#she needs yo go to prison for stalking at this point

[spitinsideme]

I need more comedy horror au pomni or I will die of thirst

ragatha and her great wall of pomni which sje admirws every day

(comedy horror au)

[karatekels]

TIGmas Day #9 – Mediation

This fic is dedicated to @thedeadsingforme, and will be posted in at least a few parts (currently 8!) because I got carried away (you’ll likely understand why as soon as you read the summary). This one is going to be interesting, and while it’s a bit of a stretch (more like not compliant with the canon of either movie), I think it’s in a fun (or at least kinky!) way. Hope you all enjoy!

Summary: You are assigned as Terry McCain’s new partner after his previous partner – Cash Ewing – goes to prison for the crimes he has committed. Cash returns to Chicago years later, after his release and rehabilitation, and while he can’t be a cop anymore, he wants to make amends to those he has disappointed with his actions, most of all his former close friend Terry. Terry isn’t receptive to Cash’s attempts at reconciliation, and warns you to stay away from him, having grown very protective of his “work wife.” But you find something of a kindred spirit in Cash and want to help him get a second chance at life, deciding to do what you can to support the man and bring the two friends back together.

Pairings: Reader x Terry; Reader x Cash; … Terry x Reader x Cash

TW (For the whole fic, not necessarily in every chapter): Deception, stalking, sketchy police business, references to crime, flirting, teasing, dirty talk, M/F sex of all kinds (no M/M though)

---

Mediation

Prologue: Acclimation

---

- 1991 -

Terry's POV:

“No. Absolutely not.”

“That’s funny, McCain – I don’t recall asking if you were okay with it.”

“I don’t work with a partner. Not anymore, you know that. I can work with Dylan and Frankie if I have to, but –”

“How many different ways do I have to tell you this is non-negotiable before it gets through that thick skull of yours?” Captain McLaren bellows, spittle flying past his bushy moustache.

“Do I or do I not get the job done on my own?” Terry asks flatly, trying to maintain some semblance of composure.

“That’s not the point, McCain. It’s departmental policy to work in pairs; keeps officers safe, and keeps them from stepping out of line, being rougher with suspects than they need to be,” McLaren replies, his voice think with implications.

Alright, so maybe he had been a little excessive with his use of force lately when handling perps, but so what? He was trying to clean up the city. And it wasn’t as if these people didn’t deserve it; they were criminals, they all did.

“I’d rather take things on alone than have to worry about someone stabbing me in the back instead of watching it.”

McLaren sighs deeply, looking across his desk at him with a weary expression, and Terry stiffens. He was not going to tolerate another unwanted, fatherly discussion about his last partner.

“Officer Y/N has a spotless record –”

“Anyone can be crooked, Captain.”

“Y/N is fresh out of the academy, McCain – no opportunity to go crooked yet. You could make sure she stays that way.”

Terry gets out of the chair, angrily shoving it back into place, his large hands gripping the back of it tightly as he stares down at the older man with a furious expression.

“A rookie?!” he snarls incredulously. “You want me to be a fucking babysitter? Why are you punishing me?”

“Maybe because you’re having a tantrum in front of your superior officer.”

Terry whirls around, having not heard the door to the Captain’s office open; who the fuck had the nerve to talk down to him like this? He lowers his gaze to look down at the short woman standing at the door.

Your arms are crossed and you have an unimpressed expression on your face as you look up at him. His temper is somewhat quelled, and he feels his cheeks heat in embarrassment – his mother would have his head if she knew that he had spoken disrespectfully about a woman, rookie or not.

Terry opens his mouth to speak, but you look past him to the Captain. “I apologize for the behaviour of my partner, Captain McLaren. Hopefully we can settle into our new roles quickly and get to work with fewer disruptions,” you say, your tone cold as you glare daggers up at Terry. Before he can get an apology in, you’ve whirled around, leaving the office and closing the door behind you. Through the blinds of the office windows he sees you take a seat at your assigned desk, right next to his.

A low chuckle from behind him makes him turn around to face the other man.

“What?” he snaps, irritated once more.

“Devlin said he thought L/N might be able to keep you in line. Looks like he was right,” McLaren explains, still laughing.

“So, what? Now I need a babysitter?”

“Don’t be an idiot, McCain – no one is babysitting anyone. You’re partners, you take care of each other. It hasn’t been that long, you still remember how it works, right?”

“Yes.” He gives the answer reluctantly, through gritted teeth. Looks like he wouldn’t be able to get out of this.

“Good. Now go play nice with Officer L/N – I don’t want to hear any complaints about your conduct, understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Looks like she’s rubbing off on you already. Dismissed!”

Biting his tongue instead of responding, he turns and exits the office, resisting the urge to slam the door behind him. Lashing out at McLaren for enforcing a rule wouldn’t change anything, and he supposes that taking out his frustrations on you wasn’t fair either.

He hesitates as he approaches the workstation you two will be sharing, staring at your back. No one had sat at that desk for months; no one had dared to. Seeing you there, taking the place intentionally left empty fills him with trepidation. Would you screw him over too? Show your true colours, abandon him, make him feel like –

“What the hell are you staring at, McCain?” you bark, eyes narrowing suspiciously as you catch him staring. He swallows, trying to tamp down his temper as it threatens to flare up once again, and takes a deep breath.

“Look, I… I just wanted to apologize. It’s not that I have anything against y–”

“You know, the only thing worse than hearing you make assumptions about me before we even met would be you changing those assumptions just because I’m a woman,” you interrupt him crossly, closing the distance between the two of you to avoid raising your voice.

“I get that you don’t want to work with me, McCain – you’re a big, bad tough guy who’s too good for a partner. Well, guess what? I don’t really have any interest in working with you either, no matter how good a cop everyone says you are. So why don’t we agree to just stay out of each other’s way and cut the crap?”

His nostrils flare; you really know how to push his buttons. He wonders what he could have possibly done to Lieutenant Devlin to make him seek revenge by partnering him up with you.

“Fine,” he seethes, scooping up his current open casefiles and looking for an empty interrogation room to work in instead.

---

Reader’s POV:

Your so-called partner Terry McCain had stormed off hours ago, presumably to sulk in solitude, and hadn’t returned since. That was just fine, in your opinion. You doubt he could teach you anything valuable anyway – you’d had enough experience dealing with whiny, temperamental man-children at the academy.

Still, this behaviour is just unprofessional, and certainly not a great start to your career as a police officer. You had overcome so much, earned the respect of your fellow trainees during your training by graduating at the top of your class, making them come to terms with their prejudices and recognizing that they had been wrong about you. You had landed your dream job, working at one of the busiest precincts in Chicago alongside one of its – apparently – finest detectives. But his reluctance to work with you has you feel like you’re starting your training all over again – down at the bottom of the totem pole, judged and looked down upon by all the men.

Your frustration with McCain fuels you throughout the day as you set up your and your computer, intermittently filling out paperwork as it is brought to your desk. You would not be scared off by the man’s childish antics.

The precinct is relatively empty, everyone out working cases or walking the beat, so you don’t feel guilty setting up your radio and turning the dial to your favourite jazz station, the music soothing your bad mood.

“You listen to WNUA?” The speaker’s voice is filled with surprise, and you turn, seeing that Terry has returned from his self-imposed exile.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” you ask, arching an eyebrow challengingly, but the tall man’s lips twitch in an almost-smile.

“Not at all, it’s actually my favourite radio station. I just never met another cop that liked smooth jazz,” he replies, his mouth giving in and stretching into a pleased smile that lights up his face.

“Well… good then,” you finish awkwardly, turning back to your desk. As you root around through the last few desk drawers you have to sort through, you hear him settling in at his own desk behind you, and bite the inside of your cheek. Perhaps there was hope for an amicable partnership after all…

Taking a seat, you sift through the papers, seeing if there was anything you needed to keep. A lot of the documents seem to belong to the same officer, someone named Cash Ewing. Could this have been Terry’s previous partner?

“Did you used to work with someone named Cash Ewing?” you ask, frowning at the thick stack of papers that belong to the man. “He left a lot of random crap in his desk…”

You lower the documents after a moment to see why he hasn't responded and see that Terry has stiffened in his chair, his jaw clenched shut as he glares off into the distance. After a stretch of silence his eyes flit over to you.

“He’s no one. He got fired. I can take those for you,” he says tersely in a hoarse voice, standing up and taking the papers out of your hands, walking out of sight before you can protest. You look after him, your brow furrowed, wondering at what had happened between Terry and this other cop to have him so angry.

Everything within you wants to ask Terry – ask anyone – about what exactly went on with Cash Ewing. You were the type of person that hated an unsolved mystery, possibilities swirling through your head as you try to put the pieces together.

But this man was meant to be your partner, and clearly didn’t want to discuss the topic. Swallowing your curiosity, and resolving to get to the bottom of things without him, you let the issue go for now.

Terry returns some time later without the documents and wordlessly retakes his seat beside you, typing up a report on his computer.

“Hey,” you say softly, trying to rekindle that brief spark of camaraderie you’d had before the subject of Cash had come up. Still, you watch Terry stiffen before he looks over at you with guarded eyes.

“What?” he asks, and you can tell that he’s bracing himself for the questions you desperately want to ask.

“Are there any good jazz clubs around here?” you ask, giving him a small smile. Terry’s shoulders sag slightly in relief at the change in topic, and his gaze is filled with warmth as he looks at you now, returning your smile.

“My friend Jake owns the best in town.”

---

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Epilogue

---

Master List Here

Like my writing? Support it here!

[shurisneakers]

harmless (ii)

Summary: Bucky volunteers to go stop a small time villain, but nothing can prepare him for what exactly he has to deal with. (Bucky x villain!reader, drabble series)

Warnings: cursing, stealing cultural landmarks, frustrated bucky

Word count: 1.6k

A/N: made a header 4 this fic but i couldn’t take it seriously enough <3 

if you have any ideas for future inventions/evil plans, lemme know! it’s always fun to hear from y’all. 

here’s my ko-fi if you’d like to support my writing <333

Previous Part || Series Masterlist

It’s roughly a week before he sees you next.

Right on time too, according to the briefings he had received. Once a week you’d come up with your next batshit crazy idea and someone would be sent to make sure you didn’t execute it.

It was more of a babysitting gig than anything. Most people would do one, maybe two assignments before asking to not be sent again. 

He was not most people. He volunteers to go again. His afternoon is relatively free and he’s bored. 

Also, and more importantly, he needs to get out of the house before Sam finds out what he did.

“You’ll find her near the Statue of Liberty.”

“How do we know?”

“Oh, she tells us.”

“...she tells us where to find her?”

“Most times, yes. She says it’s time efficient.”

Absurd. He thinks you’re absurd.

Bucky finds you in line to board the ferry. You’re dressed to the nines like an obnoxious tourist, even though you were a local, topped with binoculars and a bucket hat. 

On an unrelated note, he thinks that maybe the mission today is to kill you for daring to wear sandals with socks like a suburban dad. A shudder runs through his body when he sees it.  

He’s wearing all black and a baseball cap. Somehow he’s standing out more than you are.

He boards the ferry behind you, keeping a close eye on all your movements. You take your place near the railing, a seat near the front of the boat. 

His phone rings. He answers it, expecting Sam to screech at him for painting Redwing neon pink again. He should have known it was coming after he shoved Bucky off the quinjet before he had time to strap his parachute on properly. 

“I thought I told you to bring a cape.” 

He quickly looks up at you but you’re not facing him. You have your phone held up to your ear, however.

“How did you get this number?” he asks icily.

“I knew you’d show up again.” Your head tilts to look at the statue in the distance. “Also, thanks for the door money, but I’m not sure I appreciate how you think the least creepy way to give someone money is to drop it off anonymously at their doorstep.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” He swiftly gets up, stalking over to where you’re sitting. He was advised not to do anything aggressive. Advised was a flexible word. 

“Because I wasn’t going to answer it.” You look up at his figure looming over you. “Oh, hey.”

The phone is still pressed to the side of your face even though he’s right beside you. He cuts the call, shoving it back into his pocket.

“Allow me to introduce my pl-”

“What are you doing here?” He cuts to the chase. 

You send him a glare. “I was going to say it before you told me to. And sit down before everyone thinks you’re going to kill me.”

“Why are you going there?” He doesn’t have time for this, he thinks. He has important things to do. Like watching the reruns of Masterchef Junior. 

He sits in the seat beside you.

“Look at us.” You grin at him. “Me with the evilest outfit I could think of, you with your... Addams Family cosplay. We’re like, two peas in a po-”

“Start explaining,” he interjects. 

You roll your eyes. “I’m going to shrink the Statue of Liberty and use it as a keychain.”

“What?” It’s probably the most benign plan he’s ever heard in his life.

“I’m kidding.” Oh, good. “I’m not using it as a keychain, I’m taking it to class.” Nevermind. 

“What?” He finds himself repeating his previous question.

“I’m shrinking all the statues I can find. I want to use it in my classroom to teach the kids.”

“You’re... a teacher?” He blinks.

“You got a problem with that?” You look offended, to say the least. 

“No.” It’s not what he would peg your occupation as. He didn’t think you had one at all. “How are you planning on shrinking it?”

You rummage through the ugliest fanny pack he has ever had the misfortune of seeing. You pull out a small ring box, complete with a bow tied neatly on top. 

“I was saving this for our third anniversary, but-” you offer him a nervous laugh.

His stony expression doesn’t change, not even a blink. 

“Fine, Jesus, you’re no fun,” you huff, dropping the emotional act when he doesn’t look amused. 

You flip open the lid. Inside there are a few small disks. It looks familiar, he realises.

“Your friend Ant-Boy didn’t file a patent, so I just took his whole shtick.” He wants to defend Scott’s honour; it’s Ant-Man not boy. He doesn’t. He’s too transfixed on what you have in your hand.

“Pym particles.”

“The diet version.” You pick up one of them carefully. “A ripoff, but effective. Just gotta attach it to the thing I want to shrink and give it a few minutes.”

“You’re going to steal the Statue of Liberty,” he says, frankly a little taken aback that you were serious.

“Would you relax? I’ll put it back.”

“That’s not the point,” he damn near exclaims. “You can’t take away the Statue of Liberty just because you feel like it.”

“I literally can.” You point to the chips in your hand. “That’s the point of this, keep up.”

He feels exasperated. He didn’t sign up for this when he became an Avenger.

“Give me the box.” He makes a grab for it but you yank it away from his reach.

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

“I don’t have time for this.” His reruns would begin in an hour.

“That’s my problem, because...” you trail off. 

He rolls his eyes, makes a grab at the box again. His tactic is different this time. He stealthily pins one of your arms down so that you’re basically incapacitated.

“Hey! Stop that.” You fumble against his reach, shoving him with your elbow.

“Just give me the thing and we can all go home for the day,” he huffs, unfazed by your squirming.

“No! Over my dead bod-” 

He doesn’t immediately notice what goes wrong in the scuffle. 

Until you look at the ground near your feet. A disk lay there, undisturbed.

“Is that-” All of a sudden, either he’s getting taller or the ceiling of the boat is getting lower.

“Oops,” you say, not remorseful in the slightest. 

“Are we going to-”

“I’d give it five minutes max.” 

Great. He was stuck on a boat that was beginning to shrink. The other passengers were either oblivious or ignorant to seats that were starting to become too small for them, but Bucky’s heightened senses and extreme reflexes made it hard to skip.

He nudges the piece of tech with his foot. Maybe he can kick it off the boat.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” you warn solemnly. He wants to disagree but doesn’t know enough about the device to dispute you. 

“Fix this,” he hisses, panic slightly rising. His fingers find their way to his phone to send out an emergency text requesting backup and mass evacuation. 

“I think it’s a rather lovely day for a swim, don’t you?” You stare dreamily at the waves that were inching closer up the boat. 

Or you were inching closer to the water. Technicalities were frivolous. 

“There are other people on this boat.”

“River’s big enough for all of us, I reckon.”

“Fix it.” 

“Or what?” There’s a wicked gleam in your eye. “We both know I have the upper hand here.”

“Or I call the entirety of the Avengers here and haul your ass to prison.”

“Will they bring snacks?”

You’re insufferable. You know it. But you also are the fastest way to get out of this situation and right now, he didn’t want to be responsible for a shipwreck simulation. 

“Fine. Tell me what you want.”

“I like soy chips.”

“Soy chi-” He nearly throws his hands up in frustration. “You know what I’m talking about.” 

“I want one historical artifact so I can impress the kids. They think I’m the cool teacher and I want to keep that reputation alive.”

“What makes you think I can arrange for that?”

“You’ve been alive since goddamn dinosaurs roamed this earth, I’m sure you have some connections.” You pause to assess his face. “You know, you don’t look a day over 29. Dermatologists must hate yo-”

“I’ll get you an artifact, now fix the fuckin’ boat.”

“You promise?” You grin brightly. 

He stares at you. You are unyielding. 

The boat’s uncomfortably small and people are beginning to take notice. Worried murmurs fill the air behind him.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” You shrug simply.

You kneel over, picking up the chip from the ground. You do nothing else for two minutes, instead turning away from him to look at the Statue of Liberty that was coming closer.

It takes him a while to realise that half his body isn’t hanging off his chair anymore. The ceiling is moving further and further away from the top of his head. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He wants to strangle you. 

Why did he listen to you when all of this would have been over the minute he kicked it off the ship. 

“You can drop it off at my lair on Monday and pick it up on Friday.” You gather your belongings, leaving him steaming behind you. “Nice talkin’ to ya, Sergeant.” 

You step over him, flashing him a quick smile before walking off the boat with the rest of the tourists as if nothing had just taken place. When he looks down, the stupid ring box is on his lap.

He sits there, unmoving, eyes fixed on the container.

The ferry conductor asks if he’s going to get off the boat. 

He simply shakes his head.

Next part

[chatonne-rousse]

Be Bold, Be Kind, Be Brave

This is one akuma whose intentions are good. After all, who couldn't use an extra dose of courage to overcome fear?

A superhero whose identity will be immediately revealed in the process, for one.

When an akuma causes several secrets to come to light all at once, our heroes will need to drum up some courage to face their fears - and each other.

But what's waiting after that looks like it might be a dream come true. It'll just take a bit of bravery and a lot of heart. Piece of cake.

***

Only eight days late and several dollars short, I’m wishing @jennagrinsoverml a happy belated birthday with this gift, written just for her.  ILY, my friend!  

Read it on Ao3 here.

***

Ladybug has to give Courageous some credit: she's a rarity, an akuma born of selfless means. A teenager who hadn't mustered the courage to stand up for a younger student being bullied at school, she'd been so ashamed, so angry with herself, that Hawkmoth had found an easy target to ply with honeyed words and promises.

Her power isn't even a terrible one. The beam of light she shoots from her right hand simply causes the person it strikes to relive the last encounter they had when their bravery failed them, this time with courage aplenty. It's admirable, really.

Admirable, but terrifying nonethless.

(The fear of Chat Noir finding out her identity is deep and dark and often floats to the surface of her nightmares with blue eyes and white hair and a drowned, ruined world. He cannot know. The cost is too high.)

"Whatever you do," she calls to her partner, frantic and scared, "don't let her hit you! Please, Chat!"

She hears the desperation in her own voice, and the look on his face conveys that he certainly does. He nods solemnly.

"I'll do my best, My Lady."

She nods back, and off they go into the fray.

For well over an hour, they fight Courageous through parks and plazas, sidewalks and thoroughfares. All around them, the people of Paris have squared their shoulders, lifted their chins, and braved conversations big and small with people only they could see.

Ladybug has to smile as she hears a young man confidently ask for a raise and watches his eyes light up at the response.

That smile fades when she remembers once again that the last time her courage had failed her was just as they were dismissed for lunch break, when she'd tried to invite Adrien to a movie that weekend. His eyes had been so kind as he'd waited for her to gather her words properly, and somehow that had just made it harder.

Then Lila had "accidentally" tripped and knocked into her, sending her to the floor. The memory of Adrien's hand reaching out to her to help her up, those same kind, patient eyes locked on hers, makes Ladybug's cheeks heat even now. But after she was upright again, after Lila had stalked off because no one seemed to care that she "probably would need surgery now because her arthritis would flare", Nino had reminded Adrien about the gig he was DJing on Friday and Alya had led her away to show her something on her phone.

Just like that, her opportunity was gone.

And that would be fine, honestly. Marinette was used to moments of stuttering and botched declarations when it came to Adrien.

But if she's hit by Courageous, Chat Noir - plus the citizens of Paris, Hawkmoth, everyone - will hear Ladybug try to ask Adrien Agreste on a date, and that will be a disaster of epic proportions.

"Ladybug, look out!"

Chat's body slams into hers, sending them rolling on the sidewalk just as a beam of magical light zips over their heads. In a flash, Chat Noir bundles her in his arms and vaults them to the rooftop above, making sure she's steady on her feet once they land.

"Thank you, Ki-" The words die in her throat when she sees over her partner's shoulder that Courageous has followed them.

Chat turns, his baton at the ready, while Ladybug reaches for her yo-yo, but neither is quick enough to stop the akuma's beam from finally finding one of its main targets.

"I'm sorry, Bug," he murmurs as his eyes glaze over.

Using her yo-yo as a spinning shield, Ladybug drags her partner behind the nearest chimney stack just as he begins to speak.

Panic sets in as her mind screams at her over the hum of her yo-yo, the akuma's laughter, her partner's voice.

I can't just leave him!

"Father, may I come in?"

Oh no, oh no, oh no. I can't hear this!

"Yes, Nathalie said she penciled me into your schedule for noon."

Nathalie?

Ladybug's gaze snaps to her partner, yo-yo still spinning to deflect beams of light. She's surprised to find Chat Noir's head bowed in deference, though his eyes shine with a confident gleam.

"I requested this appointment to ask you again if I could attend the event with my friends tomorrow evening. I've already completed my assignments for school and the homework from my Mandarin tutor."

Mandarin tutor? What?!

"Yes, Father, I'm aware that you don't care for Nino, but..."

The panicked scream in her mind gives up any attempt at coherence; by this point, it's no more than a muddled loop of Nathalie, Mandarin, Nino, Father.

Ladybug feints to the left to avoid being hit by the akuma as a mix of terror and adrenaline floods her system. She leaps forward, leaving Chat behind the chimney in the hope that she can engage the akuma just long enough to get her partner back and finally, finally finish this off.

She knows too much already. The cat has bolted straight out of the bag and is running loose on this rooftop beneath her feet, a distraction she can't handle right now.

On hero autopilot, she hurdles one beam after another, then tucks and rolls and pops up to roundhouse kick Courageous in the chest, sending her flying.

She hears the akuma's "oof" just as Chat Noir's jubilant voice rings out from behind the chimney.

"Thank you, Father! Thank you so much!"

She can hear his grin in those simple words, the sheer joy in being given permission to leave the house. Everyone in their class knows what a tight leash Gabriel Agreste keeps on his son. It breaks her heart every time she thinks of it. In fact, she's successfully fought for his release from that marble prison on more than one occasion! So yes, she'd already known with all the clues in place, but there was truly no mistaking it now: that was Adrien talking to his father.

Because Adrien is Chat Noir.

Her heart cracks. Oh, Chaton.

Suddenly, the akuma's progress in clambering to her feet is impeded by the whoosh and subsequent metallic thunk of Chat's overhand swing with his baton.

Relief floods her heart at the return of her partner. No matter who he is, Chat Noir is her other half, and Ladybug is never quite herself without him.

"Maybe we could use a little extra luck, My Lady!" Chat winks at her over his shoulder before facing the akuma again.

"Yes! Right! You bet!"

Get it together, Marinette, she thinks. Her face heats and she scampers away to the safety of the chimney stack where Chat was hidden to call for her lucky charm.

A red and black spotted can opener drops into her hands and she looks at it in confusion. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she grumbles, looking around frantically but seeing nothing to help her decipher how to use the lucky charm.

She takes a deep breath, peeks out from behind the bricks, and promptly takes a light beam to the face.

No, no, no, no!

It feels vaguely like having a water balloon popped on her head, a chill of sensation dripping down her spine and rippling through her nerves. It's a small mercy that being hit by an akuma rarely hurts physically. Her vision swims like a mirage in the desert, the familiar courtyard at school coalescing from vapor around her.

The last thing she sees is her partner's stricken face.

The last thing she hears is the akuma cackling.

"Heylo! Who! I mean," she takes a deep breath, a rush of confidence tingling along her nerves. "Hey, Adrien!" She smiles and gives him a little wave.

His grin takes her breath away. "Hi, Marinette! How are you?"

"I'm great!"

You can do it, you can do it!, her heart sings, and miraculously, her brain listens. Her smile turns coy. She taps her lip with her index finger. Her pulse pounds a bolstering tattoo in her ears. Go for it, girl!

"But I could be better."

Adrien's smile drops a fraction. "Are you okay? Is there something I can do?"

With another deep breath, she squares her shoulders and looks him in the eyes, her very cells imbued with a courage unparalleled even when she's wearing spots. She could do anything, anything, right now, but she has her mind set on accomplishing one thing and one thing only.

"You could join me for a movie on Saturday."

"I could...?" His brows furrow, but his grin grows slowly, bright but incredulous. "Are you asking me....?" He blinks, takes two shallow breaths. "Do you mean just the two of us?"

She nods decisively. "A date."

You did it. You did it! A veritable party erupts in the back of her mind, radiant relief spreading to her fingertips. It feels so good to finally break through her anxiety and fear and ask him that simple question that felt like an impossible task just a few hours ago.

Thankfully, he doesn't keep her waiting. The answer is in his eyes, anyway. "I would love to," he breathes, cheeks pink and smile dazzling.

"Really?" Marinette squeaks, and now it's his turn to nod.

"I'll be there even if I have to sneak out." Adrien reaches for her hand and gives it a little squeeze. "We'll talk about it later today, okay?"

She nods again, her chest so full of emotion she can barely breathe. Not only did she ask him, but he said yes!

Suddenly, blue sky fills her vision and she regains awareness to the sound of a scuffle on the other side of the chimney stack. Ladybug tentatively gets to her feet, reaching for her yo-yo and setting it spinning immediately. This time there's no peeking around the corner; she bursts from behind the bricks on the offensive, ready to finish the fight.

What she finds is Courageous struggling under Chat's baton, twisted up like a pretzel and unable to move for the steel-toed boot resting across her shoulders.

"Just in time, LB!" Chat crows triumphantly. He tosses her a bracelet emblazoned with the words Be Bold, Be Kind, Be Brave that currently pulses with Hawkmoth's dark energy.

In moments, the bracelet is broken, the akuma is freed and purified, and a confused teenager sits where Courageous was restrained a moment ago.

Chat docks his baton at his back and looks at his partner with the softest eyes she's ever seen, a tiny, equally soft smile playing at his lips.

Her heart sighs. Adrien. That's Adrien, and he knows.

The lucky charm sits heavy in her palm. Abject fear makes her hope against hope that she won't remember his identity when she casts her miraculous cure, just as her heart longs to hold on to the knowledge that her precious partner is the boy of her deepest desires, and maybe, maybe they really can have it all.

With a deep breath, she throws the unused can opener into the air, watching magical ladybugs and healing light burst forth and spread throughout the city. She waits, holding her breath, but when pink light swirls around them, the only affect it has is the healing of the twinge in her ankle from when she fell mid-fight.

She looks up, and her partner's eyes say it all.

He remembers, too.

Even as fear grips her heart, radiant joy shines from his face as his grin spreads. It scrunches his eyes behind the mask and pinkens his cheeks, delight seeming to glow from his pores. Ladybug has never seen her partner so happy. That elation is a balm to her soul, and she can't help but smile right along with him.

Ladybug turns to the akuma victim and holds out her hand, offering the bracelet back to her. "I really like that inscription" she says, pointing at the now-silver bracelet as the girl fixes it back on her wrist.

She smiles shyly at the two heroes. "I wish I had the courage to do more. I wish I was brave like you."

"We get scared sometimes, too. Everyone does," Ladybug starts, before her partner nudges her shoulder with his elbow.

"Speak for yourself, Bugaboo. This cat has no fear." Chat Noir throws her an exaggerated wink, and the girl laughs. "But real talk, anyone can be a hero in their own way. Little things, big stuff...you're stronger than you think, I promise. Cat's honor."

She nods. "Thank you for, you know, saving me and everything." Glancing at the street below, she gestures toward the edge of the roof. "Would it be too much trouble to get me back down there?"

"Not at all," Ladybug replies with a smile. Calling on her own courage, she looks at her partner and takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing, she thinks. "The usual spot in five? Or less, I guess, since it...doesn't matter now," she says with a shrug that she hopes looks nonchalant.

And there's that smile that shines like the summer sun. He gives her a jaunty salute. "I'll be there with bells on," he says, tapping the bell at his throat and making it jingle.

Ladybug just shakes her head and giggles.

A few minutes later, when she lands beside Chat Noir on their familiar rooftop, her earrings are beeping a frantic rhythm, signaling mere seconds before she detransforms. Instinct has her looking around the roof, ready to dart behind anything she can use to hide.

Before she can move, Chat steps toward her and quietly asks, "Marinette?"

Her transformation dissolves in a wave of pink light, and she hears him gasp as she catches Tikki gently in her palms. Marinette takes her time retrieving a macaron from her purse to feed her kwami, deliberately moving slowly in an attempt to get herself under control before she looks up at her partner. He knows, and he's thrilled, and that's amazing, but it feels like the entire world will change when their gazes finally meet, and she's just not ready yet.

"I, um...I didn't use my cataclysm, so I can stay transformed if you'd prefer, but..." he trails off.

There's something in his voice that finally makes her look at him. Just like when he talked to his father under the akuma's control, his head is bowed slightly, but instead of confidence, this time his eyes are bright with nervous hope.

Marinette understands both the nerves and the hope, and she'll joke with her partner until the end of time about who's in charge, but it feels wrong for either Chat or Adrien to look at her with uneasy deference.

And that's what she thinks of as courage wells in her chest. Her brave, steadfast partner, the other half of their unstoppable team, the boy with terrible timing who can still make her laugh, her best friend whom she loves so fiercely, should never feel he has to approach her in fear.

"Oh, Minou," she breathes. "Of course, go ahead. I...I already know."

He nods and stands a little straighter, and with a whisper and a flash of green, Chat's magical leather is replaced with denim and cotton poplin.

Predictably, her brain is short-circuiting, hollering in panic and terror, but even as her heart pounds wildly in her chest, it whispers quietly, gently, that this is her partner. Her silly kitty. Her dearest friend. He just happens to look like Adrien Agreste at the moment.

(Okay, this is going to take some getting used to.)

Tikki flies off to join Plagg nearby, while Marinette sits down on the roof with her knees pulled to her chest. She pats the space to her right and Adrien settles in cross-legged next to her.

He's the first to break the silence. "I'm sorry, Marinette. I shouldn't have gotten hit. I shouldn't have let you get hit. I know this wasn't what you wanted, and-"

"No, no, don't apologize," she interrupts, shaking her head. "It happens. It's...not the first time." Marinette sighs and closes her eyes, suddenly feeling a lot less courageous in the face of this world-bending change now that they're in their civilian clothes and it's Adrien apologizing to her. She presses her forehead to her knees and tries to imagine the boy beside her in magical leather and cat ears. It only helps a little, but it's enough. "We, um-" she pauses, licks her lips. "We have a lot to talk about. I just don't know if I'm ready for...all of it."

Adrien is silent for an uncomfortably long moment. "Yeah. We do." She hears him take a deep breath that shakes a bit on the exhale and turns her head a fraction to peek at him. His eyes are on the distant horizon. "I...think I understand some things now."

Abruptly, he turns toward her, a little smile tilting the corners of his mouth when he his eyes meet hers. Fear tells her to look away, but she tamps it down and holds his gaze. His smile widens.

"May I ask you something, Marinette?"

She nods.

"When you came up to me at lunch today, were you...planning to ask me on a date?"

Her pulse pounds in her ears. She could give in to fear, say no and brush it off like Chat had misheard her when she was under the akuma's spell. But suddenly her heartbeat seems to drum, "be bold, be kind, be brave," over and over again, and just as the smile begins to slip from his face, she finds the nerve to nod again.

Just like on the other rooftop a few minutes ago, his face lights up like the first rays of sun after a week of rain, shining splendid even in the early afternoon light.

"Am I--" he whispers, his breath hitching though his joy never dims, "Am I the boy?"

Be bold, be kind, be brave.

She calls on her Ladybug courage and nods once more.

His breath catches again and his eyes fill with tears that he brushes away quickly.

Clarity dawns all of a sudden, sweeping her fears to the corners of her mind to be dealt with later. She understood Chat Noir being happy to know his partner's identity, his excitement in finding out his Lady was his friend, too. But this is so much more. Beside her sits Adrien, wiping tears of joy from his eyes at the knowledge that Marinette is in love with him. This might just be a dream coming true on a random rooftop on a random Thursday afternoon.

"Chaton," she breathes, stretching her legs in front of her and placing a hand on his knee.

His hand covers hers, and she meets his gaze, words caught in her throat at the intensity in his eyes.

"I have a confession to make." He rubs the back of his neck with his free hand and takes a deep breath. "I think everyone in Paris knows that Chat Noir is in love with Ladybug. I...know you know." He shrugs as his smile turns a little helpless. "But no one knows that I might have a little tiny bit of a huge crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, too."

"Kid, don't lie to your girlfriend. You know very well that I knew, because I've been telling you forever!" Plagg calls from somewhere behind them. Tikki hushes him loudly.

"Okay, he's not wrong," Adrien says, huffing out a combination of a laugh and a sigh. I'm just very stupid, apparently."

"Hey, don't talk that way about my partner." Marinette bumps his shoulder with hers. "I have a teeny, tiny, huge crush on him, too, you know, and I don't appreciate your tone."

Adrien's surprised laugh rings out across the rooftop, filling her heart with so much love she can barely breathe with the force of it. She could listen to that laugh for the rest of her life. She hopes she'll have that chance.

He brushes tears from his eyes again as his laughter subsides, his grin still shining bright. "I'm so happy it's you, Marinette. Beyond happy." He turns her hand beneath his and threads his fingers through hers. "Honestly, there's no one else I would rather have as my partner."

"Me too, Minou," she murmurs, squeezing his hand lightly as incredulous joy sings through her veins.

Tikki's little voice pipes up nearby. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's almost time to go back to class."

Adrien lets go of her hand to fish for his phone and curses under his breath when he sees the time. "She's right, My Lady. Could we meet up this evening? I know we have, um...a lot of things to talk about."

Marinette nods. It feels like she's done a lot of that in the last few minutes.

When Adrien stands, he offers his hand to help her up. Just like in the courtyard at lunch, his eyes are patient and kind, but now they shine with something more. She lets him pull her to her feet, then wraps her arms around his waist in a tight hug.

His soft exhale at her ear as he melts against her makes her smile, scrunching up his white overshirt under her cheek. Her senses are filled with him, and she's surprised to realize that it's a feeling of comfort and safety instead of the usual panic.

Maybe loving Adrien and being loved in return will be easier than it seemed all this time. Her fears seem so silly when his arms are wrapped around her shoulders and his head rests on top of hers - a perfect fit.

Even the nightmarish terror of Chat Blanc is diminished. Adrien never told anyone her identity; he knew because he himself was Chat Noir, and there's no way in the world that Chat would hurt his Lady, nor would Adrien ever harm Marinette on purpose. She must have misunderstood. He must have misunderstood. He was an akuma, after all. She sighs into Adrien's shirt. She can never allow that terrible timeline to occur, but whatever happens after this, they'll face it together. Stronger. She'll make sure of it.

"Do you think my father will let me go to Nino's gig in real life?" he asks quietly.

The sad note in his voice breaks her heart. She squeezes him tighter.

"I don't know, Kitty. Do you think we'll be having a movie date on Saturday?"

He leans back abruptly, though his hands still grip her shoulders. "Of course! I'll be there if I have to sneak out!"

Marinette boops his nose, laughing when his eyes cross. "I think that's your answer for Friday night, too."

Suddenly she's in his arms again, this time lifted off the ground and spinning. She can't help but giggle.

"I knew I was in love with a genius!" he cries, jubilant. He sets her down and plants a kiss in the middle of her forehead before calling for Plagg to transform him.

When he turns his masked face back to her, it's like the world is different. She can easily see the brilliant green of Adrien's eyes in Chat's glowing sclerae. The blending of two of her favorite people into one extraordinary boy who - oh my goodness - just said he loves her gives her a shot of courage even before she suits up again.

"You missed, beau gosse."

His eyes widen comically. "I....what?"

Marinette smiles and calls for her transformation, then taps her lips with her gloved fingers. "You kissed me, but you missed."

The sly gleam in his eyes makes her breathing speed up.

"First of all, I would ask before I did that," Chat says, sticking out his thumb before raising his clawed index finger. "Second, I thought I'd save our first kiss for Saturday. Seems like a great way to end our first date, doesn't it?"

Our first date. A tingle runs down her spine. She likes the sound of that.

"I guess I can wait." Her smile turns cheeky. "But it'll be our third--"

"Ah, ah, ah," Chat cuts her off with a grin. He extends his thumb again. "First of all, I don't remember either of those."

Ladybug rolls her eyes, still smiling.

"And second," he says, his voice pitching lower and making her heart skip a beat, "it will be Marinette and Adrien's first kiss."

Oh, this boy, she thinks as her heart soars.

She bites her lip to keep from giggling. "I suppose you're right, even though we both know we're the same people."

Chat gives her a deadpan look. "Just let me have this, Bug."

She bursts into laughter and reaches for her yo-yo, delighting in watching a grin light her partner's face.

"I really am looking forward to Saturday," he says, unhooking his baton from his back. He reaches for her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "We'll talk about it later today, okay?"

She nods and watches him vault off toward home.

The wind against her face is exhilarating as she swings back to the bakery. It's amazing how one revelation seems to have changed everything. Even the zip of her yo-yo through the air sounds different to her ears now that she knows, now that he knows.

Marinette detransforms as she touches down on the terrace and sinks into her pink-striped chair while Tikki phases through the hatch into her room in search of food. A quick check of her phone tells her that she has ten minutes before she has to go back to school.

School. One more thing that's going to be different.

Before nerves can creep in, she thinks of Chat Noir and his beaming joy at learning the identity of his beloved partner. That was Adrien. She thinks of the comfort of being wrapped in Adrien's arms, his scent, his warmth. That was Chat Noir.

And when she sits down in class behind him in a few short minutes, that boy with the soft smile and shining eyes will look like Adrien, but now he's so much more.

Marinette stands up from her chair with a lighter heart than she can remember having in a long, long time. She's suddenly looking forward to the second half of the day, even more excited for Nino's event tomorrow night, and positively thrilled that she has a date with Adrien - who is Chat Noir! - on Saturday.

There's so much to experience, so many memories to be made. It feels a bit like a dream. It feels more than a bit scary. But it's going to be great.

It's just going to take a little courage.

She's got this.

[calpalirwin]

Numbers

Summary: Sebastian doesn’t want to be another number to you, but little does he know he’s the only one.

A/N: Everyone say thank you to @jessalyn-jpeg​ for always being willing to cry over this man with me. 

Important distinction: Italics represent his thoughts, while bold italics represent hers

Word Count: 3.2k

And away, and away we go!

__

The sun was high and warm, and the sounds of wood cracking against leather grew louder as Y/N walked towards the baseball fields. “Yo, Number 1, lookin’ good!” she whistled, her fingers wrapping themselves in the chain link fence surrounding the field.

There was a loud laugh from the man playing shortstop, and he turned to either flip her off or stick out his tongue, but a baseball came flying in his direction, high and powerful. But not high enough. Almost lazily, Sebastian lifted his heels off the dirt, raising his left hand in the air, the ball coming to a stop in his glove.

“Right field, get ready!” Anthony, the pitcher shouted. “Stan’s lucky charm showed up!”

“I don’t need luck, Mackie,” Sebastian taunted, pulling at the sleeves of his jersey. “I’m Number 1 for a reason. Best shortstop in the state, right here, baby!”

“Mackie! Stan!” the coach barked in warning.

“Sorry!” both men laughed. And with his brief pause, Sebastian took off his hat, waving it at Y/N in greeting as she took a seat in the stands, before putting it back over his sweaty locks of brown hair.

As the practice continued, more girls made their way out to watch the team, and Y/N couldn’t blame them. Something about a guy’s ass in baseball pants, especially when that ass belonged to Sebastian Stan. And the college baseball team didn’t have any complaints about the attention they gathered, plays becoming more dramatic than they needed to be as a chance to show off, until the coaches finally called it quits.

“So,” Anthony asked Sebastian as they headed for the dugout. “Is today the day you ask out Y/N finally? Or should I try to shoot my shot? Like what's going on here, man? Cuz whatever it is between you, it’s gone on way too long, and I only got so much patience.”

Sebastian wasn’t sure how his face could grow warmer after being in the sun practicing for two hours, but it did. “I- We’re friends, ya know? And it’s not that I don’t wanna ask her out. It’s that I don’t know how. Or how she’ll react. It’s… a whole thing, ya get me?”

“Dude…” Anthony shook his head. “I say this because I care. But if you’re gonna make a move, make it fast. No one wants to be the one to cross you when we all know you got a thing for her. But if you’re not gonna shoot your shot…”

“Thanks…” Sebastian said, not sure if he appreciated the obvious advice or not. He knew he needed to ask Y/N sooner rather than later. But the idea that his teammates were lying in wait for him to either make a move, or step aside stirred up feelings of jealousy. But the only way of making sure they didn’t date her… He slung his bag over his shoulder, before squaring them and strutting out of the dugout, headed straight for Y/N. “Now or never, Stan,” he whispered to himself.

“Seb!” a girl called out and he turned to the sound, putting a smile on his face.

“Hey.” He offered a small wave, his eyes spotting Y/N, and kept walking, but then more girls were calling his name, batting their eyelashes, and touching his arm as they asked questions, and somehow Y/N got lost in the shuffle.

Y/N watched from her spot, the smile on her face dropping as she watched Sebastian get swarmed by girls who only wanted his attention so they could later brag to their friends that they’d gotten to talk to the star of the baseball team. And Sebastian wasn’t the type to be rude, even when he should.

Sighing, she shouldered her bag, heading down the bleachers, figuring she’d she go rescue him from his oh-so terrible prison of adoring girls.

“Hey, Y/N,” a shy voice called out as her feet hit concrete.

She lifted her gaze to find one of the newer players smiling at her. “Oh, hey, Tom,” she smiled back at him. “Good practice out there.”

“Heh, thanks,” he mumbled, his cleat digging into the ground. “So… you waiting for Seb?”

“I was yeah,” she admitted, looking over at Sebastian who was still under siege. And then a swell of anger bubbled inside her. If he couldn’t be bothered to pull himself away from them for her, then she didn’t have to wait for him. “But I’ll just catch him later. So, what’s up?”

Tom blinked in surprise. “Uh… I… Not much really. Was gonna head back to my dorm. Ya know, normal stuff I guess.”

“Well c’mon, I’m headed that way myself, I’ll walk with ya.”

Tom brightened as someone whistled from behind. “Damn! Kid’s got moves!” Anthony’s voice called out loudly. He jogged a few steps to join the couple, “Yo, Y/N, what about Seb?”

Y/N looked over her shoulder at Sebastian who still wasn’t even looking her way. “What about him?”

~~~

She mumbled airplane sounds under her breath, twisting her wrist to make the paper airplane fly around, before she really sent it flying across the living room. She watched as it glided through the air before nose-diving into the carpet as the front door opened.

“Apology food?” Sebastian asked with a hopeful smile, holding up a bag of takeout as he kicked the door shut.

“And what’s the apology for?” she asked, rising to her feet and crossing her arms.

“For being a dick after practice.”

“Chinese?”

“Your favorite,” he said, handing her the bag.

“Fine. Your transgressions against the crown are forgiven. This time.”

He tilted his head back as he laughed. “Thank you, your Highness. Although a little birdie told me that you ended up alright. Holland, huh?”

“Mackie is worse than girls with gossip, I swear…” Y/N said with an eye roll. “But yeah, Holland and I talked.”

“You know he’s a freshman, right?”

“Aw, is somebody jealous?” She flashed him a sardonic smile as they both plopped down on the couch and dug into the food.

Sebastian let out a scoff. “Me? Jealous of Holland? Pfft, yeah right.” Yes, insanely jealous, actually.

“Oh, so if I said he walked me all the way to the apartment, that wouldn’t make you mad?”

“You’re not my girlfriend, Y/N,” he said around a swallow of food. Despite how much I wish you were.  “If you wanna make baby Holland feel like a man for escorting you home, I really don’t give a shit. But you can do better than a freshman.” Like me.

Like you? “And you’d smell better with a shower,” was her retort as she knocked her shoulder into his.

“Mmm, you gonna join me?”

“Pfft! In your dreams, maybe.” And in mine.

Only in my dreams cuz once again, I fucked up.

~~~

Y/N figured one date would be enough to stir Sebastian into action. But one, the man had already made himself scarce by the time she left for her date. And two, the date sucked.

You’re not Sebastian was all she could think about throughout the dinner of cheesy one-liners, and bad jokes that bordered on offensive.

“So…” he asked suggestively as they walked out. “Wanna head back to my place?”

“No, I’m kinda tired,” she declined politely.

“Oh… well then I’ll call you sometime and we can do this again, maybe?”

“Yeah… no,” she said, shaking her head. “This was… nice. But no. You and I? Not gonna happen.”

“Right… I forgot you’re friends with Stan.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Oh, c’mon. Dude obviously likes you. And he’s not the one anyone wants to have on their bad side.”

“Then why did you ask me out? If all of you are so scared of Seb?”

“Cuz you’re hot, and I’m not on the baseball team,” he shrugged.

“Yeah… I’m gonna go home now. And you… ugh… yeah, no. Not gonna happen.”

~~~

Sebastian turned his head as the door opened. “Back before curfew, huh? Whatta gentleman.”

“Fuck you,” she told him with a roll of her eyes before stalking off towards her bedroom.

“Whoa, whoa, wait,” he said, bolting up off the couch. “C’mon, what happened?”

He wasn’t you. “He’s a pig. Said all the wrong things.”

“That sucks. But hey, can’t all be winners, right?”

“I guess… Although he did say one thing that was somewhat interesting.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Apparently you scare people off from asking me out.”

He snorted. “That’s fuckin’ stupid. Will I be pissed if some jackoff makes you feel like shit? Yeah, and I’ll probably say something. But shit… I’m not your boyfriend, or your dad, or some shit. Sounds like a lame cop-out because they just don’t wanna admit they’re pussies.”

And what’s your lame cop-out? “Ugh… I need a drink.”

“Grab me one, yeah?” he asked, sinking back down into the couch as she changed directions to head into the kitchen instead.

“So, how was your night?” she asked, grabbing two beers from the fridge.

“Uneventful,” he shrugged. “There was a girl I was hoping to go out with, but it didn’t work.”

“Aw damn. That sucks,” she said, as she joined him on the couch and handed him one of the beers. 

“Eh, it was my fault for not asking sooner,” he shrugged again, clinking his beer against hers. “To shitty nights.”

“Here, here,” Y/N cheered half-heartedly as they both took a long drink. “Fuck it. Paper airplane contest?”

He snorted into his beer. “We’re not seven anymore.”

“Aw, afraid you’ll lose?”

He sat up straighter. “Loser buys next case of beer?”

“You better get your wallet out, now.”

~~~

Sebastian knew he should have taken his chance after that first date gone bad. And Y/N knew she should have pushed him harder in her confrontation. But for whatever reason, the friends stayed at their stubborn stalemate.

Without Sebastian willing to make a move, Y/N began to wonder if maybe everyone had it all wrong. Maybe Sebastian was simply protective of her without having an ulterior motive behind it. So, she continued to go on dates with other guys on campus to ease the ache, until she couldn’t pretend they weren’t Sebastian anymore.

For his part, Sebastian not only took careful notes of the reasons Y/N gave for each of her short-lived romances, he also stupidly pointed her in the direction of new interests. And then he tried not to drown in his jealousy, before learning to grow doubtful of wanting a romantic relationship with her at all. Why would he want to sacrifice a lifelong friendship just to become another nameless guy she tossed to the side once she had her fun with him?

~~~

“Sebastian!” she gasped at him when he came home one night as she nursed away the end of yet another short-lived romance that wasn’t him.

“You’re drunk,” was the observation as he dropped his duffle bag to the floor.

“Ooooohhhh yeah,” she giggled at him with a wide grin, eyes hazy. “You gonna join me?”

“So we can both be sick? Yeah… Not a chance.”

“Boo…” she pouted. “You never wanna do anything with me.”

“One night. One night I don’t wanna drink with you, and that equates to me not wanting to do anything with you ever? Make it make sense, Y/N.”

“Well, you don’t wanna date me, that’s for sure,” was the drunk scoff.

He balked. “When did I ever say that?”

“Well it’s true, isn’t it? Everyone keeps saying that you like me, but you don’t do anything about it. Are they all lying? Or are you?”

He shook his head. “I’m not doing this. I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“Why not?!”

“Because you’re drunk off your ass!”

“Just answer the question!”

“I don’t know!”

“What type of bullshit answer is that?! How do you not know if you wanna date someone?!”

“It’s the answer you give when you used to think you wanted to, but now you’re not sure anymore! Now… I gave you my answer. And I already told you once I’m not having this conversation. Not when you’re drunk. I’m going to bed. G’night Y/N.”

“COWARD!” she hurled the insult at his retreating back.

In his room, Sebastian didn’t sleep. He lay in bed watching his ceiling fan spin in slow hypnotic circles, cursing himself for letting it get this bad. If he had just asked her out after that one practice… If he could just rewind the clock…

In the living room, Y/N sobbed into her hands. The distractions never worked, even the promising ones. And Sebastian… If it turned out he didn’t want her…

Thoughts spiraled and time ticked by, Y/N growing more sober, and Sebastian more angry with himself.

“Seb?” she asked in a small whisper, knocking lightly on his door as she pushed it open, finding him still awake in bed, the little lamp on his nightstand illuminating the room.

“What do you want, Y/N?” he asked, more harshly than he meant to, as he pushed himself to sit up against his headboard.

“I- Nevermind… It’s stupid…”

“No, wait,” he called out to her as she turned to leave. “I didn’t mean it like that. I- What’s up? What did you wanna ask?”

She took a slow breath to steady herself as she turned back around to face him. “Do you like me? God, that sounds so juvenile…”

“Of course I like you, Y/N. You’re my best friend.”

“But you don’t like me enough to date me. Just enough to be protective about me dating anyone else.”

He sighed. Now, or never. “It’s not that I don’t wanna date you, Y/N. It’s that I’m scared to.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“To you, maybe. But to me, it’s perfectly valid.”

“How? How is that a valid reason? Sebastian Stan, scared of dating a girl? A girl who he’s known his whole life? Make it make sense.”

“You think I wanna be one of the guys you date? Maybe if you actually dated people, I wouldn’t have ever thought twice about dating you myself. But you don’t date, Y/N. You… God, I dunno what it is you do, but it’s not dating.”

“Fuck you,” she spat, feeling tears well up. “Fuck you! You don’t get to slut-shame me!”

“Slut-shame you?! How is it slut-shaming that I don’t wanna be another number to you?! That I don’t wanna be another source of entertainment for you until you get bored of me?!”

“Because you’re not a number, Sebastian!”

“Bullshit I’m not! You literally call me Number 1! You don’t love Y/N! You… you entertain yourself until someone better comes along!”

“That’s not true…” she whispered, heartbroken that he thought it was.

“It was for all the other guys! I don’t wanna be like them, Y/N! I don’t wanna be some random number to you! I wanna be the one! I don’t know how much clearer I can make that.”

“You know I only dated them to make you jealous, right?”

“Well congrats… you win. I’m insanely jealous of every guy that you parade through that goddamn door.” His mouth twisted and his vision started to swim.

“I didn’t wanna win, Seb. I wanted you.”

He hissed through his teeth. “Past tense… that, uh… Yeah, that hurts. Thanks for that… For this…” he twirled his finger about the room. “Awesome conversation. Glad we could have this talk.”

“You wanna know why it never worked with those guys?!” she yelled at him, her hands flying up in the air. “They weren’t you! God, I tried so hard to make it work with those guys! Any of them! But none of them made me feel the way you do. None of them get me the way you do. And… God! I wish they did! I wish at least one of them did, because then I could finally stop wasting my time on you when it’s obvious you don’t feel the same way about me!”

“I don’t feel the same?!” He grabbed a small notebook, hurling it at her. “If I never felt the same, explain that!” He pulled down the collar of his shirt, pointing at a small tattoo of a paper airplane on his chest “If I never felt the same, explain this!”

“Y-you got a tattoo? When?”

The sudden drop of her voice level took him a moment to realize what she’d asked. “When you started dating the guy with tattoos…” he told her.

“And this?” she asked, bending down to pick up the small notebook he’d thrown at her, thumbing through it. “Blue eyes, tattoos. Text back on time. Don’t say stupid shit,” she read aloud. “A-are these notes on how to date me?”

He shrugged. “I like to think they’re observations.”

“W-why would you need notes on how to date me?”

“To make sure you don’t get bored of me. To make sure you don’t forget me.”

“Seb-”

He shook his head fiercely, feeling his throat close up. “Don’t. Just don’t, okay? I know this is all my fault. I know if I had just stopped being a little bitch, and said something sooner like I wanted to, none of this would be happening right now. But I- Fuck… It’s always been me and you, and I dunno what I’d do if that stopped happening. You’re my best friend. And I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember. And… I can’t risk losing you. I won’t lose you. Even if that means spending the rest of my life jealous of the guys you date.”

“And you never bothered to think that I had the same fears? That I’m just as in love with your stupid ass?”

“Why would you be? I’m just the idiot best friend.”

“Haven’t you been listening? I- God, did you really get a tattoo?” she asked. “What even is it?”

“It’s a paper airplane,” he mumbled, face turning red.

“Can I see it again?” she asked somewhat shyly.

He shrugged, taking off his shirt and tossing it to the side. “Happy now?”

“Oh, Seb,” she giggled, crossing the room to him. “You didn’t have to take your shirt off. You could have just tugged down your collar again.”

“Are you complaining?” he teased lightly, pulling her into his lap.

“God, no,” she said with another giggle. “Oh, Seb,” she sighed, her fingers tracing the ink on his skin. “God, we’re so fuckin’ stupid, aren’t we?”

“Oh, I’m definitely stupid,” he admitted. “Said and done so much stupid shit I shouldn’t have said or done.” His nose nudged against hers, his lips brushing against her cheek when he said, “God, I’m so sorry. I shoulda manned up sooner. And I shouldn’t have said those things about the guys you dated. I just- I fucked up. I let my insecurities get in the way, and I fucked up.”

“I fucked up too, Seb,” she whispered, carding her hands through his hair. “I was trying to fill a you-sized hole when I had you in front of me the whole time.”

“So you still want me? Even after I was the idiot coward that kept fucking up?” The blue eyes were big and watery with small traces of fear as they held her gaze steady, foreheads knocked together.

“Of course I still want you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Seb.”

__

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[lubdubsworld]

Falling for you ( Falling from grace) Jungkook x OC

Rated : 18 +

Warning : . Fuck buddies? Or rather enemies that have sex. They just really hate each other but also can’t keep their hands off each other.

Chapter 1   Chapter 2    Chapter 3   Chapter 4   Chapter 5

Chapter 6

“Are you sure you want to head back to work today, Areum? Hoseok told me that he would give you the rest of the week off if you like... That bruise on your face is looking pretty nasty.” My sister commented mildly, her eyes worried as she watched me dab concealer on the mottled purpling skin on my jaw.

“I need to finish a couple of reports by the weekend. And Namjoon oppa told me he wanted me to be there when we viewed the CCTV footage later today. It’s going to help getting that bastard fired.” I flinched at how bad this side of my face looked. 

The bastard. 

“He’s not fired yet?” My sister made a noise of outrage.

“Of course he is. There’s a restraining order against him. But formally he needs to be terminated and Namjoon wants to do it in a way that it goes on his record permanently. Especially considering he’s already out on bond.” I wrinkled my nose. 

There wasn’t much chance of Junho going to prison over this but I definitely did not want him within fifty feet of me, ever again. 

“Jungkook’s busy with his practice is it? I haven’t heard from him...” My sister prompted and I nodded.

“His big match is coming up on Sunday. That's like four days away ...he’s probably cooped up in that gym of his.” 

“I know... Seokjin works out there too... its a great place...how come you’re never there?”

I frowned .

“He actually has me blacklisted. I’m not allowed inside the establishment. ” I muttered. 

My sister’s eyes widened.

“What? Why?”

I shrugged. The memory was a good one and worth reliving. In fact i relived it quite often when I was particularly horny with only my own hands for relief. 

“I seduced him against his favorite punching bag once and he had to get rid of it because the cum stains wouldn’t come off. He’s a petty jerk.” I grinned at my sister enjoying the way her eyes went wide as saucers. .

She stared at me slack jawed. And then she shook her head in disbelief. 

“You talk about him this way but you always look like you're half way in love with him. I don’t know what is going on in your head when it comes to Jungkook.”

I laughed.

“I love him. Of course I do.... I’m pretty sure he cares about me too, “ I remembered how warm and content I’d felt when he’d held me, how the police officer had immediately concluded he was my boyfriend, simply from the concern radiating off him, “  But, I’m not going to push for anything. I like how we are ...now.”

“Friends with benefits.?”

“I prefer the term enemies who fuck” I winked and she groaned. 

“Whatever you say. But remember, you’re going to have to DTR at some point and I hope you don’t get a shock if he isn’t on the same page. “ 

“Unlikely. Now go distract mom so I can slip out of the back door.” 

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

“That looks pretty fucking bad.” Hoseok winced when he saw me and I groaned.

“Don’t remind me. I ran into Namjoon on the way up and he swelled like a bullfrog. Is Jungkook in today?” I asked him brightly.

Hoseok frowned.

“you guys are awfully chummy these days ....Need I remind you about the clause on interpersonal relationships in the office?” 

I flushed.

“We’re...not....I mean. We’re friends. “

“I thought the term was enemies who fuck.” Hoseok said thoughtfully and I jumped.

“What-?”

“Jungkook told me, you little brat. I asked him why he went over to the police station and broke Junho’s fucking jaw and he spilled...”

My own jaw came unhinged.

“ He what?!”

 “He posted the bond money for the bastard himself to get him out and then apparently punched him hard enough to land him in the hospital.”

“Oh my God...is he in trouble?” 

Hoseok sighed.

“Of course not... Mr. Jeon had it taken care off at once but I knew something was up . He’s too old to play knight in shining armor , unless there was something between you guys...” 

I sighed.

“We’re in a purely physical relationship yes with of course a splattering of affection for each other. But nothing that deserves a label or close scrutiny from the HR dept. Please Hobi oppa, just let me be. “ I fluttered my lashes and he rolled his eyes. 

“Just as long as you know that Jeon Jungkook is a chaebol. He’s not going to make a honest woman out of you.” Hoseok gave me a pointed look and I wondered if I really did wear my heart on my sleeve. 

Apparently, everyone could sense that my feelings for Jungkook ran deeper than just lust and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing. 

“Anyway, yo answer you question, yes. He’s in his office right now.”

I made to turn away but Hoseok grabbed my wrist.

“You have thirty five memos to answer and seventeen appointments to schedule. Your desk is this way, I suggest you head in that direction.” His eyes glinted in a way that told me he was incredibly serious. 

I pouted.

Fine... I’d wait for lunch to go meet Jungkook.

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

Jungkook had a secretary of his own , the smitten Miss Lee and she gave me an angelic smile, telling me that Jungkook was out to meet someone in the marketing department. If there was anything important, I could leave it with her.

Declining the offer and thanking her, I made my way to the fireescape and the back stairwell. One of the doors opened to the emergency exit in Jungkook’s office and it took me a little bit of running around but I managed to locate it easily enough. 

Jungkook had left the door open and less than ten minutes later , I was in his office, staring around in mild awe. 

Weirdly enough, I’d never been here. before, mostly because Jungkook himself wasn’t in here all that much. But there was no mistaking that he actually did take his work seriously . I peered around the expensive drawing Tablet and the three or so monitor screens , the stylus tossed about. 

It was probably a huge breach of his privacy but I couldn’t help but click on the mouse, watching his monitor come alive. 

I blinked in disbelief when I realized what I was staring at. 

“Oh my  fuck...”  I

I felt my face flood with heat as I stared at the screen. 

It was a drawing of me. 

I was completely naked , reclining against what looked like a thick white fur rug , with countless plush cushions scattered all around me. The snow white fur set off the golden glow of my skin and I noticed the attention to detail, the tiny mole in the corner of my hip, the small half moon scar on the edge of my collar bone and of course an impressive collection of hickeys on my neck and my inner thighs. 

I looked the way I usually did when I was mouthing off at him, a little angry and rebellious, my eyes blazing with a challenge and my lips parted in annoyance . I had one hand resting right between my legs, two fingers pressed against the labia while the other two disappeared into me. The other hand lay on my breast, fingers tweaking one hard nipple . 

I turned away quickly, breathing harshly as I realized that Jungkook had literally drawn an incredibly accurate drawing of me masturbating , purely from memory.

Not entirely sure if i should be angry at this or not, I tried to clear the hazy cloud of arousal that was beginning to settle all over me. I wasn’t angry. 

I was just ridiculously turned on. 

And incredibly curious if he had other pics of me. 

I whirled back around to the computer and then nearly jumped out of my skin when I realized that Jungkook was leaning against the doorway, watching me with an amused smile on his face. 

“Oh, fuck...” I clutched at my heart which felt like it was going to give out. 

“Pretty sure your desk isn’t here, Areum. Are you lost?” He drawled, stepping away from the door and stalking over to me. 

I stepped back quickly, the action purely instinctive. 

“Did you punch Junho?” I asked sharply.

Jungkook gave me a small smile.

“That is a very mild way to put it yes. He’s gonna be eating through a straw for a couple of months , yes.”

I glared at him. 

“What if you got arrested.” I folded my arms.

He laughed.

“Baby, come on. fucker had it coming. Anyway enough about that loser. Why are you hovering near my desk. Corporate espionage is generally frowned upon baby... Am i gonna have to spank you, you naughty girl?” He waggled his eyebrows. 

I rolled my eyes before walking up to his desk and turning the screen around to show the lewd artwork . 

“how long have you been drawing me like that?” I pointed at the screen and Jungkook looked surprised. 

Surprised but not particularly bothered. 

“Ah... i love that one... Did you see the way I only drew four of your fingers between your legs baby, your thumb is supposed to be rubbing on your clit.... I was working on it when I got called away earlier....” He looked apologetic. 

I felt like I had turned the exact shade of the marron carpet under my foot. 

“Jungkook how long have you been drawing me naked...” I snapped. 

“ Oh... probably the first time you let me see you naked.” He said nodding lightly and I stared at him.

“How come I’ve never heard of this?” I hissed and he gave me a grin. 

“Because it’s for my own personal...use.” He grinned. 

I glared at him.

“How many....?” I demanded.

Jungkook shrugged.

“50...? 60? Definitely at least fifty.” He said casually. 

I stared at him.

“I wanna see them.” I said sharply. Jungkook sighed, like I was being a pain , which was so unfair it made me want to scream. 

“Areum, I-” 

“Jungkook?” A soft voice called from the outer office and I frowned when Jungkook startled. 

“Oh, hey... Sana..... Come in.” His voice had shifted into something mild and pleasant and I felt my hackles rise. 

“Oh..hello... Areum ssi...” The girl gave me a confused smile and I resisted the urge to fold my hands and demand what she was doing there. Instead , I moved away from behind Jungkook’s desk, grabbing a file. 

“Good afternoon Sana ssi.” I smiled.

“I’m sorry, I missed lunch, Sana.... I wanted to give you this. “ Jungkook pulled out a small envelope from his jacket, smiling an absolutely angelic smile at her. 

Sana looked suitably enthralled, her eyes trained greedily on his perfect face as she took the envelope.

“Oh.. are these--?”

“Tickets to my match on Sunday yes...” He smiled. “ I’m hoping you’ll be there.” 

I felt my lungs expand as I took a deep breath to calm myself down. The urge to screech like a banshee was increasing by the second. 

“Oh, I’ll be there for sure. I’ll be cheering you on from the front row, Jungkook !!” She all but bounced on her feet, looking positively giddy with excitement as she bowed to both of us and literally floated away. 

I waited till she was fully gone before turning on him. 

“There better be another envelope in there with my name on it.” I gritted out. 

Jungkook grinned wide at that, eyes dancing with mirth. 

“In my jacket? Not really. But there’s something much better in my pants with your name on it. Want me to whip it out for you baby?? “

He grabbed the edge of his belt buckle, tugging the leather out of the hoops and I glared at him. 

“You are out of your mind if you think I’m going to be okay with you letting everyone watch you fight but  me. That is just unfair and uncalled for.” I snapped. 

Jungkook was still tugging on his belt, but he paused to give me a look.

“What’s in it for me?” He said softly. 

I frowned.

“What?”

“I’m not going to enter a deal without an equitable pay off....Its obvious that you’re really turned on by the thought of watching me fight . So unless you give me something I’m thirsty for.... I’m not going to indulge you,” He said casually. 

I laughed in disbelief. 

“There is literally nothing I’ve denied you in bed , you're crazy to even suggest -”

“I haven’t fucked your ass yet.” He said casually. 

I could feel myself turning red.

“No.” I hissed. “ Absolutely not.”

“Why the hell not?” He frowned.

“Because it fucking hurts. I’m not going through that again.” I snapped. 

Jungkook groaned like he was in actual pain. 

“Baby, its hardly my fault you’ve never slept with a real man before me, is it? Why should I deprived the pleasure of fucking your ass just because those buffoons didn’t know how to do it right?” Jungkook’s voice was dangerously close to a whine and I resisted the urge to throw something at him. 

“I don’t fucking care...its a no. So drop it. ” 

Jungkook narrowed his eyes. 

“Fine. I’ll drop it. For now.” He muttered and then made a big show of thinking, “ alright fine. How about you let me tie you up.”

I stared at him.

“You literally do that every time we have sex.” I pointed out. 

“And I get to use my toy box.” 

I blinked.

“Your toy box.” I said , confused. He grinned mischievously. 

“You know the one...Big mahogany box  underneath my bed. The first time I showed you, you kind of screamed and called me a monster?” He grinned wide.

i had a brief flashback of an assortment of whips, floggers and gags. 

I shuddered. 

Nope. 

This wasn’t working. 

“How about this.... Either you get me those tickets or you don’t get to fuck me. At all.” I smirked.

Jungkook hummed.

“Why would you punish yourself like that love?” He drawled. “ You can’t live without my dick, the sooner you accept that the easier life is going to get for you.” 

The audacity of this bitch. 

I walked right past him , ready to stalk out,  but his hand shot out, gripping my elbow and pulling me into his embrace.

I struggled against his hold, but he brought both arms around my waist, flexing his muscles so I could feel just how futile it would be to try and break free. 

“Come on baby, walking out in the middle of negotiations...that’s just really poor etiquette. Think of the poor hostage....” He pouted , doe eyes wide and I nearly caved. He had no fucking business being sexy  and  cute. 

I laughed in disbelief.

“Hostage??....are you talking about your fucking ego....?” I stared right up at him , tilting my face when he moved to kiss me. His lips latched on to my jaw instead, tongue licking the skin there gently as he hummed . 

“No...I’m talking about my dick.” He grabbed both my elbows, swinging me around like I weighed nothing, one arm holding me in place as he pressed up against my back, hips rolling so I could feel the hardness of his dick right against the swell of my ass. “ Dude’’s feeling pretty darn trapped right now. Poor thing just wants to get inside you and ruin you baby, why you making it so hard for him...?” 

I elbowed him sharply, vindicated when the sharp edge of it caught something hard and fleshy. Jungkook grunted in discomfort but didn’t let go of me. 

“My little hellcat. “ He bit down on the juncture between my neck and shoulder, “You know why my dick is hard?”

“To match your cold unfeeling heart?” I snapped and he moaned in mock hurt. 

“Not fair baby...I have the kindest heart... Soft heart, hard dick....That’s literally my entire persona.” Jungkook nuzzled my neck .  

I fought the urge to laugh . 

“So why then? Because I’m within ten feet of you? Isn’t that all it takes usually?” I muttered, wincing a bit when his teeth sank in a little deeper.

Jungkook let out a soft chuckle.

“Normally I’d agree but today... I’m so fucking hard because you looked like you wanted to claw Sana’s face off when I gave her those tickets....” 

I flushed.

“Well, I just don’t think I should be the only one not allowed to see you fight.” 

“Or maybe you just hate the idea of any one else getting to touch my dick...because like I said...it’s got your name on it right baby?” Jungkook laughed against my ear and I blushed . 

“I still think its rude that you don’t let me come to your matches.” I grumbled. 

“And why do you think that is, baby? Why do you think I’m so adamant about you not being anywhere near me when I have something important to do...”

I didn’t reply, eyes fluttering shut when he suckled on the skin near my neck. 

“Its because I’ll probably lose..” He growled into my ear, “ Don’t wanna get knocked out in the first round because I was too busy staring at your pretty, pretty face and delicious fucking body... My only distraction, my  favorite  distraction.”

  I felt myself melt like an ice cream cone in the fucking sun. 

“Oh, fuck you....you honey-tongued son of a bitch...” I choked out, unable to fight the wide grin that was taking over my face. 

Jungkook chuckled in victory, hugging me tighter.

“So tell me.... Can I tie you up tonight? Get some of my favorite toys...Want to play in your sandbox....” He leered and I laughed despite myself. How could this man make the most innocent of phrases sound so fucking sexy.... 

“Only if you let me pick the toys.”

Jungkook let go of me and gently turned me around. He was frowning deeply. 

“Babe you don’t even know what their called.” He complained.

“But I can gauge how much damage they’ll do and that’s more important to me.” I pointed out. 

Jungkook gave me a thoughtful smile.

“Hmm....fine... But I get to offer the choices. “ He said softly. 

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Okay, in that case you need to let me see every single drawing you’ve made of me... right now.” I smiled.

Jungkook grinned, already grabbing my wrist and tugging me back to his desk.

“Deal...but I’m gonna need you to sit on my cock and keep it warm while I show them to you..... okay?” 

I glared at him but he was already moving to the wide , comfortable chair behind the desk. He sat on the chair, manspreading and unbuckling himself before wriggling the slacks down past his waist and tugging his boxers down. 

I watched him reach in to pull out his hard cock ,  pumping the hard length of it a couple of times before smiling at me expectantly. 

“Horny bastard.” I muttered under my breath, before letting him maneuver me into his lap, fingers slipping up my skirt and tugging my panties aside , before lining himself up against my center. 

“Ready baby?” He kissed my cheeks fondly and I nodded lowly. He pressed a couple of fingers against my slit, dipping in just enough to make sure I was wet enough. I wasn’t dry per se, but it still stung a bit when he drove himself in with one swift stroke. 

“Oh, fuck...” I groaned when he entered me , the rock hard length of him cleaving my insides and making my tongue go dry. I clenched down on him, thighs beginning to tremble already. I gripped the edge of the table in front of me. 

“Maybe I should call Sana in now.? Huh baby...that’ll show her who this dick belongs to, right , angel?” He whispered against my ear and I moaned, a gush of arousal staining my thighs at his words., Jungkook laughed knowingly, wrapping an arm around my waist to keep me still before rolling his hips gently and settling inside me. 

“So baby, which ones do we start with.... Solo shots? ones with me....? There’s one of me fucking your pretty pink hole, maybe that’ll change your mind about letting me take you in the back...”

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

Author’s Note : I’m stopping here because the next chapter is just like 5k of porn and I wanted it to be a standalone chapter. 

Comments are love , Feedback is really appreciated. Send me your thoughts, ideas or even just scream about how hot Jungkook is....anything works. 

taglist : @veronawrites @aamxxrii  @brooky95

@apollukee

@ladyartemesia

@yoongisdragon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ if you guys wanna be on the taglist just lemme know...

[lea-panthera]

Aaaaaaand here's Part 7!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Chapter 19: Verity

Cat Noir somersaults off a rooftop and lands on the ground on all fours. Scarabella and Carapace land beside him.

"What's the akuma this time?" he asks them, looking at the villain standing before them. 

The akumatized victim is a girl with light green skin and a spiky violet pixie cut. Her irises are magenta, and she wears a ball gown as dark purple as her hair. Her smirking lips are lavender. Her eyes are covered by an elaborate midnight purple mask. A black teardrop is painted right underneath her right eye. Her sparkly purple high heels clack on the ground as she struts about. Thin purple ribbons wind around her arms, and when she points at someone, a ribbon flies out and ties itself around their wrist. 

"She calls herself Rue," Scarabella replies, unlatching her yo-yo from her hip. "Apparently girl's got something she needs to take off her chest."

"Don't we all," Carapace mutters. He eyes the akuma as she shoots a ribbon at a man wearing a flannel shirt. "Are you sure she's even doing anything?"

Cat Noir observes as the man's expression twists with desperation and he starts crying and begging, reaching out towards something invisible to the heroes. "No, she's definitely doing something. Come on." 

Rue points her finger at a young girl, but Cat Noir grabs her and uses his baton to propel them to a nearby park.

"Find a place to hide, okay?" he tells her. "Find a place to hide and don't come out until the akuma's defeated."

The girl nods and runs off. Cat Noir returns to where Scarabella and Carapace are fighting Rue, who's using two long ribbons as whips. 

"Scarabella." The akuma spits out her name with enough venom to kill. "Ladybug's replacement. I wonder," she smirks, " what do you regret?"

" Well, you sure aren't going to find out," Scarabella snarls, using her yo-yo to shred an incoming ribbon to bits. 

“Time to wrap this up!” Cat Noir yells, charging at Rue. He attacks her from behind, throwing a punch at her but missing. She attempts to shoot a ribbon at him, but he dodges it.

“Cataclysm!” Cat Noir shouts, and dark  destructive energy bubbles in his hand. He takes a running leap and does a flip over Rue, his hand pressing the ground briefly as he lands. 

The ground crumbles beneath Rue, and she screams as she falls through to the subway station below. Rubble falls on top of her, trapping her underneath.

Cat Noir jumps down, landing in a crouch. He stalks over to the pile of debris, where Rue’s limp hand sticks out. A fancy amethyst bracelet glitters on her wrist.

Carapace lands beside him. “Well, that was easy. Bet you a hundred euros the akuma’s in her bracelet.”

Cat Noir snorts. “You sound like Kim.”

They smirk at each other, then Cat Noir bends over to break the bracelet. Suddenly, the hand grabs Cat Noir’s wrist, gripping it like a vice. He yelps in pain and surprise.

“Bro, watch out!” Carapace yells, taking a step toward him. 

With an explosive boom that blasts the two heroes back, Rue bursts out of her prison of rubble, purple ribbons floating around her in an almost ethereal way. She hovers in the air for a moment, her magenta eyes glowing dangerously. 

Cat Noir pushes himself off the ground, coughing. A fallen Carapace moans beside him as he struggles to get up. Rue takes the opportunity to shoot purple ribbons at the two. The one meant for Carapace misses, but the other tightly binds itself around Cat Noir's wrist.

Carapace stares at him warily. "Bro?"

Cat Noir looks at him in confusion. "It's not doing anyth-"

"Hello, Cat Noir."

He turns his head so fast it swims. There, standing a few meters to their right, is Ladybug, striding over to them confidently. She looks gorgeous, her blue-black hair shining iridescently in the lights of the underground subway and a healthy flush heating up the skin beneath her freckles. Her bluebell eyes sparkle as she gazes upon her partner, who stumbles toward her, eyes wide.

"My lady?" He murmurs in shock, ignoring Carapace's confused yells for him. He reaches out to touch her cheek-

"I need your miraculous."

Cat Noir freezes. "W-what?" He feels Carapace tug on his arm and shrugs him off, staring numbly at Ladybug.

"I need your miraculous, Cat Noir."

"But…w-why?" he rasps, broken.

Ladybug's expression takes on a dreamy light. "I've found a new partner, kitty. He's…he's perfect."

The sounds of the battle behind them are deafening, but Cat Noir pays them no mind as blood roars in his ears. Isn't this what he's always dreaded? The day that Ladybug found a better partner than him, the day that she left him, the day that he no longer meant anything to her…

"I know it hurts to hear this, kitty," Ladybug goes on, her eyes softening with pity. "But it's for the good of Paris. We can't afford to lose because of your mistakes."

"M-my lady, please… please give me another chance…"

Ladybug's expression hardens. " A chance? I've forgiven you plenty of times. You always cared for your own feelings, but never mine. Did you ever consider the fact that maybe I was in love with someone else whenever you flirted with me? No! And then whenever I rejected you, you became all moody and upset and barely helped the matter at hand. Have you forgotten Frozer? The first time we fought Glaciator?"

She stalks toward him, arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes flash angrily. "And how about the time you gave up your miraculous and I had to fight Kuro Neko with someone else, hmm? How come you were fine with me working with someone else then but not now? Not to mention the fact that you barely come to akuma attacks anymore. Just because I'm the Guardian now doesn't make it my responsibility to make sure you arrive to the fight! And yet, you act as if it's my fault! You yell at me about having too many secrets, but have you considered that maybe I'm trying to protect you? No! I just get yelled at and I have to deal with you being moody and I'm sick of it!"

Each word she says is a blow to his battered heart. He can't believe this is happening. 

Ladybug looks at him coldly and holds out her hand. "The miraculous, Cat No-"

A swarm of magical ladybugs surrounds her. When it leaves, Ladybug is no longer there. Barely a moment passes before Carapace tackles Cat Noir from behind.

"DUDE!" Carapace turns his friend around to face him and grabs his shoulders. "What happened? Are you okay? You were-"

Cat Noir pulls him into a bone-crushing hug and lets out a quiet sob into the crook of his neck. His ring beeps, but he ignores it.

"Babe, we’ll meet back at your place, okay?" Carapace calls to Scarabella, who's comforting the akuma victim. She nods, and he turns back to Cat Noir, patting the desolate hero’s head consolingly. "We need to get you out of here before you detransform, dude."

Cat Noir sniffs and nods, pulling back and wiping his nose. Carapace grabs his hand and leads him out of the subway station. Brushing aside the crowd of reporters that accosts them at the exit, he leads the way up to the rooftops and back to Alya’s room. Cat Noir detransforms into Adrien just as they clear the windowsill. Carapace detransforms into Nino a moment later and immediately hugs him as their kwamis watch on. Adrien melts into his best friend’s embrace, crying silently.

“I heard you calling out for your lady,” Nino murmurs. “It showed you Ladybug, didn’t it?”

Adrien nods. “She…she told me she found a new partner,” he said thickly. “She told me to give her my miraculous.”

Plagg flies up to him and tucks himself into the crook of Adrien’s neck, purring loudly.

Scarabella flies in through the window and lands neatly on the carpet. A pink glow fills the room, and then Alya’s rushing towards Adrien and wrapping him up in a bear hug.

“Oh, Adrien, I’m so sorry,” she whispers.

Adrien gratefully returns the hug, and when they pull apart, he smiles at them tearfully. “Thanks, guys.”

“This is all your holder’s fault!”

The trio startle and turn to see Plagg hovering in the air and glaring at a somber Tikki.

“If Pigtails hadn’t been neglecting my kitten ever since she became guardian, we wouldn’t be having this problem! She’s been bringing in new heroes and completely ignoring Cat Noir, as if her constant rejections haven’t already hurt him enough!”

Tikki frowns. “Marinette’s feelings are her own. You can’t fault her for them.”

“That’s not the point!”

By then, the other kwamis have come out of the Miracle Box to see what the ruckus is about.

“If Ladybug hadn't been neglecting Cat Noir, we wouldn't be having this problem, would we? Adrien's greatest fear shouldn't be his partner not needing him! At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she told him she hated him outright!"

"Marinette wouldn't do that!" Alya exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning. She throws her arm around a lost Adrien's shoulders. "Mari cares so much for Adrien, both in and out of the suit."

"The guardian worries for his safety constantly," Wayzz adds.

"See?" Alya gestures toward Wayzz. "She cares!"

Plagg rolls his eyes. "Odd way of showing it." He turns his back on them. "My kitten's been neglected by his father enough. He doesn't need the love of his life doing it, too."

Sass floats forward, studying Plagg with shrewd eyes. "Your concern for Mister Noir is admirable, but you should also consider the guardian's position, Plagg," the snake kwami rebukes softly.

"She's the second youngest guardian we've ever had," Mullo adds. "And she wasn't even given any official training."

"She's under much stress," Longg says, nodding. "Being a hardworking student, diligent friend, fierce superhero, and now a all-time guardian of the Miracle Box has been taking a large toll on our guardian." His face twists. "Not to mention…"

"The topic that Marinette will tell them when she's ready," Tikki interrupts, shooting the other kwamis a warning look. She turns to Adrien. "But I want to know what you think, Adrien. How have you been feeling about…everything?"

Plagg whirls around and flies toward his partner. He opens his mouth to speak, but Tikki slaps a paw over his mouth and gives an exasperated but affectionate look.

"I get it, Plagg," she says. "You've already given us the rundown of what you know. But I want to hear it from Adrien."

Everyone looks to the boy in question and he gulps. No one's asked him that before. He's always been the mannequin controlled by his father. Always perfect. Never once has his emotions mattered. And while he was sure his classmates wouldn't mind hearing about how he really felt, he just didn't feel comfortable talking about it with them.

Only with Nino, and sometimes Alya.

And Marinette.

Nino places a hand on Adrien's shoulder, and he realizes that he's been staring off into space for a while. 

"It's okay, dude," Nino says softly. "You can talk to us."

"Um, okay," Adrien replies. He takes a deep breath. "I…Sometimes I think…that…Ladybug doesn’t trust me as much as she used to. Sure, she kept secrets before, but that was because they weren’t her secrets: they were Master Fu’s. But now they’re hers, and she still chooses not to share them with me. And it’s not like I just want to know for the fun of it.”

He gestures helplessly at Alya. “What if we need to upgrade our powers? What if we run out of powerup potions? Sure, we have the grimoire, but we would need Marinette’s expertise with decoding the instructions. And it’s not just about the miraculouses. I always make it known to Ladybug that she can lean on me for emotional support, yet she's been pushing me away. And it hurts."

"Don't get me wrong," he continues, "I love her. Seeing her used to be the highlight of my day. But…I just wish she was more open with Cat Noir."

Adrien walks over to the mirror on Alya’s vanity and looks sadly at his reflection. “Before, it was just us. Me and her against the world. We were partners, and I was always by her side. Sure, there were times when I doubted myself, and whether she cared about me, but she always assured me through her actions that I meant something to her. Whether it be just a concerned glance, or a brief hug…she always did something to make me feel better. But now, after she became guardian, I…I don’t know where I stand. Am I still her partner? Or am I just another holder? She doesn’t need me during battles anymore. She’s always calling upon someone else. Her assurances that I’m still her partner feel empty now. I get it. She wasn’t in love with Cat Noir. But I’ve always hoped that we were more than just partners. I’ve always hoped that I was more than just a partner to her.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Tikki turns to the others. “I’d like to speak to Adrien privately, please.”

The rest of the kwamis file back into the Miracle Box. Plagg stubbornly sits atop Alya’s computer and refuses to move, but Tikki doesn’t react. 

Alya puts a hand on Nino’s shoulder. “We’ll be in the kitchen,” she tells Adrien, and then they leave.

There’s another moment of silence, and then Tikki cautiously lands on Adrien’s shoulder and begins to speak. 

“Marinette never wanted to be a hero. She never wanted any of this. All she wanted was to be a fashion designer, maybe a baker, and do some good in the world.”

The kwami looks away. “When Master Fu gave her the Ladybug Miraculous, it was because he saw a certain flame inside her. He saw the potential to become someone greater and better than the person she already was. But what he forgot to consider was the very thing that was already preventing Marinette from reaching that potential on her own: her insecurity. Even now, she has social anxiety, and she always overthinks her actions.”

Adrien chuckles softly. “Yeah, I’ve seen her do that before.”

Tikki smiles, but then her expression falls. “She tried to quit at the beginning, you know. And she nearly succeeded.”

Adrien’s breath hitches. “What?”

The red kwami fiddles with her tiny hands. "After her initial mistake with Stoneheart, she decided that she was incapable of being a hero. She renounced me, and then tried to slip the miraculous in Alya's bag."

She floats up and looks at Adrien. "But do you know why she came back? Why she chose to remain a hero?"

Adrien shook his head. 

Tikki places a small hand on the tip of his nose. "Because of you, Adrien. You brought her back. When she was discouraged and ready to quit, you inspired her and encouraged her to continue. Don't sell yourself short, because you are the reason there's Ladybug, and Marinette knows this, too."

Plagg snorts derisively. "Then why hasn't she been calling upon Cat Noir more, hmm?"

"Was it ever her responsibility to call upon him? He always came on his own until recently," Tikki gently rebukes. She turns back to Adrien. "She may be hiding secrets from you, but she cares. I know she hasn't been very obvious about it lately, and I do believe a conversation between you two is long due, but trust me: she's doing what she thinks is best for you. She might have been wrong about some things, but they're human mistakes."

Adrien gives her a small smile. "Thanks, Tikki."

"Anytime," the kwami replies, and then says sternly, "and you should've known that Marinette wouldn't just throw all your mistakes in your face like that! Who do you think she is? Chloé?"

The boy chuckles. "Yeah, I should've known." He brings Tikki to his cheek and lets her nuzzle him while he reaches out and scratches behind Plagg's ears. "And thank you, Plagg, for always being on my side."

The small cat kwami purrs, but then dodge the hand and hovers in the air. "Okay, okay, enough emotions. Where's my camembert?"

Adrien laughs. "Come on, Plagg, let's head to the kitchen and get you some cheese."

He opens the door and leaves the room, the two kwamis following him close behind.

-End part 7

[jamiedc-they-them]

Legacies and the people behind them (Platonic)

Requested Imagine: A trip to the future brings Daisy into the face of her future.

You liked the bar. Despite having never been in one, it was an escape. And, being friends with Deke meant you could spend as long as you wanted in it. That, for you, was all the time you could when not working and surviving.

This, though, this was living.

“Enjoying yourself?” Your friend asked, coming in and sitting next to you, ordering himself a drink.

You rose your eyebrows, letting out a scoff as you did so, “As much as I can, D. As much as I can.” You answered, taking a sip of your whisky. It was strong. It did the job it needed to.

“Was wondering where you went off to.” He admitted.

“Yeah, well. People talk, D. People talk and I don’t like it when they do. I mean,” You gestured around the area you were in, “You got this as your legacy, as your offering to what we have left of the world. Meanwhile I’m stuck with the fucker who broke it.” You vented, getting up and drunkly walking around the faux bar. You had a nice view of the broken earth though.

A view of your legacy to live up to.

“Hey,” He said, drawing your attention to him, “Nanna and Bobo were great, really. But, I’m living my life and remembering them. You have your life too, Y/N. You can’t just live someone else’s. What she did – well, it does matter as it’s what brought us here; but, that’s not you.” He comforted, walking over and handing you the drink you were having.

He then sighed, “Listen, I need to go great some new friends. So, I’ll be back, ok?” He said. You just nodded, staring into the void of space and the shattered planet.

 When Deke returned, you were passed out, head rolled back on the chair and light snores leaving you. He smiled a bit at it, at least you were resting.

“Where is it? Did you throw out the old papers?” Deke asked Rick, the bartender.

“Yeah, it was a mess.”

“Stop doing that. You’re always cleaning.” Deke complained, opening up the paper.

“Yeah, you programmed me to.” That one got to Deke.

“Really? Because I don’t remember programming you to talk back to me,” Rick tilted his head, “It was a joke, because I – I did program you to talk…Just, will you find the papers, please?” As Rick left to do so, Deke greeted the new comer, “Might as well pull up a stool and have a beer.”

Daisy scoffed, “Clearly, you’re a talented pusher, but I will pass, thanks.” She said, going up to him but not pulling up a stool.

“It’s probably for the best because I have no idea what actual beer tasted like. Well, my friend over there seems to have a grasp on it, but…” He drifted off, knocking his head in your direction.

Daisy followed it, “Who are they?”

“Y/N. Got the weight of the world on their shoulders if you ask me,” He scoffed in laughter and shook his head, “Classic.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Daisy pushed.

“It’s an inside joke we’ve got. Doesn’t matter. They only get it when they’re in one of their good moods. But, good kid, still.” He said.

“Want to tell me where I am?” Daisy seemed to not be stopping with the questions.

“You’re passed out at my place of business. You got too close to my transmitters when you were stalking me. You remind me of Y/N in that regard.” He explained.

“So, this is your racket? You’re – you’re pimping out the framework?” That got Deke’s attention.

“I never called it that, but yeah. That’s the technology the hardware is based on,” He then folded up the news paper, “I—I had to rebuild the software from scratch because Kasius had the historical archives erased. But I was able to get my hands on the servers. I gathered bits of date here and there, and…the rest is guesswork.” Deke said. They heard a chair scrap, it was you nearly falling off the chair but you caught yourself.

“But your customers don’t know the difference. You’ve got ‘em addicted to Earth-as-it-was scenarios.” Daisy argued.

“Among other simulations, yes.”

“So, this is the business that you’re protecting? Your creepy opium den of fantasy?”

“Well, I can’t get real opium, so…I’m selling escape. The other way out of here is the final exit.” Deke started to get up.

“They’re trading one prison for another.”

Deke rose his eyebrows, “You think the lighthouse is a prison? Sweetheart…prison would be nice.”

 You tried to ignore the conversation going on. You wanted to anyway, you were drunk and would probably have a killer hangover. So, you did what you could to block it out.

“The Kree have her. You can’t help her. To try is too dangerous.” Deke argued.

“You said the same thing about Mack and Yo-Yo. How’d that turn out?” Daisy challenged.

“A catastrophe! This entire place is a very delicate ecosystem, and you all just keep taking a leak in the water left and right!”

“You’re worried we’ll mess this up or we’ll mess this up for you? I mean, do the Kree even know about this operation? Because –”

“Of course they know about it. They’re crazy about it, because I’m – I’m improving people’s lives. I’m giving them something other than just hour after hour of endless grind.” Deke said, walking away for a moment and seeing you again looking at the wall where the view had been.

“They condone it because it keeps them placid. I have seen the framework in action before. Pretend that wishes are coming true so the real hope dies.”

“Hope only gets you killed,” Daisy looked to you as you finally spoke, “At least here you can be something other than a slave.”

“You’re making them forget reality, so they don’t try –” They started speaking over each other at this point. About whether or not waves should be made or if the reality your friend had built was bad.

“No, the boat sank! Do you understand that? We are a breath away from extinction. We make one wrong move, and in a blink, mankind is gone for good,” The TV then came on about a SHIELD agent; Daisy Johnson.

“Deke –” You said, going to grab the remote when Deke grabbed it first.

“Wait – wait. That’s it. That’s what I’m looking for. That!” You looked from the screen to her as well. Your eyes wide.

“Holy shit.” You breathed out, backing away from your grandmother.

“Y/N…” Deke wasn’t even sure on what to say.

“Thanks Deke. But – I uh….I have to – to go.” You said, starting to walk off.

 Your heart was thumping in your ears, your breath picking up.

Holy shit, she was here. The woman that caused this was here.

“Y/N. Y/N, hey.” Deke said, running up to you in worry as you leaned against the wall, hands on your knees.

“Deke….” You couldn’t fully say it.

“I know. I know. Is it – is it bad?” He asked. You nodded.

“Ok, alright. Dammit. We – we need something to –” At that moment, Daisy walked back into your room. She shut the door to try and give you guys some privacy.

“What’s wrong with them?” Daisy asked, a little on edge.

“I’m sorry about this.” Deke meant those words.

“What?” Daisy wasn’t even prepared as a small blast knocked her back into the wall. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

She blinked, coughing at the impact. Then, it finally hit her on what had hit her.

She saw your hand in a pose she had done so many times.

You lowered it, having a better feeling now.  

Daisy couldn’t speak, so you did it for her, “You’re not meant to be here. You are meant to be back there…I’ll get you back; you and your friends. It’ll do some good. Maybe I can where you didn’t.”

Deke looked between you both, knowing how complicated this would be.

“Oh boy.” He sighed.

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Deke leant on one side, you on another. You both kept an eye out or any threats to deal with as Daisy went to look for her family.

“So, this is weird.” Deke said, trying to pass the time and check in on you.

You nodded, “Sure is,” You then looked to him with a smile, “Tess will not believe this.”

He chuckled, “Flint might, though.”

You nodded, thinking about the little rascal.

Daisy then appeared, quickly walking and with no one else in sight, “Where are they? We were supposed to meet up at the Exchange. Something’s wrong.” She said as you both started to follow her.

“Or maybe they finally took my advice to evaporate into this place.” You hit Deke on the arm.

“Deke.” You hissed.

“They were looking for a way to find Simmons. I got to track them down.” Daisy said.

“Grandaunt Jemma?” You asked, unable to hide a hint of excitement at it.

Daisy looked to you for a moment, “Yeah, her.” She answered, still in a rush to save said woman.

“So you said,” Deke grabbed Daisy and stopped her in her tracks, “Don’t you think you’re kind of deflecting from what I told you about…and what you’ve just found out…” He mimicked an explosion before pointing to you.

“I’m not deflecting because I didn’t do it.” She continued to walk.

“It wasn’t me who did it. That only leaves you. Now, I get that this is a lot and –”

“Yeah, that’s what deflecting is.” Deke and you spoke over each other.

“How could I split the world apart? My powers aren’t that strong. I’m not that strong.” You were keeping your voices low.

“Maybe not yet, but you will be.” Deke warned.

“And how do you know that?” Daisy questioned.

“Because planet earth went from smooth to chunky, and Quake is the one who did it.”

“And you don’t think I’d remember that?”

“No, I think it took you out too.” It was morbid, but you were probably right.

“Well, not according to the multiverse theory,” Daisy stopped, and Eke thought that meant to further explain, “You probably haven’t heard of it, but in quantum physics, there’s a theory that, for every universe, there are infinite parallel universes. So in my universe, you destroyed the planet. Maybe that just happened in –” Daisy slapped him before he could continue.

“So what universe did that just happen in? Mine or yours?” Daisy heard your snicker as she then looked to you, “You get any of that?”

You shook your head as you tried to hide your smile, “ He’s tried many-a-time to explain it. Still goes through one ear and out another.” Daisy nodded, but she was glad that she wasn’t alone in that.

Deke and you spotted something, a man bandaging himself.

Deke went off, leaving you and Daisy behind. She looked at you, and definitely saw the similarities between you both; the look in your eyes, the way you did your hair even if a shorter length, the way you stood tough but had a vulnerability in your eyes.

Yeah, you were a Johnson alright.

Deke returned, “Talk to me.”

“There’s been a Renewal.” He said.

“Shit.” You cursed.

“A what?” Daisy asked, looking between you both.

“Three people are dead.” Now it was Daisy’s turn to – silently – curse and worry, “Just hold your freak-out. It wasn’t your friends, ok? They’re probably just hiding, which is what I advised them to do from the get go.” Daisy stopped him rambling.

“Ok, ok. So where would they be hiding?”

“I don’t know, they’re your friends.” Deke pointed out.

“And this is your guys’ home, where you know everyone and everything that’s in here.” Daisy countered with.  

Deke looked at you as he sighed, “One of the vacancies came from Grill’s salvage. That means there’s an opening. He might take in strays. I’d start there.”

“You got all that from the shoe guy?”

“Well, shoe guy knows all.”

“Guess I should’ve asked him in the first place.” Daisy started to leave to try find the others. And you followed, “What are you doing?” She asked, seeing your progression towards her.

“Showing you the way.” Was all you said, doing just that.

 “How’s this possible?” Daisy asked as you led her the way.

“How’s what possible? You being here or me existing?” You asked, checking your six.

“Both.” She said.

“I never met you, because of….you know. In terms of how am I here? No idea. I never met my parents, I could only go off of what people told me about you. Most negative with…you know. But, Deke showed me some news reels of you. You just… You seemed like a good person. I try to be that as much as I can be.” You said, not wanting to go into some of the things you had to do to survive.

“I’m sorry.” She said, allowing her tough exterior to melt for a moment; she’d been there before – well, not everything that had been mentioned, but in the broad strokes.

“It’s not your fault. You were trying to do some good, and it backfired,” You stopped, putting a hand up to stop her as well, “Besides, you’re here now, maybe if I can get you out, we can make it right.”

She saw a light in your eyes, one that she still got even now – but when she used to have a lot more when she younger.

Despite herself, she smiled at it.

Deke tried one more time to stop you both, but Daisy quaked him back. It was a lot more controlled than yours. Still, she pulled you into the elevator.

She was loyal to her friends, and she knew you were too. So, she offered you that chance to come, and you took it.

You entered what Daisy described as a “Weed farm.”

“Stay close, blend in.” She said. You both made your way through, pretending to check on the plants whenever someone was about to clock you both.

You made to the elevator, but Daisy heard footsteps coming before you did. She got onto the ceiling, “Here.” She said, offering you a hand. She made room for you to stay up there with her as well.

You felt yourself start to slip; and just as Daisy went to help, you managed to save yourself. You missed it, but she looked a bit proud at it.

She dropped down first, taking care of the Kree. There was one left, and you dropped down, punching him and grabbing his rifle, spinning him where Daisy finished him off.

“Good job.”

 You made it down, and you were going to save your Grandaunt, when two glass doors appeared, and gas entered the room. You both couldn’t help but cough at it. You fell first, then Daisy. Looking up, you both saw Deke.

He’d sold you out.

You knew what that meant. You were going to be sold off to fight.

Deke had once told you his grandparents and parents were good people. Seemed his shattered that legacy.

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Before you woke, you felt someone shaking you, calling your name. It continued. Whoever it was, they were persistent. You saw the earth in your dream, itself in it’s prime. You saw Daisy being heralded as a hero.

Then you saw the earth shatter.

You opened your eyes with a gasp, and found yourself strapped to a chair. Daisy, however, let out a breath of relief.

“Well, seems you both have been acquainted. Two Johnson’s both as my prisoner. How…exquisite.” Kasius mused as he circled you both.

Daisy got the madman to not look at you and instead put his attention on her. For her, though, it was torturous, to have a man threaten her sister plainly in front of all in the room. She knew she would not break, but she knew that for Jemma or anyone in her family she’d do anything.

Her eyes flickered to you; and she saw someone trying to stay strong for sake of a fucking name, but someone who was scared deep down. She knew you were part of that family now.

So, you were both meant to fight, together it seemed. So, she knew what she had to do.

Keep you alive and get you out too.

She saw how you constantly tried to get a grip on the Quake ability, only or it to blow up and cause you pain. She saw how it was what you relied on. She saw how you could fight, but not for very long without that ability.

She got why, it was something that could help.

More than that, it was her knowing you as you. Not as a Johnson, but as a person.

She met Ben, another Inhuman, and the two watched you get launched again to the floor after not controlling your ability. She was sure you were going to get an Inhibitor chip soon, same as she had one.

There went your advantage.

“What’s their story?” Ben asked.

“That’s Y/N…my granddaughter,” Ben just took it in stride, “They seem to get the best and worst bits from me.”

“Any idea who the other half is?” Ben asked.

Daisy shook her head, “No idea. From who I’ve been with, they always seem to leave, die, or turn out to be a major asshole.”

Ben nodded, “And you don’t want that for them?” He asked, then she looked to him, “Telepathic, remember?”

“…Right. That.” She excused herself when she heard you cry out and saw the chip on your neck.

She put a hand on your shoulder as you blinked and tried to repress the pain, “Sucks, yeah?” She said, hoping the levity would help distract you from it.

You rolled your neck a bit as you blinked more, “Oh yeah. I’d say I’ve had worse, but that’d be a lie.” She couldn’t help the scoff of laughter that let her at your words. She was sure they were true. But, that had always been her way, laugh through pain and uncomfortable situations.

This definitely was one of those.

You were all lined up, seeing the people who would soon buy you all talking about it as if it was casual.

Then again, it was to them.

Well, all but one. One that you saw and couldn’t help your eyes widening when you saw him.

“Is that –” Daisy knew what you were going to ask.

“Your granduncle Fitz…” She seemed to not believe it herself. You saw how it hit her; having her brother figure. He was a live, and he was here.

Then it was time for the fight. Now, she had no idea how you were in a fight. But, if she had to guess, scrappy. Just like she was.

Now, it was focused, filled with flips and what not. Still, she saw you try and hide your fear.

It hit her then just how well she had been trained to do that. How much she’d almost become May in this instance; how the woman who was like a robot was now how Daisy was becoming emotionally.

“Hey,” You looked to her, “We got this. We’ll get my friends out, we’ll be ok.” She didn’t fully believe those words, but she saw how you let out a breath and gave her a thankful look; a moment of vulnerability for you.

Then, you both entered the ring. A double match, two combatants.

Shit.

As said before, Daisy could fight well. But, you knew that your Granduncle and Grandaunt were watching. You knew they were worried. You knew that it was all on the line. You had no powers, and you could barely fight with any finesse.

Not like Daisy was doing much better, being flung around the room. Still, she was doing better than you.

You hit the wall for like the umpteenth time. You had your powers, seeing Daisy lift herself up. You went to use yours, but your opponent grabbed your arm and aimed it at the floor. Your power still went off, and you went up in the air at can awkward angle. However, the guy still held your other arm, and used that momentum to slam you on the ground.

Your breath had left you, and you were sure this was it. But then you heard a pistol go off, and more voices.

You felt someone pick you up, and you were going in and out of consciousness.

When you fully came back, you felt a pair of fingers going through your hair. Your eyes opened, and you saw Daisy looking at you. She smiled when she saw you were still with them.

“Hey.” She said, in a soft tone of voice.

“Hey.” You said, before you groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing the back of your head.

“Yeah, we’ll have Simmons look at that when we get out of here.” Daisy promised, “You did good.”

“I got my ass kicked even with my powers.” You argued.

“Doesn’t matter. You put up a fight and had your own style to it. Besides, so did I.”

She admitted it. Holy shit, you did not expect that. You did not expect the great Daisy Johnson to lose in a fight; you didn’t expect the great Daisy Johnson to admit it.

And yet, she had; to you.

She was just human – well, Inhuman. But, she was still the same as you.

“Fitzsimmons still with us?” Daisy nodded, nudging her head back.

You looked back; you were in one of the rooms they would give those more prosperous, but you saw the pair embracing one another. They pulled away and looked at you; both giving you a smile.

“You must be Y/N. I’m Jemma.” She said, going over and shaking your hand. Next was Fitz.

“Sorry --- I…just a little starstruck is all.” You let out a nervous giggle at your words.

Jemma’s smile turned understanding, “Yes, I’m sure this is a little disorientating. But, once we get to a safter place, I’m sure we can have a lot of time to get to know you?” She saw how you looked elated at the idea. How a childlike side to you opened all of a sudden.

You nodded, eagerly, “Yeah – yeah, that’d be great.” You said, bright smile on your face. You then addressed the whole room, “I can get us out. I know this place. I know shortcuts and what not.”

The three shared a look, and then looked back at you, and nodded.

You gave a nod that held more confidence to it. You were going to help your family out of this.

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Daisy was back on her feet, and she saw how there was a spark in you now as you led them through the hallways and into a room with a view of a ship Fitz had been brought in. For a moment, you were at ease, you could get out.

That ship was then blown up right in front of your eyes. Well, shit.

Still, you had places to go.

You led them to a life support room, with some pipes along the ceiling that Daisy and Jemma found had a diverse range of hot and cold.

You found a hatch that you and Fitz opened, and it revealed something that made them afraid. Gravitonium. And it was powering this whole thing.

“Bad thing?” You asked, looking to Daisy.

She didn’t look at you as she both nodded and spoke, “Yeah. Very bad.” She said.

You were all met with a quick splash of bullets, one of them catching Fitz as Daisy pushed you to the ground. She took cover, quickly darting and getting the new guy chasing you to shoot a pipe, blinding him momentarily and giving Daisy time to dart in and disable him.

You covered Jemma as she moved Fitz out of the room, and waited for Daisy to catch up with you. She gave you a pat as she passed you, “Keep going, kiddo.”

You guys did, and Jemma had put Fitz on the floor. As you went to check on him, you saw a figure in the dark.

You saw an all too familiar helmet in the dark.

You were the first there, grabbing him and slamming him into the wall. He grunted, and you could tell his eyes were wide behind the helmet.

“Glad I brought the helmet.” He said, trying to cover up that fear.

You ripped it off, dropping it on the ground. You saw his face, your friend turned traitor.

You socked him right in the face.

“Alright, guess I deserved that one.” He admitted, rubbing his jaw.

“You don’t talk to them.” Daisy sneered, before asking him if he was coming for the bounty.

He wasn’t, as it turned out. He’d lost everything, and seemed to want to be team SHIELD. He explained to Daisy how he knew she wanted to get to Jemma, and how you wanted to be with your grandmother. You wanted to get to know her.

He wasn’t wrong, but you were still pissed at him.

He knew that, and didn’t meet your gaze as you guys went to reunite with the rest of the family.

As you approached the door, however, you paused. Daisy came back out when she realised you hadn’t gone inside.

You were leant up against the wall, hands on your knees, “Hey. Hey, what’s wrong?” Daisy asked, crouching down to your level.

“I – I just…that’s all of them?”

She nodded, before it clicked in her mind, “Hey,” She said softly, putting finger under your chin and lifting your head up to face her, “I’ll be right here, ok? You aren’t me, and that’s ok with the social thing. But, they’re gonna love you, and I’m right here.” She felt like she had to remind you again that she was right there.

You entered, with her behind you. The others looked to you.

“Hi – uh, I’m Y/N.” You greeted, a bit self conscious. However, you then spotted Flint, “Holy shit.” You breathed out, embracing your friend. It helped that he was here.

“Y/N,” You turned to the one and only, Phil Coulson, “I’m –”

“Phil Coulson. Hi.” Your voice was timid, but you then cleared your throat and repeated it. His smile didn’t change however, he didn’t seem to mind how you were opposite to Daisy in some ways.

He accepted it. And so were you, slowly.

Then the bangs from your chasers came at the door. Flint had moved the rocks to create a barrier to buy time, but there was only so much he could do.

However, if there was one thing you didn’t lose as a Johnson, it was a calculating look in your eye as you came up with a plan. Hell, you even bit your lip.

“What you planning, Y/NN?” You felt a bit of pride at the nickname.

You whistled, gaining Dekes attention, “Belt buckle.” You only said. He threw it to you, “This is a start.” You told him, and you clocked the thankful smile he shot your way.

The others followed your movements to a shaft that had been cleared by Flint, “We can get up there with this.” You said, waving the object you had.

Fitzsimmons explained what it did. You didn’t know the science of it, you just knew it would work.

All up, you thought this would be goodbye. You had gotten them up and out.

However –

“Y/N.” Daisy called after you. You turned to her, “You can come with, if you want?”

Your eyes lit up again, “Really?”

“Of course, you’re family. Besides, be good to have a guide to this world to help us.”

“You got Deke, though?”

“Yeah, but he’s not you.”

You softened a bit at the words. She wanted you there. Then again, you weren’t just her legacy now.

You were her friend.

“Ok, you said.”

[ginnieontherocks]

Heart of a Killer - Chapter 1 (RDR2 ArthurxOC)

(Author Note: I DO NOT own the RDR2 characters or the story line from the franchise. I only own my original characters & the original content that will merge along since it does run along with the in game story. Please respect my work & do not steal it. I have also posted this to AO3 for those interested!)

Genevieve ' Gin on the Rocks ' Holland was not your average outlaw. She had a reputation for enjoying the thrill of the kill - a confirmed 37 kills, actual kills were still unknown by 1899. Getting out of Sisika Penitentiary, Genevieve gets wind that the notorious Van der Linde gang failed at a ferry boat job in Blackwater led to them being on the run after the gang massacred nearly the entire city. Follow Genevieve on her adventures of love, laughter, death, and massacre.

~~~

Siskika Penitentiary - Spring 1899

“Jackson! Officer Jackson, move those prisoners.” A voice-directed from above, standing in a watchtower. “Officer Benton, kitchens needing staff.”

“Officer Townsend, those rocks ain’t gonna break themselves.”

“What are you standing for? Get moving!” Guards pass through the group of prisoners, Evans Repeaters in hand, just in case any of the prisoners decide to make a threatening move while they work on breaking rocks. A higher-up official of Sisika Penitentiary walked towards a specific group of prisoners, looking them over to choose who will go to Valentine to work.

“You. You with the hammer-” he looked over to a raven-haired woman. “-and you, you’ll do.” Jenkins walked over to the back of a prisoner wagon and opened the back, the rusty door opened with a loud creak. “ We need to perform a work detail out in Valentine. Come on, get in.”

Fellow officers started to herd Jenkins' chosen prisoners into the back of the steel-barred wagon. “Open the gate!” He called. “Come on Milliken.” A younger, dirty blonde officer lightly jogged around the wagon and climbed up beside his higher up. Jenkins whipped the reins and the pair of draft horses pulled out of the central building of Sisika. The group started to make their way through Saint Denis. It was about noon when the officers and prisoners were in the middle of The Heartlands - open wide territory with lush green grass covering the hills, the sound of birds chirping at one another as they started to head towards Twin Stack Pass.

“You know, my wife has acquired ideas significantly above her station. She’s been reading too many god damn books.” Jenkins spoke to anyone who would listen. Genevieve rolled her eyes. If her eyes could roll out of her head, they would’ve fallen out back in Lagras. “I’m personally against education-” Jenkins paused when he caught a glimpse of Millikin looking at him. “- of women I mean and men, I guess. Unnecessary. Doesn’t add much to the world, education.”

Walking along the Dakota River, Jenkins and Millikin rounded a corner and were greeted with a broken down stagecoach wagon blocking their path that reached Valentine.

“Good day gentlemen.” A woman called as she sat on the steps of the broken-down wagon.

“Whoa…” Jenkins spoke to the horses and brought the wagon to a stop, a few feet in front of the blockade. Millikin slowly brought his weapon up a bit for protection. The opposing woman smirked as one woman stepped out from behind the wagon and another stood from inside the wagon, gun pointing out from above the other brunette’s head and had the Sisika guards in her crosshairs.

“Don’t do anything stupid, nobody gets shot.” The brunette stood up from the wagon. “Act like fools and the pair of you will be dead in a minute.” The trio stalked towards the wagon. Neither one of the three was threatened by the guards. “What are your names?”

“Jenkins…and Millikin.”

“Well Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Millikin throw your guns to the ground and get down here,” she ordered as her backup went to both sides, shotguns pointed closely to Jenkins and Millikin. Both officers tossed their guns to the ground as directed. “I’m very glad to meet you. It’s not worth being rash. You boys get paid a salary,” the prisoners tried to catch a glimpse of what was happening in the front of the wagon, though it was a bit hard with the driver's seat blocking most of the direct view. Genevieve’s eyes widened a bit as the voice continued to speak.

It can’t be…

“You boys get paid a salary. You get that salary whether these prisoners escape or not. Your wives presumably want you alive?” The leader stepped closer and closer to Jenkins, intimidating him to take a step back out of fear. “Let them out. Now, please.”

“Okay! Okay!” Jenkins spoke as his hands were raised, showing he was not hiding anything from the gang in front of him. Stepping back with the gang following his steps, Millikin was already a step ahead as he unlocked the wagon’s doors. The prisoners watched in amazement, their hands up as well - out of fear more than anything - as the brunette had taken the keys from Millikin and tossed them to one of the prisoners.

“You all run away now.” The leader stared at Genevieve. “Aside from you.”

The prisoners had taken turns unlocking their ankle cuffs and exiting the wagon as the leader watched them one by one exiting the wagon. “Try to stay out of trouble. This is a stroke of good fortune for all of you. Use it. Now,” she turned back to the guards. “Mr. Jenkins. Mr. Millikin. Be so kind as to quickly run away. Before someone gets shot entirely unnecessarily. Go on! Don’t look back!” The orders barked and both officers hightailed it, not looking back. There was no way this was going to be easy to explain to their higher-ups; how they were ‘robbed’ essentially on their way to Valentine. Once the gang knew that both guards and the prisoners were well out of sight, they turned and looked back at the last prisoner remaining.

“You girls really ain't had to come save me.”

“Ginnie!” Gathering in a group hug, the girls relished at the moment.

“It hadn’t been the same since you got caught.” A brunette with green eyes named Clara spoke. “6 months..”

“I know,” Genevieve spoke, pulling away from the group and wiping the tears off the younger woman. “6 months of hell I endured but…I’d do it all again if it meant keeping you girls and the rest of the gang safe.”

“Ginnie-”

“How is everyone, Lily?” Genevieve looked at her right hand who got her out of the prison wagon. Lily looked her friend in the eyes. “They’re well, boss. We moved the group up a bit Northwest from Armadillo, a nice spot on the edge of Tall Trees.”

“Skinners?”

“We haven’t seen any, but they come and go as they please it seems,” Lily watched as Annie, a spitfire redhead, handed Genevieve her old gun belt to put on. “-last I heard, they were around a few years ago.” Genevieve nodded as the others mounted up on their horses.

“War Machine?”

“Waiting for his master’s call.”

An excited smile dawned over Genevieve’s face as she stuck her two fingers between her lips and whistled for her faithful mount. A minute passed and the ground shook as a bay roan Ardennes warhorse came from behind and let out a loud whinny. Taking the saddle horn in her hand, Genevieve swung up on War Machine and it was a moment of silence for all as the leader leaned down and hugged the thick neck of the horse below her.

“I missed you boy,” she whispered, giving his neck a soft stroke as she sat back up. Looking at the group, Genevieve spun War Machine around and kicked his side, causing the stallion to rear on his back legs and paw the air. “Let’s ride!”

Excited cheers followed and the group was off, crossing the Dakota River and following it downstream, the thunderous hooves sounded as the group rode back towards Tall Trees. Genevieve was back, back where she belonged. It had been months since she was in the groove of her saddle, riding to the rhythm of War Machine’s canter, feeling the wind in her hair. Nothing was going to stop her from seeing her family again.

A half-hour passed before the group was in West Elizabeth, the open plains welcoming them. Lily led the way back to their campsite where their posse of ten called home for the time being. Slowing down to a trot, the group made their way through a part of Tall Trees where they were close to the edge to leave in a hurry if need be, but deep enough where you couldn't see them on the ridgeline.

“Who's there?!” A scout asked, their gun raised at the riders.

“It's us, Annabelle!” Lily yelled in response as she passed Annabelle, only for a moment before the blonde ran ahead into camp.

“Everyone, Lily is back!” she shouted. “They brought Ginnie back!”

Anyone who was currently at camp stopped their current activities and came to welcome their family back from the journey. Chatter filled the air as people asked Ginnie what happened and the tails of her trouble. Giving hugs and gentle air kisses to her family, Ginnie tried to talk to everyone at once but it was chaotic seeing as her posse hadn’t seen her in nearly 7 months.

“Settle down please, everyone!” ordered Lily. “Ginnie, I am sure, had a long day. Please give her a bit to settle back in. We celebrate our leaders' return tonight!” Going back to their camp chores, Lily showed Ginnie where her tent was. “We put you right over here, Gin.”

“Thank you, Lily.” Genevieve followed Lily over to her camp and pulled back the tent flap. Looking inside, it was as if they hadn’t packed up camp and moved across the desert. Everything she owned was in its spot and accounted for. Genevieve turned back to her friend. “I can’t thank you enough for taking care of everyone while I was gone. I know it is not easy-”

“-don’t thank me,” Lily responded. She smiled at her long-time friend. “After the murder spree in Armadillo, well, you had no choice but to sacrifice yourself and protect us. I was just doing what we always agreed on if that chance of you being caught ever happened.” Genevieve nodded.

“I should've been in solitary confinement in Sisika but the idiots never put me there.” the raven-haired woman scoffed with a smile. “Five brutal murders was not enough for that.”

Lily looked at her leader in disbelief and amazement. “Who would be so dumb to not put you there?”

“Sisika.” the girls responded together, emitting a giggle fit.

“To be fair, they couldn’t blame you for it all. Lack of evidence and whatnot… cause you murdered the only few witnesses that weren’t already dead from Cholera.” As Lily turned to leave, she remembered what she had wanted to ask Genevieve. “You ever hear of the Van der Linde Gang, Gin?”

“A bit, why?”

“Not too long ago, they had a big shoot out in Blackwater, a growing town south of here. Big massacre from what I heard. They tried to rob a ferry that docks in from New York, filled with rich folk.” Genevieve let out a hum, interested in this story of this Van der Linde gang. “Rumour has it, they fled to the North to get the Pinkertons off their trail. Annie was out hunting up by Cattail Pond out on her adventures and said a huge caravan of like twenty people passed by. I suspect it is them coming back down to the East to evade their current bounties in the West.”

The Van der Linde Gang, Genevieve couldn’t believe her ears when Lily had mentioned them. She had heard of the group from her time in Tumbleweed but it had been a few years since she had heard hide or tail about them; she honestly figured they had vanished and left the state entirely. If this was true, Genevieve would want to uproot camp again and move them somewhere in the Heartlands. A gang with the reputation that the Van der Linde’s had, trouble was bound to follow and that’s what Genevieve thrived for.

“Interesting.”

[ask-chaos-kin]

Slender Freaks Ch.1

Fortress Beyond Our Belief

“Keep going! We’re almost there!” A girl cried, shoving her brother forward through the leaden halls. 

“We’re not going to make it!” The boy shouted, jumping as a creature tried to snag at his heels.

“We will make it! Just keep going!” The girl gasped, fighting to stay ahead of the monster that chased them down through the corridors. She and her brother turned a sharp corner, and they both gasped in shock. “There! There’s the exit! Come on, we’re so close!”

“We might make it! We actually might escape this!” The brother chuckled as the two rushed towards a portal upon a mighty altar.  

But as they advanced, the altar began to grow faded and blurry, and a distinct ringing noise filled the ears of the two would be escapees. They skidded to a halt and backed away from the altar in terror as a tall, slender figure emerged from the static surrounding the portal. He bore no face, and wore a black suit with a red tie. His skin was as pale as death, and shadows gathered at his back. 

“Slenderman!” The two runaways gasped, recoiling away from the imposing figure. But stepping back, the two were aggressively reminded of their pursuer. A shriek made them turn on their heels, and the color drained from their faces at the realization that they were caught between two of the most infamous monsters in this nightmarish world; The Rake, and the feared Slenderman.

“Oh shit,” The brother swore, frantically looking around for an escape. “There goes our chance.”

The sister looked past her brother and saw an open vent shaft in the wall. With their escape attempt thwarted again, their only recourse left was to get out of the monster’s territory, and that shaft would at the very least give them reprieve from Slenderman and the Rake.

“Come on, we can try again later!” The sister shouted, shoving her brother towards the vent, sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them as the Rake barreled towards them. 

The two soon to be escapees managed to climb into the vents just in the nick of time to avoid the emaciated monster behind them, and the sister pulled the vent covering up to hold it off from following them. 

“Move! Move! This thing won't hold for very long!” She barked, pushing her brother through the shaft until the two of them were out of sight from the monsters.

However, as they fled, they deprived themselves of bearing witness to a truly inhuman display, even for a monster as infamous as the Slenderman. The tall figure watched the escapees flee, and stared blankly as the Rake gave up its mindless chase and stalked away from the vent. Slenderman tilted his head to the emaciated monster, as if to ask it a question, but the infamous creature just continued on its way.

Slenderman glowered for but a moment, then turned his attention to the portal the two siblings had attempted to escape from. A portal out of this nightmarish realm and out into the real world.

Slenderman extended a pale hand out to the portal. What a strange realm, this world was. Monsters like and unlike himself roamed, but not freely and not without consequence. This was not a world of hunting and surviving. It was organized and relatively stable. There were so many people out in this world, people who were fully unaware of this realm's existence. People who would make the perfect victims of this neverending nightmare.

Extending his tendrils into the portal, Slenderman altered the state of this rift between realms. He forced open tears into the real world, opening up the promise of more victims to hunt. Who would be the first to fall victim to these portals? Who would be the first of the unfortunate souls to be trapped here? Who would join the hordes of runaways in their futile attempts to escape this dangerous game?

***

“One paddle, paddle, paddle, two paddle, paddle, paddle…” Spyper yawned listlessly, watching as the ball repeatedly hit the paddleboard. He was lounged back lazily on a couch, sitting across from Intelligent Heavy as he deconstructed an N64 console that Jester had given them. 

The two Freaks were four months into their house arrest, only a few days away from finally being let off the hook. Both Freaks wore heavy bands around their ankles, anchors to keep them inside at all times that would alert HECU if either of them so much as stepped foot out the door.

“I’m bored,” Spyper sighed heavily, finally letting his paddle streak end as his arms fell to his sides. “I never knew how boring it could be just staying home, but now I do, and I want it to be over!”

“It’ll be over in a few days,” Intelligent assured, smiling at his friend.

“Why can’t it be over now?” Spyper groaned, slouching further into the sofa. He sighed and slid off the couch. “I’m getting a drink.”

“Bring me the leftover pizza while you’re in there,” Intelligent called. Spyper nodded and gave the Heavy a thumbs up as he headed for the kitchen.

A knock at the door suddenly drew the attention of the two Freaks. Intelligent set aside the dismantled N64 and headed for the door. 

“Who is it?”

“It’s us!” Jester's cheery voice called out. “We brought cake!”

“They dragged me along since I really had nothing better to do,” Pancakes called out.

Intelligent opened the door to see Jester, Pancakes, and Chaos standing at the door. He smiled and let the three inside.

“So, how’s house arrest working for ya guys?” Jester asked, setting the cake they were carrying on a nearby table.

Spyper let out a loud groan and hung his head back.

“That bad?” Chaos questioned as she walked into the kitchen.

“I got lucky. I mean, it sucked being restricted to my can in RED Spawn for a month. But on the bright side, Painis doesn’t really bother with the can unless meals are scarce.” Pancakes stretched.

“Hey, at least you guys are off the hook in a few days, right?” Jester asked, hacking off a slice of the cake and handing it to Intelligent.

“Mhm. One more week of this, and we’ll be free to go.”

“That’s good to hear!” Jester smiled. “Did you guys like the console I sent you?”

“Well…” Intelligent glanced over to the deconstructed N64. “In a way: Yes.”

While the rest of the group was talking, Pancakes let his eyes wander for a moment before noticing a small light in the house.

“Yo intelligent, when did you make a teleporter like that?” Pancakes pointed it out.

“Huh? I didn’t…” Intelligent looked at the glowing orb.

“Than… what is it doing here?” Chaos started to approach the ball of light.

“What even is it?” Jester quizzed, floating after Chaos. 

“Do I look like an expert on random glowing objects?” Chaos bit. 

“I don’t think you three should be getting that close to it,” Intelligent warned.

“It’s not like some-” Before Pancakes could finish his sentence a large black tendril shot out from the ball of light and wrapped around his arm.

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” He screamed. He grabbed the tendril and tried to pry it off to no avail. “GET IT OFF!”

Before Chaos and Jester could jump in to help, two more tendrils burst from the light, grabbing the two Freaks.

“What the hell!?” Chaos gasped with strain. 

“Intelligent! Spyper! Help!” Jester cried, struggling in the tendrils grip.

The three Freaks screamed as the tendrils lifted them into the air, and the ball of light they came from expanded outward rapidly. In a blinding flash of light, it engulfed the Freaks and snapped out of existence with a sharp cry, taking the Freaks with it.

As the light faded, panic filled the two Freaks left standing there to witness their friends being dragged away by another force.

“Oh fuck oh fuck oh FUCK!” Spyper screamed, staring and gesticulating wildly at where the Freaks had just been. “What the fuck just happened - Intelligent!?”

“Don’t look at me!” Intelligent explained, just as baffled as Spyper. 

“Oh god, what do we do!? They just got nabbed by tentacles from another dimension!” Spyper cried, throwing up in hands in panic. 

“We need help for this,” Intelligent gulped. He threw aside his cake and ran for the door, causing Spyper to stumble after him. 

“Woah - WOAH! What are you doing!?”

“Getting HECU’s attention! Now move!” Intelligent grunted. He pushed his friend outside and marched out the door. He flinched as soon as he was out the door, as the band around his ankle began beeping loudly and flashing, alerting HECU that the detained Freaks were breaking their house arrest.

“This can only end badly,” Spyper fretted, staring at his friend in shock and alarm.

“I really hope HECU knows how to help us,” Intelligent gulped, watching for HECU vehicles to start coming down the road.

“And what if they can’t?” Spyper implored earnestly.

“Let's hope they do.”

“Yeah, cause that’s reassuring.” He glanced down at his own band and sighed. “Oh well. We’ve already broken the law. What’s one more?” He muttered, joining his friend outside.

***

“Only a couple more months… If only those months came faster.” RED groaned laying on his back looking up in his prison cell.

“We’ll get through it, RED,” Pure assured, sitting in a cell across from RED. “We’ve made it this far.”

“I know. At least the food here is good, just really boring.”

“It’s better than whatever Brutal cooks,” Pure shrugged.

“I honestly thought this place would be a million times worse. Who knew that prison for Freaks was just Rehab level 2.”

“Yeah, I really wasn’t expecting the rehab part,” Pure said, looking down the hall. 

“Better than normal prison at least.”

“How do you think the others are fairing?” Pure asked, leaning forward on his bed. “I hope none of them have gotten into trouble since we were arrested.”

“Well, Brutal and Gentle are in Rehab 1.0, So there’s the two trouble makers out of the picture.”

“And I’m sure Polite, Spyper, and Intelligent are abiding by their house arrest. Pancakes...I’m holding out hope for him, but I’m not entirely convinced he’s stayed in his can for that long.”

“And we don’t have to worry about Jester and Chaos,” RED grunted as he stretched. “At least, I hope we don’t.”

“Chaos just found out that she still has a living family and the remainder of her team is still alive. I’m sure that someone is looking after her,” Pure remarked pointedly, pressing his hands together.

“I’m not too worried about Jester. They’re too busy with piecing together their past,” RED yawned, reclining on his bed. “And they’ve learned a lot in the time since being released. They and Chaos will be fine.”

As RED reclined, Pure happened to notice a ball of light appear next to the bed.

“What in the world?”

“Huh?” RED lifted his head. “What is it?”

“There’s this...Light next to your bed,” Pure said hesitantly, squinting at the shimmer. “Don’t get close to it. I don’t know what that thing is-”

A shrill scream tore through the relative silence of the cells and Pure leapt from his bed in shock, a pale dread overtaking his face as he watched black tendrils erupt from RED’s bed and ensnare him, locking him tightly in place as it slowly dragged him down.

Muffled screams escaped from the tendrils as they engulfed him and dragged him into the small light, terror filling the very air around them. 

“RED!” Pure screamed, throwing himself against the glass screen of his cell. “Guards! GUARDS! HELP! Something’s happened to RED!” He cried desperately. He frantically looked about his cell for anything to use to get himself out, but he barely had time to search his nightstand when another set of tendrils burst from the ground beneath him and wrapped around his legs, immobilizing him. Pure gasped in terror as the tendrils dragged him downward, and his terrified cries for help echoed through the halls as he was violently pulled into a small light.

As the light disappeared, a small camera focused on the spot where the two spies were taken. On the other side of the lens, on a monitor in HECU, a young intern sat baffled and mortified by the events her bright green eyes had just seen. She swallowed hard and leaned back in her chair, stricken pale. She brushed a strand of her brown, curling locks aside, a strand of purple bleeding into her natural hair color. Then she frantically snatched up her pager and started running for the door, quickly turning the channel on the pager to that of Commander Rudra. 

“Commander! Commander, come in! We have a security breach, I repeat we have a security breach! Christian Pure Spy and RED Spy have just disappeared into thin air! We need backup here!” She gasped, fumbling with the doorknob. “Black tendrils just came out of nowhere and grabbed them, then dragged them to who knows where! Please, Rudra, we need some help here! We’re dealing with something supernatural here!”

The intern flew out of the security room and started sprinting through the halls, weaving between guards and officers in her panicked sprint to Rudra’s office. 

However, she didn’t have to run far before she collided with the commander herself, receiving a facefull of metal plating from Rudra’s heavy armor before staggering back, nearly falling squarely on her rear end and no doubt receiving a bruise or two from the collision.

“Now what’s going on?” Rudra asked sternly, lowering her pager. “What’s this about a security breach?”

“There were these long black tendrils that emerged from this ball of light in their cell that dragged RED and Pure into it! It was like something from a horror game!” The intern exclaimed, tripping over her own words in her frantic retelling of the events.

“Slow down, Ash,” Rudra said cooly, raising a hand to Ashley. “Did anyone else see this?”

“Everyone else is out on break,” She wheezed, her breaths still forced and panicked.

“The one time we don’t need them on break,” Rudra whispered under her breath. “And you managed to get it on camera?”

“Yeah, everything’s been recorded,” Ashley gulped.

“Good. We can look over the footage and see what happened. We could be dealing with something interdimensional here. I’ll give Jester a call if that’s the case.”

Before Rudra could get her phone out to call Jester, Ash screamed as something grabbed her. The black tendrils she had described suddenly wrapped around her legs and chest, immobilizing her and rooting her to the spot.

“AH! Rudra, HELP!” Ash screamed, thrashing to free herself from their grip.

“Hold still!” Rudra barked. She drew her flaming sword and grabbed ahold of the thick tendrils around Ash’s abdomen and began slicing, fighting to keep the lashing appendages still as she cut them down.

Ash’s screaming and the hiss of Rudra’s sword drew the attention of nearby officers and like clockwork, several guards jumped to tear Ash free of the lashing vines. 

“Come on, come on! What are these things made out of!?” Rudra hissed through gritted teeth, struggling to tear the tendrils away from Ash.

One of the tendrils grabbed a Soldier and dragged them forwards and into a much larger light. Many of the officers swiftly jumped to keep the Soldier from being dragged into the light, but the tendrils were far too strong to overcome, and the Soldier was swiftly swallowed whole by the orb. 

This set off a chain reaction of several of the officers, soldiers, guards, and interns around being dragged screaming into the light, all the while Rudra held fast to Ash, tearing and slicing at the tendrils in her attempts to keep the woman out of the lights grasp. 

“What’s going on!?” Ash screamed, thrashing about in her binds.

“I don’t know!” Rudra exclaimed. “Just don’t let go of me!”

“I can’t! I’m slipping!” Ash gasped, trying to dig her heels into the floor to no avail.

Around the corner, Noir has finally made it to the scene when Ash fully lost her footing, only being held back by Rudra’s strength alone.

“Noir! Help me here!” Rudra shouted, holding tight to Ash.

“Hang in there, I’m coming!” Noir cried, sprinting over to the two and grabbing a hold of Ash. “Don’t worry, we’re gonna get you out of this!” She strained, digging her heels into the floor. “Jesus, what is this thing!?”

“We don’t know! Whatever it is, it's not going to give up easily!”

“No shit it’s not giving up!” Noir wrapped an arm around Ash and tried to strong arm her out of the monster's grip.

“I can’t hold on for much longer!” Ash screamed, digging her nails into Rudra’s armor. 

“Don’t you dare let go!” Noir barked, straining her entire body to keep Ash afloat. 

“Come on, come on!” Rudra hissed through gritted teeth. Her metal sollerets screeched across the floor as she and Ash were slowly dragged towards the light, leaving noticeable white scars in the ground.

As the three women fought against the otherworldly force that threatened to drag them all into its clutches, two stray tendrils emerged from the light and snaked along the floor, wrapping themselves like spiders around Rudra’s legs. With one powerful tug, the tendrils threw the angel off balance. Noir was sent collapsing to the floor as Ash and Rudra were yanked out of her grasp, and a deafening scream tore through her throat as the small light engulfed the intern and her wife in the blink of an eye.

“NO! RUDRA!” Noir shrieked. She leapt to her feet and scrambled to where the light had been, frantically searching for that shimmering rift between worlds. However, just like Rudra and Ash, the light had vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind but the white streaks in the tile floor.

“Oh god, oh god. Tyson! TYSON! SOUND THE ALARM! RUDRA’S GONE! SHE’S BEEN TAKEN! SHE’S GONE!” She cried in blind and hysterical panic, sprinting down the hall in terror. 

Within minutes, all of HECU had been sent into chaos. A commander had been dragged into some kind of interdimensional rift, along with countless HECU employees. Alarms were sounded as news of the disappearance spread, and the news that Freaks had vanished thanks to this same anomaly only furthered the madness HECU was spiralling in.

However, things only got worse when two of the most infamous Freaks vanished from HECU’s containment facility.

***

Deep below ground, in a heavily fortified cell, Gentlespy and Christian Brutal Sniper sat in their respective lounging chairs, cables and wires hooked up to every part of them like some kind of battery. These cables and wires kept them in their seats, restricting their movement and ensuring the safety of all who stepped into their chambers. A small white table and chair were sat across from them, along with a straightlaced doctor who calmly tapped a pen against his clipboard.

This doctor had been assigned to the two Freaks when they had first been sent in for institutionalization, and it was this man's job to shape Brutal and Gentle into law-abiding Freaks like Madic. However, for all this man's training, he had hit several brick walls in regards to the Freaks in front of him. Brutal and Gentle clearly wanted nothing to do with institutionalization and stubbornly resisted the doctors attempts at changing their perspective or altering their homicidal tendencies, and had driven this doctor to the point of exhaustion with their bullheaded resistance.

“Take number 273, You two have murdered hundreds of mercenary and non-mercenaries alike. We at HECU would like to offer you an alternative to your murderous ways,” The doctor started, already seeing the bored and annoyed expressions on their faces.

“You aren’t leaving this room until you comply or the higher ups agree to let you go. So are you going to rot down here or actually have a chance of leaving here?”

“I’d prefer to break down that door and get back to my old life,” Brutal scowled, tugging on the cables around him to make a point.

“You go back to your old life, and you’ll be sent straight to prison. Would you rather at least try to be better, or would you rather be locked up somewhere?”

“Oh gee, lets see....Eenie meenie miney…Neither. You aren’t gonna magically change us. You haven’t been able to change our minds the last 272 times, what makes you think we’ll listen this time?”

“I was hoping you would have changed your perspective-”

Brutal interrupted him with a hearty laugh. “You’re fun. Annoying, but fun.”

“This isn’t a game, you two,” The doctor groaned incredulously.

“It is. A game of endurance,” Gentle chuckled, examining the quicks of his nails. 

“If I were not here to try and help you two, I’d smack you both,” The doctor bit.

“Can’t help people who don’t want it,” Gentle cajoled jeeringly.

“Then what’s the point of me trying to help you?”

“That’s what we’ve been asking since we got here,” Brutal grumbled, shuffling in his seat. “Got a smoke?”

“We don’t bring cigars in here,” The doctor scowled, rubbing his eyes.

“Figures,” Brutal sighed.

The three swiftly turned their attention to the blaring alarm outside, and the Institution Center was filled with bright, flashing red lights as the intercom flared to life.

Warning: Interdimensional rifts discovered in HECU Headquarters and Evo City. Several Freaks and personnel have vanished into these rifts. All non militant employees are to gather in the courtyard. Everyone else: Please make your way to the Engineering Department.

“Well...Shit,” Brutal groaned. “Interdimensional rifts that are stealing people. This is what, only four months after Grave?”

“We have a habit of getting the short end of the stick,” Gentle sighed, rubbing his temples.

The doctor stood and headed for the door. “You two stay here. I need to find Dr. Liss.”

“Don’t worry, it's not like we can go anywhere,” Brutal jeered incredulously, holding up all the cables that held him back and shaking them around.

While the two sat there, a light appeared behind Gentle. It was dull and small, hardly noticeable even if the two Freaks could look back to see it. 

“Hey, Gentle, you have a smoke?” Brutal asked listlessly, cracking his neck.

“For the last time; They took my cigar case,” Gentle groused, rolling his eyes.

“Would have thought you’d have stolen it back by now.”

“It’s hard to steal anything when I’m wrapped up in these - WHAT THE FUCK!?” Gentles jeer warped into a shrill scream as writhing tendrils of shadow erupted from behind his chair and ensnared him, tangling around the cables and wires that held him in place. Brutal jumped to his friends aid, but another set of twitching vines reached out and grabbed him, too.

“What the fuck is this!?” Brutal gasped with strangled breath, the tendrils wrapping around his chest and neck and violently pulling him back against his chair.

Gentle tried to struggle out of the grasp, only to be pulled into the light as the wires were ripped off the machines. Brutal followed behind him, dragged into the gaping maw that the tendrils had emerged from. It was like hell itself was pulling them in.

And when the doctor returned upon hearing their screams, the alarm that Christian Brutal Sniper and Gentlespy were gone sounded, joining the panic that had engulfed HECU.

[swiss-cheeze]

Tick-Tock, Hook’s Afraid of an Ordinary Clock! || Spencer Reid

Requested: YES/NO: gender neutral please! So my request. Y/n has been working at the BAU for a while, and never ever had feelings for Spencer but more for Derek. One night is spent at a hotel and Spencer gets wasted as all hell which the team found unusual. That’s really all! Do with that what you will! Smut is fine too! You can add your own personal touches if you wish. Also would love some fighting between Spencer and y/n

Gender: none, they/them.

Warnings: insults, alcohol, normal CM case talk, verbal fight dialogue taken from Hook (1991), crap music talk.

----

“Eat your heart out, you crinkled, wrinkled fat bag,” you mumbled under your breath as Spencer finished his rambling of some unknown subject. Spencer stiffened at your insult, as did the rest of the team. You had just gotten back from a pretty bad case involving a team of family annihilators and where sitting in the nearest bar; throughout the whole case Spencer had almost made it his mission to speak over you, correct you, flick things at you, ‘forget’ you’re there, bump into you and more. God it was so annoying, and now? Now you've had enough.

“That was very ill-mannered-” Spencer started.

“And you're a slug-eating worm,” you said with a little more force matter-of-factly, cutting off whatever it was Spencer was going to say.

“You can do better than that pretty boy!” Derek said quickly with a grin as he nudged Spencer; you almost pounced on that man for taking Spencer's side rather than yours; Derek had always taken your side.

“You're encouraging this?” Spencer questioned quickly.

“Show me your fastball, dust brain!” you started again, “you paunchy, sag-bottomed puke pot!” Spencer's eyes widened three times the size they normally would be as the rest of your table sat quiet and watched.

“Damn!” Emily said under her breath with a grin as her eyes darted between the two of you; it was like watching tennis.

“You're a very poor role model for your team, you know that right?” Spencer shook his as he took a mouthful of his drink before a sly grin overtook his face, “I bet you don't even have a fourth-grade reading level,” a few of your teammates let out a little blow of air.

“Hemorrhoidal sucknavel” you said quickly.

“Maybe a fifth-grade reading level.” Spencer said even quicker.

“Oil-dripping, beef-fart-sniffing bubble butt” you started to really get into it, leaning over the table a little with a smirk.

“Aye there we go (Y/n)!” Derek said quickly, now he was on your side? You looked to Hotch who was smiling thinking that maybe you had another on your side.

“Someone has a severe caca mouth, you know that?” Spencer cut off your gaze with his words, as if he was bored.

“You’re a fart factory. A slug-slime sack of rat guts and cat vomit, a cheesy scab picked pimple-squeezing finger bandage!” snickering came over the table; but you weren't done yet oh no, “a week-old maggot burger with everything on it and flies on the side!” you grinned; many many words in that one insult. Spencer went to open his mouth but you cut him off, “you’re really just a substitute chemistry teacher” you winked.

“Come on Spence, hit (Y/n) back!” J.J. quickly intervened.

“Mung tongue” Spencer fired.

“Math tutor,”

“Pinhead,”

“Mother lover,” that one was a low blow on your end but you couldn't help yourself.

“Nearsighted gynecologist,” ouch Spence, Hotch snorted at that one.

“In your face, camelcake!” you shot back.

“In your rear, cow derrière!” of course Spencer came back even faster.

“Lying, crying, spying, prying ultra-pig!” Emily snickered at yours.

“Lewd, crude bag of pre-chewed food!” Derek snickered at Spencers.

“Guys maybe settle down…” Hotch said softly, this was starting to get a little out of hand.

“You man! Stupid, stupid man!” That was all you could give back as your mind turned blank, forgetting every word in the dictionary.

“If I'm a maggot burger, why don't you just eat me?” Spencer shot back, “you zebra-headed, slime-coated, pimple-farming, paramecium brain, munching on your own mucus, suffering from Spencer Reid envy!” laughter ensued as your face contorted to confusion.

“What the hell is a ‘paramecium’?” your voice held the question as Spencer pointed to you.

“I'll tell you what a paramecium is! You’re a paramecium!” everyone on your table stared at Spencer as he elaborated; “It's a one-celled critter with no brain that can't think!” and with that, your table cheered for Spencer as you sat sulking.

“Oh come on (Y/n), you should have known you would lose,” Derek said with a grin before following Spencer to the bar.

“He's drinking a lot tonight isn't he?” Emily questioned.

“Who, Derek?” J.J. guessed with a furrowed brow.

“No! Spencer!” Emily quickly concluded.

“He was a little harsh on (Y/n)” Hotch cut in quickly, “I’m just glad Dave and Garcia weren’t here to witness that,” you slammed your drink on the table and sent a glare to the three left at the table.

“I'm going home, i'll see everyone on monday,” you grumbled out before stalking off, your shoes made loud thunking sounds as they hit the wood flooring, your anger getting the best of you as you passed Spencer and Derek.

“Yo (Y/n) you getting a drink too?” Derek was about to order your normal drink until you slapped both Spencer and Derek on the back of the head.

“OW! What the hell-!” Spencer's back was to you but as he turned and saw you his anger melted into elation, “come back for round 2 (Y/n)?” Spencer questioned, the poor boy tried to act cool and lean against the bar but missed entirely and almost fell onto a rather burly looking gentleman. You huffed slightly as you turned to Derek.

“Make sure the substitute chem teacher gets home safe,” and with that you threw open the bar doors and walked your way home, it was only a block and you had gotten a ride with Emily anyway.

-

When you finally slumped home, chucked off your shoes and threw yourself onto your mattress you couldn't help but make yourself angrier with the new insults suddenly bubbling in your head.

“Who does that piss brain even think he is,” you mumbled into the air, “paramecium my ass…” you continued your grumbling into the atmosphere as you twisted and turned on the mattress before sleep finally engulfed you.

------

The work week started up again and before you knew it yourself and the team where needed in New Orleans because of a new range of sudden murders.

“Lets review please,” Hotch mumbled.

“The bodies cross gender and racial lines” Rossi started.

“The throat is slit with something very sharp but also clean, I get a funny feeling it isnt a kitchen knife though,” you mumbled as you looked at the photos closer trying to get a good angle on a printed piece of paper.

“Butcher?” Derek questioned, you shrugged.

“Could these be blitz attacks?” you heard Spencer scoff at your suggestion.

“If this was a blitz attack there would be remorse and blunt force trauma somewhere on the head,” Spencer said looking directly at you.

“Oh, i'm so sorry Doctor i didn't know my input was unwanted, let me just keep my thoughts to myself,”

“Guys,” J.J. sighed, “Garcia is going through the victims lives that we have already, I can talk to the family and see if there are any enemies?” Hotch nodded.

“Derek, I want you to join J.J. with the families. Rossi, Emily go to the M.E. together and have a look over the bodies and tox screens. (L/n), Reid and I will go to the police station and start on a geographical and victim board,” everyone nodded in agreement to what Hotch said. Except for Spencer. He just stared at you with dangerous eyes. You rolled yours in return before putting your headphones into your phone and playing music to drown out Spencer's overbearingly loud thoughts.

-

“Okay my lovelies, these first three victims all had the same job at the same court; they’re all a part of a Jury audience” Garcia explained as her fingers tapped on her keyboard through the phone.

“Maybe someone just got out of prison that was wrongly convicted and wanting revenge?” you questioned.

“Maybe, it would have to be something pretty big for them to come back,” Derek said, you nodded in agreement, “baby girl can you see if there are any people that may have been convicted by a jury with our victims in it?”

“Sure can sugar, PG out” the phone clicked off.

“Did you find anything from the M.E.?” Hotch turned to Rossi and Emily as he spoke.

“The pathologist said it was a clean cut without hesitation marks or remorse,” Rossi said.

“No drugs, no blunt force trauma,” Emily shrugged as she talked, “it wasn't a blitz.”

“Maybe planned?” you butted in.

“That’s what it seems like,” Hotch said, “Reid? Have you got anything? J.J.?” Hotch questioned as he looked to the respective people.

“The victims were killed in different areas but its places they frequented; house, bar, bar” Spencer started, “they’re all over the place is all, completely different areas,”

“Yeah, and the families weren’t much help either. One of the victims' families, uh, Emil Gosten? His family said they didn't want anything to do with the investigation because he's had previous death threats and calls and stuff,” J.J. shrugged as the room went quiet.

“Reid, (L/n) I know you two dont like each other but I need two of my sharpest minds to go back to the crime scenes,” Hotch sighed, you groaned but complied as you stalked off with Reid following shortly behind.

-

“Everything looks the exact same as it was left,” you sighed out as you placed a blanket back down on the couch. Spencer scanned the books on the shelf before pulling one out and starting to read it; completely ignoring you.

“Reid,” nothing.

“Reid.” again, nothing.

“Spencer,” nope.

“SPENCE”

“What!” he finally turned to you and answered.

“You couldn't give me some complacency and at least answer me when i talk to you?” you asked annoyed.

“Why would i?” Spencer asked with a bored tone as he placed the book back on the shelf, except he finally talked to you, “The victim is atheist, believes in the justice system…” he sighed and shrugged, “did Hotch just put us together to fuck with us?”

“Maybe,” you flopped onto the couch with a sigh as you rest your head on the backrest. That was until something caught your eye, “Oi genius!” you called out, Spencer came to your side as you pointed to the roof; there, above your heads was a piece of paper taped to the ceiling, “you’re taller than me,” you said quickly as you got up and started moving the couch.

“Woah what- what’re you doing?” Spencer jumped back slightly as you pushed the couch backwards.

“Well we’re going to push this back and then put a chair down for you to stand on so you can reach that note because it can possibly help us get to the unsub,”

“What why me?” Spencer questioned as he helped you push the couch back.

“You’re taller than me and have longer arms,” you walked over to the dining table and came back with a chair, Spencer was reluctant at first but eventually stood on the chair and plucked down the taped note; letting out a breath as he finally stood on the ground again. You plucked the note from Spencer's hand and opened it.

“A music note?” Spencer mumbled.

“Something like that,” you mumbled back, “see it's in the second to bottom gap,” you pointed to the gap to show where it was, as if Spencer couldn't see it already, “um, it would sound something like...um, dmm” you vibrate your voice a little to help Spencer understand, he nodded, “the only problem is there isn’t any clef; normally with music you have a treble clef, alto clef or bass clef. They basically determine what instrument can be played and how the notes are determined” Spencer looked genuinely interested while you explained your thinking, “this...its a singular note, maybe there’s more around?” you looked around the room and tried to desifre if there were any opened drawers or cupboards.

“Maybe there’s another one at the other location?” Spencer questioned, you grinned.

“It might be the unsubs calling card; ‘hey, this is my kill’ type thing!” and with that, you made a break in the case.

-

Spencer called the rest of the team about the break as Hotch allowed the two of you to go to the other victims houses and search for more music notes; low and behold you now had 3 music notes placed under the corresponding victim heads.

“You keep staring at that board as if it's going to give you answers,” Derek said with a grin as he walked into the room; the rest of the team had been called out to another dead body.

“Hmm? Oh I just…” you shrugged, “i just get this feeling about the notes; they have to sound something but we just don't know what yet” before Derek could answer you the shrill of the phone went off.

“(Y/n)?” it was Spencer on loudspeaker; he never called you by your first name.

“Yeah what's up Reid?” you called back.

“We found another note; the round part is under the last line with the stem going up to the second line at the top,” you nodded in response (not that Spencer could see you) as you drew the note on a piece of paper with a sharpener and placed it on the victim board.

“Anything else? A clef at all anywhere?” you asked.

“Um i'm not- i don't think so?” it sounded like Spencer was shuffling around a few things to get a better look, “we have another piece of paper!” Spencer called out, moments later you got a photo on your phone. Sure enough there was a treble clef.

“Spence get everyone back here; i know what the notes mean”

-

“Our unsub is using something called the Dies Irae,” you played the first few notes on your phone over youtube, “you've all heard this song over time just not exactly in an orchestra setting; Star Wars, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd, The Shining, The Exorcist and many many more,” you played a few other videos of the notes from a few of the movies as everyone nodded.

“I can hear it,” J.J. mumbled.

“Same,” that was Emily.

“Right, so...it was originally used with catholic’s; they used the music in their Requiem services-”

“Requiem services are basically putting the dead to rest,” Spencer cut in quickly so the team could understand.

“Yeah, it's basically a song for the dead to stay dead in a way? I think our unsub is using the Sweeney Todd method; killing his victims with a razor. One slice across the neck while in a private area except this dude isn't a cannibal” you grinned at the remembrance of the film.

“Cannibal?” Derek and Emily questioned.

“In the movie Sweeney Todd is a barber, he comes back for revenge on the man who stole his wife and child and kills people in his barber shop which is also above a pie shop owned by a woman named Mrs Lovett; when Sweeney starts killing they come together in order to bring customers back to Mrs Lovett's pie shop. Because it's set in 1785 meat was expensive so instead they used the dead people as meat to sell to customers” you realised how long winded that explanation was and apologized, “sorry that was..i think our unsub is a barber” was your final statement. Hotch nodded and moved to press a button on the phone in the middle of the table, but the phone started ringing instead.

“Garcia?”

“I think i found our unsub; Chris Gevette, he filed for divorce after he gave evidence of spousal abuse but it seems like his wife had every piece of evidence that would be able to put him in jail rather than her so everything was blamed on him for the abuse and the jury ruled him unable to keep any stable relationship”

“Garcia do you have a work and home address?”

“Sent to your phones now; barber shop and home” the phone clicked off.

“(Y/n) i want you to go to the barber shop with Reid and Derek. Emily, J.J. and I will go to the house; Rossi stays here in case anything else happens.” and with that you all ran to the SUV’s.

-----

“CHRIS GEVETTE FBI!” Derek shouted through the door, your guns were drawn and ready for action as Derek kicked the door in. You moved swiftly through the shop, finding nothing but dust.

“Guys!” you were now out the back as your partners came running, “it's exactly like Sweeney Todd,” you motioned to the stairs in front of you before looking behind you, “there's stars that lead down as well; there may be bodies in there like the movie too, you go down there and i'll go up.”

“(Y/n) let me come with you,” that was Spencer, he looked genuinely concerned.

“I've got this Spence. Go” you started your ascent up the wooden stairs while trying to stay as quiet as you possibly could, “CHRIS GEVETTE,” you called out to the door once you got to it, you could hear the bustle of footsteps and made the split decision. The door was kicked in by you as you pointed your gun to Chris who was now holding a razor to a woman's neck.

“Get away!” Chris screamed, he was frantic; trembling and crying.

“Chris! Chris it's okay, i'm a good guy, okay?” you slowly let go of your gun, “im holstering my gun, okay?” you said as you're-holstered your gun, “Chris i know about the divorce-”

“No you dont!” Chris called, the woman under the razor trembled as the razor cut into her neck slightly.

“I do! Chris, I know you were abused! I know it wasn't you that did the abusing! If you let her go we can help you get custody and instead send that bitch to jail,” Chris looked almost relieved to hear that, he contemplated that for a moment before slowly letting the woman go. She ran over to you as Derek and Spencer finally came up the stairs and started handcuffing Chris.

“We’ve got two other bodies in the basement,” Spencer said to you while you held the trembling woman, “there's medic on the way now,” you nodded in affirmation before starting to help the women calm down and walk down the stairs.

------

The jet finally landed back at the bureau as the rest of your team started packing their things from their desks.

“Um (Y/n)” a voice called, you smiled as you looked up to see the person you least expected.

“Spence?” you questioned; your eyes darted around and couldn't see any other team member in sight, “everyone left already. Sorry. I've been in my own little world,” you gave a tight smile as you continued packing some extra files into your bag.

“It-it’s just me, but um, I just wanted to congratulate you on your break in the case,” the comment from Spencer's timid and small voice caught you off guard so much that you froze for a moment as you stared at him. It all seemed to go quiet, and slow; the clock on the wall seemed to tick at an atrociously slow pace.

Tick…

“(Y/n)?”

Tock…

“Hmm?”

“I uh, i was-”

“Oh, yeah um-”

Pause.

Quiet.

“Thank you,” smile.

Tick…

“I was...was wondering, (Y/n)...”

Tock…

“Yeah Spence?”

“Would you...would you like to go...on a date...with...me?”

Pause.

Quiet.

“With you?”

“Well, I did...I did say ‘me’ I hope- just, just forget it” and the world went back to normal as Spence started walking away.

“No Spence, wait!” you grabbed your things and quickly darted off after him; plunging your arm between the elevator doors and stepping in quickly before they shut behind you.

“Just forget it (Y/n); forget i ever asked and we can just go back to-”

“I would love to go on a date with you”

Tick…

“Really?”

“So long as you don't call me a paramecium again”

Tock…

“I won't; as long as you don't call me a substitute chemistry teacher”

Pause.

Quiet.

“I won't”

“Then it's settled.

Tick…

“Message me?”

“Of course”

Tock…

Smile.

[oohfluffy]

LMN Ch.2 | OSH

Group: EXO

Member: Oh Sehun

Theme: Angst | Fluff | Writer!AU | Neighbor!AU

Word Count: 2,488

✎ Chapter 2: New Neighbors ✎

"So the guy's a womanizer and can possibly has STD because of fucking around his school. While the girl is an innocent and smart student that gets targeted by the guy." Dasom lazily spoke after she listened to your characters' descriptions. "Really cliché, woman."

"No, it's not. All I've got to do is find a hole where they can have a conflict." You tapped your pen on the desk as you think. "How can the girl die?"

"Here we go! Why do you always kill the innocent female character? She hasn't done anything and yet—"

"The good deserves to be sent in heaven while the bad needs to remain on the land to repent for their sins. That's how it works, Dasom." You chuckled as you happily typed on your laptop. Fresh ideas flowing in your brain as usual.

"You can make the girl a playgirl instead of the boy, you know! That'll change the story!"

"It's the same. Anyway, I find it amusing to see the guy suffer always."

"You're a sadist!"

"Who's a sadist?" A familiar voice said, the door opening with the person's appearance.

"You're home." You greeted, not bothering to look at your younger sister.

"I've brought ice-cream. Do you two want some?"

"No." You quickly answered as you continued typing. Dasom looked at Chanhee and shrugged.

"Where's Bora and Soyu? They didn't come with you?" Dasom asked Chanhee with her eyebrows knitted together.

"Oh, they're actually stalking this hot college guy, unnie. I think he's the one who's gonna move next door. They invited me to go with them but I said I couldn't come because I have my part-time job later."

Your ears perked up as you heard your younger sister speak about the guy who'll move next door.

"Seriously, do you really enjoy following guys around?" Dasom asked as she massaged her temples as if she's getting stressed out just from thinking about her younger sisters.

"It's fun, unnie. We're just like their fans, okay? We're not some obsessed girls—"

"What do you call stalking them?"

"W-Well, that's different. We're not causing harm though."

"But—"

"Who's this guy you're talking about, Chanhee?"

The two stopped talking when you spoke, shocking them with your sudden interest in the topic.

"U-Uhm." Chanhee looked at your back, hesitant to tell more.

"I'm just asking his name. It's not as if I'll snatch him away from you." You scoffed, turning your swivel chair to face them both.

"His name is Oh Sehun."

Your eyes slightly widened. You don't know why but they really did.

There's something about his name.

"It screams danger." You mumbled to yourself as you slowly turned back to your laptop in wonder.

"Just go downstairs if you're hungry or something."

Before Chanhee can close the door, you turned to her again, startling the both of them.

"Where's mom?" You asked, hoping she's not out—

"She went out to the market today."

"Didn't she buy our weekly groceries just a few days ago?"

"No. It's..." Chanhee looks so hesitant to tell you but you were staring at her so hard that she swore she could melt. "It's not for the groceries."

"Then for what?" You were getting annoyed already. Your face turned blank when you realized something. "Don't tell me she went to work there?"

Your younger sister looked away as she slightly gulped under your gaze. You breathed out a sigh of disbelief.

"Calm down, Yeoreum-ah. Your mother is just worried and maybe she felt useless when she's just at home while everybody's working—"

"She's already helping by cooking our meals and doing everything in the house. Why would she feel useless?!"

"Just understand your parents, okay? They want the best for yo—"

"Yeah right. That's why they're locking me here in this room."

Dasom couldn't say anything as you turned to your laptop again, furiously typing as you did. She just stood up, walking towards the door, where your younger sister was.

"I'll let you think about it, okay? Don’t push yourself too hard. It'll be bad—"

"I know. Just go."

She sighed as Chanhee closed the door with a pained face.

You're left in this quiet and lonely room again.

Everything has changed.

"Keep breathing and push all the stress away." You took a deep breath as you stopped typing.

"I shouldn't waste any more time."

✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗  ✘

"Winter break's coming!"

You cringed as you heard Chanyeol squeal at your door.

"So how did you do at your exams?"

"Results not yet out but I'm sure I've done everything I can, noona!" Chanyeol proudly said as he walked inside your room.

"Tss. Sure."

"Anyway, my best friend's gonna move in today. He said he'll text me when they're near already. Ah, I feel so excited!"

"You sure you're not gay, Yeol?"

"YAH! That's rude, noona! I'm a man! How can you doubt your brother—"

You giggled as he childishly stomped his feet.

"Where's Chanhee?"

"I don't know about that girl. She's 16 and a stalker like her friends. I always see them outside the university grounds! Can you please scold her for it? It's not like Sehun's bothered with it, actually it's me who's bothered by it. It creeps me out when I see my own sister--"

"Let her do what she wants. She knows what she's doing." You smiled as you typed on your laptop. Chanyeol slightly peeked on your screen.

"Woah. 7k words for a single chapter?! Are you crazy? Are you planning to give me bigger eye bags, noona?!"

"I'm not gonna publish this online, idiot. This is different. I need to submit this before March next year. I have accepted the writing company that gave me the opportunity to publish under them." You sighed as you leaned back on your chair. "They were actually begging me to sign the contract with them for 5 years but..."

Chanyeol sat on the floor beside you, slowly turning your swivel chair and laying his head on your lap like a puppy. His eyes were closed as he hugged your waist gently.

You were used to this touchy younger brother of yours. You even wondered if he has an older sister complex. You chuckled at the thought as you combed his hair with your fingers, earning a whine from him.

Between the two of your younger siblings, it was Chanyeol who shows more of his affection for you. Chanhee was a cheerful dongsaeng but it's like there's a thin barrier between the two of you. Maybe it's because you're the eldest and you two have a huge age gap.

"You can't." Chanyeol mumbled as he nuzzled his head on your lap. You just hummed as you looked up the ceiling. "Then finish that book with a happy ending, noona."

"What's the connection?"

"You'll know when you finish it." Chanyeol grinned as he turned his head to you. You flicked his forehead before pushing him away from you. "Aww."

"Go and study!"

"I'm always studying!"

"That's good! Go and study more then."

"Noona!"

✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗ ❥ ✗  ✘

A knock interrupted your typing, making you stop for awhile.

"What?" You answered, waiting for a response as you saved the next chapter you've done.

"Darling, can you come out for a bit?"

When you heard your mom's voice, you instantly got up and went to open the door. She was holding a box with a cute ribbon around it.

"Rice cakes?" You asked as she slowly moved it towards you. "For me?"

"No. The neighbors have arrived earlier. I've just made them when I got home, so it's good that they're warm. Can you give it to them?"

"You're letting me go out?" You gapped at her as she smiled and nodded. "W-What about Yeol? He has a friend there."

"That boy's over there already. He said that he's gonna go to his best friend next door, looking so excited like a child." Your mother laughed as she remembered the face Chanyeol made. "Chanhee's out for her part-time job. So, that leaves you to do the job."

"Okay. I will."

You breathed in the air happily as you got out of the house.

"I feel like a prison who just got out." You chuckled as you opened the gate and walked to the house next door. You rang the doorbell as you gripped on the ribbon that holds the box. You waited patiently until a black-haired boy got out of the door.

It must be Yeol's friend.

"Hi. I'm Chanyeol's noona. I'm just here to give this to you. Welcome to the neighbor..." Your words slowed down as he opened the gate. "...hood."

Oh shit. Chanyeol didn't tell me his best friend is this good-looking!

His soft-looking black hair was messy, stuck out to every side. His eyes looking so mysterious that'll probably drown you into them. His nose so pointed that you think that it's a perfect 45 degrees or something. His lips, naturally pink and thin but probably soft. His skin as white as snow. His collarbones were slightly showing with his plain white shirt, his biceps saying hi to you.

"Oh, Chanyeol's been talking about you non-stop everyday. It's nice to finally meet you, noona. I'm Sehun." His deep voice slightly startled you.

"I hope only the good things about me were said. Nice to meet you too." You chuckled as you gave him the box.

He seems harmless though.

"Here. My mom made it just a bit earlier, it's hot so be care—"

"You're hot too though." Sehun's eyes moved downwards as he bit his lower lip. "Should I be careful?"

I take that back.

"Thank you for the compliment but I don't hit on little boys. You should be careful, I might hit you." You snapped as you felt your blood boil.

He's really a playboy as Yeol said. Why did I even think of making this guy the model for my story?

"Ooh. You're the sadist and dominant type, I like it." Sehun replied as he smirked at you. "Kidding."

"That's all." You turned your back on him, feeling your time wasted. You heard him whistle at your back. "I'll add that he's a bastard and a manwhore. Yeah." You mumbled to yourself as you closed the gate and walked inside the house.

"How's it? Have you met them?"

You turned to your mother, who's currently cooking dinner. An idea popped in your mind and made you ran to her.

"Hey, stop running."

You smiled as you got to her, peeking at the pot on the stove.

"This is a lot, mom. Are we having guests?" You sniffed and sighed as the pleasant scent of the boiling soup entered your nostrils.

"Yes. The Oh's are coming over later for dinner."

"Oh? The ones next door?"

"Yep. You met them?"

"No. Just their youngest kid." You tilted your head in wonder as you stirred the soup slowly with a spoon.

"Youngest? I thought they only have one child?"

You stopped moving and looked at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Chanyeol's best friend is an only child. That's why he sticks around to that boy so much. Your brother's a sweet young boy." Your mouth smiled as she thought of Chanyeol.

"Yeah, he is." You mumbled as you were in deep thought.

Should I make my male character an only child too?

You nodded to yourself as you agreed.

"Eomma, I'm home—"

"They're here!"

Chanhee scoffed as her older brother shouted behind her. She smiled as she saw you and greeted you.

"How's your part-time job, Chanhee?" You asked as you finished preparing the table. Your mother rushed towards the door with Chanyeol to greet the new neighbors.

"It was fun as usual. I got free ice-creams today too!" She cheered as she put the plastic in the freezer.

"You must be doing a good job then." You ruffled her hair as you smiled at her.

"Noona."

You turned as you heard Chanyeol call you. Your mother was talking to the elegant-looking couple happily while Chanyeol was with the flirty boy on the couch.

"Come here." Your younger brother called as he waved at you. Chanhee almost squealed as she saw Sehun, you rolled your eyes.

"Why would I?" You mouthed back at him.

"Noona." Chanyeol called out again.

"This is my oldest daughter, Yeoreum. She's a writer. Can you believe that she already made her books into the best-selling ones?!" Your mother proudly said as she let the couple sit down.

"Really? That's great!" Mrs. Oh exclaimed excitedly as she sat down. "Good for you, you have a very helpful oldest kid."

"How about you? Why did you move in this quiet neighborhood?" Your mother chatted with the couple as you served the food.

"Chanyeol." You called. He pouted at you as he stood up with his best friend. "Help me with these."

"I can help too, noona—"

"You're a guest, Sehun. Please sit down with your parents."

You turned to your brother and gestured the drinks on the counter. He obeyed you and gave the guests their drinks.

"Chanhee, are you just gonna stand there?" You asked your starstruck sister beside you. "Sit there and talk with Sehun or something. I know you want to."

She slowly nodded and walked towards the table, sitting beside the young boy. Chanyeol followed after serving the drinks and sat on the other side of Sehun. They talked as if they never saw each other while your younger sister joined in their conversation.

"So, Yeoreum does freelance work?" You heard Mr. Oh ask your mom.

"Yes, if that's what you call that." Your mother smiled as she glanced at you. "She's a hard worker though."

"It would've been great if she worked outside of the house. She wouldn't know how it is to work with others than herself."

With Mr. Oh's comment, your eyes looked down, not knowing what to say.

It hit you like a bitch.

"That's right, Mr. Oh. But..." You suddenly spoke, gaining a bit of strength after a few seconds. "...that doesn't make my work less efficient. I think it's better to work alone, I carry less burdens. I can think without caring for others opinions. I'm totally fine with that."

You walked in front of the table as you walked past by them. You slightly bowed.

"Please excuse me."

As you walked upstairs without another glance, you left them all in astonishment.

"I'm sorry for my daughter's—"

"No, it's fine. My husband must have offended her with his words. I'm sorry." Mrs. Oh apologized in behalf of her husband, who just fell silent as he drank his water.

Sehun, who Chanyeol was talking to at the moment, stared at the space where you were earlier.

"Tell me something about your noona."

—

❥ Ch.3

[gorogues]

Fictober ficlets

Day 6: “I heard enough, this ends now.”

 The heat and cold guns powered up simultaneously with an ominous whine, and Mick and Len stared each other down.

 “I’m sick of you treating me like some kind of secondary Rogue!” Mick bellowed, at which his partner in crime snorted derisively.

 “I give you more than you deserve, and we all know it.”

 “For cryin’ out loud…” James complained from across the table, though a glower from both men quickly silenced him.

 “So you recruited me, big deal!  I pull my own weight around here, and you take a cut of my share just because of that.  It’s not right,” Mick grumbled.  He lightly pulled at the trigger of his gun, causing a few flames to flicker out of the muzzle, and the other Rogues shuffled their chairs back a bit.

 “Then shoot me if you’ve got the balls,” Len challenged him.  “But you don’t.  You’re weak, and that’s why you’re in the lower tier of Rogues.  It’s pathetic.”

 “I’ll show you balls…” Mick growled, grip tightening on the gun and trigger, and that’s when Sam shoved the table against them and jumped to his feet.

 “I heard enough.  This ends now.”

 “Dammit, Sam!  If we don’t get this outta our system it’s just gonna keep happening,” Len protested, but Sam held a small mirror towards them with a stern glare, and the implication was clear.

 “Don’t care.  Have your dick-measuring contests outside Rogue territory,” Sam said forcefully, his gaze never wavering.  He was usually an easy-going leader and a good man to get along with, but could always be counted on to push back when necessary.

 “Fine.  This isn’t over, Snart,” Mick muttered in a low voice, though one sharp glance from Sam reminded him to keep it to himself until they’d left the hideout.  But Sam didn’t notice Len’s returned glare and nod, which told those who had seen it to maybe avoid bar-hopping with Len or Mick for a while.

  *************

 Day 7: “No worries, we still have time.”

 James liked to make an entrance and locks were basically optional for him, so he swung open the door to Hartley’s apartment with a theatrical flourish.

 “Piper?  There a reason you didn’t show up at the Bureau’s meeting today?” he called.

 “Leave me alone, James,” came a distinctly irritated reply.  The voice was emanating from the bedroom, so James walked in with a hand covering his eyes in comedic exaggeration.  This would normally get a few exasperated chuckles from Hartley, but today he was silent. So James dropped the hand and the humour, and now looked sincerely concerned.

 “What’s wrong?”

 “Nothing.  Don’t concern yourself with it, and I’ll be back at the office tomorrow.”

 “Hart, it doesn’t take a conman to see that something’s truly bothering you.  Try me, I’m a really good listener.”

 Hartley let out a pained grunt and fixed James with a frustrated stare.  “If I tell you, will you leave me alone?”

 “Of course,” James assured him, fingers obviously crossed behind his back.  Hartley knew it, but decided to unburden himself anyway; it wasn’t like he had many people to talk to at this point in his life.

“So today’s the anniversary of my parents’ murder,” he began, and James’ eyes widened.  He couldn’t believe he’d missed such an important event, as it was the kind of thing he took pride in remembering and was even a professional requirement for a confidence man who liked to know everything about everyone.

 “We often didn’t see eye-to-eye,” Hartley continued, “but they were the only parents I had, and I know they loved me.  I loved them.  And I can’t help but feel partly responsible because Mirror Master murdered them just to get at me…it makes for weird feelings of grief, guilt, and confusion. I’m not in a good headspace right now.”

 “That’s completely understandable and you can take all the time you need,” James said with concern, his face a bit pale.  He spent some time in thought, and then brightened.  “Do you think it’d help to visit their memorials, to maybe pay your respects and think about what’s going on in your head?”

 “It might,” Hartley conceded, “but their graves are in Central City and it’s getting rather late.  Maybe it’s not worth it, and maybe they already think I’m a bad son for not showing up.”  

 James cast him a sympathetic look, feeling almost heartbroken by the downcast look on his friend’s face. “Don’t worry, we still have time and we’ll get there.  And Hart, not only are you a great son, but I know your parents are so proud of you.”

 ************

Day 9: “You shouldn’t have come here.”

 Lisa had been paralyzingly lethargic for the last day or so, showing little interest in meals and even less in exercise or recreation. She hated prison, and her brother seemed content to let her stay there for a while; he might have been too busy to spring her, but she assumed he was angry at her for disobeying his counsel not to harass the Flash.  How could he understand her feelings, anyway?

 “Dinnertime, Snart,” one of the guards called as she slipped a meal into the cell, though Lisa completely ignored the woman and the food. Roscoe was dead, she’d failed to hurt the Flash as he’d done to her, and the world was passing her by as she languished in that cell.  Rage could only drive her so far when she was completely powerless to do anything, and the melancholy of grief had set in.

 “Where did it all go wrong?” she asked softly under her breath, and there was a familiar chuckle beside her.

 “I’d think it was when my brain overheated.”

 She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.  “Roscoe, you’re not real.  I’m imagining things like the last time.”

 “Well, not in the flesh, as it were.  But I’m here to keep you company in your hour of need…I wish I could do more to help, but I’ll need a body first.”

 “If you’re real --- and I’m not saying you are --- tell me something I couldn’t possibly know to prove it’s you.”

 The voice paused for a few moments before speaking. “I left a diamond bracelet for you under your bed before I died, and you haven’t found it yet.”

 She flushed.  It suddenly occurred to her that she couldn’t know if it was true until she was out of prison, but seemed like the kind of thing he would do and so he had to be real….or maybe she might be hallucinating him saying it because she expected that of him.  Her head was so muddled, and she was having such difficulty thinking straight.

 “You shouldn’t have come here.  I’m not at my best right now,” she admitted quietly, still not lifting her forehead from her slump on the table.

  “There’s no place I’d rather be,” he replied, and she could hear the tender smile in his voice.

 ***************

 Day 10: “You think this troubles me?”

 “I’m sorry, sir, but we’re completely out of burgers,” the employee said politely, a concerned look on her face.  The customer in front of her seemed like the type to be difficult.

 “You think this troubles me?” Dr Alchemy announced with an imperious smile.  “Let my Philosopher’s Stone transform those soggy French fries,” --- he gestured towards another customer’s order --- “into glorious beef patties so there will be burgers for all!”

 “Sir, that’s really against Health and Safety regulations…” the employee began, but there was a bright flash of light from the weird rock he held.

 And a puddle of goo where the fries had been.

 “Um,” Al said nervously, all gravitas lost.  “Just a second.”

 Another flash of light, and now the goo was a different colour.  But with chunks.

 “What the hell happened to my fries?!” the other customer demanded, staring in disbelief at the horrible remains of his order.

 “That should have worked!” Al exclaimed in frustration.  “It always works!  One moment, please!”

 Now the chunky goo looked vaguely like cottage cheese.

 “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” the employee said firmly, and Al scowled.

 “You can’t throw me out!  Dr Alchemy takes his leave,” he sniffed with all the renewed dignity he could muster.  He flipped his cape over his shoulder, and began stalking away in a manner befitting a supervillain.

 And then slipped on the puddle of soda another employee was diligently mopping up.

 ***************

 Day 11: “But I will never forget!”

 Axel and Evan cackled together.  They didn’t typically spend much time with each other and very little of that involved socializing, but there was one life-threatening activity which united them as a duo.

“Okay, so you have to make sure to angle the portal just like this,” Axel instructed as he sketched a rough outline on a piece of paper, and his colleague nodded.

 “Aye.  It’s nae tricky,” Evan said confidently, possibly unaware that he’d just suitably punned.  Axel himself nodded approvingly at such a quality reference.  Sometimes Scotty’s an okay guy, he mused silently.

 “Just make sure ya do it right in the heat of the moment, bro!  You only get one chance.  And I’ll have the ammo ready.”

 They exchanged another good laugh and a high five before splitting up to take their positions and to wait for their prey….

 ….who soon walked in whistling a (classical, pretentious) tune.

 Evan opened the mirror portal in just the right place and aimed it precisely as he’d been told, while Axel let loose the weapon.

 “What the flying fuck?!” Mark shrieked furiously as a Boston cream pie came out of nowhere to splatter all over his face, and the conspirators laughed hysterically.  The two of them had to hold each other up because they were laughing so hard.

 “You…you…” Mark sputtered as he wiped cream filling out of his eyes.  His perfectly-coiffed hair was ruined, and he’d be damned if the others found out about his extensive moisturizing regime because of what they’d done.  Lightning began to crackle ominously around his eyes, and Axel realized it was time to go.

 “Let’s jet, yo!” he called, and the duo disappeared instantly via another mirror portal.  Mark, however, was now literally steaming, as it turns out that pie cream begins to cook when exposed to large quantities of electricity.  Len was confronted with a puzzling sight when he came running in to find out what had happened.

 “You jerks think you’ve gotten away with this.  But I’ll never forget!” Mark vowed angrily.  He promised to be ever-vigilant and to never let them prank him again.

 Which didn’t help the next time.

[lobsters-on-their-heads]

OB Rewatch: The Redesign of Natural Objects

I so want this to be symbolic of Sarah Stubbs’ relationship with Alison Hendrix.

As always, there are SPOILERS for the ENTIRE series ahead!

I loved

The shots of Siobhan out stalking Duko. Somebody make this into a poster with some inspirational Irish saying at the bottom.

That Alison and Felix communicated to defeat Duko. She has people she can count on who know her secrets.

Adele's back! Yay! “I don't want anyone friskin' you. It's not as fun as it sounds.” Heh. And I just love this shot of her.

“Cosima, it's good to see you again!” “Um, yeah, I'm a bit conflicted about it.”

“Yo, Rachel.”  “Yo.”

Cosima recognizing and using her value to the Susan and Rachel team. She doesn't have a whole lot to lose at this point, but she has what they need.

Great contrast of Jesus Christ Superstar with Donnie in the cell. I don't know the musical, but people have pointed out that Alison's playing the role of Judas. (See, they told us that knowing Bible stories would help us understand other stories, and they were right!) Plus, this shot of Alison is the best shot of her for the entire series.

“Yes, I'm sure you're excited about your contribution, Ira.”

I liked

When MK says, “There’s something you should see,” she immediately follows it up with what that something is. It’s refreshing.

“I could build us all coffins. Shall I start with the smallest first?”

As soon as Scott said he wasn’t working with Rachel, Cosima went with his assessment. Because he’s her partner.

Spot on music for Donnie's opening scene in prison – Sonny Curtis' “I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)” After all, “I needed money 'cause I had none” does sum up why the Hendrixes got into drug pushing in the first place

The finch desktop wallpaper is a nice touch.

“She even cheats at Agricola.” Oh, Scott. I'm curious HOW one cheats at Agricola, though.

The person Art trusts to talk to about Duko is Raj, the sweet guy who got Beth and Sarah all that equipment.

Alison says Shit! And Scheisse!

Both Siobhan and Sarah trying to dress Felix like he's not the biggest fashion stickler of the entire Clone Club.

Alison's terrified hesitation as she talks to Felix on the phone. 

I didn’t like

Donnie is such a fucking idiot. He's learned nothing from working with drug dealers. Has he even watched TV?

I hate any time a character tells another character how “crazy” they’re being. If the characters and plot are strong enough (and in this case, they are), the audience can gauge the craziness for themselves. Telling us is just talking down to us. 

What the fuck, Rev. Mike?? “I'm sure the children will be just fine with proper therapy.” Alison, get thee to a different church, now! I kind of wish they'd made Rev. Mike a Neolutionist. It'd make more sense than him just being a shitty reverend.

Cosima's hair is under the ear protection/ head set, rather than tucked behind it. That bothers me.

Other notes

Both Rachel and Ira are wearing gray at the beginning – Rachel dark, Ira light.

By the end, though, Rachel’s back in white, and a shirt very similar to the one Susan’s wearing. Ira’s still in gray, though.

Thank GOD Charlotte was removed from Susan Duncan's “care” before Susan could fuck her up any further. The way Susan pits siblings against each other, obviously keeps Charlotte away from kids her own age, and invests nothing in social or emotional education.... And Charlotte's little smile when Susan says, “Ira, have you shown Rachel your toy soldiers” says everything about Charlotte's comprehension of the game at hand.

Rachel’s comment that she has “a long perspective on our ailment” gets fleshed out (sorry, bad pun?) in Season 5. 

Alison heard the term “fly in the ointment,” and thought of Sarah immediately.

Alison had that mini bottle of vodka completely open when Felix startled her and she dropped it. Nothing like vodka-infused mascara, eh?

“Beth told me about you. How's your illness?” MK makes it sound like Beth told her about Cosima’s illness, which makes no sense. It could be an intentionally strange construction, though, since MK’s coded as neuro atypical.

Rachel has an eye vision of the inside of the yurt with the Messenger, but no Delphine. Indicates Delphine (a) is in on the visions and helped orchestrate this one, (b) is out of the yurt and the Messenger just helps himself, or (c) just sits back and puts up with anything and everything that happens on the island, even if it's in her personal space. I’m betting on (b) or (c). Still, how cool could it have been if Delphine showed up in her eye vision, slowly moving her thumb into Rachel’s field of vision.

This shot, by itself, could make an interesting dental hygiene ad.

If Duko’s niece is the reason he's doing all of this, it's telling that he says she's “like, ten.” Most of us, I think, would be able to give our beloved nieces’ and nephews’ ages at the drop of a hat, no hesitation or “like” involved.

I have questions

Is the safe house a former bakery as well as grocery? Those look like bakery or pizza ovens to me.

What happened to the Threatening Neo after Neolution collapsed at the end of the series? I’m guessing he stayed in prison, but did anyone tell him they collapsed?

Art was totally opposed to Siobhan killing a cop, until he was fine with it. Was it Duko going AWOL, or his threat to Donnie, or his trying to get Sarah that swayed Art?

Who had Kira's ears pierced, and when?

And what was Rev. Mike doing with that stack of hymnals?

What denomination are the Hendrixes? Not Catholic because we would have known by now, and because they call him Rev. Mike, not Father Mike. I think these symbols indicate a particular denomination, but I don't recall which.

Why is Rev. Creepy helping with the rehearsal? Don't they have a musical director for that?

Why is poor Scott the one who has to clean the blood from the comics shop? And why is he using such a stiff brush? A damp cloth and some bleach oughta do it.

I have questions in general about the state of Cosima's reproductive system. She says they couldn't get her cells to create a usual culture (though she doesn't give a time frame for when that was attempted). Fortunately, her disease isn’t real, so I’ll never get my questions answered.

Where and how did Sarah have her eggs removed? How many did they take? Did she get that oophorectomy after all? Did she enjoy it?

I would have liked to have seen

I wanted to see some discussion of how they've already looked for Delphine. Sarah's claim that “we'll find her” should have been met with a response of “How? We’ve already checked everywhere” or some other expression of frustration.

Someone get Tatiana and Terra Hazelton a Broadway musical, STAT.

[gwenore]

“I know better.” Chapter 1.

Summery: Barbara Lake is a knight in the Order of the Eight armed Sun, an ancient human order which fights against trolls and other magical creatures, their founder, simply known as the Saint, even having fought against Gunmar himself. After the destruction of Killahead bridge, where she and her order fought and defeated Bular, Barbara goes into the sewer to chase down the changeling known as Stricklander for reasons even her order does not know. 

Barbara clutched the hilt of her sword, an ancient relic of the knight’s order she had served since her teenage years. The troll plot to bring back the leader of the faction known as the Gumm-gumms had failed, the Killahead bridge destroyed, but while the rest of her knight’s order, the Order of the Eight armed Sun, were plotting a celebration, she was stalking Arcadia’s sewer for the changeling known as Stricklander.

He had tricked her for so long… playing the caring teacher to her son in the guise of Walter Strickler… she had even…

She eased her breath listening to his steps in the darkness.

The rest would never approve of what she was about to do… it needed to be kept secret. She knew this changeling… knew how much of an asset he could be.

Their job was not ended yet.

She could hear him collapse ahead and as she turned around the corner, she saw him, on his knees as he clutched his arm. He was wearing his human shape, her blade held high even as she pointed her specialized gun which shot cold iron bullets.

Seeing this shape made her heart clench… old emotions coming back, how kind he was… how he had been able to make her feel wanted… normal. Believing that she could have the family she always wanted with how he had cared so much for her son and been concerned for him.

But… it had been all an act.

He let out a chuckle as he heard her approach behind him.

“You certainly do not quit, I will give you that much,” he said as he still on his knees turned to face her. “Very well then… I suppose that this is it.”

He clutched his right arm as he looked up at her, meeting her blue eyes. When they had met in the parent-teacher conference he was already struck by those stunning blue eyes. He fell for her... he could admit that.

After finding out what she was... how her being a doctor was a rouse and that she was serving the legacy of something which most of trollkin had attempted to forget and still sent chills down the backs of those that remembered that legend.

Barbara continued to attempt to control her breathing as she stared into those eyes... those green eyes which she swore she could lost in...

She still remembered when she had seen them glow for the first time... that poisonous yellow glow, something that shattered her heart.

“Do not think that you looking like this changes anything about my feelings towards you, changeling!” she said through gritted teeth.

“Well... it is the shape I choose to die in, I always preferred it,” the changeling shrugged, still on his knees, looking up at her.

His own words seemed to ring through his own mind.

How he choose to die...

If he truly were to die... then... why die with regrets? The poison were making him ache, but it would not kill him... simply drain him of power and energy. These knights did not know what they were messing with when they were... “blessing” their weapons...

He hoped she would never find out...

He cared for her... longed for her and dreamed of her. Even after he knew she was a knight... it did not end his feelings for her.

He remembered how they had sat speaking at that little café... how he had taken her hand and kissed it.

Yet... before anything could happen... reality reared its ugly head. He wondered how it would have been if the world had been kinder...

It did not matter... and again... if he was to die...

The changeling leapt to his feet, moving within her guard so she could not deflect him, and she then felt his large hands on her cheeks, pulling her closer. The sound of the gun and her sword clacked against the floor rung through the sewers, as she felt his lips against her own.

His hands moved down across her neck in gentle caresses as he felt how warm her skin was. The changeling’s stone heart slapped against his ribs as he did not feel her push him away in disgust as he had expected, but instead wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.

She tasted so wonderful, his tongue caressing her lips gently, feeling how she relented against him, opening her mouth gently.

Strickler had never really understood the human fascinating with kissing... it never really looked appealing... until he met her. Now he felt as if he was drowning in the warmth of her. He delighted in how her fingers moved through his hair, her nails gently scratching him as he murmured softly.

However then a slight click was heard and the changeling felt the brush of metal around his neck as he pushed away from her.

“What did you...?!” he gasped as he grasped the metal collar she had placed around his neck, seeing that eight armed sun emblem of the order.

“A binding chain,” she said as she quickly gathered up a weapon.

“You put me on a leash like some sort of animal?” he gasped as he attempted to remove it, but it remained stuck around his neck.

“I never intended to kill you Stricklander, I need your help,” she pointed her sword on him. “But I am not foolish enough to trust you. You now work for me.”

Strickler looked at him through narrow eyes.

“Hardly common among you knights is it?” he asked, the metal collar feeling uncomfortable around his neck.

“No... they know nothing about this, they think that victory have been achieved since Bular have been killed and the bridge has been destroyed, not caring about the children still trapped in that awful place,” she pointed her sword at him.

“Ah... the human familiars,” he nodded. “And you... what? Wish to save them? A noble thought... a foolish thought, one best left abandoned. I assure you, those children are taken well care of. A human familiar needs to be kept safe if they are hurt or killed... well you know this. Best do as the others, celebrate the victory and forget those children.”

“I cannot! I refuse to! I will save them, and what more, you are going to help me,” she pointed the sword at him. He raised his brow, shock upon those green eyes.

“Nooo,” he said as he shook his head.

“Well... you don’t have much of a choice, do you?” she poked her sword against his chest.

“So what is your plan then, knight? Waltz into the Darklands and get eaten by trolls or the other monsters that resides there?” he rolled his wrists as he rolled his eyes.

“Alright, I do not have a real plan yet, but you have worked for Gunmar for centuries, at least you have some sort of knowledge,” she blurted out. “Besides, what other choice do you have? The rest of the order is out to kill you on sight, you failed so I cannot imagine even the other changelings will welcome you back and I know the coward trolls that hides at Trollmarket do not welcome your kind. Like it or not, I am the only choice you got.”

Strickler continued to stare at her.

“Well... as you put me on a leash and can kill me in a most agonizing way... dripping in the blood of that tyrant... I suppose that I do not,” he admitted. Barbara gritted her teeth. The saint of the order, the noble knight who had lead the humans against the trolls. Even now his name was so feared that no troll would dare speak it out loud.

Even now the saint rested below the sanctuary, rumoured to return. Barbara did not believe this... it was a legend. But... there was no doubt that the relics which had touched the saint had an... effect on trolls... or any magical beings. As if they had become toxic to them.

“But know this, changeling! Should you try to betray me, I will kill you!” she poked his sword against his chest. The changeling simply let out a soft chuckle.

“Well... so nothing have changed then...” Strickler muttered with a shrug. “So... what next?”

“I have a shelter in my basement, you will be safe there, follow me,” she said as she started to walk.

“Oh... good... I get to live in a basement... oh well at least I don’t have to correct the midterm papers... I suppose that there is a silver lining to everything...” the changeling rolled his eyes as he walked after her.

Barbara did not answer as she walked towards her home, having used the sewers several times to do so.

Strickler continued to watch her as they walked, using his left hand to ease the collar that she had put around his neck. His mind however kept going back to the moment of the kiss... how it felt.

Even in all the centuries of his life... nothing had felt like that... nothing having made his stone heart move like that. Even looking at her now... his heart almost ached.

Neither did not speak a single word as she showed him a hidden door, showing once again the eight armed sun, signifying to other knights that another of their order that this was a safe refuge.

Carefully she opened the door, letting him inside and locking it, showing another small hallway, her leading him down it until they came to another door which she opened with a lock.

Inside was a very small apartment, if one could call it that. More or less a shelter with a bed and a bathroom, though little else.

“Make yourself at home,” she shrugged her shoulders. The changeling looked around, letting out a soft breath.

“I guess you can call it... cozy...” he rolled his eyes slightly.

“It is better than the alternative. I am not sure any other prisons are as comfortable as this,” Barbara let out a soft huff.

“I suppose that is true,” he said as his green eyes once again wandered over to her again. She still was so beautiful.

“So... what are you going to tell Jim when he wonders what happened to his teacher then?” Strickler then asked, moving slowly towards her.

“I am sure he will have questions, but there will certainly be rumours, but it is not as if I know... after all... I am simply a doctor who worked a double shift tonight... nothing more,” she told him.

“Of course... how could I forget...” he rolled his eyes.

“Well... I should leave you to settle in,” Barbara said as she moved towards the door, but before she could she felt his hand wrap around hers, stopping her. She spun around as she felt him take her into his arms again.

“Barbara... my feelings for you... they were never a lie...” he made sure she looked into his eyes as he told her this.

At this she simply broke away from his grip, shaking her head as she backed towards the door.

“No, Stricklander... I know better now,” she said, keeping her voice as calm and detached as she could. “I know what you are... and I know better than to trust a changeling.”

With these words she quickly exited the room, locking it, leaving him there in the darkness, his eyes glowing softly as he looked upon the locked door.

[snickletastic]

Cauterizing {Frank Castle x Reader}

summary: frank castle gets shot and shows up at the readers door bleeding out, and she has to help him

warnings: mentions of bullets and getting shot, a little bit of surgery speech, i think thats it? yeah thats it

a/n~ i swear this story sounded way better in my head, but i had some trouble translating it into coherent words. ah well, i think it came out okay :)

“Fuck, Frank!” you gasped as he stood in your doorway, half dead. You pulled him into your apartment, then shut the door with your foot. He had a bullet wound on his abdomen, gushing blood all over the floor. “Lay down on the couch, I need to grab the first aid kit and vodka and stitch that!” you panicked.

Frank went to take a step, but collapsed of blood loss mid-way.You caught him before he completely hit the floor, but he was too heavy to carry all the way to the couch. You practically dragged him to your kitchen table, and pushed him over onto it. In a state of terror, you ran to get the necessary supplies. When you came back, Frank was completely unconscious. You hurriedly pulled his tactical shirt off and examined the wound. It was right under a lung, luckily, but it hit him in the liver. You knew how to sew up some conventional cuts, but this was far too advanced for you.

There was no one to call. If you brought him to the hospital, he’d get thrown in prison. You didn’t know the numbers of his friends. It was just you, and him laying on the table dying of blood loss. You grabbed your eyebrow tweezers from your bathroom cabinet and wiped them off with a disinfectant wipe. Then, you poured the vodka onto the wound. He had no reaction, and it was clear that you were losing him. You positioned a flashlight over the bullet hole, and leaned in to get the bullet out. Your hands were shaky, and it was almost too risky to perform the extraction. But it’d be even more dangerous to do nothing. You forced yourself to get back into the scene and get the bullet out. 

After some gentle digging around, you got it out. A 39mm. You placed it on a plate next to you, then poured some more alcohol onto the wound. The easiest part is sewing it back up. You got a clean needle and some string from your old first aid kit. You stitched his skin back together as precisely as you could, then the worst part came. Cauterizing. It was completely necessary in this situation if he couldn’t get to a hospital. You plugged your clothing iron into the outlet and shivered as you waited for it to warm up. The heat from it was bound to wake him up and make him freak out. The heating iron buzzed, which meant it was at it’s full temperature.

When you hovered the iron over the wound, you couldn’t get the perfect angle, so you had to straddle the unconscious man while steadying a burning iron in one hand. I always knew we’d be in this position, but not in this situation, you thought to yourself. With a deep breath, you lifted the iron, then harshly hit his abdomen with it. Frank woke up with a deep howl and started to freak out. 

“I’m so sor-” you cried as he wriggled beneath you. Before you could finish, he grabbed your waist, his fingers digging into your sides to the point where it agonizingly painful, and threw you off of him and onto the floor. You landed on your back and dropped the iron to your side. When you stood back onto your feet, he was unconscious again. He didn’t mean to hurt you. You wiped your tears away and took a look at the wound, which was completely closed. After, you stalked to the bathroom to look at the bruises on your waist. They were dark purple, in the shape of hands. The pain of the bruises didn’t even compare to the pain Frank was probably feeling at the moment, and ice would help the soreness of the marks. 

You got some ice packs from the fridge then pulled a chair to the table that Frank was on. All night, you sat next to him, waiting for him to wake up.

“Y/N?,” Frank opened his eyes to see you asleep in the chair, quietly snoring. You immediately woke up and looked over at him, “Are you okay? Does the wound hurt? Do you need aspirin?” You blurted.

“N-No, no, I’m fine, really. I didn’t mean to wake you up. Did you sleep there all night?” Frank observed your position on the chair, “Shit, Y/N.”

You yawned and stretched your arms out, “It’s alright, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, is all.”

When you stretched, your shirt rose up and showed a small part of your bruise, but Frank was quick to notice. “Holy shit! Did I do that?” Frank’s voice went from scratchy to fully awake in seconds.

You scratched your neck and contemplated what to tell him, “Yeah, but you were in excruciating pain, and I was the one causing it, so it was really just an accident.”

He quickly shot up off of the table and went to hug you and apologize. “I’m so sorry, Y/N. My God, I’m so sorry,” He squeezed you so tightly you could barely breathe, and you tried not to wince in pain, but it was impossible when he was putting so much pressure on the bruises. He noticed this and let go, then rubbed his forehead. “I’ll go get you something to help the pain,” he mumbled to himself as he started towards the bathroom.

“No, Frank. I’m perfectly fine. You got shot! You need to lay down, right now.”

“But yo-”

“Right. Now.” You crossed your arms and huffed.

He looked taken aback by your sudden snappiness, but obeyed your orders and sat on the couch. You poured some iced tea into a glass and set it onto his coaster, then did the same to your own cup. 

“Do they hurt?” Frank stared you down.

“What?”

“The bruises…do they hurt?” Frank looked anxious awaiting your answer.

“No. Not really, feels sorta achy, but it doesn’t hurt,” you smiled and took a sip from your glass, “so care to explain how you got shot?” 

Frank let out a soft nose exhale at your sudden change of topic, “I pissed off the wrong police officer last night, should probably stop taunting them,” He leaned back into the couch.

You smiled again and then hesitated to ask the next question, but ignored your gut feeling, “What is this, Frank? I mean, between us? This..this relationship? I just wanna know because- well-” You stumbled across your own words and figured it’d be best to stop talking and let him respond.

“To tell you the truth sweetheart, I’m not sure. What do you think it should be?”

“I think we should give it a chance?”

Frank gave a sigh of relief and grinned, “That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say.”

masterlist , requests are open :)