a wasted endeavor.

Altogether the village was simple, routine and safe. You had given up years ago of trying to force yourself to be complacent with it. You soothed your wanders heart by travel for business. From a family of farmers you took up soap making to cure your boredom. During the summer months you would travel to different markets to sell your wares and see the different villages and cities. But one woman can only travel so far on her own, and summer can only last so many months. And then it was back to this. Back to the cage of a home set in stone.

Yet looking at the traveler he seemed to ooze an aura complexity. You imagined he had seen many places, fought many fights and tasted many flavors. For a brief moment when you first saw him you contemplated asking him to tell you of his travel rather than anything untoward.

Then he’d rolled his neck, thrown down his pack with a clamor, and with a voice of gravel ordered a meal, a bed and an ale.

And it was all over for you.

Alma smiled as she rolled a cool thousand points in one role and surpassed Jordie on the board when you put your hands on the table and forced yourself up. Both girls gave you a wink as you passed the server from before grabbing the pitcher he had brought to refill your drink. You sauntered over to the man in the red striped jacket. He was looking absentmindedly at the wall when you approached—the sound of the pitcher landing on the table breaking him out of his daze.

He looked up to meet your gaze and his golden amber eyes hypnotized you for a moment.

“Can I help you lass?” The low tone of his voice mixed with the roughness of it made you weak at the knees. You got control of your legs and broke the spell his eye had cast on you and fixed a smile on your face.

“You looked like you could use some company” You grabbed your skirts and swished them to the side in order to sit on the chair cattycorner to him. He turned his body to you, his eyebrows held high on his head in a face of skepticism.  He looked around the room before addressing you.

“It looks like this place is filled with men that are much more suited for you company” He gave a half hearted gesture to the lively bar.

You gave a snort and rolled your eyes.

“Oh believe me I’ve tried but the whole lot of them is either boorish or simple” You scooted your chair closer to him not touching shoulder. You pointed at a blonde gentleman in a green vest.

“That’s Karlson, he is completely convinced that boiled beaver testicles are curing his wife’s monthly pains” The man pulled a face and your let out a snort.

“She replaces them with boiled eggs when he’s not looking. The real thing helping her is the whiskey she mixes in her tea.” The strangers hand shot up to cover his mouth as he struggled not to laugh.

You turned a bit and pointed at another gentleman. This time a balding man in a shirt much to small for him.

“The man one bend over from busting a seam is Magnus. He once lectured me for two hours on the science behind putting grooves in your teeth to make you a better warrior.”

The man scoffed looking up. His hair fell from his face falling behind his ears in a motion like water.

“Humans will try anything to be more than they are” You fixed him with a look.

“You say that as if you aren’t one” He turned to you perplexed.

“I’m not”

You made a big gesture out of looking him up and down. Inspecting his eyes and hair. You stuck your hand out and poked his arm—careful to avoid the spikes that poked out of his shoulders.

“You seem pretty human to me” You looked over to him smiling from ear to ear. Your cheeks forcing your eyes to squint. He broke your gaze as a small smile crept onto his face for a moment.

“Your too cute for you own good….”

“Y/N” you filled in for him

“Y/n” He parroted back.

“And I don’t know…”

“Eskel” he provided.

“I don’t know Eskel” you started “I think I balance on the perfect ratio of sweet timid kitten and sexy goddess” You waited until he was posed to take a drink to continue. “After all I came over here too see if you wanted to fuck my  brains out”

Your timing had been perfect and Eskel’s hand shot up again to his mouth to try and stop the spray that was currently coming out of his mouth from the shock of your statement.  He wiped his hand with his mouth and gave a harsh swallow.

“Your funny Y/n.” he choked out. You put your arm on the table and placed your head in your hand.

“True, I am masterful in whit” your gaze lingered on his lips, a small amount of ale his hand had missed dripped down his chin. You moved fluidly reaching one hand to wipe his chin and the other to rest on his thigh. You leaned in close as your thumb moved from his chin to his bottom lip.

“But I was being quite sincere with that request” His eyes seemed to take you in for a moment. In his irises he seemed to be fighting something. For a split second he looked like he might start crying before his gaze turned hungry. He leered down your top then back up to the pout of your lips, slightly ajar.

“Eskel” you regarded him, the name low in your voice.

“Y/n” he returned. The combination of his gaze and his voice sent a shiver down your spine and caused your cunt to clench. You caught your breath for a moment, ever so slightly rubbing your legs together.

“You have a room upstairs?”

“Indeed I do” he smirked at you. That damned notch in his lip driving you even crazier. You lifted yourself up going to grab your bag from your friends quickly.  You three had planned on staying with Jordie that night since her husband was away.

You were sure she’d understand.

As you passed they both smiled and winked at you again. Eskel—having gathered his own belongings—met you at the entrance to the stairs. He stuck out his arm, making you giggle. You hooked your hand into it as you made your way up. You looked more like a pair of nobles ready to meet a monarch than you did strangers on their way to hook up in a backwater inn. He lead you too one of the inn’s three rooms. You made your way across the threshold, heading to place your bag in a chair in the corner. When you turned around Eskel had set his belongings down and was anxiously shifting on his feet. A hand behind his head playing with the skin of his neck.

The moment was awkward. Back in the crowded bar you had both been in high confidence. Safety in numbers giving you courage to speak boldly. When the doors were closed and it was just the two of alone it was a different story.

Fearing he may be getting cold feet you strode across the room. A woman on a mission. At the very least you were going to fulfill the fantasy from earlier. Coming this far you were not about to walk away with nothing.

When you reached him your hands sought either side of his face. Pulling him towards you. Your lips met tenderly. The plushness of his lips not being lost on you. Eskel became more and more receptive to the kiss, the two of you now beginning to push against the other. Your thumbs caressed the bones of his cheeks. The sun ravaged skin providing just the slightest bit of drag against your finger pads. He stepped into you deepening the kiss and your hands migrated so that your arms were hung on his shoulders. You rubbed your core against the leg that was nestled there, releasing a small moan at the friction. You broke apart for air for a split second before diving back in. His mouth much more open this time. It was now or never

You swiped your tongue along his bottom lip first. Then migrated up. In a split second you ran your tongue into the divot in his upper lip. Sliding it back and forth before pulling away. You looked at him through your lashes, biting your lip to try and control the giddiness inside you.

Eskel looked wild. His mouth was still agape and his breath was ragged. His brain seemed to need a second to catch up. With a jolt he fixed you with a stare. His pupils blown out and his lips in a snarl. Eskel grabbed your waist and lifted you with no effort. Instinctively you wrapped you legs around his torso as he all but slammed you against the wall. The force of the impact causing a tapestry to fall from it’s place on the wall.

Ravaged against a wall… You were so close.

Eskel pinned you again the wall with his hips. The pressure of it causing you to whimper. With his hands free he violently wrung the jacket from his torso, dropping the leather to the floor unceremoniously. The blue undershirt underneath open and loose on him.  You reached out push open the center. Running your hand down the firm muscles of his neck and into the coarse field of hair on his chest. The muscle underneath was firm and the heartbeat usually slow.  

Eskel leaned into you, his mouth making its way to the junction of your neck and shoulder. He nipped at the spot, forcing a breath out of your lungs. You brought your hands up to tangle into his hair and bring him closer. Pushing him into you. As Eskel began littering your chest with bruises he started to grind you into the wall. You whimpered at the friction, griding back with enthusiasm.

Eskel had made his way to the tops of your breasts, giving one a playful bite as he looked up at you through his lashes. You felt his hand grab your ass lifting you with his arms. He slid down to his knees as you yanked up your skirts to see what he was doing. Eskel fixed your plush thighs on his shoulders, moving his hands up to play with the band of your undergarments.

“You’ve had your dinner, am I dessert?” you asked, quickly scolding yourself for never being able to stop your mouth. Eskel laughed, the puffs of air cooling the damp fabric surrounding your pussy.

“Do you want to be?” he smirked, giving your waistband a quick snap. You let out a high pitched “mmhmm” and it was all the confirmation he needed. HIs large and calloused hand peeling the garment down, flinging it behind him with no regard for where is landed. He moved in closer, at first nuzzling your thigh and placing languid open mouth kisses on it.

You fisted the skirts in your hands, trying desperately to be patient. However as he continued to tease you, you started to inch your cunt closer and close to him, using the wall as leverage. Eskel caught on to what you were doing and gave out a tisk before pushing the pair of you closer to the wall. Using the same momentum he dove head first into you. Flattening his tongue and lapping at the excitement that was dripping from you. You pulled the skirts up higher in your clenched fists as he ate you out like a man starved. Alternating between long broad stokes and precise attacks using the tip of his tongue on your clit.

Eskel shifted on his knees. One hand coming to press your sternum to the wall.  And the other coming to join him at your pussy. He suctioned his lips around your clit and gave a hard suck as he thrust two fingers into you. The double assault caused you to convulse. Moaning out his name, glad that his room was upstairs and not closer to the crowded bar downstairs. You switched to hold your skirts with one hand, tangling the other into his hair. Your pleasure becoming tug of war as he fought to push against the wall and you fought to push away from the wall to get even closer to him.

As the pumping of Eskel’s fingers continued he added a third finger to the mix, causing you to hit your head against the wall as you panted up towards the ceiling. Just as you were starting to look down again he curled his fingers inside you, hitting that soft spot in you head on. The intense pleasure sending your hear careening once again with the wall. Eskel began to hit your g-spot full on increasing the pressure and speed. It only took a minute at this speed before your legs were clamming on his head and you were coating his face in release.

Eskel worked you through your release, stopping as you dismounted your legs to try and stand. He stood up backing up to give you room. The first step was rocky but it didn’t take long for you to reach him and slam up into him in a kiss. You felt the very need to consume him as you tasted yourself on his tongue. Your hands forcefully yanked his shirt from where it was tucking into his breeches. He broke the kiss to toss the shirt over his head to join your undergarments somewhere in the room.

Your hand reached out to him, nails dragging over the chords of muscle and scars. Eskel’s hand traveled over your waist to the back of your dress, unlacing it. As the fabric dropped to the floor his hands stayed in there position beginning to unlace your corset. However after the dress he seemed impatient, because all you heard was a growl and a quick “fuck it’ before a second hand joined its brother and pulled the corset open. The laces violently popping out of the weaving. It would be a pain to relace in the morning, but right now your mind was elseward. Mainly on trying to get him to join you in being naked.  

Your hand fumbled with the belt and Eskel granted you mercy in helping you take it off. Once rid of it you took hold of his pants and underwear and pulled them down in one fell swoop. Caught off guard by it Eskel stumbled back, landing with a bounce on the bed. You knelt down, finalizing your mission in making him naked. You looked up at him and he looked as if his mouth had gone dry. You moved your hands over his thighs, his breath hitching up as if the gentle touch had scared him.

Lifting up even more you threw your arms over his thighs his cock coming into your direct eyesight. Thick was the first word that came to mind. It was thick, the head starting to turn purple as it leaked onto his stomach. You moved you hands up over his stomach you brought your mouth closer. You followed the prominent vein on the underside with the tip of your tongue as you made your way up.

You readjusted his cock with your hand and placed you mouth just so over the tip. You looked up at him and gave him a smile.

“You will have to forgive me Eskel” you started, “I’m quite starved” and that was all the warning you gave as you sunk your lips down over the tip. Eskel let out a groan, bending over slightly as he twisted a hand into your hair. You played with his tip a bit. Giving it a hard suck using your tongue to play with the slit. Trying not to tease him to much you sunk down quickly, using your hand to stimulate what your couldn’t reach.

Eskel seemed to struggle holding back as you sucked his cock. With each pass of your tongue over his head or hard suck on his shaft the string seemed to fray more and more. Eskel moved you off of him, urging you up and onto the bed. He pressed you down onto your stomach with an almost shocking tenderness. As he mounted you he pressed a languid kiss over the back of your neck, breath coming up to tease the shell of your ear.

You felt him spread your lips pressing his head in through the first ring of muscle. Being so close to your ear you cloud hear each and every delicious sound as it escaped his mouth. The gravel of it only deepened as he pushed further into you. The thick cock pushing your further apart and your walls clenched around him. He fully seated himself and pressed his chest into your back. As if Eskel was trying to get as much skin to touch as possible.

Slowly he pulled out, the tip just barely in as he slammed back home, causing your to shriek out in pleasure. He set a brutal pace. Simultaneously sweet and sinister at the same time. His hands gentle as he toyed with you, roaming over your sides. Yet his thrusts were brutal and punishing. His mouth was ajar and pressed into your shoulder.

Eskel’s thrust began to get erratic and your legs began to shake. The sounds he was making into your shoulder going up in tone. He slithered a hand to play with your clit and your body gave a jolt. Bucking up into him his paced increased even more. Suddenly his thighs began to shake and he gave a few hard thrusts before spilling into you. His bottom lip between his teeth as he pressed a far into you as possible. The fingers on your clit continued to speed up and combined with the feeling of his release inside you, you clenched down onto him in your second organism of the night.

Eskel stayed on top of you for a few moments before heaving himself off and onto the other side of the bed. His chest still driving up and down. You crawled your way over to him, grabbing the blanket that lay on the end of the bed with you. You halfheartedly draped the fabric over the two of you as you rested your head on his chest. As the fuzziness of sleep began to over take you, you reminded yourself of one thing.

To ask him if he would be interested in a traveling partner.

[rosesareviolentlyread]

Bakery Box Boy: Bath Time

CW: mentions of punishment, physical harm, scars, modern slavery, memory alteration, self-blame, people talking negatively about the character, internalized hatred, I’m really bad at these I’m working on it, anxiety WC: 1316

IT CONTINUES I swear one of you asked me to tag you but I forgot who. Thanks again to @moose-teeth and @whumpywhumper for beta-reading. And we also located the post that inspire this!! so thanks @whumping-every-day for that wonderful answer!!

The warm water swirls around his - Jasper’s - hands as he moves them through the water, feeling the gentle push and pull. It’s steamy, a fog of vanilla and sweet wood that clings to him like the cold had. He worries it’ll ruin the beautiful wallpaper, the one covered in yellow flowers with dark green stems that look like they’re growing all over the wall. He doesn’t want to ruin the wallpaper. 

He doesn’t want to ruin things, not again.

But, nothing about this seems to be going right. The memory of coming out of the box still feels...foggy, like the air around him, a confusion that clings to his chest with the fear that he has done something wrong, with knowing he’s been bad. 847650 - Jasper his brain continues to correct - isn’t good. He can’t remember why, or how, but he knows. Not that he wasn’t good enough here, those blunders are still fresh. No, it’s a deeper certainty, that the core of who 847650 is, is mistake.

He knows because the things in his mind that he can grasp, they are only pain, and fear, and people yelling. Because he can see the thin tracery of lines that cover his arms, his legs. Because he can feel the way his bones crack when he stands. Because of the way skin pulls uncomfortably across his back that makes him scared to look. 

But his new owner, they’d….touched him. Not the way they did in the white rooms, in the places he wishes would fog over more. It had been gentle. Warm. Hands that rubbed circles into the frozen joints, wrapped them in blankets far too soft for something as torn and broken as him. She knew, he was sure, because the one thing he could clearly remember, was her face when he’d first opened his eyes. 

Horror. 

He is a terror, a horror, a thing made to be kept in a basement. That’s what the handlers have told him this time or the time before or sometime that blends into a forever of white rooms only punctuated with the pain of knowing he is bad in the way a belt or a cane or a whip or a hand hits him until he is beat beet-red.

Useless, can’t believe it’s back again.

What’d it do this time? Can’t believe they keep sending it out. Guess money is money.

How much longer you think it’ll last?

Who knows? This thing’s like a bad luck boomerang, can’t get rid of it

And 847650 knows they are right, in his bones. That nothing good happens around him. To him. It’s written on his skin, in the box he came in, in the way her face had looked. 

So, why had she touched him like that? Why is she letting him sit here, in this nice bath, that is using far too much warm water on him? Why does she only have nice soaps for him to use, ones that smell like sugar and sweetness and all the things he can barely remember beyond them being far too nice?

It feels so wrong, and he wants it to stop. He wants the shoe to drop, to kick his ribs, to crush his hand. 

Doesn’t he?

He isn’t made for flowered walls, for warm fireplaces and hand-knit blankets that smell musty and cozy with years of use worn into their threads, not threadbare but instead comfortable, secure in their place. 

He wants to be like that, to know where he belongs, to belong, but he is bad. Bad luck. And he knows there is no way he belonged somewhere like here, can’t, not for long. 

A knock on the door jumps him out of his thoughts, water almost sloshing onto the soft bathmat. 

One drop away from disaster.

“Sugar? I found some clothes for you. I think they might fit, you’re about the right size. I’ll just leave ‘em here on the edge of the counter. You just come on out when you’re ready, I’ll be in the kitchen.” He sees a hand slip a pile of fabric onto the edge of the counter before the door shuts again.

When he’s ready? 

A test. It must be. To see how quickly he can recover, get himself ready to learn. 

Even though the water soothes the ache in his limbs, he forces himself to pull the drain open, watching his solace slink down the drain. Grabbing the towel that is far too fluffy, he stands carefully in the tub, drying off before stepping out so to be sure to not slick the tile with water. 

The pile of clothes have the same slightly musty, stored smell of the blankets. He doesn’t mind it, feeling the soft, pliable fabric in his hands. It’s not stiff, like clothes he feels in the edges of his mind he’s worn before, that felt too wrong on his body, too perfect in every angle and shape. But they’re not full of holes that make his skin shiver with the memory of cold far worse than that of the box. It’s clothing that’s been lived in, been given a home, for longer than he can imagine.

He pulls on the white shirt, feeling it hang loose on his shoulders as he puts the thick flannel over top. The jeans, while thin, hang loose on his hips, until he has to tighten the belt to the second to last hand-worn notch just so they’ll stay up. But it’s all so warm and soft over his skin. The socks are luxurious, thick wool that helps him cling to the feeling of toes. Of being here, even as the fog in his brain still makes it hard to think, to remember. 

When you’re ready her voice echoes in his brain, and suddenly, he’s quickly folding the towel back onto its rack, and scrambling to the kitchen. He isn’t sure how long he stood there, fingers just trailing over the fabric on his skin, but he knows intimately it was too long. 

Jasper nearly slams into the wall as the sudden slick of socks on his feet causes him to slide down the hall, limbs flailing like a newborn fawn. He manages to recover, grabbing the doorway as his heart thumps in his ears in fear. 

Please, please let me to have been quick enough to be good

“Oh, there you are. I was starting to think you’d fallen asleep in there, was about to go check to see if you’d drowned.” His owner’s face is smiling, and she winks, but he can’t understand why. Clearly, he’d taken too long. Maybe she’s happy because it means she now has a reason to punish him, to start teaching him a lesson. Maybe because it proves that he isn’t good, just like she thought when she saw him. He ducks his head, feeling his shoulders stiffen and hoping maybe this punishment will at least be a bit lighter, since his bones still ache from the cold, muscles straining just to stay upright.

“I-I’m sorry I took so long Miss Della.” For no reason, dammit, he feels tears prick his eyes, and he forces them away. 

Crying ain’t gonna do you no good, little boy, the voice in his head taunts with the crackle of electricity in its anger.

“No worries, I like myself a good soak too. I’m sure after getting soaked in the cold it felt nice to do an ole switcheroo hmm? Why don’t we go sit by the fire, warm you up a bit more, and I’ll go over the ground rules and what not” Her face breaks out into a smile as she crosses to the living room, picking up a dark iron rod to stoke the fire.

Jasper reminds himself to follow, even as a spot on his hip screams about how red hot pokers feel on skin. 

[badsext]

Sunshine and Possibilities: Diego x Reader x Klaus

This one is for @chipster-21 💜 Sorry it took me so long. I hope you like it. Special thank you to @moorehollandplz for helping me with plot stuff!!! 🤗

Author’s Note: Since the show takes place in a world without cellphones and internet, I thought it would be interesting to stay true to that for this fic. Reader has an old-timey phone and answering machine.

Warnings: Just fluff, a tiny bit of blood, and maybe a naughty word or two. ————————————————————

Your job at the pharmacy is good for people watching. You have the quirky old regulars coming in to pick up their blood pressure meds and insulin, couples buying cheap candy to sneak into the movie theater down the street, rushed people buying last minute gifts and greeting cards, anxious people buying condoms or pregnancy tests, and some just seeking something over the counter for their cold, flu, allergies, etc.

You are changing the receipt tape, a task that always takes a bit longer than you need it to, when someone steps into your peripheral vision.

“I’ll be with you in a second.”

“Ok, no problem. Take your time.”

You look up, closing the lid on the printer. He is really cute, hispanic, nice body, handsome face and a scar on the side of his head that looks like it just missed his ear. He is dressed all in black and his arms are filled with first aid supplies: peroxide, gauze and antibiotic ointment.

“Wow, look at all this. Did someone get shot or something?”

He is quiet, staring at you. It was only a joke. Maybe you offended him. You should have learned by now not to make embarrassing comments. Ugh, why can’t I keep my mouth shut, you think to yourself. That’s when you notice a drop of blood on the counter, then another. They appeared to be coming out of the man’s sleeve.

“Holy shit! Are you okay?”

“Oh!” He looks down and notices the blood for himself. “You got some paper towels back there?”

You tear several off the roll and hand them to him.

He wipes the blood off the counter, then holds the wad of towels up to the part of his sleeve that is dripping. “It’s just a scratch.” He can tell by your expression that he failed to convince you. “Occupational hazard. I’m fine with blood. It’s just needles I can’t stand.”

“Are you a cop?”

“Not exactly.”

“A criminal? Is that why you’re bandaging yourself?”

“You’re full of nosy questions.” He says with a grin. “Not a cop, not a criminal…I’m Diego. What’s your name?”

You respond in a daze, lost in his eyes for a moment.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N. How about you give me your number before I bleed out here.”

“Yeah. Okay.” You write it out on the back of his receipt.

“I’ll call you!” He kisses the receipt then flies out the door.

You can’t keep the smile off your face, even through the monotony of the next few hours, customers shuffling in and out: the diabetics, the candy smugglers, the gifters, and the snifflers, all like clockwork. Your mind keeps wandering back to Diego.

That’s why it catches you off guard, the strange man making a scene with the pharmacist. From what you can gather, he is trying to pass off a bogus prescription for pain meds. The pharmacist is trained to look for this. When you are caught it is best to go quietly, but this guy is being very dramatic about it.

“Fine, I’ll just have to take my business elsewhere!,” he exclaims. Then he turns with a flourish, his long coat flaring out around him. You are watching all this from the other end of the pharmacy. Then he starts walking toward you. The more he comes into focus the more you realize how attractive he is.

He begins lining his pockets with candy and snacks, looking deviously in your direction. He teases you with each item he plans to steal, bringing a finger to his lips to keep you quiet. You struggle to hold back your laughter. He winks and heads out the door with his coat bulging and making crinkling noises. Your manager runs up to the register a few seconds too late. When he asks you if you saw anything you just shrug.

That was a very odd chain of events, you think as you drive home. Your roommate will, of course, be staying at her boyfriend’s place again so you have the apartment to yourself. You order lo mein from your favorite Chinese takeout and play your voicemail as soon as you get home just in case. There are no messages from Diego, but it’s just as well. He probably doesn’t want to sound too eager. You have a few drinks and fall asleep in front of the TV.

———–Meanwhile, at the Hargreeves Mansion———–

“You gotta just do it. Rip it off like a band-aid.” Klaus mimes the action for emphasis.

“You know I’m not good on the phone. Sh-sh-she’ll hear m-m-my stutter. I wish I’d asked her out right then and there.” Diego tilts his head back in frustration.

“Well, man you’re gonna just have to relax. Do you want some weed?”

“No, man. I don’t put that shit in my body.”

“Chamomile tea? Guided meditation? Aromatherapy?” Diego’s face remains skeptical with each suggestion. “Okay, what do you do to relax?”

Diego thinks for a moment. “I hit stuff.”

Klaus grabs a pillow from Diego’s bed and holds it flat against his stomach. “Punch me in the gut.”

“No, man.”

“Come on, tough guy. Show me what you got.” Diego rolls his eyes and hits him square in the middle of the pillow. Klaus staggers back. “Damn, Diego.”

“You ready to call now?”

“Yeah, actually. I think I am. Thanks, man.”

Klaus tosses the pillow and groans. He leaves the room clutching his stomach. “Yeah, don’t mention it.”

————-Back at your apartment—————

The phone wakes you out of a dream. “Hello?”

“Hey, Y/N. This is Diego. We met at the pharmacy yesterday.”

You block the receiver to clear the sleep out of your throat. “Oh, yeah. What’s up? How’s your arm?”

“The arm is…fine. How do you feel about a date…with me?”

You block the receiver again, this time to temper your excitement. “Sure. When were you thinking?”

“Wanna get some coffee on Saturday at 11:00? I know a doughnut place with decent coffee.”

“Griddy’s. Yeah, I know the place. I’ll meet you there.”

“So, it’s a date?”

“It’s a date.”

It fells good to have something official, something to justify your optimism. You go back to bed with sweet dreams. Tomorrow will be Thursday. Only two more days until your date with sexy and mysterious Diego.

For the next few days it’s hard to focus at work. It’s April and all the flowers and bunnies and bright, happy imagery only highlight your good mood. You are restocking all the shelves where that wacko shoplifted a third of the stores peanut butter cups and cheese curls. Suddenly, you feel a presence behind you. It’s him. The wacko. Gone is his long black coat. He wears a colorful sleeveless shirt. He is surprisingly fit with arms tattooed. In his hand he holds one of those chocolate roses from aisle four.

You look at him quizzically. “You’re back.”

“Yep. I forgot something…Y/N.” He says, reading your name tag.

“You forgot to steal that chocolate rose?”

“No. I’ve got cash.” He reaches into his pocket for two wadded up bills. You ring him up for the purchase. He is staring at you. His green eyes sparkle.

“You need a bag?”

“Nope.” You try to hand him the rose. A few seconds pass and he hasn’t moved.

“So what was it you forgot?”

“Sorry, you’re so cute, I lost my train of thought. I came back to see if you’d like to hang out. My name’s Klaus. He leans forward and kisses your hand. "And that’s for you.” He motions to the rose in your hand. You smile and blush at the gesture.

“Yeah, okay. I’d like to…hang out.”

“Saturday…early…Say 11:00?”

“Sure.”

“You like doughnuts?”

“Yeah.”

“Saturday - 11:00 - Griddy’s doughnuts!” Then in a flash, just as before, he is gone.

The bell on the door brings you back to reality. ‘Saturday 11:00 at Griddy’s’ - Why did that sound so familiar? “Oh, fuck!,” you realize aloud. Then you peel the red foil off the chocolate rose, snatching the whole thing off the plastic stem in one giant bite.

That night you can’t sleep. You think of calling one them to cancel, but it is impossible to choose and even if you could, you didn’t get either of their numbers, not even a last name to look them up. You’ll just have to face the music in the morning.

You dress for the best case scenario, wearing your favorite sundress, the blue one with tiny white flowers on it. You put your hair up so you can let it down at some point in the date…assuming there is going to be a date. It’s your secret weapon, guaranteed to kick things up a notch.

When you arrive, your eyes find Diego sitting alone at a table, flagging you down. He gets up to greet you. Klaus walks in the door a split second later. Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!

“Y/N. It’s good to see you.” Diego comes near. You watch his expression change as he spots Klaus over your shoulder.

“What are you doing here?” The boys shout simultaneously.

“She’s my date.” Diego confirms.

“Wait, you guys know each other?”

“He’s my brother.” They grumble in unison. Suddenly aware of the scene you are making, you shush them and get them to sit down.

The waitress comes over to your table. “Hi, I’m Agnes, can I get your -”

“Wait, sorry, Agnes.” Diego turns to Klaus. “Is this the girl you were calling Wednesday night?” Klaus is incredulous.

“I’ll just give you folks a few minutes to decide.” Agnes says, walking away.

“Yes, we met at the pharmacy. I went to get first aid supplies for my arm. Tell him, Y/N.”

“That’s right.” You reply awkwardly.

“Wait a minute.” Klaus looks at you. WE met at the pharmacy on…I’m not great at remembering what day it is, but I think it was Wednesday.“

"Yep.” You cringe.

All eyes are on you now. Your cheeks are red with embarrassment.

“You met both of us on the same day.” Diego throws up his hands.

“When did Klaus ask you out?”

“Yes…ter…day - but that’s really not relevant here.” You hate the idea of them fighting. They both look so disappointed. And honestly, you don’t know who you like better, they are both so different. Then a risky thought suddenly pops into your head. Now is no time to be shy, you have two gorgeous boys vying for your company.

You get up, take a deep breath, and let your hair down. “It’s a beautiful day out there, boys! Let’s not waste it.” Klaus and Diego look at each other and after some consideration, stand up and follow you out the door. You hook arms with Klaus on one side and Diego on the other. The three of you walk off into the sunshine and a world of possibilities.

@moorehollandplz @bubblyani @helena-way07 @bi-satanist @dandycandy75 @renegadesheehan @bitch4bagels @zombiedixon89 @zoemassingale @renegadesheehan @yeetskeetbuddy @klaushollandyoung @diegoh4rgreeves @elliethesuperfruitlover @marvelnerd18 @punknatch @siriuslynore @deadlynyghtshayde @vinawyatt @klaus-hargreeves-energy

[silence-like-sleeping]

Idk but I really thought Rara would be the one to spoil the reveal because Narrative Purpose, maybe. So like this fic assumes Lex was actually playing the Long Game and not just jumping off the lowest branch in the crazy tree. Less angst, maybe, ultimately, but I think Rara deserves A Point To Her Existence.

Also let's pretend Rara knows she didn't kill Kara mostly because I forgot until after I wrote this HAHAha...

Also also this got long and idk how to do cuts in mobile so WELP

.

Lena can't say that she's surprised.

An embossed letter from Lex Luthor himself could only ever result in a Darth Vader invitation to join the evil family business. What surprises Lena is that Lex thought she would agree, like she'd really stand there in the Oval Office and declare, "Yes, despite all I've done to this point, why not give world domination a try." Why not throw her morals to the wayside and become a supervillian, and perhaps get in a good cackle along the way.

Lena rolls her eyes to think of it. Absurdity.

But what really surprises her is the presence of Red Daughter. The Haran-El copy looks exactly like Supergirl, down to the little notch scar on her forehead (which Lena has always imagined came from before, during a childhood mishap on Krypton, when the hero was human and allowed to bleed). She can't know for certain, because the topic has never come up between her and Supergirl, but. Well.

It's awkward to discuss halcyon days when the world's ending, and Lena mostly sees Supergirl in times of great peril. She wishes sometimes-- more recently nowadays-- that she could have a heart-to-heart with the hero, peel back some of that invulnerable skin. They've patched things up. They might as well become friends.

(Not Kara Danvers level of friendship, but still, more than acquaintances. More than... Lena snickers at the thought: co-workers.)

So when Red Daughter flies through the open South Lawn window in a familiar blur with familiar windswept hair and that same little scar, it takes Lena a second to be scared. Reflexively, she's reassured.

But Lex flaps a dismissive hand. "Take her away. Don't let her out of your sight."

Heavily accented, Red Daughter agrees, "Yes, Alex."

Red Daughter's eyes, blue as Supergirl's suit, shift to Lena. And it surprises Lena, too, to see them soften, just around the edges. It's a flicker, and when she blinks, it's gone, but it was an unmistakable glimpse.

Of warmth, of heart, of goodness. Of fondness, even. It stokes embers of ideas in Lena's mind, and her fear ebbs once more.

She doesn't struggle when she's gathered up in strong arms that could bear her weight for a century without tiring. It's a familiar embrace, too-- she's been held like this before. Supergirl's arms have never failed to make her feel safe, and Red Daughter's elicit the same support.

Whatever else Red Daughter may be, she's Supergirl at heart, and Lena's pretty sure she has a knack for reaching that.

She doesn't struggle. She just closes her eyes against the sudden rush of wind.

.

They end up in a holding cell not far away from the White House. It's benign as cells go, and Red Daughter doesn't even bother locking the door. She just stands on the threshold, arms crossed on her chest, face determinedly set like steel.

Her eyes betray her, though. They flick over Lena a little too often, like she can't quite believe Lena's here or solid or even real. It's hungry, almost.

For what, Lena can't say. But she'd be damned if she didn't take advantage of the opportunity.

"What Lex is doing is wrong, you know." She'd also be damned if she minced words.

Red Daughter scoffs.

"He's using you," Lena presses. "He already pretended to kill you, for god's sake. All he wants is power in the end. Do you see Kasnia in control here? No. Lex is in control here. Lex only ever fights for Lex. When he's done with you, he'll kill you for real without batting an eye."

Red Daughter's lips twist. "Alex vill do no such t'ing," she replies. Her gaze studiously shifts elsewhere, fixating on the plain gray wall.

Lena tries a different tack. "Why do you call him that? 'Alex'?"

"Because zat is 'is name," Red Daughter says, audibly doubtful of Lena's intelligence.

"Technically, I suppose," Lena concedes. She shakes her head of that. "Never mind. You've seen the choice he gave me, right? And how he treated me for disagreeing to his madness? I'm his sister, Red Daughter. He's willing to cast aside and imprison family. What makes you think you'll be any different?"

Red Daughter shakes her head, too, blonde waves rustling. "No, no, zis vill not vork. I am not ze same as 'er, you know. I am not your Kara Danvers."

That strikes several chords in swift succession.

"My Kara Danvers?" Lena echoes. Heat flares up her neck, but it's short-lived and quaffed by the bucket of ice water roaring down her spine. "Wait, why did you bring up Kara? You haven't-- you haven't abducted her again, have you? She isn't here, is she? Kara!" she concludes in worried shout.

Lena lurches to her feet on instinct, makes a run for the door, but Red Daughter is better than a wall. Catches onto Lena's lapel, not with enough force to lift or choke, but enough to keep her in place.

"No, she is not 'ere," Red Daughter says, looking once again like she fears for Lena's sanity. "But do not t'ink you can seduce me wit' your vords, Lena Lut'or. I am not your best friend."

Lena can't be bothered with this hogwash. "Of course you aren't. You're a copy of Supergirl, not--"

Lena stops mid-sentence. She's suddenly aware of a distant flapping, as of a thousand red flags. It unfurls like the ocean's roar as it surges from the depths of her head.

Red Daughter beats that tide to land. "And Supergirl is Kara Danvers, yes. Zat is my point exac'ly."

The wave crests and crashes, crashes, crashes. Lena blinks, delicately, as if even such a tremulous motion will shatter her entirely. "Supergirl is Kara Danvers," she repeats, hoarse.

"Yes?" Red Daughter tilts her head, and oh, god, Lena can see it now-- "As she 'as alvays been." A pause. "Vere you not avare of zis?"

Lena falters backwards across the cell until she can sink, boneless, on the bench. Her throat works several times before she croaks, "No. No, I... I was not."

Red Daughter frowns. At first it's just with her lips, but then it reaches her eyes, and the empathy there is a gut punch for Lena-- another gut punch. She's used to that expression, or used to it framed by glasses.

How was I so blind?

"Ah. Yes," Red Daughter murmurs. "I knew zis. I just forgot I did."

Lena finds enough space in her throat to wonder, "How would you possibly know that?"

Red Daughter looks surprised, briefly, before the concern washes back: another tide. She ventures closer, broad shoulders turned in like a dog tucking its tail in apology. "I 'ad to study 'er, to become 'er. I read 'er journals at length." Another hesitation. She's reached Lena's side. She shuffles her boots before perching on the very edge of the bench.

Lena can't process, her brain's a gnarled mess, but she has enough clarity to be cognizant of the other woman's presence and to be perplexed by it.

Red Daughter skims her hands down her thighs, clears her throat. "Kara Danvers speaks very 'ighly of you-- or writes as such. You are 'er most precious person, like unto 'er own Alex. I vas fascinated by ze passages attributed to you, Lena. The power of ze emotion, it leapt off ze page. I felt it 'ere, in my own chest," she concludes, pressing fingers to her heart.

Lena's jaw creaks, useless. Blood pounds in her ears, her neck. Is she flushing from secondhand embarrassment? Anger? Pleasure?

Red Daughter barrels onward, fingers fisting. "And she wrote for pages, too, about 'ow she couldn't tell you. 'Ow she vanted to tell you, but alvays, she vorried for your safety. Alvays, she vorried for your 'appiness."

"She could've just told me," Lena finally spits, bitter. "If she wanted me safe and happy, she should've told me my best friend was a superhero!"

Red Daughter is quiet at that. She's quiet for a long time. Eventually, she offers, "It agonized 'er. Ze ink, it was smeared at times. From tears, I t'ink."

Lena jolts to her feet, no more stable this time. Worse, even. She's stuttering like her joints have forgotten how to bend. "Don't tell me that! Don't tell me she-- she cried over this! How am I supposed to hate her if she cried over it?"

Red Daughter jumps up, too, and is in front of Lena with superspeed. But not, as it seems, to curtail her escape-- Lena's mind is far from that right now. But just to steady. Her hands rest on Lena's shoulders, and Lena barely feels the pressure. For all that strength and power, this touch is only gentle.

That's familiar, too. But then these hands are Kara's.

Lena shudders. Tears slip free.

Red Daughter's hands flex, careful. A bracing, strengthening squeeze. "You say I should 'ate Alex for vhat 'e 'as done, vhat 'e plans to do. Per'aps you are right about zat, I do not yet know. But if you are right, zen 'e 'as done terrible t'ings and plans to do far vorse. Kara Danvers 'as only tried to protect you ze best she knew 'ow."

Another shiver ripples through Lena's frame, dealing more damage to her foundations. "I wish she would've just told me," she weeps. "Why didn't she just tell me?"

Red Daughter appears at a loss, as agonized as she claimed Kara to be.

It surprises Lena to her core when Red Daughter wraps her in an embrace, cradled in unbreakable arms. Fingers sift, clumsy but comforting, through raven locks of hair.

You're a kind-hearted, brilliant, beautiful soul.

I'm not going anywhere. I will protect you, always.

The words bubble up and burst. "She really was just trying to protect me?"

The press of Red Daughter's head against Lena's temple is the same. The warmth of her body, too. Kara always had inexplicably been a furnace.

Stupid Kryptonians and their solar energy, Lena sneers inwardly without any real bile. She doesn't have the heart to whet the edges sharp enough to cut.

"She 'ad no reason to lie in 'er journal," Red Daughter states. It's matter of fact. But it is a matter of fact. Why would she, indeed.

The turbulence in Lena's chest eases. It's far from calm, it's still blustery and wild, but the storm no longer looms apocalyptic. She dares to venture that maybe, in time, she'll find fair seas again.

Red Daughter loosens her hold, and Lena wishes, viscerally, that she wouldn't. That she'd step back and be a rock again. But the other woman has other plans, and lifts the tears from Lena's cheeks, drop by drop.

"I do not know," Red Daughter admits as she works, "if Alex is evil as you say. I am conflicted about zat. I vill need proof. But I do know zat you are certainly not. You are ze farthest t'ing from it. And it seems to be a veakness of zis body," she adds with a self-deprecating little laugh as her thumb brushes gentle along the angle of Lena's cheek, "to vant to t'row avay life and limb for your sake."

The back of Lena's neck prickles again. She swallows, sniffles, says, "I, uh... does that mean you're going to help me? To help us? Defeat Lex?"

"I told you, I do not know yet." Red Daughter chases down the last tear. "But I vill return you unharmed to your Kara, so you may reconcile. From zere, ve vill see."

Not a lot surprises Lena Luthor. She's too cunning, too clever, too ready with sharp eyes and keen analysis to be caught on the back foot.

But all she's done is stumble today.

"Th-Thank you," she manages.

Red Daughter smiles. It's more than familiar. It's exactly the same, ablaze with a thousand cheerful suns.

Lena can't help but smile back.

.

.

.

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

No Surrender: Part 2

Part 1

Request: hey i love your writing!! i was wondering if you could write something where the ready and bucky are in the same hydra facility and try to escape together. idk maybe that’s bad but i love your writing!!

Pairing: Bucky X Reader

Summary: In the winter of 1945 Hydra captures Sargent James Barnes. After months spent unconscious, he wakes up in a cell with you and a new addition on his left side. Quickly it becomes clear that being locked up together may be the best bout of luck either of you has had in a while… Maybe together the two of you have a chance of making it out of this hell alive. Now, 69 years later the two of you are brought back together, scars and all. War changes everyone it touches but maybe, together, you can both find some kind of peace. 

Warnings: Light angst, heavy emotions, that’s really it

A/N: Lol, one shot. I know better. This is prob going to be a 3 part with an epilogue. Why? Because this is A Few Marvelous Thoughts and that’s how things are done here. The stories are long and the writer is overly invested in ALL OF THEM.  And, honestly, I kind of liked doing something that brought the Howlers into the mix and some Peggy and... yeah. I’m just enjoying myself. I hope y’all enjoy it too!

Tags are open!

@mywinterwolf @disagreetoagree @breezy1415 @peachthatdrinkslemonade @wonderlandmind4@piensa-bonito @buckysstar @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @handplucked  @krugeforeveryone @jewelofwinter @get-loki @just-a-littlebit-of-everything

June 2014

You stare at your muted reflection in the airplane window tracing the scar on your cheek. It’s not quite as visible as it once was but you can feel it all the same.

Pulling your eyes away you check the screen on the back of the seat in front of you. One more hour until DC. It had been 69 years, what was one more hour… Still, you can’t keep your heeled foot from jiggling nervously.

Opening your iPad you look over the files Sharon sent you, thinking as you often do just how much easier this kind of tech would have made yours and Peg’s lives back in the day. 

You wish Stark was here to give him shit for not coming up with this sooner. Thinking of your old friends always brings a sad smile to your face. Absentmindedly you fiddle with the dog tags and wedding rings always hanging around your neck from a long chain.

Steve and someone named Wilson had brought him in. Physically he was fine, some minor injuries but nothing to cause concern. Mentally… severe memory loss, disorientation, disassociation, PTSD, on and on. Quickly you scroll past it all, you didn’t need to read about it to know that a lifetime with Hydra could leave a person fractured. At the end was what you wanted. A photo.

He looked much the same. Dark hair and those spectacular blue eyes but… he was changed, even in a photo, you could see that. Really though you were all changed. Not one of you left that war or any of the ones that followed without wounds that wouldn’t heal.

Tenderly your fingers touch the image on the screen. You’re lost in memories of a day so long ago that the flight attendant startles you when she approaches.

“Sorry, ma'am,” she smiles brightly, “would you like another gin and tonic before we land?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.” It wouldn’t do anything to calm your nerves of course, but you liked the taste.

The first sip reminds you you’ll also need to see Peg… it got harder every time. Silently you pray to anything that will listen for her to be lucid so you can tell her you found him, finally after all these years. Sharon said that seeing Steve helped her, he brought back the old Peg. Maybe you’d get lucky. Though… guilt roils in your gut.

You’d spent the last couple of years actively avoiding Steve Rogers. All you could think was that you could only give him a story of regret, one more may have been. He didn’t need that. Something in your heart reminds you though, you have more than that to give him. Stories of his old friends no one else could tell. How the Howlers never forgot him, how every toast until the very end held his name… and Bucky’s. What kind of legacy he really left with the people that mattered.

A tear winds its way down your cheek and you dash it away. You’d make up for it now. Tell them both the rest of their story. Maybe it would be a comfort.

When the wheels meet the tarmac your heart lodges in your throat. You rush off the plane to the nearest restroom to inspect yourself. In the floor length mirror, you smooth a hand over your breezy white blouse tucked into a pair of camel high waist trousers. The slim straight fit showed off your figure just enough. To anyone, you would look like a woman in her early 40’s maybe. A few grey hairs, soft lines on your face, but still young enough and certainly not 94.

You take a shaky breath, reapply your red lipstick, and stride confidently out of the airport, ready as you’ll ever be.

From the outside, it looks like a nondescript, if not a touch run down, office building. You know it’s an old S.H.I.E.L.D. office. They’re holding him here, assessing him, trying to figure out exactly what to do in a situation that bucks just about every bit of protocol there is in one way or another.

“Thank you,” you say to the agent in the front seat. 

Your accent had softened over the decades. This thought makes worry curl in your gut. The chances of him recognizing you are so slim. You were older, your voice was different… Hell, the report said he had trouble remembering Steve and they’d known one another their whole lives until the war. He’d only known you for a day…

“Are you ok?” The young man asks gently.

“Yes, sorry…” Your hand curls around the handle.

“Don’t know why they’re sending someone like you in with a monster like that. If you don’t wanna to go I’ll take you to your hotel or some-”

Your well-manicured hand wrapped around his throat cuts him off, “If that’s what you think that man is,” your voice a malicious purr, “I highly suggest you find a new line of work, boy.” You release him and go to open the door.

Turning back to him you catch his slack-jawed expression, “That man deserves your respect. Am I clear?”

“Y-Yes ma’am,” he stammers.

“Good,” you open the door and step out, strutting up to the building, adding just a touch of extra sway to your hips for good measure.

At the door, you push a button to activate the com, “Y/N Bernard, here for Sharon Carter.” There’s no response just a click.

As you enter the sparse lobby you hear the elevator ding, the doors swoosh, your body tenses on reflex. When a blonde with a bright smile exits though, you relax.

“Aunt Y/N!” Sharon calls, her tone full of excitement. She rushes you and you embrace your best friend’s favorite niece. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too my darling,” you pull the girl back and look at her. So much like her mother but she inherited Peggy’s fire.

“Come on, let’s get started.” You follow her into the elevator.

As the doors close and the elevator moves down, you reach into your tote to pull out a small box, “I never forget, mon chaton.”

Sharon laughs, taking the box from you, “You didn’t have to.” She lifts one of the macarons out, taking a bite, savoring it.

“Bah,” you wave away her protest, “of course I did.” Every time you saw Sharon you brought her some. Her whole life.

She takes a deep shaky breath, closing the lid, “Thank you Aunt Y/N.” Tenderly you cup the side of her face with your left hand, she shakes her head, “I’m ok.”

“No, you’re not. Nor should you be,” you tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as the elevator settles. “I’m here for you, always, you know that?”

“I do.” The doors slide open and you follow your adopted niece out. Heart kicking up a notch.

Sharon leads you down a corridor to a conference room. A young man with a kind smile rounds the corner just before she opens the door.

“Hey, Sam,” Sharon nods at him.

“Hey,” he returns the nod. “You must be Mrs. Bernard. Sam Wilson, it’s good to meet you,” he extends a hand and you take it giving it a shake.

“It’s, miss,” you say smiling. “But you can call me, Y/N. Thank you for what you did.”

Sam shakes his head, “Just helping out a fellow soldier, no need for thanks.”

“You have it anyway,” you smile, liking this young man already.

Sharon opens the door and your eyes see, not initially Steve Rogers as you expect, but Tony Stark. Once he registers who you are his jaw hits the floor, eyes wide with shock.

“You look well Anthony,” a mischievous smile curls your lips, “certainly better than the last time I saw you.”

“How do you…?” Sharon, standing to your right, looks like she may not want to know the answer.

You laugh, “Oh no darling, nothing like that. I simply got Anthony here out of a pinch in where was it Morocco?”

“Monaco,” Tony says, smiling a smile that makes you think of his father.

“Ah, yes Monaco,” Sam rounds the table and takes a seat to Tony’s left. “You couldn’t have been 17. Pissed off the wrong person and landed in a cell.”

“And somehow you got me out. Though I was more scared of you than the cops after that verbal lashing.”

“That sounds like my Aunt Y/N,” Sharon says smiling.

Tony’s brows raise trying to work that one out, “But you never told my dad.”

“What point was there to tell, Howard? He would have just thrown some overblown fit. He loved to hear himself talk, especially when he was angry.”

Tony laughs, “You’re not wrong.”

“Sounds like you knew Howard well,” a voice from the back left corner of the room says causing you to jump a little. Steve Rogers is leaning there, arms crossed, face dark, watching you.

You swallow hard, “I did. I knew them all… very well.”

He saunters to the table, “So I saw,” slamming down a thick file before he takes a seat. You hold his gaze for a second. The emotion passing between the two of you beyond words.

“Ooook,” Tony breaks the silence and you turn to him a tense smile on your lips. “I’m assuming you’re some kind of super soldier too.”

You take a seat next to Sharon, across from Tony. “I wouldn’t say soldier but I am… enhanced. Much like Captain Rogers and Sargent Barnes. Only difference is I was never put on ice.”

“So you were born in…?” Sam is studying you with fascination.

“1920, I’m 94 years old,” he makes a whistling noise and you laugh.

The door opens and a slender brunette rushes in, “Sorry, had another fire to put out.” Agent Hill looks at you as you stand, “I’m-”

“Agent Hill,” you smile at her, “Nick spoke highly of you.” Your knowing gaze seems to convey that you’re all too aware that he’s fully alive. It would take a cataclysm to kill Nick Fury. Thank god for it.

“And you’re, Y/N Bernard,” her head shakes and an awkward smile curls her lips. “I never thought I’d have the honor.”

“The pleasure is mine, I assure you.”

She rounds the table and sits at the head opposite Steve, taking a deep breath. “Did you all start without me?”

“Nope,” Sharon slides a tablet to her.

“Good. We wanted to take a moment to brief you on the predicament we’re in, Ms. Bernard.”

“Y/N, please.”

“Y/N,” Hill smiles, “we think things are going to move quickly. The government wants to clean this mess up and do things under the radar as much as possible. That means we have to work fast to get our bearings and determine the best course of action.”

“Bearings regarding S.H.I.E.L.D. or Sargent Barnes?” You ask, tone even but suspect.

“Both,” Hill runs a hand over her face. “We’ve had Barnes for almost two weeks. So far they’re letting us hold him, mainly because no one else is equipped, but who knows how long that will last. Technically he’s considered a P.O.W. and Wilson is pulling any strings he can to sort that situation out. Get Barnes the care he deserves.”

You look to Sam, his eyes are on the wood of the table hands clasped in front of him. The Howlers would have liked this one. Out of habit you pull the necklace from your shirt and begin to fiddle with the contents.

“However, in the month since S.H.I.E.L.D. was exposed…” She clears her throat. You understand her pain, the thought that Hydra was so close… “Well, it’s become pretty apparent that there’s no rebuilding it.”

Sharon glances over to you. Slipping your hand into hers you give it a squeeze. Losing S.H.I.E.L.D. was like losing a part of yourselves.

“Stark has offered an alternative, kind of an official/unofficial organization,” Tony nods, “but that’s for another time. Right now we have to deal with the very real possibility of Barnes being put on trial.” Your blood runs cold, you release Sharon’s hand, worried you may accidentally break it.

“On trial for what exactly?” You spit.

Hill’s look is soft, sympathetic, “Anything they can pin on him.”

“That’s preposterous,” you try to take a deep breath to calm yourself.

“We agree,” Hill nods. “That’s why we’re trying to make sure we have anything we can to prove that whatever actions he partook in when he was with them was against his will.” 

Her jaw tenses, “Agent Carter has implied you may be able to help with that. There’s not a lot on file about you. You’re officially listed as retired, have been for over 40 years. I’ve heard stories of course but…”

“I’ll tell you anything you need to know. Put me on the stand if you must.”

“Aunt Y/N, that would-” Sharon’s eyes are filled with fear.

“Expose me? I know, mon chaton, I know,” your smile is tender. “It doesn’t matter. For him, I would do anything.”

Hill goes to speak but Steve cuts her off, his voice low, heavy with emotion, “Why?”

You drag your eyes to the brooding Captain, “Because, Captain Rogers, 69 years ago Bucky Barnes saved my life.” Your voice cracks despite your efforts, “And he’s here today because of that.” Sharon’s hand rests on your knee, trying to provide comfort. She doesn’t know that some hurts are too deep for comfort.

“Thank you, Y/N,” Hill’s voice is soft. “If it comes to that we will talk strategy. How about we break for now. I need,” she rubs the bridge of her nose, “something.”

Everyone stands to leave. You direct Sharon to look after Agent Hill and go to follow them all out when Steve grabs your arm.

“I think we need to talk,” his blue eyes are stormy.

“I agree,” you look into the conference room.

“No, follow me,” he walks to the elevators without once looking back.

It’s possible that it’s the most awkward elevator ride of your long life. When the doors open he walks to the end of the hall, a door opening to a steep flight of stairs.

“Will those be a problem,” he glances down to your breakneck stilettos.

You raise an eyebrow at him, “You’d be surprised what I can do in heels, Captain Rogers.” He holds the door and you sprint up them, never teetering and not the least bit winded, smirking a bit at him as he comes up behind you.

Inwardly you thank god that he wanted to talk outside, you want a cigarette, desperately. Reaching into your bag you pull the pack and flick one up skillfully, pulling it out with red lips. He’s watching and you smile with the unlit cigarette between your lips.

“Want one?” You hold the pack out. He shrugs and takes one. You’re about to pull out your matches when he flicks up a zippo.  

“Light?” You nod and he lights yours before his own. A smile plays on your lips as you try to think of the last time a man lit your cigarette.

He walks to the edge of the roof and sits on the low wall facing you. Taking a drag he finally speaks, “I never smoked before… this,” he gestures to his body. “So I never really knew what the appeal was but the motion is-”

“Soothing,” you finish sitting next to him. “I miss what nicotine used to do to me. Can’t tell you how often I have wished I could get drunk still. Never thought I’d miss a good hangover.”

He laughs a little, “Yeah.” The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes, lost in your own thoughts.

“What did you mean?” Rogers is staring off into the distance.

“Sorry?” You’re unsure what he wants you to clarify.

“When you said he’s here because he saved you… what did you mean?”

Your heart squeezes. Memories of that place, the sound of the soldiers coming, the bunker shaking, the look on his face as he shoved you into that crawl space… So long ago but it may as well have been yesterday.

Taking a deep breath you dive in, “Hydra captured me in January 1945…”

The two of you burn through two more cigarettes each as tell him your story. You keep the part about promises of dances and that kiss to yourself. Though your hand lingers near your lips as you remember.

“I crawled through that tunnel for what must have been a mile,” you take a drag. “When I finally got out I ran for two days until I came across a British camp. They thought I was Hydra with the uniform and all. I kept telling them, ‘My name is Y/N Bernard, I am French Resistance Lyon. I have a message for Captain America.’ But they wouldn’t-”

“Wait,” he holds up a hand, “what was the message.”

Oh. You had told him Bucky said find Steve and the Howlers but the message… You hold Steve’s gaze, “I was to tell you that it wasn’t the end of the line.” Somehow you had maintained composure through the whole thing but now tears spill from your eyes.

Rogers looks away, sniffing hard, wiping at his own eyes. His elbows rest on his knees and he laughs a bit, shaking his head, “It really was him then.”

“Oui,” you sit straighter trying to get a hold of yourself. “Of course they didn’t believe me. Threw me in shackles and transported me to London.” Steve’s eyes burn into you but you can’t look at him.

“Once there they locked me in an interrogation room for hours until they found, Peg,” your voice almost breaks but you push through it. “Since… since I was a woman and it had to do with you they thought she was best. I told her everything. Begged, cried, pleaded her to bring me to you, I had a message we didn’t have time…” Your hands are trembling with emotion, “Finally I just told her the message, just to pass it along. Lock me in a cell, whatever she had to do just to tell you.”

Finally, you can look at him, “That’s when she told me you had died. But she believed me, apparently, you had shared that pledge you and Bucky had with her.” 

He nods and you press on, “She took me to the Howlers immediately. Said we had a mission. At first, they didn’t believe some broad but Dugan,” you have to take a breath, “he said that if there was even a chance we had to take it.”

“Sounds like him,” Steve smiles sadly.

“It does, yes,” your hand toys with the tags, “We left the next day.” You shake your head, the lump in your throat growing, “We weren’t fast enough… I knew we wouldn’t be,” tears stream down your face now. 

“I failed him. He saved me and I didn’t make it back in time,” a sob tears out before you can stop it. You hadn’t ever told this story not the full thing… it felt like a special kind of hell.

Steve lays a hand on your back. You look to him, “We didn’t stop looking though. Every base, every agent, we tried to find something, anything, that would lead us to him. But… we never found him…”

“You were a Howler,” his tone is filled with respect.

You nod, “I was. Proud to be too.” You squeeze his knee, “They never forgot you, either of you.”

Tears sparkle in Steve’s eyes, “Did you know… when I… when I woke up?”

Shame rolls over you but you don’t look away, “I knew the day they found you, Fury called me…”

“Then why… I mean I know we didn’t know each other but… I,” he wipes his eyes and stands to take a few paces. “It would have been good to have someone who knew… what… what it’s like to…”

“Be so out of place?” He nods. “I know,” you look at the ground, tears streaming, “I’m so sorry.” You hold in a sob and try to compose yourself before looking up at him.

“All I could think was that I failed you both, that all I could give you were empty apologies.” He opens his mouth but you hold up a hand, “I know that’s not right… and I’m sorry. It’s a shit excuse, but it is the truth. I’d like to make it up to you if I can.”

Steve shakes his head, “You don’t have to make anything up. I understand.” A smile fills his face, “I’m just happy we have another Howler back where she belongs.”

Something between a laugh and a sob breaks from you and he holds out a hand. When you take it Steve pulls you into a bone-crushing hug. The two of you hold one another and have a good cry for a bit.

“Come on,” he pulls back, “let’s head in.”

You follow him back inside and he leads you to a different section than where the conference room from earlier was. Two guards, heavily armed, eye you as you pass through sliding bulletproof doors.

He pauses in front of a nondescript door and turns to you thumb nervously tapping on the handle. “This is just the monitor room but… do you want to see him?”

Your fingers freeze on the dog tags you’d been fiddling with and stare at him suddenly unable to speak. The obvious answer was yes but… what if it was bad… what if he’s feral or catatonic or- It doesn’t matter.

“Yes,” the word finally crawls from your mouth. Steve smiles opening the door, holding it to allow you entry.

Sam’s already there and gives you a warm smile, “I’ll leave you two.” He gives Steve’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he walks out.

There’s a man wearing simple scrubs sitting on a cot with his back pressed to the wall, head leaned back, a knee pulled up with his metal left arm resting on it. Music is playing from speakers you can’t see, he softly sings along smiling gently.

Your jaw hangs open. This isn’t the ghost you were anticipating. This is Bucky.

“He’s had a good day,” Steve’s voice reaches you but you can’t look away.

Composure leaves you. Doubling over as if you’ve been hit you weep, a huge smile on your face. Pressing the dog tags and rings to your lips you eke out, “He’s ok, Dummy. He’s safe. It’s over, Dummy.”

Steve doesn’t say anything for a minute then you feel his hand on your back, “It’s a lot I know. Here,” he gently lifts you and guides you to a desk chair passing you a box of tissues.

“Thank you,” you wipe at the mascara streaming down your face.

“I’m sorry but… did you say dummy a second ago?” He takes the seat next to you.

You smile, “I did.”

“As in, Dum Dum Dugan.”

Nodding you hold up the necklace, “My husband.”

“That has to be one of the first stories you regale me with,” Steve laughs.

“Deal,” your eyes wander back to one of the screens, fingers hovering over the image of Bucky. You can’t help but think of another cot in another cell. Snapping your eyes shut you remind yourself that this isn’t Hydra… well not anymore.

There’s a knock at the door, “Come in,” Steve replies. Sam and a woman you haven’t met enter. You stand wiping at your eyes a bit more, certain it’s all beyond saving anyway.

Steve introduces you, “Y/N, this is Dr. Laura Carr. She’s the psychologist taking point with Bucky, former S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Dr. Carr takes your hand, “It’s a pleasure.”

“Thank you for being willing to help him, Doctor,” you give her a warm smile.

“No thanks needed. It’s the right thing to do.” She laughs a little, “And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was more than a little fascinated by the case.”

You like her honesty, “I think that’s a good thing. Curiosity drives us to think outside set parameters,” Sharon comes in as you speak, “and I believe you’re going to need that in this case.” Dr. Carr nods.

Steve looks back at the screen then to you, “Dr. Carr,” he throws her a smile, “do you think Y/N, here could see Bucky today?” Your breath catches and you swear you can hardly feel your heartbeat.

The doctor eyes you, “Sharon told me you two have a history, though she was pretty vague with the details.”

“My apologies, doctor,” you smile softly at Sharon, “the life I’ve led has made vague the default. Being with S.H.I.E.L.D. I’m sure you understand.”

She nods, “I do. It always made things more complicated when your patients couldn’t, or wouldn’t, tell you everything.” She takes a moment and looks to Steve, “You’re his medical power of attorney, if you trust her I would say that today would be fine. Though I will want to monitor the exchange.”

“I trust her,” some tension slides from you at Steve’s words, “I’m ok with you watching. Y/N?”

“Of course,” you nod. “But… there’s something I need to get first.” Confusion settles on the faces around you, “Just a promise I made a long time ago that I’d like to keep. Could I use your car, Sharon?”

“I can drive you,” she walks to your side.

“Fantastic!” You smile up at Steve, “I’ll be back in an hour.”

-

“Bread?” Sharon eyes the large french loaf you’re cradling as you get back in the car.

“Oui.”

“Not what I was expecting but… ok.”

“What were you expecting, mon chaton?”

She laughs, “I don’t know. Whiskey, brandy, lingerie.”

You laugh fully, it feels good after the weight of the day thus far, “I don’t usually prefer an audience when lingerie is involved, kitten.”

“Please, stop there,” Sharon’s face scrunches in mock disgust.

As she parks the tone shifts, “Will you be ok, Aunt Y/N… seeing him?” She takes your hand giving it a squeeze, “It’s ok if you want to-”

“My sweet girl,” you squeeze back, “I have not been this ok in a long, long time.” Sharon smiles and nods.

Back in the monitor room everyone looks just as confused when you enter with the bread. Steve is already in the room the two talking casually about something.

“You can go in whenever you’re ready, Y/N,” Dr. Carr tells you. “I thought it best to have Steve go in as a sort of warm up. Keep in mind he’s suffering from severe memory loss, he may not know you so don’t be put off by that.”

“I’ve grown strangely used to my friends not knowing me,” sadness flits across Sharon’s features, “doesn’t make me any less happy to see them.” The doctor nods and Sharon leads you down the hall.

The door is heavy, reinforced steel. She enters a code and does a retina scan before the locks give way. You had expected this to lead to the room but there’s just a hall. You go through two more less enforced doors before stopping at one that looks normal.

“You ready?” She asks you. Your grip on the bread tightens a little. The perfect crackle of the crust hits your ears and you know.

“Absolutely.”

“Well, it’s all yours,” she steps behind you, “just let me get past the last door then knock.”

As the door behind you closes you raise your fist, take a deep breath, and rap on the door. The metal tings and you realize that the normalcy is a bit of a front. A moment later Steve opens the door a nervous smile on his lips. He eyes the bread but doesn’t say anything.

“Buck, there’s someone who wants to see you if that’s ok?”

“Sure?” His voice hits you like a freight train. Steve leads you into the room, “Don’t know who would want-” His words halt when he sees you.

You press down the hope that rises in your chest. He doesn’t know you, the chances are too slim. He’s surprised is all, a new person, one he can’t remember wants to see him and he doesn’t know why. You tell yourself you’ve seen this before in Peg, Dernier, and Juniper. This is the same. Don’t get excited.

“Hello, Sargent Barnes,” your voice is soft, heart thundering in your chest. He stands slowly, those eyes you remember so well, studying you. You try to swallow the lump in your throat.

“I know this may be confusing. And that you likely don’t know who I am… That’s ok. I just… wanted to see that you were well and… bring you this.” Tentatively you hold the bread out to him. He takes the wrapped loaf and opens it.

You swear a smile is playing on his lips, “Bread?”

“Oui. I-I know it seems silly-”

“Did you fly all the way from Lyon to bring it to me?” The breath leaves you. Hot tears stream down your face instantly. 

He smiles, that bright true smile and sets the bread down on the edge of his cot, “I’m glad you’re ok, Y/N.”

“Bucky,” your voice is thick with emotion. Without thought you fling yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his neck. His arms encircle you holding you tight. When you feel a tremor pass through him you realize he’s crying too.

“I’m so sorry,” you say over and over again.

“Hush,” he whispers, pulling back he looks at you. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“I do though. I wasn’t fast enough I-”

“Stop,” his right-hand cups your face. The silence hangs for a moment while you try to find your bearings.

“I don’t know how or why, but you were always one of the first things I’d remember when my memories would come back. Before they…” His whole body shakes and you know exactly what he means. “You gave me hope. Reminded me that there was no surrender,” his lips twitch up into a crooked smile and your heart clenches.

“It’s not from Lyon,” you give him a grin. “But it is French, thought you had waited long enough for some decent bread.”

He laughs, “Well, it’ll do. For now.”

Oh yeah, there’s more to come.

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #387

“Salt Talk, Godmorgan, EAlex Portal Practice”

[Deer] Is down in the kitchen, stirring a cup of steaming coffee-

[Yaunfen] Comes downstairs- Hi mom! - They're carrying a bubbling pail of clear liquid.

[Waffles] Saunters down as well and busks on the side of the table.

[Deer] - Why hello to you too, and just what are you up to today, hm?

[Yaunfen] smiles warmly-  I made a soda fountain. So I came down to water the ferns with some of it.

[Deer] - That's a good idea, do you have anything else planned?

[Yaunfen] I dunno. Probably more fighting with Fru... - they trail off a little- But it's making some nice muscles! I can punch trees just as good as Steve!

[Deer] - Just be careful, don't get yourself killed, that's not something I ever want you to experience...

[Yaunfen] Their hair fluffs a bit, reminding her of Doc- I hope not! But I know you'll watch over me either way.

[Deer] - Always

[Yaunfen] Mom... am I ever going to be able to fly? Even Liz can kinda do it.

[Deer] - I don't know sweety, I mean, if you can become super heavy...  Maybe you can become super light too?

[Yaunfen] Brow furrows a little- Maybe... If you see Mix please tell me. I still need a scabber for Fru.

[Deer] - A scabber?

[Yaunfen] Something like that. It's some kind of magick bug.

[Deer] - Alright then.  And if you want to practice trying to be lighter, why don't you practice in the wither arena, just so you have a roof to stop you from going too high

[Yaunfen] Okay mom. - They dump some of the bubbly liquid on the ferns and there's a burst of fruity smells as the plant puffs bigger and healthier under the tending.

[Waffles] Sneaks a leaf off of a fern and drags it under the table.

[Deer] Looks down at her coffee and notices it's started to get cold- Oh darn

[Yaunfen] Aw. Just put it on top of the furnace. It'll get warm again. - They give her a little hug. - I'm gonna go play.

[Deer] - Alright, have fun- She goes and places her cup on top of the furnace

-There's a bit of noise from downstairs and TLOT fastwalks up from the gold room-

[TLOT] Ugh! I hate that thing. I know it makes him happy but cripes... my ears...

-The sound is Steve playing his digeridoo much farther down in the bowels of the house-

[Deer] Laughs a little- Everyone has things that annoys their lover to no end

[TLOT] Hops onto a stool in front of the counter, his fingers brushing on a lemon hanging heavy from a short branch of the semi-potted tree. - He hates my cheese, so I guess it's fair.

[Deer] - True- Deer sits next to TLOT, her mind distracted just enough for TLOT to pick up the buzzing from it

[TLOT] You seem to be full of thoughts today. But I won't intrude if you don't feel like talking. - He takes his helmet off and sets it on the counter before fluffing his messy hair and facing her.

[Deer] - No, it's alright, it's mostly just a bad feeling

[TLOT] Considering that you're part of just about everything here, that is troubling.

[Deer] - Doc has mentioned that there's a couple more major updates ready, but...  I don't know, I just feel like it might be a bad idea...

[TLOT] Are you worried about physics mistakes? Or something worse...? That one that stuck everyone in their alternate shapes was pretty bad.

[Deer] - I don't know, I feel like it might have more to do with me, as in, all of me- She gestures around them

[TLOT] Unfortunately I don't have any talent for seeing the future. But I do trust your instincts. What's the alternative though? Just stop going forward?

[Deer] - It would break Doc's heart...

[TLOT] Everyone likes new things don't they? The world just keeps getting more complicated. I'm just glad we're not a high res-server like Cp's old home. I'd protest if it ever went that far.

[Deer] - Yeah...  Hopefully I'm just overthinking all of this- She goes to grab her reheated coffee

[TLOT] I heard there's going to be visible fish...

[Deer] - Hera will love that

[TLOT] I think I will too. I love making little things. - He turns over a hand and accidently goes forward in his hotbar-

-There's a chirp and the cricket escapes from his inventory. It pops up into the lemon tree and squeaks out the song of healing as loud as it can-

[TLOT] Darn it. I guess you aren't the only restless one.

[Deer] - No I'm not, can you feel the tension Lie's giving off?

[TLOT] She's worried about Aether. I don't think that will stop anytime soon.

[Porygon] Is woken by the cricket and falls out of the small tree onto the counter. It scoots back and forth and makes an annoyed statick noise at the bug-

[TLOT] New pet?

[Deer] - Yeah, Doc traded the goomy for it.  And I think it's more than just Aether TLOT

[TLOT] -sighs- The wolves too...

[Deer] - TLOT...  Did you not feel that their sex was interrupted?

[TLOT] Blushes slightly- Well I wasn't going to air that laundry unless someone else mentioned it!

[Deer] - Did you hear why it was interrupted?

[TLOT] I did not. But I saw Cp and Notch log out and then Cp have to go back out again later.

[Deer] Grins- Aether learned to set herself on fire

[TLOT] OH NETHER. Well she's certainly Cp's kid!

[Deer] - Scared the shit out of Notch

[TLOT] I believe it. Babies get upset so easily.

[Porygon] Pokes their wedge-like beak into Deerheart's mug and there's a tiny slurping sound.

[Deer] - Porygon!

[Porygon] Jumps as much as it's treadlike feet will allow- beep???

[Deer] - I don't think you need any coffee

[Porygon] Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzurp.

[TLOT] Smiles- Sometimes we all need a little pick-me-up. Did you hear Alexsezia is making a little progress with Grinny?

[Deer] - She is?  That's great!  How did she manage that?

[TLOT] Good food and a cold floor. Grinny has been sleeping on her bed. Alexsezia likes cats and she's just as relentless as Doc when it comes to reaching out to someone who's hurting. - his gaze is a bit abstracted- I think her patience will pay off eventually.

[Deer] - That's good.  If the payoff is anything like CP's, then it will be worth it

[TLOT] I think he'll always hate Doc, but he might mellow if he has at least one human friend.

[Deer] - True.  Although I am glad things are quiet for the most part right now

[TLOT] How are you holding up with Slender here anyway? I heard he gave Doc a smack for concealing his mom and one for Cp for hiding the baby.

[Deer] - I've adjusted for the most part, I think any fluctuations that come from him are because of Splender

[TLOT] Yeah, I heard about their dad. I'm not scared persay, but I am... concerned.

[Porygon] Wheels over and sits on Deerheart's hand-

[Deer] - Their dad does sound terrifying, but I think that will be a fight that takes place outside of our cozy little server

[TLOT] Now I feel guilty... I just can't stomach the thought of going... out there. I can barely stand being high-res. It makes me feel like I'm going to have a panic attack.

[Deer] - You could always step it up, little by little if you wanted.  And Porygon?  You are heavy...

[TLOT] Looks very unsure- maybe...

[Porygon] Happy noises-

[TLOT] I've been thinking about that picture again... it's really haunting me.

[Deer] - Do you want to see if Yaunfen found any more?

[TLOT] I don't know. I just wish... maybe it's better if I don't know. Poor Zaya. I feel like she was just a friend, but no one deserves to die just to hurt someone else.

[Deer] - Your seed may hold more answers, and it has been awhile since you visited...

[TLOT] I do need to check on them. I'm just glad we haven't had to deal with Nessie in a while at least.

[Deer] Laughs a little- Besides, they haven't had anything to celebrate in awhile, and a new god may cause a party for days on end

[TLOT] That will be a cause to celebrate in Kore, and a kick in the pants for all the artists who delight in making statues of everything.

[Deer] - I wonder what they'd make Aether goddess of?

[TLOT] I'm not sure. Maybe just a certain star, or some aspect of the world.

[Deer] - I can't wait to see what other powers she may develop

[TLOT] Stares off for a long moment, his fingers absently stroking the raised edges of the jagged scar on his wrist. - I know I don't say it often, and I know you understand probably more deeply then any of us... but... - he turns to her fully, his starry eyes all the brighter for being removed from the usual shadow of his helm. - Thank you Deerheart. Thank you for coming out of your matrix to play with us all. I saw one of my best friends come back from the brink, drawn by the warmpth of your love. Even with all my powers, I don't think I could have achieved that one simple thing. You'll always have my gratitude and my blade to defend you if needed. - He gives her a slow radiation of his feelings and the room itself seems to warm with it.

[Porygon] Looks around in confusion- Beep?

[Cricket] Cheeps happily.

[Deer] Smiles- Thank you TLOT, that really means a lot to me.  It may have taken a long time to figure out what I really was and wasn't, but it has been worth it.  I don't think I would be happy either if I had remained on the side lines either

[TLOT] Nods- And whatever is troubling you, you can always bring to me as well.

[Deer] - I know, whether it be glitches, NOTCH's, or block changes, I know you will help

[Godmorgan] Stumbles towards the office in a sleepy fashion, they'd been up late working at home and realized they'd forgotten some things at the office.  They punch in the code for the door and then make a beeline for the coffee machine-

[Dofta] Watches him go past with a look of concern- Are you drunk Godmorgan???

[Godmorgan] - No, just very tired, I forgot some stuff here a couple days ago

[Dofta] How was the con?

[Godmorgan] - Long, I don't know what Jeb was thinking scheduling us for SIX panels

[Dofta] Snickers- He was thinking it wasn't him that was going.

[Godmorgan] - I'll kill him if he does it again- Pours themselves a cup of coffee- So what have I missed here?

[Dofta] Bites her lip- Umm... we got the problems fixed with the Phantoms, oh and Yster has a new boyfriend.

[Godmorgan] - Really?  How long is this one going to last?  And that was a fast fix on the phantoms...

[Dofta] Well umm, we borrowed a code monkey, an old friend of Markus's... And I think this guy is the one. He's a weird gothy Doctor with a British accent. Just her style.

[Godmorgan] - And an old friend of Markus's?  Which one?  I thought all of the ones that could code ended up working here at one point or another?

[Dofta] Is being both a terrible liar and evasive in tone. - He's a real ball of fire. Doesn't like working for other people. It was strictly a favor.

[Godmorgan] Suspicious look- Ooookay, speaking of Markus though, I need to talk to him soon

[Dofta] Is something wrong?

[Godmorgan] - No, I just need permission to use his avatar.  Jeb and I were having a discussion about doing a fan contest for one of the new pieces of merch and undoubtedly people will use his avatar for it

[Dofta] Do we really want to possibly draw attention to the NOTCH AI's by bringing that image up offically again?

[Godmorgan] - Well it's not like there isn't attention on the brine ones, and that's without any official merch for them  People are going to use Markus's avatar because of how important he is to this company.  You've seen how many animations he's in

[Dofta] Yeah... I know. Everyone likes to have good guys and bad guys to cheer or boo, and Jeb's avatar is too complicated in comparision. The Herobrine's get attention because Internet. People like a good creepy campfire story.

[Godmorgan] - Exactly, and they usually use Markus as the counterpart.  Although, I have seen a few animators pull off Jeb's avatar... Where is his highness anyways?

[Dofta] Jeb? Tinkering with the mainframe, or just asleep with his head on the desk. I'd have to walk in there to find out for sure.

[Godmorgan] - I'll go check

[Jeb] Is sitting at the desk in from of the mainframe with his head braced up on both hands, and dozing lightly. The screen is showing a complex pattern of position markers of brines and NOTCH AI's.

[Godmorgan] Leans on the door frame- Having fun?

[Jeb] Snrk! Uhhh. Oh! hello Godmorgan. Didn't expect you back so soon.

[Godmorgan] - Left some stuff here on accident, figured I may as well work from here today.  Checking on the AI's?

[Jeb] Yeah... this one just got moved to a new space and it's kind of interesting. There's a Herobrine and a NOTCH and a crapton of players. Both seem peaceful and there's no way the players haven't noticed them.

[Godmorgan] Looks at the codes- That's a big server, what's that little one next to it?

[Jeb] Looks- Just a private server. Looks like there's only a few registered players. Someone's personal sandbox I'm sure.

[Godmorgan] - Are you sure?  Something about that code seems a little odd...

[Jeb] Slightly nervous- Odd? It seems normal to me.

[Godmorgan] Shakes their head- I may just be too tired.  I'm gonna go grab that stuff from my office, there's a few things I want to go over with you

[Jeb] Oh dear... do we have to do it now?

[Godmorgan] - You set me up with six panels at the last convention

[Jeb] Yeeeeesss???

[Godmorgan] - You're going over the merch stuff with me and you're going to suffer with me

[Jeb] Slumps defeated- Can't I just sign off on everything and you do it?

[Godmorgan] - No

[Jeb] Playful- I thought I was in charge around here?

[Godmorgan] - I will make it so you can't log into your computer

[Jeb] You're mean.

[Godmorgan] - Let's go

[EAlex] Is up way too early for Licht's day off and there's the tiniest wisp of a smoky smell coming from the kitchen.

[Licht] Groans as she wakes up and rolls over- What are you doing?

[EAlex] calls back- Breakfast?

[Licht] Groans and gets up, going to the kitchen to see what the damage is-

[EAlex] Has placed a furnace in the middle of the room and is warming her hands in front of it while it cooks. There's a distinct smell of steak and there are two fixed baked potatoes on plates on the table- Good morning!

[Licht] - You do realize that's not necessary

[EAlex] Confused look- But you eat? I've seen you do it.

[Licht] - Yes, but I don't need a furnace to cook, I've got a stove, oven, microwave, and a toaster

[EAlex] But... I don't know how to use those very well... - She takes out two perfectly cooked steaks and the good smell wafts around the kitchen.

[Licht] Sighs, just so long as you clean up...

[EAlex] Okay! Eat up then. Do you have anything planned for today?

[Licht] - Some grocery shopping, but that's it

[EAlex] I was wondering.... if we could go to the server today...? I still need help with my portals.

[Licht] - Uh, sure, I'll text Doc.  But let's eat first

-le little bit of time passes-

[Doc] Has gone to Alexsezia's house to check on Grinny.

[Alexsezia] Hey. I was wondering when you'd come by.

[Doc] Well I didn't want to intrude. I brought you potion ingredients as a show of thanks and reparations in case he's destroyed a bunch of your stuff.

[Alexsezia] Takes the small chest- Thank you. Come in please.

[Grinny] Is sleeping on the bed-

[Doc] Walks into the main room-

[Alexsezia] He's probably in my room. He's kinda claimed that space.

[Doc] Well there's a bed and I imagine its easy to keep the other cats out... - Xe peeks into the doorway.

[Grinny] Is dead to the world in a patch of sunlight-

[Doc] Awwwwwww. - they snap a quick picture. - I won't bother him then, I have a few errands to do anyway. At least he's relaxed.

[Grinny] Is mostly in a ball, partially turned onto his back-

[Doc] Sneaks out. - That's a keeper.

[Alexsezia] Do you want some cheese? Just normal cheese.

[Doc] Sure, why not?

[Alexsezia] I'll make you a little half trunk.

[Doc] That gives me an idea anyway. - Xe takes the box and bids her farewell before setting off down the coast on foot. They stop in the garden to pluck some fruit and take a few things from a trunk near the back door before heading for Splender's house-

[Splender] Is heading towards town with Ringleader-

[Doc] Calls out softly from the shore, not wanting to be a pest. - Anybody home?

[Slender] Sighs in irritation and heads for the doorway- Yes?

[Doc] Is holding the trunk like a kid with one textbook facing down a principal - Am I inturrupting something?

[Slender] - No, is there something you need?- He teleports to the shore, a ripple of glitches following him as he does so

[Doc] No, just checking in. - They hold up the box. - Alexsezia made some cheese, so I brought you some, as well as bread and cheeries from my garden. It's a nice afternoon to just be outside.

[Slender] - Although the offer is appreciated, it is not necessary

[Doc] shrugs- No, it's not nessesary. It's just nice.

[Slender] - Very well- He takes the chest in a tendril- Is that all?

[Doc] I guess. Though there is one thing- They smile mischeivously- Just a screenshot, took it before I came over- They marry the shot to a random bit of paper and hold up the picture of Grinny snoozing blissfully in the sunbeam. - He seems to be making friends with TLOT's Alex; Alexsezia. I don't know about you, but it made me smile.

[Slender] - He's always been fond of sunny spots

[Doc] Most cats are. Give my best to your little bro and mom.

[Slender] - I will pass the message along when he returns from feeding

[Doc] Nods and jumps a bit as their carrot buzzes. They pull it out and hold it up- Hello?

[Licht] - Hey, EAlex is ready to come back

[Doc] Okay. Where are you?

[Licht] - My place

[Doc] Focuses and makes an opening into Licht's tv.

[EAlex] Steps through and reaches back for Licht-

[Licht] Sighs and follows-

[Doc] Closes the hole- Hi again-

[EAlex] See's Slender and freezes in terror- Ho-oo-ol-y shiiit.....

[Slender] Has a bit of a disapproving air about him-

[EAlex] obvious terror-

[Doc] Hey... are you okay? EAlex?

[Slender] Teleports back over to Splender's house, once again glitching the area-

[Licht] Is somewhat regretting not having brought her gun-

[EAlex] Shivers at the glitching -

[Doc] Pats her arm. - He's got a lot on his mind. That's all. Come with me please. - Xe leads them back up into the garden.

[EAlex] Why do I get the feeling that... person? could erase my existence way too easily?

[Doc] Grimaces- Because it's probably true....

[Licht] - I think I've seen that figure online...

[Doc] He's called Slenderman, and his reputation is not exaggerated.

[EAlex] Why is he here???

[Licht] - I'd like to know that as well...

[Doc] Well... it's complicated.... His little brother is super nice, and is here most of the time anyway, and I kinda helped summon his mom, so she's here too.

[EAlex] all eyeballs- Are you out of your freaking mind????

[Doc] I'd like to think I'm not.

[Licht] - Why would you do that?

[Doc] Because her husband is a much more unreasonable and murderous monster then her oldest son Slender. And people abusing their wives really makes me pissed off. Also she'd been estranged from her kids for a super long time because of her husband, the Wicker Man.

[Licht] - Well, I have to agree with you on the abusive husband part...

[EAlex] Yeah, nobody deserves that. It's still crazy though.

[Doc] Shrugs- I've actually spoken to the spirit of Insanity. Driving her out of the creepypastas has been a goal of mine for quite some time. Cp is my oldest case.

[Licht] - Insanity?

[Doc] Yeah, she sucks. She's like a minor goddess, likes to posess people and make them do horrible things without a flicker of conscience. She protects those she takes from Death, but she's still using them.

[Licht] - I see...

[EAlex] Shudders - What a horrible thought. I don't want anyone messing with my head.

[Doc] I feel the same. I have enough problems without fighting my own thoughts for control.

[Licht] - Anyways, EAlex, you had some things you wanted to talk to Doc about?

[EAlex] I was hoping for some help with the portal making thing?

[Doc] Ah... I'm not sure I'm the best person to help you... but we saw how Cp does it. Let's ask BEN this time. And if he's no help, I'll be your last resort.

[EAlex] BEN?

[Doc] Is typing in the chat asking him to come over if he isn't busy.

[BEN] - What?

[Doc] chat- Any chance you feel like helping a noob make her first portals?

[BEN] - Do I have to?

[Doc] Well no, but I would appreciate it. Tell you what, I'll give you some really good pot if you help out.

[BEN] - Can it wait a little? Hyrule and I are playing a game...

[Doc] Sure. That will give me some time to get my part of the deal.

-A few little clouds are gathering overhead and a few drops of rain patter down-

[Doc] Let's go inside anyway.

[EAlex] Looks up and lets the rain fall on her face a little before following- It's calming...

[Licht] - Rain irritates me, it can wash away evidence...

[Doc] Holds the door - Not much to wash away here, just the occasional stray pixel.

[EAlex] I like the sound.

[Licht] Gets inside-

-Gir bellies up to the fence and gives a slightly dusty snort. -

[Doc] Gives them an affectionate pat. - The room below this one is decently dry. Hopefully that will be good enough for BEN.

[Licht] - Is it difficult to learn how to make these portals?

[Doc] Yes. I mean you're literally breaking a hole between two planes of existence. I still have difficulty in my humanoid shape. It's easier to just be a giant dragon and throw my whole body forward headfirst to breech the wall.

[EAlex] Oh dear.

[Licht] - So what's the most basic portal?  Going between games?

[Doc] That is a lot easier. If you cross the server firewall you'll be in the void.

[EAlex] The void? That sounds ominious.

[Doc] It kinda is, it's cold and dark and easy to get lost.

[Licht] - That space you took me through?

[Doc] Yes. Once you get good at navigating you can get into any game, also onto different parts of the internet and come out of any electronic thing with a lens or a screen.

[EAlex] Whoah.... no wonder Cp acts like he does. He'd be near impossible to hide from.

[Licht] - And how many here can get out?

[Doc] Do you mean how many here can get out without help or how many are acclimated to exist irl period?

[Licht] - Can get out without assisstance

[Doc] Lets see... BEN taught Cp, he taught me and Lie, and there are some digital creepypastas from the Pokemon games that come and go. Strangled Red, Lost Silver and Glitchy.

[Licht] - So it's a very select group

[Doc] Not everyone wants to go irl, or are dedicated enough to learn to cross the barrier without help. My mate Deerheart, my child Yaunfen, Cp's generals Winston and Endrea and her son Ashe, and Markus of course and Flux. They can all go out too. It doesn't agree with everyone. TLOT hates even being on a higher res server. It literally makes him ill. Even I try to stay away from mirrors or look at my body too much out there, I get lost in the detail and it makes me self-concious and a bit unsettled.

[EAlex] The hightened senses are a bit overwhelming...

[Licht] - Well if this is going to take awhile, perhaps you should send me back out there

[Doc] What were you planning on doing today?

[Licht] - I have some grocery shopping to do

[Doc] Smiles - Anything in particular? You're free to raid the kitchen.

[Licht] - Just a supply replenish, out of peppers and some other things

[Doc] Makes a face- Ye gods... you like those things?

[Licht] - Yes?  They're not bad at all

[Doc] Incredulous look - Not bad??? It hurt so much I used the kill command on myself to make the pain stop!

[EAlex] Why would anyone eat something that painful on purpose???

[Licht] - EAlex, you ate peppers that one night that I made the pasta!  Only some peppers are hot

[EAlex] Oh... yeah those were pretty good.

[Doc] Maybe we're not talking about the same thing? Like variations in cheese maybe? -They make a small circle with their fingers - The one I had was bright red and about this big.

[EAlex] That's tiny....

[Licht] - Yeah bell peppers are bigger and have almost no spice

[Doc] That sounds much more edible. Cp basically gave me the ghost peppers as a mean joke. I'd never had anything spicy before.

[Licht] - I see, well, perhaps next time you should try the bell veriaty

[Doc] I'll happily trade you something if you bring me an example. I can copy things.

[Licht] - I'll just get you some while shopping

[Doc] Thank you.

[EAlex] Is watching Licht with a small smile. - I don't want to eat up your day off Licht... if you need some time, it's okay.

[BEN] - Yeah I'm not coming over

[Doc] -chat- It's only sprinkling a little. I can tp you and we'll stay inside.

[BEN] - BUT WATER!

[Licht] - Is the rain a problem?

[Doc] Sighs- He's a hydrophobic. It's a really awkward phobia.

[EAlex] Yuck... doesn't he get smelly?

[Doc] Yes.

[Licht] - I don't wish to smell that

[Doc] Then I'll let you out. But his mate does shame him into bathing when it gets really bad.

[Licht] - Thank you

[Doc] Takes a step back and charges forward a little like a headbanger in a mosh pit, the air crackles as the portal shatters open under the impact.

[EAlex] Be safe Licht.

[Licht] - I will- She goes through

[Doc] Closes it behind her and looks at EAlex - You look like someone with a lot on their mind.

[EAlex] sighs- I like her. She's pretty oblivious.

[Doc] That is rough... but these things can take a lot of time. Just be patient and see how it plays out.

[BEN] - So yeah, can we reschedule this thing?

[Doc] -chat- If I get Deerheart to stop the rain, will you come over?

[BEN] - Eh, I mean, there's other stuff I could do...

[Doc] Is sending a chat to Deerheart to please stop the rain for now- Come on. You should bring Hyrule over.

[BEN] Groans in chat-

[Deer] Turns the rain off-

[Doc] Is the tp preferable? I've got your weed.

[BEN] - Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

[Doc] Pulls a very stinky plume of tiny flowers out of a trunk and sticks it in a little clay pot to keep it upright on the edge of the tub.

[EAlex] That is rank!

[Doc] He loves it though. - Xe tps BEN to hir-

[BEN] Sniffs the air and humms at the smell of the pot-

[EAlex] Is trying not to make a face. -

[Doc] EAlex, this is BEN, he's the first one to be able to be digital and real. that we know of at least.

[EAlex] Charmed...

[Doc] She just needs help making portals.

[BEN] - Portals?  Well how much do you already know?

[EAlex] I can get between electronics if there's a cord plugged in? And I managed to get off a phone and out into here.

[Doc] She was living on the wallpaper space of a cellphone for at least a week.

[BEN] - Well then we have our work cut out

[thedistantstorm]

Slow-Dancing

Steelponcho (Zavala x Hawthorne) / Romantic, Pre-Relationship Fluff-fest / Gratuitous Dancing / Post-Red War Gala / Mild People Watching

Continues loosely from this ask from @acexfdiamxnds which you can find here. 

“Alright?” Zavala asks, concerned.

“Yeah.” Suraya tilts her head to look over his shoulder. “There’s just a lot of people staring at us.”

He spins her with a gentle, too-slow twirl, and when he pulls her back in, whispers in her ear. “They’re staring at you because you look positively radiant, Hawthorne. You continue to prove them wrong.” 

And he believes it to be true. He knew she would do what had to be done to appear presentable at the City’s first post-war gala, but she is an absolute vision in cream and gold. The dress hugs curves that are usually hidden, tasteful in the front with a dramatically low back. The trim of gold along the hem of her skirt added just the slightest statement of elegance.

Her blush is a bit more apparent in the bright spotlights spinning over the ballroom floor. She deflects, saying, “See, I thought it was because of you in this uniform.” The hand perched on his bicep slides across an expanse of navy twill and reverently thumbs at the stripes across his chest. He looks down at it, and then up at her eyes. She’s focused on them, like she’s forcing herself to commit them to memory.

“I can assure you, the uniform may be enticing to some,” He murmurs down to the crown of her head, “But most do not care for battle or the intricacies of the political state beyond pushing their own agenda.”

“Is that why you’re dancing with me?” She leans her head back, hand staying in place as brown eyes with the barest spark of mirth nearly twinkle back at him. “Maybe I’m just trying to push my agenda with the Clans. Get the sway of the Consensus and all that.”

“You’re dancing with me because I am a far safer choice than Arach Jalal. I saw him making eyes at you and decided to intervene in your best interest.” He straightens, and they turn around in a series of easy steps. She only looks down once to make sure she’s following his lead. “You’ve already won me over on the idea of Clans. What agenda would you have?”

“Fine, fine. I’ve already swindled you. I’m just keeping on your good side for the sake of any further favors. You’ve caught me.”

“I still asked you to dance,” He reminds her.

“Yeah, yeah.” It's as close as she'll get to telling him he's right. “Lucky for you I said yes. There’s a lady in an absolutely horrible dress - it looks like a mustard stain with fringe -” The little hiss of air leaving his lips is indicative of him laughing, but he gives no other indication. “She’s been staring at you since you brought me out here. I made eye contact during the last song and she glared at me. Want me to bow out and give her a turn?”

“Please do not. I do not wish to discuss faction affairs tonight.”

“Okay, fine. Let’s not talk affairs. But I should know who these people are, right? Mustard Stain is FWC, obviously.” He hums an affirmation into her ear when the music crescendos a bit too loud for her to hear his response.” Makes sense, kind of. The one next to her, in the pink is some booster for New Monarchy?”

Zavala chuckles, a low rumble that bubbles up from his chest. He turns her with a firm hand on her waist. “No. That one.” They sway to the music, their joined hands pointing toward a couple at a different table. “In the blue. Next to the man with the strange hat.”

“By strange you mean ugly, right? The one that has more feathers on his head than Louis has on his entire body?” She leans in close to him to muffle the little puffs of laughter. She’s trying to be ladylike, but it’s not easy when she’s used to being unbridled.

His lips quirk upward. “The very same.” She looks up at him with that sly little smirk that tells him without words she knows he’s laughing inside at the ridiculous style choices of their peers. Not that either of them actually know anything about fashion themselves - practicality was their fashion, but some things just transcend taste by being so unanimously tacky. The song changes, and he relaxes his grasp on her waist. Her fingers twitch in his grip, a little flutter. He moves to release her hand, but she clamps down on his gently enough.

“We can keep going… if you want.” Her voice is tentative. They’ve stopped swaying to the beat.

He blinks, a bit surprised. The hand around her waist has dropped back to his side.  “You are sure?”

“Will it save us from having to schmooze? I’m not very good at schmoozing and already did a lot of it. I also wore flat shoes. Just in case. And also because I don't know how to walk in heels.” Her smile is gentle. “Besides. You’re not the worst partner I’ve ever had.”

He pulls her back in then, with a hand on her upper back.

“Do you dance often, Hawthorne?”

“Oh, all the time. I also sing to wild animals I encounter.”

He grumbles, “I never should have lent you that book of old fairy tales.”

“Even if it was to read to sick children at the Farm?” He sighs, defeated, and she laughs - a bell-like sound. He commits the sound to memory. “Anyway-”

Zavala, interrupting her, pulls her close. “Hideo just spilled something on himself. It looks like it’s going to stain.” Suraya turns to look, eyes lighting up in sadistic glee, and he moves a hand up to the back of her head. “Don’t turn around and look, you’ll make it obvious.”

“Okay… but you can’t tell me he just did that and- ooh whoa-”

He spins her out with a quick snap of his hands. Luckily enough she gets the idea and moves in the direction he’s pushing her, feet catching up gracefully enough. When she twirls back in, she’s glaring at him, and her hand digs into the meat of his bicep, hard.

“Not okay. Give me some warning the next time you do that.”

“You did fine. Spin again,” Suraya complies begrudgingly, and he slows her, releasing their joined hands as she completes a spin that keeps her close to him. “Good. Let go.” A pause. “Once more. Just like that.” A hand slides across her front. “I’ve got you. Follow my lead.” And then, “Well done.”

She flushes and he keeps her back to his chest. Takes his other hand delicately. Even though she knows it’s to allow her to see the drunken mess that is the Executor of New Monarchy require three people to attend to his wine spill and subsequent meltdown, but she can’t help but feel hyper aware of his breath on her neck and the hand splayed across her abdomen to hold her close to him.

This time, when she feels the slight tug on her arm that indicates he’s going to spin her back, she ends up chest to chest with him, his warm hand grazing delicate skin at the small of her back just above the dip of the low back of her dress. His finger notches in the dip of a small scar, and she feels his hand shift so that he can thumb at it gently.

“Where did you get this?” He asks, as they continue their routine a bit closer together. It’s easier for her to focus when he’s talking to her, rather than when they’re just looking into each other’s eyes or those of others who stand judging from the sidelines. His voice is a low rumble she feels more than hears now, and the heat of his hand is strange and exciting against her back.

“Long before the war. Stupid accident. I fell down a ravine or something. Forgot it was there, honestly. Can I retcon and say I got it fighting a wolf? That sounds way cooler.”

“Unnecessary. You need not worry about being 'cool' with me,” Zavala replies. He continues to rub his thumb against the different textures of the skin of her back in a gentle caress. “I’m going to dip you now,” He tells her a moment later, followed by, “Relax into my grip. I won’t drop you.”

“Oh..kay.”

The palm on the small of her back slides up into something firmer, and she realizes that he’s truly suspending her up with one hand; Any weight on her legs has been given away. He looks down at her, eyes startlingly gentle. He bends her back upright gently, and her feet reclaim the rest of her body-weight, slight, but a vast difference from a moment before.

Her cheek finds purchase against soft navy twill and her hand snakes up to his shoulder blade. “Too much?” He asks her, surprised at the close proximity, but not unwelcoming of it.

“Not at all,” Suraya whispers into his ear, angling her chin up slightly. “You’re really good at this.”

He hums, unused to the praise, and she relaxes against him. It feels nice. Comfortable in a way that has him completely on edge. It's anticipation, he realizes. He isn't sure for what - or maybe he has some idea, but now isn't the time to think on it. This has become a moment he wishes to savor.

The song changes again, and this one is a bit faster. He puts a little distance between them, feels the thunder of his heartbeat slow just a touch without her head against him. “Feel free to let me know if it’s too much.”

A nod greets him, along with twin dark eyes. She looks less intimidated and more playful. It’s a welcome change from the tense posture and anxious gaze she’d had at the beginning of the night, when he'd nimbly stepped between her and the Dead Orbit leader. “Alright,” She agrees.

It takes her a second to get the steps right, her eyes dropping down to watch his boots and get an idea for how they're supposed to step. When she lifts her eyes back up, she sees the smile in his eyes. Zavala has clearly been watching her watch his feet.

“What?” Hawthorne looks a little agitated at being found out. She's already way out of her element as it is, and this is exceedingly embarrassing.

“You don't need to see my steps,” He tells her. “Keep your eyes on mine.”

Suraya rolls her eyes but does as instructed. “Hope your Ghost won't mind mending your toes then, when I step on them.”

“You won't.”

“Suuuuure.”

“This song has the same tempo most of the way through. You have the steps for the first part. They're the most difficult.” It's a lie, but she's all mind over matter and he knows it. The hand on her hip that grazes the bare skin of her back tightens ever so slightly and makes her straighten. “Feel my hand?” She nods. “I'll guide you with it. Half of dancing is trusting your partner.” His eyes almost arc lightning when he looks at her, they're so vivid. “Do you trust me, Suraya?”

“Yes.”

There is no hesitation, no split-second delay or snarky comment to belittle her decision, make it less serious. Her eyes are warm on his, her lips just slightly upturned in a smile.

“Are you that surprised?” She asks him, eyes never straying from his own. It takes a second for him to realize he hasn't actually responded, or maybe even breathed since she answered him. He recovers as she says, “You know, I wouldn't have agreed to stay here or -” He spins her, “Any of this if it weren't for you... trusting me first.”

“I - it's nice to hear,” He admits. “You aren't exactly forthcoming.”

She frowns. “I'm more forthcoming with you than with anyone else.” Her cheeks burn, but she does not take it back even if she looks away.

The song begins to transition, and he drops his palm from her back. “Let's go get a drink, shall we?” She bites her lip, and he feels a sinking feeling in his gut that’s startling. Softer, he says, “I did not mean to make you uncomfortable.”

She nods, still looking a bit conflicted, but for a different reason. Surprising herself, she finds that she might not mind if they would kept dancing, despite the more serious turn of conversation. She actually enjoyed it. But, a break would probably be for the best. “Lead the way.”

He does, but not in the way she expects. His hand slides down her back and guides her as if they’re still dancing. It makes her feel warm and tingly. It feels romantic.

Does he know it’s romantic? Does he mean it like that? She wonders, but knows she will absolutely never ask and hope for some better context clues.

By the time they reach the bar, he motions for her to take a seat on the lone unoccupied stool. His hand stays the course, even when he uses the other to flag down a smartly dressed bartender to provide them with whiskey, and he angles himself so he’s mostly behind her, but able to see the side of her face.

“So,” She says, once she’s had a solid swallow of amber liquid - expensive amber liquid, she reminds herself. She needs to be careful about how much of this she drinks. It is far more refined than anything she’s had in a long time. Alcohol doesn’t exactly allow for precise shooting or high response time, so she normally avoids it. “Wow. I’ll have to readjust to his stuff.”

He places his glass next to hers on the bar. “Strong?”

“Not really. Just nicer than what I’m used to. We didn’t exactly have a distillery at the Farm, and I’m not exactly a lush. I’ll need to pace myself if I’m going to live through a couple more fingers of this stuff.”

His fingers twitch on her back when he laughs. “Fair play. Feel free to get whatever you’d prefer next time the bartender comes around.”

“This is fine,” She raises the glass to him, the curve of her hand around it as she bends her wrist back to present the unoccupied side to him. “Cheers,” She calls.

Their glasses clink quietly amongst the din of the quartet playing, people talking, and all the carrying on of the room. He leans in, lips just above the exposed shell of her ear and rumbles low. “Cheers, Suraya.”

She smiles at him, sweet and true, tipping her head back to take another pull from the glass - far smaller than the first. People around them, noticing the Commander, begin to push in. He feels the moment when her spine stiffens, ramrod straight and slides his hand up the length of her vertebrae and back down. He puts his back to hers, shielding her from the majority of it.

Someone from New Monarchy has approached with their entourage in tow cooing their congratulations for the Vanguard’s victory over the Cabal. Zavala immediately deflects, explaining how their victory was a group effort, and that it would have been unattainable without the help of some very capable civilians. There’s some polite laughing and shrugging off of his point, and then more of the trademark flattery that makes her want to gag.

She will never fit in with these people. Hers are the kind on the streets, scrambling to put together work, meals, and a home for their family. Those are the ones who stood beside the Vanguard at the City gates while New Monarchy hid out in their bunker and waited out the storm.

She must have sighed hard enough that he felt it - obviously he’s able to feel the movement of her back against his without the metal plating of his armor - because a moment later, he leans forward and puts the hand not cradling what’s left of his drink behind his back, against her skin. It’s a bit weird of an arrangement, his thumb smoothing over the notch of a vertebrae, but it’s soothing enough that she relaxes her spine again.

He manages to get them to pause long enough to turn back around and place his empty glass on the bar. She nudges her refill his way - she needed one if she was going to listen to this horrendous political appeal - but he refuses. “It’s more of a reprieve if I wait for a drink,” He whispers in her ear.

Her smirk is like fire. “It would be more of a reprieve if you danced with me again,” She says, pushing away her glass. She twists and puts a hand on his chest, over his heart. “Unless you’d rather listen to your subjects some more.”

If she notices his sharp inhale at her bolder than usual touch, she certainly does not say anything, instead slipping off of the stool with a shuffle of taffeta and a glitter of gold. Her eyes stay on his, but her hand drops down one muscular arm and hooks the pads of wide, calloused fingers with her own equally as calloused but slender ones.

“Please excuse us,” Suraya says, strangely demurely when she enters the circle of New Monarchy boosters. She schools her features into something strangely reminiscent of his own polite disapproval as she steps just slightly in front of their entwined fingers and squeezes them softly. “The Commander promised me another dance before the night ends,” She says softly. “And I love this song.”

Their disdain is almost palpable, but well controlled because of the presence of so many others around them. One, a woman pipes up. “Do you even know what song this is?”

The burning retort is on her lips, but she reigns herself in. “It’s called ‘Hikari,’” Suraya shoots back, somehow without a shred of malice. “The original arrangement was made for an orchestra, and before that, I believe it was a piece for an old game, before the collapse. I personally prefer the string arrangement, but that’s just me.” When there’s no retort because she sounds ritzy enough, she continues. “Anyway, I’d really like to dance to this song, so…” She tugs on his hand and he moves with her without any resistance.

Once they’re beyond the reach of the naysayers of the faction, Zavala rearranges his grasp on her fingers, so they’re interlocked. “You know this piece?” He doesn’t, but it’s slow enough to get by.

She’s bashful and ducks her head. “I like old music.”

Zavala’s nod goes unnoticed, and he steps around her to bring her onto the floor. They fall back into step easily enough. A moment later, he says, “Perhaps I would take you to see the symphony, if you would be amenable?”

As soon as the words leave his lips, he dips her without any prior indication. She doesn’t flinch this time, and allows herself to bend back lower than before. When she comes back up and he swirls her around in in several steps that move them counterclockwise, she puts a hand on the back of his neck, index finger grazing the smooth skin at the base of his crown while her thumb swipes over the slightest peek of tattoo above his high collar.

His eyes flutter shut for the briefest of moments, and she knows for fact that everything she was wondering about his actions being potentially romantic is confirmed. Amanda is never going to let her live this down, but she can’t help but to smile and step in closer to him. “The symphony, huh?” She cocks her head when his eyes open. “I think I could be persuaded.”

The smile she receives could honestly blind someone, she thinks. His eyes are so bright and enchanting, it’s criminal. “Fantastic,” He breathes into her ear, following up with a gentle kiss to her cheek that leaves her breathless. There’s absolutely no way to hide the flush of her cheeks now.

A few songs later, the tempo picks up into something waltzy, less soft and slow. She picks her head up from where it’s drifted to his shoulder. “Zavala?”

His eyes are half-closed. Only a peek of arc-blue irises are visible, focused on her face. Whatever’s come over them, it does not pay any mind to the change in tone as they sway together. “Hmm?”

“It might take a while for the City to rebuild enough to have a place for a symphony. Maybe we could do something else before then?”

“Are you impatient, Suraya? I am not going anywhere.”

The fingers on the back of his dress blues tighten. “I know. But I like this. And the idea of maybe doing something with you that isn’t this but that I don’t have to wait months for.” The words kind of fall out in a tumble, but she knows if she doesn’t force them out however they’ll come, she might not have the nerve.

He pulls back, noting the change in tempo. “Are you asking me on a date?” His blue eyes are wide and surprise is obvious in his face.

“You did it first!” She chides loudly, turning redder than before as he repositions them to follow along with the rest of the dancers in the waltz. No one is looking at them, thankfully.  She lowers the volume. “But, for the record, yes. I am.”

There’s a pause as he instructs her how to spin and which palm to put against his as they do so. “Dinner, then? Sometime this week, perhaps?”

She smiles. “I’d like that.”

“I would, too.”

They dance on.

[theonyxpath]

Given our ongoing Kickstarter for Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras 2, we decided it would be prudent to take another look at Tales from the Dark Eras which contains stories from many of the eras covered in the original Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras. This week we look at Bone and Gold, a story by Malcolm Sheppard set in Mage: The Awakening’s Alexandrian period (330-320 BCE).

War is groaning.

We remember the screams of the fray, hurled spears and swift-stabbing swords, but a man can only exert his full strength for a few dozen breaths before he must shuffle back and fght with grimaces and shouts alone, until his vitality returns. As battles progress, soldiers take longer pauses between assaults. They pant beside horses under the relentless sun. The purr of exhaustion rattles from their lips. And of course, they weep. That is war’s true music, nothing so much as a hard day’s work by a thousand of the lowest slaves. Labor and terror.

Today the groaning belonged to one side, populated by Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and others, bound to the service of our Warlord. With five comrades I pulled our earthladen pallet, ropes over our shoulders and shields ahead. We growled out our steps, like in the marching drills. As we six pulled, six more pushed the pallet from behind, and together we were one of four units, an entire lochos of the army, made of survivors and ill-tempered men, suited to the riskiest work. We were building a ramp.

The defenders of Pir Sar knew exactly where to aim their arrows, but they lacked coordination and enthusiasm, argued after each volley, and warned us of the next with early, scattered shots that gave us time to hide behind shields, javelin-scarred stones and the sturdy dead.

Yet men died. An arrow caught Phillipos under his ear, sending him straight to breathless, open-eyed sleep. A javelin took Argyros in the chest while he straightened one of the shields we’d planted to shelter us. He gurgled and rolled down black, tamped dirt. Stray missiles danced down the growing earthwork until the sun touched the mountains. By the day’s last volley, fatigue had conquered all terror. I sat in my shield’s long shadow to break out water and dried figs.

Phokas crawled to me, holding up a bit of bread. We traded half portions with each other. “Who wants to die hungry?” he said. “Even if you wanted to think of some fine fuck from your youth or pray your last, hunger would throw ox shanks and olives into your dreams and wine to wash it down. Petty things.” Then he ate: three bites.

“I don’t know what I’d want to think while I died.” An arrow struck my shield. It sounded like rain on an old roof. “It’s a distraction.”

“Theophanes, you really know how to make me feel like a brother.”

“I hated my brother.”

Phokas squeezed my arm and laughed, just like when I met him, after they’d made our lochos out of the remnants of two others. He’d invited me to his tent then. I knew he wanted to take honor from me like I was a staring, frightened boy.

The volley struck: long, black, killing raindrops.

I pressed my heel against his belly. A little kick would send him over the shield. He’d get rained on. “Think of death so nobly, and you’ll want it,” I said. “It’ll tempt you to make mistakes.”

“Yet the gods hate cowards.” He wound my forearm into his armpit. I forgot he was a strong wrestler. He could rip my elbow out of joint with a shrug.

I let go first. “They hate heroes too.”

We fled after the meal was done.

—

After night’s cool mercy, dawn hid in wine-colored clouds. We could be swift and comfortable. By noon, the ramp was fit to carry one catapult at a time. Pir Sar sent a sortie: over a hundred in a crooked line, dispersed by rocky terrain on the spur that held their fortress. We twenty-four set a phalanx on smooth earth of our own making. My shield touched Ariston’s; our spears wheeled into place, Greeks together.

Athenian strategy, Spartan muscle, even Persian iron — conquered Persian iron. Oh yes. I yelled “Ha-Oh!” with the rest, and thrust at the first wave in a single beat, creating upon the ground that storm the Asians failed to summon with ill-timed arrows. There’s much to love about battle, in the little techniques: shifting to the overhand grip so, when you thrust with a spear, the weight of a skewered body doesn’t wrench you forward. Stamping the ground twice, to advance as one force. We made a line of corpses for the rest to cross, but they thought better of it, hid behind rocks and harassed us with javelins. If a man shook his cramped shield arm they’d cast fast for the opening. We could only wait; advancing to the rocks would break our formation. We were back to the groaning war. Twenty-four warriors became twenty, sixteen, then eleven.

They saw our Horse Companions before we heard their crashing hooves, coming up from behind. We jumped aside for them. The Warlord was with them, set apart by a white high-crested helmet and his black horse, called Ox-Head.

Later they’d drink to their victory, omitting talk of we eleven on the ramp. Catapults loosened the enemy walls enough that enemy archers could no longer safely shoot from its vantage. The spur was ours. Even camp followers scurried up to loot the dead.

One of them turned a body over with a practiced yank to the hip. She knelt and stared at the dead man’s ruined face with the strange blue eyes of the Alinas. She ignored the sharp sword at his side. She was alone, and that was unusual, too. Followers usually worked in families, or beside soldiers who were their lovers, masters, or relatives.

Phokas must have noticed this. He swaggered over. “His things are mine,” he said to her. “I killed him on the ramp.”

“Take them.” She spoke calmly, in a Persian accent.

“I will!” said Phokas. “I can be generous. What can I give you? You haven’t even loosened his linen.”

“Nothing.” She stood and flexed her fingers singly, in a peculiar order. I glanced at my sword hand for a moment. When I looked up again, I was a dozen paces closer between them. Yet they ignored me.

“You won’t find anything on him that I can’t give you, though with more warmth.” He laughed at his own wit and crouched like a wrestler.

“You’re going to enslave me,” she said. “I’m not your enemy.”

He reached out to her, but my left hand intercepted his. I pulled; my sword entered his belly upward, from below the cuirass. I didn’t remember the thrust, but the end of it: failing tension in his arm, wetness on my legs from his blood. Yet I worried that he’d scream, so I put the next strike through his lung, entering from the notch of the collarbone. He made a soft sound, like a bubbling stream.

The noise carried my thoughts to an absurd place: a memory of Thebes. I’d visited with my mother and her family. We went to get my brother married, but really spent most of our time visiting famous places. I was very young.

We stopped at a spring. “Herakles came here,” said my mother. “He killed his family, but washed the blood away. So the gods gave him a new purpose. The water still tastes like blood.” I took a sip. Salt. Iron.

My brother elbowed me. “Ghosts love unburnt blood,” he said. “They suck it up like that and talk to the living.” That gave me nightmares for a year.

The spring sounded like Phokas’ death, so even as I dragged his body to a cliff’s edge I thought of those dreams, where pale men and women drank by a blood-flled trench.

The woman was with me. “I’m Maya,” she said and, as if to complete the introduction, she pushed his legs over the edge. The rest of his body followed.

“I can’t pay you to keep this secret,” I said.

“You’re not going to kill me, since you did it to save me. Nor will I abandon the army. My uncle lives near Vitasta — the Hydaspes in your language, where Zeus-Ammon must go to open the gates of the East. I don’t want to travel alone. I can reassure you with my service,” she said. She made a peculiar gesture and touched my arm. I felt as if it connected two pieces of a torn scroll, which when read together revealed my weakness, my shame. What else could I do?

Find out what happens to Theophanes and Maya in Tales of the Dark Eras, available now in ebook and print from DriveThruFiction!

[ghoulluck]

The red head was more Dean’s speed, but he was loyal to an absolute fault. He nudged indy in the ribs, “know cougars are more your type, but she’s lookin’ lonely.” Indy turned to survey the space beyond the dance floor that Dean had gestured with his chin to. Ryan was getting another round of drinks and when she set the new round down, Indy grabbed two and made his way across the floor. 

“Where the fuck does he—“ dean interrupted by grasping the goth by one of the loops in her jeans and giving her a kiss, “let him have his fun.”

The redhead was sitting alone at booth. She had a sharp looking dog by her side. From a distance she hadn’t looked so hard, up close Indy could see the more visible scars. One in particular was on her forehead. It looked like she had received an axe to the face among other things. 

He put the drink down, “this seat taken?” 

Julien looked apprehensively at Indy. He was handsome no doubt. Her dark eyes flicked to Ryan with Dean’s arms around her waist. His sibling was also hard to miss. She took the drink with both hands as she looked at him. He felt more like she was looking right through him She pursed her mouth before speaking, “no.” She had a colic in her voice he couldn’t shake. Indy sat and he licked his lips to think of something to say as he avoided looking across the room. 

Julien remained quiet as she drained her drink. The sharp dog at her side wormed his Way under her arm to smell Indy. He offered the sleek pup the back of his fist and Adolf licked it before crawling back to be at Julien’s side. She didn’t seem too receptive. She looked more anxious if anything. A new song came on and Indy drained his drink. 

The two empty cups sat side by side. 

“Do you wanna dance?” Julien’s big mechanical eyes blinked at him. She looked more like some a fucked up doll. She nodded and he offered his hand to her. The dog stayed put at the booth like he was keeping guard. She didn’t seem sure of what to do and Indy put both of her hands on his shoulders. He could feel her subtly flex her fingers to feel the definition of the muscle hidden under his jacket. He was lucky it was a slow song.

He put his hands on he waist and she tensed. “You okay There?” She nodded a little as she gripped his shoulders. “She’s looking at me.” No doubt the goth was burning holes in the red head in between sucking off deans face. He was surprised that Julien had noticed at all. She was staring intently at his chest. “Don’t worry about her.” Indy felt like he was going to break the redhead, evidently from her scars she wasn’t going to break that easy. 

He breathed in evenly as julien’s hand slid down to his chest. “Ryan.” He swallowed. It wasn’t rare these days for psychics or oracles to hang around hunter bars. Some of them were rescues. “And what’s my name?” He asked, mostly for his own amusement. She seemed to concentrate really hard before she wiped at her nose. He caught the little spot of blood. “Indy Moore. Same father. Different mothers.” 

“But everyone thinks you’re her dad.” 

He made a slight face at the last add on. “Okay, well since you already Know who I am. How bout you tell me about yourself.” Julien seemed apprehensive about this. The song changed and she smacked her mouth a bit. “From the Lewis-Clark compound. Julien perita.” With that Indy knew more then enough. It made his stomach churn. Admittedly it made him feel protective of her too. He had heard fucking horror stories. Most of the subjects had ended up killing themselves. 

“Old man good to you?” She nodded, “love him.” Indy knew about Edmund. The old fucker had beat John Winchester to death after he had killed his daughter. Indy couldn’t blame him. Julien felt Indy’s conviction about it and she put her head against his chest. She had been hoping Edmund would show but but he hadn’t and wouldn’t. When the song ended Indy cleared his throat, “Do you wanna dance another song or get another drink?” Julien made a soft sound as she turned her nose into his shoulder away from his face. 

She didn’t look much older then Ryan. Was probably barely into her twenties if he tried to gauge her age. Indy felt her sigh deeply as her hands slipped instead around him. He observed the pink butterfly clips in her hair. She smelled like strawberries. Indy tightened his grip around her so it was more of an embrace. The red head breathed the older man in. He smelled like menthol cigarettes. 

She let the song finish and she broke away from him. “Thank you,” Indy stood there a moment, a little floored as she tucked some hair behind her ear to step away from him. “See ‘round maybe?” She nodded and looked back at the now empty table just like he did.

 Damage control. Indy grimaced. 

“Hey —“ his features twitched as he worked his way through his words, “wanna — do you wanna get out d here or something?” Julien turned back to look at indy and she looked at the dog at the booth before nodding.

Julien seemed more at home under the blanket on the bed of truck looking up at the stars. Adolf’s perky ears made indy laugh. He handed Julien the thermos and she leaned against him to try to siphon some of his warmth. Indy put an arm around the red head and the dog wiggled under his arm too. “You two make a cute pair,” he commented. Two pairs of very dark brown eyes looked at him. Julien looked back at the dog and kissed his perky ear that twitched. The older man was incredibly amused by this. 

Julien gave a crooked smile. 

The dog however seemed to yawn and he stole one of Ryan’s blankets to curl up in the cabin instead. He had a little personality. Julien turned her attention to indy when he looked up at the stars again. She reached up to touch his nose. It was one of his more interesting features. Indy reflexively closed his eyes. Julien took it as an invitation to touch more of his face. She explored the line of his jaw, then his lashes before settling her fingers on his mouth. He could feel the texture of her scars. 

She stopped. Her jaw popped when she flexed it, “can kiss?” She sounded like a scolded child. Indy had never been asked before and he figured it was sort of sweet. He obliged by kissing her first. She seemed startled at first, but settled. Her fingers found the notches right under his ears. Both of her thumbs felt the flex of his jaw as they kissed. 

Julien shuttered when they parted. “You okay there?” She nodded a little before very quietly asking for another kiss. Indy snorted. She was something else. 

Julien wrapped her arms around his neck as he obliged again. The kiss was longer then it needed to be. He could hardly breathe when they broke away. He felt her kiss the side of his face and he was a fucking sucker for that shit. He managed to grasp her as she peppered his face with affection. Julien didn’t spare a millimeter of his face. 

He had to laugh a little. She was looking at him, with her big brown eyes. “What?” She touched his mouth, “smiled.” Indy felt heat on his face, “don’t go wrecking my reputation now.” She gave a laugh that sounded like a little warbling bird. 

He touched her throat when he eyed the edge of a scar behind her velvet choker. He saw her frown immediately as she reached behind her neck to take the material off so he could survey the thick cuts that had been made into the delicate skin of her neck. Without thinking he just kissed the thick of the scars. She froze up for half a second before realizing he hadn’t hurt her. Julien gave a crooked grin as she kicked her feet a little. This girl was going to fucking kill him

. The thermos had gotten a little forgotten but he didn’t move it out of hot eared embarrassment.

“Sorry guess I should have asked if it was okay,” he commented after heavy silence. Made sense now that he thought about it. He scratched his throat to mask the guilt and she kissed his cheek. “Forgiven.” His lids became heavy as he processed the word. Indy looked at the red head. She had nestled her chin on his shoulder and he turned to kiss her again. 

Her fingers knit behind his neck as she pulled him in to deepen it. His first instinct was to lay her down but she firmly held him until she could get him on his back instead. He felt her thigh come across him and he moved his hand to her hip as the thermos was pushed out of the way. “Okay?” She asked against his mouth. “Oh yeah—“ he brought her flush against himself and the soft noise she made was unreal. 

Julien grasped the shoulders of his jacket to push it off. Her fingers snuck up under his shirt to push that over his head. Julien took a moment to look at the tattoo on his chest and admire his scars. Indy felt a crawling self consciousness worm it’s way into his stomach. She seemed to sense it and julien pulled her pink dress over her head. His jaw flexed some as he took in her scars. He touched her chest where a little heart decorated her nipple. He had to laugh to himself. “Cute?” She asked like she was hoping he would like the detail. “Yeah, very.” 

His eyes fell down over her naked skin. His hand briefly skirted her chest. “You okay with this?” Julien leaned forward some to kiss him on the mouth much more softly then she had the first time. Her red hair cloaked them both. His hands forgot about the skin to instead tangle in her silky locks. 

Indy could feel her fingers grip the front of his belt, “Okay?” He nodded dumbly as he got his mouth back on hers. The sound of it being taken off by such sure hands was alluring even to him. She placed it aside and he felt the pop of his jeans. The pressure only seemed to be half relieved. Indy detached a hand to help her with the zipper and he pushed them down enough to let her hand slip into his boxers. 

“Jesus fucking Christ—“ she kissed his face as she had before and indy couldn’t hold back the groans that came from him. It didn’t take the older man much longer to complete much to his embarrassment. Julien had only smiled and gave him kisses like before. She sat back a little. Her skin was so flush and he hadn’t even touched her yet. He licked his lips and in a hoarse voice he asked, “Could I uh—?” His hands were in her hair again. Julien was looking at him big eyed and she seemed to be debating. She licked her lips and he almost missed what she said. Indy wanted to laugh and he did as he brought her in for a strong kiss. 

He nodded and he grabbed his shirt to wipe himself off but she stopped him. Indy felt his spine straighten out when he felt her mouth on him. He tightened his grip on her hair and he had to bring her back up to kiss her instead. He gave a push to let her know he was more than ready to go and he felt her muscles tremble. “Relax— we don’t have to—“ Julien shut him up with a hard kiss, “want. Now.” 

He gave a dumb nod and bliss followed. His hands grasped her hair and her hip. He kept his mouth to hers but the noises weakly coming from her triggered a want in him to want to hear more. He coaxed her back a little and she pushed him back down harder then he had anticipated. “On top.” Indy’s features twitched a minute and he gave a hard buck of his hips back earning the most sinful and loudest sound he had ever heard from her.

 He didn’t give a shit, his goal was to make her loud. When Julien couldn’t keep up, she finally nodded to let him be on top. Her muscles seized when she came and she already knew that she wouldn’t have a voice or be able to stand with how wobbly her thighs felt. Indy let her cling to him as she came down from it. He swallowed as she finally let his body go. He covered her with the blanket and kept her close. 

“Can again soon?”

 He laughed as he scratched his chin, “Yeah. All night if you want.” 

Her lopsided grin was worth it.

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #272

“Cp vs Karla, Zly Memories. Rock Candy, Ohana and Hg”

[TLOT] Settles on the floor and looks for Cp mentally-

[CP] Feels the brush against his own mind and tries to throw up some barriers-

[TLOT] Speaks to him directly - why so tense?

[CP] - Where did she go?

[TLOT] She stepped out for a moment to deliver something irl. She'll be back shortly.

[CP] - If it were just a delivery, she'd be back by now...

[TLOT] She might have stopped to chat, they are friends of a sort.

[CP] Frowns- Who did she go to?

[TLOT] She's gone to see Ever.

[CP] Brief flashes of what happened last time she was over there as he franticly creates an opening-

[Karla] Has gone back to her sewing

[Ever] Went to the kitchen to make tea and happens to be walking through the central room where the tree is-

[CP] Comes out of the computer rather quickly-

[Ever] Makes a strangled squeak-

[CP] Scowls at him- Where is my mate?

[Ever] Terrified- In the bathroom!

[CP] Goes down the hallway, looking for the bathroom-

[Karla] hears his heavy footsteps and opens the study door to look-

[CP] Small growl at Karla-

[Karla] Ah, it's you again. Hello tall dark and murderous.

[CP] - Go fuck yourself

[Karla] Leans on the doorway languidly- Ah, but it's much more fun with friends.

[CP] - I don't need you doing anything

[Karla] Are you sure? I think we could have an interesting discussion at least. - she looks him slowly up and down- I know another dom when I see one.

[CP] Eyes narrow at Karla- I'm going to go get my wife

[Karla] I see... So driven, and a little insecure? Not sure how to take a compliment either? You're a very interesting man Mr. Herobrine.

[CP] - She's one of the only things I have

[Karla] Ahhh... another lonely soul. Sometimes it's enough to have just one, who understands, isn't it?

[CP] His expression softens a little- Yeah...  Now if I could just get sex back on the fucking table

[Karla] How can it be off? I can see what she likes, and it's just as obvious that you're capable of giving it to her.

[CP] - Don't know, but she's being more stubborn than usual and griefing far more than usual

[Karla] Sounds a bit... hormonal. What's been going on with her lately? Midlife crisis perhaps?

[CP] - Ovaries reforming, being deleted, me just getting into general shit again...

[Karla] She's fertile then... even in a digital existence? How curious... - Her eyes narrow- If you ever need anything smaller... deleted, I have experience in that area. As for you, I can see your journey to this point has been long and painful. You fear losing her, it's plain in everything from your posture to the lines under your eyes.

[CP] - Yeah well Doc can do the same shit too.  And she was originally human plus we have physical forms...

[Karla] Her expression is wry- Always good to have experienced doctors around... Just offering.

[CP] - Whatever, I usually find your type more annoying then anything else

[Karla] Doctors? Or Doms? Or maybe just strong women in general?

[CP] Scowls and starts moving on to find his wife-

[Karla] Gets in his way for a moment, she lets her breath fall on the bit of skin showing in the triangle of his shirt and takes a deep draught of his scent before gliding out of reach again-

[CP] Quickly moves away from her, unsure about what she had just done-

[Karla] If it weren't for the eyes... I might not know the difference... but I can tell when you're close. You smell like a man, but the illusion fails at the finger-width. I smell hell on your skin and clothes. You are fire.

[CP] - I'm a fire based brine, just as Lie is more nature like, besides, the eyes can be hidden

[Karla] And what base is your 'doctor' friend I've heard so many interesting things about?

[CP] - Lightning

[Karla] Rather creepy smile - and are they as handsome as you?

[CP] - Fuck no, crazy ass bastard of a bitch

[Karla] Laughs despite herself and then gives him a knowing look - Not good with admitting you have friends either... who hurt you so badly Cp?

[CP] - None of your business- There are brief flickers mentally

[Karla] Catches the flashes but doesn't get all the details - Father troubles... it's always hardest when the ones we put our trust in... can't be trusted.

[CP] - It was an imposter, and they turned my brother against me as well

[Karla] A pity, but I suspect you would not be standing before me now if it hadn't happened. We play with the hand we've been given in life. - she turns sideways and the thin cloth of her shirt shifts to show more of the sun-shaped scar that's covering the heart side of her chest.

[CP] - That we do, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to fight it with every fiber of my being

[Karla] I like your spirit. I even think we could be friends, perhaps. I suspect we have more in common then you realize. - there's the faintest sound of leather as she streches her fingers.

[CP] Scoffs- I have no interest in that

[Karla] I wasn't suggesting anything sexual... - She waves a hand in front of his face and there's the faintest smell of blood - I promised to be good. It doesn't mean I always wanted it to be that way.

[CP] Scowls and begins walking again-

[Lie] Has fallen asleep in the tub-

[CP] Finds the bathroom and opens the door.  His expressions soften again when he see's his wife sleeping- Well, I suppose everything she did today would be exhausting for her...- He moves, grabbing a couple towel and blatantly ignoring the sex toys in the cupboard before waking Lie up

[Lie] Makes little noises as she wakes- CP?

[CP] - Come on, time to get dry- He offers the towel and watches as Lie sleepily dries herself off

[Lie] - Guess I didn't realize how tired I was...

[CP] - It's understandable, you had a lot of adrenaline going through you today

[Lie] Reaches for the robe-

[CP] - Why are you grabbing that?

[Lie] - Ever said I could borrow it

[CP] - Lie...  You can turn into a cat...

[Lie] - ...

[CP] - You forgot, didn't you?

[CP] After a few moments he's coming back down the hallway with Lie curled up in his arms in her feline form and her clothes in his inventory-

[Karla] Is leaning on the wall watching him and cocks her head curiously -

[CP] - She has a feline form as well

[Karla] She's quite lovely like that. A blue ribbon feline to be sure.

[CP] - Yeah yeah, so everyone says

[Lie] Stretches her leg out to pat CP's arm to tell him to settle down-

[Ever] Comes out of a room at the other end of the hallway and lets out an audible - AWWWWW

[Karla] Chuckles

[CP] - We'll be going then

[Karla] With my blessings then. I hope she had a nice bath, she was in there for quite some time.

[Ever] Lets out a small laugh, his cheeks pink.

[CP] - She fell asleep

[Ever] Suuuure.

[Karla] Puts a finger in the silver ring on the front of Ever's collar - now, now. There's no accounting for taste, really.

[CP] - She's not used to all the fighting she did today, it wore her out

[Ever] Looks crestfallen and a bit embarassed - Sorry about that...

[CP] - I'm just mad I couldn't get to her before she got all the blood washed off of her...

[Lie] Her ears flatten a little-

[Ever] Well it was zombie blood after all. That stuff has to be pretty gooey and rank...

[CP] - I would have tossed her in the lava

[Lie] Tail swishes a bit angrily-

[Ever] That's harsh.

[Karla] She looks a bit annoyed....

[Lie] - I am

[Karla] Perhaps you should take your lovely wife home before any further... difficulties happen.

[CP] - I'm going, I'm going

[Lie] Purrs a little-

[CP] Makes an opening and goes through back to the server-

[Lazur] - humming happily, glad to have her voice back, goes in search of Zly. She hears a guitar being played softly. The melody is slow and rich, and achingly sad. Despite this she smiles and follows the sound.

[Zly Wilk] Sitting on a tree stump, playing the slightly beat up guitar he keeps in his inventory

[Lazur] approaches from behind and leans down - hey. - she says softly behind him, making the brine jump and stop the melody with an abrupt crash of notes.

[Zly Wilk] -Oh! Hey... You got your voice back! Did you figure it out on your own or....

[Lazur] - looks slightly embarrassed - No.... I.... Took your advice and got some help from the Doctor.

[Zly Wilk] That's wonderful... Say, I'm wondering if there is anything we can do to help our new friends... We've been on the other side of deletions before.

[Lazur] I don't know, Zly... I'm not too sure i want these folks knowing what we did before. They're pretty accepting, but we have a lot to atone for.

[Alexsezia] Was hunting and hears them talking. She sneaks close and listens from a hidden vantage point-

[Zly Wilk] - nods - There was a time we were no better than those older generation NOTCHs... How ironic we would become glitches ourselves... Almost as if we were being punished for our sins.

[CP] Comes out of the portal not to far from where Zly and the others are, thinking he and Lie would be alone that far out-

[Alexsezia] Her face crinkles with worry and she feels a little stab of sadness for the way she used to think of glitches herself.

[Zly Wilk] - frowns down at the old guitar and sighs - I still see it in my dreams you know... I thought i could save him. He looked up to us, and I let him down.

[Lazur] - puts a hand on his shoulder - That was NOT your fault. Eset was always too rash. He shouldn't have gone up against something so powerful. And in the end we beat it.

[Zly Wilk] -scowls- Yes, but at what cost? I lost a bit of myself there... When We pulled that thing apart pixel by pixel... I almost enjoyed making it suffer.

[Lie] She perks her ears a little, hearing faint voices- CP...  That way...

[Alexsezia] Draws a quick breath in shock-

[Lazur] - bitterly - maybe that isn't such a bad thing. After how many systems it corrupted, the lives it took... The friends WE lost... Why not get some satisfaction from the kill?

[CP] Approaches silently-

[Alexsezia] Leans against the tree, her feelings in turmoil.

[Zly Wilk] Because deep down, that isn't who we were. We devoted lifetimes to helping those in need... Even at our worst.

[Alexsezia] Forces herself to stand and decides to go tell Doc and TLOT what she's heard, as she turns to go she walks straight into Cp and lets out a yelp of suprise-

[CP] Can't help a small snicker-

[Lie] Sighs-

[Lazur] I don't buy that, Zly. We spent a good long time in the revenge business, and we had our fair share of innocent blood on our hands.

[Alexsezia] Huffs at Cp- How long have you been standing there?!

[CP] - Not long, we just got back

[Alexsezia] Thumbs at the pair- I'm not sure what to think...

[CP] - What about them?

[Alexsezia] They... they deleted someone.... it sounds like they deserved it, but still... - She hugs her arms around her chest -

[CP] Growls and kinda thrusts Lie at Alexsezia-

[Lie] Surprised noise-

[Alexsezia] Barely manages to catch Lie without them both falling -

[Zly Wilk] - doesn't see the others but motions Lazur to be quiet. Listens for a moment and signals Lazur to be ready to move out.

[CP] Skirts around to get behind them-

[Alexsezia] Hugs Lie a little - I used to think ugly things about brines and glitches both... I'm ashamed of that... And now I'm ashamed to be scared because so many of my friends are like that...

[Lazur] - is suddenly on high alert and equips her armor. - Zly.... I don't think we're safe here anymore....

[Lie] Pats her with a fluffy paw- It's okay, at least you had a better introduction to them then I did

[Alexsezia] Pales visibly - That's saying a lot... I did get my best friend raped after all...

[Lie] - ...  Okay fair point

[Alexsezia] I hope Cp doesn't do something dumb...

[Zly Wilk] - equips his staff but keeps it low - Time to go then...- Starts walking generally toward where CP is.

[CP] Lunges forwards with his sword aimed at Zly's heart-

[Zly Wilk] - Deftly side steps and pivots to avoid the blow and sighs in resignation. - Not now, CP.

[CP] Growling and catching on fire-

[Lazur] - moves so she and Zly are back to back, thinking the server is against them and defending against any other attackers. -

[Zly Wilk]- at CP- I don't want to fight you... I don't know if I can keep my powers in check right now.

[CP] Lunges again and at the last second teleports so he can hit Zly's back-

[Lazur] - uses the forearm shield of her armor to deflect the blow. She seems much more eager to fight than her companion -

[CP] Scowls- Fuck off!

[Lazur] Not a chance! - the two stay back to back attempting a retreat away from the big Brine -

[Alexsezia] Comes out a bit panicked and still holding Lie - Stop! Please don't! We've had so much tradgedy... I can't bear to see anyone deleted... Please... just stop.... - A few tears roll down her face-

[CP] Moves to just shove Alexsezia-

[Alexsezia] Holds Lie close to her body. Instinctively protecting the cat-

[CP] Goes in for the attack again-

[Alexsezia] Puts Lie down and draws her bow. It has some small enchantments on it, but it's ordinary otherwise. -

[Lazur] - takes a glancing blow that draws blood. She falls, wiping the blood from her arm and grins. -

[Zly Wilk] - steps up to protect his fallen partner. -

[CP] Slashes at Zly next, his eyes glowing brightly-

[Alexsezia] Aims at Cp and shoots him in the knee with a plain arrow-

[Zly Wilk] - brings the staff up one handed with a resounding crack like thunder, the impact of the weapons seeming to spark a blaze of yellow energy around him. His glitched eye blazes. He speaks in a voice much deeper than his normal range. - ENOUGH!!!!! LAZUR. PACIFY.

[Lazur] - concentrates and suddenly CP is immobilized in a column of blue energy. Unable to move or speak.

[Zly Wilk] - strides up to CP and roars - YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOU ARE MESSING WITH, BRINE.  I ONCE COMMANDED THE POWER TO LAY WASTE TO ALL BEFORE ME. TO MY FOES I WAS THE REAPER. THE ONCOMING STORM. I LAY WASTE TO WORLDS, SCATTERED CIVILIZATIONS TO THE WIND AND CAST THE WICKED INTO THE BLACKNESS OF DISCORDIA. DO NOT THINK FOR A MOMENT I CAN BE INTIMIDATED. - he adds his own energy to the field and CP feels a tingle through his body.

[Lazur] - is startled by Zly's outburst and reverts back to a formal form of address - Sir. You need to stand down!

[Zly Wilk] - growls and stares at CP, his hands hooked into claws.  before blinking and looking at the expressions of those around him-

[Alexsezia] Points the bow at Zly instead- You leave him alone!

[Lie] Is growling at Zly her black thorny vines creating a wall around the area-

[CP] Is also growling at Zly-

[Zly Wilk] - a look of horror passes over his face and his energy blinks out like a snuffed candle. He drops his staff and it despawns. - No.... Not again. I will never be that again.... Lazur... Release.

[Lazur] - lowers her forcefield and steps back.

[Alexsezia] Lowers the bow a little. - I may be small and weak, but I won't stand by and see anyone bullied.

[Zly Wilk] - doesn't respond. Is staring a thousand miles away -

[CP] Lands a bit hard on the ground- Fucker!

[Alexsezia] Puts the bow away and goes to him. She's too small to help him up, but she does pull the small arrow out of his leg - Sorry Cp...

[CP] Scowls and is glaring at Zly-

[Lie] Trots over to her husband and rubs against him, trying to calm him-

[Zly Wilk] - sinks heavily to his knees -

[Lie] - Zly...  What was that about?

[Alexsezia] Sits as well, next to Cp with a jingling of her chainmail as she plops down, her pulse still racing.

[Zly Wilk] - is looking down at his hands and appears not to have heard her. -

[Lazur] - steps over to Zly and puts her hands on his shoulders - Lie....Recent events... with CPs NOTCH, what he did to you both. It brought up memories of a very dark time in our existence. Something we tried to bury. Zly and I once used to serve a similar function to the NOTCH AIs that would hunt brines... But we hunted down malicious programming, fixed glitches. One program destroyed the server we were to protect. We ended up chasing it through several servers and systems, gaining powers to fight it. ultimately we suceeded, but not before we lost a lot of friends... And a brother in arms.

[Alexsezia] ... I don't know what to think... I'm just scared for my friends...

[Lie] - I see...  But why did that cause him to attack CP like that?  I mean yes I know my husband is an ass and will fight at any opportunity, but still...

[Lazur] Zly and I did try to back off... When CP pressed the attack, it must have triggered a flashback. Zly was already dealing with nightmares of that night... I hadn't seen him talk like that since the night we lost our friend Eset. I'm sorry... It's no excuse...

[Alexsezia] He's been hurt too... He's trying to be better...

[Lie] - You know, if there's any part left of him, Doc might be able to bring him back

[Lazur] -to Alexsezia - It was probably a blind panic... Fight or flight.... But despite what you saw or felt, the full range of our powers don't work here.

[Lazur] -to lie- do you really think the Doctor can help?

[Lie] - Well they did recently bring a Steve back from partial coding...

[Alexsezia] Is petting Cp's hair distractedly, mostly because she can reach him [And she's used to him being a cat sometimes]

[CP] - The fuck are you doing!?

[Alexsezia] Jumps a little - Sorry! - waves her hands vaguely - you know.... cats!

[CP] Narrows eyes at her-

[Alexsezia] I said I was sorry!

[Lazur] Sadly I don't know where we would get any of his coding. He was killed on the server we had to burn to keep the Mal from spreading.

[Lie] - I'm sure they'd be willing to try.  I'm also willing to bet that CP attacked because you were talking about deletions

[CP] Flips Alexsezia off-

[Lie] Tail twitches in irritation at her husband's antics-

[Alexsezia] Reaches for Lie -

[Lie] Purrs a little as Alexsezia touches her-

[Zly Wilk] - shutters -

[Lazur] I'd like to get hir opinion. Maybe it can be done.

[Alexsezia] Pulls Lie into her lap and pets her unhappily. - I've seen amazing things since coming here... I don't there's much of anything that's impossible anymore.

[CP] Starts standing up-

[Lazur] - helps Zly to his feet - I think we'll head to the castle to see Doc.

[Zly Wilk] - reluctantly stands, but refuses to look at anyone in shame -

[CP] Looks down at Alexsezia holding his wife and just reaches down and picks them up by the scruff of Alexsezia's clothes-

[Alexsezia] Startled noise-

[Lazur] Sorry for the trouble we caused. Hopefully won't happen again. - waves to group as they head off -

[CP] Looks down at the Alex- I'm only doing this because TLOT would have a conniption fit if I left you alone or here in this sort of condition

[Doc] Is working in hir lab while Yaunfen plays. The table is covered with glassware, sugarcane and balls of string.

[Yaunfen] Is it ready yet Mada?

[Doc] Not yet. I'm still figuring this out... - Xe has hir command block open to a webpage and is reading it carefully-

[Yaunfen] Goes to bother Idolus, xe's drawing mustaches and silly faces on the glass with a dye blob whenever the big fish stops moving for a moment.

[Lazur] - over chat - Doc. Are you busy?

[Doc] Yes, but it's nothing intense. I'm okay to talk. I'm in the lab-

[Lazur] Ok. Be there soon. - shows up moments later with a morose looking Zly trailing behind.- Hi Doc. Thanks for seeing us.

[Doc] Oh hey guys - Xe's gently tipping sugar into a rather pixelated beaker.

[Yaunfen] Hello!

[Idolus] Very aggravated guardian noises from behind a painted mustache and glasses-

[Doc] Squeaks a stopper into the bottle and watches it intently- Something on your minds?

[Lazur] Well..... It was mentioned you have had success bring people back from.... - looks to see if the young dragon is listening - you know...?

[Yaunfen] Notices her reticence and scoots closer-

[Doc] Cocks hir head interestedly- From the dead?

[Lazur] - nods - we had a friend that we lost during the mission that led to us being here.

[Doc] Lost how? I mean, how did they die?

[Yaunfen] is watching the glassware now since the stoppered bottle is bubbling-

[Zly Wilk] - barely a whisper - I let him die.

[Lazur] He was killed fighting a Mal... A malicious program we were trying to stop.  It surprised us and our friend got run through from behind with a spike and took the Mal with him over a ledge.

[Doc] So there's a contamination risk with the remains... if they can be found... It's probably do-able but will require some quarantine procedures in addition to the usual.

[Yaunfen] Pokes the bottle - Mada? It's hard?!

[Doc] Looks down- Well then... That's a bit more then I intended. - The bottle seems to be filled with ice now, but there's no sweating or cold coming from it.

[Lazur] It was also on the server we 'burned'... So there is a chance we may not get on at all..... - looks at the bottle- What.... What IS that?

[Doc] Mostly sugar-

[Yaunfen] Can I have it?!

[Doc] No, let me try again with a bowl sweetie. I don't want you to eat the glass. I don't trust myself not to miss a pixel or two if I melt the bottle off and it won't come out-

[Yaunfen] Sad face-

[Doc] Gives hir a look- Just give me a moment.

[Yaunfen] Okay Mada...

[Doc] Who did the server belong too? - Pulls out a wooden bowl and pours it full of water and sugar-

[Lazur] We never knew the User... We were called in by the server's security programs when they got over run. It was am old EnCom server. Rigged for online use. So I'm guessing it was used for something shady considering how easily they were taken over.

[Doc] A deep web Minecraft server...? What an odd thought... Do you have information on it? An address number at least? I can do some research.

-The liquid in the bowl has started bubbling-

[Doc] Stay back Yaunfen, you guys too... -

[Zly Wilk] - moves out of the way-

[Lazur] - stands back- Yes. Here is the info you will need. We were in the server program itself. While some servers imbued with magik can manifest like Flux and Deerheart, some basic, older servers and mainframes were more like a grid or a city with different games and functions as a destination.

[Doc] That should work. I'll see if I can find a saved file anywhere for it. The person I'm looking for is a server manifestation?

-There's a sharp FUMP noise and the bowl is suddenly overfull with a growth of clear crystals-

[Doc] Thats more like it!

[Zly Wilk] - jumps at the noise, still clearly spooked.

[Lazur] - places a reassuring hand on Zly - No, a digital being similar to Zly and myself. Here... Take this. It's a copy of our ID icons. The being you are looking for will have similar code. - hands Doc a small black and yellow badge. At higher resolution it would appear to be a round disc with a dual colored square in the middle.

[Doc] Takes the badge and turns it over in hir hands - I see...

[Yaunfen] Mada, can I have it now?

[Doc] Me first, just in case.

[Yaunfen] Aww...

[Doc] Melts off a bit of crystal and eats it - hmmmm... So what was your friends name anyway?

[Zly Wilk] Eset.

[Lazur] - smiles at Zly, happy he seems to be coming around.

[Zly Wilk] Doc. Is it right to bring someone back? Will they remember their death? I let the boy fall... I failed to protect him. How do i explain that betrayal?

[Doc] Hir mouth is a flat line for a long moment. - My exposure to religious stuff has been pretty miniscule and recent. I think I'm the wrong person to ask. - xe shrugs- I'm a doctor. My chosen or intended purpose is to save what can be preserved and fix whatever broken things fall into my hands. I'll leave the right or wrong to other people. Maybe you could talk to Liu? See what he remembers? His own brother murdered him and he was dead for a long time before I revivied him.

[Yaunfen] Can I have it now Mada?!

[Doc] Yes! I'm sorry sweetie, go ahead-

[Yaunfen] YAY! - They grab the bowl in their paws and start to lick and nom on the crystals with gusto.

[Lazur] - gets face to face with Zly, gently but firmly says - You. Are. Not. To. Blame. You want to work at righting past mistakes, I can't think of better than giving Eset a new chance at a life.

[Zly Wilk] - looks away and watches the dragon devour the rock candy -

[Doc] I'll get right on this in the meantime, and let you know what I find.

[Yaunfen] Happy nomming-

[Lazur] Thank You. I think I'm going to get Zly to rest. We had an.... Um.... exciting afternoon... I'm sure Lie or Alexsezia will fill you in later.

[Doc] No one is using the recovery room by the tub or the one next to the blaze cage at the moment. - points at both of them in turn.

[Lazur] Thanks. - leads her friend to the recovery room by the tub. She lays him down in one bed then takes the other and are soon both asleep.

[CP] Drops Alexsezia in front of her house- Can I have my wife now?

[Lie] - CP don't be rude

[Alexsezia] Shakes her head to clear it a bit - Yeah... sorry. Here - she holds Lie out gently- I think we both over-reacted a bit...

[CP] - I don't know what your talking about

[Ohana] - Exploring the woods in server,  pausing to feel the trees and leaves periodically-

[HG] -is walking around near by watering flowers and mushrooms he sees-

[Ohana] So... Different... -hasn't noticed Hg yet-

[HG] -sees ohana from afar and starts to approach him-

[Ohana] - notices HG and tenses up out of habit-

[HG] -waves in a friendly matter- hello it's nice to meet you

[Ohana] H... Hi....

[HG] Are you ok?

[Ohana] I don't... Know. I'm.. Better than I was before..

[HG] that's good that your better. oh right my name is Herobrine the gardener or HG for short.

[Ohana] It's, nice to meet you, I'm Ohana... Oh! I'm not... Um, in your space am I?

[HG] oh no I just like to walk around and water plants.

[Ohana] That's good, I'm glad I'm not. - meek smile -

[HG] even if you where I don't mind visitors

[Ohana] Are you.. Sure? I'd hate to intrude...

[HG] I am completely sure

[Ohana] -smiles a bit more, happy and glad- Alright.

[HG] if you would like I can show you to my place and see around we aren't that far from it

[Ohana] I'd like that! If its.  Not any trouble of course!..

[HG] none at all follow me -starts leading the way the trees open up eventually to see some the path that leads to hg's house-

[Ohana] - follows HG closely, pausing again to touch things and marvel at the different textures -

[HG] you like feeling things how come? -they are following the path they are passing lots of trees and a small lake and steps and are closing in fast to hg's house so much so you can see though the trees some of the sugar cane that lines the river of hg's home-

[Ohana] I um.. - nervously clenches his wrist, scratching a bit - I was..  Locked in a bedrock cage. I... I didn't get to feel much but that and glowstone... I.. I'm enjoying it a lot.

[Ohana] The different feelings are nice.

[HG] i'm sorry I brought up that painful memory i'm sorry you where locked in there -they make it to the bridge that goes over the river it's make of logs and has a roof of leafs and is covered in vines beyond the bridge hg's house can be seen and some of the large amount of plants even floating islands that have plants on them-