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nhl-stories · 1 year ago

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I'll Call You Mine – Elias Pettersson

Summary: Elias is sick of being the single guy on the team so he asks his friend with benefits to pretend to be his girlfriend. Good thing pretending to be a girlfriend is her profession.

Author’s Note: Explicit sexual content below, sex work (the two aren’t one in the same)

Word Count: 9.6k

Album Series Masterlist

Break me down And I'll call you mine And I know I've been around

Geena feels a hand press between her legs, her body pushes against the friction by its own volition.

She doesn’t have time for this, she says as much in her grogginess.

“Too worn out for another round?”

“Whatever makes you feel better Casanova,” she removes the hand and throws it behind her.

It doesn’t completely deter him; he moves to kiss her bare shoulder.

“E, seriously I can’t smell like sex at work, and I have just enough time to sleep for 10 more minutes and shower.”

He lets out a heavy sigh and buries his face between her shoulder blades.

“Who gets an escort at 4 pm on a Tuesday?”

Elias always says escort like it’s any other job. Like he’s mentioning a waitress or accountant or something. It is like any other job, but it’s not how most people react.

“It’s my favorite client, once a week he has me hold his hand at an early dinner and wear a sundress.”

“Okay then come back tonight,” he glosses over the details without judgment.

It’s refreshing.

They’re just fucking; she never has to put up with any shit even if he gave her any. If she ever felt slighted in the least, she knows she could find at least ten other guys to put in her sex rotation.

But Elias is the most consistent partner she’s ever had and it would be hard to give up just because he was being a judgmental ass.

She’s spent years putting up with that kind of behavior, she has thick skin. But there’s something nice about not needing to shield herself, let her soft underbelly show.

“I have a second client afterward, that might run pretty late and don’t you fly out tomorrow?”

“No, we just have an optional morning skate tomorrow.”

“So, you’re going to skate? Optional isn’t really your thing,” she smirks even though he can’t see, she knows him so well.

Elias wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her into him, makes sure she can feel his arousal. Makes sure she knows what she’s giving up for some extra sleep and a shower.

She lets out an airy sigh that borders on moan. Instead of leaning into that desire she rolls over and out of the bed.

“I’m not humoring you on this,” Geena laughs so Elias knows she’s not actually angry, “but I don’t work tomorrow so I guess I can come back tonight.”

It doesn’t quite appease Elias, who grabs her arm and pulls her back into a kiss. It’s simple, no demands behind it, but it still makes Geena second guess leaving. She has just enough will power to pull away and go to the bathroom, not giving Elias a second glance.

She comes back out already dressed; a blue sundress that brushes her mid-thighs, her hair tied into a single braid hanging over her shoulder. It’s the picture of innocence, but it sets something on fire in Elias. He kind of understands now why the man wants her to dress like this.

Geena seems to notice the flash of lust in his eyes and blows him a kiss, worried what will happen if she gets too close, “don’t wait up.”

Elias waits up, not entirely on purpose. He’s playing video games with some friends in Sweden when he hears the apartment door open. He’d given her a key so she could come and go when they meet up late for booty calls, her words not his.

“You’re not streaming, are you?” He hears her whisper from the doorway.

“No, but I’ll be done in a minute.”

He continues to play and Geena comes and wraps her arms gently around his shoulders, careful to not jostle him. She gives him a couple of soft kisses along his jaw and he feels something cold press against the back of his neck.

He turns to see the outfit change Geena made since he last saw her. The braid is replaced with a mane of wild waves and she’s wearing a virginal white dress that almost glows, even more so against the leather harness she’s wearing over it.

He mumbles something in Swedish before turning off the game and turning towards her.

“This is new,” he plays with the metal ring that sits between her clavicles.

She rolls her eyes, suddenly looking exhausted.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she runs her hands over his shoulders until they link together behind him, “but I could use some help taking it off.”

“I think I could lend a hand.”

Elias stands up and kisses her, she tastes like gin; he wraps his fingers under the straps to pull her closer.

She’s on her tip toes to reach his lips, leaving her unbalanced or maybe that’s the feverish pace of the kisses.

“Wall… bed… flat surface,” Geena breaths out between kisses.

Elias smirks against her lips and pushes her towards the nearest wall slotting his knee between her legs.

“I’m glad you came back,” he bunches up her skirt and rubs her through her lacy underwear, a patch of wetness already forming, “I guess you are, too.”

“Just do something,” she bucks against his hand.

He moves to kiss down her neck, but doesn’t make any forward progress with his fingers. If anything, his touch becomes lighter, only ghosting over Geena even as he moves her underwear down her legs.

The frustrated groan Geena makes has his cock twitching.

She pushes him away with some force, enough to give her space to kick of her panties and pull Elias back by his waistband. His thigh is pressed back against her and she moves rhythmically against him, desperate for friction. Her hand reaching in his shorts and gripping his cock, stroking it to full attention with expert quickness.

“Fuck G,” he groans and pulls her back into a kiss, desperate to find some leverage.

Her hips circle more erratically, like she’s close to finding her climax just rubbing against his leg like an animal. As hot as that is, Elias wants more.

He moves his hands down her body, over her ass and to the back of her thighs, lifting her further up the wall and off her feet.

She gasps, half in displeasure at the loss of contact when she’s so close to falling over the edge and half in excited anticipation.

Geena helps line him up while he holds her against the wall; she doesn’t have time to waste, knowing she won’t last long.

Elias shows his control and strength as he slowly lowers her down his length. It’s too much, but it’s perfect. They feel every centimeter on the way down, until he bottoms out.

He looks up and sees her pupils blown out looking back down at him. Geena opens her mouth like she has something to say, but a strangled sound comes out instead.

She leans down to kiss him, mouth hot and tongue clashing against his. She grips his shoulders and pushes herself up, aching for Elias to move. He gets the hint and jackhammers his hips up towards her.

He keeps up the brutal and unrelenting pace, he can’t keep his lips working at the same time and leans his head forward on her chest. Geena digs her nails into the back of his neck, digging crescents so deep they might draw blood.

He bites into one of the leather straps of her harness, his movements becoming more irregular, wilder.

“Babe, I’m close, just keep going.”

Geena leans back into the wall, changing the angle just enough. Everything feels hotter and tighter, and Elias bites harder into the leather as he feels her milk his orgasm out of him.

Still, he doesn’t slow his pace even as it becomes almost too much, too overstimulating. He thrusts until Geena lets out a whimper and goes nearly limp in his arms. Elias suddenly aware of her weight and the burning in his arms and thighs.

He slides her down the wall until her feet touch the ground again. Her legs wobbles and he has to hook his fingers under the straps to help hold her up.

Elias pulls her along to his bedroom, sitting her down in her post-orgasm haze. He gently undoes the straps of the harness and slides it off her body. He moves to her dress, pulling the garment over her head. She’s pliant and dazed, but gives him a soft smile before she scoots up the bed.

He goes to the bathroom and gets a washcloth and runs it under warm water. He gently washes the mess between her thighs, where her juices and his come are leaking out of her, running down her thighs.

“Sorry, I should have showered,” she says sleepily, giving his bicep a gentle squeeze.

He doesn’t respond, just removes his own clothes that never came off and joins her in the bed. He gently kisses below her breasts, her sternum, her shoulders where deep red marks from the too-tight straps of the harness scream out red and raw.

Elias wants to say something, ask her questions but it’s not his place to ask. He doesn’t fully understand the intricacies of her job, but they’re just fucking and she doesn’t owe him any answers or explanations.

He kisses her shoulders once more and then her lips, hoping his actions speak a little bit of what he really wants to say. She cups his face like she understands and curls into his side before closing her eyes.

His fingers rub gently over the indentations around her back until sleep takes him too.

\\\

Geena is cooking eggs when he comes back. Elias has never hated his closet full of baggy clothes more than right now; Geena is swimming in one of his shirts making her look like she’s more of a blob than a tantalizing, half-naked woman.

“I thought you going to be ready and waiting for me in bed?”

“I got hungry,” she plates her food before she turns around, “definitely needed to refuel if there was a repeat performance.”

She hops up onto the counter and Elias hates his baggy shirt a little less when it rides up her thighs.

“Before we get back to it…” Elias places a hand on her thigh, “there’s this team event…” he doesn’t know why he’s so nervous.

“Like right now? You could have just texted if you needed to do something.”

“No, there’s this get-together this weekend and I wanted to know if you would… escort me?”

“Escort you…?”

“I’m sick of going alone to these things and wives trying to find me dates while everyone else has significant others.”

“I thought Quinn was single cause he broke up with that girl with the stripper name?”

Elias laughs, ignoring the giddiness he feels when Geena remembers even the most mundane things he brings up between their benefits.

“Lux?”

“Yeah, where was that name when I was a stripper? It’s perfect, you can go with Luxxx with three Xs or Lux Luxury; she’s sitting on a gold mine.”

“Yeah, well Quinn has a new girlfriend.”

“Wow, good for Huggy,” she grins to herself before going back to her food.

“So, what do you think?” Elias tries to get back on subject but is a little embarrassed to say the words again.

“You want me to be your date to get people off your back because you’re fine with having casual sex and don’t need a real relationship, but clearly saying that isn’t working?”

“More or less yeah.”

“I mean I am a professional dater…” she has a devious little grin, knowing she’s making him squirm a bit.

“A big part of why I’m asking you and not one of my other hookups,” he smirks like he actually has a list of other hookups.

She sets aside her now empty plate and runs her nails over his scalp and the buzzcut she’s grown to love.

She lets out a heavy sigh, “I don’t know E, we’re having sex.”

“Not at this exact moment,” he can’t help himself in the moment, being in her proximity brings it out of him.

She rolls her eyes but can’t stop the smile, “I don’t have sex with clients so it would be kind of weird and wrong to make you sign a contract or something.”

“I’m not asking for this to be a big official thing.”

“Elias, you’re thinking this is just a one and done thing, but if you want these people off your back I can’t just show up once and then fuck off.”

She cups his face, wants to make herself crystal clear.

“It means I will have to show up a few times, which makes this a time commitment, and some of those times will be during my prime working hours, which means I’ll be doing my job without making money and that makes the whole thing like an unpaid internship.”

“Okay, then let’s do this under the table,” he kisses up her jawline towards her lips, “and I pay you in sexual favors.”

“In an attempt to avoid me becoming a prostitute for you, you’re suggesting I become a prostitute for you,” she shoves him back a little bit, but he’s between the vee of her thighs and can’t go too far.

“I think the correct term is sex worker.”

Geena lets out a surprised snort.

“I appreciate your nuanced terminology, but I’m technically kind of a sex worker as an escort, so I’m just using it to differentiate. Also, I’m legally allowed to sell sex but it’s illegal to buy sex in Canada so we’re entering a real murky area here.”

She hooks her ankles behind him and pulls him close, “Will you give me a bit to think about it, like a day max.”

“Yeah of course,” he gives her a quick peck, “are you still gonna stick around for the day?”

“Yeah, you properly using the term sex worker weirdly does it for me.”

\\\

She ends up agreeing, there wasn’t really any doubt. She likes making Elias happy.

Geena rolls into Elias’ apartment two hours before he says to come over with a suitcase in tow.

Elias is watching TV in his boxer briefs and looks almost embarrassed to be caught being lazy and disheveled. Even though Geena knows he got in late from a road game in Winnipeg, where the plane had been delayed due to weather.

“Why are you here so early?”

“You gave me like no information about tonight, so I brought some outfit options for any occasion from super casual to full black tie.”

Elias just blinks, not sure how to respond as Geena starts opening the suitcase.

“G, we haven’t even discussed how I would,” he rubs the back of his neck, “pay you.”

He’s getting second thoughts about the whole thing.

“I decided the first one is free, see if I fit in and it feels natural then we’ll discuss payment plan,” she winks and continues pulling out outfits.

“This is a little overwhelming.”

“You’re getting the full Ruby experience. You can still call me Geena though, since we know each other intimately, going with my escort name might be confusing.”

He feels a bit nauseous. He assumes it’s showing on his face because Geena stops what she’s doing and joins him on the couch.

“E, this is literally my profession, I’m taking charge here so you don’t have to worry about stuff. But I have to get some information so you can relax and follow my lead.”

She gives him a quick kiss as a form of reassurance.

“It’s in a private room at a nice-ish restaurant.”

“Great start,” she gets up and holds up a black jumpsuit and a blue dress.

“Uhhh, the dress.”

“Excellent choice, now how do you want me to be?”

“What?”

“How do you want me to act? Cheery? Cerebral? Demure? Mysterious?”

“I just thought you’d act like yourself; I like how you are.”

Geena feels her face heat up.

“And PDA? Are we a little handsy–“

Elias laughs at the irony of that.

“I said handsy not hand job Elias,” she puts a stop to this tangent immediately, “but let’s say casual touching, nothing below the waist.”

“What if I want to grab your ass?” Geena quickly making him calmer about the whole thing.

“Okay, we’ll play the PDA stuff by ear.”

Geena knows the PDA situation the moment the hostess starts leading them to the private room in the back of the restaurant. The confidence Elias had thought he built up immediately crumbles and his whole body tenses up beside hers.

She grabs his hand, knowing she’ll probably be a calming touch away the whole night.

Were he any other client she wouldn’t say the next thought out loud, “Loosen your grip E, you don’t want them to think you have to physically force a woman to go on a date with you.”

“No, I just have to pay one,” he whispers with a smirk.

She squeezes his hand, reminds him to stay this loose.

The tension comes back almost instantly. Apparently, Geena is the first date Elias has ever brought around, so meeting her is the main event of the evening.

Tension ratchets up further when the obvious question comes up, “how did you two meet?”

His eyes widen and he starts to stutter for a response. Geena has to practically pry her hand loose so she can wrap an arm around his waist and tuck herself into his side. His grip on her shoulder is only a little too tight.

“I was supposed to be meeting a guy in his building for a date,” Elias is shocked that Geena is telling the real story.

“And I’ve been waiting for 15 minutes already and this dude is not answering his buzzer and of course my phone has died in the meantime so I can’t call him or a car to leave. And obviously at this point the weather also has to be terrible and it starts pouring rain and I happen to be standing in front of the only luxury apartment building that has no overhang to stand under.”

She’s a natural conversationalist, Elias looks around, everybody is already enthralled just by the way she talks.

“So, I’m getting absolutely soaked while I’m thinking about what to do next, when Elias comes running from a car that just dropped him off and he lets me into the lobby because I must look too pathetic to be a thief or something.”

“I thought you were a wet dog when I saw you out of the corner of my eye,” he jokes and squeezes her tighter as she gives him a playful bat.

“Okay, I guess he let this wet dog in the lobby and I explained what happened with this other guy, and Elias offers to call me a car but makes me give him my number so I can text him that I made it home safely, which was clearly just a way to get my number– “

“Hey, there are security cameras in the lobby I didn’t want to be the last person on camera to see you if you got murdered.”

Elias feels his face heating up, he’s glad his teammates think it’s because he’s being called out for using a cheesy line. Because while the night really did end that way, Elias had actually invited Geena up to his place to charge her phone and take a dry sweatshirt first.

They ended up having sex on his couch while her phone charged.

“Uh-huh, sure, that’s the reason,” she rolls her eyes before kissing his cheek, he heats up even more.

Suddenly, Elias is relaxed. It’s like Geena passed a test and integrated into the group. She stays a touch away while they mingle until dinner starts.

Elias keeps a casual arm on the back of her chair during dinner, Geena working the room so well he has no idea why he was so nervous.

Then he notices the way Garland is looking at her, like he knows something. He pushes the feeling down and focuses on the warmth of Geena’s body against his palm. Garland spends most of the dinner looking like he wants to ask something, which keeps Elias on edge for most of dinner.

Eventually he gets the courage to ask, “Sorry Geena, you look so familiar, have we met before or do you just have one of those faces?”

Elias stiffens and Geena places a hand on his thigh and rubs it, telling him not to worry.

“I think I have one of those faces. Last time I heard that, someone told me I looked like some woman from pornos, so maybe I have porno face.”

She has big, innocent doe eyes when she says it while other people snort on their drinks. Conor turns pink as his fiancée is torn between laughing and being grossed out. She breaks the tension with a laugh and the topic is dropped.

Geena wouldn’t be surprised if he recognized her, her days as a stripper brought a lot of NHL teams to the club. Even some of the Canucks had made an appearance now and then, no judgement with what adults want to do, just facts.

Many a rookie party wrapped up in the strip club, when most people were too far gone to think about their inhibitions any longer. One of the rookies, usually the most or least sober, would be handed a stack of ones and shoved towards a back room.

She remembers bringing one rookie back herself. When he sat down, she finally realized he was really a boy just playing dress up as a man. Then he burst into tears, words garbled up through sobs and intoxication, something about this not being who he is.

They were about the same age, but Geena felt maternal in the moment.

Geena rubbed his back and assured him she didn’t need to do anything; they could sit until he calmed down. When he finally stopped, she got ice cubes to help get rid of the puffiness around his eyes, a trick of the trade. Once he looked presentable, she slipped him a pair of underwear into his back pocket, a very Sixteen Candles move.

“Oh my god you were incredible,” Elias says as they get into his car after dinner, “no wonder you do this for a living.”

“And you’re so quick on your feet! That porno line, I thought Garly was going to swallow his tongue,” he continues.

“Customer service is the most important part of sex work,” she gives a soft smile.

Normally, after a date with a client she’d have a joint or an edible and if she was still feeling wired, she’d call someone for a hook up. But Elias is her go-to hook up and it makes her whole routine feel out of whack.

She wants to go home with him, have a night cap and at least make out a little, but everything is different and that feels like a boundary she can’t cross. Even with her lover turned sort of client.

“Hey E, can you take me back to my place?”

His foot stutters on the brake, bringing them to a jerky stop and go.

“It’s just I’m tired and since we’re treating this like a real job it feels wrong. I wouldn’t go home with a client; I wouldn’t even get in a car with them.”

“Oh right, of course. That makes perfect sense.”

The car is silent as the lights of Vancouver flash by, Geena slouching further into her seat. The weight of everything seeping into her bones.

Elias pulls up in front of Geena’s building, “Thanks for tonight, I really owe you. But we can discuss my payment later,” he gives devilish smirk and Geena can’t help but smile back.

“Cool, let me know the gossip about me in the group chat later.”

She leans in for kiss, but even though that’s their norm it feels like a violation to her own code of conduct. She bails last minute for an awkward kiss on the cheek which ends up with Elias kissing her right below her eye.

She scampers away before she can see his reaction.

\\\

The weird feeling doesn’t go away after her joint. Not after a boiling hot shower or the cold shower she takes afterwards.

It still doesn’t go away when she texts u up? to the contact ‘For a Good Time 💦’ and she lets him fuck her throat until she’s a mess of tears and snot and can barely talk, let alone think.

After a good night’s sleep, the feeling is still crawling under her skin. It makes Geena want to rub it raw. Since the weirdness isn’t going away any time soon, she pulls up her wish list she sends to some clients, she usually calls it tipping, and sends it to Elias.

Ten minutes later she realizes without context the list seems weird and follows up with: For payment after our next date, leaving what and how much up to you, think of it as my friends discount lmk where and when you need me next

Geena turns off her phone and tries to enjoy her day off, the weird feeling settling like a pair of glasses, still there but no longer aware of them.

It helps that the Canucks are on an East coast road trip. They’ve been hooking up for almost two years but don’t really keep tabs on each other. It’s like the moment either of them leave the greater Vancouver area they become strangers.

So, she’s not surprised that she just has a thumbs up as a response when she turns her phone back on. But she is surprised when two days later there’s a large package at her PO box. She wasn’t actually expecting Elias to work so fast, to be thinking of her on his work trip.

She opens the package at home, there’s a note on top of the tissue: To keep my snack warm, E.

Geena rolls her eyes, but gasps when she pulls out a slate blue cashmere coat. It’s the kind of expensive thing she puts on her wish list without expecting to ever get it. Like putting something too fancy on a wedding registry hoping some rich, distant relative will actually go for it.

She does a grossed-out shiver thinking about Elias as a rich, distant relative.

But it doesn’t stop her from stroking the luxurious coat with awe. She puts it on and it fits perfectly, she thinks she might live in it from now on. It’s too much for one date that was supposed to be complimentary, too grand a gesture. Still, she loves it too much to care.

She shows up at Elias’ place after his first home game back. They won; she knew because the buzz on her phone from the NHL app kept going off during her date with a client. He turned out to be a big Canucks fan, but still it made her mind preoccupied on the job. Always a bad thing in her line of work.

Geena knocks on his door, worried that he isn’t alone. He’s a star Canuck who just won a game in a pretty rough season. He would deserve it and it wouldn’t be hard to find someone for him. Still, Geena ain’t no cock block.

His jacket is off and tie loosened when he opens the door, like he just got home.

“Hey G, the coat looks nice,” Elias smirks as he lets his eyes rake up and down her body, he doesn’t move aside to let her in

“Thank you, it was way too much, but it’s nice.”

Geena tries to casually peer around him, making sure he’s alone. He immediately catches on.

“Are you here for business or pleasure?” his tone cocky.

She shrugs, “I haven’t decided yet.”

Elias makes a show of moving out of the way, revealing for certain he’s alone.

Geena makes a show of walking past him and taking off her coat, revealing her burgundy slip dress with a dangerously high slit.

“Had a client tonight?” Elias moves closer to her.

She nods and takes a step back, “a business man who was a big Canucks fan.”

“That make you think of me?”

“Yeah, and that’s not great for business, I was so distracted I don’t think he’ll give me a good tip,” Geena pouts.

“That’s too bad, you love a good tip.”

The game of sexual tension chicken continues, slowly making their way towards the bedroom. A strap of her dress falls down her shoulder. She has to tense her muscles to not shiver under Elias’ gaze. Before she knows it, she’s falling back onto the bed and Elias is caging her in.

He kisses up her bare shoulder, up her neck, and nips under her ear.

“I guess you’re here for pleasure,” she feels his low voice rumble against her, vibrating her bones.

He starts to suck a mark into her neck and she can’t let that happen. He’s so focused on the task, she takes advantage of the moment to flip him over so she’s on top.

“I guess I am,” she smirks down at him before pulling off her dress and tossing it off the bed.

Elias rubs his hands up her sides, over her silky matching set, “This for your client, too?”

She wants to lie because the truth is boring, this underwear happened to work with the best with the dress. But the truth is also scary, she did think of how Elias would react when she picked them

“No, just for you,” she rolls her hips and Elias groans.

“Next time just wear this under the coat,” he sits up and captures her lips.

She bites his bottom lip and tries to work the buttons on his shirt, “You need less buttons on your shirt.”

Elias laughs and pulls her along as he lays back down. Pulling her body up his, her legs bracketing his shoulders. She’s about to question what’s happening as he kisses the insides of her thighs, moving towards her vagina. He grips her hips to holds her in place as she squirms at the sensations.

She’s so used to giving, this makes her feel off-kilter. She never knows quite what to do when it’s one way towards her, but it should feel good. Biologically her body is reacting like it should, she gasps when he mouths at her through the silky material.

“E,” she tries to push her body up but he doesn’t let her get far, “you don’t have to do this.”

His grip loosens and she’s able to sit back a bit, fully see his face.

“How many times do I have to tell you I want to do this, I like doing this,” his fingers dip below her waistline while he waits for a response.

“Okay,” her voice is smaller than he’s ever heard it, “if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure,” he pulls the waistband of her panties down, “now take these off and sit on my face.”

She does as she’s told, gripping at the headboard and riding his face to an orgasm that makes the blood slosh in her ears. Elias has to tap her thigh to get her to move in the stupor.

“Sorry,” she mumbles and starts to do only thing she know how, return the favor.

Geena moves down his body, but Elias stops her. Instead, he maneuvers her to his side, wrapping an arm around her.

“I’m kind of tired,” he kisses the top of her head, “let’s just sleep.”

“In your clothes?” She’s hoping that will be enough to start something, she hates feeling like they’re on uneven ground.

He rolls his eyes and then out of bed, taking off his clothes as he makes his way to the bathroom. Any of their heat from earlier dissipates as Geena watches him start brushing his teeth through the open door.

He rummages through a drawer and holds out a toothbrush, the green one he bought for her when she started staying over. She hesitantly gets up and joins him at the counter; Elias has his and hers sinks and they each stand in front of one and silently brush their teeth.

Elias keeps making faces in the mirror trying to get Geena to look and laugh, he’s pretty close despite her trying to avoid looking. Then he fakes a blow job: pushing it into the inside of his cheek, then gagging and spitting out the the white foam. Geena can’t help but let out a belly laugh and chokes on her own toothpaste.

“Don’t try and kill me for a bit,” she gives him a shove after she rinses her mouth.

He just smiles and plucks her toothbrush out of her hand and places it in the cup next to his. There’s a swooping in her stomach, when did being so domestic become so normal?

She lets herself get pulled back into his side when they get back into bed, and she pretends she doesn’t sleep more soundly in his grasp.

\\\

Geena wakes up the next morning in an empty bed. It’s oddly comforting even if she’s not in her own home. She gets up and digs through Elias’ dresser finding a pair of shorts and a shirt, she doesn’t feel like trying to shimmy back into a constricting dress.

She pads out into the living room, gathering her coat and purse, shoving the dress into the tiny bag.

“Morning,” Geena nearly jumps out of her skin.

“Fuck me,” she takes a deep breath and finds Elias holding a mug of coffee and a plate with a croissant.

“I can do that, but maybe you want to eat first,” he smirks before noticing her holding her stuff, “you heading out?”

“I- uh- I thought you left so, yeah,” she still kind of wants to leave now.

“I just went out to pick up coffee, I would have invited you, but thought you could sleep and I’d bring you breakfast in bed.”

Geena isn’t exactly sure what her face does, but Elias frowns.

“Do you need to leave?” His voice is soft.

“No breakfast is good, maybe we could sit outside, it’s actually nice,” that seems to appease him.

Elias has a smoothie with his coffee and Geena gingerly picks at the pastry.

“The team has been asking about you, you were a big hit,” he finally speaks up.

“So, I need to make another sparkling appearance?” she’s grinning but doesn’t look up at him, staring at her toes in the sunlight.

“They were wondering if you wanted to sit with them at a game, and if we win, we can go out after.”

“Like hang out with them when you’re not there?”

“If it’s too weird then don’t worry about it, but you can see a free game and you can even show up late if you want to avoid that much time with them.”

“No, I can do it, it’s fine.”

She pulls her feet up onto the chair, curls her toes into the cushion. Flexing and unflexing, something to remind her she’s not lost at sea, she’s on solid ground.

“Great, would Friday work for you?”

“I’ll have to check my schedule, but that should work.”

She knows she’ll have to cancel with a client, it’s last minute on a weekend night. But she doesn’t want to disappoint Elias.

His smile grows twice in size.

“And in return could you get me reservations at Kissa Tanto?”

He scrunches his eyebrows.

“It’s like impossible to get good reservations there, so use your pretty boy Canuck connections and squeeze me in on like a Saturday.”

“Oh. Yeah, I can probably swing that.”

“I know you can,” she pops the rest of the croissant in her mouth and downs her coffee, “I do have to go now, but I’ll see you later.”

She’s more nervous about the game than she cares to admit. Changing her outfit about four times, stalking WAGs on Instagram just to make sure she’ll mostly fit in. She doesn’t even know why she cares so much, it’s not the first time she’s had to fit in and schmooze a group of significant other, but it is the first time she’s done it without her date.

She shows up during the second period, trying to limit the amount of time she’ll have to spend without hockey going on. Geena knows she can survive one intermission.

As soon as she gets to the seats Samantha pulls Geena to sit next to her.

“Thank god you’re here.”

Geena laughs nervously, wondering why this girl she talked to for maybe 30 minutes is so excited to see her.

“I’m new here too, so it’s nice to have some back up. This whole world is new to me.”

Samantha is smiling, but Geena can read the self-consciousness on her face. She knows what it’s like, back when she was new to a higher class of living, she always felt like people would know she’s some kind of dirty whore, that she didn’t belong and never would.

She soon learned pretending to be confident could go a long way.

“If it makes you feel better this is the fourth outfit I tried on,” Samantha squeezes her arm in response.

The game is fun, it’s the first time she’s seen a hockey game while not on a job in a long time. Though technically she’s still on a job, she doesn’t need to entertain someone else. She forgot how fun it could be. And she finally gets to focus on Elias, how gracefully he skates, the power of his shot; it’s kind of beautiful.

Elias scores a goal and Geena goes nuts, she didn’t know she had that kind of excitement in her.

One of the girlfriend’s films the reaction and the rest of the crowd cheering before Geena can slink out of view.

“What’s your handle Geena?”

“Oh, I don’t do social media,” she shrugs, she does but it’s under the name Ruby and definitely not for all audiences.

There’s a chorus of shock that follows.

“I’ll tag Petey in it then,” she smirks and types away on her phone.

The goal turns out to be the game winner and the group is buzzing, Geena is almost excited to go out with them, like they’re just a group of her friends.

It’s as if she’s in a drunken haze as they make their way into the depths of the arena to greet the players, then she’s pulled into a hug and obligatory kiss with Elias. Suddenly she’s piling into the back of a car that’s so crowded she’s half on Elias’ lap.

It all happens so fast she doesn’t even notice what bar they’re going to until she’s in the door and it’s too late to turn around. She definitely can’t make a scene, so she tries to hide behind the bigger hockey bodies as they go to the VIP section.

She drinks a little too much a little too fast. It loosens her up enough to go out onto the dance floor with some of the other ladies without a second thought. It’s when they go to the bar for some water that reality sets in again.

“Ruby”

Geena is pretty good at compartmentalizing her double life, so she doesn’t react to her alter ego name at first.

“Ruby!”

“I think that guy is trying to talk to you,” Samantha nudges her, making her finally look over to acknowledge the man.

She mumbles an expletive under her breath when she sees her manager, Michael. He likes to keep an eye on the escorts when they’re in a bar, it always seems to be where incidents happen.

“It’s some guy I gave a fake name then ghosted. I’ll go talk to him then meet you guys back at the tables,” she tries to shake the confused stares as she walks over.

“I thought you were taking the night off Ruby?”

“I’m here as Geena, I didn’t realize I was coming here until it was too late.”

“Shit, well Sam is here and he’s not too pleased with his replacement, so you might want to get out of here before you lose one of your best clients.”

“Fuck, I’ll get out as soon as I can. Sorry.”

“Geena, you’re allowed to have a life, just maybe not here of all places,” Michael gives her a sad smile.

She weaves her way back to the group, trying to blend in with the crowd. She clearly looks concerned when she sits back down next to Elias, who hands her his drink.

“You okay?” He leans in close, warm breath on her neck.

"I have a lot of dates here and the client I cancelled on for you is here,” she doesn’t mean to let that last bit of information slip but she’s nervous.

She leans back to look at Elias reaction, she’s not quite sure if he’s worried or happy. She gives him a long kiss in response before moving back to his ear again.

“So, if we get a bit handsy, so you can sort of hide my face and make it so it seems like we’re leaving to go bang that would be great.”

She kisses the spot below his ear, “we can also actually leave and go bang, too.”

Geena’s throwing out her rules of not sleeping with her faux-client after a date, anything to get out of here sooner rather than later.

“Yeah, sure,” he pulls her closer, “I think I can do that.”

They’re in a darkest corner of the table with his teammates, but the moment Elias’ tongue slips its way into Geena’s mouth there’s some cat calling from the boys. She can feel Elias’ hand move off of her, assumably to flip them off.

“I think they’ve had enough of a show,” he whispers and yanks her into a standing position.

There are some obligatory waves to the team before he’s pulling her into his side, hiding her a bit under his shoulder, leaning down to kiss her a bit as they walk to cover her whole face until they’re outside.

Her skin is on fire and the burst of cold air is doing nothing to change that. Geena feels the sudden urge to pull Elias into an alley and get on her knees for him, but she knows that has to wait until they’re as far away from this bar and any prying eyes as possible.

“Thanks E,” she can’t stop from kissing him again, with a little less heat this time.

“No problem, I was promised we’d go bang so not really a problem for me.”

He smirks and grabs her arms and pins them to her side to avoid the playful smack that was sure to come, and kisses her until her knees are weak.

\\\

Elias shows up at Geena’s apartment on a Saturday.

A woman in a silky robe answers the door and Elias worries he’s at the wrong place.

He’s only been inside her apartment once: taking Geena home when she arrived at his place for a booty call a little too drunk. He brought her home and practically carried her into her room, thinking it was best if she slept it off in her own bed.

“Hi, sorry I must be at the wrong apartment–“

“Baby Slut, your lover is here!” The woman shouts back over her shoulder and leans on the doorframe with a smirk.

“What are you talking ab– oh shit E, what are you doing here?”

Geena is also in silk robe holding a mascara wand.

“The Kissa Tanto reservation? It’s tonight.”

She blinks a few times before seeming to come back online.

“Oh, you made them for us,” she points between the two of them, “I was gonna take Xa,” she points to the woman in the doorway.

“I shouldn’t have assumed I was your plus one. You two should go together.”

Elias tries to hide his disappointment and embarrassment but apparently does a bad job.

“No, you two go have a cute little date,” Xa smiles a bit conspiratorially.

“But we’ve been wanting to go there forever,” Geena pouts, Elias hates that he feels like he’s being rejected.

“And I’m sure we can make that happen another time,” Xa give Elias a wink, “Would you be able to do that for us.”

“Uh- yeah of course,” Elias smiles back, “sorry about ruining your plans.”

“Don’t worry about, I can always go to the club make a quick buck,” she’s moving aside so Elias can come in, “someone’s gotta keep Baby Slut here in the life she’s grown accustomed to. Since you’re monopolizing all her billing hours.”

Elias feels his cheeks heat up.

“Let me throw on clothes real quick,” Geena cuts in, “behave yourself Xa.”

As soon as she seems out of earshot Elias asks, “Baby Slut?”

“I took her under my wing when she first started stripping, showed her the ropes. Barely legal girl who could barely get on stage without shaking. She didn’t have anyone taking care of her, so she became my little baby and well–“

She waves her hand implying all the things that could be associated with sex work, making slut seem like low hanging fruit.

It’s a reminder that Geena has already lived hundreds of lives in her short time on Earth. While Elias had only lived his solitary, safe life.

“I wasn’t legal,” Geena is dressed in record time, probably to avoid Xa sharing any embarrassing stories.

“Shhh, I don’t know how long the statute of limitations lasts on abetting a minor in her crimes.”

Geena rolls her, grabbing her coat and shoving Elias towards the door.

“Nice meeting you,” Elias calls over his shoulder.

“You too, have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Wow, that really narrows it down,” Geena flips her off as she slams the door.

Both parties are desperately trying to decipher dinner’s meaning, is it a date? A real one? With no prying eyes of teammates or payments?

It makes it a little awkward.

They’re staring at their menus in silence like they can’t think of a single thing to talk about, which is absurd for two people who have spent so much time together. Most of it was in throes of passion, but there was always time between rounds or during mornings after lazing in bed or while munching on midnight snacks.

They talk enough that one dinner with no expectations should be easy.

The waiter comes by and takes their orders and they’re both grateful when their drinks arrive.

“Well cheers to our first date, I guess,” Geena makes a goofy face, which make Elias laugh despite the confusion it causes.

“You look really beautiful.”

Geena blushes like no one has ever told her that before. Elias realizes he never has, not without some kind of heat behind it, some innuendo. He wonders if anyone has ever sincerely said it to her.

She starts to nervously gnaw on her lip and Elias knows he needs to change the subject.

“I didn’t realize you had a roommate, Xa seems nice.”

Her face nearly splits with excitement.

“Yeah, she’s the best. I wouldn’t be anything without her. I would still have the pseudonym Buttercup if it wasn’t for her.”

“Buttercup?”

“Don’t laugh!” She kicks his shin, “I was 16 and thought it was all ‘I’m innocent but sexy’, which I was neither.”

“It’s a really terrible stripper name.”

“Like 16-year-old Elias could’ve thought of something better.”

“I think it would at least be a step better than Buttercup.”

Suddenly, the ice is broken. They’re joking and talking like normal, the location is different, but it’s still comfortable. So, Elias takes a calculated risk and reaches across the table to hold Geena’s hand while they finish their drinks after dinner. She doesn’t pull away.

“That was fun,” Geena smiles as she settles in his passenger seat, reaching across the console to put a hand on his thigh, “want to keep it going?”

And of course, he does, he always does. But tonight feels different, so he wants to treat it differently.

“I’m gonna drop you off at home…”

Geena scoffs but doesn’t remove her hand from his thigh, if anything she moves it higher.

“And I’m gonna walk you to your door and kiss you goodnight. Like a respectful date.”

“Your dick has been in like all of my orifices, I think we’re kind of past respectful first date bullshit.”

“So, this was a first date?” he keeps his eyes forward but grins as Geena gives his thigh slap.

“I’ll send you the bill later,” he can hear her rolling her eyes.

“Worth it.”

\\\

“Are you dating Elias Pettersson?”

Geena almost chokes on her champagne.

Her date pats her back as she sputters, she kind of hopes she just chokes to death.

“Am I what?”

They’re standing out on the patio, a black-tie event happening inside. Just her and a long-term client getting some air. She’ll usually do some playful touches let him giver her his jacket to warm her against the chill; anything to make his coworkers think the heat is still alive between them after years together.

But this is new. He’s never asked Ruby about her life outside of their arrangement. He didn’t need to, he just needed arm candy while he wined and dined other rich business men that did something Geena never fully understood.

“Are you dating Elias Pettersson, the Vancouver Canuck?”

Geena feels lightheaded.

“My assistant saw some pictures of you with him. You were at a game with the wives and then out at a restaurant. You looked pretty cozy.”

“We’re not dating.”

“So, he’s a client?”

“I can’t tell you that, you wouldn’t want me telling people about us.”

“No, but I can’t risk looking like a fool because you’re out with someone in the public eye.”

A lump forms thick in her throat. She can’t speak around the feeling.

“So, you’ll understand why this has to be our last date.”

She nods while she tries to find her voice.

“Do you want me to make a scene? I can go a little crazy, make you get a little sympathy for dealing with your crazy girlfriend?”

“I was just going to tell people it didn’t work out because you wanted kids.”

“Very dignified,” she straightens her posture, trying to remain professional.

“I’ll still pay your full rate, but if you want to sneak out early that’s okay too.”

Her eyes burn with tears. She’s never cried in front of client, at least not if they weren’t paying for it. When it’s clear she won’t be able to hold them back for long, she slinks off in shame.

Her first thought is to go to Elias, seek comfort in his arms. She doesn’t even want anything sexual and her shame is replaced with unease. Geena’s not sure which she hates more. So, she takes to her bed like some Victorian maiden and hopes this is all some kind of nightmare.

It’s not.

Xa lets her stay in bed for two days before telling her she has to move on.

“Life happens, shit happens. You of all people should know that,” Xa says as she brushes her hair, a little intimacy that Geena never wants to admit she craves.

Her first outing is to the strip club, which maybe isn’t her best idea. Because being in a strip club at 1 pm on a weekday is never a good look. It’s just her and four men around the main stage. They keep sending her drinks as if she’ll go home with them or give them a lap dance.

She’s drunk by 2:30.

“You coming back to the club, Buttercup?”

Geena’s getting a lap dance from a dancer she used to work with, Sasha, who can only talk to Geena if she keeps dancing.

“If I came back, it would not be as Buttercup,” she’s basically talking to her tits.

“Fine, is Ruby coming out of retirement?”

“Ruby only retired from the stage, but she may be retiring entirely soon,” she slips some money Sasha’s her G-string.

“Shit, another whore going to the good side?”

“I don’t want to, I love what I do, I’m good at it. Just things are getting complicated. How do you live a normal life and do this?”

“It’s not easy, I have to work this shift now so I can see my kids. Money’s not as good but it’s worth being able to have dinner with them and go to their soccer games and shit.”

Geena furrows her brows.

“There’s nothing wrong with living this kind of life if you like it. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up the normal things. You don’t have to live in the shadows just because people make you feel seedy or dirty about your job.”

Sasha gives her forehead a kiss, which is weird after she was grinding into Geena’s crotch.

“You’re not baby Buttercup anymore, you’re badass Ruby and she can do whatever the fuck she wants. And if you don’t believe me Xa will kick your ass into believing. Now get out of here before the night girls come and make you get on stage.”

Geena stumbles out of the club, smelling of thick perfume and booze. Like she used to most nights. It feels like a safety blanket.

In her drunken stupor she calls an Uber to her most common destination, Elias’.

She generally tries to avoid showing up completely unannounced, but she’s too tipsy to think about that and lets herself in without a second thought.

And sitting at the table are two people, who are clearly Elias’ parents.

“Oh shit,” she says it too loud, both heads whip towards her, she can’t sneak out now.

Instead, she stands there frozen, mouth agape, probably looking like a fool.

“You must be Geena, Elias didn’t say you’d be coming by,” Elias’ mom smiles

“Oh yeah,” Geena returns a dopey smile, her brain is about five steps behind.

“I’m Irene and this is Torbjörn,” she stands up and walks toward Geena, “are you a hugger?”

“Nice to meet you and um yeah,” Geena holds out her arm and accepts the hug.

Irene pulls away a smile still on her face. She’s either great at hiding her judgement or doesn’t care Geena reeks of liquor. Knowing Elias’ inability to hide his judgement, she’s guessing the latter.

“Elias should be back from practice any minute.”

“Okay, I’ll just go freshen up really quick.”

She scurries to Elias’ room, hearing Swedish behind her. She hopes they’re not saying anything too bad, hoping it wasn’t too bad of a first impression. She flops on the bed, squeezing her eyes shut when the room starts to spin.

Why does she even care? It’s not like she’s actually Elias’ girlfriend, she’s just convenient, in every kind of way. Nothing more.

But he told his parents about her. His mom was excited to meet her. It felt nice. Like someone stuck around long enough to break through the hard shell around her heart. And maybe she is allowed to have that.

Elias comes in and flops down next to her. Geena finally opens her eyes, turning her head to the side to look at him. His smile is so nice she can’t stop herself from kissing him.

“You smell like a strip club.”

She lets out an airy laugh, “do your parents know that?”

“I don’t think so, they know you’re drunk though. I wanted to give you more warning before you met them, so, sorry.”

“Why would you introduce me to your parents? Did one of your teammates let it slip that you have a girlfriend?” She uses air quotes around the last word.

Elias sits up to get a better look at her, “no, I wanted – we went on a real first date – I thought…“

“E, are we dating now? You want to date me?”

“Of course, I do G! I didn’t realize how much until we started to fake date. But I like spending time with you outside of sex.”

“Even though I’m a dirty sex worker?”

“I wouldn’t call you dirty, unless you wanted me to,” he smirks.

“I just lost a big client because he saw a picture of us together. What happens if more people find out, on either side? I don’t want to quit my job because you’re in the public eye.”

“I’m not asking you to do that, you like what you do and from what I saw firsthand you’re really good at it. So, if you want to tell people what you do, I don’t care. I’ll do whatever you need me to, I just want you to be mine.”

“You really don’t care?”

“What you do doesn't change who you are or what I feel or want to give you.”

“So, you’re kind of mine then?”

He nods and pulls her up for a kiss.

“We should probably leave my bedroom before my parents think we’re having sex.”

“If they already think it…” Geena waggles her brows and playfully bites his shoulder.

He gives her a playful shove back onto the mattress before grabbing her hand, interlocking their fingers and pulling her towards the door, and the future.

#elias pettersson #elias pettersson fic #elias pettersson imagine #vancouver canucks #vancouver canucks fics #vancouver canucks imagines #nhl #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey fics #hockey #nhl stories #nhl fic

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ashesandhackles · 1 year ago

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Goblet of Fire Reread (Part 2)

Chapter 17,18,19, 20,21,22,23

"It struck him how very tall all of them were" Harry thinking this about the champions one moment and then being angry at being called "a little boy". Accurate teenage boy behavior.

Snape stepping in to stop Karkaroff and Maxime insulting Dumbledore by insulting Harry instead, "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules" XD

Fleur really cares about the honour of representing her school.

Hints of Barty Snr under Imperius: both in his behaviour + imagery (skull like appearance in the darkness)

Violet, the witch painting went up to Fat Lady to gossip. We shall hear of this friendship again in HBP.

I really really love Hermione's insight into Ron's feelings here, because the implication here is that she noticed that he doesn't talk about it. "He's always shunted to the side when people see you, and he puts up with it, never mentions it" and how she contextualises it with how he feels around his brothers. She has an understanding and kindness about this that is very sweet.

Fleur flirting with Cedric while some creepy paunchy man watching her. Damn, what it must be like to be sexualised every moment of your life and what harmful ideas have you internalised?

Harry noting that Fleur was part Veela to tell Ron only to remember The Great Tragedy that Ron isn't speaking to him.

weighing of wands chapter to set up the priori Incantentem at end of book, to remind us of Harry's connection with Voldemort's wand.

Hermione trying to force Harry and Ron to talk to each other, poor thing. I can really feel her anxiety building over this and she is so impatient, "you miss him, he misses you". Hermione on Ronarry agenda. She even tries to sneakily make him meet Ron in Three Broomsticks and then Harry cottons on. And then her getting irritated, Harry having to resist the urge to poke Ron is peak trio content.

Harry getting cheered up by the fact that Cho wasn't wearing a support Cedric badge. Also, it's a nice shade to her character - she is nice. She recognises the badges for what it is and doesn't take part in it.

his face breaks into the first smile in days cos of Sirius and Sirius redirecting attention away from himself and focusing on Harry - "never mind me, how are you?" Harry is so vulnerable with him that he talks about Ron with him.

Sirius' respect for Moody is very interesting, he displays more of this in Padfoot Returns chapter where he talks about how Moody captured DEs and not killed them. I believe @leogichidaa and @artemisia-black have had a tumblr discussion on this.

Ron doesn't come up to bed after Harry lashes out at him for interrupting his conversation with Sirius. Poor bean - wondering how things got this bad between him and Harry.

BCJ is so chilling on reread- essentially admits that he is keeping track of real Moody via the Foe Glass. "I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk."

BCJ talking about Maxime and Karkaroff but also himself - 'They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human'. And he laughs.

Ron catches Harry's eyes, but Harry is too resentful to care. Ron trying, in his own awkward way, to let Harry know that he is on Harry's side again.

Harry not needing to hear Ron apologise to forgive him. Clearly Hermione feels the same as I do, because she burst into tears, hugs them both and goes off to cry alone LOL

I saw this tumblr post about how Fleur dealt with the dragon was the most compassionate one - trying to put it to sleep - that she and Charlie would get along cos of it. Cute hc.

Pigwidgeon falling 12 feet down before flying with the letter is so funny. Also how cute that Harry's letter to Sirius had a "blow by blow" account of how exactly he swerved, circled and dodged the Horntail. Sirius would have found that very endearing.

LOL at Dean drawing Cedric with his head on fire for party banners. (apart from drawings of Harry dodging Horntail)

Harry calling out Hermione for bending of rules is so cute. When she says, "he is supposed to work out the egg on his own" when Lee picks up the egg, and Harry reminds her in undertone that he was supposed to work out the dragon alone too, and she "grins guiltily"

I am very disappointed in Dobby, whose political consciousness that shone and drove the plot of CoS is done to "acceptable" levels of radicalism. He tried to save Harry, explicitly against harry's wishes, because of his idea that Harry is a symbol of hope to the "enslaved dregs of the magical society, who are treated as vermin" and that defeat of Voldemort ensured that his kind are treated better. (he is still endearing, but speaks to the message of the books - he can be radical but cannot question the existing institution too much)

Winky's loyalty to Crouch is treated as pitiable, while Hermione's overzealousness with some gentle ribbing because JKR seems to find it endearing. We will probably get into white saviorism later, because I have THOUGHTS.

Ron and Harry sword fighting with fake wands, which are tin parrot and rubber haddock respectively, is hilarious. (Ron's parrot got the haddock's head)

Cedric telling Hufflepuffs to leave Harry alone. Looks like he was so grateful for Harry's tip, he steps in on the bullying.

Cho's words about who she is going to the ball with echoing with each step Harry took. Peak teenage experience. End of the world your crush has been asked out by someone else.

so funny that Ron keeps trying to ask Hermione who she is going to the ball with at unexpected times to surprise her into answering

love that Hermione was simultaneously appalled by fake-Moody making Malfoy a ferret while also not above referencing that incident to get Malfoy off her back. ("twitchy little ferret, aren't you Malfoy")

Ron notices Hermione's teeth is no longer the same. And Hermione is all sly and mischievous about the fact that she let Madam Pomphrey carry on a bit.

ok this is such a cute description: Hermione sitting to watch Ron and Harry's chess match which had recklessly brave pawns and a violent bishop

Dobby gets socks as presents from both Ron and Harry (reminder Ron also puts socks over his dead body) and Ron's Christmas jumper.

Dumbledore referencing Room of requirement. (he makes a joke that makes Harry snort and Percy frown- I guess he thinks the joke isn't appropriate for international magical cooperation?)

Parvati goes off with a Beauxbaton boy because Harry wasn't paying attention to her. She also lead him while dancing -so much so he felt like a show dog. Love how alpha she is xD

Percy glances at Harry about "hitch with Goblet of Fire" : indication of his coming arc where he doesn't believe Harry. (Also, while Percy is socialising with Bagman, he chooses to sit with Harry and Ron, which is indicative of how awkward he feels i think)

Snape and Karkaroff's conversation will get referenced in Prince's Tale, where Dumbledore grants him -"i think we sort too soon".

the image of Maxime storming away with fairies parting bushes is a very striking.

Chapter 24, 25, 26,27,28

Hermione drops key family history for Harry without either of them realising it: she used Fleamont Potter's Sleakazy's. Also at the implication that Harry asked about her hair LMAO.

Ron and Hermione reaching an unspoken agreement about sidestepping the big fight which involved FEELINGS.

the unicorn preferring a girl's touch is tied around the myth of pure creatures comfortable with "pure souls". I am really not sure how to read the gender politics of this book using this aspect of mythology.

lol, at Parvati being very "cool" towards Harry since the ball. Her retort actually makes him reflect - "perhaps I should have paid her more attention" and then, "ah well, she had a good time anyway". Honestly, stan Parvati.

Harry's so suspicious of Bagman offering him help, and rightly so. I love him putting Bagman on backfoot with his questions.

really curious about goblins and their hierarchy in the wizarding world. they are the marginalised who "fight back".

Rosmerta looking at James Potter, "who used to make her laugh"'s son yelling at a reporter in the middle of her pub XD

Love that Gryffindors get food related passwords like "banana fritters" and poor Ravenclaws have to solve a riddle every time they need to get in.

Where is the fanart of Snape with long grey nightshirt? Where?

Snape shutting Filch up when (in his mind) Moody came in, BCJ using Moody's distrust to check his office. Excellent stuff. My favourite part of the scene is Snape angrily declares Dumbledore's trust in him, and BCJ reminds him of "spots that don't come off". And Snape clutches his Dark Mark (and immediately hates himself for doing it xD)

Okay, Snape conceding power to Moody in this scene is so interesting. When Snape tries to look for Harry, BCJ makes him back off by saying "meaning Dumbledore is very interested to know who's got it in for the boy!" and Snape answers in a forced calm.

the tension between Snape and fake Moody can be cut through with a knife. Love how menacing the scene makes Moody, with Rowling using visual pictures of Moody's scars in the darkness

Lmao, Neville sending Professor Flitwick flying across room in class. And the description of "Professor Flitwick went whizzing resignedly past them" when the trio are talking. The implication that Flitwick just let Neville do his thing… XD

Hermione answering Harry's grim dark joke seriously. Nerd XD so much so the next time she takes Harry's joke seriously, he had to tell her that he is joking lol.

Harry goes off food when he is stressed or upset: a hangover from Dursley days when punishment is "no food".

"Your Wheezy, sir, your wheezy - the thing Harry Potter sir will miss the most!" LOL. The way this book is designed for Ronarry feels.

Merpeople have pet Grindylows. (also the chief is a woman)

Harry actually tries to yank the spear away from merman when they refused to help him, and hits Krum when Krum failed to realise that his shark teeth would hurt Hermione. My little feral boy.

Percy, "who looked very white", splashing out to meet Ron <3

Poor Krum - he is trying to engage Hermione and she is too busy either asking Harry about his task or cheering him for his marks to listen.

I love how much Harry gets so cheered by Sirius' letters. And even as he is tense that Sirius would get caught, he enters Potions classroom happy XD

'Scarlet woman'. It speaks to the generation Molly comes from that she has these ideas, and that Ron has noticed and picked it up.

Hermione, being also aware that Ron's regard for her is less than platonic, "determinedly avoiding Ron's eyes" when she mentions Viktor did invite her. (Also funny that Hermione is trying to puzzle out how Rita heard her, and Ron is like, "nvm, what did you say about Viktor's invitation?" lol)

@urupotterwrote a nice meta about how Snape was deliberately provoking Harry (after harry moves tables) to read his mind. Right when Harry angrily looks up, Snape's eyes bore into him to check if he had broken into his office.

Sirius made them climb a mountain for half an hour lol. He believes in outdoorsy kids.

Sirius having a fuller face, and looking like he is taking care of himself when Harry met him at the fire - but now he is back in his prison robes, his hair is longer and he is thin again. When Sirius broke into the fire, he was clearly at a place where he could hide better and take care of himself. He is living off rats.

And he notices the anxiety on Harry;s face and explains why he is here (he is very good at reading harry's face and just answering his thoughts. He does it again later in the scene). He is worried about how fishy things look, and it is clear one of the reasons of his lack of care for himself is hyperfixating on Harry's safety and circumstances surrounding the tournament. (he also moves a lot when he is thinking - it's part of why he makes for such a strong scene presence. There is either note of how he takes space, or his eyes)

Sirius backs Hermione here about Barty Crouch Snr's treatment of Winky ("if you want to know what a man's like.."). This is important for Hermione's complicated feelings about him in the next book. He was the only adult on her side - even Hagrid, who she counted on, didn't agree with her.

Sirius projecting all his family issues over Barty Crouch Jnr.

Sirius' description of Azkaban is just extremely solitary and drenched in death, and suffering. He can see and hear things that are near his cell or out of the window (he could see Dementors burying who he thought was BCJ outside the fortress). Speaks to the immense violation Barty Crouch Snr has committed by sending him there without a trial. (There is also the fact that Azkaban is horrible, and no one deserves it)

Snuffles, enuff said. He also allows them each to pat them on his head before they leave. how cute.

"If he thought we are standing in way of his career"..ah, seeds of Percy arc of OOTP. Hermione believes in him while Ron doesnt lol.

I haven't mentioned in my notes because it would get too long - but Sirius' exposition about the First War, I think, is important for the atmosphere that leads to friends turning on each other.

also, I really love the note of Sirius, as always, admiring the morals of Mad Eye Moody for trying to bring Death Eaters alive, versus his condemnation of Barty Crouch Snr's methods. This shade of him - combined with the fact that he would have absolutely killed Peter after Jily death if he had the chance, or even the previous book. @artemisia-black wrote about her interpretation of it in this meta.

House elves should be "seen, not heard" philosophy, where they have internalised that anything showing discontent from where they are is undesirable.

Hermione pulling a Blinky episode here XD if the worldbuilding wasn't so shitty, I would actually enjoy a critique of Hermione's impatience here because it is very in line with steam of young activists finding roadblocks within the very people they want to help.

Chekhov's gun: the eagle owl Harry observes flying over Hagrid's hut - the same owl we see in Harry's dream with Voldemort later.

Maxime is apparently trying to make up to Hagrid - she watches Hagrid's class and even tries to engage him in a conversation prior to this. Maybe she feels sorry about how the story about Hagrid's mother come out in the Prophet and wants to bond? What did Maxime face because of her parentage?

Ron being upset that the gold he paid Harry back with vanished, and how he hates being poor and how both Harry and Hermione don't know what to say: Hermione tries to cheer him up by saying she will get him a Niffler for Christmas, how cute.

harry regularly sending Sirius food and little notes with them. I CANT. they have my heart, they are everything.

love that Fleur and Cedric are apparently friendly enough that she keeps going on about underground tunnels to him, and how Fleur beams at Harry when he comes.

Harry and Cedric being jocks, and how they are less than happy with the state of the Quidditch pitch lol.

Dumbledore uses the Patronus to summon Hagrid. A known method of communication between the Order. ("a ghostly bird")

love the dynamic of Fred and George arguing: George seems to be the more cautious one of the two, saying putting something like that in writing is blackmail, while Fred is like, "You're not going to complain once we get the pay off, would you?" But the moment Ron asks what's up with them, George backs Fred and sends the letter himself.

I also really loved the moment of the trio confronting the twins. It was hilarious. it shows all their priorities - both Fred and Ron with confrontational and surprised, "what are you doing here?" and Harry and George on defensive, "sending letter?" and both Fred and Hermione with a suspicious, "What, at this time?"

Hermione still uncomfortable with the idea of breaking laws: "This isnt some silly school rule, it's the law". Given where they all end up in DH (honestly even OOTP), this is interesting. She even advises Ron to reach out to Percy to stop whatever the twins are doing, and Ron's like, "Are you mad? He would probably do a Crouch and turn them in!" XD

Harry being annoyed at Sirius being an Overbearing Dad XD "Who is he, to lecture me after all the stuff he did at school?"

Chekhov's gun: insect buzzing somewhere behind the curtain. Rita Skeeter.

Also seeing Crouch Snr struggle against the Imperius put on him by Voldemort tells us how incredible it is that Harry throws it off in the graveyard

Harry connecting the magic of Pensieve with the diary through means of his experience. Could be a cool worldbuilding detail if we want to think about how Tom preserved his "memory" in the diary, along with it being a container for his soul.

important to understand how Voldemort operates: he alone knows who works for him, and others get exposed to each other via shared jobs or connections. This adds to what Sirius says in Padfoot returns chapter.

Mulciber specialised in the Imperius, as per Karkaroff's testimony. Could he have done something in similar vein to Mary MacDonald? It could also be talked of as a "laugh" since students do find Moody's control of the spider in Unforgivables class darkly funny.

"He is no more a Death Eater than I am": Dumbledore's vouching of Snape is strong. I would love a fic that explores Snape and Dumbledore's equation in First War, and how Dumbledore sees bits of himself in a young man who also thinks he is brilliant, and wants power, but ends up hurting the person he loves in his blindness.

The trial essentially feels like a gladiator ring, with the accused chained to the chair. (Of course, Bagman doesnt get chained to the chair due to the relative popularity with the jury)

Ah, BCJ. His reaction here depends on how you read his involvement with Longbottoms - whether he actually did it, or whether he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course, the book, with Cruciatus scene with spider, heavily suggest that he was indeed guilty. So, it is interesting to see his terror here - he is genuinely terrified of going to Azkaban, but he is also using his genuine terror to appeal to his parents, to get out and be free. (He does similar things throughout the book - use his real dislike of Malfoys, Snape but misdirect you about his motivations). It's a nice manipulative streak.

"You're no son of mine!" "Take them away, and may they rot there." I need a Crouch family deep dive, because it is essentially a version of Walburga burning her son's name off after he ran away. which is: "I want to pretend you don't even exist."

a very astute reader pointed out on reddit how Moody is not present for the Longbottoms trial (and his eyes were intact on both trials before). So the hc is that Bellatrix took out Moody's eye and he was recovering in the hospital at the time.

#hp reread #goblet of fire #harry james potter #barty crouch jr #barty crouch junior #sirius black #hermione granger #ron weasley #percy weasley #moody

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sunstone-smiles · 3 months ago

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Battle Strategies and Funny Faces

Author’s note: Finally, a Hubert centered fic is here! I can’t believe I haven’t done something like this sooner with him, but motivation struck hard after going on expeditions with him and hearing his dialogue during my Scarlet Blaze playthrough. Tagging @giggly-squiggily because I promised I would when it was done and @gladdygirl18 because I know you’ve been waiting for it! I hope you all enjoy it!

Series: Fire Emblem: Three Hopes

Characters: Shez and Hubert

Word count: 2,174

Summary: Shez and Hubert start off competing to see who can think up the best tactics, but a few playfully provoking words from Hubert begins a new challenge for Shez: get Hubert to make a funny face with the best way she knows how. Enjoy!

___

Over the course of their time together as allies, Shez has learned that Hubert, the usually intimidating and reserved retainer to the emperor, has a soft spot for a little friendly competition. On their current expedition at the waterfront, Hubert asked Shez if they were ever “suddenly struck with a brilliant strategy on expeditions such as this?” Shez, knowing Hubert and his likes, proposed a competition to the man as a response. Hubert agreed with a chuckle.

Now the two are having a wildly engaging conversation about the best tactics and strategies that could be utilized in their hypothetical head-to-head battle occurring on the waterfront. They sit together on a blanket they laid out near the grassy edge of the water, where purple flowers freckle the green earth around them. In the surrounding area, a bridge arcs across the water and connects two pieces of land on both ends; it’s become the current talking point of their discussion.

“What?” Shez laughs out loud. “How would that work? If you send units charging across the bridge, they can easily be cut off and flanked on both sides. It sounds like you have a losing strategy there, Hubert.”

“We’ll have an army of flying units act as cover for them,” Hubert responds. “They can coast across the water towards the enemy’s side while acting as a shield and a diversion.”

“Okay,” Shez leans forward with a teasing demeanor, “but what if they have a team of archers across the water, ready to take down your flying units?”

“In that case we would have a second team move around the back and flank the archers from behind.”

“Ah, but what if there’s an ambush from the nearby forest that suddenly attacks from the side?”

Hubert quickly counters, “To account for that, we’ll place the flyers in a ‘L’ shaped formation, creating a wall on the side to offer protection from the ambush while the infantry units clear the bridge safely.”

“But what if there are enemy units hidden beneath the water who pop out and attack your forces from below!” Shez pretends to spring upwards to emphasize her surprise.

“What?” Hubert chuckles from being taken so off guard. “Shez, how would you propose that to work?”

The mercenary giggles, “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” She lifts her tea cup from the tray between them and takes a sip. Hubert picks up his cup as well, but waits to drink from it.

“Only you would disrupt our strategic conversation with your wild fantasies,” Hubert jests before taking a sip from own cup, tasting the delightful bitterness of coffee that he prefers rather than tea.

“Oh, come on. It was funny. You had back up plans for everything, so I had to throw you off somehow.” She places her glass back on the tray. “I heard you laugh at it too, you know. Don’t tell me you didn’t. Admit it.” She aims a smug gaze at him.

There’s a long pause. Hubert takes another sip of his coffee. His focus is faced away from Shez, so it’s only until he catches the mercenary staring in his peripheral vision that he realizes she is awaiting a response.

He turns to her. “Are you waiting for me to make a funny face? You will be waiting a long time if so.”

“Oh?” Shez smiles, “Is that another challenge?”

“Only if you choose to make it one,” Hubert says in a way that playfully provokes.

“Oh, I choose to make it a challenge alright. I’ll admit that talking strategy might be your specialty Hubert, but making my friends smile is my Shez speciality,” the mercenary points to herself.

“The Shez speciality?” Hubert’s voice piques with interest. He places his coffee cup on the tray. “Well, now I’m intrigued.”

“Since I have your attention then, allow me to prepare first,” Shez smiles and stretches her arms forward. She moves the tray from between them to a far edge of the blanket behind her. Hubert gives her a curious look.

Then, as if observing a map, Shez examines Hubert, leaning left, right, and forward for different angles of the man sitting in front of her. She hums a few “Hmm”s as she does so.

Shez leans back on her knees. “Alright, done. I just need to ask you one more question, Hubert,” Shez’s voice heightens with mischief. A smirk crosses her features. “You’re ticklish, right?”

Shez watches as Hubert’s eyes widen, even the eye peeking beneath his hair; that’s all the confirmation she needs. Before he can respond, the mercenary leaps forward and tackles him down to the blanket.

“Shez!” is all he exclaims before Shez finds a place to wiggle her fingers at his sides. A slight jump and a sharp intake of air is followed by him latching on to her wrist. He briefly stalls before his next words, “Get off of me!”

“Hey, you're the one that challenged me, remember? I can’t just back down from a challenge,” Shez grins above him as her free hand presses into his other side. He swings an arm around his torso to defend himself from the additional ambush.

“Shez! This is ludacris! I’m not even ticklish!” Suddenly, Hubert jolts with a giggle-like shout when Shez crawls her hand towards his ribs. Hubert immediately slaps a hand across his mouth to cease any trace of the sound that had passed by his lips.

“Really?” Shez jokingly tilts her head. “Because I’m pretty sure someone who’s not ticklish wouldn’t make a sound like that.”

Hubert, almost holding his breath at this point, uncovers his mouth and attempts to shove at Shez’s hand clawing at his ribs. “That was just a coincidence!” the retainer staggers a growl. An occasional twitch at the corner of his mouth nearly threatens to crack into a large smile.

“Riiight. Because it’s a coincidence that you're laughing while I’m tickling you. If you’re gonna lie Hubert, at least make it believable.”

Shez moves a hand to his stomach, causing him to sputter out a yelp and curl up his middle. Hubert closes his lips together and frantically tries to push Shez away, but he falls back to the blanket and throws a hand across his mouth again to stave off the joyous sound that’s probably bubbling in his throat. This time, however, airy snickers start to leak from the cracks between his fingers, being unable to muffle all the hints of his growing giggles. He turns his head into his shoulder to hide any other signs of the smile beaming beneath his hand.

“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere,” Shez grins again. “But I still haven’t found that funny face I’ve been waiting for. Let’s just get this hand out of the way here…” Shez playfully grabs Hubert’s wrist and easily pulls it away to uncover his wobbly smile. Immediately after, she uses the opening to dig into his underarm. He shoots his arm down with another yelp, then Shez quickly catches him off guard with a scribble to his belly; the two attacks in swift succession finally burst the barricade that’s been holding back his rushing waves of giggles.

“Shehehehez!” Hubert laughs and wraps his arms across his torso. His smile, now out in the open, has nowhere to hide as Shez unleashes playful havoc across his ticklish spots.

“There we go! Now that’s a challenge winning funny face if I've ever seen one. It’s so funny, you’re even laughing at it!”

“Yehehes! Yes! Yohohohu’ve won! Are yohohohu happy nohohow?!” Hubert takes hold of Shez’s wrists in an attempt to push her hands from him.

“Yes, very,” Shez casually responds back to him. “Although, I’ll be even happier once I get to hear more of your laughter. You’ve been holding out on me!” She scribbles her fingers with a bit more pressure, increasing the amount of giggles that spill from Hubert. Shez takes a moment to soak in his smile. She’s never really had the chance to hear his laugh without there being a maniacal tone behind it. This laugh feels lighter, more bright and carefree. It’s a nice change to hear for once.

“Thahat was nohohot part of the chahahallenge!” Hubert curls up his middle and kicks his legs out behind her.

“Then consider it me enjoying the spoils of my victory,” Shez answers with a large grin.

The retainer tries to glare at her. “Why you deceiving—Pfft hahaha!” Hubert throws his head back and wheezes when Shez kneads right above his hips, his sentence straying due to his own explosion of laughter.

“What was that, Hubert? If you were about to threaten me, you’re doing a poor job of doing so,” Shez jokes. She climbs a free hand towards his ribs again like it was scaling a mountain, causing Hubert to tighten himself in his already curled up ball of giggles that accidentally pins Shez’s wiggling fingers to his ribs. He further attempts to conceal his silly face into his shoulder as he tries to twist away from her tickles.

Unable to create a comprehensive response through his outpour of laughter, Hubert rolls onto his side towards her and kicks his legs at Shez with enough force to try and thrust her away, but purposely not hard enough that would put her at risk of hurting her.

“Hey!” Shez chuckles as he bumps her once or twice below the shoulder. “Fighting back, huh? We’ll see about that!” Shez grabs his leg farthest from her and wrestles it until she has a tight one-handed grip on it. She pulls his squirming leg towards her and flutters her free fingers into the back of his knee.

With a surprised shout, Hubert springs into a sitting position before bubbly giggles continue to spill from the man. He makes a futile attempt to pry Shez’s grip from his leg before his back crumbles down to the blanket, arms wrapped around his chest, bouncing with laughter. His other leg kicks at her, only leading to her grabbing that leg and giving it the same treatment.

“Shehehehez!” He digs the unrestrained heel of his boot into the ground and tries to tug himself away with assistance from the leverage of his arms. “Relehehehease my leg from yohohohur trap at ohohohonce!”

“A trap! Now that’s an interesting strategy!” Shez is reminded of their previous conversation about battle scenarios. “Let the enemy fall into a trap and then…strike!”

Shez releases his leg and leaps at Hubert’s sides. The man jumps from the tickly shock to his torso and folds himself nearly in half. He drops his head back to the blanket and finally dissolves into a wheezy cackle, melting from the joyful glow emanating from his person. The energy just from witnessing his expression enhances the already memorable surroundings of the waterfront.

“Shehehez!” Hubert calls out to her through his abundance of giggles, “Ahahalright! Yohohou’ve had yohohour fun! Thahahat’s enohohough!”

“Aww, already? But, alright, I guess I’ve celebrated my victory long enough,” Shez teases one last time before gently pulling her hands away. Hubert lets out a few more leftover giggles before slowly beginning to recover his strength as he lies flat on his back. His arms loosen from around him and rest on his chest as it rises and falls with air.

“That was mortifying,” Hubert says between breaths.

Shez lets out a sheepish chuckle, “Sorry, Hubert.” She reaches for his hand and helps pull him upright to a sitting position. “I hope it wasn’t that bad. I saw the opportunity and I just had to take it.”

Hubert waves a hand in front of him like a shrug. “I suppose it wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened. Perhaps it’s what I deserve for dropping my guard after provoking your attack.”

Shez snaps her fingers and her expression perks up. “Hey, that’s a good strategy!”

“Hmm? What is?”

“Provoking the enemy to attack,” she explains. “If we go back to our bridge scenario, the troops going across the bridge would essentially provoke the enemy into cutting them off. But, what we thought would be a disadvantage could actually be used to catch the enemy off guard.”

“Huh, of course,” Hubert thinks on her claim. “Then while the enemies are stationed at the bridge, we could maneuver our troops behind them on both sides to create a pincer attack, trapping them instead.” Hubert lifts his head towards the mercenary, “Very smart, Shez.”

“Thank you,” Shez graciously takes the compliment. “We should have more expeditions to talk strategy like this more often.”

“Perhaps one that’s not exactly like this expedition. I could do without the Shez speciality every time. But I will admit, our time together is actually tolerable,” Hubert ends his sentence with a rare smile.

Shez’s features lighten on her face. It can sometimes be difficult to build trust with one as cautious as Hubert, but every little bit to earning more of his trust is progress in the right direction. She returns a warm smile to him, “I’ll take that as a win.”

#fire emblem #fire emblem three hopes #hubert von vestra #shez fire emblem #few3h #fire emblem warriors three hopes #fire emblem three houses #fire emblem hubert #hubert fire emblem #fire emblem shez #fire emblem fanfiction #fire emblem fanfic #sfw fanfiction #sfw fanfic #sfw tickle fic #tickle fic

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iamawolfstarsimp · 3 months ago

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what's up everyone

a quick fic for you guys because I got inspiration when I woke up and a life update

so basically I've been spending my summer doing some different things but mostly spending time with family. I've been going through some difficult mental struggles recently and mostly have just not had any inspiration or interest to write or even be active in the community. I don't know how much I will be active on this blog in the future with writing and stuff but I won't be deleting my account yet, if I do decide to delete then I'll give notice. if you do want to see where most of my activity is now you can go to my side-blog which is non tickle related but still me (it's mostly different fandom stuff including marauders, taylor swift and whatever i feel) but yeah that's what I've been up to. I'm mostly okay I just need some time to heal

But here's a quick marauders fic for fun <33

love ya'll, stay blessed and enjoy

Contrary to popular belief, James wasn't dumb. Or at least not as dumb as he pretend to be for attention and to be funny.

He wasn't top of his class but he could be if he really wanted to be and tried to. He studied quittitch and memorized tactics and routines and was an excellent tutor and mentor depending on class (potions was never his strong suit, what could he say).

But besides school, he also knew people. He could read emotions and faces and voices. When he knew someone well enough he could tell what their different reactions to things meant on how they felt.

He knew that Remus went quiet when he was thinking hard about something or was being stubborn or spiteful and Sirius always got quiet when he was either concerned or ticked off. Peter would chew his nails when he was nervous or scared to relieve some of the stress. Lily sucked her teeth when she was annoyed at something and always grinned really big but tried to cover her smile when she got happy or excited.

So he wasn't exactly surprised when Remus and Sirius told him they were dating. He pretended to be in shock but eventually he told them one late night in the common room, almost two years after they'd told him.

"Yeah, no, I saw you two becoming a couple way before you guys ever did." James said nonchalantly.

"What?" "You're joking." Remus and Sirius yelled at the same time, both of them laying on the couch in front of the fire with James on the ground and his back against the armchair Lily was sat in, her legs criss-crossed and reading some book about quittitch history she had gotten from James ("I've already read all the books in the library, they're boring! Yes, and Remus' books too!").

James laughed at their shocked expressions. "How on earth did you know before we even knew we liked each other?" Remus asked, ever the skeptic.

James' mind flashed through memories over the years, a few specific ones coming to mind.

He remembered flying up on the quittitch pitch one winter day during their third year at hogwarts and practicing by himself, back when being in the air was the only time he could straighten his head and calm his thoughts.

He looked down at the snowy ground seeing his two best friends walking next to each other, shoulders brushing every few steps.

He thought of yelling at them but didn't and just watched their easy conversation he couldn't quite hear. He watches as they stopped and looked out onto the lake that was frozen over and kept talking, looking into each other's eyes every now and then.

He smiled to himself and turned away to give them some privacy, even though they didn't know they were being watched.

His mind flashed to the first time Remus spent Christmas at James' house. He remembered Remus watching James and Sirius play wizard chess and staring at Sirius' eyes and hands and back and then turning away as if he was ashamed of looking at him for too long.

And then he thought of Sirius doing the same thing when Remus would throw his head back and cackle at some joke James and Sirius had been saying. Remus was always quieter than the others but he was loud when he wanted to be or didn't care enough to be quiet. Sirius was always mesmerized by it.

His thoughts shifted again to one time when he was walking up to their door to hear loud laughter coming from their room, the door cracked open.

Out of pure instincts, he snuck up to peak through the crack at the scene he saw.

He couldn't tell whose bed they were in but if he could guess it would have been Remus' due to the fact it looked like it might have been slightly made before all the tackling and squirming that was currently happening.

Sirius appeared to have jumped on top of Remus (for whatever reason he found acceptable to do so) and was digging both hands into Remus' ribs, the later of the two throwing his head back and laughing loudly, the exact way Sirius was obsessed with.

"This is what you get for being so damn snarky all the time." Sirius grinned up at Remus who closed his eyes and grabbed onto Sirius' wrists but didn't pull them away from him.

"You're the wohohorst!!" Remus shouted through his laughter.

"Oh yeah, I'm the worst?" Sirius asked and Remus nodded, too busy laughing to actually answer.

"Ahaha-and I hahate youuUU AH SIHIHIRIUS NOO!" Remus' voice raised in pitch and volume as soon as Sirius' hand moved to his neck while the other snuck under his loose shirt to dig into his ribs better.

Sirius only grinned bigger and continued. "What's so funny, Moony?"

Remus growled through giggles and attempted to roll them over but only succeeded in prying Sirius' wrists off of him momentarily. James took this opportunity to walk in after a quick knock.

"Lads, you want some dinner?" James shouted over Remus' laughs. Sirius turned to look back at James but while distracted Remus managed to throw him off of him with his legs.

"Ouch Moony, that hurt." Sirius faked being hurt and pouted from the floor. Remus rolled his eyes while panting, a smile still plastered on his face. "I'd love some dinner, I'm starved."

"Alright then, meet you down there in five minutes! I'm off to find Pete." James replied.

"Great, we'll be right down." Remus was already throwing himself at Sirius before James had even left the room, more shouts and laughter coming from the room as he shut the door.

James blinked back into reality and simply shrugged at Sirius and Remus, a small grin on his face because he knew not explaining it would annoy both of them.

"Just had a hunch." He heard Lily laugh from above him at Remus and Sirius' faces.

Hope you enjoyed! And no, I didn't proof read this so if there's writing errors, my bad lol

#marauders #tickle fic #james potter #remus lupin #sirius black #tickle #tickling #soft talks

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123pixieaod · 1 year ago

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Pilot!Max x backpacker!Daniel 👨‍✈️✈️💼

Part Two!

Part 1 here!

Max laughs, reaching out. Gentle fingers brush his, and then Daniel is gripping his hand, squeezing tightly. His palm is warm against Max's, fingers strong and dextrous. Max feels the hard calluses engraved in Daniel's fingertips like knots worn into wood. A far cry from his own hands, almost amorphous on their soft smoothness.

"A pleasure", Daniel says warmly. He drops Max's hand, and the stuffy bus air suddenly feels wrong against his fingers.

"I'm sure", Max echoes, and then thanks whatever diety is looking out for him that his warming cheeks are hidden in the darkness.

"So did you come here alone or?" Daniel asks, oblivious. Max scrubs a hand over his face. It's just because he's overly tired from this air traffic fuck up.

"No. My two colleagues."

"Are they Dutch too?"

Max snorts. "Regrettably not. One's German and the other is British."

"A German, Brit, and Dutchman get onto a bus", Daniel muses. "Sounds like the beginning of a joke."

"And an Aussie swoops in and steels the punch line?"

"I'm honoured you think me capable of such exploits," Daniel says. He sounds pleased, almost smug. Fuck, is he flirting? Oh double fuck, are they flirting right now???

"They fucked off though," Max blurts out, wires in his usually flawless mind having become disconnected, capable now only of repeating the train of thought of oh my gosh i think Daniel is flirting with me am I flirting back am I bad at this what if he's fifty years old do I really need a sugar daddy??? Does one even flirt on a bus can someone flirt at 2am are we just both sleep deprived maybe the driver did succeed in getting me to hit my head around one of those corners and this is simply a brain damaged fueled fantasy and -

"Where?"

He blinks, trying to focus himself. Once again, he thanks whatever stars that soon he'll be flying under that there's no lights on this bus. His cheeks feel all but glowing.

"Where what?"

"Where are your friends? Did they catch the same bus as you or...?"

"Oh," Max exhales. "No. They of course fucked off and took the only two free seats at the front, so that is why I had to go searching back here."

"Sorry you're stuck with me", Daniel says, in a way that very much does not sound he's particularly apologetic and Max is 90% sure is instead a flirty tone.

He barks a laugh. His face burns hot. Fucked. He's utterly and royally fucked.

Daniel, he learns, talks a lot. Not how Lando talks, this never-ending stream of consciousness where topics and conversations blend seamlessly into the next. Or not like how Sebastian talked, where every sentence is carefully constructed in his mind and spoken with purpose. Daniel speaks like he expects to be listened to, but also with the understand he'll listen back. He chats and then pauses, waiting for Max's input. He asks questions, looks for Max's opinions, and even sometimes disagrees with what Max says.

It's exhilarating. He feels as if he's known Daniel for years, and not just mere hours.

It's also informative. He finds out that Daniel:

- has one (1) older sister

- her name is Michelle (Max heard Danielle at first and Daniel had laughed, as if Max had said something actually funny)

- she is an accountant, working for their father's auto business

- she wildly disapproves of Daniel's backpacking around the world, telling him he's simply running away from responsibilities

- she is wrong

- Daniel isn't running away from anything. He likes to think of it as more running to something, if running has to be involved in the metaphor

- he's been to 33 different countries

- he's been travelling since he was 25 (Max refuses to question how old Daniel must be if he's already been to 33 countries since he was 25)

- he wants to know more about Max

"Well", Max says, taciturn. "I work in stocks." It's the one sure, fire way to stop any potential future questioning on his profession.

"Stocks", Daniel repeats slowly, as if Max has admitted to being a shape-shifting alien. "What type?"

"What type of what?"

Daniel laughs. Max feels the warmth bury in his chest. Fucked. He's fucked.

"What type of stocks do you work with?"

"You know about stocks?" Max asks, deflecting away from the question.

"Utterly against my will, but yes. My sister's an accountant and Emma is in finance, so between the two of them information on boring stuff like stocks and markets and rates were sort of forced into my head. Osmosis style I guess."

"Whose Emma?" Max asks, feeling like a balloon whose been popped.

"A girlfriend," Daniel says with ease. Max swallows, making himself to nod even though Daniel can't see him.

"Right", he says quietly. "Cool."

Of course someone like Daniel would already be taken. Of course he'd be straight. People like Daniel are magnets, and why on earth would Max think he'd be the first one to be drawn to Daniel??? Even if he's the most ugliest man alive, Daniel’s charm and easy chatter alone would secure any number of girls he wanted. Why would he even think about Max in that way? Fuck, his dad is right, he can be so fucking stupid sometimes.

"No need to sound quite so distraught Max," Daniel continues, now almost teasing. Max wants to rip the seatbelt off and leave, lie down on the aisle or the steps or even on Lando's fucking lap and just forget this ever happened.

"Okay", Max says nonsensically, trying to work out the quickest way to end the conversation. His cheeks feel as if they're on fire, and even the tips of his ears are burning now. Fuck. Victoria would laugh so hard at him if she was here.

"An ex," Daniel says. Max nods. Maybe he can say he has a migraine? Or pull the classic sorry my dad is calling me, and then phone and speak Dutch to Martijn until Daniel falls asleep or something. Daniel's saying something else about being in a relationship and Max wants to die, because he's twenty-three and shouldn't be this obvious, shouldn't have to have a stranger try to gently let him down.

"Are you as well?" He asks. Max blinks, looking towards the hazy outline of Daniel.

"Am I what as well?"

"Single?"

"What?" Max's brows pinch together, and Daniel starts to say something but it's interrupted by a static overhead speaker.

"Ladies and gents", the driver says, somehow making the honorifics sound like slurs. "We're approaching Terminal 2. A pleasure to drive ye here."

Then, the lights blink on, flooding the bus with brightness. Max winces, the sudden light after the hours of darkness irritating his eyes. He blinks and then quickly turns to his right. Daniel looks back at him, big, brown eyes wide.

"Oh," Daniel exhales softly, and then laughs. Fuck. Sun-kissed skin and tight curls and perfect teeth. Fuck.

"Hi," Max says stupidly.

Daniel laughs again, and Max feels the sound of it burrow into his chest like sunlight shining through foliage. Double fuck.

"Well, this makes things easier", Daniel says, still smiling. Aquiline nose and eyes of hot chocolate and dimples that carve deep into cheeks. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Does it?" Max asks, tone soft. He can't look away from Daniel. He looks like he belongs on the crest of Australian red-earth mountains, making his way through the thick rainforest of Peru, holding his breath and diving deep into the ocean. Not in a cramped bus, not sitting beside Max, talking to Max, looking at Max.

"Yeah," he says, eyes crinkled and warm. "Because I was going to ask you out for coffee anyway, but if you had been an eighty year old man with dandruff my convictions may have been questioned."

"Well, I'm definitely not an eighty year old," Max says, mind still lagging.

"No? Can't dispute the dandruff claim?"

That teases a laugh out of him. "Well, I of course do not have dandruff either. I keep myself very well groomed."

He says it as a joke, but Daniel just looks at him, eyes intense.

"Yeah", he says after a beat, gaze tracking over his features. "I can see that."

Max's face positively burns.

Around them, the bus has eased to a stop, and the passengers around are beginning to sit up, unclip their seatbelts and stretch.

"So do you want to?" Daniel blurts out, and then blushes. "Sorry. I mean, I was serious. I could take you to a shitty little airport cafe right now, we could have burnt coffee and overpriced toast and it would be hideously romantic." He grins, but there's a nervousness to him now.

"I can't," Max blurts out. He's thinking of all the billion things he needs to do, the flight data he needs to check, the checks and double checks, the changing from these civilian clothes to his sleek pilot uniform, the transforming from a nobody to Max Kumpen, one of the most promising pilots at F1 Wings.

"Oh," Daniel says, smile suddenly dimming. "Yes, of course. I didn't- I mean", he forces a soft laugh, his cheeks heating. "Sorry. It's fine. Who knows, maybe we'll even be seat buddies on the flight too! You'll be stuck with me." He forces another laugh, and then gives Max a warm but distant smile. "Well, I'll-"

"No, I mean," Max babbles, his own cheeks heating. "I wasn't- i have work. It wasn't a lie or. But - you'll have a layover at Qatar, right? We should - I mean, if you'd still like to, it would be, in Qatar Airport, we could maybe -"

"Yes," Daniel says, beaming at Max. "I'd like that."

"Right," Max smiles, trying not to think about the five hour layover he's meant to be using to catch up on sleep before facing the night flight back to Dublin.

People are beginning to file off from the bus, and Max is suddenly filled with a strange sense of panic, as if Daniel can only exist in this liminal space of travel.

"Here," Daniel says, and his tone sounds strangely anxious as if he's feeling the same fear. Max looks over, and then before he can react, Daniel is bridging the distance between them, warm fingers wrapping around his wrist. He watches as Daniel grabs a pen from his pocket, feels the coolness of the ballpoint roll across his skin. He doesn't breathe. Daniel's frowning, expression intense as he scrawls the digits, carving himself into Max. Max suddenly is filled with the urge never to wash his hands again; never wants to be confronted with his pale, soft skin unmarred by Daniel's messy handwriting.

"There," Daniel says, dropping Max's hand. He looks up, blinking those deep, dark eyes. Around them, everyone else is standing, filing out. All Max sees is Daniel. All Daniel sees is Max. He smiles, the sun in winter.

"Don't go losing that," he says, and Max laughs, twisting to unclipped his seatbelt. They're the last ones still seated, and the driver has fixed his beady gaze on them.

"I'll try not to," he says, standing. His muscles ache from the uncomfortable posture, and he tries not to think about how sore they'll be after seven hour flight to Qatar. As Daniel stands, Max glances behind, spotting Lando and Sebastian already outside with their bags, waiting for him.

"I should -" he begins, voice trailing away as he gestures. Daniel glances, giving him a quick grin as he shrugs on his coat.

"Gotta get back to your German and Brit colleagues, right? Let me know how the joke ends."

Max exhales in amusement. "Probably with me covering for the Brit while the German tests our combined knowledge."

"Fun", Daniel says with a wink. A wink. "Maybe I'll see this dynamic at the gate or on the plane."

"Maybe", Max says, knowing that will never happen. "But I'll see you in Qatar anyway."

"Qatar for breakfast", Daniel grins. "It's a date."

Part 3 here!

#pilot au #Maxiel #pilot Max returns!#and boy is he whipped #my fic

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inopinatus-ea · 3 months ago

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Chapter 1

First meetings, and first impressions...

“Drach, do you think you can shift and we can fly away now? Do you think they’d risk shooting you down?” Adelia had a soft smile firmly in place, but inside she was dying from what she knew was going to be an arduous ordeal of diplomatic niceties. She did not want to be in Annisgwyl. She did not want to be meeting Prince Emery, let alone marrying him. In fact, all of this was the last thing she wanted to be doing. In two weeks she was supposed to have been marrying Duke Alaric, but instead here she was because of her father. Her wonderful father, the King. She hated him and had for years, since he had insisted her brother be the first to wed and kept putting off her own engagement.

“Darling, if I could get away with it, we would be gone. However, we both know they would hunt us both down. I’ve already had my wings clipped once, and did not enjoy it. They have finally healed after over a century, let’s save that fact, and the surprise that I can fly once more, for if we really need it. Shall we?” Winking slyly at the Princess, the Knight assigned to guard her kissed her cheek lightly. Drach had been assigned at her birth to guard her because of his special gifts that few knew of. Shifting into a dragon, breathing fire, and being able to consume humans whole being the paramount amongst those. A tight friendship had grown between the two and he was far more protective of the Princess than any other in her life, including either of her parents.

“If you insist, but if I truly hate him, will you at least promise to eat the Prince then we will both claim innocence and ignorance.” She looked up at him hopefully as her mother futzed with her bejeweled taffeta ballgown over by the lead car. Once more her mother’s vanity was giving her ample opportunity to get her own mask of regality in place. The two women couldn’t be more different, although it was not as if the Queen would ever have noticed.

“That I might be able to do, little one.” Another wink and Drach had to keep from laughing. He did enjoy his young charge’s spunk at times. She kept him on his toes. For a being as old as he, that took some doing.

The doors to the palace before them opened and an older stately gentleman appeared, joined by a woman who seemed to be his equal. Adelia curtseyed, Drach still lending her his arm bowed deeply. They could both hear her parents joining them from the side. Apparently her mother had finally gotten her gown and tiara in order. Small wonders never ceased. Both hoped that the introductions would be short and that they could find the liquor and a quiet corner, but doubted that either would be that lucky. Neither wanted to be there, for very different reasons.

It was shortly after the Kings and Queens had made their introductions that the Princes were called forward. Both Adelia and Drach were studying them. Enough intel had been sent to the castle for her to tell which was Emery and which was Raiden. At least they both were handsome, but from all accounts, that was as far as Emery’s positive attributes went. Raiden’s, from all accounts went much further, but alas he was the younger of the two brothers. Of course, she was cursed with this mating by her father after all.

Raiden was fairer, more conventionally handsome, and just slightly taller than his brother. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the sunlight as he smiled over at Drach and Adelia. She couldn’t help noticing that he was already trying to be charming; interesting. Emery on the other had looked more serious. His hair and eyes were far darker than his brother’s, and there was a brooding air about him that Adelia found slightly off putting. It wasn’t that he was unattractive, but his gaze was intense and his demeanor almost aggressive. She could see how just from looks alone he would be viewed as hostile, and she had yet to formally meet him.

“Ah, Crowne Prince Emery.” King Mavroc grinned wide as he stepped forward to greet his future son-in-law. “It is a pleasure to meet you.” He turned towards where Drach and Adelia were still standing. “Your intended, Adelia,” he gestured to her, and Drach began to lead her forward, “and her Royal Knight Drach who has been with her since birth, and will guard her innocence until your wedding night.” There was a slight sneer to his voice at the end of his statement.

“Now, Mavroc, I’m sure that won’t be necessary. My sons are both men of honor.” King Branoc insisted, his brows drawing together. He had not been informed of Drach becoming part of the pre-wedding arrangements. Why the other King would feel such a move necessary confused him.

“Is that why his former paramour Siara is with child on the coast?” Adelia’s mother inquired with a saccharine smile on her face and condescension dripping from her voice. She loved being able to surprise and verbally destroy those she considered lesser. To have such a piece of information at her diposal currently made those before her far lesser.

Raiden’s face went blank as he stared at Emery. What had his brother done? His eyes closed as he took a deep breath. The dishonor of it! Finding out now and from the other royal family only made it worse. At least his brother could have warned their parents.

Adelia gasped slightly and took a step back, her eyes going wide. Drach’s hand came atop hers on his arm to stop her from bolting back to the car. Let the Prince be the center of attention that he so rightly deserved. Oh, being a dragon was so fun when you could obtain information that was useful. This tidbit was the best so far, or at least he had thought so before he saw the complete look of shock and horror on the Prince’s face.

“EMERY?!” Branoc’s voice boomed off the stones around them all and seemed louder than should be possible. Everyone else winced but his eldest son stood still as Adelia’s eyes cut back and forth between father and son.

“IF she is,” Emery closed his eyes and cursed the gods above, “it is not mine.” His jaw clenched. He did not know whose it was, but on this he wasn’t lying. Now not only was he humiliated in front of his fiance-to-be, but his father was most likely going to literally beat him until he couldn’t breathe at the earliest convenience.

“How about we all go inside?” His mother’s voice was thin and strained, the smile on her face tight and not meeting her eyes. She looked at the King and Queen before her, trying not to lose more face than had already happened as she curtseyed and then gestured to the door behind her, Raiden thankfully having already moved to the side.

Reblog banner - @cafekitsune

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itspdameronthings · 5 months ago

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Benny The Rookie Cop Ch3

Summary: Here it is! Took awhile to finish this! Here it is! Benny in the hospital. Santi in rehab. With a twist! cant say too much.

Benny's POV:

Here I am yet again . In the hospital. Haven't been what? A couple of days since I was being stitched up for a wound while on the job. This latest wound has become the talk of the station. Personally? Rather hide . Benny James Miller hide? Not gonna. Who wants to be shot in the ass?! Yeah! First time ! Look, it happened so fast. Was in pursuit of this dude who was framing top officials for dealing drugs. That's when a shootout happened . Fired first till a bullet hit my ass! Upper left cheek to be precise. Chris made the call . Great! My wife is gonna hit the fan yet again! Last thing she needs to deal with since Santi went to rehab. We were gonna see him soon as he gets settled. Next thing, telling the others about the wound . Oh the jokes would fly like clock work. Now I'm layin on my tummy while I wait for the doctors to check on me.

Gracie’s POV:

After arriving for my shift. Which was kind of dead as a doornail. After the usual nurses meeting we have to deal with the usual shit. Like riding alongs with paramedics. Oh what fucking fun. Bout to get started on my first task till there was a call about a cop being shot! Heart dropped! Worried about my husband. My heart ,and soul! Try not to get too emotional. Have a job to do. Taking a deep breath marched myself into trauma 2 to Benny! On the table laying on his tummy with a sheet draped to cover his lower half? Okay. Didn't ask why till removing it to see a bloody bandage on his ass! First thought it was a joke! I mean come on! He was known for his jokes. Till Chris told me it wasn't. Okay! Time to go to work on my sexy rookie. At some point he had to be sedated. I stayed with him till he woke up hours later. Looks so beautiful even in his groggy state. Hair so soft to the touch. Beautiful blue eyes that lights up the room. His hand touched my ,and mumbled,” Don't laugh okay?” Kissing his forehead ever so gently whispered,” Not a chance my husband. Got hurt on duty. Now you are my patient.. My duty is to take care of you. First thing. Have to get you admitted. I know I know ya hate that. Have to make sure the wound isn't bad. I'm gonna stay with you kay?” Benny reached for my other hand and kissed it. Telling me he loves me with all of his heart. Blew him a kiss while exiting the room. See my family in the waiting room. Will first hug me close. Could tell he was scared. Told him he is fine that his ass hurts,but still groggy,but they can go to see him. He would love that. Okay girl! Time to get things rolling.

Benny's POV:

I'm floating a bit. Some point I heard voices from my lovely wife. Such a sweet thang to hear. Telling me stuff I don't recall right away. Hope to get out of here,on account I hate hospitals being here too many times in my lifetime. Want to be home. In my own bed. Not .. on this thin slab of metal with a mattress. Moments later I hear Will and Frankie telling me stuff. Could tell they were worried,and relieved. Hearing them chatting about stuff. Oh great! Doctor is here. Touching my wound seriously dude? Hurts like a mother! Enough already! Close my eyes again. Meds kicked in good! Want to sleep! Want my Gracie ! Oh my baby. Soulmate, love of my life,and reason why I am alive. Didn't care if other people thought I'm too old for her. Age factor isn't an issue for me. Heck! PA is older than ma. Love each other so much to put shitheads comments to bed. Gracie’s friends tried to convince her we weren't meant to be. Since I was in the Army at the time. Though saving herself for so long wasn't healthy. Our first time was so beautiful. Focus on that moment man!

Santi just got back from another session. To him he didn't belong there talking about his fears with a bunch of strangers. Want to be home. With his family. Promising his mom he would do this for her,and doesn't want to be like his dad. Frightening him to no end. Leaning against the window looking at the view of tall buildings wishing for the quietness of home. Not noticing Gracie entering the room. Turned around,” Glad you are here little bud. Nice to see a familiar face. Don't see Benny.. is he at work?” Taking a breath while sitting on the edge of the bed,” Actually, he is here. Nursing a gunshot wound to the butt. Thought… it would be worse Tang! Worry about him every time he goes out. Thought about y'all in Columbia..” Santi sits next to her pulling her close to him like when she was a kid,” I know you do. We all do. He told me the same thing. He knows your job is dangerous too. I'm glad he has you. I mean it. Sure I was against it at first,but when I see you with him? Can see why both of you were meant to be.” Moment was interrupted by a knock,” oh ! I'm sorry Santiago. Time for another session. “ Getting up rubbing his face,” Guess you know Dr. Knight. I'll be right there.” Gracie nods at her,” Oh yeah I do. Better go back to my husband. Take care of my brother. I mean helping him with his rehab not helping yourself to break his heart.” That didn't go well with the doctor. Got up to look her in the eye,” Look here I know what you might think of me ,but I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your brother's recovery. I'm just his doctor. Nothing more! It's not like I tried to seduce Benny when you were an intern. “ That did it! As much she wanted to kick Lucy’s ass,she was on duty. Not gonna stoop to her level. Got up to leave,” Oh, doctor? I wouldn't tell your supervisor on your misdiagnosis of a patient. You know? One that almost murdered a few innocents!” Slams the door behind her. Leaving both of them, okay, one of them speechless. Lucy cleared her throat,” okay, see where she gets her spark from. Okay, ready to go Mr. Garcia?” Getting up from his spot. Glaring his brown eyes at her,” For the record ma'am. You haven't seen anything yet. “

Didn't take long to admit Benny to a private room overlooking the roof garden next building over. Him laying on a doughnut pillow,which it took awhile to get used to. Good he would be here overnight. Followed by resting at home for a few days. Had few visitors from his department. Glad to hear he would be okay. Followed by a few butt jokes. Benny replied as they left,” Very funny assholes if I see anything on my desk that pertains to my boo boo? Make y'all pay. “ Gracie laughed as she closed the door,” Now that we are finally alone. Wanna tell you that I was scared when I heard you were shot. Feared the worst baby. Said a prayer before you were brought in. Oh! Went to see Santi. Had a nice talk till.. that hussy of a doctor came in.” Benny knew who she was talking about. Pulls his wife into his side that doesn't have any wires. Kissing her forehead,” I cringe when I see her. To think she was willin to wreck our relationship. She sent ya on a goose chase. Proud of you what happened next. “ Kissing his chest,” yeah, but I think she might get her mits on my brother . See that doesn't happen.”

Santi finally went alone to rest. Thinking about the events of the day. Counting down the day till he gets home.About to turn his light off. A knock at the door,” Come on handsome. Help me go to sleep.”

Note: okay! Hate to leave this as a cliffhanger. Want to have y'all sweat it out oh who it is. Hoping to do an extra scene to this chapter. A sweet one where Benny boy comes home. Wish me luck!

@rhoorl @romanarose @musings-of-a-rose

#triple frontier #benny miller x reader #santiago garcia x reader #garett hedlund #oscar isaac #benny the rookie cop

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queen-of-the-avengers · 11 months ago

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Iron Man: Final Part

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader (implicitly)

Word Count: ~3k

Warnings: canon violence and angst

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

You take off flying after Tony does, not missing the way Rhodey looks awestruck by this.

"How do you think the Mark One chest piece is going to hold up?" Tony asks his computer system.

"The suit is at forty-eight percent power and falling, sir. That chest piece was never designed for sustained flight."

"Tony, I need you to be careful. Use me when you need me," you say.

Tony calls Pepper to let her know he's okay, and she answers the phone in a panic.

"Tony! Y/N! Are you two okay?"

"We're fine, Pepper," you answer.

"Obadiah has gone insane! He built a suit."

"Get out of there right now!" Tony shouts.

Before she can answer, you hear commotion come from her end and a nastier version of Obadiah speaks.

"Where do you think you're going? Your services are no longer required."

Tony flies faster to the lab area where the gigantic arc reactor is. Obadiah and Pepper are outside the building and Tony sees red when he sees Pepper could be harmed by him. Tony's suit is big and built with solid metals, while Obadiah's suit is ten times more massive. His suit makes Tony look like a small child compared to an adult.

"Stane!" Tony yells.

Obadiah starts shooting at you and Tony but your friend doesn't let up. He crashes right into Obadiah just as Pepper gets out of the way of the imminent danger. They tumble away from Pepper and you fly down next to her to make sure she is unharmed.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine but—"

"Good, get the hell out of here."

Tony and Obadiah have moved their fight over to the freeway where most of it is cleared. The cars remaining on the freeway have been cleared out so no one is in the line of fire. The scene you come upon can only be described as pure destruction. Cars are crushed, a semi-tractor trailer is toppled over, people are screaming in terror, and Tony and Obadiah are in the middle of it. The older man has a car lifted above his head with a screaming family still inside.

Clearly, he doesn't care about casualties as long as he comes out on top.

Tony uses most of his power on his chest piece and he blasts Obadiah away, causing the car to fall back down to Earth. You stick both hands up and use your aerokinesis to keep the car afloat while you get them to safety. As soon as the car is on the ground, the family immediately speeds off.

You turn to Obadiah and stick both your hands out. Your right hand moves clockwise and your left moves counterclockwise, and a bright ball of fire starts to form between your palms. The flames grow hotter as the ball grows larger and you shoot that ball of fire at Obadiah as soon as you think it's hot enough to do some damage. Obadiah stumbles back but the flames don't work as well as you'd hope. The flames die out quicker than they do damage so you have to think of something else.

"For thirty years, I've been holding you up!" Obadiah yells.

He grabs Tony and slams him to the ground. He stomps hard on his chest even though Tony's suit doesn't crush under the weight. He raises his leg to do more damage when you panic. Your aerokinesis and pyrokinesis work together to get Obadiah away from Tony. Your fire powers ignite the flames still on him which cause a small explosion, and your air powers flip him several hundred feet away from him. "

"Impressive! There's a lot more to you than I thought there was!" Obadiah laughs.

"You have no idea," you glare.

You and Tony fly up a hundred feet in the air and look down at Obadiah who you can only imagine is smirking underneath his suit.

"There's a lot more to me as well! I've made some upgrades of my own."

Obadiah has programmed his suit to have thrusters like Tony's does which means he can fly. That's fine. It will get the fight away from civilians. Plus, you know for a fact that he didn't account for ice build-up since he never tested it out, and you and Tony are going to make him regret following you into the sky.

"Sir, it appears that his suit can fly," Jarvis notes.

"Duly noted. Take me to maximum altitude."

"With only fifteen percent power, the odds of reaching that—"

"I know the math! Do it!" Tony yells.

Jarvis has no choice but to listen to him. As soon as you and Tony start heading for the atmosphere, Obadiah follows. He's not as fast as you and Tony during take off but the higher you fly, the faster he goes. Tony has the same idea as you and will take Obadiah as high as it takes for ice to reach his suit.

"Thirteen percent power, sir."

"Climb!"

"Eleven percent," Jarvis says the higher Tony got.

"Keep going!"

"Seven percent power."

"Just leave it on the screen! Stop telling me!"

"Tony, keep going! I will keep the ice on there as long as I can."

You take a hard right while Tony keeps flying upward. Obadiah reaches your friend and grabs him by the shoulders angrily.

"You had a great idea, Tony, but my suit is more advanced in every way!"

"How'd you solve the icing problem?" Tony smirks as ice cracks on Obadiah's suit.

"Icing problem?"

"You might want to look into it."

Obadiah's suit shortens out much like what Tony's did when he first tested it out. You fly upward and jump onto the back of Obadiah and shove your hands onto his shoulders. Both hands turn ice white as the ice on the suit thickens.

"You're not getting away this time. If you wanted to kill us, then you should have been the one to pull the trigger," you say close to his ear.

"Two percent. We are now running on emergency backup power," Jarvis says.

You look up and see Tony struggling to fly. Tony is and will always come first. You jump off Obadiah's back and shoot back into the sky to where Tony is, and you grab his hand to prevent him from falling.

"Thanks. Where is Stane?"

"Doesn't matter. You need to get out of this suit."

You flew the both of you back to his lab where the big arc reactor is. You land on the roof gently not caring where Obadiah is right now. There is no time to relax because the older man jumps out of the shadows and grabs you from behind. He tosses you off to the side like you're a piece of trash, and you crash into one of the air conditioning units with a hard thump.

"Fuck," you groan.

Obadiah grabs Tony and starts to squeeze him so hard that his suit crushes and the weapons break. If you don't do something, he is gonna kill Tony. You ignore the pain on your side and fly over to Obadiah. You jump onto his back and wrap your arms around his neck as if you're putting him in a chokehold. Both your arms erupt into flames with the hope that they will melt the metal. You can't be too hot otherwise you'd kill Tony so you do your best to try and subdue Obadiah.

He lets Tony go to yank you off him, and he throws you in the same direction as before. This gives Tony the opportunity to escape while the smoke is still thick in the air. He hides behind one of the larger air conditioning equipment while you're still stuck by the one you were thrown in. To keep Obadiah from seeing you, you manipulate the water molecules in the air to create a lot of steam. If he can't see you, then he can't hurt you.

"Very clever, Y/N. You're both getting good but not good enough, I'm afraid."

"Pepper?" Tony's voice comes over comms.

"Tony!"

"This isn't working. We're going to have to overload the reactor and blast the roof."

You groan and sit up to see a piece of metal sticking out of your thigh. You yank it out with a muffled cry so that Obadiah doesn't hear you. The wound will heal in seconds but the pain will linger for several minutes afterward. You get up and wobble your way over to where Tony is. He jumps when he sees a figure coming his way but relaxes when he sees it's you.

"How are you going to do that?" Pepper asks.

"You're going to do it. Go to the central console and open up all the circuits. When I get clear of the roof, I'll let you know. You're going to hit the master bypass button. It's going to fry everything up here."

"Okay. I'm going in now," Pepper agrees.

"Make sure you wait till I clear the roof. I'll buy you some time," he whispers.

"No," you declare once you found him. "We'll buy you some time. Come on."

You clear the mist enough for Tony to see where Obadiah is. He jumps on his back and starts yanking out wires from his neck.

"This looks important!"

The wires Tony is yanking out are connected to his vision so that Obadiah won't be able to see anything with the mask on. You throw fireballs at his weakest points to help take him down. Without his ability to see, Obadiah reaches for Tony and throws him onto the glass dome right above the arc reactor.

"Tony!" you yell and fly over to him.

His mask is off and in the hands of Obadiah who has his mask off so he can see.

"I never had a taste for this sort of thing but I must admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!" he laughs and crushes the mask before tossing it to you. "You finally outdid yourself, Tony! You'd have made your father proud!"

Pepper rushes the process and gets the arc reactor ready from down below. She looks up and sees you and Tony standing on the glass above her.

"It's ready, Tony! Y/N! Get off the roof!" Pepper yells.

Obadiah shoots a missile at you two but the targeting system is messed up because the missile lands outside of the glass dome. The shock from the explosion is enough to shatter the glass you stand on, raining shards of glass where Pepper stands.

"Tony!" she gasps and protects her face.

Tony falls through the middle of the glass dome but is able to catch himself before he falls into the arc reactor. He pushes himself up and holds onto the metal frame.

"How ironic, Tony! You're trying to rid the world of weapons and you gave it its best one ever! Now I'm going to kill you with it!"

"Pepper! Time to hit the button!" Tony shouts down below.

"No, you'll die," you gasp.

"You ripped out my targeting system! Stay still you little weasel."

Obadiah sends another missile at Tony but misses once again. With each hit, the glass around you shatters and sends more down where Pepper is. You fly through and push Tony up to safety

"You told me not to!" Pepper yells back.

"Just do it!"

"You'll die!" she screams.

"Please get her out of here," Tony asks you.

"No, Tony, you won't stand a chance against him!"

"Get her out of here and push the damn button!" he yells.

Tony never does anything without reason, so you have to trust him he knows what he's doing. You leave him dangling from the rooftop and fly down to Pepper. You push the big red button and scoop Pepper in your arms before flying off. She gasps and holds onto you for dear life and calls out for Tony. She cares about him more than she thinks she does and it shows in the way she's crying for him. She shoves her head in your neck so she doesn't see what's happening so you'll look for her.

You reach several hundred yards away from the lab only to see it explode right before your eyes. You set Pepper on her feet and immediately take off into the sky toward the roof. Tony is lying on a broken piece of the metal frame but your own focus is getting him out of here alive. You scoop him into your arms and fly down to the ground where you can have the time to better check him out.

Pepper rushes over as soon as you set him down, and you lean down to check if he's breathing. He is. However, the light in his chest dies out as if he's dead. He's not, but he is dying if he doesn't get medical attention.

"Tony, wake up," you get tears for him.

"I need a drink," he groans painfully.

"My God, you scared us. Come on, we need to get out of here before the police show up."

Tony doesn't like doctors or receiving medicine but when Pepper threatened to leave her job, he took better care of himself. Rhodey put together a press conference the very next day since everyone will be wondering what the hell happened at Stark Industries. He kept the Air Force off your back when you were in the air and now he has to take care of the people on the ground. You, Pepper, Tony, and Phil Coulson are backstage getting ready while Rhodey is in front of dozens of reporters trying to get ahead of the story.

"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff—"

"'Iron Man and the Avatar'," Tony reads the headlines of today's paper. You look away from the TV and grab the paper. "That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suit's a gold-titanium alloy but it's kind of evocative. The imagery, anyway."

"Mine's technical. Well, apart from the shapeshifting," you chuckle.

Pepper dabs some makeup on Tony's face to conceal his wounds. It would look bad if he went out there with a beaten face and claim that he was never there.

"Here's your alibi," Phil says and hands you and Tony note cards. "You two were on your yacht. We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night and sworn statements from fifty of your guests."

"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just me and Pepper alone on that island," he smirks.

"That's what happened. Just read it, word for word."

"There's nothing about Obadiah here," you say.

"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircraft have such a poor safety record."

"What about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my... I mean, is that... That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?" Tony tries to find the right words to say.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark." Phil looks at you and you shake your head with a quiet chuckle. "Just stick to the official statement and soon, this will all be behind you. You've got ninety seconds."

Pepper grabs Tony's jacket and turns to him with a smile.

"Let's get this show on the road."

"You know, it's actually not that bad. Even I don't think I'm Iron Man."

He turns and she helps him put his jacket on.

"You're not Iron Man."

"Am so."

"You're not."

"Alright, suit yourself. You know, if I were Iron Man, I'd have this girlfriend who knew my true identity." Pepper finishes and he turns to face her. "She'd be a wreck because she'd always be worrying that I was gonna die yet so proud of the man I'd become. She'd be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more crazy about me. Tell me you never think about that night."

You stand off to the side and give them this moment for another sixty seconds.

"What night?"

"You know."

She looks into his eyes and for a split second, she can see herself falling for him.

"Are you talking about the night we danced, went up on the roof, and then... you went back inside to get me a drink and left me there by myself? Is that the night you're talking about?"

She must be talking about the night they almost kissed, and you turn to hide your smirk.

"Yeah," he clears his throat.

"Okay, if you two are done flirting with each other, we have a press conference to get to," you say loudly, startling them. "That's what you were doing, right? You two were flirting?"

"Let's go," Tony changes the subject.

Pepper stays where she is while you and Tony walk down the long hallway to get to the main room.

"Are you really going to say what's on the cards?" you whisper to him just as you walk into the room.

"I don't know," he whispers back.

"Now, Mr. Stark and Ms. Y/L/N have prepared a statement. They will not be taking any questions," Rhodes says and steps aside.

Tony takes the microphone while you stand next to him and smile tightly at the crowd.

"Thank you. It's been a while since I was in front of you. I figure I'll stick to the cards this time." A round of chuckles goes across the room. "There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop—"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark," Christine Everhart interrupts even though Rhodey says no questions, "but do you honestly expect us to believe that it was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that you—"

"I know that it's confusing," Tony interrupts her. "It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations or insinuate that we're superheroes."

"I never said you two were superheroes," she smirks.

"You didn't? Well, good because that would be outlandish and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public—"

"Just stick to the cards, man," Rhodes whispers.

"Yeah, okay." Tony holds the cards out and reads over them quickly. "Yeah. The truth is... I am Iron Man."

"I am the Avatar," you confirm.

Every single reporter except for Christine stands up with millions of questions to ask. Rhodey looks at you two with a shocked look on his face. What can he expect when it comes to Tony Stark?

If he's going to take the credit, then you may as well do it, too. They'll only be questioning why you can do the things you can do, and this way, you can give them an explanation.

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

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dellafloosh · 1 year ago

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NO BUT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT

I have so many thoughts

Spoilers for Good Omens below the cut

Ok so… Christ what a season. I loved everything about that. If Season 3 doesn’t get made I will cry.

Let’s start off with the easy stuff. Michael Sheen and David Tennant have amazing chemistry and play their parts so perfectly.

Crowley was already my favourite character even before this season but he just gets better. Him arresting himself to go to heaven was just so enjoyable to watch, and heaven not “changing their passwords” makes sense when you take into account Crowley’s earlier comment about how if you’re in, they don’t care if you’re an outsider.

Aziraphale was just as charming as in S1 and the book, however I feel his out-of-style-ness was cranked to 11 which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when he’s clearly very interested in people, but I take it as a stylistic choice by him, choosing that he simply likes talking with old-timey slang and quips.

Jim, short for Gabriel, was just so good. Every interaction he had with other characters was just delightful. He truly just had no idea what was going on and I loved it. One thing I did note was his purple eye thing, which happened at three times that I noticed. Twice in the bookshop and once during the Archangel meeting when he was getting fired. Not sure what it meant during the meeting but found it interesting.

Beelzebub was honestly probably the biggest improvement from S1. I’m not saying they were bad in S1, just not very present. But in Season 2, just amazing stuff. They’re starting to blur the line more, to a darker shade of grey instead of everything being black & white. The fly gifting was just so nice, similar to when Crowley made Jim a cup of hot chocolate which was such a small but huge thing for a demon to do!!

Beelzebriel is my second-favourite ship and it was on screen for like 5 minutes. I wish them all the luck.

Shax was definitely the antagonist of the season, but what was gonna happen with her was kinda predictable. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just not that very interesting.

All the angels were quite good, definitely played their “Follow the rules” parts really well. Muriel seems nice, but if she sells even one book she will face the wrath of the Supreme Archangel.

SPEAKING OF WHICH

The ending was………… heartbreaking. Aziraphale got the job as Supreme Archangel and, when asked to become an angel again and work beside him, Crowley rightfully declined.

Crowley left heaven for a reason, he was upset with the system and felt the need to take a stand. Why would he ever want to come back?

Aziraphale believes that he’ll be able to change the system if he gets to a high enough position, but Crowley knows that he and Aziraphale could get a life for themselves all alone, just like Beelzebriel. Away from the system, from Heaven and Hell and all the complications they brought them.

The thing is that both of them are correct in their own ways. Until we see how it goes it’s so hard to tell who is correct.

THE KISS my god the kiss I have so many thoughts.

First of all, Aziraphale’s reaction was so devastating. I want to cry. I did cry. But that was when they kissed, not after. Crowley’s whole big talk about it being just the two of them for millennia was so good and I just wish Aziraphale could choose the slightly selfish route and go with his husband.

And now that these genderqueer dragkings have kissed I want to talk about how fucking inclusive this series is.

Like in S1 there was inclusivity, with Pollution and Beelzebub and all the “not men” moments (very Janet of them both). But Season 2, Jesus Christ (or is that S3??!!). The main love focus is a wlw couple, there’s a genderqueer person dating a POC, so much gender everywhere, just so much taking away the heteronormativity without making a huge statement.

Making a huge statement can be good and is VERY often good. But the fact is that trans people and gays exist everywhere without it having to be the main focus of their identities, and seeing that portrayed in a series is just so great.

And there’s a DISABLED ANGEL I love them so much. They kinda replaced Michael as Michael replaced Gabriel, which I like and they fit the role really well.

Writing this has been the main focus of my day and I absolutely adore this series. For S3, I hope we get to see more of God and Satan, the two opposing poles on the Celestial compass, and getting to see Jesus would be really fun.

#good omens #long reads #good omens 2 #ineffable husbands #beelzebriel #good omens spoilers

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inky-snowdrop · 1 year ago

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Mortal Kombat 11: Civil War

A Mortal Kombat Multi-Chapter Fanfiction

Pairings: Mileena/Scorpion || Hanzo Hasashi, Kitana/SubZero || Kuai Liang (implied), Sonya Blade/Erron Black

Rating: M (18+)

(canon-typical violence, implied sexual content, strong language, cannibalism, graphic depictions of blood, gore, and death)

Originally Written In: 2015

<- Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 ~ FINAL

Notes: You may be wondering why this fic is ending here... Well, I wrote the rest of this story on a school computer and then lost all my progress when they shut down my old school account when I graduated 🙃 Yes I was that kid that wrote porn at school. Don't be like me fellas

"This is ridiculous!" Cassie whispered to her mother she walked down the hallways of Shao Kahn's palace. "We could totally over power them! We just need Mr. Sunshine over there to help this time." Scorpion shot her a dirty look and continued walking to the dining hall. "How much farther to the dining room!" Cassie yelled in frustration. "This girl needs to eat soon or someone's gonna die."

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Chapter 6 ~ Cassie Cage

"Keep your mouth closed," Tanya snapped as they turned a corner and entered a long, narrow hallway. At the end, there were black painted doors, savagely marked from something that was very hungry.

Cassie gave Tanya the fuck off sign as she yelled, "I have free rights. I'M AMERICAN!" Kitana looked like she was going to rip Cassie's head off, spine and all, if she didn't shut up. 'Who cares what the bitch thinks,' Cassie thought as her stomach growled. 'So, SO hungry!' They reached the end of the tunnel and Cassie helped open the door because she was so hungry. But… "WHERE THE HELL IS THE FOOD!" Cassie screamed as Tanya shoved Sonya in, along with Kitana. Erron literally kicked Scorpion to get him inside, getting a second degree burn in the process.

Skarlet just watched from the doorway, her ruby eyes staring into Cassie's. "You will stay here until Mileena comes," Tanya hissed as she closed the doors, slamming them with a crack!

"Then where are you going?!" Sonya snarled as she began to pull at the handle that held the door, actually wrenching it backwards before it snapped forward again.

"We have to find your friends before they get back to Earth Realm and warn everybody of where you are," it was Erron's voice this time, his accent still apparent even through the giant doors. Cassie looked away from the door and observed her surroundings for food. There was a oaken carved table in the middle of the room with what seemed to be fifty chairs on both sides. The walls were painted a blood red color, which kinda scared Cassie. There was another door on the opposite side of the room, directly across from the one they came in. After searching for thirty seconds, Cassie went to examine the other door.

"Enough! Leave if you must!" Scorpion roared as he set the whole door on fire, flinging one of his spears into the door and heaved. The door would have come off its hinges if someone hadn't been pulling the door in the other direction.

"What the hell?" Sonya said as she peered through the charred door and saw there was no one on the other side. "Nobody there."

" The doors must be magik," Kitana said with her perfect edianian vocals (Oh yes, Cassie was still pissed at her) as she touched the door just to be repealed with a burst of green magik.

"It looks like the work of Ermac," Sonya said as she blast a pink beam into the force field and saw it come flying out in the other direction.

"Ermac worked for Kotal Kahn. Why is he with Mileena?" Scorpion asked as he placed two hands on the door, lit them on fire, testing it for magik.

"I'm starving!" Cassie called from the other door, knocking on it to see if it is was protected with magik too.

"Your voice is hurting my head. Please be quiet," KItana called back as Cassie turned and let out a sound that only girls can make. Everyone turned and gave her a nasty look.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders and said, "Maybe the witch did it?"

Kitana smiled and said with a flirty laugh, "Do you and I have a problem, Cassandra?"

Cassie was beginning to understand Scorpion's point of view as she seethed, "Of course we do! Your so PERFECT and BEAUTIFUL and it gets annoying after a while that whatever I do, you're so much better then me!" All that filled the room was silence, a deathly silence.

"And do have more to say?" Kitana asked as she smoothed her perfect teal tournament uniform, clearly not offended by any of the things Cassie just said.

Cassie was pretty much just shaking with rage as she found her voice and roared, "And you what else!? Jacquinn and Sub-Zero could be dead right now! BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Kitana's eyes widened and she yelled, "I was not the one who left her teammate behind, as you told me at the ridge!"

"And I didn't leave my BOYFRIEND!" KItana's eyes filled with hate as she threw one of her fans at Cassie, embedding itself deep into her shoulder. Cassie cried out in pain as Kitana jumped over a chair and threw herself at Cassie. She hit the floor hard, with Cassie on the bottom as she began to punch her face over and over again.

"You have NO IDEA how much I have seen, CASSANDRA! You know NOTHING of the pain in my heart!" Kitana screamed as she ripped out her other fan and embedded that into Cassie's other shoulder.

"My name is not Cassandra! It's CASSIE!" Cassie roared as she kneed Kitana in the crotch. Kitana fell backwards and hit a chair, with Cassie on top, punching her head again. Kitana flicked her arm and a blue mist escaped her hand. It made the fans open. They ripped through tissue and bone as Cassie screamed. It wasn't a quiet scream ether, it was a raw throated scream. Even in the depths of her chambers, Mileena heard the noise and smiled to herself.

Kitana was ripped off Cassie by Sonya as she threw her against the door. "Aright! You listen, bitch…" Sonya said as she held down Kitana. Scorpion looked at Cassie's wounds as she tried to shoot Kitana with her gun.

"Don't move," Scorpion hissed as he seared the wounds shut. A yelp escaped Cassie's throat as she breathed in more air, trying to make the pain stop.

"Th… thank you," she whispered as she stood up and leaned on the table.

Scorpion nodded his head slightly and said quietly, "Do not trust Kahn family. They are smart and cunning, as well as being powerful in words and actions."

"I could say the same thing to you, Scorpion," Cassie said as she sat in the nearest chair. Scorpion's eyes narrowed with suspicion as Cassie continued, "I saw the way Mileena looked at you. She likes you and not just in a passing type of thing. She likes you."

"I do not follow," Scorpion said as he sat next to her, his eyes glimmering with a faint fire.

Cassie gave him a are-you-that-stupid look as she said, "I had a girl in my class last year, her name was Jessica Portsworth, and she acted just like Mileena, except, of course, the teeth. Anyway, she really liked this guy, Thomas Linderly, and one time he had a party… and she went… and 8 months later she was pregnant. See what I'm getting at?"

Scorpion's eyes began to glow again as he asked, "You believe Mileena wishes to seduce me?"

"I think a little more then a little bit," Cassie said as she twisted the wrong way and cracked her neck by accident.

Scorpion snorted and stood up, away from the table, and snarled, "I do not indulge myself in fleshly pleasures."

"Hey. That's what every man and woman says and yet, we have a population problem," Cassie snapped as her stomach growled again. Scorpion eyes became encased with fire as she quickly added, "I just saying what I think might happen! Don't go all fire demon on me!" Scorpion gave Cassie a shut-the-fuck-up look as he went to help Sonya hold down Kitana. Once again, Cassie was alone and Kitana had all the friends, ether helping her discover what kind of magik was keeping us in or being held down for attacking a soldier. Cassie sighed unhappily and kinda missed the game day mess and her father, remembering his corny jokes and funny attitude… Tears stung Cassie's eyes as she wiped away any daring to run down her face.

Only she didn't move her hands at all and she didn't have claws ether. "Clever girl," a voice whispered in her ear, sounding strikingly like Kitana, but with a more girly tone. Cassie then heard a growl and thought it was her stomach, but it was instead a growl of a hungry tarkatan. She whipped around and saw Mileena standing behind her, with her hot pink mask and black teeth shapes on this time. She stood over her in her fishnet stockings and pink boots that went all the way up past her knee cap, which was covered with a diamond shaped crest, all in black. 'Scorpion better watch out,' Cassie thought in her head as she leaned as far away from Mileena and her deadly fangs. 'Damn! Even Kitana's CLONE is cute! No, not cute. Sexy is a better word.' Mileena stared at Cassie, making her feel like she wore no pants to Outworld today. "I know it feels to be in someone's shadow. To be overlooked," Mileena whispered into Cassie's ear, her teeth inches from her face.

"Okay, Mileena! Personal space bubble!" Cassie yelled, trying to get Sonya's attention. Fortunately, it worked.

"How in the hell did YOU get in here?!" Sonya yelled as she marched over to Cassie, leaving Scorpion to wrangle Kitana on his own. Cassie felt Mileena back away as she giggled hysterically, waiting for her mother's wrath to befall her. "What the fuck shit was that?!" Sonya seethed as she walked over to Mileena and pointed finger in her face, only Mileena's breasts in between them.

Before she could answer, the originally sealed doors flew open to reveal Ferra, who held a platter of food in her hands. She giggled and screamed at the EarthRealmers,"Ferra bring food for MEAN, BLOND, PRETTY GIRL!"

"Oh thank god!" Cassie exclaimed as she jumped up to help bring the food to the table, but forgot that she couldn't walk very good and fell to the floor.

"Honestly Cassie," Mileena said with a half smile as she teleported the food to the table, in a plume of pink magik as Ferra let out a shriek at the sign of magik. "All you needed to do was ask!" Everyone in the room stared at Mileena with curious eyes, even Cassie, who hadn't been called 'Cassie' since the last time she saw her dad.

"How'd you do that?" Sonya asked out loud as she stepped away from Mileena, her hand reaching up her back towards her guns.

Mileena stared at Sonya, her eyes shining like ambers as she purred, "My new body allows me to!" With a swish of her hand, Cassie was inside a pink tunnel, falling and falling. Then she landed in one of the chairs at the table, the soft cushion breaking her fall. She looked around and noticed all had been dropped in a similar fashion. And everyone looked pretty shaken, even Kitana and Scorpion. Mileena giggled from where she was standing and skipped over to the table, sitting in seat next to Scorpion.

Cassie heard a faint groan come from that direction as Scorpion turned away and looked at the paintings on the walls instead of Mileena. "Where's the drinks?" Cassie asked, trying to help the mood back to a calm environment. Mileena's eyes flicked up to Ferra in the door, who turned a ghost shade of white as she snapped in Outworlder and pointed at the table. Ferra shook from head to toe as she scampered over to the table and placed a red liquid right in front of Cassie, bowing her head in Mileena's direction.

She then screamed as she ran back out the door, "Ferra no-no like WINE!"

Cassie stared at the platter in front of her and turned to Sonya and whispered, "What do I do?"

Sonya smiled as she said through closed teeth, "You EAT it."

Cassie nodded and turned away to open the platter lid when she noticed Kitana staring at it with suspicion in her eyes. "Anything I can get you, Princess," Cassie sneered in Kitana's direction.

Kitana looked at Cassie with her brown, doe eyes and suddenly, Cassie actually listened to her. "Don't eat it," Kitana said as she adjusted one of the golden plates that lay before her.

Mileena gave Kitana a really dirty look. "Why not?" Cassie asked as she tried to push away the platter and only succeeded in almost tipping her chair backwards.

"Yes. Why NOT, Kitana," Mileena asked through clenched teeth as she stared into Kitana's eyes.

Two very angry eyes looked at each other until Kitana hissed, "Because it's poisoned."

Mileena laughed and asked, "Why would I harm anyone? I would barely harm a fly!" Cassie swallowed a giggle as she stared at this sister rivalry.

"Earth Realmers killed your father. And did you not sign a peace treaty with Earth Realm because of this? You do not like Earth Realmers so it would make sense that you would try to kill one," Scorpion interfered as his eyes grew steadily brighter.

"That's not true! I like you!" Mileena said as she walked over to Kitana. "If there was anyone in this room I would kill, it would be Kitana or Cassie." Scorpion's eyes widened because Cassie knew he had all the proof he needed to know now. Mileena turned back and winked at him. He narrowed his eyes.

Mileena giggled as Kitana hissed, "I've seen you kill so many people, it's hard to keep track. And the reason you wouldn't harm fly is because your part fly!"

Mileena slapped her hard, leaving red welts and bloody scratch marks behind. "You dare speak to the Empress of Outworld in such a fashion?!" Mileena yelled in Kitana's face as Kitana shoved her away.

"Whoa! Alright! Let's just calm down and breath in deep and slow…" Sonya didn't even finish her sentence before Mileena threw a chair at her, sending her tumbling to the floor.

"Mom!" Cassie screamed as she dove from her chair to make sure that Sonya was still breathing.

"I'm fine. STOP," Sonya ordered as she sat up and rubbed her body to make sure nothing was broken. "Let's kick some empress ass."

But before they even got up, they heard, "GET OVER HERE!" coming from above them. Cassie looked up at Scorpion as he pulled Mileena away from Kitana and onto his lap.

By his face color, Cassie inferred it was an accident.

"Oh, Hanzo! You naughty boy!" Mileena purred as she cuddled in closer to Scorpion, who looked like he might explode. He shoved Mileena off and looked like he was going to set her on fire when a knock was heard from the door.

"Mileena!" a voice called from the other side of the door. "We found the nubian girl you asked for!" Mileena's whole face lit up as she teleported to the door and opened it, showing a tired Tanya and Erron. In front of them was Jacquinn, her hands and feet bound together. "Jacquinn!" Cassie heard herself say as she made her way over to Jacquinn, who gave her the stink eye.

"Back up, Cassie," Erron said as he swiftly removed one of his guns and clicked it into position.

"What!? I'm helping her, cowboy!" Cassie retorted as she took a step closer.

"I said, 'Back Up'" Erron snarled as he placed a finger on the trigger. Cassie looked at Jacquinn then back to the gun then back to Jacquinn. She really liked Jacquinn, but she couldn't help her if she couldn't move.

Finally, she gave him the fuck you sign and walked back to Sonya.

"Where did you find our little friend?" Mileena asked as she caressed Jacquinn's cheek, making her flinch backwards.

"She was trying to contact her Earth Realmer friends," Tanya said with a yawn. From where she was standing, Cassie could only hear snippets of the conversation that Mileena was having with Tanya and Erron Black.

After what seemed to be forever, Mileena turned around and said to all, "You may leave. Find your rooms and sleep well. Your Earth Realmer friends will be here in the morn."

Murmurs filled the room as Cassie called to Mileena, "And how do you think we'll find our rooms, exactly?"

Mileena turned back to Cassie and gave her a are-you-stupid look. "Like this," Mileena hissed as she lifted her hand up, pink smoke escaping her palm. Just like that, for the fifth time that day, Cassie was falling. Only this time, the tunnel was pink and glittering. Just like it had swept her up, the tunnel disappeared and Cassie fell onto a bed. She got up quickly and looked at her room for the night. It was painted a deep blue color with sky blue lotus's painted on. It had a white and gold beros lining the walls. There was also white and gold closet on the far side of the room, standing a pretty good height in the air.

Cassie got out of her queen sized bed, with ice blue silk sheets and a deep blue canopy, and walked over to the closet to see what the hell was inside. 'An elephant?' Cassie guessed in her head as she pulled on the doors to open the closet. 'Or maybe a velociraptor?' It was in fact filled with clothes. But not just any clothes. Blue tournament uniforms dating back to the first timeline, which for Cassie, was a long time ago. "Oh SHIT!" Cassie shouted she slammed the closet doors shut and looked out one of the two glass windows.

She was in Kitana's old room, when Shao Kahn was still alive. 'I gotta get out of here,' Cassie thought to herself as she walked over to the white painted doors, preparing to open them. But she couldn't even touch them because of the green magik that surrounded all the doors in the palace. 'Shit, shit, SHIT!' Cassie thought in her head as she paced the floor, trying to decide what to do next. She was trapped in her enemy's old room and couldn't get out. In other words, she was Caged. For the night at least. 'It could be worse,' Cassie thought as she sat on the soft bed, trying to calm her racing heart. 'I could be sharing a room with Kitana. Now, that would be…' A roar interrupted her thoughts, causing her to jump. 'Only one night, one night…. one night…' Cassie repeated to herself as she fell asleep. But one night was all Mileena needed to secure her man… and her heir.

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#mortal kombat #cassie cage #mileena #scorpion #ferra/torr #sonya blade #erron black #mortal kombat fanfiction #mortal kombat fanfic #cassie cage fanfiction #cassie cage fanfic #mileena fanfiction #mileena fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #mortal kombat 11: civil war

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primevein · 1 year ago

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The Prime of His Youth: Book IV: Fire's Master: Ch16: Walk Away

Airachnid flew back to the spaceport. The Battle Sister flying behind her was different but the same, as if the pair were interchangeable. She transformed into a landing, and stood, meekly away from the ships. Eurawind transformed into a landing beside her. "So, you just going to stand here?"

"I honestly do not know what to do." Airachnid neutrally replied.

"Well, lucky for all of us, you don't have a choice." Eurawind firmly replied.

Airachnid turned to her, "You are far less - friendly - than the others."

"Yeah, well, Japheth might think you can be reformed, but I have my doubts." Eurawind replied, and Airachnid gave her a blank look. "Aw, was I the one to tell you?" Eurawind asked patronizingly. "Well, I don't know what he thinks he can turn you into, but that's kind of your only choice, other than drifting in space until your Energon runs out." Eurawind transformed her right hand into a blaster and aimed it at the centre of Airachnid's chest. "If you're so afraid of it, why don't you just let me end it, right here?" Airachnid looked lost, and slowly took steps back away from her. Eurawind reverted her hand, and turned away. "So, you want to live, do you? Just remember, we're giving you a choice, a choice you never gave anyone else. Let's get going." She started walking forward, without looking back. Airachnid stood still, stunned, for a moment, before walking to follow her. She knew, or at least feared, what would happen if she took too long to follow her.

* * *

Japheth watched Airachnid walk towards the Phthia. This would likely be the last one to return. He raised his hand to his right ear, and activated the comm. unit. "June, Dodge, everyone should be on-board. Full role-call, so we can get going."

* * *

Japheth got a comm. call, and opened it, "Everyone is accounted for."

"Thanks, mom." Japheth stated.

A few minutes later he got another, "My Prime." Dodge stated.

"Report." Japheth stated.

"Bumblebee and Raf will be escorting the new Humans to the lab in New Kalis. Knockout is aboard. All other crew are aboard. Our guest is in her hollow."

* * *

Both the Ion and Phthia lifted up from the spaceport and flew up into space.

* * *

Japheth stood on the Ion's bridge, looking at Dodge in the monitor. "Make calculations to reach our destination. The Ion will pick up the Iron Will."

"It really needs a new name." Dust Up stated.

"Yeah, it definitely does not have Japheth Prime vibes." Jumpstream stated.

"And what would?" June asked.

"Siren?!" Japheth loudly called out, and turned to look at her. She had the look she always has when snapped back to reality. She was desperately trying to hide the fact she was not paying attention. "Come here." he warmly said to her. She nervously walked up to him, "What would be a better name for the Iron Will?" he simply asked. At first she seemed confused, and then contemplative.

"I supposed 'His Grace' is out of the question?" she asked, "Skyfall?"

"Hm?" Japheth asked.

"Knockout will love it." Sirenia nervously asked, and he gave her a curious look.

"Are you getting into his, uh, war gaming thing?" Japheth asked.

"Well, I mean, the setting has more lore than lore than Cybertron." Sirenia rebutted.

"I never said I was judging you." Japheth stated.

"You, what?!" Sirenia nervously asked.

"I think it's wonderful." Japheth said with a bright smile, "Feel free to recruit anyone else who is interested."

"Well, we would, um?.." she nervously asked. He gave her a supporting smile, "Oh, um, a space to work on them, and display, and fight?.." she nervously asked.

"Ciel?!" he strongly called out, shocking Sirenia. Arcelia walked up to him. "See to it?" he asked.

"I have the perfect place." Arcelia giddily said. Something suddenly occured to her. "Master?"

"Yes?" he neutrally asked.

"You should speak with Colossus." Arcelia said to him.

"Twins?" Japheth asked.

"I got it." Marrick Parry said from atop the communications console.

Colossus' face appeared on the monitor. "Hello?" he strongly asked.

"Arcelia wanted me to ask about you getting into Knockout's wargame thing."

A shocked and fearfully look momentarily appeared on Colossus' face before she steeled his resolve, "I was able to clear the space without compromising any of our abilities, combat, or otherwise, and I purchased the equipment with my own Energon allowance."

Japheth paused for a moment, "I would have paid for it." Colossus just stared at him, and his concern turned into calm and then finally confusion. "Would you be willing to allow others to use it?"

"Of course." Colossus strongly uttered, "I used it myself to prepare the rig for the medical scanners when Airachnid was... isolated... in space. I was certain you would find them useful."

"It's useful for a thousand non-material reasons." Japheth said, and Colossus gave him a confused look. Japheth simply sighed. Japheth looked around the bridge, "So long as we are holding station, all crew have the right to move between ships, at their own discretion, so long as it does not compromise control of the ship."

* * *

Airachnid had gained access to the public areas of the ship's network from the formerly dead console in her hollow. She poured through the files. She found a data file of extraordinary size, labled 40K. She opened the file

* * *

The Ion approached the Iron Will beside the Entreprise. "Well, the fun's over." Melinda Myriad stated.

"Did you want to stay in our home system?" Rahab Ziskind asked, "Or did you want to explore long-lost colonies?"

"Like saying I want to do both is so strange." Melinda Myriad replied.

"Unfortunately, we only have one life to live." Rahab Ziskind uttered.

* * *

Miko walked up to the other Wreckers. "Did you see Sierra?" Miko asked.

"Uh?.." Bulkhead asked, "Why do I feel like that's a trick question?"

Miko lifted her left hand and used her right index finger to point to her left ring finger, "She got a ring."

"And why is that interesting?" Wheeljack asked.

"Wait?" Bulkhead asked, "I feel like I should know this? Wasn't it Human sparkmates?"

"Exactly!" Miko exclaimed.

"Not the first Human on Autobot." Moonracer neutrally voiced.

"Autobot on Human." Miko replied.

"What's the difference?" Moonracer asked, and Bulkhead nervously looked anywhere but at them.

"Physics." Miko stated. "It... it works a lot better the other way... Like, I mean, I'm adventurous, and all, but..."

"Miko?!" Bulkhead pleaded.

"Alright, now I'm interested." Wheeljack uttered.

"I think that's enough." Bulkhead replied.

Wheeljack looked him deep in the eyes, seeing his utter sincerity.

"I guess you'll have to try it and find out for yourself." Moonracer chided.

"Being all lovie-dovie..."

"And stable." Bulkhead added.

"And stable, is not exactly my thing." Wheeljack nervously stated. When he focused back on Moonracer, she had an inquisitive look, "Okay, maybe for the last what-the-slag-cycles I've only focused on TEARING - DOWN - THE - MOST - HEINOUS - PEOPLE IMAGINABLE..."

"And taking revenge." Bulkhead stated.

"And taking revenge." Wheeljack.

Miko took a strong strong stance that turned victorious as she remembered scrapping Hardshell.

"And maybe, at this point, I don't know how else to live my life?.." Wheeljack continued.

"Arcee said the same thing." Moonracer neutrally stated.

"And how did she?.." Wheeljack asked, only to be cut off by the sniper.

"Her sparkmate, of course." Moondancer said with a wicked grin.

"Very funny." Wheeljack dismissed.

"You should know me better than that." Moonracer replied. "We both know I..."

"Don't joke." Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Moonracer all said at the same time.

"I say it straight and true." she continued, "Even if I'm having fun doing it."

"That was fucking fun." Miko said with a smile.

Moonracer looked at her and then back at Bulkhead and Wheeljack, "I love the mouth on her. I learning so many new swears."

Bulkhead nervously looked at Miko. "What?" Miko asked. Bulkhead nervously looked at her left hand, "You don't have to."

"But she wants you to." Wheeljack interjected, and she gave him a deathly glare, "But she wants to pretend she doesn't."

"Maybe if I knew that before we let Terra?.." Bulkhead distantly voiced. He saw a shadow looming over him, and turned to look at Colossus.

"Perhaps I can help?" he asked, "I purchased some manufacturing equipment on Terra."

"Can it have a Predacon with a line through it?" Miko asked.

"And an Insecticon." Bulkhead added.

"Ah, Hardshell?" Colossus' great voice neutrally asked, and Miko developed a wicked, triumphant grin.

"Oh, and Arcee in a Bikini." Miko said with glee.

"I've heard this word before..." he said, as he tried to remember what it meant. He did, and something even stronger came to his mind, "The oil wrestling?" he neutrally asked.

"I am Terra's reigning champion oil wrestler." Miko proudly stated.

"We'll see." Moonracer challenging said to her.

"Alright, let's assume I do want to get in with this sparkmate thing?" Wheeljack asked. "I don't know the first thing about..."

"Socializing." Bulkhead said with a broad smile.

"Very funny." Wheeljack neutrally said to him.

"I thought it was." Moonracer said with a wicked grin.

"My point was, by the Pit, who was I supposed to start with?" Wheeljack asked.

"Japheth's mom?" Moonracer neutrally asked.

"Very funny." Wheeljack said dismissively. "Most of the Femme Humans are on the Ion."

"Gella?" Miko asked.

"She really grinds my gears." Wheeljack uttered, and then turned to walk away, "In all the right ways."

#transformers #the prime of his youth #darcee #jack darby #arcee

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actualbird · 1 year ago

Note

Let's goooo another dragon fic update!! Before I start talking about the fic itself though, never apologise for going on hiatus!! Fics take So Much time to write in general and it's just better to write when you're feeling the motivation to write so that both you and whoever reads your fics can be happy with it. What's important is that you enjoyed writing the fic!!

Also cn server spoilers for this chunk because I have to but oh my god the dragon event. My entire life was leading up to this moment and I can feel all my schips slowly flying away and it's not even going to be in global for a long time yet. All of them look so good????? Whoever came up with this event is a genius and I want them to come up with every single au event after this. I trust them with my life. I'm this close to dusting off my Flight Rising account that I haven't touched in years just so I can make these dragons ingame and actually have them. Reality is whatever you want it to be and I want dragons.

ANYWAYS

Actual fic content starts here xufxgucug sorry for going so off topic. I am a Sucker for creatures with fire affinities. Fire is so beautiful and powerful to me and those traits almost always reflect in the characters who wield and connect with it in media. There's a reason phoenixes are my favourite mythical creature. So Ria's powers being fire? 10/10, no idea if this is from canon or not because I haven't actually read the entire Looming Nightmare card, only a summary, but I love the choice regardless.

Luke joining Ria in the exercises is so cute.....he's such a supportive boyfriend, I love him so much!!!

You know, for as much narrative potential a shifter with two warring selves has, I've just always liked the idea that the shifted creature is just as part of the person as the human self is. I had a huge shifter phase when I was younger, still have one if I'm being completely honest, and I've just always liked this take better than both fighting for control. All this to say that passage in the book? I love it and the choice you made to have it that way so much.

So first I choked when I saw the pamphlet was written by Marius, and then I choked a second time when I saw his writing style. This is the funniest spell tutorial I've seen it my life and I would like Marius to make tutorials for everything under the sun going forward. "haha, normie" gets me every time I look at it. I want to strangle this man (affectionate)

Fruit guy is the best character in this fic. A crazy in shut-in living in the forest.......

Luke wouldn't be Luke without his tendency to call birds chubby xfjxjfxjg poor pigeon. I just know that in some au, Peanut has been turned fron a smol adorable myna into like. A falcon or roc or something, and Luke will still call him chubby. Speaking of Peanut, I cannot for the life of me remember but has he made an appearance yet? I should probably reread this fic to see...

Oh damn genius choice to tie in the value of names to magicfolk to bring in the NXX codenames for Luke and Ria.

When the dots connected with the seal I shot up so fast. Artem selkie!!!! How'd you decide on a selkie for him, actually? The rest of the boys+Rosa I can see the link pretty easily and I'm pretty sure I know what Marius is just. Based on what he's associated with in canon. But it's a little hard for me to see the link between Artem and a selkie.

Celestine being an amazing character as always. Poor Artem, getting bullied for his lack of sense in aesthetics. Knightboy is the best nickname and I hope she never stops using it.

I wasn't expecting Luke to come work for Themis too! I wonder if his role will simply consist of being the muscle or if he'll, in some way, start doing something akin to his detective work in canon.

Not the rose dress being torn!!!! I'm so inexplicably sad about that after reading that Ria didn't want to tear holes in it in the beginning :((( I hope it can be fixed.....

CELESTINE'S RESPONSE FHIFGFIYCOH

I would love details of that vampire and fae case actually it sounds hilarious. Not to Artem but it's fine he made it through

Artem and Vyn's antagonistic relationship persisting through canon is just so funny to me. Not the "my condolences"......

Omg the flying......there's so much to love in it, from the Whole Entire scene itself to Ria's happiness to Luke holding onto her to be as close as possible.....god i love them so mUCH

I can't exactly write thought out comments for Ria's story and the last scene because all that's going through my mind is AAAAAAAAA but this was such an excellent chapter!!! I loved seeing Ria so happy being able to interact with the outside world and just. Live again. I loved seeing Celestine and Artem and for Ria and Luke to know now that there Is a safe haven for them, somewhere they don't have to fear Ria getting persecuted for being a dragon hybrid. I'm anticipating the meeting with Marius right now and also the less bloody way to do the sigil cjgcgjcjg Luke definitely won't run out of blood now!!! But yes this fic is probably one of my favourites in the entire fandom. It scratches so many of my favourite things and every chapter is a joy to read through. Whenever the next update comes, I'll definitely read it as quick as I can.

🌌

WAHHHH HI HI MILKYWAY :DDDD you know, whenever i get a kilometric length ask after i update/post a fic i always get giddy because i know itll be you. thank you so much for reading ch3 of "yes, she’s my lover, yes, she’s a half-dragon. any more questions?" :DDD

on the current dragon event: GOD RIGHT. whoever was in charge of this au needs a raise and every employee benefit out there. possibly even new ones. I LOVE DRAGONS....I LOVE CHARACTERS TURNING INTO DRAGONS OR BEING DRAGON HYBRIDS....ive never played flight rising myself but ive seen a bunch of it from some people i follow and those are some PRETTY DRAGONS!! thank you for the dragon enthusiasm, it’s so wonderful, i will be so so so ecstatic once this event hits global….

now, onto the fic comment replies :DDD

on fire: fire is SOOOOOO A FAVORITE OF MINE YESSSS. it is indeed a reference to Looming Nightmare, because the dragon there breathes fire at luke at some point. i think. im actually not sure because it’s been forever since ive watched the card and i dont wanna rewatch it cuz i dislike it jhvlkJBAJSFBA;SFA.

on luke joining the exercises: luke does not Need to be doing yoga with mc but hes joining in cuz he supports her dragon needs!!! i think luke would be so bad at meditation btw. his mind goes a mile a minute, he cant clear his head ever unless focused on a Task Of Some Sort.

on the dragon and the self: and yes YESSSSSS I TOO LOVE THE DRAGON/SHIFTED SELF AS A PART OF THE SELF. like, it’s what i adore so much about creature hybrid aus so much, it’s why ive written Several “character turning into/is a dragon” fics: i see the transformation as like….giving a portion of what already exists within the character a Body, an Avenue. to me, creature hybrid aus are just so good when the creature is a manifestation of a part of the self, instead of a complete other

on marius’ spell: writing that spell after writing the very flowery and formal book passage was so funny to me because i shifted tonal gears like CRAZY. but hey, at least the spell was IMMENSELY useful. just also rather infuriating to read JHVSDLFSDJ

on fruit guy: full disclosure, i envisioned him a little bit like Cabbage Guy from A:TLA, HAHA

on chubby winged creatures: a constant throughout all universes indeed!!! maybe even in the new cn server dragon au, luke sees his dragon and thinks “hm, chubby fella” LKFKJBDSLKFJS. also, peanut has not made an appearance yet!!! which suddenly makes me SO SAD, im so making sure he arrives in the last chapter. luke without peanut….oh it feels so not right, he needs his bird buddy!!

on the nxx codenames: YEEEEEE IM SO GLAD U LIKED THAT, i felt so clever for finding a way to bring it in. and also having the rose description of the dress be useful for mc’s codename

on artem the selkie: i will be completely honest that at first, it was because artem is a good swimmer JHVSKJHFSKVHJFSD. but then the more i thought about it (and also talked about it w my gf) the more i saw i liked the few ways it fit—selkies in their human form are very beautiful (artem is pretty), selkies as creatures that can pass easily as human but are different (artem who is among others in canon yet always feeling as if he cant connect, or has trouble connecting with others casually), the Pelt (artem always wears a suit and i thought the coat jacket was a fun thing to turn the pelt into), and also because i thought of artem as a seal and made a mental AAAAAWWWWWWW so loud that i couldnt not do it. this rationale/connection isnt as strong as vyn being a fae, but it was still fun to do. artem in the water looking at them was like

on celestine and luke joining themis: i dont write her very often so it was fun here!! she sees any man and is like “let’s put that guy to work”. also, this is kinda a spoiler but luke wont be working for them for long!!! seems like this guy doesnt have a life outside of his gf rn, hes gotta get something of his own!!!

on the dress: oh nNOOO JHAKVJFSFA SORRY ABOUT THE DRESS. it’s not completely ruined!! mc and luke can still mend it ;w;

on celestine’s response: she was like “what is the most anticlimactic way i can react to the dragon lady and the anxious dog of a man in my law firm”

on the vampire and the fae: that was actually inspired by a tumblr post i saw in passing and haVENT BEEN ABLE TO FIND AGAIN but yeah, all those overlapping traditions and supernatural laws….artem’s also had to deal with werewolf territorial disputes, “unicorn hybrid needs to stop stalking virgin crush and just talk to them” cases, and mages. mages are just mages, idk i see a mage or a sorcerer and think “oh yall must be fun in court” for some reason. theres a lot of fun stuff to think about when it comes to supernatural law, i wish somebody smarter than me could write a spinoff just for these JVSKJHJVSF

on artem and vyn: everybody in stellis knows vyn!! and everybody in stellis is like “aw man fuck vyn” because theyve all been tricked by him one way or another. vyn’s retort is usually that people should stop being so trusting and dull HSJVDFKHD

on the flying scene: im so glad you liked that :DDD that was one of the bits i was so excited to write because oh the romance of being held by your beloved and brought above the clouds in her arms…….luke u lucky lucky boy

on everything else: i am so so happy that you enjoyed this chapter and that you enjoy this fic in general. im flattered it’s one of ur favs because omg!!! yknow, while i was writing this update, i thought basically everybody forgot about the fic (and for good reason, i did take a loooooong time and idk when chapter 4 will be out) so knowing that you like it and that you even wrote this wonderful comment, it really means so much to me ;w;

thank you so so so much for this ask, milkyway!! im wishing you a wonderful day :’D

#commints #asks #milkyway!anon #//holds this ask gently. uve given me the will to live for the month

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thebibliomancer · 2 years ago

Text

Essential Avengers: Avengers #281: BY GODS BETRAYED!

July, 1987

SHE-HULK wild in the streets!

Wasn’t Namor wild in the streets recently? Stop being so wild in the streets and sheets, the Avengers.

At least be unruly in the boulevards or unmanageable in the avenues.

Also, c’mon, even if she’s being wild in the streets, is that a good reason to pile on She-Hulk? Cut her some slack and let her smoosh Black Knight, a little. As a treat.

Anyway.

Last times on Avengers: The Masters of Evil had happened. Avengers Mansion got wrecked and the Avengers roster got shaken up in the fallout. Wasp quit her chairmanship of the team, to go on vacation, and Captain Marvel was voted new chairperson. Hercules was beaten into a coma and then kidnapped from the hospital. For showing up to the fight against the Masters and then hanging around after, Dr Druid became a member of the team. Also, Thor and She-Hulk rejoined.

But now, the Avengers are investigating Hercules’ godnapping from the hospital.

Black Knight uses a science device (he IS the team scientist now) to scan for any radiation, ion trails, or miscellaneous that the kidnapper may have left.

Despite being so big that She-Hulk has to lug it around, SCIENCE finds nothing.

Dr Druid’s psychic mind brain can’t find any psychic traces either, indicating that the godnapper somehow erased all evidence of his presence in the hospital.

Captains America and Marvel interview the nurses but nobody saw anything directly.

Nurse Richards only saw a glimpse of a man on a video monitor but it looked like he was a big dude in a cape with a winged hat.

A BIG DUDE IN A CAPE JUST LIKE THOR

THOR’ACCUSE!

(I know that’s grammatically wrong)

Of course, Captain America jumps to Thor’s defense saying hey Thor is a trusted Avenger, he wouldn’t do it, and plus Thor has an alibi.

And Thor says he wouldn’t do it because Hercules is a long term friend of his. I’d say vitriolic buds. Punch pals.

(Thor’s best defense is that if he was the one who kidnapped Hercules, the title wouldn’t make much sense.)

But while Thor tries to defend himself he spots something out the window and makes the very reasonable decision to leap THROUGH the window to give chase.

Captain Marvel nyooms after him and finds Thor in the park across the street from the hospital, beating the crap out of a tree and calling it a scoundrel.

So I see we’re supposed to wonder if Thor has gone mad.

But he tells Monica that he wasn’t aiming for the tree but frustrated thinks to himself that his foe couldn’t be seen by human eyes.

The rest of the Avengers show up and Cap(tain America) tries to get Thor to explain wazzup.

Captain America: “What’s up, Thor? You lit out of that room, as if you’d seen your worst enemy -- !”

Thor: “My worst foeman, Cap? No... but you may not be far from wrong. I suspect I know who stole away with the hapless Hercules!”

And then he flies away, saying where he goes NONE MAY FOLLOW!

But not in the usual This Is Something He Has To Do Himself but more like god business and he’s the only god on hand so this is something he has to do himself.

Either way, the Caps are nonplussed at how Thor is acting and Captain Marvel flies after Thor again to get him to account for himself.

Captain Marvel: “I don’t care if Thor is a founding member of the Avengers, that’s no excuse for taking team matters into his own hands. If he knows something about Hercules, I want to know, too! This isn’t the only thing Thor’s held back from us. He hasn’t said much about that new suit of armor he’s been wearing the last few weeks... but it seems to be shielding a recent injury!

Hey, fair enough on the Hercules thing but you’re not his health care provider, Monica.

Monica does catch up with Thor because she can fly the actual literal speed of light and I think Thor can’t. But when she insists that he let the Avengers help with whatever happened to Hercules, he just repeats that this is god biz.

And when she says the Avengers helped with that whole Surtur fire demon thing, Thor just says different matter entirely and portals away.

Thor: “You must trust me, Marvel! I shall either return with Hercules... or NOT AT ALL!”

Annoyed at all this, because all of this running off on his own is what Hercules did shortly before getting beaten into a coma, Monica Marvel returns to the Avengers.

Dr Druid becomes concerned at the public attention the Avengers are drawing, considering it bad form, and without discussion uses his MIND POWERS so everyone passing by will see the Avengers as just some regular hanging out friends.

She-Hulk disguised as Perfectly Normal Citizen is still like seven feet tall but nobody pays it no mind.

Anyway, Cap(tain America) speculates that Loki is behind this! Because Thor is weird about Loki and would probably definitely feel like its a matter he has to take care of himself.

Dr Druid suggests that hey, lets consider the possibility that Thor did kidnap Hercules!

Cap(tain America): ‘how dare’

But Dr Druid continues okay Thor is a fine, upstanding Avenger but what if he was put under mind control or some spell?

... Which. Look. Its a rare hero that can say they’ve never had that happen to them.

And Enchantress is in Thor’s social circle and most of what she does is put people under spells.

She-Hulk gets bored of this discussion and gets a cherry Italian ice from a street italian ice vendor.

But she finishes it off and gets super annoyed that everyone is still talking.

She-Hulk: “Hrrmph! All this talk solves nothing! We need action, not words! We need to... to... to strike out... at our enemies!”

Driven to a rage by the inaction of her friends, She-Hulk starts rampaging!

Although given the Italian ice merchant is shown smirking around the corner from the action, maybe its a brain freeze instead.

Or an evil scheme.

Captain Marvel tries to talk She-Hulk down but realizes that she(-hulk) has glazed eyes and has probably been drugged.

Gasp! And if you can’t trust Italian ice distributors can you trust anyone anymore?

Anyway, Captain Marvel turns into multiple gigvolts worth of lightning and shocks She-Hulk hard enough that it melts the lamppost she was swinging around.

But hulks are sterner stuff than lampposts and keeps ripping the street apart.

Dr Druid realizes that there’s SUPERNATURAL CAUSES behind She-Hulk’s rampage and the source will have to be found to resolve this situation.

So its drugged Italian ice but also supernatural?

What supernatural force would act through drugged Italian ice? A yuki-onna?

Because that’d be fun.

Meanwhile, Thor has arrived at the location of the culprit of the treesmackening.

OLYMPUS

And the person he was chasing that couldn’t be seen by the Avengers? HERMES!

Oh, because he was moving too fast. Alright, it checks out.

Even though Olympus seems quiet, too quiet, with none of the random gods one might expect to be milling about and getting drunk, Thor does find and grab Hermes and start yelling at him.

Thor: “This way, Prince of Thieves! What know you of the abduction of Hercules? SPEAK!”

Hermes: “I... I was the one who spirited him from the mortals’ place of healing!”

Hey, this also checks out!

Hermes has a wing’d hat and is wearing a cape. In silhouette, one could mistake him for Thor. Okay, that clears up the Thor’ccuse.

But for why, Hermes?

Thor doesn’t get an answer for that because instead of answers he gets Hephaestus trying to coldcock him from behind.

Although, is this even a mystery anymore?

Hercules is beaten into a coma and then kidnapped from the hospital to Olympus? Where his family is?

I just assume that the Olympians figured they had better medicine than the best paid mortal doctors.

Which doesn’t explain why Hephaestus grimly says that because Thor got in Hermes’ way, he’s got to have the shit beaten out of him.

Or why Hermes was hanging around the hospital after presumably already taking Hercules to Olympus.

Or, for that matter, why Hermes laments to himself that he has orders to ensure the Avengers are defeated.

Back at the fight, Captain Marvel has managed to knock She-Hulk on her ass by hitting her with YET MORE ELECTRICITY. “Enough juice to light up Shreveport” if that means anything to you as a measurement.

But She-Hulk struggles to get up, still driven to MURDER by the cherry Italian ice so Captain Marvel tells Dr Druid to do his thing. His mind thing. His psychic thing.

Dr Druid: “Let my will strengthen your will. You can reject the madness, you must reject it! An unearthly agent has clouded your mind... we must totally dispel it!”

But the Italian ice vendor don’t like that or that Dr Druid might help She-Hulk overcome the ELIXIR OF FRENZY!

So Italian ice vendor man uses his cherry influence to make She-Hulk lash out at Dr Druid, who narrowly dodges a punch that would have smashed his pumpkin.

Captain America jumps in to keep She-Hulk busy so the squishy wizard can retreat to a safe distance.

Italian ice salesman is loving this, by the way. And thinks “If nothing else, Hercules’ misfortune has given me more opportunities for amusement than I’ve had in centuries!”

Black Knight has actually noticed that there’s this dude hanging around and smirking at all this hero drama. And since every other bystander has obviously run away from a rampaging (she)-Hulk, dude is suspicious.

He even correctly guesses that the Italian ice was drugged and that’s why She-Hulk is going nuts.

Which the vendor just instantly cops to and then throws Black Knight like ten feet.

Black Knight is able to turn the tumble into a jump kick against She-Hulk to help Cap(tain America) and Captain Marvel blasts the Italian ice vendor after Dr Druid notes how weird it is that this dude sent Black Knight flying so easily.

AND DUN DUN DUN its... a dude with a laurel wreath and... okay look its Dionysus. Elixir of frenzy? Probably boozeahol.

So is Olympus empty because all the gods moved to Earth to get jobs?

Good for them.

I think Hera should get a job as an agony aunt. I don’t know that she’d be good at it but it’d be interesting.

Anyway.

She-Hulk gains her wits, although feels a bit of a hangover? type after effect. Because, c’mon, Dionysus. Its boozeahol.

But then Hermes arrives back at the A-plot from the B-plot, bowling over the Avengers and rushing away before they can even see more than a blur.

(Humorously, some bystanders just see a blur with a cape and a wing’d hat and assume like the nurse that Thor is Up To No Good. Why is your PR so bad lately, Thor?)

To Hermes’ surprise though, he finds Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel waiting for him when he stops at a rooftop.

God of speed has nothing on the speed of light.

CHOOM.

Meanwhile, Thor is having trouble with Hephaestus.

Not that Hephaestus is really known for being a beefy combat boy. I mean, Thor does call him mighty but the primary thing here is Thor is fighting at a handicap due to Hela’s no-healing curse.

But he manages to hit Hephaestus in the leg and shatter his boot.

Hephaestus complains that the boot was a mobility aid for his crippled leg and Thor tries to apologize and sympathize due to his own current state.

But Hephaestus just cheap shots him in the ribs.

Then while Thor is vowing to persevere, a shadowy figure cold cocks him and knocks him unconscious.

Hephaestus tries to say that doing that was unnecessary and honorless because Hephaestus had Thor disabled by the rib shot but the shadowy figure is like ‘eh’ and “all that matters is the downfall of the AVENGERS!”

Geez, Olympus is really pissed off at the Avengers. One presumes over the Hercules thing.

Anyway, back on the rooftop where Captain Marvel CHOOM’d Hermes, he admires her as unlike any mortal he’s ever seen, a worthy opponent, but shame she has to die.

Then a gold-colored silver arrow passes through Captain Marvel’s light form and almost instantly knocks her out from the agony.

Hi, Artemis!

Cheap shot.

The Olympians really seem to be the master of cheap shots in this issue.

Also, neat, the arrow comes back.

I didn’t know that Artemis could shoot light beams but her arrows are apparently Super Effective on women so maybe Monica just ran afoul of type advantage.

Meanwhile, on the streets below, Dr Druid is examining the unconscious body of Dionysus. Despite having a party bod, he’s also hard as nails. Because, I guess, those divine stat boosts.

Anyway, Dionysus was just playing possum and jumps up to choke Dr Druid unconscious, laughing all the time because he is the party boy and he’s having a great time.

She-Hulk punches him off Dr Druid but Dionysus just bounces back to his feet.

Then he pulls out a really potent drink and uses the fumes to knock her out.

Hm. Not the best day for the Avengers or for She-Hulk specifically.

Later, the team regains consciousness on OLYMPUS. Heavy bonds keep them bent like supplicants.

The four gods that the Avengers fought (Hermes, Artemis, Dionysus, and Hephaestus) are revealed to be working with Ares.

Thor goes off, saying OH HE SUSPECTED THAT ARES WAS BEHIND EVERYTHING! What a constant dick you are, Ares. Always with the evil schemes!

But this time, Ares is being a good boy and dutiful son.

He was working at the behest of...

ZEUS!

AND HE IS VERY ANGRY THAT THE AVENGERS LET HERCULES GET HIMSELF HURT!

So mad. So very mad.

As they say, those who the gods want to destroy, first they get really mad at.

But dude. The people responsible for Hercules’ condition are 1) the Masters of Evil and 2) Hercules.

You couldn’t bring the (surviving) Masters of Evil up here? Make the Avengers have to teeth-gritted team up with them to try to get out of this?

Boo, Zeus.

Boo.

Follow @essential-avengers and you too can boo Zeus. Like and reblogging won’t boo Zeus but will make me feel appreciated.

#essential avengers #avengers #essential marvel liveblogging #various jerk gods #Captain Marvel #Monica Rambeau #Thor #She Hulk #Dr Druid #for some reason #Black Knight #Captain America #Hercules #how a brain freeze can cause problems #Thor beats up a tree #cape and winged hat is a popular fashion choice

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