#seriously though when he said ‘this is an invisible bomb! it says so on the box!’ I lost it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

shinsoussimp · 4 years

Note

all right, you said it’s fine, so here’s another one 🤍 (yes, i’m addicted to your writings so :0 )

mirio? big yes. hurt/comfort with a gay reader? definitely.

so like, the reader used to study in another school, and had been outed and everyone in his class were very mean and rude about that. so now it’s his biggest fear to be outed again, but he really falls in love with mirio after some time. they spend a lot of time together, and get really close. reader doesn’t know mirio likes him back because for him, every person will be mad at (y/n) for liking boys (because of the past trauma yk). and one day someone from their class accidentally activated their “saying truth” quirk on reader and confession to mirio just slips from his lips in front of him and the whole class. and like, after that he runs away in absolute panic, thinking everyone will mock and hate him again. he starts avoiding mirio just not to see him disappointed, when in reality togata just wants to say he likes him back? 🥺 so one day he just catches him and doesn’t let him to run? 🥺 saying he would love to be his boyfriend 👉🏻👈🏻 maybe a bit comforting from classmates yk? sorry it’s so long again 😞🤍

a/n: sephiii you’re requests are always amazing :) i would never say no to you sending one in! i hope you like it!!

a/n: y/h/n= your hero name, also i said parent (they/them) in an effort to be more inclusive, i don’t know people’s family life. if you have any other ideas where i can be more inclusive, please let me know!

TW: homophobia, violence (shoving), blackmail

a/n: requests are open! (p.s. i’m on a mirio kick right now to let everyone know ahaha)

Mirio x homophobia

becoming a hero was always your dream, since you were a little kid. you didn’t want anything standing in the way of that. so when you finally made your way to shiketsu high, you were determined to never let anyone find out about you being gay. but somehow, it still happened.

“yo, y/h/n!” a second year student ran up to you as you were walking to the cafeteria and threw his arm around your shoulder, “can you do a favor for me?~” he always would get you to help him cheat on exams, but at this point, you were tired of breaking the rules.

“dude i can’t keep doing this. i’m not gonna risk getting in trouble so you can get good grades. try studying.” you huff while shaking his arm off you. he moves to stand in front of you to block your path as you try to get to your table, and he gets visibly more and more angry.

“seriously?” he says through clenched teeth. you could tell he was one of those kids who was too used to getting what he wants whenever he wants it, and he doesn’t know how to handle anything different.

“i’m serious. we would’ve been caught some day.” you try to move around him but he grabs your arm and starts pulling you to the middle of the cafeteria.

“fine. then i guess i’m gonna have to tell everyone your little secret.” shit. you had gotten so used to helping him you forgot the reason why you began your little deal in the first place, he knew you were gay. before you could stop him, he had already begun.

“hey, everyone! i have a little announcement that you all would enjoy. y/n over here, y/h/n if you will, is gay.” you weren’t able to cover his mouth without him grabbing your wrists and holding them down by your sides so he could continue talking, “that’s right, he likes dick. do with that what you will~” he shoves you back a bit when he finally lets go of your arms, and waltzes out of the cafeteria like nothing even happened. everyone starts gossiping around you, giving you weird looks as you run off into the bathroom.

once the bell rang and you needed to go to class, you tried to get there early, so you didn’t need to walk in front of a full classroom. you sat in the back today, but that didn’t mean you were invisible. it started with the girls that sat in front of you giggling, then one of the boys that only had your number for a group project sent you an eggplant emoji. but the cherry on top was one of the most well known boys in your class coming up to you and asking, for everyone to hear, if you were trying to suck his dick. luckily the second bell rang and the teacher came in, forcing them all to back off for now, but this lasted for the next week. it lasted up until you couldn’t take it anymore. you stood up and stormed out of the classroom and never returned. you didn’t go to school for the rest of the year. and with you refusing to return to shiketsu high, you thought your dream of being a hero was ruined. but one morning your parent mentioned the idea of applying to ua.

even though you thought you had no chance of getting in, you took a chance. you went to the admissions office, sent in your application, did all the interviews, and now it was time to wait. and now after a long summer, you finally got a letting from ua.

you got in.

not only were you thrilled to be admitted to the best school for heros, you were thrilled that you never had to go back to shiketsu. you could start over, continue your hero journey. and hopefully you would not get in another situation like last time.

your first two months at your new school went great. you were a second year now, and getting to do many new and exciting things with your training. you made great friends and even developed a bit of a crush. this was dangerous territory, since you didn’t want anyone to know about your sexuality, but you couldn’t stop yourself from hanging out with him. the person in question? mirio togata. the cute third year you passed by in the halls and always came in your class to talk about his experience as lemillion. and you got to call him your friend. you two trained together, you hung out with him and the rest of the big three after school, and he always made sure to join you during lunch breaks at school. in such a short period of time, you two became best friends. and you would never risk messing that friendship up.

but then one day, the unthinkable happens. you thought since things had been going so well for so long, you were in the clear. nobody seemed to know, shiketsu kids didn’t snitch, and training was going incredibly. you and a group of second and third years were hanging out in an empty classroom when someone suggested playing truth or dare.

the rules were simple, pick dare and someone picks a dare for you to do, pick truth and you would be hit by your classmate, asami’s quirk. her quirk was called confession. when in effect, you will be compelled to spill one of your deepest secrets. but you seemed to have a bit of a misunderstanding of her quirk. you didn’t get to choose which secret. so little did you know, your fake secret that you ‘once called your teacher mom in 3rd grade’ was not going to be of use.

“you excited?” mirio plopped down next to you happily. you nodded, because you were. you were genuinely excited to have a friend group and play stupid games like this.

after a few rounds, mostly of people picking dare, you wanted to be the one to switch it up. so once mirio finished bawking like a chicken and walking all around the room with his arms bent like wings, you prepared for your turn.

“truth or dare, y/n?”

“truth.” everyone dramatically gasps, then all bursting out into a fit of laughing, talking about how you had some balls to pick truth. asami sat down in front of you and took a deep breath to prepare herself.

“you ready?” she smiles. you nod, letting her hand brush yours. you felt a rush of warmth through your body then suddenly your mouth was moving.

“i’m gay. i’m really fucking gay and i like mirio.” your hand slaps over your mouth, your stomach dropping as your whole body starts shaking. that was not what you wanted to say. but there is no going back now, and you didn’t want to be here when everyone started teasing you. you especially didn’t want to see what mirio had to say about it. you didn’t want to see the disappointment that would surely be on his face. you jump up and race out of the room, ignoring mirio’s pleas for you to stop running.

he was sent to talk in your class that day, but he didn’t see you. you had decided to go home early for the day. would you really have to leave ua? you were beside yourself with anger and sadness, having to leave the best school because of a stupid game spilling your secret. you knew when you returned there would be endless teasing. it was possible that your friend group spilled the beans to the whole school and now even the first years knew. your parent tried to take your feelings into account, but they wanted to remind you of your dream, your biggest passion.

“you want to save people. it doesn’t matter if you’re gay, you can still protect people, that doesn’t stop anything.” you keep your face shoved into the pillow you were hugging close to your chest as they spoke. they took a deep breath and placed a comforting hand on your back, “look worse case scenario, they told everyone, and now people tease you. they’ll probably get over it, and if not, it’s only two more years. then you get to live your dream happily, as yourself.”

their words encouraged you to return to school after about a week. but you still couldn’t face your friend group. especially mirio. so when the lunch bell rang, you left the school building and made your way to the side of it to eat lunch out on a bench by some trees. you figured that mirio or some of your friends saw you, but you prayed that they wouldn’t follow you. sadly those prayers would go unanswered because next thing you know you hear a familiar voice shouting your name. you turn around and see mirio jogging towards you. you turn around and start walking faster in an effort to avoid him, but right as you arrive at the bench you’re stopped by his hand wrapping around your arm.

“would you talk to me?!” he pulls your arm, making you turn around, “you drop a bomb like that and then fall off the face of the earth for a week?!” you sigh and set down your lunch and bag behind you, still not saying anything.

“y/n seriously. what the hell?”

“if you came here to make fun of me, just get it over with.” you finally look up at him, all of your walls up taller than ever before as you prepared to have your heart broken.

“what are you talking about?” his face has confusion written all over it but it has to be fake. he’s trying to trick you into thinking you’re safe then he’ll talk about how stupid you are to all of your other friends that has to be-

“you really think i would make fun of you?” his voice is soft and even in such a high stress moment, still puts butterflies in your belly. but he’s lying.. he has to be. he’s gonna react how everyone else did.

“y/n, i would never.” he takes a step towards you and reaches out his hand, but you slap it away taking another step back.

“i’m not gonna fall for it! you all are gonna react exactly how all those dumbass shiketsu kids did!” tears start streaming down your face and you realize that you’re shaking again. you sit down on the bench behind you and put your face in your hands as uncontrollable sobs kept coming. mirio knelt down in front of you and put his hands on your knees.

“i like you too.” your head shoots up and you look at him with wide eyes.

“w-what?”

“if you hadn’t ran out the day you said it, you would have heard that i like you too. and i didn’t know if you were gay or not but i really wanted to find out.” you relax a bit as your brain tries to comprehend the idea of something like this happening, “they all said that i was a lovestruck idiot... and they were all accepting.” he held your hands in his as you lifted your head so you could look at him.

“they all love you. and they’ve been worried sick, wondering what happened to you. but most of all me. i thought you left the school i-” he pauses to take a deep breath, “i thought i lost you.” his grip on your hands tightens. suddenly the tears streaming down your face were tears of joy, accompanied by a few laughs. he stands up and pulls you up with him, wrapping his arms around you, swallowing you in a warm bear hug.

“i would love to be your boyfriend, if you’re okay with that.” you giggle into his chest and grip onto the back of his shirt.

“i am okay with that.” he pulls his head back a bit to look at you, for a few moments not saying anything just making a smug face at you.

“i was hoping you would be, i mean you are ‘really fucking gay’“ he teases. you smack his chest as you shake your head, laughing. he explains how you should go talk to your friends and explain what happened, then you two could tell them the good news. he even started planning a date as you two made your way back to the school building, while holding hands of course.

you didn’t know it was possible, but you were going to be okay. you were going to be able to be yourself. you couldn’t wait for what the rest of your time at ua would hold.

#mirio togata #mirio x male reader #mirio angst #mirio fic #bnha fic #bnha angst #mha angst #mirio bnha #mirio fluff #bnha fluff

360 notes · View notes

winter-fox-queen · 4 years

Text

I only have my self to blame...

Frankie Morales x you fic

Tags: A lot of cursing. So much cursing. Drug use. Angst.

Summary: I kept thinking about the coke rap they mention in the story. And I thought, what if Frankie was innocent? So most of this is about that, with a tense change so that when the reader enters the picture, it’s “you” -- no y/n.

I have never written a fic before. I am no nervous AT ALL. But I wanted to give something back, even though it’s not really romantic. I logged into my laptop so I could use cuts. XD I am ashamed at how long it took me to remember my password.

2,083 words.

It was, really, a bullshit coke rap, but it was still Frankie’s fault. He was flying one of the boss’s nicer planes, a pretty little Cessna Caravan, fitted out for luxury in the back, a curtain separating the pilot from the main cabin. The curtain was partly folded back, so the rich folks in the cabin behind him with their booze, lounging in their leather seats don’t have to stare at the back of Frankie’s tousled, ball cap covered head.

It also meant that he could hear what they were saying, the headset over one ear was quiet, but he’d already decided they were a bag of dicks and he wasn’t going to pay attention to them, as they laughed like a bunch of frat boys behind him. There was a mirror, angled so he could see what was going on, and once in awhile he’d look. There were five men and one woman, the men acting like a bunch of frat boys, the woman trying to pretend she was amused.

Frankie knew, of course, that the trouble was men like that made that secret chip on his shoulder come out. The one he tried to ignore. Because I’m better than that, right? They ain’t got nothing that I want. But they did. They didn’t have to worry about money…they didn’t have a new baby to worry about, they didn’t have to play the game of if-I-pay-this-bill-I-can-pretend-I-didn’t-get-that-one. He was tired, worried about his lady, scared that he was going to fucking fail her, fail their little girl, Luna.

He let out a long, pent up sigh. He itched to put on some music, was considering it when the shuffle of curtain fabric told him he was no longer alone.

The sole woman from the back gave him a shy smile. “Do you mind? They’re acting like idiots back there.” She had a stylish, blunt cut, a white button shirt and a short, black skirt. Everything was fitted perfectly so the clothes molded against her. It looked polished rather than cheap. He smiled politely and shrugged as she arranged herself gracefully into the copilot chair.

“So, you said your name was Frankie?” She reached out with a foot and nudged his chair. She’d shed her high heels, and, despite the shortness of her skirt was gathering her legs under her.

Lady, you might as well have a danger sign around your neck. He nodded, feeling a little out of his depth.

“Macey. Pleasure to meet you. You been a pilot long?”

He nodded.

“You don’t speak much, do you?” She was flirty enough that even he, usually captain obvious, caught on.

He gave her a sidelong look. “I’m trying to figure out how to slip the face I have a wife and kid into the conversation.” Wife was a stretch. He wanted to marry you, he dreamed about it. He wanted to give you everything – a nice ring, a pretty dress. A day to be a be special, to feel loved. Proof to all your friends and family that he could take care of you, that he was worthy. He was scraping up money, setting it aside. If he didn’t go for a diamond, maybe he could get her something else nice. Maybe an opal. Opal rings couldn’t be that expensive, right?

She laughed. “Sorry. I’m bored.” She held up a hand. “Scout’s honor, I will do nothing to hurt your marriage.”

He gave her a grin. “Well, then, tell me a story.”

“A story?”

“Yeah. Once we touch down in…” He looked at the time “About two hours, we won’t see each other again. So tell me a story. Something you’ve always wanted to tell someone, but you couldn’t.”

She arched an eyebrow provocatively.

“Not like that, not a secret. Just a story you want to tell. Can be anything, I don’t care.”

She looked bemused for a second. Then she starts, haltingly, as if she’s never had t actually make real conversation. As if she’s never had anyone to listen to her. And the thing is, she’s funny. Clever. He finds himself laughing as he does his thing, even throwing back a couple of smart remarks of his own. She has a gift of making him feel like he has a wicked sense of humor, and for a little bit, the cares he’s been harboring fall silent.

So does the cabin behind him, once. He has a mirror, set low, so he can see behind him. The ringleader of the group is glaring at him, not looking too happy.

Well, fuck him. What can he do?

A lot, apparently.

They land, and Macey gets up to go out the back. “Thanks, Frankie. Good luck with everything.”

“You, too, thanks for passing the time with me,” he says, and sets about the tasks. He checks gauges, writes things down, and finally, goes back and checks over the cabin. He gets out a basin from a cabinet and puts the used rocks glasses in it. He won’t wash them – he’ll just dump the basin on the sideboard inside the hanger. He doesn’t have to do the cleaning, but Allie, the janitor who usually cleaned up the planes, had hurt her back and everything, like picking up candy bar wrappers and throwing them away, checking the seats to see if anything had been left behind was an extra chore she did not need.

The plastic baggy was almost invisible against the beige leather of the seats. He picked it up, made a shocked little huff, like he’d put his hand on a snake. Coke. A pretty good amount of it, too. The old craving raised its head, making his hand shake a little. He heard voices, and shoved the baggy in his pocket. I’ll pitch it. He had to take a leak, anyway, he’d go, flush that garbage down the toilet, and there. Done. He wasn’t that man any more. It was the one thing he could do for you.

He grabbed the waste basket and put it next to the door, grabbed the tub of glasses and put it under his arm.

“Frankie? You in there?”

“Yeah, boss…coming.” Snagging the clipboard to put on top of the glasses so he’d have a free hand if he needed it, he went down the steps and onto the tarmac.

Hector stood there, hands in his pockets, looking ore hang dog than usual. “Yeah, boss?”

“The passengers said you were flying high, Frankie.”

That stopped him dead, like to concussion from a bomb, hitting his face and chest and taking out the air in his lungs. “What? No, I’d never…”

“They said that they saw you – just before take off. And you know, I don’t want to believe it, but looking at your eyes…they do look awful red.”

“I’ve been up late with Luna. She’s not been sleeping that great, and I can’t leave it all on…”

Hector nodded, as if he believed him, but Frankie had a feeling he didn’t. He’d give real money to know exactly what the fuck had been said. “Turn out your pockets, Frankie.”

You jackass. He attacked himself. Did you really think they just accidentally left that much coke behind? You fucking jackass. “I found some shit they left behind, but you gotta believe me, Hector, I am clean. I’ve been clean for a couple years now.”

“Just show me your pockets, son, then we can just leave this behind.”

He took the coke out. “I told you, I found it on the plane.”

Hector shook his head, and started to walk away.

“Look, I’ll take a test.” He jogged a little, caught the other man’s arm. “Seriously. You can watch to make sure I’m not cheating. You’ll see. I’m clean. I’ll take a drug test right now.”

“You just happened to find a baggy of coke? That the passengers happened to leave behind? And why would they accuse you, if it’s not true?”

Frankie dropped his hand. I guess you wouldn’t believe me if I said some asshole thought I was flirting with his girl and thought he’d get back at me…hell, I’m not sure I believe it.

“I’ll be reporting you. They’ll suspend you. Maybe they will go easy on you, you being a Vet and this being your first offense…but you need to clean out your locker. I’ll write a check for what we owe you.”

“I…I need this job.” He could hear an edge of pleading in his voice, and he hated it, but he’d go down on his fucking knees and beg if he had to.

Hector’s eyes hardened. “And I don’t need to send a druggie up in one of my planes.”

Frankie took the back roads home. There was an old farm gate, a place where he could pull off the road and stare, blindly, at overgrown fields.

“What am I gonna do?” He whispered, over and over, like a mantra. “What am I gonna fucking do?” His hands clutched the steering wheel, knuckles white. He could barely breathe, and when the words wouldn’t come he just sat there, panting, beating his head against the steering when and wondering how he’d survive this.

When his breathing steadied, he got back on the road, and went home. It was the only thing he could do.

You knew something was wrong, he could see it, but he wasn’t being exactly subtle, pressing his spine against the doorframe like he was ready to run.

“Hey baby,” you say, and he smiles a little. Tries, anyway.

“Where’s Luna?” He’s surprised how hoarse his voice is. He shouldn’t be. He’d been in some bad situations, but he’d never felt this a drift, this terrified.

“Laying down.” You say it sweetly, like everything is OK. You’re cooking bread in the over, something’s in the crock pot and everything smells like home and like everything left to lose.

You lean against the sink. If you reached out, you could almost touch him, but you don’t. There’s a look in your eyes, like Frankie is a wild animal, easily spooked and so you’re going to move slow and careful.

“I lost my job.” He says it so quietly he’s not sure you heard, until your shoulders drop a little.

“Oh, honey, what happened?” No recrimination. Not yet. You take a step closer to him.

So he tells you. He doesn’t lie, just lays it all out there. Not looking at you, not daring to, instead staring at the refrigerator door and all the magnets and photos and clutter. But seeing them, either.

“He didn’t believe you?” You practically shriek it out. “What the fuck…you’ve been an awesome employee for what? A year and a half now and he wouldn’t even let you take a damned test to let you prove yourself? Seriously? I’m going to kick his ass…”

The baby monitor interrupts her, Luna making fitful little noises. After all, the house was not that big. You hold a finger up to Frankie. “Hold that thought.” You leave the kitchen, shaking your head, and Frankie stands there, feeling like he’s on the edge of the precipice.

“Ah, Luna, baby, what’s wrong?” He can hear you, a much gentler, sweeter voice echoing out of the monitor. He stands over it, hands clutching the counter on either side of it, listening. You are both everything to him. Everything.

He listens to you say nonsense as you change the little baby, to you muttering about how such a tiny, adorable thing can smell so bad. “You must get it from your daddy,” you say a little louder, as if you know Frankie is there, listening, and he grins a little.

He doesn’t move, when you come back out into the kitchen, when you wrap your arms around him. You hug him tight and he starts to feel a little less adrift.

He turns, looks down into your eyes. “You believe me?” Puts his arms around you carefully, like he’s still not sure of his reception, because he still doesn’t feel like he deserves this, the right to touch you.

You reach up and cradle his cheek. “Always, mi vida. Always.” And he starts shaking, and he starts crying and he buries his face in your neck so you can’t see, and you toss aside the ball cap so you can stroke his hair. “It’s going to be alright, honey. We’ll figure it out. Its going to be alright.”

#Frankie Morales #frankie morales x reader #triple frontier #fix it fic #pedro pascal #our soft boi is innocent #mostly

72 notes · View notes

rainydayhogwartsimagines · 4 years

Note

I normally don't send requests cause I think I'm bad at explaining what I want to ask. But I was wondering if you would do a fred x potter!reader where fred is older than her. And she is realizing that she has a crush on the older boy. Yeah you can take it anywhere.

oh I have plans for this one

set in a non voldy AU

You were Harry's little sister, one year younger than him. He and you were close for the most part but something about this year was different. This was the year you were going to Hogwarts. James of course was excited to see his little girl go off to his school that he made plenty of fond memories.

For the most part you were excited. Until people started associating you with things your brother had done. "Way to go Potter, couldn't stop your brother from sneaking into the woods again?" "we lost fourty house points because of your stupid brother!" was just the beginning of the things that you heard. The worst part? You shared the same house as him. Therefore when he lost points, they blamed you for being unable to stop him. It got worse though when he retaliated against Draco after a colorful insult was thrown at him. Slytherins decided the best way to retaliate was to go for you. So prank after prank, fight after fight you were tormented and teased.

You kept this from Harry though, no one really aware of the situation until one of the pranks backfired horribly. Pansy fucking Parkinson. She did this, shoving you into the lake when you were near it. The problem? Mermaids. Ginny saw this and ran over, ultimately saving your life. She told Mcgonagall what happened, Pansy getting in trouble while you were mostly traumatized from even walking near the lake. You walked in, wrapped in a blanket and soaked. Ginny walked in behind you. "I'll make us some tea okay? Try to relax." She said. Fred and George looked up as you shivered. "What happened?" Harry asked. "You did!" You snapped. "Me?" "You think just because your a quidditch star you can do things just to get away with it! Well I've been dealing with the consequences for months! People keep blaming me for what you've done and I'm sick of it!" You snapped. Fred frowned. "Who did this?" He asked. "Slytherin." Ginny said. "George." Fred called, the two walking out. "I didn't know." Harry muttered as you got up and went to your dorm. "She's upset Harry... She'll cool off." Hermione said.

Fred and George both took it upon themselves to prank all of Slytherin to get back at everything they did to you. Pansy Parkinson? Was pissed. She walked into the Great Hall, angrily walking over to you. "YOU!" She snapped. "Me?" You asked. "DON'T PLAY DUMB POTTER" she snapped. "What did I do!?" You asked. "YOU PUT A SMOKE BOMB IN THE COMMON ROOM!" she yelled. "I don't even know how to get to your common room!" You said. "Oh come now Parkinson, surely you know a Weasley prank when you see one!" Fred said standing up. "You sent your Lackeys to pick up your mess, typical Potter!" Draco snorted. "I didn't--" "She didn't send us. But let the record show that if you mess with her again, we will end you." George said, putting a protective hand on your shoulder as Fred put his hand on your other. "Mark my words Weasley, you're going down." Pansy hissed. "Looking forward to it you insufferable git." Fred said, tipping an invisible hat to you.

Fred and George managed to get the heat away from you, but now they seemed to want to spend a lot of time with you. Both of the boys realized they didn't know you as well as they should've so they started walking you to classes, sitting with you and Ginny at lunch, they seemed to take some sort of liking to you. You however chose to ignore them, figuring the only reason they spoke to you was because of Harry. However, one day George cracked a joke. It was a stupid one, the punchline being a pun about a skeleton, but you laughed. Fred almost found that little laugh of yours to be... Cute.

The first year was coming to a close, it being the last week of school. You were sitting on the couch one late night, looking at the fire in the fire place. Fred sat next to you and you didn't say anything. "So we've completed another year." Fred said. You nodded. "You start your second year. You'll have a lot more activities available to you, think you'll try out for Quidditch?" He asked. "Hell. No." You said. "I'm not even sure I want to come back here next year." You muttered. "What? Why?" Fred asked. "Everyone cares about who my brother is. No one knows anything about me, no one has tried to know." you muttered. "Me, Ginny and George have." he said. "Try not to fret on what other people say Y/n. You want an identity outside of 'Harry's sister'? Make one for yourself. If me and George cared about what other people said all the time we would not be the legends we are now." he said simply. "....That's... Why do you care?" You asked. "Because we don't want you to go." Ginny said walking in. "We actually like you." George said sitting next to you. "....Okay... I'll stay." you nodded. "Aye! she stays!" Fred said, playfully roughing up your hair and making you laugh.

The school year came to a close, you and Harry going home. Two weeks in to summer though, Lily announced that you and Harry would spend the summer at the Burrow. "wait wait wait. Harry AND me?" You asked. "Apparently Ginny, Fred and George all want to see you too." Lily nodded. "But what about you and dad? or uncle Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail?" you asked. "We will visit you two, we all have work though honey." Lily assured. "Promise?" you asked. "I promise you we will write, visit, do you want smoke signals too?" James asked making Lily roll her eyes.

So you spent the summer at the Burrow, having the time of your life with Fred and George, actually becoming very close with them. The second school year started and you actually seemed to enjoy it, spending a lot of your free time with Hagrid and the substitute teacher for Quirrell... Uncle Moony. This year, Hagrid was to take care of a dragon for Fred's brother. It was sick, Charlie being unable to cure it. He figured Hagrid would have better luck so he sent it to him. You helped Hagrid out all the time so Hagrid decided that you should give it a shot. Well something you did worked because the dragon was better in no time. Which prompted a LONG letter to Fred about his best friend and asking for information about you. "IS SHE HOPING TO HAVE A CAREER WORKING WITH MAGICAL CREATURES, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN SAY YES!" or "IS SHE SMART? WHAT AM I SAYING OF COURSE SHE'S SMART" were just a few of the many pages he sent.

"Okay, what did you do to get my brother to like you?" Fred asked, setting the thick envelope next to you as he sat down. "What?" you asked. "My brother Charlie messaged all of us questioning who you were and if you wanted to work with dragons." George explained. "Wait what do you mean, all of you?" you asked. "All of us." Ginny, Ron, Fred and George all said. "Seriously, what did you do?" George asked. "Well... Charlie sent Hagrid a sick dragon, he couldn't seem to cure it. I've been helping Hagrid so once Hagrid seemed to fail they asked me to at least try... Something I did worked because Blaze was shipped back this morning and he's okay." you explained. "Think you'll answer him?" George asked Fred. Fred looked at you and then the letter. "Do you want a career with magical creatures?" he asked. Harry rose a brow and noticed you ponder this before nodding. "Yeah. I think I do." you nodded.

So Fred answered the questions, sending a letter back to his brother. Two weeks later you were sitting in the Great Hall, talking to George when the doors opened and this wild looking homeless guy ran in. And he ran up to you. You jumped back before Fred choked on his drink. "CHARLIE!?" He and George gasped. "This is Charlie!? I thought he was homeless! or a crazy guy! or both!" you gaped. "Tell me I've got the right kid." He said. "Would you slow down Mister Weasley, we all need to have a long discussion about what's best for Y/n." Remus halted. "Right! Your office or Hagrid's?" Charlie asked. Remus looked at you and then Charlie. "Alright. Mine." Remus sighed before you three walked off. "What does your brother want with my sister?" Harry asked. "I have no idea." Ron answered. " I think I know." Ginny muttered.

Well that summer you ended up apart of a apprenticeship. Was Lily thrilled for you to be working close with dangerous creatures in a foreign country? no. But you seemed to be working towards a goal which she was proud of. So you spent your summer in Romania with Charlie and his many, many, many, MANY dragons. Due to the fact that the postal service in Romania was less than stellar though, no one had heard from you except James and Lily who was checking in with officials regularly.

By the beginning of the year, you still were missing by the first dinner. Until George noticed you walk out of the faculty door near the table. Fred locked onto you. You looked... Different. Your hair was longer, your eyes were brighter and you seemed.... more mature. You didn't have to do anything, you didn't have to say anything to voice the newfound maturity, it was in the way you stood and carried yourself. You were wearing this leather type armor, standing there with a small grin as Charlie emerged from the door behind you.

"What's Charlie doing here?" Ron asked. "No clue, this is the first I've seen Y/n with my own eyes since she left for Romania." Harry said. "We thought you wrote to her." Ginny said. "Tried, the mailing in Romania is bad. Something definitely happened over there though. Mum and Dad took off in a hurry that one week, it's why I was with you guys for those few weeks of summer." Harry explained. Fred rose a brow, noticing a mark on your neck... It was almost like Remus's scar. He wasn't sure if what he was seeing was actually a scar though, seeing as the armor seemed to cover most of your body.

Charlie leaned over, whispering in your ear and you nodded before whispering something back. Charlie seemed to resist laughing at something you said before you walked over and sat down. "Hey guys, how was your summer?" You asked. Harry blinked. "....Anything else to add to that?" He asked. "...Uh... Nice to see you bro?" you asked. "...How about 'hey, so I'm wearing armor the first day I'm at school' or something!" Harry huffed. "Actually I have to wear this on the job, metal armor gets too hot and the leather actually works really well for dragons who are teething." you explained. "You've spent too much time with Charlie." Ginny observed. "What was it like?" Harry asked. "I thought mum and dad would've told you, they were in Romania the last two weeks...?" You said confused. "Wait, back up, your parents left too?" George asked. You blinked. "Yeah, why?" you asked. "Dad left pretty damn quick to Romania a week ago, so did our brother Bill." George pointed out. "Oh... We had an... incident." you coughed.

"What incident?" Fred asked. The Great Hall doors seemed to answer your silent prayers as they opened. Two large groups stood there, one in some powder blue uniform, the other wearing a red uniform. You recognized a few of the students in red and as they entered the room it was clear a few of them recognized you. You ducked your head down, hiding a bit from the boys. "Would the Durmstrang students please sit with Gryffindor and the Beauxbatons sit with Ravenclaw" Mcgonagall instructed. "shit." you muttered. "Rider?" A boy called. "Rider's here!?" Another boy asked. "Who is Rider?" Ron asked. "Afternoon, Rider." a voice said, sitting next to you. Both Ron and Harry looked as if their eyes were about to pop out of their heads. "There's no way that he's talking to--" "Hey Krum, how's it going?" you greeted, seeming like you were trying to avoid the odd nickname the boys called you by. "I didn't think you'd return to Hogwarts when I met you, I'm surprised." He said. "What? wanted me in Durmstrang?" you snorted. "Yes." students from Durmstrang all replied in unison. Fred rose a brow. "Wanna introduce us to your famous friend here Rider?" Fred asked. "Oh. Viktor, my best friends Fred, George and Ginny. Down there is my brother and his friends Ron and Hermione." You said. They all waved but Krum pointed at Hermione. "You were at the World Quidditch game." he commented.

She looked at Harry confused on how he'd be able to recognize her face considering they never met each other. You noticed that look in Krum's eyes. He found her to be attractive. "Wanna explain why a famous quidditch player knows you?" George asked as Krum seemed veered off in a conversation with Hermione. "Met him in Russia." you said. "You were in Romania?" Fred said confused. "Oh we were trailing a Ukrainian Ironbelly that decided to go rogue and long story short... I rode a dragon." You said. "Merlin's Beard your summer sounds exciting." Neville said. "Oh it was life changing." You laughed. "So think you'll stick with the whole dragon thing?" Ginny asked. "Oh hell yeah!" you said, biting into an apple. "so why is Durmstrang and Beauxbaton here?" Hermione asked. "Oh, we figured you knew. The Triwizard tournament." A boy answered.

Fred and George perked up. "The what?" Fred and George asked in unison. "The-- " "Hogwarts is proud to announce that we are holding the Triwizard tournament. Students third year and older may participate, we encourage all of you to put your names in the cup. Only one submission and there will be an age line around the cup to ensure the younger students do not try anything." Dumbledore announced. "Wicked." Fred and George said in unison. "I've missed that." you chuckled. "Missed us did you?" George teased. "Of course. You've made school barrable." You said with a smile. Fred felt it again. The strange warm feeling. You turned back to Ginny and Fred just looked at you as you carried on a full blown conversation with her.

The week carried on with you being called out of certain classes. You would disappear with Hagrid and reemerge with soot on your face or just not come back entirely. You didn't say a word to anyone as to why, not even Fred and George. "Wanna explain why you've been disappearing?" George asked. "Oh, Hagrid just needs help with his lessons." you lied. Course, Fred knew there was some truth to what you were saying. It was like the apprenticeship didn't end in Romania and simply picked back up with Hagrid.

The boys never pressed you any further on it but certainly questioned why a few ministry workers were also pulling you out of class, asking you questions. On top of the oddities you were always wearing a scarf or ensuring your neck was covered. Cedric Diggory asked about this once and got a half assed answer about the Whomping Willow. The group knew better though. Something definitely happened in Romania, what is was not even Harry knew. You walked into the common room at almost two in the morning, unaware of Fred still being awake as you tip toed towards your dorm. "Hold it." He halted. You froze and looked over. "What were you doing out this late?" He asked. "Hagrid. Again. Claimed he spotted a unicorn and wanted me to try to find it." you lied. "Cut the crap Y/n, what were you doing?" He asked. You huffed and sat down. "Ministry meeting." you said. "And you were at a ministry meeting because...?" He asked. "Because we're trying to hunt someone." you muttered. "We? Why are you involved in ministry business?" Fred asked. "Do you know who Fenrir Greyback is?" you asked. "The guy who's trying to make a 'werewolf army'?" Fred asked.

You nodded, a far off look in your eyes. "We found him." You muttered. Fred blinked. "What do you mean, 'we' found him?" He asked. You took off your scarf, undoing your tie and revealing a scar on your neck. "It's why mum and dad took off. Harry doesn't know because we all know he'll get way too worried and then try to do something himself." You muttered. "What happened?" Fred asked. You stared into the flames of the fireplace. "We were in Belgium, chasing a dragon." you began. "It took us through the mountains and before we could turn back it triggered an avalanche. We got stuck in a cave for about two days, me and Charlie had to go deeper to find an exit. Well, when we got to the other exit of the cave we found him, he was hunched over and feeding on a rabbit. He seemed like he was going to attack Charlie but... He saw me and changed his mind I guess." you answered. You shook your head and let out a long sigh. "We got lucky that the other part of our group found us and chased him off but by then the damage was done. The ministry has been asking questions since." you muttered. "Does it hurt?" Fred asked. "Only when I think about how I got it." you answered. Fred said nothing else and you figured he was just processing what he heard.

Instead he wrapped his arms around you and just... Held you. "Fred what are--" "Let me just... hold you for a bit. I may not be able to keep you safe when your off in places like Romania but at least when you're here I can protect you." He said. You relaxed in his gasp and laid against him. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, I'm usually waltzing with danger by this point." you said making him chuckle.

The next morning you two were found asleep on the couch against each other. "Oi. Lovebirds, Dumbledore's got an announcement." George said. You leaned up, realizing that you fell asleep on Fred. And that your tie was off. And that Harry's eyes were locked onto the scar. "Shit." You muttered. Fred leaned up and you sighed. "Harry--" "Don't explain. I probably do not want to know." He said. "Who gave that to you?" Ron asked. Harry tried avoiding looking at it but at his second glance he realized what they were. "forget what I said earlier, when the fuck did you meet a werewolf!?" Harry asked. The group all looked at him. "Harry." You sighed. "It wasn't... Him was it?" He asked. You frowned. "How could you even ask that!? No it wasn't Him!" You snapped. "I'm just trying to get answers!" he said. "And I'm not giving them to you, let's go see what Dumbledore wants." you said, retying your tie before walking out.

Harry however just walked and pestered you. George looked over at Fred who was watching you with this almost... sad look. "What happened last night?" George asked. "She's been through a lot George." Fred muttered. "...You like her." George realized. "What?" Fred asked. Oh poor Fred. The moron was so dense he didn't even realize that was the case. "I don't... I mean I... What?" Fred asked. "You like her." George repeated. "I don't--" You sat down in the Great Hall, Fred sitting across from you and whispering now to George. "I don't." he said.

Still though, when Dumbledore was speaking he heard none of it. Instead he was so focused on you and that damn scar. "Now for the Champions." Dumbledore cleared his throat. Dumbledore cleared his throat. Pieces of parchment flew out from the cup. "Viktor Krum." Dumbledore called. You clapped for your friend, seeming nervous though for some reason. "Fleur Delacour." again, you clapped but your expression seemed very worried. "Please, please, please." you whispered. "Y/n Potter." Dumbledore called. The whole table looked at you with a shocked glance as you seemed relieved and you walked over with the rest of the champions. "She put her--" "Name in the--" "Cup." Harry finished Ron and Ginny's thought.

You went to some sort of meeting for the champions but when you got back all of the Weasleys and Harry were standing there. "What in the hell were you thinking!?" Harry asked. "Gee, I need a new death experience this year." You said sarcastically. "Y/n, he has a point. You've been through a lot this summer and now you want to go into a deadly competition?" Fred asked. Fred had made it clear to the rest of the group he had more answers than they did. "Look I will be a lot better off than the others, I already know what the first challenge is." You said. "Oh and what's that?" Harry asked.

There they stood in the Forbidden Forest behind various bushes to keep hidden from the keepers as they got a shocking answer to their question. Dragons. The answer as horrifying as it may have been was dragons. You stood there in your leather armor talking to Charlie who seemed to be laughing with you. It was clear that Romania made you two closer. You seemed to thrive in this environment. You loved this job and it was clear with the way you handled everything. "Wand at the ready!" a man said. "Let the kid try first Markus." Charlie halted.

A dragon thrashed in his cage, growling. You walked up to the cage, getting closer than most of the workers had been able to. The dragon clearly recognized you. "Zephyr... Calm. Remember what we practiced." You said softly. The dragon almost seemed conflicted as it grunted. It shifted but seemed to relax. "Have any weasels or rabbits?" You asked. They handed you a dead rabbit and you tossed it to the dragon as a reward. "I say, you will probably have the quickest time compared to the other two students." A ministry worker said. "I almost feel like I have a unfair advantage." you said. "You do. But everyone cheats in this thing." Charlie said. You nodded. "Hey. You've got this Y/n... Have you thought about what you're going to do with the reward money?" Charlie asked, sitting on a crate. You rolled your eyes, sitting next to him. Both of you had moved close enough that the group could hear you very well now. "I don't know if I'm going to even win." You said. "Okay, okay. But let's say that you do. What will you do with the money?" Charlie asked. You pondered. "Give it to Fred and George." you said.

Fred and George looked at each other, shocked by your answer. "Really? None of it for yourself?" Charlie asked. "Dad's family comes from money, on top of that, both of my parents work. I'm set for now. I don't need the money. Fred and George though? They have an underground business going on and I think they are going places. They just need the money for it." You said. "Can I ask you something?" He asked. You nodded. "What's going on with you and my brother?" Charlie asked. "Which brother are you talking about?" You avoided the question. Charlie gave you a "You know exactly who I'm talking about" look. You sighed with a nervous blush. "I don't know." you said. Harry looked over at the twins who were listening intently.

"Sometimes I think that he likes me too, other times I know that he's two years older than me and he probably sees me as a kid." you said. George looked over at Fred who was swallowing hard. Charlie shook his head. "I don't think he does. The letter he wrote me about you seemed pretty damn genuine." Charlie said. "What do you mean?" You asked. "I asked him to send me a character reference for the apprenticeship." Oh no. no no no. Fred was the only person who was asked for this outside of faculty members, he knew now they were talking about him. "Hold on a minute." Charlie said. He walked away, leaving you alone for a few minutes. George snuck over to Hermione, Ginny, Harry and Ron. "Aye. This is getting way too personal, you guys should go." George said. Hermione was already sneaking back, as was Ginny. Harry frowned and Fred just seemed to be... Frozen.

His feelings were only just now hitting the poor jackass. "Here." Charlie said, handing you a letter. You sat there, silently reading the letter. First off: Fred could write really well. It was a talent you had no idea he had. The other thing was that it definitely showed some degree of him liking you. Course he described you as "The best friend I didn't mean to gain but glad that I did" which made you slightly unsure if Charlie was right or not. "He is definitely in love with you." Charlie said. "He calls me his best friend Charlie." You halted. "My brother does not write like that unless there's a driving force behind his emotions. He. Loves. You." He said. Harry looked over at Fred and George sighed, looking down. Harry gave a questioning look to Fred but his face said it all. The defeat and acceptance on his face said it all.

The group left and went back to the common room. "Harry? Buddy? Say something." Ron said. "My sister." Is all Harry began with. Fred sighed, running a hand over his face. "You have a ton of girls around you. And you choose my SISTER!?" Harry gaped. Fred couldn't meet the boy's eyes. "Harry. Lay off." Ron said before both Fred and George looked over with a surprised look. "Y/n has proven to be more than capable of navigating things on her own. I don't think Fred even planned this much less knew of his own feelings." Ron said. "...Ron you've been hanging with Hermione way too much." George said. "Well at least I got a little smarter." He shrugged. Harry ran a hand over his face. "I need sleep. That's it. I need to sleep." he said walking away. Fred sat there on the couch in silence, Ron and George sitting in the chairs near him. "What are you going to do?" George asked. "Ignore it." Fred muttered. "What?" Ron and George asked. "Got anything better? Because I'm all ears here!" he asked. Panic was on the boy's face, his eyes wild. "Her uncles could kill me! Her brother, who is a very close friend of mine is pissed! What the hell am I supposed to do!?" Fred asked.

George sighed and leaned forward. "Ignore the outside opinions and go for it." George finally said. "Did you not just--" "I heard you. But when have other people ever influenced your decisions?" George asked. "You have. A lot." He muttered. "Because we're a team and a team makes decisions together." George said. Ron nodded. "I think he should go for it." Ron said. "Go for what?" you asked, walking in. The guys all froze and you blinked. "You guys okay? You seem tense." You said. "We're all good." George said. "Right... I'm going to bed I'm tired." you shrugged before leaving.

You stepped into the dorm, Ginny and Hermione looking over. "You guys are still up?" you asked. "Yeah. Y/n, sit down we've got somethings to tell you." Hermione said. You sat down, confused. "Is something wrong?" You asked. "We know about you liking Fred." Ginny said. Your heart dropped. "Uhm... what?" you asked, voice small. "We know." Hermione repeated. "Who knows?" You asked. "What?" Ginny asked. "Who all knows?" You asked. "...George, Ron, Harry--" "Fuck." you whined. "And Fred." Ginny added making your face drop. "What!?" You gaped. "Your brother decided to follow you out, we went with him figuring that you were going out to whatever challenge was happening. We were right to an extent but then Charlie and you started talking. Me and Hermione left, George tried to get Harry to at least go but then Charlie started talking and it was too late." Ginny said. You ran your hand over your face before getting up. "Where are you going?" "Out."

You ended up sneaking outside, sitting on the ground near the whomping willow. Filch never really walked over to the area so you felt in the clear. You were picking at the grass, looking over the hillside. You weren't exactly thrilled, having a crush on an older boy. If you could take back your feelings, by God you would. This was scary and tiring all at once. Harry was probably pissed, the girls probably were judging the hell out of you right now and Fred... God Fred probably thought you were ridiculous.

"Y/n?" A voice called. You looked over to see Sirius with a backpack. "Uncle Padfoot?" You said confused. You looked over at the moon. It wasn't full yet, so what was he-- You saw his backpack and instantly knew. "Brewing a Wolfsbane potion?" You asked. He sat down his bag with a nod, sitting next to you. "It's almost three in the morning, what are you still doing up?" He asked. "A lot on my mind." You muttered. "Is it the tournament? We got the letter you were in it." He asked. You shook your head. "Talk to me pup." He said. You hesitantly explained your situation and Sirius chuckled.

"James is going to hate this." He said. "I don't know what to do Padfoot. I feel like he's going to think I'm crazy-- I don't want to ruin our friendship but I think I just did!" You groaned into your hands. Sirius patted your back. "Y/n, you didn't ruin anything, if worst come to worse, play dumb." He teased. Your lack of laughter told him you were seriously conflicted. "Y/n... You may be young. But the possibility is not impossible, in fact it's very likely he feels the same." Sirius said. "How do you know that?" You asked. "Because when I visited you over the summer I also went to the Weasleys about three days after. I wanted Molly to know." He said. "When I showed up Fred was pestering me with so many questions. I let him know you were 'sick' and even then he was worried." Sirius said. "What if he doesn't feel the same Padfoot?" You asked. Sirius looked over at you. "What if he does?"

You ended up going back to the dorms. Breakfast that morning had a noticeable absence of you. You didn't show up for dinner either. Fred was now very much aware that you knew that he knew. Ginny hadn't seen you for the next few mornings, Hermione only saw you walking to classes but never in your dorm. In fact, if it weren't for the signs of you actually coming back to the dorms and Peeves confirming that he had seen you to the twins, everyone would've assumed you just left. Today though, there was no avoiding you. It was the day of the first challenge. Your mother, father and uncles were all waiting with you in the tent as the other champions were preparing. "You've got this Y/n." Sirius said. You nodded, putting on a pair of gloves. You wished Fred was here to calm your nerves but he wasn't. You were the one that drew the Horntail. That dragon did not like you, nor did it take to training like the others. This one was aggressive. Though, you knew exactly how to deal with that.

Harry hugged you. "You kick ass out there." He said. "Will do." you said. "Potter. You're up." You stepped out of the tent and James wrapped his arm around Lily who was clearly nervous for her daughter. You stepped out, the crowd roaring for you. You swallowed hard, seeing Fred sit up straight as he watched you. Fred mouthed "are you okay?" mouthed. "Kill. me." you mouthed back, earning a small smile. Then you heard it. The unsettling growl rang out and you drew your wand. Charlie stood in the tent, watching you. "Accio Ranger." you said sharply. "The hell is a ranger?" Peter asked James who was shrugging in response. A small tube flew to your hand and you stood guard. You side stepped near the golden egg and it lunged, you pressing a button on the side of the tube like object. A blade shot out of it earning a few gasps from the crowd.

"Come on Y/n... Do the thing." Charlie muttered. "There's more?" Remus asked. "Oh hell yes there's more. A ranger is used by dragon tamer's all the time." Charlie said. Harry turned back to you. The dragon roared in your face but you stood your ground, again pointing your wand at the sword. "Incendio." you said. Fire emitted from your wand, lighting the blade on fire. George gaped at the sight, you standing there waving the blade around. The dragon's eyes followed it as you crept over to the egg, grabbing it slowly. It geared up and you frowned. "Crap." You muttered. Flames shot out and you blocked it with your wand, pushing back with the blade and making the dragon retreat. "DOWN." You yelled. It seemed like you were scolding the creature. It roared in protest but you didn't budge. "STAY." you said. Again the creature grumbled but you began to walk back before the dragon decided to try to attack one last time. "LOOK OUT!" Fred yelled. You turned around quick enough to put out the fireball that shot towards you. You booked it back to the tent and Charlie high-fived you. "That's my girl! Kicking ass and taking names!" James said, lifting you into a hug. You laughed and Harry smiled.

There was the sound of the tent's curtain like entrance being shoved back before a rapid pair of footsteps and a hug for you. You pulled away to see Fred. "When that stupid thing shot that last fireball at you-- I-I thought--" "I'm okay Freddie, I promise." You said. He looked in your eyes and Lily blinked. James opened his mouth but Lily pulled him back. Fred didn't move and neither did you before he leaned down and kissed your forehead, hugging you again.

He walked you back to the common room, the Gryffindors cheering as you entered. "You did it, you crazy girl!" Dean laughed. You nodded, holding up the egg. "Oh oh! Open it!" Ginny said. You sat it on the table, twisting its top and opening the egg to hear a loud deafening screech. You closed it and everyone went silent. "What the bloody hell was that!?" Ron asked. "The egg!" You gaped. "Why the hell does the egg do that!?" George asked. A valid question that no one seemed to have the answer to.

You never sat down and addressed the forehead kiss with Fred but you definitely were closer. He was busy trying to crack the egg with you. "Miss Potter!" Mcgonagall called as you were sitting in the library with Fred and the egg. You walked over to her and she seemed excited. "have you found a partner for the ball yet?" she asked. "The... What?" you asked. Mcgonagall rose a brow. "The Yule ball. All Champions must participate in the opening dance miss Potter. I thought you were aware." She said. "I just battled a dragon and now I have to dance? This really is hell." You whined. "Might I suggest the boy who was with you all week this week?" Mcgonagall said. You turned around "I don't think--" And she was gone.

You sighed and sat back down. "What's got you beat? Do you need to fight another dragon?" Fred asked. "Apparently I need a date to the Yule." You sighed. "It's not enough that I'm risking my life for the damn cup but now I have to suffer at a dance." You muttered. Fred looked over, a small blush rising to his cheeks. "I could... Be your date." he muttered. You looked over. "What was that?" You asked. "I could uhm... Be your date... If you want." He said. You nodded slowly. "Yeah.. That uhm... That would be nice." you replied, cheeks warm and slowly turning red.

You excused yourself and went to the common room. Ginny and Hermione looked over as you walked in like you had seen something indescribable. "Y/n? Are you alright?" Ginny asked. "He asked me to the ball." you muttered. "who?" Hermione asked. "Fred." You said. Both girls gaped. "HE DID WHAT!?" They asked in unison. Fred walked in and George emerged from the dorms. "You good Y/n?" George asked. "Yep. I'm uhm... I'm great actually." You said, looking over at Fred. Fred couldn't help but smile and you smiled back. "We've got to talk dresses. Now!" Hermione said. "What?" You asked, halfway listening to her. "Oh and heels!" Ginny added. "Wait what-- OW! MY ARM IS ATTACHED TO MY BODY YOU GUYS!" You whined as the girls dragged you off. "What was that about?" George asked. "I asked Y/n the ball." Fred said. George blinked. "You fucking did it!" he exclaimed, clearly excited. "Yeah. Yeah I did-- Does the air feel thin to you?" Fred asked. George snorted. "That's just your nerves Freddie. Come on, I need help with the orders." George said. Fred nodded and went upstairs into the dorms.

As the week pushed on, dance courses were now mandatory. Fred noticed your less than enthusiastic response to having to learn this type of etiquette. "Sorry!" You sighed as you yet again stepped on Fred's foot. "Y/n, I already said it's okay." He said softly. "I know I just... I feel ridiculous. At least Harry wasn't born with Dad's two left feet. I unfortunately did." you muttered. "Well on the bright side you got your mother's good eye sight." He said. "That's true. And I got my dad's sense of humor." You nodded earning a smile from Fred. "Try to relax Y/n. It's just me." Fred said. "That's what makes me kind of nervous Fred." you said in a flat tone. He chuckled and pulled you slightly closer. "Come now, I don't bite Potter." He teased. Your face was red as you danced and Fred couldn't help but smile. "I don't think we ever talked about us." He said. Oh god. "I figured we were going to ignore it..." You muttered. "Look, Fred I don't want you to feel obligated to like me. Hell, I don't want you to feel like you have to be near me if you don't want to be. I think we have a good friendship and I don't want to fuck that up." you explained. "Gotten it off your chest yet?" He asked. "Yes." you nodded. "I like you Y/n. You're smart, you're funny, you've got a good head on your shoulders, you're beautiful and your badass." He began. "But." you said, awaiting something else. "There is no but. I like you. I don't want you to push yourself to be in something you might not be ready for." He said. "... You're not worried about the age difference?" You asked. "There's a three year difference. That's not exactly your uncle and his girlfriend." Fred said. You nodded in agreement. "Tonks is pretty young. Really sweet though-- how do you know about Tonks?" you asked. "She works as an Auror for the ministry." He said.

“Ten points to Gryffindor for the wonderful dancing of Mister Weasley and Miss Potter!” Mcgonagall announced, making you aware of the class. You swallowed hard. “Can we take a walk?” You asked Fred. He nodded, walking out with the rest of the students as they were dismissed. You ended up talking more, walking around the grounds with Fred. By the end of it Fred’s hand was intertwined with yours and he was whispering in your ear at how happy he was to be with you.

He dropped you off at the common room, smiling like a moron as he left and you were grinning ear to ear. “What’s with you?” “Yeah, you look like Dobby when he got socks from Harry.” Hermione said making you laugh. “I’m dating Fred.” you said. Tea shot out of Ginny’s mouth, extinguishing the small flame in the fire place. “He actually-- Wow! He seemed so unsure at first I..” She said. “I don’t know, I guess he decided to commit.” You said. “Have you written to your mum about a dress yet? Or are we going to Hogsmeade for one?” Hermione asked. You grimaced. “Oh come on Y/n--” “Uhm... Excuse me.” A voice said.

You turned to see Viktor Krum. “I was wondering if I could speak with Her...Mione? Is that right?” He asked. “You said it right.” You nodded. “Sure?” Hermione said, walking away with him. “Wonder what that’s about.” Ginny said. “He’s asking her to the Yule.” You said. “What?!” Ginny asked. “He asked me if she’d be interested before the first trial.” You said. “Also, you’re going to get a date soon.” you said, sitting on the couch. “What? Who?” Ginny asked. “You’ll see.” you said with a smile. “Y/nnn!” Ginny whined. “You will see!” you laughed.

Well within the week Ginny was asked by Neville Longbottom. She was surprised but found friendship in the guy so she said yes. Your mother also sent you a dress. A very beautiful dress that nearly made the girls pass out from excitement. Tonight was the night though, Fred constantly readjusting his tie out of nervousness. Ginny came down the stairs with Neville. “She looks amazing Fred, really.” She told him. “She always does.” Fred said. “Oh you should see Hermione, she looks so pretty.” A girl with blonde hair said. Hermione soon came down, taking Viktor’s hand with a smile. And then it was you. You walked down the steps and Fred froze.

Your hair was pulled back, you smiling as you saw Fred. “Merlin’s beard you’re beautiful.” He gaped. “Can you do me a favor?” You asked. He nodded. “Don’t. Let. Me. Fall.” You said. He nodded and you took his hand, standing with the rest of the champions. Fred was surprised when you started speaking Russian with Viktor. He seemed amused by whatever you were discussing, laughing on occasion.

The doors eventually opened and you walked forward, your names being announced. The opening dance commenced and you were surprised to find yourself not tripping over air as you gracefully moved. Fred was so focused on you that you found yourself getting lost in his eyes. You smiled, as did he, telling you sweet little compliments. You were smiling, looking at your friends who were also dancing with their partners. Harry smiled, watching his little sister. Did he necessarily approve? No, but at least you were happy.

As the evening continued, you and Fred were laughing and dancing. When that tired you out you were sitting in the hall with food, talking on the stairs. “So then he proceeded to ski out the door.” You laughed. “What did your mum do!?” Fred asked. “Didn’t let him back inside till about four in the morning because dad started singing ‘I will always love you’ and our neighbors were beginning to complain.” You laughed. Fred chuckled. “This is the most fun I’ve had outside of hanging out with George.” He said. “I’m having fun too.” you said with smile. He brushed hair out of your eyes, smiling at you. “I think I... Really want to kiss you.” He muttered. “I think I really want you to kiss me.” you muttered. He pressed a kiss to your lips.

He and you ended up parting ways around midnight, you having this smile on your face. Around three in the morning though, you were awoken by someone. “Ginny?” You asked groggily. “Charlie wants to talk to you.” Ginny yawned. You walked downstairs to see Charlie, Percy, Mcgonagall and Bill all standing there. “Y/n, good you’re here.” Percy said. “Do the boys know you’re here or is it just me and Ginny?” You asked. “They don’t know, sit please.” Percy said. “Hold it Percy. She’s never met Bill before and I’ve heard an interesting update that I must talk about.” Charlie halted. Bill extended his hand and you shook it. “I have met him before. Not like this though.” You said. “What’s this about you dating my brother?” Bill asked, a small smirk. “Oh, uhm--” “Mister Weasley I must ask that we stay. on. task.” Mcgonagall said. “Minnie you’re no fun!” Charlie whined. “There are more pressing matters at hand.” She said. “Fine.” He huffed.

“Percy, you tell her.” Bill said. “I suspect you remember Fenrir Greyback.” He said. “The bastard that almost killed me? Yeah, I remember.” You said flatly. “We believe he’s somewhere on campus.” Charlie said. “What? Why?” You asked. “We think he’s after you. You almost led to his arrest, you testified in court, you have a lot pointing against him. From now on Bill is going to be escorting you from classes, you will not be alone.” Percy explained. “What about the competition?” You asked. “We’re surprised you even want to be in it after what we’ve explained.” Mcgonagall said. “No offense to you, truly. But I did not learn to friggin waltz for nothing. I am going to be in this until it’s done.” you said. “That puts you even more at a risk Y/n.” Percy said. “I. Don’t. Care.” you said. “Miss Potter, they present--” “If he wants me, he can work his way to me. Until then I’ll accept Bill’s help but I am not stopping my own life because someone wants to take it.” you said.

The group all stared but nodded in agreement. “I can respect that.” Bill said. “While I disagree with your methods, we can’t refuse them. So for now we’ll support you.” Percy said. “Now can we drop the sad stuff and gossip?” Charlie asked. “I think it’s best if Miss Potter went off to bed.” Mcgonagall said. “Uggghh.” Charlie whined as you shook your head and went back to the dorms. “I’ll let you know.” Bill said to Charlie. “Godsend. You. Are. A. Godsend.”

No one in the group knew what happened. All they knew was that Bill was suddenly there. After a few days they got used to it. Today, you had three days to figure out the purpose of the egg. It sat on the Great Hall table, all of you staring at it. “Have you solved the next trial? I can’t figure it out..” Viktor asked, his arm around Hermione. Ron seemed to grit his teeth at the sight, keeping an angry silence over him.“No. Can’t seem to figure it out, all the fucking egg does is scream. Why would it make noise if it was just...” You paused. “What?” Fred asked. “It makes noise because it has another purpose.” You said. “I need to muffle the sound!” you said, snapping your fingers in realization. “I love it when she has good ideas.” Fred chuckled, George rolling his eyes. Bill smiled as you kissed Fred, walking to the bathroom.

“You don’t need to follow Bill.” You sighed as you walked towards the baths. “You know the rules.” He said. “My god you ministry workers love your rules don’t you.” you sighed. You walked into the baths, Bill standing outside the door. “Oh now you draw the line.” you said with an eyeroll. “I assume you’re there to take a bath.” he said. “Nope. Puzzle solving.” You said. Bill blinked. “What?” “Well come and find out dude.” you laughed. You turned on the water, taking off your shoes. “What are you--” You put the egg on the edge of the tub, walking in. “You’re getting wet!” Bill said. “No! You don’t say!” You said sarcastically before putting the egg under the water. “Y/n I don’t think--” you went under, uniform and all. “Y/n!” Bill sighed, running a hand over his face.

It wasn’t long before you popped back up. “I’ve got it! The next trial is at the black lake!” You said. “I’m also going to need something for breathing underwater.” you added. “Y/n, have you lost your mind?” Bill asked. “Have you met my father?” you asked. Bill went silent, opening his mouth before closing it. “... Fair point.” He nodded. You went back to the dorms, changing uniforms and walking back out. “Your hair is still wet--” “Do I look like I care?” you asked. “I’m beginning to see why Fred is dating you.” Bill sighed, following you to the library. “Have you told any of your friends? About... Him?” Bill asked. “Only Fred knows. If my brother found out he’d lose his shit.” you said. You walked into the library, Viktor looking up. “and?” He asked. You sat down, whispering to him. Bill sighed, looking around at the familiar place. He recalled a time where he would come here to avoid his dragon obsessed brother. A blonde girl walked past him in the powder blue uniform.

He blinked a few times, clearing his throat as he looked at her. “Hey, Fleur!” you called. She turned around, Bill’s heart pounding in his chest. “Come here for a second.” you said. She walked over, you telling her. “why are you telling her?” Viktor asked. “we all deserve an equal playing ground Krum. At least this way we’re somewhat equal” you said. He sighed but nodded. “What did we lose?” Fleur asked. “That’s what I can’t figure out.” you admitted. “We’ll find out then I guess.” Krum shrugged. You looked over at Bill who looked like he was frozen. “Bill, you good?” You asked. “What? Oh I’m fine.” he coughed. You noticed his sights on Fleur and resisted a snort, shaking your head and turning back to the conversation.

You never had a clear cut answer for what was “lost” or how to breathe underwater. Not until the say of the trial. You stood on the docks, Fred nowhere to be found. “George, where’s Fred?” you asked. “Yeah I want to meet my daughter’s boyfriend.” Lily said, making your cheeks flush. George furrowed his brow. “I thought he was with you?” He said. “No--” “Has anyone seen Hermione?” Viktor asked. You frowned, looking over at Fleur who was looking for your sister. Your heart dropped, Sirius walking over. “Found you some Gillyweed pup. You can breathe underwater-- are you alright?” Sirius asked. “I know what the trial is.” you breathed, George looking confused until he realized what you were saying. “Oh. My. God.” George gasped. “What’s going on?” James asked.

“Champions at the ready.” Dumbledore announced. “Pup, take the Gillyweed. It’ll help you breathe underwater.” Sirius said. You nodded, downing it before standing with the contestants. “GO!”

Your body collided with the water, gills growing on you as you swam. You swam through the lake, seeing the creatures around you with wide eyes. You had seen this before, but it was less fun when you were shoved in. That’s when you remembered. Oh shit. Mermaids.

You swam deep into the water, cautious to avoid the wrath of the creatures before finding the students. Hermione, Fleur’s sister Gabrielle and Fred all tied. Viktor looked over, grabbing Hermione and exiting the water before you freed Fred. You looked around for Fleur but found nothing. Someone had to get Gabrielle. You swam over, a trident aimed at your throat. You used a charm to keep them back before grabbing both of them and swimming.

Viktor came out of the water. “Oi, Rasputin.” Sirius called. “That’s not my name--” “Yeah, I don’t care, where is Y/n?” Sirius asked. “She was getting the Weasley boy last I saw.” He said. Bill frowned. “They put my brother in the water-- what the hell is this thing?” Bill asked. “Where have you been all morning?” George asked. “Talking to Minerva. Y/n was with the school as a whole so I was okay to not be with her.” Bill said. “You’ve been watching Y/n? Why?” George asked. “Uhm--” Fleur came back up empty handed and Lily looked at James. “We both know why this is taking a long time” She muttered. “She’s strong Lily, you know that.” Remus said. Fred came up, gasping for air and pulling Gabrielle up. “Where’s Y/n?” Fred asked. “She’s not down there with you?” George asked, pulling Gabrielle out and extending his hand to his brother. “I don’t--” Your head shot out of the water.

“SWIM NOW!” you said, shoving Fred. Fred took George’s hand before he pulled him out of the water. George extended his hand to you and you reached for it before being pulled under by something. Sirius frowned. “James, you remember what’s down there.” Sirius said. Peter frowned and answered before James. “Mermaids.” he said. You shot back out, climbing out of the water yourself. “I HATE THIS BLOODY LAKE!” you said. Fred hugged you, brushing the hair out of your face. “Are you alright?” He asked. “I’m fine! I’m fine. Still hate mermaids as much as I did my first year but I’m fine” you breathed. He pressed a kiss to your forehead and Lily ran over. “Oh darling, you had me worried sick!” she breathed. “Mum I’m fine--” Sirius lifted you into a hug and you seemed to be lacking air. “Can’t. Breathe.” you gasped. “Oh shit-- sorry Pup!” He said letting go. “You saved my sister-- thank you!” Fleur said, hugging you. “There is a whole lot of hugging going around.” You chuckled, hugging Fleur back.

You all sat in the common room, James, Remus, Peter and Sirius asking a ton of questions to Fred. “so why my daughter?” “If you hurt her we will kill you.” “How well do you do in school?” “Guys would you chill out!?” You said. “We’re just curious.” James said. “Oh shut it dad, we all know you want to wring his neck.” you said with an eyeroll. Bill chuckled and you sighed. “So are you going to explain why Bill has been with us or are you keeping us in the dark along with everything else?” Harry asked. “It’s confidential.” you and Bill said in unison. “My god, I believe we have a future ministry worker on our hands.” Sirius said making James snort. You rolled your eyes. “I’m going to bed.” you said. “Get ready for next week and kick some ass!” James said. “Mister Potter, watch your mouth.” Mcgonagall said. “MINNIE!” Remus, James, Peter and Sirius all exclaimed as you left.

As the week carried on you felt like you were being watched. More so than usual. You kept it to yourself, knowing damn well if you voiced your discomfort to Bill, he would be on high alert and NEVER leave you alone. Fred noticed your attention seemed to be elsewhere though and suspected something was wrong as you would be looking over your shoulder every few moments. You didn’t realize your suspicions were correct.

There you stood in the stadium, the maze entrance intimidating as you looked at it with wide eyes. Fred walked over. “Good luck Princess.” he said. You kissed him, him smiling. You turned back to the made with a small frown. “Nervous?” he asked. “No I just... I’ve got a bad feeling.” You said. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Fred asked. “I’ll be okay Freddie.” You said. “Alright. Kick some ass babe.” He said. You laughed and turned back to the maze.

“On your marks!”

You readied up.

“Get set!”

Your focus was on the maze and for a second you swore you saw someone walk through it.

“GO!”

You raced through the maze, the feeling of being watched amplifying as you moved. You swore there was someone following you. You heard a scream in the maze. “FLEUR!?” you called. Silence. Something was wrong. What it was, you didn’t know but something was wrong. “Viktor!? Can you hear me!?” You called. Silence. Shit. “Yes! I’m here!” He said. You moved around a corner. “Thank god” you breathed, “The maze moves.” he said. “What?” you asked before noticing a vine slither towards Viktor’s leg. You used a spell to block it. “We’ve got to move.” You said. “We can’t both win Y/n.” he said. “you can win, I don’t care we need to move.” you breathed. He shook his head. “I don’t need to win, you--” “We can argue when we see the cup right now we need to--” you saw a figure behind Krum and your heart dropped.

Fenrir Greyback.

You backed up and he moved closer. “VIKTOR RUN!” you screamed. Both of you took off, running through the maze before you both accidentally separated. You saw the glint of light, running towards it before you were stopped. Fenrir had stepped in front of you, a malicious smirk falling across his face. Viktor came from the other area and froze. “Viktor run!” You said. “Stupify--” Fenrir dodged, giving you enough time to run and grab Viktor’s hand. “What do we do?” He asked. “When we reach for the cup, he will too.” You muttered. “We don’t have a choice.” He muttered. You swallowed hard and Viktor shook his head. “That cup is the only way back unless...” He turned around to see the ways closing. Viktor looked at you and then backed up. “Viktor what are you--” “Use the cup!” He said before getting grabbed by the vines.

You swallowed hard, Fenrir lunged, tackling you and knocking over the cup. His hand raised, prepared to claw you as you yelled “ACCIO” and the cup hit your hands as his claws ripped your skin. Blood seeped through your shirt, him biting you as the location changed.

A bloodcurdling scream emitted from you as you hit the ground, Bill sprinting forward and knocking him back. Fred stood up, eyes wide as his girlfriend seemed to struggle for her own life. Percy emerged from a nearby tent, binding Fenrir. “You’re too late Weasley.” He spat. You coughed up blood, your parents, uncles, brother and boyfriend all running down to you. “Even if she survives she’ll be stuck with the same affliction as me.” He laughed. Remus had fear coursing through him as he looked at you and then Fenrir. “Just like her Uncle.” He added. “You Son of a--” you coughed again, head in Fred’s lap. “Stay with us princess.” Fred begged. “I-I’m sorry.” You whispered. “MEDIC!” James yelled. “I’m so sorry--” “shhh baby, you’re going to be fine” Lily hushed. “GOD DAMN IT WE NEED A MEDIC!” James yelled. Madame Pomfrey ran over with a stretcher, lifting you up. “Parents only.” She halted the group. “That’s my sister you--” “Harry, calm down we have to trust they know what they’re doing.” Sirius said.

George, Ron, Ginny and Hermione all ran down, standing with them. “She’ll never make it.” Fenrir said as Bill carried him off. “They never do.”

Thirteen hours. No one had heard anything for hours. Viktor sat with your friends, bringing them whatever they needed, water, food. Molly and Arthur both came in as well, praying that you would make it. Charlie sat in the hall with them outside of the medical wing, Fred pacing back and forth. “She will make it Fred.” George said. “What if she doesn’t?” Fred asked. “She will.” Remus said. “But what if she doesn’t!?” Fred asked again. “Y/n needs us. She needs you to have faith that she will make it Freddie.” Molly said. He put his face in his hands. “I can’t lose her mum-- I can’t” He whimpered. She hugged her son, the door opening. Everyone stood up.

“She’s alright.” James said. Relief instantly washed over the group. “It’s a miracle. Honestly. She didn’t even take to lycanthropy.” Pomfrey said, walking out. Blood was on her apron, bad sign but considering the adults outside of Pomfrey said you were okay, they didn’t think much of it. “Come on in you guys.” James said. Fred was the first through the door, seeing you wincing. “Ow-- Mum bandages don’t get any tighter--” “I’m trying to make sure they won’t fall off!” She huffed. Fred came into your line of view, your face softening at the sight. Lily sighed, taking a step back to allow Fred to get to you. He kneeled, pressing a kiss to your forehead. You looked at him, smiling softly. “Fred I wanted to tell you that I love you. So much. Even though it’s been a short while since we’ve started dating... I knew that when I woke up I had to tell you.” you said softly. He smiled. “I love you too Princess.” He said.

Sounds of sobbing came from your dad. “It-- IT’S JUST SO PURE LILY! I WANNA HATE HIM SO BAD!” He whined. “James calm down--” “THEY ARE JUST LIKE US!” He cried into his wife’s shoulder as she dragged him out of the room. Harry shook his head. “Harry I’m so sorry I never told you anything. I just--” “Y/n, it’s okay. I know I overreact. I get it from the moron standing in the hall.” He said. Sirius chuckled. “I’m glad that... you aren’t..” Remus halted. “I’m glad you’re okay.” He said. “Moony... I want to say I’m so sorry for all of this. I know this had to have been hell for you to sit through.” You said. “It wasn’t easy. But it helped that you kept fighting.” He said. “And I’ve made a decision.” you said. “and what’s that pup?” Sirius asked. “I’m no longer studying dragons.” You said. “What? But you’re good at it!” Charlie whined. “Relax Charlie, I’ll still work next to you and your crazy beasts. I’m saying I’m not just specializing with dragons. I’m going to study werewolves.” You said. “WHAT!?” Everyone asked.

“I want there to be a way for the afflicted to live an easier life. I know for a fact that I’m not the only victim, and I came out with the luckiest outcome.” you said. Remus blinked. “There’s no telling the exact numbers that came from that asshole but I want a way to help those with no choice. By studying to be a ‘beastmaster’ in school I can still pursue dragons and I can help werewolves.” you said. Sirius looked over at Remus who was both shocked and crying at your decision. “Not you too Moony.” Sirius chuckled. “She has such a good heart.” He said with a smile, wiping away the tears. “We brought you something dear. We didn’t get to give it to you at Christmas.” Molly said.

She stepped forward and handed you a small wrapped present. It was a Weasley sweater. “You’ll always have a place in our family.” She said. “Regardless of you dating Fred or not.” Arthur added.

It was a slow recovery but it ended up fine in the end as your third year came to a close. The Triwizard cup rested in a glass cabinet with quidditch trophies. Then Cornelius gave you the check for the prize money. “And we will make it out to--” “Fred or George Weasley.” You said. He looked up. “Excuse me?” Fudge asked. “Make it out to Fred or George Weasley.” you repeated. “Are you sure?” He asked. “Yep.” You nodded. After making a comment on being insane he did just as you asked.

Students wished you well over the summer all while saying goodbye to the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton students. Viktor said goodbye to Hermione, looking over at you. You walked over. “Viktor I just want to say-” “It was nothing Potter. I’m glad you’re okay.” He said. You both smiled, hugging each other goodbye. “kick some ass out there Krum.” you said. “Stay wild Rider.” He said, walking away. Fred walked over. “Think you’ll miss him?” He asked. “Yeah. But I’ve got you.” You said with a smile. He smiled and you gasped. “Wait! I need to talk to you and George!” you gasped. “Oookay?” Fred said confused before you took his hand, running off.

You found George talking to Angelina. “George! I’ve gotta talk to you!” You said. You sat both of the boys down. “What’s this about?” George asked. You handed George the check. George said nothing, grabbing Fred’s arm as he read the check. “What?” Fred asked. “You’re actually giving us the money!?” George asked. “What!?” Fred asked, gaping at the sight. “Think of it as a business investment.” You said. “Darling this is enough to buy the business!” Fred said. “Oorrr to buy you guys a building after you graduate.” you suggested. “Or-- Oh my god you sneaky little minx!” George gaped. “We knew you wanted to give it to us we just figured maybe you’d give it to Krum or something.” Fred said. “Krum is a world renowned quidditch player. I think he he’s good on money you guys.” you laughed.

Fred hugged you, as did George. “Y/n!” Charlie called. “Another apprenticeship?” George asked. “This time in Germany.” you said with a smile. “Have fun.” Fred said, kissing you. “I’m coming back next month on the sixth, mark your calendar.” you said with a smile. Fred nodded. “Y/n! Come on!!!” Charlie said. “Bye!” You said hugging the two boys one last time before running off with Charlie. George looked over at Fred who was watching you with a loving smile.

“You better marry that girl one day Fred. We gotta lock her in somehow and make her a Weasley.” George laughed. “Oh trust me. One day I will.” Fred said. “God, think of all the things in the business we could buy with this.” George said. “Oh we need more Amortentia.” Fred said. “We can get the ingredients. Oh! we could sell liquid luck!” George said. “We can finally experiment with the Pigmy puffs!” George added, Fred walking with a smile. George started listing off all of the possibilities as they walked to the train station, ready to start their new futures.

The future was so bright, and strangely, it was just beginning.

Taglist: @amhyeah @newtaholic-staygold @bbeauttyybbx @fleurho @yodeadxss @mariah-can-dream

#fred weasley x reader #fred weasley x you #fred weasley

90 notes · View notes

wolf-and-bard · 3 years

Note

*Giggles at all of your cute chaos cousins posts* *Imagines Ciri’s royal family meeting her Witcher family* I was just wondering if you might wanna write a little something to satisfy my craving for some everyone lives fluff? ❤️ I’m honestly just imagining sweet sea hound Eist meeting and making friends with the wolf boys XD

My friend ♥️ Do excuse the long wait, my brain was not in the mood for fluff for a bit there. This did turn out rather silly, but I hope you can enjoy it anyway! Maybe don't take it too seriously 😂

Everyone lives family-floof (with some vaguely implied Lambskel), rated T, 3.1k. Enjoy!

„Welcome, welcome,“ the crashing mine-cart voice of Crach en Craite boomed up the gangway which Geralt treaded lightly, Ciri clinging to his backside. The girl had slept through half of their ship’s journey and was still softly snoring. Geralt could feel drool against his neck, but he didn’t mind so much with her. It made him bite down on a smile as he set foot on the wooden planks of the dock.

The air around them was filled with the general clamour of Ard Skellig’s harbour, people that embarked and disembarked from various vessels, traders that carried wares to and fro, merchants that advertised their wares, children that spent their lazy afternoons watching the various ships dock.

Nothing of the wars with Nilfgaard had reached the Skellige Isles, not a single galley of the Black Ones, nor yet a spark of the fires that consumed the Northern Kingdoms. Nothing of the wars had reached their host either. Crach stood as a proud and stout warrior with open arms and a stately set of his shoulders, smiling broadly through his thick beard.

“Well met, Jarl,” Geralt said.

„Geralt of Rivia,“ he hollered and laughed and came up to Geralt to greet him before he noticed Ciri on his back. „By Freya, if it isn’t my dear cousin.“ Ciri perked up at that, and laughed when she saw the low bow Crach was giving her. She tugged on Geralt’s hair and he let her down with a grunt.

“Cousin Crach,” she squealed and barrelled into him under his thunderous laughter.

Geralt crossed his arms and smiled as the two of them hugged out their reunion, Crach bent low to wrap his huge arms around Ciri’s body, still small in spite of all the training she had done under the witchers’ careful instruction. Speaking of which…

“Man, this place stinks,” Lambert complained as he joined Geralt on the dock. His face was slightly pale, had taken on a greenish taint, and he wore a constant scowl. “Please don’t tell me all they have to eat is fish, I’d kill for a roasted chicken leg right now.”

“Fine, I won’t tell you,” Eskel said and he too took up position on Geralt’s side. Vesemir was the last to leave the ship, having chatted with the captain about sightings of rare sea creatures all journey long, and he looked as vivacious and happy as Lambert looked annoyed and sickly. A flush was spread over his cheeks and a bounce suffused his step making him seem younger than the lot of them which was a ridiculous notion. Geralt huffed, and jostled Lambert lightly.

“Fuck off!” the youngest wolf yapped and jostled him right back.

“I brought my family,” Ciri announced when she wound out of Crach’s embrace and her eyes glittered, a sea-weed green under the afternoon sun which hung in a cloudless sky. Her chest swelled in pride as she waved Crach over to introduce them.

“You know Geralt of course,” she said and Crach and Geralt exchanged another nod. Crach winked and Geralt bit down on his laughter. “The greatest witcher to ever walk the Continent!”

“I have a thing or two to say to that,” Vesemir huffed.

“You’re right, the second-greatest witcher to ever walk the Continent. Vesemir taught him,” Ciri explained and Crach saluted Vesemir loosely, then turned to the other two.

“These are my uncles Eskel and Lambert.”

“Not your uncle, kiddo,” Lambert grumbled.

“As you can see, Uncle Lambert is a massive killjoy. But he can be fun if he wants to be, he taught me how to make bombs.”

Geralt waited for the realization to hit Crach, the sudden understanding that having this girl live with four witchers of all people might have been the worst thing to happen to her, and that he should have them all executed for their crimes against the crown. But Crach only chuckled which, if anything, made Lambert even more suspicious. Geralt could see it in his narrowed eyes.

“Uncle Eskel is the best cook ever and he’s so strong. He once carried me and Uncle Lambert to bed when we fell asleep playing Gwent on the battlements. He makes a super strong herbal tea and he knows all about the weirdest kinds of monsters, those even witchers get to fight rarely. But don’t cross him, I hear his Axiis can knock you right out.”

“They can,” Eskel said, a faint blush clinging to his cheeks. “But so can my fists. Thank you for having us, Jarl.”

“I don’t have a fucking clue what you’re talking about, but I’m sure these men are great people and fine company. Welcome to all of you and my sincerest thanks for taking my cousin in. Her family is ours also and shall be welcomed on Ard Skellig henceforth. Please, dear witchers, follow me, there is much ale to toast with and a few other people that should like to make your acquaintance. Our servants have prepared a royal feast in your honour.”

“Royal feast, who gives a shit. Don’t think we will be wooed by manners and wine,” Lambert muttered and Crach laughed. “We’re only here because the brat was nagging us about it.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle Lambert,” Ciri said and batted her lashes at him. “There’ll be beer and cuss words and all the types of fish you can imagine, it’ll be right up your alley.”

“Call me uncle one more time,” Lambert said through his teeth and Eskel drew an arm around his shoulder to pull him close, then whispered something into his ear which Vesemir and Geralt heard, but the others couldn’t. Lambert flushed red, Eskel smirked, and Vesemir scowled at them. Geralt shook his head, biting down on an amused smile.

“We would love to join you in the keep,” he said. Ciri beamed at him, and so did Crach. Lambert was suspiciously quiet all the way up.

---

The moment Crach threw open the grand double doors at the end of the bridge that led into the entrance hall of Ard Skellig’s keep, a blur of reds and browns came shooting from a dark corner and barrelled straight into Ciri, knocking her over. All four witchers fell into various fighting stances immediately, their focus trailed on the heap of limbs on the floor, but as soon as Ciri’s excited giggles echoed through the great space, they relaxed.

“Cerys,” Ciri laughed and they tumbled about on the floor, Ciri and a girl that was no more than a couple years younger than she. She had flaming red hair and wore a version of Crach’s armour, adjusted to fit her still growing body. The girl grappled with Ciri, then tried to pin her down, but Ciri’s training kicked in – Geralt noticed her perfect execution of a manoeuvre that flipped their positions – and she gained the upper hand. Cerys stared up at her, wide-eyed, then burst into laughter that too matched the thunder of her father. It was amazing, coming from such a small person.

“You,” Cerys hissed between hiccups of laughter. “You abandoned me. You promised to be here for my birthday, but you abandoned me for what? This group of stinky old men?” She glared at the witchers, or tried to, but her eyes spelled mirth.

“We’re not adopting another child,” Lambert said and Eskel jostled him. Vesemir and Crach were both smiling into their beards.

“My darling Cerys,” Ciri said and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, the cheeks, the nose. Cerys howled in dismay and wriggled in Ciri’s grip, all in good humour. “How you’ve grown.” With that, Ciri let her go and pulled her cousin up with her. The girls regared each other for a long moment, then fell into a bear hug.

Geralt watched them, arms crossed, and felt his heart warm at the sight. He hadn’t realized prior to this trip, stupidly hadn’t realized, how much family Ciri still had, how many connections to the world. When he’d taken her in, the only thing on his mind had been getting her to safety. He’d thought she had no one left and now here she was, a bright young girl, on her way to become the first ever female witcher, with two families to call her own. There were doubts there too, of course. Should he have brought her here in the first place?

“You did good with her, wolf,” Vesemir said as he came up to Geralt’s side and placed a light hand on his bicep.

“We all did, even Lambert,” Geralt said. “But maybe it’s time to give her back to the world?”

“She would have your cock sizzling over a campfire for that if you even implied it.” Geralt’s eyes widened and he stared at Vesemir. Vesemir had his gaze fixed on the still hugging girls, but his moustache twitched. “She’s one of us now, Geralt.”

Geralt accepted that in silence. Right then, his ears pricked up as he heard two more people approach from a stairway to the right. One of them Geralt recognized instantly in his proud bearing and his weathered face. Eist Tuirseach, former Jarl of Skellige, King of the fallen country of Cintra, always bore himself with pride, nobility and mischief woven about his person like an invisible cloak. Geralt liked the old sea bear, even though he’d only met the man briefly at his and Calanthe’s betrothal. The day Geralt had claimed Ciri as his child surprise. He saw Geralt and nodded slightly, then his eyes fell to Ciri – who had finally let go of Cerys – and they widened, lips parting in a gasp as though, up until now, he hadn’t quite believed she would come.

“Cirilla,” he said, oh so quietly, but she heard. She’d been wintering with wolves, she heard. And in an instant, she was across the space between them, had hurled herself into his arms. Ciri shrank then, back into the girl Geralt had first picked up in the middle of the war and Eist’s eyes filled with tears as he crouched down to envelop her in his arms which were clad in furs. He buried his face in her hair and both sobbed quietly.

“Who is he?” Eskel asked under his breath.

“Her grandfather,” Geralt replied to put it simple. Titles would mean nothing to Eskel, nor to Lambert. His brothers actually cared as much about politics as Geralt pretended to care about them which was nothing at all.

“I had not known King Eist had survived the war,” Vesemir said to Crach. The two warriors were standing off to the side, heads tucked together while Eskel stood with Geralt and Lambert… Lambert sat cross-legged on the floor, caught in a staring match with little Cerys. In all of that, the broad but hunched figure of what Geralt assumed was Cerys’ brother, got lost somehow. He stood close to Eist, eyes trailed at the ground. Geralt dismissed him as unthreatening and insignificant, and refocused his attention to Eist and Ciri who were still holding onto each other as though the White Frost was about to sweep over the lands and they could only fend it off by hugging. Something barbed lodged in Geralt’s throat at the sight. He swallowed it down. He was not Ciri’s father.

As if she could sense his distress, Ciri detached herself and walked back to the wolves, beckoning Eist to come along.

“You’ve got to meet them all,” she said to the old king. “You can’t imagine what they’re like.”

“I really can’t,” Eist said. There was a healthy flush on his cheeks and he wouldn’t meet Geralt’s eyes. It was a good thing because if he had, they might have just both lost it over Ciri’s antics. It was like she’d de-aged by half a decade, childish excitement replacing the determined wolf she’d become.

“You have met Geralt. And this next to him is Eskel, my favourite uncle,” Ciri expained and Eist and Eskel shook hands.

“Hey, I heard that!” Lambert called and Cerys whooped, having won the staring match upon Lambert’s indignant outcry.

“I thought you weren’t my uncle,” Ciri retorted and they spent a moment sticking their tongues out at each other as Eskel and Eist briefly chatted about the sea journey to which Geralt hummed along. It was a lot, all these people in a room together, and he had expected them to clash, but somehow… it worked out.

At first, they’d all thought it was a terrible idea. They’d gotten word from the Skellige Isles, a coded message that had contained an invitation for the witchers and Ciri – if the rumours of her survival should be true – to sail to Ard Skellig and stay with the an Craites who’d become part of her family by her grandmother’s marriage to Crach’s uncle.

Vesemir had been completely against it, Eskel had refrained from commenting on the matter and simply gotten ready for another year on the Path, Lambert had kept spewing all the reasons why they shouldn’t at anyone who would listen. Geralt… Geralt had wanted to do good by Ciri and he’d known she needed it. To be with normal people, people that knew her in a way the witchers couldn’t. He’d also painfully understood Lambert’s arguments. It was dangerous for anyone involved. But in the end, Ciri had put on all her charms, had gotten out her arsenal of annoyance, and had convinced them to dare. They rarely did that these days, daring. They’d discussed it over the fire one night, and had decided, collectively decided because unfathomably, the girl wanted them all to come, to indulge her. And here they were.

“So,” Vesemir said as he approached Eist, both thumbs hooked into his belt and one eyebrow raised in his best impression of the hard teacher he used to be. Eist did not cower. “You are the reason this girl has been playing all manners of pranks on me.”

“I should hope so. Someone has to be around for her to fill their shoes with muck and put hair dye in their soap and so on. I would be direly disappointed in Cirilla if she hadn’t found someone to pester while he were separated,” Eist said and extended a hand. Vesemir glanced down at it, pretended to ponder, and Geralt and Eskel turned their heads down to hide their smiles. “Call me Eist.”

“Do you know, Eist, that I have woken up with my feet coated in honey and ants only yesterday?”

“That was Lambert’s idea though,” Ciri protested.

“Well, this Lambert must be an absolutely charming young man then,” Eist chuckled and from Lambert’s glare he did not cower either.

“I’m older than you, grandpa, I’ve had enough of this,” Lambert said. “You know what? That bridge looked funny. I think I’ll just go and jump over the railing it and see how many somersaults I can do on the way down. Aiden taught me a new way to get more spinning power.” With that, the youngest wolf got up, gave Cerys a pat on the head and made a run for it.

“LAMBERT, NO,” both Vesemir and Eskel shouted and gave chase, and Crach and Eist bellowed out laughter. Geralt and Ciri rolled their eyes at each other. It was then that Ciri finally noticed her other cousin, and only because Cerys stood by his side now. That close, the similarities were uncanny, brother and sister no doubt. They had the same long nose, the same hands. Hands that had wielded steel before and often. In a way, then, Ciri might fit in better now than she had before. Before Kaer Morhen, before the war. Before her life had fallen to pieces around her.

“Hjalmar,” Ciri said and approached the pair of siblings. Hjalmar shrugged, then walked away without sparing her a glance.

“He’s having a phase,” Cerys huffed. “We’ll hang out after dinner! Now that you’re apparently a fighter, we ought to spar. We can, father, right?” Both girls looked to Crach who seemed a little forlorn all by himself, eyes darting between where the witchers had disappeared to, where Hjalmar had disappeared to, and where Cerys and Ciri made puppy eyes at him.

“Cerys may fight, of course,” Crach said. “But I cannot decide for Cirilla.”

“Cirilla can damn well decide for herself,” Ciri said, fist clenching as if around the grip of an invisible sword. Back in Kaer Morhen, she would be scolded for backing down on a challenge and so she shook Cerys’ hand now before the girl trailed after her brother.

“I should… make sure they don’t set the place on fire. Eist will show you to your rooms once the rest of your family returns,” Crach said with a wave and followed his children with heavy steps, each a sigh against the carpet.

“Right then,” Ciri said and turned to Geralt and Eist, now the only people left in attendance. “What have you been up to, grandpa?”

“Oh, we’ve been spending our days on the terraces, watching for whales and counting seals. Calanthe has been bored out of her mind, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

Geralt froze and so did Ciri. They exchanged a long look and Geralt could smell the tears prickle in Ciri’s eyes, but they didn’t manifest. Geralt gave an almost imperceptible nod and Ciri turned back to Eist, drawing a deep breath.

“She’s alive then.”

“She’s alive.”

“I want to see her,” Ciri demanded and held out her hand for Eist to take. To guide her. This was not a reunion Geralt needed to pry into, and so he inclined his head and gestured for them to go on.

“But Ciri,” Eist said and squeezed her hand. His voice had fallen to a quieter key and Geralt cocked his head to listen for his heartbeat. Not faster, slower if anything, but a certain tension was there nonetheless. There was something wrong with Calanthe. Something significant. “She might not be awake. She… rarely is.”

“What happened to her?”

“I think I should see how many somersaults Lambert managed,” Geralt interjected carefully and made to leave, but Ciri grabbed his hand before he could. Their eyes met again and hers were hard around the edges, softened on the inside. I need you, Geralt, the flicker in them said. And Geralt was not her father, not yet, he thought, and he didn’t know if he ever would be, but he would never deny her a request like this. She needed him, Geralt was there.

Eist glanced at where they held hands and his weary expression was washed away by a wistful smile.

“Knowing Calanthe, she should like to explain it to you in due time. You will see that she was wounded in the storm on Cintra and is still in recovery.”

“She’s the Lioness,” Ciri said simply. “She will roar and rise again.”

That she will, Geralt thought. And you right alongside her.

25 notes · View notes

fvrxdrm · 4 years

Text

I’ll See You Again (Jake Muller x Reader)

And here is @imgayforgaystuff ‘s request. This was longer than intended lmao. Hope you’ll like it :)

Pairing: Jake Muller x GN!Reader

Warning(s): None

*****

“Did you take your dose?”

You along with your partner, Sherry, ran towards where you heard the faint commotion and saw the guy you’ve been looking for standing beside a body that already seemed lifeless.

Jake Muller. He supposedly had the antibodies for the C-virus that’s been gradually spreading across the globe and you were tasked to locate him and bring him back to the United States in order for blood samples to be taken for vaccine research. If their hypothesis was correct, this guy could save the world even without handling a gun and transporting from one country to another or something.

“Yeah, but if you want to take your hit, you gotta sign up with the lady downstairs...” Jake replied. You took a glance at your watch before averting your short gaze towards the body as it dissipated into the fire it created until it was just nothing but an invisible ghost. “... Wouldn’t recommend it, though.”

“No, question, you’ve got the antibodies.” You rushed towards a rusty metal door where an opening should be and pulled the handle, stepping aside to let your partner and Jake first.

“Thank you. Wait, what?”

“You could be the key to saving the world, Jake Muller,” you said and upon hearing this, he just smirked in amusement and laughed it off in his mind. I mean, seriously? Key to saving the whole fucking world? That’s a funny fucking joke, man. His snarky smile was soon dropped though as soon as you heard groans fill the room and you immediately let your heads focus on the matter on hand.

“Go! I’ll follow right behind you.” They obeyed without any second thoughts and when they finally got in, you gunned down those who got too close before jumping in yourself.

Sewers. Great! Another day, another life in shitty water.

You looked for your footing once you’d landed on trash, and shit, and grey fucking water or something, almost getting closer to falling on your ass and swallowing all those caca that had been dumped in there by different hoomans and animals.

I would rather die if the gods gave me an opportunity to eat shit.

“You two okay?” You asked.

“Yeah, you?” Sherry replied.

“I’m gucci.”

Not really...

Your boots would sink into the muck below the water and the smell… UGH! It didn’t help that your stomach was full when you got to your location. But hey, agents gotta do what they gotta do, right?

Once you found yourself stable on the ground, you pulled out your badge from your pocket and opened it to introduce yourself to Jake but he just waved it off and disregarded it saying that it wasn’t the time right now. You and Sherry exchanged glances.

“You comin’?

“After you”

This is going to be interesting...

*****

“Y/N? Y/N!”

Your eyes carefully fluttered open at the mention of your name, trying your best to force your eyelids apart but it felt like bricks were weighing them down and all you could make out were two silhouettes rushing towards your side before the world blacked out again against your will.

*****

“Hey, hey, shh... It’s okay, just rest. You got hurt pretty bad.”

A groan crept up your throat as your head hammered in pain, feeling as if a wrecking ball with Miley Cyrus riding it just repeatedly slammed against you.

Talk about coming in like a wrecking ball...

Your eyes cracked open for the second time that night, your E/C optics immediately catching sight of a round head hovering above you.

“Jake?” You muttered under your breath.

“Yeah, it’s me.” The said man carefully helped you sit up straight before leaning you against the firm fabric of a tent you were in, checking you again for any hidden injuries that he and Sherry managed to miss while you massaged your temples to ease the aching in your head. When you’d finally calmed down and everything that had happened began to congregate in your brain, your sight spun around and you immediately panicked when you noticed Sherry’s absence.

“Where’s Sherry?”

“She went out to get some wood for some fire. I told her to just stay here and I’ll get them instead but she insisted and told me to stay with you.”

“Fucking hell, Sherry,” you quietly cursed. You stood up from where you were and started walking out the tent but Jake grabbed ahold of your arm before you could even step a foot out.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find Sherry. She could get herself killed out there!”

“I’m sure she’s going to be fine. She’s one hell of a super girl! I mean, have you seen how her wounds just close on their own?” Your eyes widened.

“Oh, you saw her?”

“Yeah, front row seat even. A piece of the plane stabbed her in the back and then when I pulled it out, she told me to by the way, the wound just closed on its own. I asked her about it but she just told me that it was a long story.” You sighed and just nodded your head in response. You let him lightly tug on your arm and guide you towards where you once sat and gazed vacantly at the ground below you, silence flooding the small shelter until your voice suddenly shooed it away.

“Sherry and I survived Raccoon City together,” you began, abruptly catching Jake’s attention and pausing his obnoxious fiddling with a coin he got out of nowhere.

“The city that was bombed in 1998?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t just a bomb though, an outbreak happened, like, you know, this one.” You gestured to your surroundings to emphasize what you were implying. “I shouldn’t be telling you this but it might give you some answers. Sherry and I both got infected with the virus that caused the incident but thankfully, somebody injected us with a cure and now, we got the side effects, per se. Sherry’s got the healing thing and I’m...basically...a walking cure.”

“Huh, so then why did you look for me if you have...you...to cure whatever the hell this is?”

“They’ve performed tests on me before and all of them were successful except for the C-virus. I don’t know why it didn’t work but um...yeah. Apparently I’m not the cure for the recent virus.”

“Oh.” He was speechless, he couldn’t of anything to reply with so he just averted his gaze to his lap and vacantly stared at his hand where his coin laid stiffly against his palm.

Finally. All his life he thought he was alone in this one. He thought he was this monster that just submerged in a trice out of nowhere. I mean, look at him. He’s got this superpower thing since birth and it felt weird. All those people around him were normal, no X-men shit isolating them from the other and he felt like a loner…until he met you and heard your story.

Jake looked at you as the thought of you crossed his mind and he instantaneously felt his face warm up at the sight of you finger-combing your hair and tying your locks with a band.

Wait, what the hell!?

“Hey, you okay?” Jake jumped a bit at the sound of your voice, his face redder in embarrassment, and he just waved his hand in response before looking somewhere else.

*****

So…yeah… I think you know what happened throughout the nights you were firing some bullets left and right.

Basically, you found yourselves in an undersea facility of Neo-Umbrella at the bottom of an ocean and then got rescued by Chris and Piers afterwards.

While you were trapped inside the premises you and Jake couldn’t help but create a small talk where you got to know each other with Sherry just listening in the background and feeling all giddy finally finding someone new for you. After you found out your ex cheated on you with your best friend, like, a year or two ago, you shut yourself off of the dating realm and just took time for yourself. And by that I mean drowning yourself in alcohol.

“Well, we’re trapped in here and we can’t really get out of these restraints, wanna chat?” Jake began.

“I was about to dose off but sure.”

“Let’s see…um…uh… What do people say when they meet each other?” Jake scratched his head using the metal behind him when he remembered he couldn’t get the shackles off of him and you giggled in mirth at the sight.

“I don’t know. I’m not really the type to start with name exchanges. I usually start with…yanking their arms off and getting the fuck out of a place or something.”

Jake chuckled in response and swayed his head side to side. “I see you’ve seen enough.”

“You have no idea.”

It went on like that for a moment, somehow finding peace in conversing casually amidst the chaos outside and it warmed your heart. It helped piece your brain cells together again and you collected a newfound strength after all the tiny grins and small cackles.

It was just tranquility that filled you, nothing else, until an alarm went off and you were suddenly released from your restraints… And then you were back on agent mode again.

So, here you are now, already defeating this gigantic creature that had been following you around in China and gazing into the abyss of fire where déjà vu suddenly hit you like a truck.

This was like Raccoon City, that time where the train you rode on dashed towards the daylight as flames surged the tunnel. Ustanak represented Birkin.

“You saved me,” you heard Jake whisper beside you. “You know that, right?”

You looked at the surface you had been clinging on below and sniffed at the overwhelming feeling that bursted inside of you.

“Thank you.”

You placed your hand on top of his and smiled softly at him while the three of you darted towards the end of another long escape.

*****

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” You dusted your clothes and gripped on your bag, forcing your tears not to fall at the thought of not seeing each other again.

“No,” Jake replied firmly. Your eyebrows creased together at his odd response and couldn’t help but ask in confusion.

“What?”

“I’ll see you again, Y/N.” He brushed his palm against your cheek, his orbs burning through yours, before he placed his lips on your own ones. Boy, Sherry couldn’t be happier at the sight of you two. She’ll be sure to arrange your wedding once everything had settled down.

“I’ll see you again, I promise.”

#jakemuller #jake muller #jake muller x reader #resident evil x reader #resident evil #resident evil fanfic #resident evil 6

118 notes · View notes

bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture · 4 years

Text

Alright kiddos, it is time for! The last chapter of the opening arcs / battle trial! Wherein we continue Katsuki's mental breakdown! <3

I’m considering doing some kind of end-of-arc(s) summary / personal thoughts thing after this as a way of sort of compiling my thoughts on the story as a whole so far, as well as just being open to answering your general ideas and open questions / suggestions about the story and characters and whatnot so far (and I guess to come?) So have at it, I want to know what you all think about these first eleven chapters as an introduction to the series / characters / plot / whatnot.

[No. 11 - Bakugou’s Starting Line]

That is… a lot less damage than I thought there was. Like, it still looks pretty bad, but not to the point of ‘it’s going to collapse if someone breathes funny’ bad like I was thinking before. The active explosion of the panels before this probably added to that impression. Also, the building is a LOT smaller than I thought it was?

And speaking of Katsuki’s mental breakdown! He’s just standing there in complete shock while Tenya is comforting a vomiting Ochako, and Izuku is passed out on the floor. Someone points out that the losing team is almost unscathed while the winners are down for the count - they lost the battle but won the war, so to speak. Tsuyu points out that it’s just training though.

(to the tune of ‘Final Countdown’) It’s a mental breakdown~ (kazoo solo)

But in full seriousness, this is the first true moment we see of his worldview being smashed open. Like, he was definitely shaken with Izuku’s actions back with the sludge villain, but Katsuki was just more quiet and sullen. Here? Here he’s just had one of the pillars he built his entire mindset around - that Izuku was weaker than him - torn down as violently as the wall he blasted open. He is not okay with this. He’s sweating, he’s shaking, he’s probably about five seconds from collapsing to his knees and screaming.

Fortunately, he’s mostly knocked out of his own head by All Might showing up and placing a hand on his shoulder, telling him to head back so he can get graded. Katsuki doesn’t really seem to be listening as All Might goes on about how whether one wins or loses, they can come out ahead by learning from the experience - instead he’s watching as Izuku is taken away on a stretcher by two transpo-bots to the nurse’s office.

In the monitor room, All Might announces that the VIP of the battle was Tenya, much to said boy’s surprise. Katsuki is looking pretty gloomy and stuck in his head, while Ochako is still struggling with the lingering nausea. Tsuyu asks why the VIP isn’t one of the hero team who won, and All Might asks the class if any if them can guess at his reasoning.

Momo raises her had and says she does, and then explains that Tenya had best adapted to the scenario. Katsuki’s actions were motivated by a personal grudge, and his use of destructive attacks indoors was foolish. Izuku’s performance suffered from the same faults. And Ochako lost focus halfway through and her final attack was haphazard - if the weapon had been real, the attack would be unthinkable. Tenya, on the other hand, formed an actual counterstrategy, and thought about what the struggle would be like. His only fault was being too slow to react at the end, and the hero team only won because it was a training exercise with exploitable restraints.

Tenya is touched. Meanwhile, the rest of the class is stunned silent, with All Might shaking because she said it better than he could. He hesitantly adds that Tenya was a bit too stiff, but otherwise she was correct. She huffs and says that they need to start at the bottom and work up - if they don’t cheer each other on, they won’t even become top heroes. Her name is also introduced here, as well as the fact that she’s the number one recommended first year.

How’s Katsuki doing?

Eh… we’ll come back to you in a bit. For now, the other battle trials! Shouto and Shouji (hero team) versus Ojiro and Hagakure (villain team), in a new location. The heroes are both quiet, while Hagakure is getting hyped up and taking off her gloves and boots to go full stealth mode. Ojiro is a bit flustered at that, thinking that it makes sense for someone invisible, but that it feels unethical.

(Which is, I’m guessing, that comment that her ‘hero costume’ is being buck naked, which honestly, I refuse to believe. If the support companies can make a costume for someone who goes impermeable (which, by its own definition, would mean light goes through as well, ergo ‘invisibility’), then she can get one as well. I think she’s just a troll who says the costume is nothing to fluster others - I mean, considering she does like hidden camera shows, and they tend to do those weird stuff to surprise or discomfort people, it would fit in line with her character.)

Anyways, when the hero team is sent in, Shouji is listening in just inside the building with several arm-ears, right before they shift into really concerning-looking mouths to relay information. Shouji tells his partner that one is on the north side of the fourth floor, while the other is on the same floor barefoot - clearly, the invisible one is trying to ambush and capture them. Shouji also gets a title card and an explanation of his quirk, Dupli-arms: he can replicate his own body parts at the tips of his tentacles!

Shouto warns Shouji to get out, since it’s about to ‘get frosty in here’. Their opponents think they’re playing a defensive game, but it means nothing to him. He then proceeds to show off just what he means by ‘frosty’.

Yeah, that’s a bit OP there. Poor Ojiro - and definitely poor Hagakure, who got frozen to the floor with bare feet. Shouto walks in and says to bring it on, but that fighting without the soles of their feet will be painful. All Might and Kirishima are shivering in the monitor room from the cold, with All Might noting that neither Shouto’s ally nor the weapon were harmed when he immobilized the enemy; Kirishima says that he’s too strong.

Hagakure’s hurting where she’s frozen, and Ojiro is freaked out and not even trying to break out as Shouto walks past and puts his left hand of the weapon, giving his team the win. Shouto apologizes to them as the ice steams away, Ojiro shocked to see how quickly the building is warming up. As Shouto finishes melting the ice, he declares that they are in different leagues - and we get his title card!

Number two recommended first year, quirk Half-Hot, Half-Cold (which I think is supposed to have some greater pun or sound better in Japanese? [Hanrei Hannen] I suppose does roll a bit better, but hmmm…) His right side can freeze things and his left can burn. His range and limits are unknown - what a beast!

(Katsuki, meanwhile, is biting his lip to keep himself from saying anything - likely another blow to his preconceived belief that he was the strongest right while he’s trying to come back from the last one.)

We get a brief summary of what the other teams did: Sero and Kirishima played villains and defended with Sero’s tape as traps around the room. Tsuyu went along the walls while Tokoyami had his quirk primed to attack. Jirou scouted with her quirk while Kaminari kept a charge prepped in his hand, and Mina threw a ot of acid around, a bit of which burned Aoyama’s cape.

We transition to the end of the class, with All Might telling everyone well done, and that besides Izuku, there were no serious injuries. He complements their teamwork and says they all did splendidly, considering it was their first exercise. Someone in the class mentions that after Aizawa, a straightforward class that that was almost a letdown. All Might walks away, saying that the teachers are free to have no-nonsense classes if they like, and that he’s off to give Izuku his evaluation, letting them know to get changed out of their costumes and head back to the classroom before he runs off in a hurry. Mineta notes he seems to be in a hurry, but that he’s also so cool.

All Might glances back, seeing Katsuki in the back of the class still in a gloomy state. He thinks about how Katsuki is ‘a bundle of conceit’ and how the most inflated egos are often the most fragile. As a teacher, he needs to give the boy some counseling, but for now, he has to save on his time, due to only having enough strength to get through a single class.

Which, considering All Might’s limit before USJ is three hours, seems a bit weird, so let’s do some math.

The villain teams have five minutes to set up, and the heroes have fifteen to get to the bomb after that - twenty minutes. With five rounds, that’s an even hundred minutes for the exercises, not counting those that ended early. With all the time saved from Shouto’s instant take out and assuming average times for the others, we probably have more like eighty minutes spent on those exercises. Of course, we can then add time for getting to and from the buildings, as well as the assessments of each match and determination of the VIP. So that can probably bumped back up to 100 minutes, maybe closer to 110? Which would just fit within the bounds of a double-class period for Japanese schools (which are fifty minute classes with ten minute breaks in between).

Japanese classes have four periods before lunch and three after. The ‘canon’ schedule has heroics lessons happen THROUGH lunch period, which makes no sense when they need that energy in order to be able to fight. I am also skeptical of fighting right after lunch, when that makes it more likely for them to throw up if they take a bad hit, ergo, the reasonable time period for these lessons is the last two periods of the day - thus giving the kids about an hour for food to digest and energy to get into their systems.

I think this is also added onto with how Izuku doesn’t freak out after this over missing a class, which makes sense if it was the last one. Plus, well, scheduling the most exhausting and injury-prone class at the end of the day means that anyone who needs to rest a while actually can without missing important things - and that the kids won’t be too tired to pay attention to whichever teachers they would otherwise have afterwards.

...right, my original point. All Might is supposed to have three hours, but gets stressed out after using just two hours here. I can get that maybe it’s three hours total, but holding it for two continuously without chances to ‘unflex’ and rest for a bit might be straining on him still? Or maybe he just spent some time that morning doing hero things and so ran out of time a bit early.

Anyways, I think I’ll end this off here, since it’s about halfway and we did get through quite a bit. Next time, we finish off the opening arcs of the series, and then I guess I do some Q&A / personal thoughts so far / narrative analysis / whatever? I guess send in questions or thoughts or whatever you guys have, and I’ll answer them after the next post.

28 notes · View notes

cheri-translates · 4 years

Text

[CN] S2 Gavin - The Guardian Project (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a company project in Season 2 which has not been released in English servers!🍒

Timeline: Stray Date -> The Guardian Project -> The STF Filming Project

Case Details:

I clinched the opportunity to film an Evolver crime documentary with the STF. It didn’t cross my mind that I’d be working with the Special Operations Team.

Although the case seemed simple, it suddenly became dangerous halfway. A broken lead... a bomb that could detonate at any moment...

This time, can Gavin and I have a pleasant collaboration?

[ CHAPTER ONE ]

MC: Finally done...

Morning light streams in from outside the window. I straighten up from the laptop, rub my eyes, and once again check through the filming proposal I spent the entire night on.

The cover of the proposal reads: STF Collaboration Project.

Half a month earlier, a government-related department announced that the STF would be working with the media to create a special documentary regarding Evolver criminals.

Recently, the small increase in the frequency of Evolver criminals has led to diverse and confused comments from the public.

This documentary is meant to showcase STF’s resolute attack on Evolver criminals to them.

And my company managed to win the bid for this filming opportunity. As it has a lot of significance, I decided to handle it personally.

Just when I’m doing a final thorough check, the phone on my desk vibrates.

Anna: MC, the STF just got in contact and adjusted the timing. They want the filming crew to be at STF today.

MC: Huh? But we agreed that it’d be ten days later. How could they suddenly change the timing?

Anna: They said they happen to have a case which doesn’t have a high difficulty yet is very novel, so it’s suitable for our shoot.

MC: All right, I’ll make the arrangements.

Anna: Okay, I’ve already sent you the meeting address.

After hanging up, I immediately make several phone calls, arranging for equipment and a photographer.

Time is of the essence. I bring the proposal along with me, and rush to the STF.

At the entrance of STF, an officer politely stops me.

STF officer: What are you here for?

MC: Hello, we’re the producing team from [MC’s Company Name]. We’re here to collaborate with STF to film a documentary on Evol criminals. This is the filming permit.

I hand him the permit while explaining. After checking it meticulously, he lets us enter.

According to my memory after being here a few times, I successfully find the meeting room.

The door is ajar. Plain white light spills from the gap, along with sounds of conversations. I can faintly hear phrases such as “scene of the crime”, “investigation direction”.

I gently knock at the door before me.

??: Enter.

As the door opens, the gigantic electronic screens in the meeting room enter my vision.

Just as I'm about to introduce myself, the smile on my lips freeze in place.

In the huge meeting room, the white decor casts everything in a cold light. It also makes the sharp eyes of the man, who is donned in uniform at the other end of the long table, appear even more icy.

And at this moment, that pair of amber eyes shift away from the materials in his hand, and land on me.

MC: Gavin...?

[ CHAPTER TWO ]

Under the gaze of a room full of STF members, I take a few steps back calmly.

MC: Sorry... I might have walked into the wrong room.

Gavin’s voice suddenly resounds.

Gavin: No need to look around. You didn’t walk into the wrong room.

MC: Didn’t they say the difficulty level of this collaborative case wasn’t high? Why is the Special Operations Team being deployed?

I mutter softly, suppressing the questions in my heart. I usher the photographer into the meeting room, and we sit at the seats furthest away from Gavin.

A young special officer sitting at the side greets me amicably.

Young special officer: You should be the person-in-charge for this program, right?

I nod.

MC: Hello everyone. I’m the person-in-charge for this program, MC.

Gavin tosses me a stack of documents from the table, speaking in a low voice.

Gavin: First, familiarise yourself with the materials of this case.

I take the materials and flip through them quickly. At the same time, Gavin continues with his analysis of the case before my interruption.

Gavin: On the day of the incident, there was a heavy rain which could have buried many traces of the crime. As such, it’s necessary to conduct a key survey of the Evol fluctuations left on the scene.

The young special officer sitting next to me leans over enthusiastically, explaining the case to me softly.

Young special officer: This case is pretty novel, and is very suitable for your shoot.

MC: Mm, I see from the materials that a nationally protected thousand-year-old marriage tree at the Beishan Scenic Area was chopped down in the middle of the night.

Young special officer: Typically, we'd leave cases of such level to smaller teams to handle.

He stealthily tilts his chin towards Gavin.

Young special officer: But yesterday, this case was suddenly brought to the Special Operations Team by Captain Gavin, who said he wanted to investigate this first.

The special officer is about to say something else, but a cold voice interrupts him.

Gavin: MC.

I lift my head to see Gavin’s hands pressing down on the materials on the table. He stares at me.

Gavin: That’s the entire course of action. Do you have any questions?

I instantly cast a glance at the map behind Gavin.

The Beishan Scenic Area has been circled. Next to it has the word “Invisibility” written in red, with a question mark after it.

MC: I have no questions.

Gavin: Before I allow the media to participate in the investigative operations, you have to guarantee not to disclose any information, or disrupt the overall plan.

Gavin straightens up and meets my eyes.

Gavin: So, repeat the course of action I just mentioned.

He looks at me with an expressionless gaze, as though he doesn’t believe I’d be remember his words seriously.

I return his gaze without a sign of weakness, and repeat his plan perfectly, word for word.

At this moment, a slight measure of ease appears on his originally expressionless face.

Gavin: You have a good memory.

The meeting room doors are pushed open, and a special officer walks in.

Special officer: A new lead has been discovered.

[ CHAPTER THREE ]

For a long time, the Beishan Scenic Area has been popular with tourists due to the thousand-year-old marriage tree on the top of the mountain.

I climb to the top of the mountain with a video camera, and see the thousand-year-old tree, which has been chopped down.

It now rests to the side in a strange manner. The marriage slips hanging on the tree are also twisted together in disarray.

Young officer: That’s where the new lead is.

I look in the direction he’s pointing at, and discover a footprint near the tree.

MC: This footprint looks like it belongs to a man. But limited information can be extracted from a mere footprint.

Young officer: Don’t worry. Captain Gavin has said that even the most trivial information may hide concrete clues. Our task is to find the criminal.

He seems to have a lot of trust in Gavin. I can’t help but ask:

MC: Aren’t you scared of him?

In the distance, Gavin investigates the scene. Under the sun, his eyes are cold and fierce, reminiscent of an unsheathed sharp sword, glowing with a cold light and preventing anyone from coming near.

Young officer: I’m scared, but it was Captain Gavin who saved me from the brink of death during a mission. Even though I’m still scared of him, I know he’s a captain worthy of following.

While he speaks, Gavin seems to have finished his investigation. He looks over in our direction and strides over.

Gavin: Go look for the staff and ask for a list of visitors.

Gavin throws a task to the young officer, then turns towards me.

Gavin: What were the two of you talking about just now?

MC: Nothing much. We were talking about how it’s pretty difficult to find someone based on a footprint.

Gavin smiles slightly. The shadow of the tree falls on his face, dissipating the chilling aura he exudes.

Gavin: Looks like they haven’t taught you some things.

[Note: He’s likely referring to Black Swan]

He suddenly closes the distance between us. His eyes flit past my face, resting on something behind me.

His breath is at my ear, and only the ends of his brown hair can be seen, moving slightly in the sun.

MC: Gavin, you...

Gavin: Don’t move.

After a few seconds, Gavin restores our original distance, his hand holding on to a marriage slip.

Gavin: What can you tell from this?

I try to stabilise my breathing. Looking at the marriage slip in his hands, I see a pair of names belonging to a couple.

MC: There are many names on the marriage tree. Couples will tie their marriage slips on the tree to pray for blessings from the gods. But what does this have to do with the case?

Gavin: There are typically two causes for crimes committed on impulse - self-benefit and passion. As a national scenic spot, the Beishan Scenic Area would not give rise to conflicts of interest. The criminal we are looking for likely committed the crime due to his emotions.

MC: I understand now. He must have tied a marriage slip onto the tree before, but since his wish didn’t come true, he decided to chop down this “sacred tree”.

Gavin: That is only one possible inference. As of now, we still lack key evidence.

The young officer walks over and hands a very thick list of names to Gavin.

Young officer: Captain Gavin, this is the name list of everyone who purchased a marriage slip from this site over the last six months.

MC: The marriage slip belonging to the suspect has definitely been removed from the tree. If we can find any mismatch between the list and the marriage slips on the tree, the chances of that person being the suspect is very high.

Gavin: Good reaction speed.

He lifts his eyes towards me with approval, his gaze as cool as the wind in late autumn.

Young officer: Captain Gavin, we’ve made a record of the names found on the marriage slips.

Two name lists are handed to Gavin. After a brief look at them, he hands them to me.

Gavin: Take a look.

MC: Only three names are mismatched... and only one is a male. It should be him then.

Gavin: Go and ask the staff if they have any impressions of him. Then look for the date he purchased the marriage slip from the name list, and check the surveillance tape for that day.

The young officer brings the list of names over to the staff and queries them. Gavin toys with the marriage slip in his hand, and suddenly asks:

Gavin: Why did you take up this program?

MC: This sort of government-supported large-scale projects can bring in a lot of resources. When there’s something to gain, everyone will rush to obtain it.

Gavin: You seemed very surprised to see me.

MC: The Special Operations Team has always accepted the most difficult tasks, so I didn’t understand why you’d take up such a small case.

Gavin doesn’t respond to my words.

The young officer walks over and talks to Gavin. He nods, then looks at me.

Gavin: We’ve got the appearance of the suspect and have confirmed his address. We’ll carry out the arrest tomorrow, at 9am.

[ CHAPTER FOUR ]

Following the address Gavin provided, I reach the location of the suspect’s home. The door is already surrounded by special police officers, and Gavin stands in the middle, pointing a gun at the door.

At the entrance of the stairs, I carefully set up the camera, prepared to take photos of the heroic postures of the special police officers when they arrest the criminal from all directions.

Gavin suddenly tosses a glance at me.

Gavin: Later, remain where you are. Don’t move around.

MC: Actually, I can follow the team from behind and go in too.

Gavin: Anything can happen during an arrest. You’re not a law enforcement officer, so don’t hold us back.

He no longer looks at me. His side profile is cold, and his tone clearly leaves no room for negotiation.

Gavin: Our target criminal could possess an Evol related to invisibility. Be careful during the arrest, and block off all escape routes immediately.

He lowers his voice, staring at the closed door.

After a while--

Gavin: Now!

The well-trained special officers quickly kick the door open. Gavin takes the lead and rushes in with a pistol.

I stand outside the door, waiting for Gavin’s instructions.

At this moment, the door opposite suddenly opens. A woman walks out, slightly anxious.

Woman: Are you... looking for the person who lives there?

She looks at the door opposite and stops talking.

MC: Your neighbour could be the suspect we’re trying to arrest.

The woman hesitates, then retrieves a letter from her house and hands it to me.

Woman: We don’t usually communicate, and I haven’t seen him much. But three days ago, he suddenly gave me a letter and said if anyone comes looking for him, I should pass this letter to them.

The handheld transceiver crackles.

[Note: It’s basically a walkie-talkie but it doesn’t sound cool enough for Captain Gavin so...]

Gavin: You can come in now.

Holding onto the letter, I turn around and enter the house. Gavin has his arms crossed over his chest, standing in front of a map of Loveland City, pursing his lips.

A young officer pulls me to a corner and speaks softly:

Young officer: The suspect isn’t here, but we found tools to create explosives. The situation has become more serious. No one dares to disturb Captain Gavin when he’s thinking about cases, so just ask me if you have any questions.

Without saying anything, I walk towards Gavin.

Gavin frowns and turns his head, the light flashing in his eyes akin to a cold, sharp blade.

When he sees that it’s me, his frown relaxes, and he speaks lightly.

Gavin: What’s in your hand?

MC: It could be helpful with solving the case.

I hand the letter to him, and he tears it open without hesitation.

Gavin: “The marriage tree is just the beginning. The good show awaits.” There are tools for creating explosives in his room. Looks like he’s thinking of creating explosions in Loveland City... just as I thought.

Gavin quickly holds up his handheld transceiver.

Gavin: Team One, follow me to a school five kilometres away. Team Two, do a deployment and control of all the intersections within ten kilometres.

MC: Did you discover something?

While the team members prepare, Gavin explains.

Gavin: The suspect used a colourless pen to circle a location on this map. The markings of such colourless pens can be captured by a screen.

Looking through the screen of my camera, I can indeed see that a school has been circled.

MC: Is this the place where the bomb is hidden?

Gavin: Not necessarily. It could be a trap.

MC: Which is why you’ve split them into two teams - one to follow the lead and investigate the school, and the other team to continue looking for the suspect in the vicinity. Earlier, you mentioned that it was “just as you thought”. Did you already guess the suspect would create explosives?

I vaguely guess that this is the real reason why Gavin took up the case.

Gavin: This case is related to an earlier case, where a large number of gunpowder-creating materials disappeared. In the end, they confessed that the transaction took place at the Beishan Scenic Area.

MC: The Beishan Scenic Area... the very first crime committed by the suspect was also in the Beishan Scenic Area. You took up this case because of the lead?

Gavin looks at me, as though he’s about to say something. In the end, he simply keeps the map, turns around, and leaves.

[ CHAPTER FIVE ]

We reach the high school marked out in the map.

It is still school time. The campus is noisy, and students frolic in the playground.

A few students who are messing around see Gavin. His handsome face doesn’t hide his terrifying aura, and the students quickly run away in fear.

MC: Looks like your aura as the school tyrant is the same as back then.

Gavin casts me a sweeping glance.

Gavin: And you’re still the same as last time, unafraid of me.

Soon after, the students on campus are evacuated. Donning bomb suits, the special police officers shuttle across the floors searching for the bomb.

Gavin doesn’t wear a bomb suit. He leans against a ginkgo tree, thinking about something.

I set up the camera.

On the screen, ginkgo leaves fall one after another. One leaf falls onto the man’s silver badge. The ginkgo leaf casts a warm yellow reflection on the cold badge.

Special officer: Captain Gavin, we have searched the entire campus but we didn’t discover anything.

The map was really just a trap.

Expressionless, Gavin responds with an “mm”. He takes out his handheld transceiver.

Gavin: Team Two, your report.

A response quickly comes through the transceiver.

Special officer: The deployment and control has been done. As of now, we haven’t found anything suspicious.

With a slight furrowing of his brows, Gavin takes another look at the map.

I lean over, and ask in the voice of an interviewer:

MC: The only lead has been broken. What does Captain Gavin intend to do next?

Gavin: Even if a lead is broken, it’s still a type of clue.

He hands me a marker pen, signalling that I should draw two circles - one where the school is, and one where the suspect’s home is.

Gavin: As of now, these are the places associated with the suspect. There must be a connection between them.

MC: Apart from their close proximity, I can’t find anything else.

Gavin, who has been casually leaning against the tree all this while, suddenly straightens up.

Gavin: Exactly - the close proximity.

MC: What you’re saying is that the proximity is the suspect’s main deciding factor on where to plant the bomb?

Gavin: First-time offenders will typically choose a location within their comfort zone to commit the crime. Within the range of the suspect’s comfort zone, there are only two places with high human traffic volume. Apart from the school, it’s the Diagonal Garden.

Gavin holds up the handheld transceiver.

Gavin: Team Two, head to the Diagonal Garden.

Person on the other end: Received.

Five minutes later, the handheld transceiver crackles.

Person on the other end: Captain Gavin, we have reached the Diagonal Garden, but there was a small explosion before we arrived.

Gavin: Casualties?

Person on the other end: The explosives weren’t powerful and no one was hurt. But we found a warning letter on the scene.

[ CHAPTER SIX ]

In the STF meeting room, Gavin is doing an analysis of the case.

Gavin: At present, we have grasped information pertaining to the criminal. As he is suspected to have the ability of invisibility, we may not be able to find his hiding spot even if we use Evol.

Once he begins the analysis, Gavin’s abilities are displayed clearly.

He is like a sharp and bright sword, cutting through the darkness and drawing out light reminiscent of shooting stars...

I study the warning letter, which has one sentence written on it: “Tomorrow at 7pm, please look forward to an even grander gift.”

MC: At 7pm tomorrow, the criminal is going to detonate the bomb. But the leads we have right now aren’t enough to find him.

Gavin: If we can’t find him, we’ll just force him to show himself.

The map behind him still has Beishan Scenic Area, the criminal’s home, and the Diagonal Garden circled.

I suddenly realise an issue everyone has neglected.

MC: The criminal’s purpose is to detonate a bomb and cause chaos. But his act of chopping down the tree at the start stems from his emotions. Why did his motives change?

Gavin’s slender fingers pause on the map. He nods lightly.

Gavin: No. His motive has never changed.

He turns to a young officer at the side.

Gavin: Check up on the woman who went to the Beishan Scenic Area with him.

MC: Do you think the girl knows where the suspect is?

Gavin shakes his head.

Gavin: The suspect has always been acting based on his emotions. So the location he selected for the “gift” is definitely related to that girl.

Gavin explains patiently. For some reason, the special officers at the side look stunned, as though they’ve seen a ghost.

The young officer turns on his laptop. I look at the screen in shock, watching as a stream of data appears - his Evol is the ability to control the flow of information.

Looks like everyone in the Special Operations Team, from its captain to its members, are not just normal people.

Very quickly, they find the girl. The girl, who has been invited to STF, looks very nervous. When faced with the special officer’s questions, she can’t speak at all.

MC: Let me do the asking. The way you’re doing it won’t get you anywhere.

Gavin looks at me. Unexpectedly, he nods.

MC: Don’t be afraid. I’d just like to ask you to recall your boyfriend.

Girl: We broke up a month ago. My family doesn’t like Evolvers. You should know that a lot of normal people can’t really accept Evolvers...

MC: What is his Evol? Do you know what it is?

Girl: Invisibility.

My eyes meet Gavin’s.

MC: Do you remember any places that were very important to the both of you?

Girl: Apart from the marriage tree, there’s also the amusement park Ferris wheel in the centre of the city. He confessed his feelings for me there.

Gavin presses the handheld transceiver.

Gavin: The target location is the amusement park at the centre of the city. The entire team will leave in ten minutes.

[ CHAPTER SEVEN ]

It is close to dusk, and the tender night breeze brings with it the sweet scent of cotton candy. In the amusement park, happy smiles are found on adults and children.

They have no idea that a bomb is hidden in a certain corner of the amusement park.

Under Gavin’s instructions, plainclothes police wordlessly meld into the crowd.

Gavin: The criminal could be hiding in the crowd. We can’t startle him. Instead, he has to show himself.

The red light on the handheld transceiver blinks a few times. This amusement park is now in STF’s control.

MC: How do you intend to lure him out?

Gavin: The police dogs are searching for the location of the bomb. Once they’re done, I will have the amusement park start the fire alarm to evacuate the crowd.

Gavin’s tone is calm. In an instant, I already know what he’s going to do.

MC: Are you planning to defuse the bomb on your own and lure the suspect to show himself? What if he detonates the bomb while you’re defusing it?

Gavin: As long as he appears nearby, I will know where he is. He wouldn’t have time to detonate the bomb.

As the sky continuously grows darker, there isn’t any information on the bomb’s location from the transceiver.

I look at the time. There’s only an hour left till the time stated in the warning letter.

MC: I have a plan. It could lure the suspect out without requiring more manpower. Would you like to try?

Gavin turns his head to look at me steadily.

Gavin: What do you need me to do?

MC: You’re agreeing just like that?

Gavin: The police dogs are still confirming the location of the bomb. I promise you, it’s just an additional measure.

He walks to the ticket counter of the Ferris wheel. When he returns, there are two tickets for the Ferris wheel in his hand.

An unnatural expression flashes across his face, but it quickly vanishes. What’s left in his eyes is a peaceful gaze.

Gavin: Let’s go.

MC: All right.

The Ferris wheel ascends slowly. The glow of sunset displays beautiful colours in the sky. They are reflected in the eyes of the person seated opposite me, looking even more amazing than the scenery.

The wind gently blows Gavin’s brown hair, and his eyes fall on my face.

MC: You used to say that you really liked looking down from this height, because you can see the whole of Loveland City.

Gavin: Actually, those were just excuses to stay with you a little longer. Whether it was tying my shoes for a few more minutes, or pretending that I forgot to bring an umbrella on rainy days.

Gavin: They all were.

I’m left stunned. In the narrow space, the night is hidden in his eyes, and seems to be hidden in his words as well.

At this moment, the Ferris wheel reaches the peak, then starts making its descent.

I blink, trying my best to maintain an indifferent facade.

MC: I thought about it for a long time. We should break up. You’re an Evolver, and that makes me feel very unsafe. Perhaps Evolvers and normal humans shouldn’t be together.

The Ferris wheel finishes its round and the door slowly opens.

Even after saying my lines, Gavin still looks at me, his sharp eyebrows furrowed slightly.

MC: You...

Suddenly, a formless hand grabs my wrist. At the same time, a furious voice sounds.

Invisible man: Why don’t you understand! What wrong did Evolvers do? Why do you have to treat them differently?

But Gavin is even faster. A raging wind courses from all directions, swirling a person’s silhouette in front of me.

The invisible man struggles in pain, and Gavin pulls me behind him.

Gavin: Are you okay?

I nod my head. I watch the special police officers work together to take down the invisible man. But they are unable to find a detonator on him.

The invisible man is suppressed by Gavin, and he gives up struggling. I have a clear view of his face - he’s a young and delicate man.

Invisible man: The STF isn’t that great either! You’re helping a normal person attack an Evolver? Who are you to sanction me?

He struggles, glaring angrily at Gavin.

Under his glare, Gavin coldly handcuffs the man’s wrists.

After he gets up, Gavin straightens his back. He lower his eyes towards the invisible man lying on the floor, and his tone is icy.

Gavin: Listen carefully. Capturing you is done in the name of the law, not STF. Having Evol is not a reason to commit crimes. Your crimes will always belong to your own name.

Gavin straightens up, and the special officers at the side hastily bring the invisible man to the police car.

I walk towards Gavin.

MC: Gavin.

Gavin turns around, the coldness in his eyes not yet faded.

Gavin: What’s wrong?

MC: I think I know what this documentary should convey to the audience. Even with sword-like authority, the STF will always have justice as its supreme guide.

A sudden night breeze courses past, lingering around my wrist. Gavin looks at me, his eyes deep.

But the corners of his lips suddenly curl upwards.

Gavin: Given your position, you shouldn’t be talking to me about justice.

I smile as well, extending a hand towards him.

MC: Gavin, it has been a pleasant collaboration.

Gavin arches his eyebrows. He removes the leather glove on his right hand, and holds onto my hand.

His palm is dry and warm. As compared to last time, there are more thin calluses on it.

Gavin: It has been a pleasant collaboration.

- End -

The program has received stable ratings, and has remained moderately popular during its broadcast period. The company has used this success to adjust its future direction, seeking a more integrated and comprehensive layout. The STF clicked ‘like’ on the documentary, arousing heated discussions among netizens.

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc gavin #I know the previous Gavin-related posts evoked mixed emotions but this one is good I promise :>

111 notes · View notes

jenomark · 5 years

Text

Part 2

➔Pairing: Idol!Haechan x Reader (Female) ➔Other Members/ Characters: -.- ➔Genre: Smut ➔Warnings: Public sex + Vaginal penetration + Masturbation (F+ M) + Fingering ➔Word count: 4,170

➔Summary: He’s an idol, a friend, and you took his virginity. Beginning your friends-with-benefits relationship with Haechan wasn’t the best idea, but you just can’t help yourself when it comes to him.

↞ Part 1

They all feel how you feel when you watch him on stage, like he belongs to you. His smile just for you. Not for the camera, or the thousands viewing clips on social media, but just for you. His song performed for you, the words containing messages only you can decipher. His hips moving across the stage, the thing in his pants pointing in your direction, everything moving towards you, the girl in the crowd, the girl watching backstage, the girl sitting on her bed. No matter where you are in the world, the lights burn across your retinas, the heat in the seat of your pants making it hard for you to stay still. You move just a little bit and feel the throb below, a Venus flytrap waiting for its prey. You pretend he makes eye contact with only you, acknowledging the very existence you try to hide from everyone else. He sees you, he really does.

The song ends and the mirage vanishes. Six people go in different directions, smiles wiped from their faces as easily as make-up. They forget the crowd, forget what it means to be themselves when others are watching. He veers towards you just a moment before remembering where he is and who he is, and then he passes you like you’re invisible. You wonder what he was going to do if he reached you. Kissing in public is too dangerous, even talking together arouses suspicion. You wait a second and follow him, each step playing around with your heart. As you round a corner, you walk into him, your body bouncing off of his.

“I didn’t see you,” he said. He did. “I’m sorry.” He’s not.

His fingers are on your arm, his eyes gawking at your cleavage, his tongue licking the middle of his chin. Staff pass by and he lets you go. He steps back and leans against a wall, his body pressing against its blank canvas like a work of art. People cut between you two, but neither of you notice, or care. He smiles, raises an eyebrow, and purses his lips with the pride of a million men.

“Come with me.” he mouths.

As if you have a choice, you follow him through the people, past the place you had come from. A few staff turn to see the idol boy, his greetings charming, his stage outfit sticking out like a sore thumb. No one notices the girl trailing behind him, her eyes following him with determination, her legs clamped so tightly together, even as she walks. Haechan goes down a ramp until he’s underneath the stage. You hesitate a moment before following behind him. There is something about breaking the rules that has always scared you. Since you met Haechan, you had been doing a lot of that. Though you are terrified of being recognized, no one is paying attention to you. He hides behind large black cases on wheels, their metal clasps shiny when the strobe lights from above the stage hit them. Stacked on top of each other, no one can see what’s going on behind them. To reach him, you step over wires and broken lights that have been replaced. The moment the space swallows you up, Haechan takes your shoulders and pushes you up against the cases. He unbuttons your jeans and slides his palm in until his fingers are cupping you. The rough way he rubs his hand against you makes your knees threaten to buckle.

“This is dangerous.” you shout.

The sound from the music above drowns out your words. You’re afraid he can’t hear you, but then he leans in close to your ear and tells you that the danger is the best part. His tongue is on your neck for a second before his head is between your breasts. He’s greedy. His hands haven’t stopped rubbing you, your clit so sensitive and swollen that you can’t feel anything but a soft burn. When he pulls himself out from between your breasts, you can see that his make-up has worn off, and his lips are puffy from sucking and kissing your skin. The strobe lights from above the stage are peaking through the cracks, lighting up his face in brilliant hues of purple and blue.

“Hi,” Haechan says. “It’s been awhile since I last saw you.”

He removes his hand. He doesn’t pause to tell you to taste yourself, like he normally would. Haechan’s weakness is knowing how wet he makes you, and your weakness is giving in to him every single time. He hooks his fingers on either side of your jeans and pulls them down your thighs. They’re so tight that they won’t budge past your knees without a fight. Feeling frustrated, Haechan spins you around and bends you over one of the cases. Trying to get out of his buckled stage outfit also proves difficult, but the boy is determined. His cock is in you before you look behind to see if he’s free. The feeling of him never fails to flip your whole world upside down.

You say his name, and you say it loudly. The music vibrates your whole body, the heavy bass perfectly timed with his every thrust. The thrill of getting caught makes you want to scream every syllable of his name, each letter like a bread crumb leading to your hiding place. You think of how the music has to stop some time, how the lights have to turn on to reveal what is bent over in the darkness, and you wonder what it will be like when it happens.

Haechan: Are you thinking of me?

You: You wish.

Haechan: I’m hurt. Ah, it’s night time back home. Are you getting ready for bed? What are you doing?

You: Not you.

Haechan: You’ve been hanging around my friends too much. Seriously, none of you are funny.

You: Does the thought of me hanging out with your friends make you jealous?

Haechan: Yes. We both know I don’t share. I miss you. I’ve been away for too long. It feels like I’m going crazy.

You: Donghyuck, It’s been four days.

Haechan: That’s too long.😣 Do you miss me?

You: No.

Haechan: I’M HURT.

You: I have a hard time believing that. What are you doing? How was the performance?

Haechan: I think it went well. We almost dropped Mark during Cherry Bomb. Right now, I’m getting ready to eat. Taeil, Yuta and Johnny want local food. I’m really excited.

You: I hope you’re enjoying yourself. ☺️

Haechan: I am. I’ve been horny.

You: Is that all I’m good for?

The sound of the video call made you jump out of your skin. Like always, your volume was turned all the way up. You looked at your phone and saw Haechan’s picture staring back at you. At the beginning of your relationship, he had snapped a photo of himself and set it as the wallpaper for when he calls. “Don’t show this to anyone,” he had said. “They’ll never stop making fun of me.” In the picture he was acting cute, his finger poking his cheek. The way he looked was so far removed from how you saw him most days : sexy, naked, his face screwed up in orgasm. The word Devil was still a part of his name only you had added a little red heart next to it. You stared at his face a little longer before accepting the video call.

“What took you so long?” he asked. “I don’t have much time.”

You could see he was sitting in a hotel bathroom, most likely on the toilet with the lid down. When he saw you looking, he held the phone up to give you a short tour of the bathroom. He showed you the tub where he said he’d like to fuck you in, the toilet he was sitting on, and the sink. You weren’t as interested in his surroundings as much as you were in seeing his face.

“It’s nice.” you said.

“It’s nice until Mark comes in here,” he said. “Speaking of, he went out to grab something from Jaehyun’s room, so I don’t have a lot of time before he comes back. Let me see them.”

“Them?” you asked. You were playing dumb. You knew exactly what he wanted to see.

“Ahhh,” he groaned. “Why do you do this to me?”

In the darkness of your bedroom, you didn’t think he would be able to see you well. You lifted up your shirt, anyway, and showed him your breasts. Haechan was dramatic when you revealed them, his mouth hanging open, the sound from his throat sounding like a croak. You pulled your shirt down quickly, the disappointment showing clearly on his face.

“You can see more of them when you get back.” you told him.

“Six days,” he said. “I can wait six more days.”

It was the first time you were separated for more than three days. It had been almost two months since you started fooling around, but he came to your apartment nearly every day to spend time with you. Haechan being a staple in your life made it harder for you when he was absent.

During your short period of being together, you had grown too comfortable with him. You had exerted your time, patience and body far beyond what you thought it was capable of. There were days when your emotions completely took over, your happiness cradled in the palm of his hands. You were disappointed when you couldn’t see him, his fist closing tightly around any motivation you had for anything. In the physical aspect, there were days when your muscle aches were so bad after you finished fucking that you had to use muscle relaxing patches to get through your next work day. Fucking three times a night-sometimes four- was just as time consuming as it seemed. You were losing sleep, losing interest in doing anything but thinking of new ways to make him come.

You liked to wonder how it was from Haechan’s point of view. You didn’t know how he survived juggling his schedules, priorities, and you, all at the same time. He should have collapsed from exhaustion, or at least aroused suspicion from his members and the staff.

Even through all of the risks on both sides, neither of you wanted to stop when the reward felt so good. Stopping was never an option, not for you, or him. You were as addicted to him as he was to you, and you could not get enough of your drug. After you made him come, you wanted to get back on top of him, riding him until your pussy was raw, until your thighs hurt from being spread apart for so long. You didn’t know when each of you started wanting to break the other, but the obsession was seeping into every part of your life.

“Let me see your cock.” you said.

“What?” he asked. “My cock?”

The shyness in his voice made you smile. You tried to hide it off-camera, but he could see the way your cheeks were rising. Haechan smiled, too, his laughter directed towards the floor. In the camera, all you could see was his Balenciaga hat and the little tufts of hair curling around his ear. In between fucking, you would lay with him while he fell in and out of sleep, your fingers curling that very section of hair. In moments like that, you thought about how easy he was to love, and how hard it was to stop. He stood, turned around and placed his phone against what you thought might be the top of the sink.

“Are you sure you want to see it?” he asked. “You might not be able to control yourself.”

Haechan lifted up his shirt and tucked the end of the fabric underneath his chin. The belt he wore around his waist barely kept his pants up. He was losing weight lately, his body being worked in every direction. He unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned his top button, brought his zipper all the way down until his briefs were revealed. When you saw his cock, it was soft. He rolled it around the tips of his fingers until it started growing to its full length. Your mouth watered at the sight of him. You sat up in bed, brought your knees to your chest and rested your phone against your thighs.

“How long do you think you have?” you asked.

“A few minutes.” he said.

You didn’t have to tell him to touch himself. Haechan was already jerking himself off, looking down at his cock in his hands before looking into the phone camera. He turned to the side so you could have another angle of his body. Though it was probably wiser to keep quiet, Haechan did as he wanted. The moans filled the hotel bathroom, along with the sound of his palm around his cock.

“Tell me you want me,” he said. “Tell me you want your mouth around me.”

You took your phone into your left hand. With your right hand, you dipped it into your pajama pants and started playing with your clit. Your eyes were on his cock, his fingers rhythmically moving to his deep sighs. There was something so torturous about seeing him and not being able to have him. You had to stop yourself from bringing the phone up to your face and trying to lick him through the screen.

“I want you,” you said. “I want my mouth around you.”

You closed your eyes and imagined his cock sliding past your lips. You loved holding onto his hips and controlling how fast he fucked your face. You imagined what it would feel like to grab a handful of his ass as he did that. You tried to taste his imaginary cum, and how it would spill out all at once, like you had bitten into a delicious fruit and the juice was gushing into your mouth.

“Tell me…,” he began to say, his words breathless. “Tell me I’m the only one.”

“You’re the only one.”

You were moaning with him, your voices rising in unison. Having sex via video call wasn’t what you had planned for the night, but you knew it was a vital part of your life.

“Tell me-”

“-Tell you what? Anything. I will tell you anything.” you said.

“Tell me goodbye, Mom, I’ll talk to you later.” he said.

Your eyes snapped open as the video call ended. His selfie flashed for a second before disappearing. You were nearing climax, but the confusion made you stop touching yourself. You took your hands away from your pussy and read the text coming through.

Haechan: Fuck. Sorry. Mark. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

You dropped your phone beside you and sunk back into your sheets, your pussy full of nothing but regret.

“Are you crazy?” you asked. “You shouldn’t be here.

“I wanted to see you.”

He stood in front of your apartment at midnight, his hat low over his eyes, a face mask over his mouth. The way he looked reminded you so much of the night you realized you wanted him in very compromising positions. You had grabbed the first jacket from your entryway, which just so happened to be one of his that he left. You hugged it tightly around your body, the smell of him wafting into your nostrils.

“Just see me?” you asked.

He laughed. “Yes. Now that I’ve seen you, I can go.”

“You and I both know that you can never just go.”

“Perhaps I am crazy,” he said. “But I am also tired. Jet lag. I should be resting.”

“Don’t let me stop you then.”

You stood with a lot of distance between you. The way you were feeling as you looked at him felt foreign to you. Normally, you would barely talk before you stumbled into your apartment, tearing off each others clothes, pushing things onto the floor to fuck on the hallway table. With your whole relationship about the benefits rather than the friendship, it was easier to direct. You didn’t know how to handle moments when you were both forced to act like two non-feral people.

You felt like you wanted to tell him everything you’d went through since he’d been gone. You wanted to grab a bite to eat where no one knew his name, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and watching him eat his fill. Wanting those things made you unsure about how you truly felt.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked. “This is a one-time offer.”

“Okay.” you answered.

You shut and locked the door to your apartment. When you turned back to him, his arm was extended. You looked down at his hand. Those hands had been all over your body. Sometimes you watched those hands touching other people and wondered what they would think if they knew they had been inside of you.

Losing his nerve, Haechan pulled it back before you could take it. Without saying anything, you moved beside him and took his hand back. If he wanted to hold hands, you would give him what he wanted. You both walked half a block before you spoke.

“How was travelling?” you asked.

“Fun, “ he said. “I feel lucky. I’m so grateful for the opportunities. I like it. How was your time while I was gone?”

You didn’t know how to answer truthfully so you just agreed that your time was equally as fun. Work days blended together when you had nothing to look forward to. You didn’t like to admit that you weren’t sure what day it was, or that so much of your life revolved around him. Luckily, he didn’t press you any further. It’s not that Haechan didn’t care what you were feeling inside, just that his outlook on life stayed blissfully positive, and you didn’t want to be the one to take that away from him.

“The clubs are still open,” Haechan pointed out. “I could use a drink right now.”

You knew that holding hands in public was the worst thing you could do that wasn’t behind closed doors. You never knew who could be watching, their phones clicking away like the ringing of a cash register. The people stumbling out of the clubs could be people you worked for, or worked with. All it took was for one person to recognize Haechan and the fun would be over. You thought about letting go of his hand, but you didn’t want to. He sensed your fear and directed you away from the crowds exiting the club.

“It will be okay,” he said. “As long as you’re with me, nothing will happen.”

You walked a few blocks before turning back to your apartment. The walking was aimless. After the club, you only came across a few people grabbing late night snacks at a convenience store. In the world the night had created, you both began to act more boldly. Haechan’s laugh was loud, his happiness contagious for people who passed you by. He brought you to him for back hugs, his arms squeezed tightly around you, his chin digging into your shoulder. Halfway back to your place, he got a message on his phone that stopped both of you in your tracks. You watched his face falter, his eyebrows furrowed together.

“Is everything okay?” he asked.

“It will be okay,” he said, repeating his line from earlier. “Don’t worry about me. Let’s just be here together.”

You walked the rest of the way in a weird silence. You kept looking over at him to figure out was wrong. Worst case scenario: everyone found out about what you two were doing. Best case scenario? You didn’t know, but you were hoping to find out one day.

“This is where I leave you, my princess.” he said.

You stood in front of your door. Hearing him call you his Princess made you want to giggle. In the beginning of your relationship, it was Haechan who reacted in such a way. Taking his virginity made him a little dependent on you. He often giggled when you suggested new positions, or told him how pretty you thought he was. Now that you were far into knowing each other in the most intimate ways, it was you who couldn’t stop becoming so giddy every time he opened his mouth. He could see his affect very well. You wore it hugged closely around your body, just like his jacket.

“Be careful walking home.” you said.

Haechan took a step forward. His figure was sexy, his eyes mentally undressing you. You thought that he might stay a little longer and fuck you on your apartment steps. Instead, he kissed you, his lips petal soft. As he pulled away, you could barely open your eyes to look at him. He backed away from you, his trademark smirk faltering just a little.

He stopped to look at you after making every move. For anyone else, you would have faked your enjoyment, but for Haechan, everything was honest. If he touched you, your body quaked in response. You couldn’t stop your eyelids from fluttering, your body from moving up the bed to get away from his persistence. If he made you feel good, you let him know with your shortness of breath, your knuckles clenched around the sheets.

“You make the funniest faces when you orgasm.” he observed.

You resisted the urge to take the pillow from underneath your head and whack him with it. Haechan sat between your legs, your knees hooked over his thighs. Often, you sat like this when you both felt too lazy for much else. He would play with your pussy for what felt like hours, his fingers pushing into you to see how many you could take. He would trace your labia with his fingertips, draw love hearts on your clit. He loved the way you looked when you were wide open for him, loved you shaved and unshaven.

“It’s a compliment,” he said when he sensed your hostility. “I love everything about you, especially how ugly you look when you’re on top .”

You clamped your legs shut, trapping his arm. He laughed gleefully, pushing your legs back open before climbing up your body. He laid across you, his full body weight crushing yours.

“You’re heavy.” you said.

Haechan flopped his body around, like a fish, until you felt his weight even more. You wheezed dramatically. The way you both joked around always made your day better. Laughing with him eased a lot of stress from your daily life. You used your hands to squeeze his cheeks. When he made a fishy face, you kissed his lips.

“I could stay like this all day.” you said.

“Not me,” he said. “I don’t want you lying on your back the whole time.”

You rolled your eyes, and he jokingly got offended. You pulled his neck down so that you could kiss him again. You made out like that, your naked bodies on top of each other, for awhile. The concept of time didn’t matter when you were together. There were times when you were thankful that all you did was have sex with each other. There was no fighting, no expectations, and nothing that could be torn apart if it wasn’t together to begin with. When your phone lit up, both of you pulled away.

“Who is it?” he asked.

“How am I supposed to know?”

Haechan took one look at your phone lit up on your night stand and pushed it off. It clattered onto the floor, your protective case splitting in two. You started to get up to check on it, but he pushed you back down. He got onto his knees and pushed your legs up so that your ass was lifted off the bed. His distraction tactics were good, you had to give him that.

“I’ll buy you a new phone.” he said.

Haechan took your hands and interlocked his fingers with yours. When he entered you, your mind forgot the phone altogether. The way he moved wasn’t his normal fast pace. Haechan liked to fuck you hard, each orgasm strong and earth shattering. Passionate was not a word you often used to describe what you and him did in the bedroom. As he moved inside of you, he lowered his body down over yours until he was hugging you. He kissed you as deeply as he was thrusting.

10:02 a.m.

Haechan: You’re not answering your phone

10:03 a.m.

Haechan: Call me back

10:46 a.m.

Haechan: I’m sorry I left so many voicemails I don’t know what to do

11:00 a.m.

Haechan: Pick up your phone

11:16 a.m.

Haechan: Johnny knows. He’s on his way to your apartment. Don’t tell him anything.

#haechan #nct #lee donghyuck #lee donghyuck smut #haechan smut #lee haechan #nct haechan smut #nct smut #nct fanfiction #haechan fanfiction #haechan smut fanfiction #nct smut fanfiction #I mean it's more than just smut tbh #there is a plot #it just has a lot of sex #anyway please forgive typos and stuff :D

645 notes · View notes

mischiefandspirits · 4 years

Text

Doppelgänger (11/?)

Previously on Doppelgänger ~ Masterlist ~ Next time on Doppelgänger

Danny, Sam, and Tucker were just 14 when they took a look inside the portal Danny’s parents had built. From there, everything changed. They woke up with white hair, green skin, and powers they could learn to control. They were hybrids, halfas.

They were the hero Doppelgänger.

{Life Lessons, Part 3}

The two ghosts led Valerie through the Ghost Zone in a weaving path. They were going at a pace slower than she was used to when dealing with them, but still fast enough that Danny had to hold on to keep from falling off.

“You okay?” she asked when his grip tightened during a turn.

“Yeah, just not used to it.”

“Maybe I should take you flying with me some time,” she said, glancing back at him and was pleased to see his smile.

“Sounds fun.”

The trip was thankfully short and soon enough Valerie was following the ghosts through a swirling vortex, coming out in the Fentons’ lab.

“Last stop, home,” Danny joked as he hopped down.

“What was that?”

All four teens froze at the voice before the ghosts darted through the walls and Valerie retracted her suit. A moment later, Danny’s parents came running down the stairs.

“Danny!” his mom shrieked when she saw them and the two adults swooped in to hug him. “We’ve been so worried! Are you okay? Did that awful ghost hurt you?”

“I’m-Mom, I’m-I’m okay! I-Dad, I can’t breath!”

The two pulled away and his mom held him at arm’s length to look him over. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, mom. Really.”

She didn’t look convinced, but turned to the other teen. “Valerie Gray, right? Are you okay?”

“Uh, yes ma’am,” she said, blinking. “Um, how did you know…”

“Your boss saw you and Danny get attacked and called it in,” Mrs. Fenton explained. “We tried to track it, but we found out this morning that it managed to get back to the zone somehow without using our portal. We were just preparing the speeder so we could come find you.”

“But you managed to escape on your own,” Mr. Fenton said, slapping Danny on the back hard enough that he stumbled forward. “That’s our boy!”

“The ghost didn’t hurt you?” Mrs. Fenton asked, looking Valerie over as she’d done Danny.

“No. He was some sort of collector or something. He just stuck us in a cage, like zoo animals,” Danny said.

“Well, I suppose that’s better than the alternative. I still want to be sure, though. Jack, why don’t you call Damon and the police and tell them the kids are back.”

“Yes, dear.” Mr. Fenton ruffled Danny’s hair then ran upstairs.

Mrs. Fenton checked them both thoroughly for injuries then grabbed what she referred to as a first aid kit, but turned out to be a large toolbox full of medical equipment. She used it to check their eyes, lungs, and heart before measuring any ectoplasmic radiation they were giving off.

“A 0.3er,” she read off after scanning Valerie. When she saw the girl’s curious expression, she explained, “Lower than I would have thought, which is good. It’s a completely healthy reading. It also means the atmospheric ecto-rad level of the Ghost Zone might be lower than we were expecting.” She then turned to Danny and scanned him. “A 1.18er.”

“Is that bad?” Valerie asked, worried.

Danny shook his head. “I run hotter than most. My whole family does, really, but I got into an accident a few months back so I run even hotter. That’s not much higher than my usual.”

“We don’t start worrying until a person’s ecto-rad level reaches 1.5er,” Mrs. Fenton added. “That’s when ectoplasm starts to negatively affect a human’s body.”

“Mom, Mr. Gray is here,” Danny’s sister said, poking her head in. Her eyes widened. “Danny!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny gave a pleased sigh as he cuddled up between his partners.

“Sorry it took us so long to find you,” Sam said, squeezing him.

He kissed her cheek. “It’s not your fault. Besides, it was kind of fun tormenting Skulker. I think he was actually tempted to send us back towards the end there.”

“Only you would think annoying the crud out of the homicidal ghost keeping you prisoner was a good idea,” Tucker chuckled, nuzzling into his neck.

“That’s why you love me!” Danny nuzzled him back. “How did you guys find us?”

“Someone found video footage of Skulker going through that random portal on their CCTV camera and turned it over to the police,” Sam explained. “Jazz told us when they were bringing in your parents to see the video so we were able to come along invisibly.”

“Weird as it is, Jazz is probably the hero this time,” Tucker said. “She also got you and Val an A on your baby assignment.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, she came by that night and told us you were missing, then took both sacks with her. Said something about giving us time to process.”

“Which was good because we were up all night trying to find you.”

“Then the next morning after she gave us ours back she went to Tetslaff and explained what had happened. We don’t know what she said, but she turned in the sack and when Tetslaff handed out grades, she said you’d get As for trusting someone so responsible and mature to babysit for you.”

“Wow, score one for teacher’s pet Jazz. Maybe we should bring her in on the secret.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sam snorted.

“She’s even more overprotective of you than you are of anyone. She’d never leave us alone,” Tucker huffed.

Danny’s nose scrunched up as he remembered how Jazz had hovered over him for two months after his parents had accidentally left him at the Christmas tree lot when he was six. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair. I’ll have to do something nice for Jazz, though. So how’d you guys do on the baby thing anyways?”

Sam smirked. “Well, I got an A.”

Tucker grumbled something and pressed further into Danny’s neck.

{The Million Dollar Ghost}

“Thanks for covering for me, Sam,” Danny said as he scrubbed ectoplasm off the lab’s floor. “There’s no way I’d have been able to get my chores done with all the extra work Lancer assigned me.”

“It’s fine. As long as we cover the next poetry night.”

“I will.”

“Did we charge the bazooka already?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Did we change the ecto-filtrator?”

Danny paused then went to do just that.

“We’d be lost without us,” Sam chuckled. “Did we talk to our dad about showing up at school?”

“Jazz and Mom were taking care of it when -”

“GUYS!”

“Tuck?”

“Volume!”

“Did you hear?” Tucker said, thankfully quieter.

“Hear what?”

“Turn on the tv! Amity news!”

“We’re on patrol,” Sam said as Danny went to the lab’s tv.

“Switching to FaceTime.”

“-etent, non-Jack Fenton ghost hunters in Amity Park has never been more obvious,” the news anchor was saying while footage of his dad’s attack on Lancer played. It switched back to the anchor and she continued. “Luckily a mysterious benefactor has offered a million-dollar bounty on the head of Amity Park’s most famous ghost and invited the world’s best-known ghost hunters to track her down.”

Danny’s jaw dropped as a picture of Tucker in ghost form appeared onscreen. “What?”

“Who on earth would place a bounty on us?”

“Besides Valerie, but we know she doesn’t have that kind of money,” Tucker added.

“Valerie wants to hunt us down herself, same for my parents,” Danny said. Then laughed. “Oh man, my dad is going to go crazy when he hears about this.”

“Dude, this is serious.”

“Aren't we worried? These are the best-known ghost hunters in the world!”

“Sam, they’re the best-known, they’re not the best,” he scoffed. “Trust me, I grew up around these people so I have a pretty good idea who’s going to show up. It will be great.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We’ll admit, they don’t look threatening,” the trio said, watching the gathering of ghost hunters from atop a nearby building. “It’s actually kind of sad.”

“Tell me about it.” The trio flinched and turned to Valerie as she landed next to them.

“Hey. Hi. You here for the bounty?”

“Lucky for you, no.” She sat down on the edge next to them. “I don’t trust this bounty thing. I’m here for the same reason as you, the show. Danny said his dad would be here to show up the out-of-towners.”

The four watched as the Fenton parents ran over a pair of ATVs.

“And that’s only half the show.”

“What do you mean?”

“SAVE DOPPELGÄNGER!”

The four turned to see a horde of teenagers marching into the Nasty Burger parking lot, all waving signs saying things like, “Protect the ghost boy!”, “Freedom for the ghost girl!”, and even just their name or picture. Paulina and Dash were at the head of the charge with fierce looks on their faces.

“I found out the popular kids at my school were organizing a protest against the bounty.”

“Well, don’t we feel special.”

“Apparently Paulina and Dash, the most popular sophomores, both have crushes on you.”

“Yikes. Wow. We don’t know if we should be flattered or creeped out.”

“You’re dead. It’s creepy.”

“Rude. Do they think we’re a guy or a girl?”

“Dash is adamant you’re a girl. Probably to soothe his poor straight heart. Paulina thought you were a guy, but I think my friend Star said something to her after I let it slip you might be non-binary because she’s been using they pronouns lately.”

“That’s… more forward-thinking than I assumed she could be. Given she’s the popular type.”

“She’s bi. As long as you weren’t femme, she would have been game.”

“Oh.”

“She’s still in the closet, so don’t say anything to anyone.”

“We won’t.”

Screams sounded over the arguing and the four looked back to the crowd to see a trio of bird ghosts dive-bombing the hunters.

“Those are Plasmius’s vultures. Should have known he was behind this whole thing.”

“Plasmius,” Valerie asked.

“A fruit loop of a ghost.”

“Let me guess, he hates you too?”

“Worse, he wants us as his kid. Tried to kill our dad and kidnapped our mom once.”

“Seriously?”

“Unfortunately. Do you mind taking care of this? The out-of-towners are idiots, but we’d rather not test the Fentons.”

She shrugged and climbed to her feet. They watched her drop down and start firing on the birds until a voice sounded behind them.

“Not going to lend your father a hand, Daniel?”

The trio turned to see Vlad floating behind them.

“Wow, you look even stupider than we sai-remember. You do realize the modern interpretation of vampires is a hot person, right?”

“I see you’ve been working on your duplication then,” he said with a scowl. “You do realize you don’t have to talk together, don’t you ?”

“You do realize there are better uses for your time than bothering a teenager, don’t you? Shouldn't you be getting home to the love of your life? Oh, that’s right! Our dad married the love of your life. We’re trying to watch the show, do you mind?”

Vlad scowled and fired on them.

“Should we really be teasing the older, stronger half-ghost? Well, we do outnumber him.”

Vlad split in three.

“Now we don’t.”

Sam raised a shield around her and Tucker while he grabbed onto the GAV’s controls and used it to fire on Vlad. Meanwhile, Danny put his speed to use diving around the three Vlad’s.

“You’ve gotten better,” one Vlad said as Danny curled around his blast, a bit of frustration leaking into his voice.

“And you’ve gotten worse,” they said.

Was it just Danny or were the Vlad’s slower and weaker than usual? Did duplication cut their power?

Interesting, and good to know for Sam.

A green blast flew by and Danny looked down to see they’d gotten the hunters’ attention.

Danny turned back to the Vlads and fired at the one closest to him. A pink blast joined his and the Vlad disappeared.

“Your stalker?” Valerie asked.

“Yup.”

“I believe that’s my cue to leave,” a Vlad said and they teleported away.

“And ours,” the trio said as a few more of the hunters’ blasts flew past them.

Valerie turned her blaster towards Danny, who raised his hands. “Thought you weren’t going for the bounty.”

“I’m not. This is for me.”

Sam and Tucker shot away as Danny flew down towards the crowd, distracting all the hunters and waving at their fans before he dove straight into the ground. He came up in an alley where his partners were waiting and all three transformed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I knew there was something sketchy about this mess,” Valerie said as she looked over her pistol. “I didn’t think a ghost would be the one placing the bounty though.”

“Ghost?” Danny said, coming back over with a now-empty thermos.

“Yeah, some enemy of the ghost kid. They said he wants them as his kid, but I don’t even know how that works for ghosts.”

“No clue. Maybe he’s just insane.”

“Probably.”

Valerie’s phone went off and she pulled it out. “There’s an attack downtown.”

He leaned in as she brought up a live feed.

A large, t-rex-looking ghost was stomping through the street. Sam and Tucker were already there, firing on its head. The hunters, Danny’s parents included, could be seen chasing them in the background.

“You going to join them?” Danny asked, pulling back and grabbing Valerie’s grenade launcher. His partners looked like they had it and they’d give him a call if they didn’t.

“And risk getting into another ghost discussion with those pathetic excuses for hunters? Pass.”

“You should see them at one of the conventions.”

The two worked in silence until Danny’s ghost sense went off and a device on the counter next to them started beeping.

“Ghost?” Danny grabbed it and checked it. “It shouldn’t be picking up the fight from here.”

Valerie loaded the cartridge back into her pistol while Danny grabbed the only other operational weapons on the table, the thermos and Fenton Ghost Gloves.

The vultures flew through the ceiling, then froze. “You should not be here.”

Valerie blasted all three in the face.

Danny grabbed one in one hand and sucked the second into the thermos with the other before they could recover. The third dodged around another blast from Valerie, only for the Jack o' Nine Tails to come shooting out of the stairs and wrap around it.

Jazz slammed it into the floor as she came into the lab. “You guys okay?”

“We’re fine,” Danny said, sucking the last two into the thermos. “You?”

“Fine. I was just heading into the kitchen to grab a snack and saw them flying by.” She watched as Danny went to empty the thermos, then turned to Valerie. “What are you guys doing down here?”

“Well now, isn’t this a surprise?”

The teens looked up to see Vlad hovering over the lab.

“Great, another uninvited guest,” Danny groaned.

The ghost turned to him in shock. “Daniel?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you?”

Valerie shot Vlad before he could do anything else.

Jazz tried to grab him with the nine tails, but he caught it out of the air and yanked it away from her. Danny used the distraction to punch him in the back. He smirked down at the gauntlets when the older halfa was sent into the wall.

Valerie slid up to his side as Jazz grabbed the Fenton Foamer off a table and blasted Vlad. “Trade you.”

Knowing from personal -- bruising -- experience that Valerie was better at hand-to-hand, Danny passed her the gauntlets and took the pistol.

The kids didn’t give Vlad a chance to breathe, switching quickly between Valerie beating him into the ground and the Fentons shooting him out of the air. Soon enough, Danny was opening the portal so Valerie could toss him through.

“And don’t come back!” he yelled before shutting it. He turned and smiled at Valerie before meeting Jazz’s eyes. “Mom and Dad never hear of this?”

“Agreed.”

#danny phantom #danny fenton #valerie gray #sam manson #tucker foley #Doppelgänger au

16 notes · View notes

itsuki-minamy · 3 years

Text

“K - THE FIRST STORY”

CHAPTER 11: THE NIGHT BEFORE (Complete)

* K - The First Story (List of Chapters) * Projects & Chapters

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

Awashima bowed deeply into the command car parked in front of the Gakuenjima bridge.

"I'm sorry. Not only did I let the 'Red King' escape, but I also made this happen... it's all my responsibility."

"The expression on your face accepting such humiliation is not all bad."

Before Awashima seriously apologized, Munakata joined his hands and said that with a serious face.

"Captain."

"Feeling responsible for not being able to stop the 'Red King' is a sign of considerable arrogance."

The apology became an advance and she turned her eyes to guilt, but Awashima lowered her eyes again without saying anything to return to the lines of Munakata.

"Yes."

Awashima received it mysteriously, understanding that it was not an unstoppable mistake, but a reckless attempt to stop him.

Munakata stood up silently and left the command vehicle without further pursuit or mention.

"Still, it was troublesome."

Awashima also got out of the command car following Munakata and stayed a bit behind. Munakata looked towards Gakuenjima in cloudy weather. The panic that might have happened there couldn't be seen from here, and the island beyond the connecting bridge was silent in the middle of the sea.

But now that island is in danger of ending even this country.

Munakata opened his mouth with a sharper light in his eyes.

"The 'Red King' Mikoto Suoh occupies the school island. The purpose remains..."

"Capture Totsuka Tatara's killer."

"That's right... But if that person was another 'King', it would be really annoying."

"You mean the 'Colorless King'?"

Before Awashima, who said that with a firm expression, Munakata continued speaking.

"Unlike other kings, the Seventh King, the 'Colorless King', develops his own unique abilities with each substitution of him. You won't know what he looks like until he appears."

"A trickster who stirs up relations between 'kings'. He's like a joker in a deck of cards."

"Awashima-kun, I hate the joker. That smells like deception... I feel like he lacks justice. Especially when he's out of my hands."

Awashima was a bit surprised to see that he was blatantly thinking that it would be fair if he had the joker. However, even though she thinks he's pretty badass, she doesn't think he's wrong.

Munakata sighed a bit frustratingly, which was unusual for him.

"Well, it would be much easier if he remained secluded in the mountains like his predecessor Ichigen Miwa."

"An unpredictable 'Colorless King' is added to the 'Red King', which is equivalent to a bomb on the verge of detonation. I must say that this situation is extremely dangerous."

"Because we have not been able to capture the existence of the 'Colorless King', we have no choice but to hold down the 'Red King'. A full-scale collision with the Red Clan is inevitable."

By confirming the seriousness of the current situation, she was prepared. Awashima turns to Munakata, lines up her legs and stretches her spine.

"All units are ready for battle. You can give the order whenever you want."

Munakata looked back at Awashima after a brief pause.

"Awashima-kun. Can I make a rather selfish request?"

Awashima was surprised by the sound of the word "selfish" that came out of Munakata's mouth. Before Awashima asked the content of the expression "selfishness", it was not an order, instruction or request, a white thing fluttered next to Munakata's face.

Munakata and Awashima looked at the sky together.

From the heavy cloudy sky, the white shards began to flicker like petals.

"Snow."

Munakata muttered like a soliloquy.

++++++++++

The amount of snow that began to fall at dusk increased and piled up as if to cover the colors of the world.

Suoh was lying on the clock tower that he had knocked down, whether it started to snow or at night.

When he lay on his back on the rocky shore of the clock tower and looked up at the night sky where the snow continued to fall, he felt that the world had become two colors, black and white. The snow that touched his skin quickly melted and disappeared, but the snow that had accumulated on his clothes and hair was thickening on the board.

From the bottom, he heard small footsteps and the sound of chunks of rocky shore falling.

Suoh didn't move and was listening to the approaching noise.

However, he heard the sound of the rocky shore collapsing and reached out. What he grabbed with his left hand was Anna's hood.

"What are you doing?"

Suoh puts Anna's small body, which he clutched like a kitten, next to him and asks.

Anna blinked on the spot and looked at Suoh with a serious face.

"Because the snow piled up on Mikoto."

"What with that?"

"I'm in trouble if I can't see the color red."

Anna complained, looking very serious.

Suoh thought of the world through her eyes, which only reflected red, for a moment, but he couldn't quite imagine it, so he stopped immediately. Instead, he slightly released the power of red and the heat melted and evaporated the snow from his body.

The white snow that covered Suoh disappeared and Anna loosened her eyes a little.

"Mikoto's red is the most beautiful."

Anna said. It was like trying to give something important. Since Anna has few words, she seems like she puts an invisible power in every single word she says.

Anna lay down next to Suoh. When he reached out, she obediently put her small head on Suoh's upper arm.

"It's cold?"

"It's warm next to you. This is the only warm place."

Snuggled into Suoh's chest like a small animal, Anna closed her eyes silently.

Suoh silently looked at Anna, who closed her eyes as if she was at ease.

When he thinks about it, Anna has rarely asked Suoh for anything. The only thing she asked for was (I want Mikoto's red).

Maybe it was just that moment when she wanted to be a member of Suoh's clan.

Suoh finally heard the wish. He shared the flame with Anna and gave her what she called "red" to make her a member of his clan. He knew it was not the same as doing it to street boys in search of power, but he offered his hand on fire as she wanted.

Since then, Anna has been with Suoh. She doesn't say anything, she doesn't ask anything, she just snuggles with Suoh, she stares at Suoh's red and squints in satisfaction. Even now, even though she can see ahead of anyone, she remains silent next to Suoh.

When he was in the "Scepter 4" detention center, he remembered that Fushimi had come to see him only once. He doesn't know if it was a sweetheart-type action that he used to have in "Homura", or if he just wanted to complain, he came to the front of Suoh's cell, where no one but the members could approach him, and he threw up a few sentences, though he was strangely scared.

(Are you playing the fool?)

Unexpectedly, he thought he was a polite and serious guy.

(I wish I hadn't gathered around you with all your friends.)

He disagreed with anyone because it seemed dishonest to everyone, but he thought it was good to have someone blame him like that.

Furthermore, that revived the words of an irresponsible man who said the exact opposite of Fushimi.

(Your power is not to destroy, but to protect.)

At the very least, he made a dome-shaped shield releasing the red power with a small outlet, feeling like this. The little red shelter was warm and protected Anna from falling snow and chills.

When the falling snow approached the shield, it reflected the light and turned red, and he vaguely thought that he must smoke.

++++++++++

Yata continued to look around the large school, as he skated on the roofs of the school building.

That criminal boy has yet to be found. Yata was appointed an entire island watchdog due to his mobility and good eyesight, but the job of just looking was frustrating.

Beyond the connecting bridge, "Scepter 4" is waiting. If they attack quickly, they will withdraw it, but they just line up a series of strict armored vehicles and observe this situation, and they do not move easily.

(I wonder if he will always come.)

He thought about it, and it didn't matter! He shook his head immediately.

Fiuuu fiuuu. He heard the sound of a finger whistling from a distance. Seeing that, Yata felt slightly offended. He thought he should use the PDA, and thought about ignoring it for a moment, but in the end he dutifully kicked the concrete on the rooftop and flew between the school buildings with his skateboard.

"What are you doing? I'm not a dog, so I'd like you to stop calling me that."

Upon landing, Yata sighed and looked at Kusanagi. Kusanagi, who was still in the whistling stance, laughed fearlessly.

"You are not a dog, I thought you were a crow with great night vision. What did you observe?"

"There is nothing unusual on the island. There were some idiots trying to escape, but they weren't that damn bastard, so I tied them up and threw them into the school building. Passing the bridge, it seems the Blues have the area completely surrounded."

Kusanagi took out the cigarette and it was probably troublesome to use his lighter, so he moved his finger to make his own flame appear from his fingertips and set it on fire. Yata, who doesn't smoke, secretly thought that the way he used his fingertips like flint was great.

"If we do face it, this time it will be a full-scale war."

"I say let's go get them!"

Yata clenched his fist with all his might at the words Kusanagi spoke as he exhaled smoke.

"I can't wait for it."

Fighting spirit boiled up and the power of red seeped out from the body, enveloping Yata's entire body in a faint red. Kusanagi shrugged and laughed a little.

"Don't get excited. You really do a better job when the blood circulates less through your head."

"It's hard to stay calm at a time like this!"

"Yata-chan, you'd be better off if you weren't such an idiot. But it wouldn't be you, if you weren't an idiot."

When Yata was congested and about to scream, Kusanagi suddenly looked at Yata with a slight smile and seemed to be cheering him on.

"You especially get excited when Fushimi is involved. Well, I can't blame you since they used to be partners."

For a moment, deep in Yata's eyes, he took the hand that held Suoh's flame, accepted Suoh's flame, and the moment he got the mark, the scene flashed.

(Yeah! This is a genuine companion!)

When you pass through the Suoh installation, you will see a tattoo-like "mark" in the shape of a flame somewhere on your body. Yata is proud of it, which is proof of the above.

When Yata graduated from high school, he and Fushimi received the installation from Suoh, and at the same time, they both received a mark under the left clavicle in the same place.

He remembers Kusanagi, who was watching them, saying that it was the first time that someone got the "mark" in the same place where the other's was.

Yata was happy that he seemed to prove that he was a partner of Fushimi.

When the feelings at that moment seemed to revive, Yata bit the surging emotions and said to Kusanagi forcefully.

"No matter how much you say it, it sucks."

Fushimi's finger with flames. A flame that crushed the "mark". A smile that looked at him with contempt.

Yata fought back bitterly, recalling the scenes he wanted to forget in a chain reaction.

"Besides, he was the one who betrayed me first."

Kusanagi glanced at Yata and shrugged a little.

"By the way, since you will be guarding the area for the rest of the night, there is something I would like you to do."

Kusanagi easily changed the story, turned his face to Yata and spoke.

Yata opened his eyes to the content.

"Eh? Why is it like this...!"

"There was a request for a 'personal meeting' in route from the lieutenant over there for me."

"Why don't you get it?"

Kusanagi forgave the yapping Yata with a smile. Kusanagi sometimes showed him a smile that he didn't know what he was thinking.

"The next time we meet face to face, it will be a war without questions. If you want to talk before that, you can't."

"But..."

"It is a violation of the rules to attack the messenger in war... But if other people know about it, I will have the same revulsion as you. Keep this matter here alone."

Kusanagi seemed to accept it and touched Yata's shoulder when he closed his mouth without complaint.

"Trust me, Yatagarasu."

Kusanagi called Yata's nickname and stepped away from the rooftop.

Yata, who was left alone, was silent for a while and then shook his tongue.

(From now on, the "Blue King" will come alone to this island.)

He remembered the words he had heard from Kusanagi and threw them away.

Yata does not like the "Blue King". He just doesn't like him, and he feels like he's going to take important things away from Yata, because he's going to attach a flirtation to Suoh, whom Yata respects more than anyone else.

Yata squeezed his eyes shut.

As he talks to Kusanagi, memories that he did not want to remember came to mind and they did not disappear.

Until a few years ago, Yata and Fushimi were best friends.

They met in middle school and spent their youth together. The two of them were holding something that surrendered to each other, but they could breathe well side by side and they had a great dream if they were together.

Yata still doesn't know where something went wrong.

He was in the back alley in front of the HOMRA bar where he ended up with Fushimi.

"I joined 'Scepter 4'." Said Fushimi. For Yata, it was a declaration of war in his ears.

"Bastard, what's wrong with you now?"

After being stunned for a moment, blood suddenly spilled over his head and Yata grabbed Fushimi's chest and squeezed it. Fushimi didn't move and looked at Yata with icy eyes.

"Didn't you hear me? I joined 'Scepter 4'."

"What for?! Why did you betray me? Depending on why..."

When he shook him hard, he swayed while Fushimi swayed, and was looking at Yata with rumored eyes seemingly distant from him.

He was shaken by Yata's hand and his neck was exposed, revealing the "mark" of "Homura" under Fushimi's left clavicle. The pride of "Homura", who is in the same place as Yata, and a test of Yata's partner.

When he left, Yata put his fist on Fushimi's "mark" and pushed hard.

"This is a sign, probably our pride! Even though I have this on my chest, why you...?"

"Pride?"

He asked Fushimi's voice, which turned wetter. Somehow, it was a voice that pushed through the emotions that Yata didn't really understand.

The fingertips of Fushimi's right hand harbored flames. Yata was confused when he saw the tips of his five muscular fingers emitting red flames. He had often seen red power in his knives during battle, but this was the first time he had seen Fushimi use this type of flame.

Facing Yata, who forgot his anger for a moment and waited for Fushimi's next behavior, Fushimi put his burning fingers on the "mark" below his collarbone and scratched his hard.

He heard a burning sound on his skin.

The "mark" was on fire. It should be hot. It should hurt. However, Fushimi scratched the "mark" up and down with a distorted smile as he sweated.

He drew a red-black burnt line at the "mark", as if it were a strikethrough.

Yata's entire body was bleeding. His limbs grew cold and didn't move well, and his lips trembled. The scent of Fushimi burning his skin drifted to the tip of his nose and he felt the rocking motion in front of him.

"Ah... the pride you say has collapsed, Misaki?"

Fushimi said. Fushimi's voice was slightly hummed with a smile, probably because he was encouraged to endure the pain.

Yata was beginning to lose track of her feelings, whether it was anger, sadness, or despair.

However, even when Fushimi hurt himself so terribly, he was ignorant of the fact that he was trying to destroy "Homura's" pride and Yata's essence.

Fushimi continued speaking with a distorted smile.

"You ask me why I betrayed you? Because this is stupid. Although we have a special power, everything we do is play punks and gangsters. I really suck in 'Homura'."

Yata's emotions, which had been scattered and disturbed, slowly integrate into one. He was angry. Anger rebuilt Yata, who was about to collapse, and gave him some power in his abandoned childlike mind.

Fushimi desecrated what Suoh gave him, which Yata prized above all else. Fushimi imitated spitting at Suoh, who gave birth to Yata's locked world.

"Saru! Even though you were picked up from the street by Mikoto-san, how dare you be disrespectful to "Homura"?"

In response to Yata's anger, Yata's red power overflowed to the surface of his body and he burned. He dissipates the heat to evaporate the tears that had risen.

He looked into the eyes of the man who once called his partner with the intention of shooting.

Fushimi shook his shoulders and laughed out loud. His eyes glowed with a dark light, but he lifted the edge of his mouth satisfactorily.

"That's right, Misaki. Don't laugh, look at me all the time."

"Damn traitor... I'll kill you...!"

The path between the two was divided.

Unable to understand what Fushimi was thinking, Yata suffered the sensation of ripping out his internal organs over and over again. He wondered why, he went to the place they shared and gritted his teeth.

(But that's okay. If you want me to look angry, I will. If you stand in front of me, I will crush you.)

Shaking off the pain in his chest, Yata took off across the sea.

At the end of the Black Sea, a group of blue lights lit by "Scepter 4's" armored vehicle floated in a row.

++++++++++

Munakata, who arrived on the island in a small boat at midnight, thanked Kusanagi for welcoming him with a slight bow of his head.

Kusanagi replied with just a small bow and started walking without exchanging words.

Kusanagi took the lead, followed by Munakata. The snow flickered but kept falling.

Instead of going to the school building, he was heading to the shrine at the back of the island in a wooded area so as not to bump into other members.

"Wait here."

In front of the stone steps of the shrine, Kusanagi turned around, letting out only a minimum of words. The fact that he was on the brink of war was taken into account, not himself, but Kusanagi was called from behind when he was about to leave.

"Why?"

Kusanagi stopped and looked back. The orderly "King", dressed in a blue uniform, looked a little different than the usual Kusanagi knew, irreverent man, calm and serene, transcendental. There was even a childish atmosphere that he kept asking why he didn't understand.

"You know what he's waiting for at the end of this rebellion, right?"

When asked directly, Kusanagi did not have an answer. His question was correct, but he thought that Kusanagi would not be convinced when he answered.

"Breathing and living is crazy."

To say that, Munakata had an expression that was the opposite of what he was convinced of, and made an icy voice.

"So you're dying to 'live' as you call it? Involve unrelated students and endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of countless citizens?"

Kusanagi smiled silently with a slight smile. He wasn't afraid to hear legitimate accusations from him, but he didn't mean to argue, so he chose silence.

Seeing Kusanagi like this, Munakata erased the irritation and discomfort from his facial expression and said in a simple voice.

"If you are so stubborn, why did you accept my offer?"

"Because you came to speak to him as an individual, not as a 'King'. I have neither the right nor the will to reject you, and I prefer that you see him."

Munakata said nothing more. Kusanagi started walking leaving him this time.

Kusanagi broke through the bushes surrounding the shrine and headed toward Gakuenjima's front place, trampling the fine snow. Immediately after entering the gate, where a clock tower was built as a symbol in the square, but it was knocked down by a light blow of fire from Suoh, and now he was lying on his side. The collapse of the clock tower was probably still neglected there.

The menacing threat to destroy the clock tower made the noisy students quieter and easier to handle, but a bit over the top.

(King's flames are too big, right?)

Totsuka said that when he was with him.

Yes, that was the first winter that Suoh became the "Red King", and Totsuka and Kusanagi became members of the clan.

It was a flickering snow night like today, when Suoh mistakenly controlled his power and burned down an entire abandoned building.

After getting rid of the situation, Suoh, Kusanagi, and Totsuka were walking down the snowy night street. Suoh was in a bad mood, but Totsuka said with a smile as usual, "King's flames are too big, right?"

Suoh made a little irony and let out a rarely misunderstood voice: "It was bad." Totsuka laughed in amusement.

"Didn't you say you didn't like it? No one complains that firepower is too strong like the sun."

"I don't want to be like the sun."

"That's right. King is a king, not the sun, so he doesn't just keep burning, but he burns and burns as he wants."

As Suoh thinks. Kusanagi appears to be frowned upon when Suoh, who hides the urge to destroy himself, hides on the back of his chest and behaves the way he really wants.

"I hope you are a little more dexterous. I wonder if the building often burns from the impulse of things."

"King is so clumsy!"

"Hahaha.", Totsuka laughed, and Suoh hit him on the head with a "Shut up."

Then, he practiced using the flames skillfully, and Totsuka turned his palm to the sky. A flame floated on the white palm like a dot and a red pill, which transformed into a butterfly shape and fluttered. The flaming butterflies rising from the palm of his hand flutter in the flickering snow, as if they were actually alive.

"This is an unexpectedly difficult and good practice."

With a red clan flame called the "Flame of Destruction", Totsuka would often do something clean and smooth, like a child enthusiastic about working with clay. They were mostly butterflies, birds and other creatures that flew free, showing off the beauty of the color of the red flames.

Kusanagi and Suoh looked at the red butterflies flying on a winter night with their detoxified eyes. The flaming butterflies that flew while scattering sparks were somewhat blurry and cute.

"But you can do something with a terrifying flame of destruction."

"King's flames aren't all scary. It's warm and clean."

In fact, Totsuka spun a fire butterfly and wagged Kusanagi's nose, claiming it would be hot and clean.

Emerging from the thoughts of the past, Kusanagi exhaled a white breath into the cold air.

It was a snowy day like today, but when he thought that he felt much warmer than today, Kusanagi laughed softly when he found a small dome of warm colors wherever he went.

"Yes, I know. The 'King' sleeps all the time, though his vassals are hanging around."

Kusanagi shouted slightly towards the dome of red light that floated above the clock tower that lay on its side.

The dome of light was formed by Suoh's power. Suoh was lying next to Anna. The inside of the dome was hot due to the power of the red that controls the flames. The broken tiles of the clock tower were decorated white with snow, but there was no snow inside the dome, and Anna, who was lounging outside at midnight in December, did not appear to be cold at all.

"That's what it means to be a 'King'."

Kusanagi shrugged while Suoh was lying down.

"No, I think there is a problem with your image of a 'King'. Well, I'm not saying you have to work with us, but…"

Kusanagi frowned after saying that in a scared voice.

"...You are waiting?"

"Yes."

Do you think it will work?"

"Yes."

Suoh also gave a minimal answer to the questions. Kusanagi sighed with a bitter smile and lowered his eyebrows.

"Well we'll humbly do our best to catch him before then."

When he sat on a cracked tile, he turned his back on Suoh and Anna. Staring up at the night sky where the snow was falling as he felt the signs of him behind, the fluffy heat approached from behind and the fine snow that had accumulated under Kusanagi's feet began to melt. Suoh seems to have expanded the dome a bit.

He was deeply moved by the fact that he sometimes used gentle power, and was reminded of the flaming Totsuka butterflies that he once saw.

As if carried away by him, various memories so far emerged one after another in Kusanagi's head and exploded.

"When I met Totsuka, I wondered if that boy was not enough. I felt it was dangerous for him to get close, but he was happy saying that he would become a servant of the king."

Before Suoh became "King". Although he had a difficult and scary personality, he met Totsuka, a middle school student who called Suoh King and laughed at Suoh, who was just a high school student who did not carry something so troublesome and so big. It seemed like it was a long time ago, and it seems like it was yesterday.

The three of them hung out, hanging out and playing like fools. Eventually, however, Suoh became known as the "King" by people outside of Totsuka, and was chosen by the Slate and became the "Red King".

Kusanagi remembers the first time he saw the sword that appeared above Suoh's head. That day he was cloudy. In the cloudy sky that he hung low, a huge sword appeared while emitting red light. Instinctively it turned out that he ruled Suoh's fate.

Kusanagi thought that the huge red sword, which was shaped like a flame and pointed downward, was beautiful and terrifying.

"Don't put your sword to your head."

Kusanagi giggled and said that. Suoh seemed to be a bit embarrassed or confused, with an indescribable thin smile, causing flames to appear on both hands. He extended his right hand to Kusanagi, who was enveloped in the red flame, and his left hand to Totsuka.

"Would you like to hold my hand?"

The fate of Suoh, who possessed a powerful flame that could burn everything, changed, and the fate of Kusanagi and Totsuka, who held his hand, also changed.

"But you have become a literal 'King' to 'Homura'."

Those were the days of the angry clan. The number of friends and people who thought that the HOMRA bar was his home had increased. Between them, Totsuka always laughed. He kept trying to make the place where his friends gathered around Suoh a fun place.

"I thought you were a bomb that wanted to explode, not a guy who would protect or rally people, but... I guess Totsuka saw something different in you."

Suddenly, he heard Suoh laugh with only his breath behind him.

"You are more right than Totsuka."

Kusanagi also exhaled and laughed. Kusanagi himself believes so too. However, he believed that Suoh was a "King" even though he was not of that type.

"Even so, since you became 'King', you have become a weapon that shoots at enemies to protect what you need to protect, not an explosive bomb. With you and the people around you. At first, I thought that I could have a good time. "

It was fun.

Kusanagi obediently thought about it.

"Don't say that, it's irritating."

Suoh said that with a very irritated voice. Kusanagi laughed lightly this time and stood up.

"I'm sorry. When you're older, you start trying to hold on to the past."

He turned around, changed feelings, and called out to the girl next to Suoh.

"Anna, come with me."

Anna got up and looked at Kusanagi with her red eyes. Just by looking at him, Anna attended and took Kusanagi's hand as if she knew everything.

Kusanagi hugged Anna from the top of the clock tower tile, and Suoh turned off the warm red dome and lifted half of his body.

"Someone has come to see you."

He doesn’t ask who he was. Suoh had a slightly subtle expression, but he silently jumped off the rocky shore.

When he told the location, Suoh said nothing and walked silently towards that place.

Looking at his back as he walked away, Kusanagi spoke words that he had never said or intended to say.

"Couldn't ask for a better king."

++++++++++

He hears the sound of stepping on the snow.

Munakata was on his way to the shrine, waiting for the King of Steps. Looking down from the side, he saw a red-haired man walking through a snow-covered torii gate and up a long stone staircase.

The cold snowy night was horribly quiet, and Suoh's silent footsteps seemed to be the only sound in the world.

Even seeing Munakata, Suoh giggled a little and approached slowly without accelerating.

"I thought sharing the same air as me made you want to throw up."

"Sometimes I want to breathe poison."

Munakata laughed wryly and pulled a box of cigarettes from his chest when Suoh stopped in front of him. Facing Suoh's unexpected face, he added one and offered it to Suoh.

Suoh obediently took out the cigarette and put it in his mouth, and before Munakata reached for a lighter, he lit the tip of Munakata's cigarette with his finger. Suoh's flames turned red in front of him for a moment, and when he realized it, Munakata's cigarette was on fire. While Munakata was puzzled, Suoh laughs with an evil child face, slid down the side of him and climbed the stone steps to the top.

With some relief on his shoulders, Munakata inhaled slowly and deeply the cigarette smoke.

It was the taste of the cigarette he smoked for the first time in a long time. When he was an adult for a while, he first bought a box and smoked it to find out how he tasted, but got no more impressions than that.

He understood how to enjoy the taste and aroma, but it was not enough to balance the disadvantages they gave him and others, and he did not get into the habit of smoking.

But now, he was grateful for the cigarettes. He felt it would be a little easier to get away from his being, letting himself be carried away by the bitterness and sweetness that he felt on his tongue and the sensation that his skull was tingling.

He walked to the top of the stone steps and looked at Suoh, who shook the cigarette from him and for a moment purple smoke glowed silently.

"I'm going to get straight to the point."

Munakata said.

"Peacefully leave this school. I can't overlook the way you're involving unrelated high school students. If you do it now, he could handle this before things got out of hand."

"That's a good idea... is that what you hope it says?"

"It's not an idea, it's an ultimatum. You've gone too far, Suoh."

Suoh didn't seem to move the dust or move, and he was smoking slowly.

"That being the case, let me kill the criminal who murdered Totsuka Tatara, who calls himself the 'Colorless King'."

This time, Suoh slightly moved his expression. He looked at Munakata with a helpless and surprised face, and then laughed wryly.

"It's an interesting proposal coming from you, but... I refuse."

"I am sure you have seen the terrible form of your Sword of Damocles. The Sword is the symbol of a 'King' and manifests its true form depending on its condition. Your sword will soon fall."

"Oh, really?"

"Your deviation from Weismann is already at the limit. If the burden of killing a 'King' is applied here, it will definitely reach its limit, and you could cause a repeat of the Kagutsu crater tragedy. You no longer have any right to be 'King'."

Munakata looked at Suoh and said that out loud. He told him the same thing as in the dark detention center of "Scepter 4" with the urgency that there was no time left. He even felt like praying.

"It's time for you to resign, "Red King"."

Suoh laughed.

"I never acted like a 'King'."

He smoked the cigarette Munakata had given him. Munakata grabbed Suoh's chest and pushed him down hard. Suoh fell backward onto the stone pavement covered in fine snow and relaxed without resistance.

Munakata bit his back teeth angrily, easily knocking him over.

Suoh was the only man who didn't always turn out as expected. Excluding the reason why Munakata preached, he fought the sword of Munakata with a fiery fist, destroying the ideal order of Munakata with chaotic violence.

Even so, Suoh was never afraid of Munakata and stood in front of Munakata. He now he was being ridden without resistance upon being defeated by Munakata. Munakata did not recall anger under justice, even personal hatred, in his attitude as if he was willing to accept anger for the destruction of sin.

The hand that grabbed Suoh's chest was shaking when he flinched because he was too strong.

"There are ordinary unrelated students here. Your men are here too."

He said to Suoh from a close distance.

"Do you understand?"

Suoh, who had been avoiding the chase with a relaxed demeanor until then, did not look away, did not move his eyes, and looked directly into Munakata's eyes closely.

As he looked at Munakata with a slight immobile eye, Suoh slowly tied his words together as if saying something.

"I'll hang my head. You'll do your job. That's it, right?"

At that moment, Munakata's entire body was struck by a feeling of helplessness that he had never felt in his life.

Munakata relaxed and released the hand that was holding Suoh's chest.

He froze and stood, aware of his emotionally heated head.

"You are a savage. You are beyond my understanding."

"Huh. Did you think you could persuade me? That's not your style."

Suoh also stood up saying that.

Not even at the gala could it be like that. He didn't understand Suoh, but he could tell that he understood him at the same time. At least he knew Suoh wouldn't bend his will here.

However, he believes it would be different if it were his own gala to surrender.

Above all, he would feel bad if he had to hit Reisi Munakata's words as an individual before facing him as the "Blue King" who championed a cause.

"Not really… I just came to see my friend."

When he turned around and said that he wasn't even at the gala, Suoh expressed his most amazing emotions. The expression quickly turned into a bitter and embarrassed smile.

Suoh dropped the cigarette he had just grabbed, and stomped on it.

"Come on."

Suoh turned his back on Munakata and said that in a soft voice.

The two of them, looking in different directions, stared at the chunks of snow falling in front of them for a while.

"Suoh, are you sure you don't change your mind?"

"I'm sure."

Munakata lowered his eyes.

The snow was a little bigger than before, and it fell softly to the ground without a sound and piled up.

The passion he simmered in Munakata had cooled, and the coldness of the snowy night had penetrated to the core of his body.

"Idiot."

The words he would normally never use disappeared as if they were absorbed by the snow.

++++++++++

The exterior of the connecting bridge in Gakuenjima was surrounded by members of "Scepter 4", and the interior of the campus was guarded by members of "Homura".

However, none of them could see the "King", so by making full use of Neko's cognitive manipulation ability, they were able to reach Gakuenjima's bedroom and the place that was the boy's room without being discovered by anyone. To those who passed near the boy, they just looked like a cat, a dog, and a working garden.

"I returned!"

When he opened the door to the room he was used to living in, the words naturally leaked from the boy's mouth. However, he snuck into a scene far from the family room.

"Ah! What happened here? A thief?"

The boy's room was charred black. There was a large hole from the wall to the floor, and the rebar was exposed, and the churning snow was piling up at the edge of the room. The bed the boy was always lying on, the chabudai where he ate delicious rice with Kuro and Neko, and his favorite rice cooker were charred.

"What world would thieves blow up the wall to enter?"

Kuro said with a rough face. Certainly this high temperature burned mark is likely a powerful explosive, or the Red Clan's job to manipulate the flames at will.

When he was looking around the room, he heard Neko yell, "Nyaa!"

"My cup! She was my favorite!"

There was a broken bowl in Neko's hand. This is the bowl that was used when the three of them surrounded the chabudai and ate Kuro's homemade food. The bowl, which had been filled with white rice, was now split in half and stained black with soot. Neko was staring at the bowl in her hand with teary eyes.

The boy also lifted his tattered shirt on the ground and sighed a little.

"I desperately escaped the aircraft crash, but my homesick home ended like this..."

He was exhausted because he escaped from the helicopter involved in the accident through Kuro's ingenuity, he entered the hotel (it was a love hotel because he was not in a position to stay in a normal hotel) to recover his energy and physical strength. The boy's body was also recovering, but when he saw that this place, which was his base, was destroyed, he was disappointed.

Kuro also lowered his eyes with a harsh expression.

"We heard that Gakuenjima was occupied by 'Homura' and we hurried back, but I never imagined that the 'Red King' would show up."

"And it appears that the Blues have the entire area blocked off. Well, I'll put off looking for my true identity for now."

"This has become serious. At worst, this school could become a battlefield between clans. Perhaps we shouldn't have come here."

Neko, who was trying to hold the broken bowl together, puffed out her cheeks.

"I told you before! This is our house! It's only fair that we go back to our house!"

Looking at Neko who appealed to his claims, the boy was motivated to recover from his feelings of depression. It is not the case when he stumbles in a place like this and cannot escape from here.

The boy stood up with a strong forehead and laughed at them.

"Neko is right. We have to clean our own house. So what should we do now?"

In the middle of the boy's words, Kuro unconsciously touched his chest. The boy knew well what he was keeping there. Kuro's late master, whom he loves from the bottom of his heart. It's a voice recorder that records Ichigen Miwa's haikus.

"Would you like to ask Ichigen-san?"

When he asked him with a smile, Kuro replied, "What?" with a face that he realized what he had achieved for the first time.

"He had the power to look to the future, right? Then he could have given us some advice before our current situation."

When he thought about it, Miwa's words on the tape recorder helped him choose whether or not to kill the boy on the spot and encourage him to search for his true existence.

It was a casual question for the boy, but Kuro looked at the recorder that he took out of his pocket with a serious expression and thought for a moment.

"No, we already know what we have to do."

Kuro returned the recorder to his pocket without listening to it.

He looked directly at the boy and said.

"We have to rescue Kukuri and the others. That's obvious. You don't have to listen to Ichigen-sama's words to know that."

Kuro, who maintained his stance that Miwa Ichigen was everything and should be prioritized above all else, prioritized his own will and decision.

That fact surprised the boy a bit and encouraged him even more.

"Yes, that's right. Let's find out where Kukuri and his friends are. Neko, let's go."

"Huh? But I still haven't done..."

Neko looked down to put a stop to the bowl she was holding, that had the cracks stuck in a dangerous balance.

The boy smiled gently at Neko.

"Okay. We'll be back soon."

"Yes."

Neko still had a sad and lonely face, but she stood up. When she left the room where she lived with the boy, Neko said it was a "house" and looked sad.

"Goodbye."

She said a little goodbye, and Neko closed the bedroom door.

#k #k project #k the first story #k novel

11 notes · View notes

jaskiers-sweetkiss · 4 years

Text

Ghost

Pairings: Daniel Sousa x Reader, Stucky

Summary: Y/N has had plenty of struggles in her life, from getting experimented on by Hydra to overcoming adversity in her male-dominated workplace. She assumes falling in love with her boss is just another complication in her series of misfortunes, but maybe it’s not as complicated as she thinks.

Word Count: 6.4K

Warnings: mentions of experimentation/torture, mentions of war, mentions of societal homophobia, some swearing (steve drops a couple f bombs), potential spoilers for Agents of SHIELD 7x03 and 7x04 (i drew from the events but none of the AoS characters are in this fic)

a/n: This is technically a spinoff from Not So Bad and Out of Time - the reader has the same abilities but is just born in the same time period as Sousa and the rest rather than being stranded in the time period. However, this can be read as a stand-alone fic. See the end for additional notes!

___

It had been a few days since the base you had been held at had been filled with prisoners of war. You thought you’d heard one of them say they were from the 107th but that didn’t really mean much to you. Had they arrived months ago you might’ve found it a comfort to hear native English speakers and American accents, but now you only felt sad for their futures. Surely they’d only end up like you, or worse, like the ones who failed the experiments.

You weren’t sure how long you’d been Hydra’s prisoner or how long you’d been the sole survivor, only that now you weren’t the only living experiment. A soldier, you didn’t know his name, had been strapped to a table nearby just hours after the prisoners arrived. You didn’t know what they had been injecting him with, only that he seemed to scream less than you had in your early days. But there must’ve been something special about him because only days later Captain America burst through the doors of the lab to rescue him.

“I thought you were dead,” the superhero breathed out, gently stroking the side of the soldier’s face.

“I thought you were smaller?” The soldier said, confused and delirious, likely a side effect of whatever drugs Hydra had been injecting him with.

“C’mon, Bucky, I’m going to get you out of here.” Captain America promised the soldier, who was apparently named Bucky, as he tore his restraints and lifted him off the metal table.

“Wait… Steve,” you heard Bucky gasp and he must’ve been pointing to you because seconds later Captain America was standing over you and tearing your restraints off as well.

“Do you speak English?” He asked as you rubbed your wrists, free of any restraints for the first time in months.

You nodded, unable to come up with a verbal response. You hadn’t spoken in months. Hydra never asked you questions and eventually, you had learned to hold in your screams of agony at each new round of experimentation.

You followed the superhero and Bucky through the building, looking for a way out before the whole base exploded. You were following Bucky across a precariously hung beam when it fell, dropping you into the flames below. Except you never reached them, because somehow, someway, you were flying. You watched as Captain America jumped across the gap and he and Bucky shared a pained look at the gorge before he was urging them on.

“We have to keep moving,” He said, voice breaking with what sounded to you like loss, but you didn’t understand what he had lost.

You followed the pair out before the building exploded, staying close behind them through the chaos of the aftermath. The walk back to their base was even worse. It was long and grueling and you were exhausted and alone as none of the soldiers knew who you were. At one point Captain America began to cry.

“Steve, Steve,” Bucky tried to reassure him, “It wasn’t your fault. There wasn’t anything you could do to help her.”

You were puzzled. They hadn’t lost anyone since Captain America had found her and Bucky. It almost sounded like they were talking about here, but that was ridiculous, you’d been right behind them the whole time.

You looked down at your feet in confusion which was when you realized, you didn’t have any feet. You didn’t have a body. You held back a scream at the realization and you began to panic, am I dead?

“What the hell was that?” Bucky gasped, clutching his ears at the high-pitched noise that had pierced the forest they were walking through. Evidently, you hadn’t held back that scream.

That was good news though, right? You thought if Bucky could hear you scream then that must mean you weren’t dead.

It didn’t take them long to find you, though it took much longer for them to see you. Almost immediately after your scream alerted them of your presence Captain America walked right into you. It took a bit longer for you to convince them that you weren’t a threat, in fact, it took much longer than the trip back to their camp to do that. For the time being, however, they made sure you were in physical contact with someone in the group at all times (one of the soldiers had suggested they use some rope to attach one of your wrists to one of them or one of their packs but you had freaked out at the thought of being restrained again). You stuck to Captain America, who’s real name you learned was Steve, and Bucky for the majority of the walk, though you couldn’t help but feel like you were in the middle of something.

The atmosphere surrounding you became more hostile when you arrived at their camp. Colonel Phillips was not thrilled to have an invisible Hydra experiment lose on his base. Fortunately, albeit somewhat surprising, Bucky vouched for you and while Phillips was convinced that you could be an asset, you were still not trusted and deemed Bucky’s responsibility. It was a bit insulting, you were a grown woman after all, but you appreciated having someone to turn to. You’d been removed from the world for a while now and quite frankly had no idea what was going on with your body at this point.

Things had become even more confusing when you returned to visibility a few days after reaching the camp. Phillips was glad that he didn’t have to worry about invisible Nazis anymore (though he still thought you might be a Nazi) and you thought Bucky was glad he didn’t have to babysit you as closely anymore. When your visibility returned you were immediately taken under the wings of Agent Peggy Carter and Howard Stark, who were apparently the resident “superhero experts” in Stark’s words. Agent Carter began training you in hand-to-hand combat immediately and enlisted some of the Howling Commandos to assist you with weapons training. Howard began a series of tests in hopes of understanding exactly what Hydra had done to you.

His results weren’t perfectly conclusive and you didn’t really understand most of his science-talk, but apparently, Hydra had managed to alter your body chemistry, allowing your cells to become completely undetectable by light and had somehow managed to change the way gravity affected your body, which is why you had been able to fly and become invisible. Once Howard’s tests had yielded this information, you began additional training to attempt to learn to control your new powers.

It was grueling and difficult, but after a few months, you finally felt like you had control over your new abilities, and with your loyalties to the Allies seemingly proven, Colonel Phillips seemed willing to send you out on assignment.

“Hey, Ghost!” Morita called out as you exited the building where Peggy had been conducting your training. “Let’s go!”

Sometime after your return to base, Dum Dum Dugan had made a comment about how you were “like a ghost” with your invisibility and flying and the nickname had stuck, with the Howling Commandos all using it to refer to you.

“Go where?”

“Howlies briefing in five, we gotta go,” he said urgently, waving you along.

“C’mon, Jimmy, you know I’m not actually a Howling Commando,” you sighed, annoyed. You were exhausted and sweaty from your training and all you wanted was to hit the showers and get some dinner.

“Well I think you’re about to become one, Phillips cleared you for combat and Rogers requested your presence.”

“Wait, seriously?” You couldn’t believe your ears. The Howling Commandos specialized in taking out Hydra, something you were eager to help with given everything they had done to you.

“Yes, seriously,” Morita sighed exasperatedly, “Now get a move on or we’ll be late!”

You did become an official member of the Howling Commandos that day, though the team had treated you like one of their own from the moment they had formed. Your first mission with the unit was to infiltrate a train and capture Dr. Arnim Zola, the man responsible for your experimentation. Though, much to your disappointment, your job wasn’t to capture the doctor but to distract the guards long enough for Gabe Jones to do the job. The assignment seemed simple enough, and you were grateful for the Howlies’ confidence in theirs and your abilities.

When you returned to your bunk after your shower you were greeted by Peggy and Howard, both of whom were sporting wide grins. You eyed them warily, never quite sure what the pair had up their sleeves but this time it turned out to be something good.

“We thought you might need this for your assignment tomorrow,” Peggy said in her clipped accent, handing over a stack of fabric.

You unfolded it to find a combat suit. It was made of a similar material to Captain America’s, but rather than the signature red, white, and blue, yours was mostly grey and black (Peggy explained that they wanted it to be white but thought it would dirty too easily) with the yellow winged insignia of the Howling Commandos on the shoulder. It was perfect and you told them such, which only made their smiles grow impossibly wider. Then, Peggy handed you one more gift: a dress that she insisted you change into immediately as you were going out tonight to celebrate. You spent the night drinking, laughing, and dancing with Peggy, Howard, and the Howlies.

The mission the next day was a success. You, Steve, and Bucky had managed to take out the guards with ease, though you had almost lost Bucky. A blast from one of the Hydra agents had blown open the side of the train and Bucky had almost fallen out of it as Steve took out the final agent. Fortunately, before Bucky’s grip even began to slip you were there, holding him up just enough for Steve to grasp his hand and pull him back onto the train, you flying in shortly after. It was your first of many successful missions with the Howlies.

A few months later you almost lost Steve. The Howlies had been joined by the US Army for what they had hoped would be their last mission against Hydra- an attack on Schmidt’s final hideout in the Alps. They managed to infiltrate and capture the base with relative ease but Schmidt was able to escape on a plane with Captain America in tow. You stood beside Peggy in the base’s command center as she spoke to Steve who had now gained control of the aircraft.

“I have to put her in the water,” Steve said, his voice echoing into the sudden silence of the room, “I don’t know how to override the coordinates.”

“Would you like to learn how?” Howard asked into the speaker.

With Howard’s help, Steve was able to reroute the plane, landing back safely in the Alps where he was greeted by a bone-crushing hug from Bucky and the rest of the Howlies.

___

After the war, you, Steve, and Bucky returned to the States while the rest of the Howlies remained in Europe as a tactical unit for the 107th. Though you were stateside, the three of you had made it clear that you weren’t severing ties with the Howlies and would be in Europe as quickly as possible whenever you were needed.

Upon your return to the US, Howard made sure to set you up with adequate housing, a small (by Howard’s standards) townhouse only a few blocks from the New York office of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, which you had come to work for along with Steve and Peggy. Steve was only ever brought in when additional force was necessary, preferring to spend as much time as possible with Bucky. You would’ve found this odd had you not accidentally walked in on the two passionately making out the day the war was announced to be over. Before the war, you might’ve thought something like that was abnormal or wrong, but after everything the SSR and Hydra had done, Steve and Bucky being in love was probably the most normal thing about them and you certainly weren’t going to judge them for it.

Unlike Steve, you joined the SSR full time as an agent. You had been expecting to see plenty of action in the field, though hopefully nothing quite as dangerous as the war. Instead, you were mostly confined to desk duty: filing reports and getting lunch orders along with Peggy. It was beyond infuriating to see the agent who had trained you and whom you admired so much be pushed off to the sidelines because she was a woman. Your own abilities only made matters worse for yourself. While Steve was praised for his enhanced abilities, yours were viewed as a mistake- women weren’t fit for combat, let alone superpowers. Some of the men of the SSR even had the audacity to act like you had stolen the opportunity to gain abilities from a more worthy man, as if getting your abilities wasn’t a traumatic experience you still dealt with to this day. Nevertheless, you made do. Everyday trying to convince yourself that you were making a difference even from your desk but most days you regretted not staying with the Howlies.

You had been considering leaving the SSR to rejoin the Howlies when one of Howard’s vaults was robbed. His inventions were stolen and the inventor became a fugitive. To save face you were forced to move out of your beautiful house, though only temporarily, but you began working with Peggy behind the backs of the SSR and outside of the law to clear your friend’s name. At least you were finally getting some action in the field. And when you and Peggy were able to bring in the Howlies for help on an assignment you thought you’d finally start getting some recognition, but the men continued to undermine you both. Even after you saved the world from Leviathan Jack Thompson was given the credit and all you and Peggy were left with was the respect of a few agents.

One such agent was Agent Daniel Sousa, though you felt that you had his respect long before Leviathan. Though he wasn’t ever very vocal about the injustices you faced in the office, he seemed to empathize with you. Like you, he was an abnormality in the field with his prosthetic. The other agents tended to treat him like he was broken or delicate, which sometimes limited his fieldwork, though never to the extent of yours.

“Hey! Invisi-Girl, let's get a move on!” Thompson called from the entrance to the bullpen, where he and Peggy were waiting. You had finally been invited to celebratory drinks with the other agents, though you weren’t sure you really enjoyed their company.

“God I miss the Howlies,” you groaned, Dum Dum Dugan’s nicknames might’ve been cheesy but at least they weren’t bad. You had hated Ghost at first, but now you’d do anything to have the nickname back.

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, you spent time with the Howling Commandos blah blah, let’s go.” Thompson rolled his eyes and you froze in the middle of the bullpen.

“Wait, is that what you all think?” You asked, eyes narrowing. “That I ‘spent time’ with the Howlies?”

“Yeah, just like Carter did. Why does this matter?” Thompson was impatient but you were stubborn and there wasn’t a chance you were leaving this building until this was cleared up.

“You dumbass.” You snarked and you heard some of the men gasp at your vulgarity. “I am a Howling Commando.”

“They don’t let women into combat.” You heard a man say and you laughed.

“I was the SSR’s greatest asset behind Captain America.” You rolled your eyes, momentarily going invisible to remind everyone what you were capable of. “Why do you think I came here afterward? So you could waste my talents fetching coffee?”

You scoffed at their silence before catching Peggy’s eye. She was smirking proudly at you and you grinned back, slinging your jacket over your shoulders and walking purposefully to her side. You slipped your arm through hers and looked expectantly at Thompson,

“Well? Let’s go.” You said, staring at him as if he had grown a third head, though he was giving you an even more peculiar look.

The next day you put in a request to transfer to the new West Coast office.

___

LA was the fresh start you needed. Steve and Bucky had flown out with you to help you get settled in your new place, once again supplied by Howard, that man really had too much real estate. Peggy couldn’t get the time off to come with but you made sure to send her a postcard. Howard was moving too, apparently sick of New York after the Leviathan incident.

You had a new home, a new city, and a new job so imagine your surprise when you walked into the West Coast office of the SSR only to run into Daniel Sousa, literally.

“Agent Sousa, what’re you doing here?”

“I’m the new chief.” He answered, looking at you strangely and you suppose that’s information you should’ve known but nobody had told you and you hadn’t asked.

“You’re the…” you muttered, filing through it all in your head. “Well, congratulations. I didn’t realize anyone else was transferring from New York.”

“I believe it’s just you, me, and Rose,” Sousa said and you beamed.

“Oh, Rose is here? That’s fantastic.”

Sousa raised his eyebrow curiously though he smiled slightly. He looked adorable. “You had no idea what you were getting into did you?”

“To be honest I was just anxious to get away from New York.” You admitted and he frowned.

“You dislike the city that much?”

“I love the city, just not the way the office is run. I was hoping a brand new office might be more open to change but…” you trailed off, managing to communicate your fear that things would be the same under Sousa that they were back East without speaking.

Sousa at least had the mind to look offended.

“Agent Y/L/N, I have a lot of respect for you and I don’t plan on sidelining you like Jack,” he explained.

“Well then, this might be a worthwhile endeavor after all,” you smiled, “Lead the way.”

LA was a dream. The constant sunshine was such a mood lifter and the heat meant a more relaxed dress code at the office. Not that you were spending as much time in the office these days. Daniel had been true to his word about not benching you. In fact, you became the first pick for field assignments. Daniel seemed readily able to acknowledge and exploit the advantages you had in the field. No one would suspect a woman to hold a government position, let alone be a field agent so men continued to underestimate you at every turn. And even when a man was smart enough (or more likely you were dealing with a woman) you had a few extra tricks up your sleeve. Daniel had even taken to joining you in the field on many occasions. You had become partners of sorts. You did plenty of solo assignments, but if you ever needed backup Sousa was always the one watching your six. He never assigned any other agents to work with you, always insisting to do so himself.

In addition to a more fulfilling work life, your social life was quite enjoyable as well. Whether you liked it or not, Howard was often insistent on dragging you to party after party and you found you quite enjoyed spending time with Ana Jarvis, though you weren’t all that surprised given how fond you were of her husband.

Your love life was a little lackluster, though that wasn’t anything new for you. You’d had a few prospects before being literally kidnapped during the war but after your rescue, you had dedicated yourself to the cause. Even now you threw yourself into your work, turning down every attempt at matchmaking Howard tried. You had more important things to worry about than finding a man, you rationalized, but perhaps you were also waiting for a certain someone.

You had told Bucky straight away- panicked and looking for advice on what to do when you had a crush on your superior.

“I don’t know,” he had told you, “Steve and I were already in a fully committed relationship when he became mine.”

You had just groaned and whined more about your situation while your friend laughed from the other side of the phone.

“You’re no help.” You pouted and Bucky laughed some more.

“Sorry, doll,” you could practically hear him shrug through the phone and you let out a resigned sigh.

“Is that Ghost?” You heard a voice ask in the background and you smiled lightly at the nickname.

“Yeah, but-” Bucky had started speaking but was cut off. You heard a scuffle and muffled shouting through the receiver before a new voice rang through.

“Hey Y/N it’s Steve,” he spoke pleasantly, as if he hadn’t just wrestled his boyfriend for the phone.

“Hi Stevie, how are ya?”

You told Steve about your predicament as well, there wasn’t any harm in it. Bucky was the one who would tease you endlessly about it, but Steve was a softie.

“Dan’s a nice guy,” Steve had said empathetically, “You could’ve picked a lot worse.”

“Yes, but Steve I can’t pick Daniel.” You griped petulantly. “He’s my boss.”

“Y/N, if I can date a man then you can date your fucking boss,” Steve said flatly, clearly done putting up with your bullshit.

“Language, Cap!” You gasped, scandalized. Steve had scolded Gabe one time for swearing in the field and the Howlies had never let him live it down since.

“Oh fuck off,” Steve groaned and you laughed. “Now stop whining like a child and go get your man.” You could hear Bucky whoop from the other end of the phone at Steve’s words.

You laughed at the pair and agreed, no more moping. You’d ask him out the next day at work.

___

You did not ask him out the next day at work. You had marched right up to Daniel’s office to ask and were brought to an abrupt stop because Peggy Carter was standing in the office.

“Peggy!” You had squealed excitedly, any thought of asking Daniel out completely thrown from your mind at the sight of your friend. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“Well, it was all rather last minute, really.”

Daniel cleared his throat, “Agent Y/L/N, could you give us a minute?”

You furrowed your brows at the use of your formal title, the two of you were long past using titles. You’d been partners for more than a year now, you were on a first-name basis.

“Sure, chief,” you said, playing along though you gave him a confused look.

The longer you stood in the bullpen the more anxious you became. Back in New York you had heard Thompson mock Daniel for the torch he supposedly carried for Peggy. Maybe Peggy had feelings for him too and she had finally come to confess them. That was why they had rushed you out of the office so quickly.

After about five minutes you realized you were probably supposed to be doing your job and made your way over to your desk. You had paperwork that needed to be completed from your last assignment but you couldn’t keep your mind off Daniel and Peggy long enough to complete it. Your stomach turned as you tried to push away the thoughts of what they could be doing in there, it had been nearly a half hour now.

You were considering going downstairs to talk to Rose, anything for a distraction, when Peggy emerged from the office. She smiled kindly at you as she made her way over to your desk, her purposeful stride reaching you in seconds. You knew that smile, the one that looked sincere but there was a seriousness in her eyes that you could pick out. There was more to her arrival here than meets the eye and she was trying to keep up appearances.

“We need to talk,” she said quietly but firmly when she reached your desk. “In private.”

You nodded, standing immediately and grabbing your purse.

“My place.”

None of the agents questioned your sudden exit. You were the branch’s top field agent and were often leaving with no warning to act on hunches or investigate for your current assignment. The drive to your house was tense. Peggy made no attempts to make small talk and you were quite upset with her for the scenario your mind had made up about her and Daniel in the office.

Peggy did smile when she stepped into your new home, it was the first time she had seen it as she had stayed with the Jarvis’ last time she was in town. Howard, who had once again taken care of your housing situation, had described it as “small” though you knew that was just his rich bullshit talking, the place was much too big for a single working woman but you weren’t complaining. Ana had helped you decorate as you had neither the time or mindset to do it yourself and she had been very eager to assist.

Though she seemed fond of Ana’s decor choices, Peggy still didn’t speak until the two of you were seated across from one another at the kitchen table.

“What is all this, Peg?” You asked warily.

“I want to replace the SSR.” The way she said it, all rushed and quiet as if she were committing treason, chilled you.

“Excuse me?” You blinked in shock.

“The SSR hasn’t been nearly as effective as it could be and I’d like to replace it with something bigger and better,” she explained and you frowned at her in confusion.

“Replace it with what?” The SSR was the only organization of its kind in the States.

“The Strategic Homeland Intervention and Enforcement Logistics Division.”

“SHIELD?” You questioned, figuring out the acronym, “As in like Steve’s…?”

Peggy nodded, flushing at the obviousness of it and you laughed.

“So what would the Strategic Homeland Intervention... whatever, do?” You asked, struggling through the title before giving up.

“Well, the idea is to be a shield to the world,” she began and you smiled at the pun.

“The world as we know it is changing, we’ve seen super soldiers, women who can turn invisible, atom bombs, Hydra, Leviathan, Whitney Frost, the list goes on and on. The goal of SHIELD is to be on the frontlines, keeping track of dangerous tech like the gravitonium and ensuring it stays out of the wrong hand, to protect the world from the next threat.”

You could tell Peggy was passionate about this and it sparked something inside you as well.

“We want you to be a part of it.” Peggy said finally, rounding out her pitch.

“We?” You questioned, previously unaware that this went past just Peggy.

“Colonel Phillips, Howard, Steve, and I have been working on it for some months now,” she admitted and you fought back the hurt that your friends had been keeping such a huge secret from you.

“Well, obviously I’m in,” you responded, no doubt in your mind that you would follow these people to the ends of the earth, “But, I’m a field agent, Peg.”

She smirked at that.

“Oh, I know you are.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she spoke and you couldn’t help but question it.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Oh, Agent Sousa has done an excellent job of making sure everyone in New York knows just how good of a field agent you are,” she smiled and though you still didn’t understand, you could feel your heart warm. “‘Accidentally’ sending reports to the wrong agents, putting in the wrong extension number to speak to Thompson. Every agent in that office knows you’re unquestionably the best field agent the SSR has.”

“Why would he do that?” You questioned quietly, not really meaning to ask it aloud.

“He was defending your honor,” Peggy answered anyway, smiling softly at you, “I do believe the poor man has a bit of a thing for you.”

Your heart leapt at the assumption. Sure, you thought you had seen the signs yourself but that was nothing compared to the outside affirmation Peggy had just given you. Daniel Sousa may very well like you back.

“So what did the two of you have to discuss in his office?” You asked, attempting to hold back your jealousy, still not sure where Peggy stood with Daniel.

You evidently hadn’t done a good enough job as your friend smirked knowingly before answering, “I was just bringing him into SHIELD.”

___

Despite your revelation that the feelings you held for Daniel were mutual, it seemed the two of you couldn’t catch a break. Though SHIELD had become a great success, it had separated the two of you. Daniel had been sent to the Area 51 base to supervise the tech innovations and training that went on there while you had remained in LA, taking over as the head of the west coast division of SHIELD. You rarely spoke on the phone, let alone saw each other, both too busy with your new tasks in this brand new organization.

You did hear from Peggy more, as Director of SHIELD she was in frequent contact with you, ensuring that everything was running smoothly and delivering orders on how to improve. You heard more from Steve and Bucky as well, as they were now heading SHIELD’s training facility, Camp Lehigh. As your branch continued to grow you often communicated with them about sending new agents and giving them progress reports about the new recruits you occasionally supervised. Of course, you did also use these phone calls and cross-country business trips to catch up with your dear friends.

However it wasn’t until years later that you got a glimpse at Daniel Sousa again. Peggy had sent you to Nevada to help on a new project the scientists there had been working on. As director she was too busy to make it herself but Project Helius was apparently a big deal and you were sent to inspect it on her behalf.

You hadn’t even thought about him when Peggy had given you the order. You were so caught up in making sure your second-in-command had everything under control in LA and stressing over the pressure of representing the literal Director of SHIELD that Daniel Sousa didn’t even cross your mind until he stepped out of his office and into the hallway you were in. You had frozen immediately, your feelings rushing back to you at the sight of him.

“Daniel,” you managed to get out through the breath that was caught in your throat, though your words came out as barely a whisper.

“Y/N, what are you doing here?” He questioned, brows furrowing as he looked at you in confusion.

“Peggy sent me,” you answered, the need for professionalism forcing you to regain your composure. “I’m part of the team inspecting Project Helius.”

Daniel winced at the mention of the project.

“What’s the matter?” You asked warily, suddenly wondering what Peggy had gotten you into.

“Nothing, it’s just, well- let’s talk in here.” He gestured to his office and you followed him inside.

He explained to you all about how Helius was a dud, nothing on earth was strong enough to power the damn thing. However, that was only the surface of Daniel’s troubles. He confided in you his fear that SHIELD had been infiltrated and you suddenly knew the real reason Peggy had sent you: to finish what you had started with the Howlies by taking down Hydra.

So you stayed in Nevada past the inspection of Helius, helping Daniel with his off the books investigations. Quickly falling back into your routine as partners, you followed him into the field to deliver a piece of tech to Howard. It was a simple enough task: take the train to LA, make the hand off with one of Howard’s assistants, and go home.

The train ride was blessedly uneventful and you were thankful for the time to just sit and catch up with Daniel. So much had happened in your lives since the formation of SHIELD. You had almost forgotten the warmth you felt at the mention of his name or the sound of his voice or the sight of his face, but it all came rushing back to you. Though you didn’t act on it. It had been years, you had no way of knowing if he still felt the same way for you as you did for him.

The handoff itself had been simple. You had gone Ghost as the assistant had only been expecting Daniel, but you remained by his side the entire time, refusing to leave even though he insisted he was fine. You had never been more thankful for your stubbornness. On his way out of the building after completing the handoff Daniel was followed by a Hydra agent. His gun was trained at the back of your partner’s head and had you not stepped in you would’ve watched him die that day. But you were there to protect him, always watching his six just as he watched yours. You engaged the agent, your invisibility catching him by surprise and allowing you to throw off his aim but the gun still fired. You watched your partner drop to the ground before you could disarm your opponent and knock him unconscious.

You were by Daniel’s side in an instant, sure he was dying before your eyes until you turned him over and saw that the wound was through his abdomen. It was a clean shot, the bullet having gone all the way through the man; you had seen Peggy sustain a similar injury from Whitney Frost years ago.

Daniel had readily insisted “No hospitals” (not that you were planning to do so, who knew what Hydra had access to) so you called the first person you could think of. Jarvis picked up on the second ring and was on his way to The Roosevelt immediately. You were thankful Daniel hadn’t bled out by the time you reached your home. Jarvis stayed to help you stitch up Daniel’s wounds and made sure to remind you that he was only a phone call away before leaving the two of you. It wasn’t until after Daniel was stable and Jarvis had gone that the adrenaline wore off and the shock of what had happened hit you.

Daniel had nearly died.

“Y/N are you alright?”

You hadn’t even realized you were crying until he spoke but his concern sent sobs wracking through you. He slowly reached a hand out to rest comfortingly on your shoulder, bridging the gap between the guest bed and the chair you had moved to his bedside, intending to keep watch over him.

“I thought you were dead,” you gasped out through your sobs and you felt Daniel shudder. “I thought I lost you.”

You were petrified. Lost in your fear of losing the man you had come to care so much about.

“But you didn’t,” Daniel said softly but with conviction, “You saved my life Y/N.”

You sniffled as you looked up at him, your eyes red and puffy from the tears.

“Well I couldn’t just let you die,” you scoffed, trying to cover up your embarrassment at your breakdown. “You’re my partner; I love you.”

Daniel’s hand stiffened on your shoulder and you tensed up immediately, your entire body becoming rigid. The words had just slipped out. You hadn’t even realized your feelings ran that deep yet there you were confessing them.

“W-what?” Daniel stuttered out after a few excruciating moments of silence.

“I- I’ve had feelings for you for quite some time now,” you admitted, burying your face in your hands once more, unable to look at the man. “B-but there was never a good time… and I didn’t mean for it to come out this way- and-”

“Y/N,” Daniel interrupted you, reaching farther to hold the side of your face, tilting it up to look at him. “I love you too.”

“Y-you do?”

You could hardly believe your ears or eyes as he nodded.

“I’ve had feelings for you since New York,” he admitted and tears sprung to your eyes again.

His eyes immediately filled with concern at the sight of the tears and you brought your hand to cover his as he brushed them away with his thumb.

“They’re happy tears,” you reassured him as you scooted your chair closer to the bed so he wouldn’t have to strain so far to reach you.

He smiled a bit at that and tried to sit up in the bed. You quickly put an end to that, not wanting him to do anything that might irritate his wound or rip his stitches. You stood from your chair, adjusting his pillows so that they propped him up slightly against the headboard. Once you were finished you looked down at the man and you could’ve sworn your heart stopped at the look he was giving you, it was so full of tenderness and love you thought you might start crying again. You welcomed the hand he placed on your cheek again, slowly guiding your face down to meet his.

The first kiss was brief, full of hesitation and gentleness but you were certain you felt fireworks. He pulled away after only a moment but you weren’t willing to let him go far, surging forward to reconnect your lips in a longer second kiss. This kiss was considerably more passionate, as if you were both trying to communicate the intensity of your feelings without words; you knew words would never be able to do it justice. You could’ve stayed there kissing for hours but your back began to ache from leaning over the bed and you knew Daniel needed to rest in order for his wound to heal so you pulled away, thumb coming down to lightly stroke his cheek.

“As amazing as that was,” you sighed breathily before straightening up. “You need to rest.”

“I’m not sure how you can expect me to rest after a kiss like that,” Daniel responded cheekily and you laughed as you made your way to the door.

“Do your best,” you smirked, hand hovering over the light switch as you stood in the doorway, “Goodnight, Daniel.”

___

a/n: This is both longer than I had originally intended it to be and took longer than I originally planned it to. Nevertheless, my 1940s!Reader x Sousa au is here! Let me know what you think! Feedback is always appreciated! Also, I’m starting a taglist so let me know if you’d like to be tagged in any of my future works!

Taglist: @hi-this-is-my-brain

118 notes · View notes

themadauthorshatter · 3 years

Text

Toppat!Charles Part 12

I just realized that this series is literally 12 parts long.

Anyway, quick recap, Charles is recovering, but it's going to be a fairly slow process. He's going to have to try and speed it up because the plan to take out the Toppat Clan hinges on his guidance, or rather memory, of the orbital station. He's surrounded by people he can trust, but that does not stop his mind from turning against him.

For better context, be sure to check out the rest of the story via the links provided:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

I will be going into more detail of what happened to Charles in Part 5, so if you're sensitive to torure, I wouldn't read this. Reader discretion is advised with this one.

Triple Threat wakes up and gets ready for the day; Charles brought some clothes with him to change into and they're used to getting ready for missions together. Charles changes with his back turned to Henry and Ellie and they see how thin he's gotten while on the orbital station, seeing he barely has any muscle and most of his ribs are showing.

They stare a little too long and Charles tenses up as he's about to put on his shirt.

"You don't have to watch me. How could I have gone to the armory?"

"Charles?" Ellie asks as she taps his shoulder.

Charles quickly turns to her with a gasp and snaps out of his mini stupor.

"You okay?"

"Y-Yeah. I..." Charles gulps and nods. "I'm fine."

They finish getting ready and head out to get some breakfast in a break room.

Like the day before, a lot of soldiers can't help but stare at Charles, who's doing a great job of standing up straight and looking as 'government' as possible, even though there are a few people that whisper about how he shouldn't be back in the government and that the general should've just shot him, while others say that the general can deal with him after they take care of the Toppat Clan.

Regardless, the trio get their breakfast and eat, though Charles is seriously restraining himself from eating like a pig because he has some training to catch up on and just doesn't want to end up throwing up all the food in case he has too much.

Henry notices this and signs, 'You can go back and get more, if you want.'

"I'll... see how I feel after I finish this," Charles replies with a nod to his plate of a bagel, a muffin, some bacon, fruit, and toast- he's very glad to eat normal person food after the more extravagant, posh meals on the orbital station.

Doesn't stop him from hearing a certain someone murmur into his ear, even with the headset on.

"You're really eating food for a rat? You ate better on the orbital station, and you know it." Charles freezes and starts trembling. "Don't expect any sort of warm welcome, when you come crawling back, kid."

A hand claps onto his shoulder and Charles whips around, having the absolute day lights scared out of him.

It's just a soldier that isn't fully in the loop on the young pilot's condition; if Charles is 26 or 27, this soldier is around 35 years old.

It makes him back up a little, but paints a clear picture as to what Charles went through in his captivity.

"Oh, sorry, kid. Shouldn't have snuck up on you like that."

Charles's trembling doesn't really stop, but he does nod at him. "I-It's fine. What'd... What'd you want?"

"Just sayin' it's... really brave of you three, heading to take out the Toppats, I mean. It's about time we arrested the bastards for good."

Charles nods again and turns back to his beeakfast as Ellie replies for him, "Thanks. We kinda have a bone to pick with them, too."

The soldier nods and turns to walk away before noticing something behind Charles's freshly cut hair and headset and inspecting it, which him panic a little bit.

"W-wait! Don't!"

"Good glory, kid. What'd they do to you?"

There is a gash on the side of Charles's face very close to his hairline, going for his temple/eye to his jaw, in a mostly straight line that doesn't curve that much.

Charles covers it with his hand and turns back to his food. "I... It was a... I didn't really-"

The soldier gently places his hand on Charles's shoulder and assures him, "Hey, it's fine. They're not gonna hurt you. They're too scared to leave their little nest."

Charles nods and gives a small smile, silently thanking him.

The soldier pats his shoulder and leaves, letting Triple Threat finish their breakfast.

Time Jump to the shooting range, Henry showing and further improving his aim, something that lets Charles know that Henry plans to make good on his promise in Part 10; Charles is just watching because he and others don't trust him.

Henry and Ellie are both practicing, but Charles is watching Henry before Rupert walks in and escorts him to meet with Galeforce, a conversation he is not excited to have.

He joins him anyway, despite wanting Henry and Ellie with him, and meets up with General Galeforce, who dismisses Rupert so he and Charles can talk.

"So... You wanted to... see me?"

Galeforce is silent as he carefully approaches Charles and hugs him, shaking as he holds what is the closest thing to a son that he has.

It takes Charles absolutely by surprise as his "toppat" instincts tell him to fight and attack, so he freezes again.

"You're alright, son. You're home. I've got you."

Knowing it's the general and not Right talking, Charles returns the embrace, allowing himself to relax and calm down.

They continue to hug for a good few minutes before pulling away, Galeforce holding Charles's face to get a better look at him than before, when he informed that he, Henry, and Ellie would be tasked with taking out the Toppat orbital station.

Up close, and even the good nights' sleep he's been getting, compared to what was in the orbital station, Charles still has some bags under his eyes, courtesy of his nightmares, and his eyes aren't as badly bloodshot, though he does still have some pink where it should be white. He's thin from days of not being provided food and every now and again he coughs in his mouth, hiding it as best as he can because the general is already really worried.

"Charlie, what'd they do to you?"

Charles averts his eyes and bites his tongue.

"I know it's not going to be easy, but we're really going to need your help."

Charles backs away and walks over to the window, thinking to himself that, no, remembering the layout of the orbital station won't be easy, it will be absolutely terrible.

"You're the only one that's been on the station and knows it inside and out. Just give us an easy way go get to the core, and you'll never have to think about it again."

Charles takes a deep breath and nods before turning to Galeforce. "Okay, but promise me... Promise me Henry and Ellie will come with. I won't do it without them."

Galeforce smiles and puts a hand on his shoulder, on his upper arm. "You think I'd send anyone else?"

The two hug again, though it's shorter and when they stop, Galeforce ruffles Charles's hair and ensures him that he's going to help Charles get back into shape.

Charles gives him a chuckle and leaves to find that Ellie and Henry have been waiting in the hallway for him, Ellie standing up while Henry sitting cross-legged on the floor.

"Either, uh... either of you know when we head out?"

Ellie smiles. "As soon as we're ready for you."

Henry also grins, signing, 'We've been talking and really think you're going to like the craft we're using.'

They head to an aircraft carrier base and see their rise, a government destroyer, but coated in a material that makes it appear invisible. The tech is pretty state of the art, and Ellie and Henry can be traced by their earpieces via that same location thing on your phone.

Charles feels his new toy with a shaking hand, aaking, "How? We... We don't..."

Thought I forgot Terrence Suave? THINK AGAIN!!!

The former toppat leader struts on in with a smirk on his face and a peice of paper in his hand. "You're right. These government back washes don't have the mesns for this." He shows off that piece of paper, which is actually a return letter from Bill Bullet, who provided this invisible material. "Thankfully, someone else does."

"The orbital station's going to be really close to us tonight, so we'd better get this right on the first try," Galeforce says.

Charles nods as he takes out that drawing of the orbital station Henry did and begins to make a map for him and Ellie.

"There are vents just about everywhere on the side, but this one's closest to the core." It's a vent on the side of the station, on the bottom half of the station. "This will give you a direct path to the core."

"And this bad boy's what you two need to throw in," Rupert remarks very slyly as he shows them a bomb that's about the size of a grenade, but with a more sophisticated trigger; think a gernade with a pipe bomb detonator and you have our Chekhov's gun. "Throw this in the core and get back to the destroyer before Charles detonates it. You don't want to be anywhere near this when it and the core go off."

Henry's turn to tense up, remembering how Charles died in Valiant Hero, and makes a note to make sure history does not repeat itself.

He shakes out of it when Charles asks, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go."

The reason they haven't left yet is because they need to get to a higher point, one of the form on a hill about two days away from the base.

They saddle up, get some snacks and drinks and weapoms for the road, and head out to the hill, Triple Threat heading out in one of those spacey vans and the destroyer they're using behind them.

Before leaving, though, Terrence stops Henry.

"Make sure you pay Bullet a visit after this. And tell Reg I said, 'hi.'"

Henry nods and looks back at the two vehicles used for the mission before turning back to Terrence.

'Thank you.'

Terrence gives him a light punch on the shoulder. "If anyone's gonna screw you over, better damn well be me."

Henry nods and moves to take his seat in the van.

"Hey, Henry?"

He looks back at Terrence, who takes a breath.

"Good luck."

Henry nods as he smiles and takes his seat in the van.

Charles fidgets with his headset and shakes while Ellie rubs his back.

All three are tense during the long drive, knowing the consequences, if they screw this up, but the plan is extremely simple and they've done a lot more dangerous missions.

That doesn't stop Charles from imagining what Right will do to him, if he's caught.

He hides a cough and watches the landscape out the window of the back doors.

The first day goes by without many problems, though it's into the second night where they have problems.

Triple Threat is huddled together, sleeping for their mission, though Charles is a little fitful, dreaming he's trapped in his cell as the station explodes.

They eventually wake up and start hyping themselves for the mission.

"D'you guys think there'll be a cash reward for arresting the Toppat Clan?" Ellie ponders.

Henry lights up and gives a sort of chopping motion on his palm; 'Let's split it!'

"50-49-1," Ellie snickers. "I'll take 50, Charles gets 49, and you get whatever's left."

Henry's jaw drops as Charles and Ellie laugh.

"No, let's split it 70-25-5," Charles offers.

'Am I getting the 5?'

"No. Ellie is."

The boys do a more hand shake-esque highfive, as in they reach in like a handshake rather than winding back for the highfive, and laugh as Ellie shakes her head at them both.

"Remind me to drive and leave you both on our next mission."

"Don't leave me!" Charles semi-joking shouts as they hit a speed bump, which leads to him and Ellie falling down and Henry laughing his ass off.

They arrive shortly after and board the air craft, Charles is pretty familiar with it because the ins and outs of air crafts are essential a first language for him.

"Remember, just get to the core and get out. We'll be waiting for you back at the base. Good luck."

They give their farewells and launch into space. Ellie does get a little nervous, but she and Henry are entranced by the view of Earth from space.

Although he'll die before going through it all again, Charles has to admit that the view is quite nice.

Admiring will have to wait, because they're nearing the orbital station.

Charles gulps as he gets as close as he can, even though their craft is invisible, he doesn't want to risk anything.

Henry and Ellie suit up and, much like Valiant Hero, are sent on the side of the station by a ball of trash.

Unlike Valiant Hero, when Henry goes for the knife, Ellie catches it and cuts them a way inside and safe to breathe inside the orbital station.

Just want to note here that Henry has the bomb on his person, ready to slap it on the core and GTFO.

"Alright, the core's going to be pretty close to you guys. Just go straight and make a left in the fork."

"Got it."

Ellie and Henry get to crawling, and being lead by Charles.

They pass by the vault, but mission first, and spending time with Charles is more satisfying.

They come to another fork in the vent, but Charles doesn't respond.

"Charles? Which way do we go?"

When there's no response, Ellie tries again. "Charles, are you there?"

Henry tries Morse code to talk to him, but still nothing.

The situation does not get better when the vents get hotter and the two have to split up, Henry going left and Ellie going right.

Ellie continues her way, shuffling on her elbows and knees as to not burn herself before a vent below her is thrown open and she plummets to the floor, four or five Toppats above and surrounding her, including Reginald Copperbottom, who greets her quite warmly.

With Charles, our pilot friend is trying not to panic as he watches Henry and Ellie go further apart.

He can't tell them anything because he can't really hear them and vice versa.

Time for some technical BS that I'm making up because the station has tractor beamed Charles and the destroyer he's in and the connection between him, Ellie, and Henry has been hacked into and severed, so only he can hear who's talking to him.

It's his nightmare come true and he freezes in a cold sweat as he hears a very certain someone talk to him:

"What're you doing back 'ere, kid? Miss me that bad?"

AND THAT IS PART 12!!!!!

Things are not going well for Triple Threat, are they?

Charles is back where he started in the series, Ellie is captured, and now Henry is without a guide as he navigates the hot ass vent system.

I hope you guys enjoyed this part and Thanks for reading!!!!!!

#toppat!charles #henry stickmin #completing the mission #panic tw #ellie rose #terrence suave #triple threat

11 notes · View notes