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stormcloudrising · 2 years ago

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Why are the Others Back?

What is everyone’s thoughts on the Others? Why are they back? How are they connected to the Starks?

The Others are the ice to the dragon’s fire, and the two are the great existential threats looming over Planetos. Yet, we know more about the dragons and dragon lords than we do the Others. They and their connection to the Starks, the core family of the story, is at the heart of the great mystery of the books.

They are presented as a great threat that needs to be contained, but there are also a lot of obvious contradictions in what we’ve been told about them…starting with the Night’s King and Corpse Queen. What do I mean by contradictions?

Well, if the NK and CQ were the leaders of the Others and they are a destructive force, why is the Hades/Pluto and Persephone/Kore myth so baked into their legends? At its heart, the legend of two Greek/Roman gods is a fertility myth.

Hades, the chthonic ruler of the underworld was a fertility god. The planted seeds were his bounty which he stored and nourished in the earth until they bloomed in the spring and were harvested in the fall to feed the populace before the process started over again with the planting season. His abduction of Persephone ties into this myth with her descent for three months representing winter and her yearly return to be with her mother Demeter a signal of the start of the spring and harvest seasons.

Hades/Pluto was the Lord of the Underworld, but he was also the god of the hidden wealth of the earth, from the fertile soil, which nourished the seed-grain, to the mined wealth of precious metals. Also, he is the god who welcomes all, whose realm is full of guests. He does not cause the death that brings men to his realm, because death comes to everyone, and all are welcome in his realm.

So, my question is why George has so closely associated a renewal myth with the legend of the leaders and likely progenitors of the Others. Another contradiction has to do with what is implied in the Qarthian myth about two moons in the sky.

"He told me the moon was an egg, Khaleesi," the Lysene girl said. "Once there were two moons in the sky, but one wandered too close to the sun and cracked from the heat. A thousand thousand dragons poured forth and drank the fire of the sun. That is why dragons breathe flame. One day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and the dragons will return." —AGOT Daenerys III

The name of the series is A Song of Ice and Fire. By the way, I think it’s interesting that George reversed the order of things in his series name. Instead of Fire and Ice as in the Frost poem, he went with Ice and Fire, which I think was a deliberate choice with meaning behind it on his part, but that a discussion for another day.

My point is that the two moons in the sky represent the two factions in the story…ice and fire. The fire moon cracked and symbolic fire dragons likely black meteors were born into the world. The destruction of the fire moon likely was the main reason for the Long Night and the great floods legend tells us about. That left one moon in the sky…the icy one. We know this because George drops one of his plays on words with “one day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and dragons will return.”

These dragons that will return aren’t the fire breathing ones, but the icy Others as they represent the ice moon. They are not the animalistic type of dragons like the fire breathing ones, but they are George’s version of ice dragons.

However, here is where the contradiction comes in. What saved Planetos from destruction previously is that only one moon was destroyed. The ice moon remained in the sky. If the ice moon were to be destroyed as well, it would spell the end of Planetos.

That ice moon in the sky is a type of balance. It can possibly survive a slight cracking, but it can’t and shouldn’t be destroyed or else, that’s the end of all life on the planet. Thus, maybe part of the reason the Others have returned is to prevent the destruction of the ice moon, maybe by the actions of the fire faction whether knowing or unknowingly…especially Euron whose goal is to reshape all life in his image.

So that’s a second contradiction in the legend of the Others. A potential third one is not about them specifically, but it could tie into their myth. This third possibility has to do with the confusing myth of old northern warriors going out into the frozen cold to hunt, but basically it was to commit suicide.

Legend tells us that this was done because of the scarcity of food. Leaving their families and going out into the cold meant there was one less mouth to feed, their families could survive on rations a bit longer.

Now this story seems a bit off for a couple of reasons. First, legend also tells us that the White Walkers were roaming the land, hunting maids and everything with hot blood. They were also known necromancers who brought back the dead to be their armies. So why would warriors leave their families to go out and basically become a weapon of the White Walkers to be used against their loved ones. They had to know that’s what it meant when they went out into the cold.

However, there is possibly another explanation that may make more sense and the legend of old warriors going out into the cold may just have been put out to cover up the actual truth.

With a winter lasting several years…if I had to guess, I would say about 13, there would have been an extreme shortage of food. Cannibalism is hinted at throughout the text, and it’s likely something that will be practice throughout Westeros when the Long Night falls again. The old warriors may have simply volunteered to be food for their family or forcibly used in this manner. The legend of them going out to hunt could have arisen to hide this truth.

If this was not the case, and the old warriors did indeed go out “hunting” as the legend states with the implication being they knew they wouldn’t return, one can argue that they knowingly went out to join with the Others. The question then becomes why.

EDITED SECTION BEGINS.

It is popularly believed that Dawn, the famous sword wielded by Arthur Dayne and other past Daynes as “Sword of the Morning,” is in fact the ancient house sword of House Stark that Catelyn mentions in her first chapter of A Game of Thrones.

"I am always proud of Bran," Catelyn replied, watching the sword as he stroked it. She could see the rippling deep within the steel, where the metal had been folded back on itself a hundred times in the forging. Catelyn had no love for swords, but she could not deny that Ice had its own beauty. It had been forged in Valyria, before the Doom had come to the old Freehold, when the ironsmiths had worked their metal with spells as well as hammers. Four hundred years old it was, and as sharp as the day it was forged. The name it bore was older still, a legacy from the age of heroes, when the Starks were Kings in the North. —AGOT, Catelyn I

The current familial sword of House Stark is just about 400 years old and is not the original. It is instead named after a sword from the Age of Heroes. Now what sword in the story could that be? Possibly one forged from the heart of a fallen star that landed at Starfall.

House Dayne, or more specifically their house sword will be central to the final events of the story. However, they are as mysterious as the Others. Not much is known about them as George says it would spoilery to reveal more. Nonetheless, we do know some things, like they are a First Men house.

At the mouth of the Torrentine, House Dayne raised its castle on an island where that roaring, tumultuous river broadens to meet the sea. Legend says the first Dayne was led to the site when he followed the track of a falling star and there found a stone of magical powers. His descendants ruled over the western mountains for centuries thereafter as Kings of the Torrentine and Lords of Starfall. —The World of Ice and Fire-Dawn: Kingdom of the First Men

We also know a little about their famous sword. It’s very similar to Valyrian steel except for one aspect.

The Daynes of Starfall are one of the most ancient houses in the Seven Kingdoms, though their fame largely rests on their ancestral sword, called Dawn, and the men who wielded it. Its origins are lost to legend, but it seems likely that the Daynes have carried it for thousands of years. Those who have had the honor of examining it say it looks like no Valyrian steel they know, being pale as milk glass but in all other respects it seems to share the properties of Valyrian blades, being incredibly strong and sharp. —The World of Ice and Fire – Dorne: The Andals Arrive

We have a sword made from the heart of a fallen star and that is described as pale as milk glass unlike Valyrian steel, which is described as almost black, but is also made from a mysterious metal.

Tyrion wondered where the metal for this one had come from. A few master armorers could rework old Valyrian steel, but the secrets of its making had been lost when the Doom came to old Valyria. "The colors are strange," he commented as he turned the blade in the sunlight. Most Valyrian steel was a grey so dark it looked almost black, as was true here as well. But blended into the folds was a red as deep as the grey. The two colors lapped over one another without ever touching, each ripple distinct, like waves of night and blood upon some steely shore. "How did you get this patterning? I've never seen anything like it." A Storm of Swords, Tyrion IV

When you consider the two opposing factions of the story symbolized by the two moons in the sky, one ice, and the other fire, it makes sense to assume that the fallen star Dawn is said to be forged from was likely a piece of the icy moon that fell to earth in Dorne. On the other hand, Valyrian steel blades, including the first ever blade, which was likely the one used to kill Nissa Nissa, and which I believe to have been Blackfyre, are made from shards of the fire moon.

The Qarthian myth tells us that many pieces of meteors from the fire moon fell to Planetos, which makes sense if that moon was destroyed or thrown out of orbit. Thus, it also makes sense that there are many more Valyrian steel blades around and likely hundreds more lost during the Doom of Valyria. However, the only meteor from the ice moon we’ve told fell to Planetos is the piece at Starfall.

As the quote up thread shows, Dawn is described as pale as milk glass several times in the text, one famous instance being the mysterious battle at the Tower of Joy that Ned remembers in his dreams.

"And now it begins," said Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. He unsheathed Dawn and held it with both hands. The blade was pale as milk glass, alive with light. A Game of Thrones, Eddard X

Do you know what else in the text is described as pale as milk glass and or alive with light? You guess it…the Others and the swords they carry. Here is the description of the one killed by Sam.

Sam rolled onto his side, eyes wide as the Other shrank and puddled, dissolving away. In twenty heartbeats its flesh was gone, swirling away in a fine white mist. Beneath were bones like milk glass, pale and shiny, and they were melting too. Finally, only the dragonglass dagger remained, wreathed in steam as if it were alive and sweating. Grenn bent to scoop it up and flung it down again at once. "Mother, that's cold." A Storm of Swords, Sam I

And here is the description of the sword wielded by the one who attacks Waymar.

A shadow emerged from the dark of the wood. It stood in front of Royce. Tall, it was, and gaunt and hard as old bones, with flesh pale as milk. Its armor seemed to change color as it moved; here it was white as new-fallen snow, there black as shadow, everywhere dappled with the deep grey-green of the trees. The patterns ran like moonlight on water with every step it took. Will heard the breath go out of Ser Waymar Royce in a long hiss. "Come no farther," the lordling warned. His voice cracked like a boy's. He threw the long sable cloak back over his shoulders, to free his arms for battle, and took his sword in both hands. The wind had stopped. It was very cold. The Other slid forward on silent feet. In its hand was a longsword like none that Will had ever seen. No human metal had gone into the forging of that blade. It was alive with moonlight, translucent, a shard of crystal so thin that it seemed almost to vanish when seen edge-on. There was a faint blue shimmer to the thing, a ghost-light that played around its edges, and somehow Will knew it was sharper than any razor. A Game of Thrones – Prologue.

Like Dawn, the Others are described as pale as milk glass and their swords are alive with light. What does all this information have to do with Dawn and the contradiction I mentioned about the Others?

Well, if Dawn was made from a piece of the ice moon, and is indeed the ancient familial sword of House Stark, who wielded it in the ancient past?

The Starks have a mysterious connection to the Others in their ancient past. Now we see the sword that potentially is the ancient blade of their house, might have been made from a piece of the ice moon, and has icy connotations in that it is described exactly as the Others are in the text.

So again, who wielded the sword in the ancient past? Might it have been the Night’s King, and leader of the Others, who I’ve argued is the male progenitor of House Stark? I think the answer is quite likely yes…especially as it’s foreshadowed in the text that Jon will bear the sword in the future.

Now here is where the contradiction comes into play. The Others are said to come during the night. Some have even argued that they bring the night, but I don’t think that’s the case. But what happens to milk glass in the dark? If it was not clear to you in the alive with light references, George spells it out for you with Jorah’s words to Dany while they are in the Dothraki Sea.

"Here and now," Ser Jorah agreed. "You ought to see it when it blooms, all dark red flowers from horizon to horizon, like a sea of blood. Come the dry season, and the world turns the color of old bronze. And this is only hranna, child. There are a hundred kinds of grass out there, grasses as yellow as lemon and as dark as indigo, blue grasses and orange grasses and grasses like rainbows. Down in the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai, they say there are oceans of ghost grass, taller than a man on horseback with stalks as pale as milk glass. It murders all other grass and glows in the dark with the spirits of the damned. The Dothraki claim that someday ghost grass will cover the entire world, and then all life will end." That thought gave Dany the shivers. A Game of Thrones, Daenerys III

Now there is a lot of symbolism at play in that passage such as who are the spirits of the damned, that I will be exploring in a future essay. For now, I just want you to see how with Dany’s shiver, and description of the ghost grass, George wants pale as milk glass to be associated with the Others. And what does milk glass do in the dark, it glows.

This raises the question of why, if the Others are this destructive force to be overcome, George is positioning them, and their Night King leader, and the sword he quite likely bore as what one could call, beacons in the dark.

Because that’s what Dawn is. It’s a herald in the dark. So why was a sword that heralds the end of the Long Night and the start of a new day wielded by the Night’s King, and leader of the icy Others? And why is it called Dawn and not say, Night, or maybe even Blackfyre? See what I mean about contradictions in the legend of the Others.

Why was Dawn, the sword foreshadowed to be wielded by the leader of the battle for the dawn previously wielded by the Night’s King, because that’s what’s implied in George’s description of the sword and him comparing it to the Others.

So, what are your thoughts about the Others? Why do you think they are back and what is their role in the story…especially if they end up being led by Jon as I’ve proposed.

#asoiaf #thoughts on this and that #the others #white walkers #the long night #northern legends #the starks #house stark #scr meta

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emeraldthelynx · 9 months ago

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Ah, Fandoms

Pet peeves I have with the fandoms of franchises I like:

Sonic: All the ships. Every. Single. One of them. I'm okay if the ship is officially canon in some media, like SonAlly, or Tailsmo, but all the other non-canon ships drive me up the wall. (Especially Sonadow. WHO THOUGHT OF SONADOW!?)

Pokemon: Ash Ketchum actually knowing exactly what he's doing, Ash having ledgendaries, and Ash betrayed. Basically anything that makes Ash not have eager excitement he does in canon. (For a side note, I don't like how dumbed-down Sun and Moon made this, but anything further than what Ash was in Kalos is going too far.) There is a slight exception to this list, because 'Legendarily Popular' on AO3 and FF.net do a wonderful job keeping the charm and absurdity of the anime while still making Ash ridiculously overpowered.

The Legend of Zelda: Sheik and Zelda as separate characters, or making Sheik male. I know that the manga heavily implies that the latter is true, but it could also be interpreted as Sheik wakes up in the mind of a young boy. As for the Sheik and Zelda as different characters, it doesn't make much sense. Zelda is Shiek, and Sheik is Zelda. I'm not saying I haven't found a couple of interesting takes on this idea, but at the same time people seem to forget that Zelda was in her Sheik persona for seven years. That's plenty of time for a person's personality to change, especially that of a young girl.

Mega Man: X/Zero. Can I please, please, read a story with X and Zero being buddies without somebody tainting their relationship by making it romantic? I also get frustrated with Reploids getting the 'just an advanced machine' label getting slapped on. Reploids, while robotic, think and feel like a human! Also anything having to do with existential angst. Zero's the only one who canonically gets this label.

Detective Conan: I haven't really delved too deep into the DCMK fandom, but that's because I'm still investigating the canon material. I will say, again, it's the non-canon ships. So far the fandom treats their little detective pretty well, but again, I haven't looked too far into it.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Do I need to say it? Parental Roy Mustang anyone? The funny thing is that there was a fairly canon time that Edward called Mustang dad, but he meant it entirely as a joke, and later a cover story, and when the rumor got back to Mustang, his team accused him of having a secret child. I also don't like stories where the Elric brothers cave in to using a Philosopher's Stone/other people/self-sacrifice to restore what they lost. That just compromises the whole story, and every moral the two have yelled at other people all through the story.

Ecco the Dolphin: There's not much here, but what is here feels like an Erin Hunter story, but Ecco is too fantastical to be shoved into this niche. Also, Ecco is a young hero. Everyone calls him 'little singer,' so he's basically Link. If Link was a dolphin. So yeah, there's not much here, and what is there is usually angsty and doesn't really capture the magical feeling of the series.

In short, my pet peeves are non-canon ships, failure to recognize the traits that make up the character and their world, and ignorance of canon. Shippers, don't come after me. I recognize your ships, it doesn't mean I need to appreciate them. If anyone else has a pet peeve with their franchise's fandom, please leave a comment or a reblog it in the tags.

#lynx's rambles #megaman #sonic the hedgehog #legend of Zelda #Pokemon #Detective Conan #Fullmetal Alchemist #Ecco the Dolphin #Pet peeves #fandom

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yarugawitch · 1 year ago

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Ulquiorra/Reader: "Two Souls" UNFINISHED

Still not finished but you can take a peek. Not gonna tag this one yet.

When he managed to reach a meadow, Ulquiorra immediately dropped to the ground and slid his elbows and forearm forward a little, staining his white uniform with damp soil. He struggled to breathe, the pain was almost unbearable, but when the slight tremor and panting subsided and the air finally began to flow into his lungs - or whatever was inside him - in a steady rhythm, he took a deep breath. The entire abundance of the forest's smells immediately hit his nostrils. Fresh green leaves, spruce needles, sparse wildflowers, wet earth. Ulquiorra wiped away the bloody saliva bubbling at his lips and on his chin and lowered himself further to greedily take in the scent of the grass. It was so fresh and moist and it tickled his sense of smell and his mind... Cifer was nearly bursting from the dizziness caused by such a stark contrast to what he usually experienced in Hueco Mundo. The vast expanse of the godforsaken desert could hardly offer anything like this. Ulquiorra struggled to roll over onto his back, and the plants welcomed his injured body into their embrace, allowing him to sink in them as far as possible. Even if it was at the expense of their own stems. He felt the now wet clothes clinging to the skin on his back.

During his last visit to the world of the living, he hadn't been interested in admiring nature all that much. It was as if he hadn't cared about anything at all at that moment. Even though there had been trees as well. Right now, though, in the glow of the moon and stars, which were no longer hidden from sight by the thick crown of the forest, he had all the time in the world to ponder the smells and sounds that surrounded him. At least this human form allowed him to feel the softness and the light pricking of branches beneath his palms as he gazed blankly at the pale crescent moon in the sky.

Ulquiorra squinted painedly. He had hoped so much for this body to finally be something that would be able to shed light on things that had been a mystery to him since birth, but all this time it had brought only disappointment and nothing more. There was nothing even close to a heart inside, and his perception of the world hadn't changed at all. The problem was hidden much deeper inside of him and had only taken on a shiny new shell, trying its hardest to look like a shinigami. A tool in someone else's hands, a player in someone else's game. He didn't even notice the deft shift of attention from his own desires and ambitions to someone else's goals. Or he didn't want to notice. This whole useless affair was good for keeping his head occupied with something other than endless existential dread, but now... Aizen was most likely dead. Or missing. Or had been caught. Either way, he was gone, which meant his endless mental self-torture was going to do a new spin.

How he wanted to eat... To feel something besides his own, already clotted, blood in his mouth again, and to quench his thirst and heartache at least for a while.

But in all the dozens of kilometers he had walked once he had found himself here, he had not felt a single hollow with his pesquisa. That could only mean one thing - this area was so cut off from civilization that there was simply nothing that could die and be corrupted. Here, in the valley between the mountains, densely dotted with forests that heard only the singing of birds and the whispering of branches, not the thoughts of crowds and lost travelers, there was no place for suffering, regrets, or the agonizing death after which the soul loses all humanity and its anchor, becoming an eternal exile in all worlds.

What a lovely place. It would be a good spot to meet his demise here. Maybe it would be the one that would give him the peace he so longed for.

Fatigue began to drill into his bones, and Ulquiorra felt some strange lightness come over him despite his wounds. He let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes.

Hell knows how long he slept then. By the time his hearing picked up the sounds of the world around him again, the trees at the edge of the meadow had changed to a slightly yellowish color. Yellow and emerald green... Colors that couldn't be found anywhere in Hueco Mundo and that he closely associated only with himself. Here they were everywhere as if he belonged here.

His arm never grew back. It just wasn't there - no matter how much he tried to mentally squeeze his fingers on it or activate regeneration. Without sustenance, it took his body a lot more time and resources to recover from the loss of an arm and the sheer amount of blood. It was a wonder he even survived at all after all that had happened. He had seen his kin die from injuries no worse than his own, but Ulquiorra still lived, breathed, and had the pleasure of hearing birds flying carefree high in the sky. Despite everything, something deep within him was still desperately clinging to life. Maybe this exhausted, pathetic body wanted to help him find his truth after all.

Cifer opened his eyes and peered at the sky above him with a cloudy gaze, trying to loosen his blood-stained lips. Without hierro that no longer covered his body, unprotected and tender skin irritatingly pulled away from the flesh in some places. It was painful. Humiliatingly painful for an espada of his rank. But not that those titles meant anything right now. Number four on his chest was nothing more than a bitter reminder, no longer meaningful in the new world. Maybe later he'd get busy getting rid of it, peeling off the skin like they had once dishonored Jaegerjaquez. Even though it would obviously hurt worse than the sores on his lips.

He fell back into slumber now and then and woke up again, but before he could hibernate for another good couple of months, he was woken by a voice. A woman's.

“So you're the one who's been scaring the cattle away this whole time?”

Ulquiorra furrowed his eyebrows, but immediately opened his eyes to meet the intruder standing over him with a rifle. Judging by the way she stirred and readied the previously lazily dangling weapon in her hand, the muttering under her breath was more of a rhetorical question to herself than a question to him. Did he really look like a dead body that much?

Even if he was one, the thought of it didn't seem to scare her one bit.

“Boy, are you okay?” it was such an unnatural and stupid question coming from behind a gun. “There must have been wolves around here for a month or two now, did they get you?”

He raised an eyebrow as expressively as he could in his condition.

“My sheep used to graze here all the time, it's their favorite spot, and now..." the stranger hesitated for a moment, obviously noticing his horned mask. Then her questioning gaze went straight to the gaping hole in Ulquiorra's throat. She brought her eyebrows together to the bridge of her nose, but shook her head nonetheless and continued. “And now they skirt the edge of the forest and constantly look around like crazy.”

A nervous chuckle escaped her lips.

“Clearly you can’t be the local chupacabra here.”

What an inappropriate name-calling. Ulquiorra had never seen a goat in his life, much less sucked on one.

However, the suspicions about him were quite valid and had the possibility of becoming reality. He still felt terribly hungry.

Not that there was anything in the entire world that could satiate the Arrancar's bottomless appetite, be it food for the body or for thought, but at least a couple drops of blood would be heaven right now. Ulquiorra could almost feel his sense of smell and hearing sharpen out of long-forgotten instinct, and his pupils instantly dilated to better fix his full attention on his prey, a girl in a jacket holding a rifle at the ready and clearly possessing spiritual power high enough to see him. A vein beneath his skin throbbed. If he was in better condition, she would have fallen to her knees at his mere presence and not even had time to blink, momentarily losing her head. But for some reason, none of the thoughts in his mind appealed to him. Hunger seemed like an ugly feeling to him right now. The idea of killing the only living soul for dozens of miles for sustenance caused him a sadness so intense that he was literally paralyzed. Ulquiorra lay on the ground like a butterfly nailed to a frame and continued to stare at the face before him. A light breeze gently fluttered her hair as the sun framed the motionless silhouette. The moment stretched on almost endlessly.

"Does the lovely vampire even understand me?"

"...Help me..."

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maroonmusings · 3 years ago

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Coulda Fooled Me, Man [s.h.]

Fandom: Stranger Things Pairing: Steve x reader Word count: 5.2k Warnings: season four spoilers, fluff, fear of water/drowning, mention of blood, slight love triangle with eddie bc i can’t help myself, gaslighting you all into thinking the Wheeler’s have a front porch, deviation from canon towards the end

“More water,” you groan, a close relative of a whine, more to yourself than to your friends. Looking skyward, as if your salvation swirled in the twinkling cosmos, you ask, “why does it always have to be water?”

“Aww, don’t worry. I’ll hold your hand if you get scared.” Eddie teases, hands squeezing your shoulders softly from behind. You ignore the jab and instead focus on the comforting touch, though fleeting.

You continue. “If I see one more boat after tonight, I’ll be gagged.”

Eddie leans into Robin beside him with faux secrecy. With a square mouthed cringe, he whispers loudly, “Wait ‘til I tell her about the cruise tickets I bought for the gang.”

You direct a glare at him, veins heating up. While you’re mostly sure that he’s joking, there’s no sooner time than the present to start practicing trust issues.

“Watch yourself, Munson.” Dustin chides with a cheerful grin, the sight alone aiding in further soothing your nerves. “There’s a fire in those eyes that’ll flame that perfect hair to a crisp.”

“Hey, look at me.” Steve enters your line of sight, draped perfectly before you so as to block out the rest of the world. Your body starts to cool under his brown eyed gaze, a new heat taking place at your face. He knows more than anyone here your struggles with swimming, and water in general. “You don’t have to do this. You know that right?”

“And let you go by yourself? No way.”

“Well, I won’t be going by myself.”

“You know what I mean, Harrington.” Your eyes almost pierce his in a glare. Since the inception of your childhood born friendship, there had never been a time you and Steve let the other go about something scary alone. Like in kindergarten, when your grandfather died. Steve came to the funeral service, his hand etched to yours the entire time, like it belonged there. Or in the sixth grade, when Steve needed to get braces. You returned the favor and held his hand throughout the entire procedure, even if it proved to be a nuisance to the dental assistants assigned to him. “‘To the moon and Mars,’ remember?”

A shy, reminiscent grin tugged at his lips. His eyes escape yours so he can look down and shake his head with a huffed laugh. They find yours again easily, voice soft. “I remember.”

“Then let’s do this.”

Steve and Eddie work on preparing the boat, each of you taking turns boarding. Robin goes first, bracing each of her hands on Steve’s and Eddie’s heads as a makeshift railing. Nancy follows, and you decide you’ll go next, despite the leaf-like trembles embedded in your clammy hands.

Lifting a hand out to grasp yours, Steve squeezes your fingers tenderly as he helps you aboard. The hand braced at your back, probably Eddie, adds stability to your body as the boat ebbs under the added weight.

You can only breathe again once you’re seated, perched on a bench across from Robin and Nancy.

“I thought you said there was only room for four!” Dustin exasperates as Steve and Eddie join you and the girls.

Steve throws a fake apologetic glance to the boy as he tucks himself in beside you. Eddie’s on your other side, all three of you packed onto one bench. The comfort rate is low, but you have to admit you feel safer tucked between them. Less possibility for your body to be jostled by the waves, that way.

As Robin and Nancy begin to row you away from shore, Steve is quick to check in. Leaning closer to you, he scans your features—and definitely detects the existential fear splattered on your face like spaghetti sauce after a cafeteria food fight—before saying “Okay. How are we doing?”

If he hadn’t already seen the blatant terror in your brow, perhaps you could’ve gotten away with lying.

“Oh, totally terrified.” You say with faux cheer, throwing a delusional wish to the stars that your forced smile will somehow trick your mind into feeling more calm. “But it’s fine. I’ll be okay.”

Like a switch, those final words enhance your hyperfixation on the waves carrying you to the middle of the lake. How they ebb and flow, tilting the boat in a slow waltz at midnight. Except your partner keeps stepping on your toes. The heel of your shoe is two twirls away from perfectly snapping in two. A loose thread of your lovely laced gloves hooking onto their wristwatch’s spine.

Until the sun comes. Its warmth cradles your cheeks, spreading through the rest of your body in a tropical gradient. You’re seated at a gimmicky vacation themed cafe, a coconut punctured with a straw perched on the white wicker table before you. The sundress adorning your body hugs you perfectly, as if designed with you in mind. You’re safe. Content. Perfect, even.

Back to reality, you look down and realize Steve’s hand has nestled with yours. Fingers tightly tangled. As your eyes catch his, he throws you a small smile, eyes squinted with reassurance. You force a smile back.

“Um, guys?” Eddie mumbles distractedly. You quickly avert your gaze from Steve, embarrassed, thinking he was speaking to the two of you. That changes when you actually look at him, though, his eyes locked onto the compass cradled in his palm. Being right next to him, he shows the device to you first. “Is this supposed to be happening?”

With a perplexed lilt to your brow, you use your free hand to take the compass in your grasp. Your other hand retains its tight grasp on your True North, while you watch the compass needle haphazardly scramble in search of theirs.

You lean in, closer to the center of the boat with the compass tilted skyward for your friends to see. They crowd in, all of your heads nearly pressed together as you take in the phenomena.

Dustin’s voice crackles from the walkie. “Guys, what’s going on?” A pause. “Come on, talk to me. What’s going on?”

Robin responds, hands tucked around the device. “Uh, Dustin, your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital ‘ahh!��”

If possible, the sky grows darker than before. Steve slips his hand from yours, and you watch, stunned, as he starts to untie his shoelaces. “Whoa, hold on. What are you doing?”

“Somebody’s gotta go down and check this out.” His arm jostles against yours as he struggles to move with the limited occupancy. This hardly phases you, however, limply ebbing against his shimmies to remove his shoes and socks. You’re discreetly shaking your head before you realize it. “Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain, and a certified lifeguard for three years, then it’s gotta be me.” No, it can’t be. “No complaints, all right?”

“Weird time to be bragging about your aquatic achievements,” Eddie relents from your other side. “But I won’t stand in your way. Roll a natural twenty, man.”

Steve is visibly confused by the reference. “Thanks, man.”

You’re frozen, staring out at the darkened waves. Thinking of what lurks below, what Steve could run into down there, sends your pulse into overdrive. Luck would truly be on your side if you don’t need to call a rescue squad by the time this night ends. If it ever does, anyway.

Steve enters your line of sight again. You want to say it’s because he knows you so well and can detect even the slightest quirk to your brow, but you’re sure the anxiety is just emanating from your being in droves at this point. Max can probably see it all the way from the shore. And that’s without binoculars. “Hey,” his voice is so soft around the edges it makes your tear ducts burn. “I’ll be fine. I’ll come back to you. I always do.”

All you can do is nod with a forced smile, not trusting your vocal chords to fray and unravel at the smallest tug of pressure.

With one last squeeze to your shoulder, Steve is standing and shedding his shirt. He tosses the yellow crew neck to you. You’re staring at him again, but for a different reason. This given appearance wasn’t foreign to you, but it also wasn’t as familiar as you’d want it to be.

Your nose begins to burn.

“Gross,” Robin chimes in, flicking the newly lit cigarette from Eddie’s fingers. He watches, disappointed, as it dives into the water.

“Is now really the best time for that?” Nancy admonishes.

Eddie flails, and you catch his wrist right before it can make contact with your face. “Have you been alive today? I would argue that now is the perfect time for that!”

Steve looks down at the water, the trepidation written so plainly on his face you could mistake him for a post-it note. Before you can stop yourself, you’re latching onto his wrist. He cranes his head to watch you over his shoulder. “Be careful, yeah?”

Twisting his arm in your grasp so he can squeeze your wrist, he says, “of course.” He looks at the gang. “Stay out of trouble while I’m gone?”

“No promises!” Robin gushes, sugary sweet, flicking another lit cigarette from Eddie’s clutches. He smacks his leg and curses under his breath.

Steve sends you one more meaningful look before he’s swallowed by the waves. The anxiety increases by tenfold without him pressed against your side. You wring your hands together to trap their tremble.

Quiet befalls the group, your only background noise being the oceanic soundtrack which trickles around you in micro pecks. The longer you wait, the more convinced you become that Steve isn’t coming back. That you’ll never get to see him again. Laugh with him again. Hold him again.

Maybe you should’ve told him how you felt when you still had the chance. You tug his sweatshirt closer to you.

“Hey,” Eddie lowers his head, nearly tilting it sideways, to meet your gaze. His fingers tap your temple gently. “How’s it going in there?”

A faint exhale escapes your nose, the lamest excuse of a chuckle you’ve ever heard. You appreciate the concern. “Hanging in there. I just hope he’s okay.”

His lips tilt to the side in a reserved smile, but you also notice a freckle of forlorn acceptance in his eye. Voice dropping into a whisper saved for you, he says, “You really care about that guy, huh?”

Your heart skips, peeking at the girls across from you to make sure they’re still engaged in whatever conversation they might be having. They look drawn into their own world enough that they didn’t hear Eddie, but you wouldn’t be surprised if at least Robin didn’t have one ear directed towards you. Drifting back to Eddie, you say quietly with a chuckle, “of course I do. He’s my best friend.”

“Coulda fooled me, man.”

Lips parting to respond, a dull shriek escapes instead, as Steve breaks through the water’s surface with a gasp. The rest of the gang is startled, too, Eddie clutching to your shoulders in a panic. You think his scream was the loudest, if your ringing ears have anything to say about it.

“I found it,” Steve announces, taking two final breastrokes to reach your side of the boat.

“You found it?” Nancy echoes excitedly.

“I found it.” He repeats, hypoxicated disbelief on his tongue. Hands clutching to the boat’s rim to give his arms a rest, he says again, “yeah, I found it.”

Relief breaks out into hives across your skin in the form of goosebumps, coming down from the overheated peak of your anxiety. The sigh nearly deflates your body, lips tugging up into an agile grin. Your fingers grasp onto his, the look on your face contagious enough for Steve to mirror it.

“Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein.” Robin says over the walkie with a happy fatigue. “We found the gate.”

“It’s pretty wild,” Steve says while you all wait for a response from the teens at shore. He braces his arms atop the boat. “It’s more of a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but, still, it’s pretty damn big.”

That’s when your heart stops. Or that’s how it feels anyway.

Steve suddenly propels downward, as if tugged by the ankle. His white-knuckled grip on the boat keeps him afloat, but the force of whatever grabbed him had caused the boat to violently bob. Everyone clamors to stay afloat. Sweat immediately gathers at your hairline, and you feel as if all the bones in your hand could shatter from the deathly chokehold you retain on the bench below. A barely there whimper nestles into the back of your throat.

Then he’s gone. Steve. Forced back into the water against his own volition. Hands flayed in a panic, they’re the last things you see before he’s fully taken under.

The last word to fall from his lips is your name.

“I have to go in.” The words are spoken shyly, despite their willingness to come out, a reluctant admittance to your new fate. Your plea is hardly heard over the screams of your friends, still reeling from Steve’s being reeled under the current. Fingers grasping Steve’s sweatshirt to tug it over your body—your biceps had been getting cold anyway, exposed to the chilly nip of night’s teeth—you speak louder this time around. “I’m going after him.”

“Are you insane?!” Nancy screeches. “No, I’ll go.”

“Well, gate’s at the bottom, isn’t it?” The words dribbled from your lips quickly, eyes flickering between your friends and the dark abyss beneath. “Isn’t this the one time that not knowing how to swim should come in handy?”

“The lady makes a fair point,” Eddie agrees, only to endure an arm smack from Robin.

“Not if she actually drowns!” She all but shrieks.

“I won’t!” You argue, trying to mask the clear anxiety zapping your veins. “I’ll just toss myself into the water, sink for a little bit, then boom. No harm done.”

“Just stay with the boat.” Nancy pleads. “Please.”

“Yeah? Well, the idea of something happening to Steve freaks me out infinitely more than some water. End of story. I’m going in.” You were running out of time. God only knows what’s happening to Steve on the other side.

Everyone is silent for a beat.

Until Robin holds out a hand, a begrudging, almost knowing, smile painting her lips. “Fine, you stubborn idiot. But you’re not allowed to let go of me. Got it?”

Next thing you know, you’re in the water. It burns your eyes to keep them open in the dark, lurky murks, but it would help to know exactly where you’re drowning yourself to. Robin keeps one hand tightly latched to yours, as if melded by superglue or a dress zipper that refuses to budge. She pushes the other through the vast depths, kicking her legs so you’ll get to the bottom faster. You try to mimic her movements, unsure if they’re actually helping or not. It may sprinkle speed into the passage, but the distraction of doing something with your body might be playing tricks on you.

That’s when you see it: the gate.

Like an oasis surrounded by a sea of sand. A blue accent wall meant to bring life to the otherwise dull color palette of a hospital. Steve, spotted within an instant of searching a voluminous crowd.

Red glow seeping through the black branch-like coils awaits you, roaring faintly with the eerie moans and creaks of the upside-down. You’re scared, but intrigued. It draws you in.

Emerging from the water, you catch sight of Steve. You can finally breathe again.

Until you hear his screams.

He’s overtaken by these bat-like creatures which swarm his being. They’re above him, beside him, on top of him. Some bite and tear into his flesh.

Not for long.

Swinging at one with a nearby branch you’d found, you spit out a “go back to Hell!” as it unlatches from Steve and soars to the ground with a thunk.

“I think we’re already there!” Eddie hollers, taking down another one.

You all take turns batting at the bats until they’ve all succumbed to your willpower and determination to save Steve. Exhaustion melts into your bloodstream, but you power through. For him.

Magnetized with unnerve, you’re by his side the second the last bat hits the ground.

“You’re here.”

Unable to take your eyes off his sustained injuries, the blood seeping from his wounds—he should be okay, just needs to be bandaged up. Maybe Nancy wouldn’t be too bummed to donate her scarf to a greater cause—you’re only able to grant a customary glance at his face before you’re looking down again. He receives the muttered response, “where else would I be?”

“You came after me,” he points out, like he’d just connected the largest, most obvious pair of dots that you’d have to be a dufus to miss.

Color yourself a dufus, you guess. “I know.”

A hand grasps your wrist, softly. His hand. “You can’t swim.”

Eyeing the contact before slowly scrolling up to his eyes, you respond. “I know.”

His brow creases upward briefly, the slightest flicker of emotion. All freedom of movement within you is suddenly lost, unable to tear yourself away from his gaze. From his hold, his fingers still wrapped around your wrist. The touch is firm, grounding, as if his eyes aren’t enough confirmation that you sit before him. His thumb crosses your skin so feather-light it almost tickles. Flamed heat warps your cheeks and neck, like you’re leaning in to blow out your birthday candles and overestimate the distance.

You assume time to move differently in the upside-down, but a local clock could tell you years had passed—and you’d hardly bat an eye.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

You’re in the woods now, surrounded by the brush of big trees, and under the sound dampener of Skull Rock. Demobats had overpopulated the place the gate had dropped you at, so you had to get out of there. A collective sigh of relief is felt and heard through the gang.

As you separate from the tighter protective coil you’d been wrapped in with one another, you notice Steve moreso stumbles from the group. He braces against Skull Rock’s jaw.

“Stevie?” you try, making it to him faster than you ran to escape the demobats. “You good?”

“I’m fine.” He mumbles, an obvious lie. Slumping further into the rock, he repeats, “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” you say with a gentle finality. Gentle as a sunflower, you grab his forearm with one hand, using the other to brace against his bare torso. Tugging him down in hopes he’ll see the point, you mumble, “sit down, you liar. You’re losing blood.”

His chuckle is faint, but still floats into your ears with a warm whisper. You both lower to the ground, his hands clutching to your arms as a wave of pain seems to rush through him.

Scooting closer, you brush a hand over his cheek. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” Turning to Nancy with what you hope is a charming smile, you say, “hey, Nance. Looking radiant. Got any important plans for that scarf?”

With a reluctant grimace, she hands it over.

“I’ll buy you a new one the second we get back home. Promise.” You assure, taking the garment from her hands.

“You better,” she jabs, its edges softened by the humorous quirk of her lips.

Steve’s already staring at you when you turn back to him. You quickly avert your gaze, pulling him away from the rock so you have enough room to wrap his torso. “Okay, let’s get you patched up, huh?”

As you’re wrapping Nancy’s scarf around him, he gets to his knees to match you, arms raising from his sides.

You make the mistake of looking up.

With his hands braced behind his head, his arms form two mirrored triangles; a glimmering diamond in this otherwise desolate sea of barren ash and decay. His biceps are flexing due to the pose. Chin tilted towards the sky, his Adam’s apple is more pronounced and his neck, elongated. Eyes closed, lashes feathering his cheekbones. His pretty lips are parted, presumably in pain, but you can’t deny he looks good. You can’t control your cognitive functioning, especially around him.

He looks like a Greek god.

You quickly finish tying and knotting the scarf around his wounds, hoping that the snickers you hear to the right aren’t directed at your obvious ogling.

Though they definitely are.

Especially when your eyes catch Robin’s and she wiggles her eyebrows at you.

“Okay, good as new.” You tell Steve quietly.

He slumps back against the rock at the news. Dropping his otherworldly supermodel pose, he squints his eyes open. Clearing your throat, you back away slightly. You can’t get too far, however, his hand finding your wrist again. You wonder if his fingers will leave a permanent mark on your skin with the home they’ve found there. A brand, or a tattoo. His voice is still weak, but definitely stronger than it was mere moments ago. “Thanks.”

“Always,” you return, lips curving at the sight of his scrunched nose. He’s so adorable.

Eddie pops the bubble, shrugging off his jean vest and handing it to Steve. “For your modesty.”

Steve nods in thanks and starts to throw it on, when your voice stops him. “Oh, wait. Here.” Gesturing to his sweatshirt on your body. “You can have this back.”

His hands reach out to hold yours in place, effectively stopping their movement. “After you stunk it up? No way.”

You’re gobsmacked for a second, trying to register his playful jab. Then you scoff, shoving his shoulder gently since he’s still likely in pain. “If I stink in this thing it’s only because you put the stench there in the first place, Harrington.”

“You’re probably right,” he relents, and you laugh for the first time since boarding that godforsaken boat. As you help him put on the vest, his smile is blinding.

Like sticking a bottle of sunshine into a darkened closet.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

After establishing the next step of your escape plan, which was to walk to Nancy’s house and arm yourself with the guns she kept tucked away in her room, you began your trek through the woods.

You strode along the beaten path through the wilted trees with Robin and Nancy, hopping and stepping over Vecna vines as you went. Small bouts of laughter and strategy bounded past your lips the whole way. The reassurance of this new plan had seemed to brighten the group’s soul, bolstering your confidence to the point that you didn’t need to spend your time chomping your nails down to the root anymore.

Steve and Eddie stay farther back behind you three, engaged in their own conversation.

About you.

“So, Y/N’s a real Betty, isn’t she?” Was how Eddie had chosen to approach the topic.

Steve immediately gets defensive. He tries to conceal it, waiting a beat longer to mimic casualty, but Eddie sees it on his face the second he finishes asking the question. “If you’re trying to ask for my blessing or something, the answer is no way in Hell.”

“Okay,” he draws out awkwardly. “Pushing aside my hurt feelings for a second, I mean no harm. Just having a conversation, is all.”

“Bullshit,” he jabs gently, eyes momentarily flickering to you to make sure you’re alright. He watches your head tilt back, laughing at something Robin said, and his lips tug. “Look, you don’t have to beat around the bush, man. I know you’re into her.”

“Duh, I have eyes,” he scoffs. “But I know true love when I see it, so I’m making the most selfless sacrifice here to help you use your own peepers.”

“True love?” Steve echoes incredulous. “What are you on about, Munson?”

“Look, the second you went under, and I mean the very second, that girl dove in headfirst after you, Harrington.” He watches Steve’s eyes immediately flicker to you. “She was the one leading the charge to come and rescue you, and she can’t even swim, man! We all tried to make her stay with the boat, that we would go in her place. You know what she said to that?”

Steve is breathing harder now, eyes flitting between your joyous figure and Eddie faster than a movie projector fluttering through frames. He can only shake his head in response to Eddie’s query.

They’re both halted in the path, Steve waiting with baited breath at what Eddie has to say. If Steve was expected to focus on his motor skills and you at the same time, he’d stumble and break his ankle if he so much as thought about that damned gorgeous smile of yours.

“She said,” Eddie pauses dramatically, before frowning. “Well, actually, I can’t remember.” Steve deflates, throwing his arms up exasperatedly. Eddie continues, “but, basically, she said that losing you would’ve been scarier than setting foot in any body of water. Any. Body. Of. Water.”

Steve’s eyes soften so much they begin to feel fuzzy. Chest cavity warm, as if someone put a candle in him like he was a jack-o-lantern. He can only see you, a physical diagnosis of the retina where his heart would only continue to beat from watching you.

“Now,” Eddie continues, more gently. The sight of Steve Harrington in love was endearing, to say the least. “I don’t know what happened between you. Why you’re not together anymore. But, I’d get her back.”

“‘Get her back?’” Steve echoes again, looking at Eddie again. Though not for long. “We never dated.”

“Coulda fooled me, man.”

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Relax finds your muscles later that night, at the Wheeler residence. The real one, not the abandoned grayscale remake. Outside, the cool air is a welcome inhaler to your lungs, the inexplicable smell of Spring like a refreshing glass of pink lemonade. Ice knocking around its container like a wooden wind chime.

“There you are!” A voice gushes. Peeking over your shoulder from your being braced against the porch railing, you see Steve. Flowers begin to sprout in the front yard. They wind and intertwine with one another, vine-like in their trail up your legs to ascertain your heart. He grows closer, and the vines tug. “I was worried about you.”

With a soft grin, you roll your eyes. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.”

“Oh. Y/N.” He pretends to only acknowledge your presence now. With a point to your body, he justifies, “I was actually just talking to my shirt.”

You guffaw and shove him. Though he sways from the force, the grin on his lips couldn’t be any more gleeful. “Always some kind of trick up your sleeve, eh, Harrington?”

Tossing an arm around your shoulder, he looks into the dark night alongside you. “That depends. Does it annoy you?”

You consider the question. “Occasionally.”

“Then yes.”

Full chuckles resonate on the porch, both yours and Steve’s shoulders shaking in tandem: palm trees in motion. Appreciating his warmth, you lean into his hold. His fingers tighten around your shoulder a fraction, tugging you closer. Though his bandages are fresh and his face has been rid of the dirt that once caked his skin, leaving only disinfected cuts in their wake, he doesn’t smell too great. You’re also certain you don’t exactly smell like a rose garden, despite receiving similar dirt removing rituals as Steve. It’s hard to care, though, his hold on you feeling so destined.

You feel the weight of his head press onto yours, and he asks, softly, “seriously, though. You’re okay?”

“I am.” It’s the first time tonight you’ve been able to say that and actually mean it. “Or, I will be, at least. Nothing a good nap can’t fix, at this point.”

He hums in agreement. “Ain’t that the truth.” With a soft sigh, he begins “tonight was,” only to trail off, shaking his head lightly against yours.

“Mental?” You try with a lifted brow.

His head tilts further into yours for a beat, as if considering the response. “Yeah, that’ll do. More like, that times, like, a million, but yeah. That’ll do.”

“I’m just glad we all made it out there alive.”

He hums again, further tightening his hold on you. As if you’d slip away, a receipt in the wind, if his grasp was too light. Before the topic can get too serious, and, because this is what Steve does, he cracks a joke. “Now if only I could take a damn shower. You especially.”

Expecting the punchline, you just smirk. “Oh, that’s real nice of you, considering I spent most of today fearing for your life.”

He removes his arm from your shoulders, bracing his elbows on the railing to mirror you. His arm is pressed so tight against yours you’d think they made one ligament. Shimmying that shoulder into yours, he says, “that’s cute. You care about me, Y/L/N?”

“I’m not too sure, anymore. You’re kinda mean.”

“If I’m mean it’s only because you put the mean there in the first place.” He tries to echo your jab from earlier in the day. You sputter at his failed attempt, and he scrunches his face up in disappointment at himself, which only makes you laugh harder.

“You’re such a character, Stevie.”

He hums, before offering nonchalantly, “I’ll be any character you want me to be, so long as you get to play my love interest.”

You’re stunned into silence. All you can do is blink up at him.

“I love you. Really.” he says more seriously. “Like, I’m in love with you.” he chuckles to himself. “I think I’ve always been in love with you. I’m just an idiot, and, well, it took another idiot to help me figure it out.”

That’s when you realize. “Eddie.”

Steve nods. “He’s really got the hots for you.”

A knowing smile stretches across your face. “Maybe so, but I’m kind of in love with my best friend, so.”

His face relaxes in relief for a beat, before it scrunches up. “Kind of?”

“What?” you offer innocently, turning to fully face him. Mirroring your actions, a smile sparkles in his eyes, shaking his head to himself minutely. Perhaps it’s just his addictingly overwhelming presence playing tricks on you, but it feels like he’s inching closer. “I mean, I haven’t even kissed the guy. How can I know if he—”

A welcome interruption, Steve’s lips on yours. His hands, gently cradling your face like you’re the damn most precious thing in his world. The words die on your tongue as his licks into your mouth, a soft hum of content coming out instead.

Warm and bright, you feel like you can see the sun rise behind your eyelids. Orbs of orange marry yellows of the most magical hue, footsteps tracing the horizon in their dance to the top. Though they burn their fingertips on the sun’s surface, nothing compares to the way they burn for one another. With one another.

“To the moon and Mars, yeah?” The words tickle your lips, soft and sweet. A secret sealed behind his padlock heart.

You never knew you always held the key until this moment. Trapped between your fingertips like a magician with her dog-eared quarters.

“To the moon and Mars, Harrington.”

#stranger things imagines #steve x reader #steve harrington imagines #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington x y/n #maroonmusings #stranger things 4 spoilers

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divinegrey · 3 years ago

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ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋʏ / ᴊɪɴx x ꜰ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

just a simple thank you is all i have to say.

arcane masterlist

prompt: you and jinx go stargazing and end up having a frankly deep discussion about something you never really thought too much about before.

words: 902

warnings: mentions of death

“Do you ever just… look up at the sky and wonder when everything might end?”

“Shut up,” you say, a snort coming out of your mouth as you shake your head from side to side. Beside you, laying the opposite way so your heads are close to each other is your girlfriend, Jinx. You two ventured to some random grassy knoll in the middle of the night— she couldn’t sleep, and when she can’t sleep, she leaves to burn off energy. Only problem with that is you can’t sleep without her.

So, obviously, you decided to go impromptu stargazing. What better way to stave off sleeplessness by going outside and admiring the stars? Took less than a minute to wrap up in thick hoodies and sweats before venturing outside to Jinx’s truck and high-tailing it to the nearest stargazing spot.

Which brings you to here; Jinx is apparently in an existential mood, and usually when she gets like that, it’s because she’s thinking about how the foster system fucked her over as a kid and the supposed guilt of being the reason her older sister got sent to juvie and prison.

None of which is true. You know that for a fact.

With a small sigh, you say, “Babe, the earth is fucking gigantic. We’re tiny little people on a massive rock floating in the middle of space. The question of “when will it end?” is relative because even when we’re long fucking gone, the galaxy is still gonna go on without us, ya know?”

Beside you, Jinx huffs. “Fuck, you’re right. Smartypants.”

She sits up. You come to expect it easily, the way Jinx just naturally falls into whatever comfortable position on top of you, but you don’t mind it. The cold air and the slight breeze make for rather refreshing sobriety that only comes from the extremes of midnight and a full moon. Plus, when Jinx finally settles in a position she likes, her head tucked into the crook of your neck and her legs over your waist, you feel more at peace.

“Hey,” you say. She hums into your neck, pressing a kiss there. You talk through a grin, “I don’t think everything will end. It’s an odd thing to think about, but… we never truly say goodbye. We always continue existing. Even when we die. People out there remember us. And even when those people die too, and just when you think there’s no one alive that remembers you… the Earth does. Mother Nature, I guess. You get put in the ground. She remembers you forever.”

You wrap your arms around Jinx, kissing the side of her head.

“I’ll always remember you,” you say, finishing your tangent. “No matter what.”

“Even if I die?” Jinx asks. You roll your eyes.

“Morbid, but yes. I’d visit your grave every day,” you say, brushing some of the stray hair out of her face before turning back to admire the stars. Each little white dot is something, and even all the black space in between is something too. You just can’t see it. Isn’t that neat?

“Even if we break up?”

“Jinx,” you say, laughing softly. “I could become an amnesiac, and I’m positive I would never forget you. You’re my everything. For fuck’s sake, I’m wearing your blood around my neck. We’re that kind of couple, you know that, right?”

“Don’t diss the blood, it’s fucking cool,” Jinx says, pulling her head back to get a better look at you. You flicker your eyes to hers and smile when you see the softness in her face, the slight rosy tint in her cheeks. She gets cold easily. You’re essentially her space heater, but you’ll never complain.

You rest your hand on her cheek and she leans into it immediately.

“I love you,” you say. “All day, all night, every single second that I exist, I love you.” You peck her forehead. “The only time I’ll ever, ever say goodbye and truly mean it is… I don’t know when. Goodbyes are weird. I’ll always exist to you, the same way you’ll always exist to me. You’ll linger in the back of my mind forever.”

Jinx’s eyes glaze over. “You huge fucking sap.”

“Hey, at least I’m consistent,” you remark.

“I love you, asshole,” Jinx says. She kisses you like she did the first time, passionate and loving, but with the constant dangerous edge peacefully existing nearby. You whisper your mirrored reply into her mouth and she grins, pressing her forehead against yours.

Jinx kisses you on the rolling hills, sliding her hands into yours and pressing them on the ground. You didn’t have ‘impromptu makeout session at two in the morning in the middle of a field’ on your to-do list, but hey, if it’s happening, then why stop it? It’s a perfect symbiosis that occurs between you two— it snapped in on day one and since then, you’ve never doubted your choice to be hers for a moment.

Goodbyes are a temporary thing, really. You might say it in passing… but… you’ll always be there. You don’t go away. Not even if Jinx wanted you to. You’re hers, she’s yours. Goodbyes aren’t exactly a thing you worry about. Even if you don’t see her for days, weeks, months since her job is wonky, she’s always there. The same thing goes for you. You might say goodbye, but you’re always there. Always.

~~~~~

A/N: posting an announcement later. keep an eye out for it!

#jinx x reader #arcane jinx x reader #jinx x you #arcane jinx #jinx #arcane jinx imagines #arcane netflix #arcane #arcane imagines #jinx league of legends

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ratquesadilla · 2 years ago

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3005 (chapter 2)

pairing: jake “hangman” seresin x fem! mitchell! oc

word count: 2106

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/41505768/chapters/105225681

“it’s an existential thing”

a story where the return of north island's resident player leaves a girl with a lot of influence in a predicament.

trigger warning for harassment and a little bit of violence in this chapter.

chapter 1 - series masterlist - full masterlist

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when i was younger we would go to church every sunday. it wasn’t because we were religious or anything but carole thought it was good idea to force me and bradley to make friends. afterwards we would have brunch with the kazanskys and, depending on our behavior that day, bradley and i would get to pick out something sweet from the store before returning home. after she died i stopped going, but my sunday routine would stay relatively the same. instead of going to the store for a candy bar, i would go to the bakery for something sweet. church started at 10, but sarah liked being early so she arrived at 9:30, and ended at 11 so i had an hour and a half to drop off the contraband treats at iceman's house.

tom was like my dad when i was growing up. i didn’t have maverick and bradley didn’t have goose so he was there to teach us everything we needed to know. when i was 13 he taught me how to play football, and when i was 16 he let me play with the navy boys. when i was 15 and carole was too scared to get in the car with a “reckless teenager”, he taught me and bradley how to drive. everyone knew he didn’t have much time left, but a lot of us were in denial. i saw how much pain carole was in during her last weeks, and i wouldn’t wish that on anyone else, so i was trying my best to make iceman’s final moments semi-enjoyable.

when i arrived he was in his office. he was too weak and in too much pain to deal with anyone so he handed me an envelope and motioned towards his computer. “deliver this before please, it’s important” on the monitor. the words “captain pete “maverick” mitchell” were written on the front, each letter with a slight shake.

----

business around the base always slowed down around sundown. day shift contractors switching with their night shift counterparts, everyone else getting ready to go home, the heat radiating off of the planes distorting the sunset. i figured the top gun pilots would be debriefing so i headed towards cyclone’s office.

“mitchell.” he said as i entered the room. he sounded annoyed, and he had the pissed off old man eyebrow thing going on.

“cyclone.” i replied, trying not to smile. i respected authority but it was always funny to see him get all worked up. i was definitely mavericks daughter, no doubt about it. sassiness was in my dna. “i just wanted to pop in before i delivered this to maverick” i said while pulling the letter out of my bag.

“how’s iceman?” he asked.

“could be better, he’s trying his best.” cyclone nodded, silently acknowledging me. both of us knew he didn’t have much time left, and both of us knew without iceman there was no one to keep my father in the navy. “this is urgent so i’ve got to go, but it was good seeing you.” i said as i quickly left the room. i respected cyclone, but i couldn’t agree with his distaste for maverick. being around him too long always lead to us getting into an argument about one of pete’s rash decisions.

i was used to the stares from top gun pilots whenever i visited the base. tom frequently had me deliver documents and other things from his house and the attention was fun. i never got involved with the navymen, though it was fun to see how far they would go to get me to notice them, but this time was different. the blonde “cowboy” from the night before had been in my brain for the last 24 hours. something about him drew me towards him. like how the moon was drawn towards earth.

when i arrived at the hanger they were meeting in the debriefing was nearly over. stepping into the “room” (if you could even call an open hanger a room) i could feel the tension between my father and bradley. i could also feel a pair of blue eyes drilling holes into the back of my head as i walked towards the makeshift platform maverick was on. “that’s all for now, you are dismissed.” he said, mouth slowly shifting into a smile as he saw me.

“dad!” i squealed, running to hug him.

“mallory!” he replied, lifting me up and spinning around. “you’re so big now.”

“god i’m not a teenager anymore.” i joked. “i haven't grown since i was like 16.”

“i’ll never get used to you being old.”

“you’re the old one, grandpa.” i said as my father dramatically clutched his chest.

“am i really that old” he cried out, pretending to break down in tears. time could change a lot, but it would never stop pete from his theatrics. we quickly caught up and i handed him ice’s letter. our conversation was cut short by him remembering the overdraft from the other night, and he quickly left to pay his long overdue tab. as i stood there i flirted with the idea of visiting the blonde pilot and the rest of the aviators in the ready room.

is it worth it? i thought. i knew how navymen could be, especially pilots. i couldn’t put myself through months of no contact, which was only one of the worries that came with being with an active duty pilot. i must’ve taken too long thinking because by the time i got to the game room everyone was gone. boys are a headache.

the secret teenage girl in me must have taken over because i somehow ended up at the hard deck, for something other than work this time. i walked into the bar, the cloud of sweat and desperation immediately hitting me, and began walking towards the pool table. that corner of the bar was usually frequented by regulars instead of the top gun pilots that were currently inhabiting the area. Natasha was the first person to notice me.

i met her years ago when Bradley was at top gun. i was finished with college so i was back at home taking care of carole. she wanted me to leave southern california, earn a bunch of money and be successful, but nothing could keep me from north island. it was my home, and nothing could change that. maybe i was so attached to the island because it was the one place i knew my father would always be able to return, we’ll never know. it didn’t matter if i didn’t know where he was, he knew i was here.

Phoenix shouted my name as she ran to hug me. “oh my god it’s so good to see you!” i exclaimed. “it’s been forever.”

“last time i was here you were blonde.” she remarked, “and you had a boyfriend.”

“well i grew out the blonde, and we broke up a couple years back.” i replied.

“called it!” she shouted, reaching her hand behind her head to grab money from bradley. ��no one in a relationship would be in a bar, alone, with a bunch of pilots on a sunday of all days.”

“you guys bet on me!?”

“hell yeah we did. i knew that guy was bad news the moment i met him, i caught a vibe.”

“remind me to have you meet all of my future boyfriends, i need to see if your bad news detector is accurate.”

“oh it’s accurate all right, the girl bagman used to be with ended up being totally insane. i knew it from the beginning.”

“bagman? what’s the story behind that one.” i questioned. my mention of him must have caught his attention because there was suddenly a very tall (very captivating) pilot eyeing us from across the pool table.

“it’s hangman actually, and you can find out the story if you give me a chance. what d’ya say? save a horse ride a cowboy?” his southern accent coming out, especially during that last sentence. normally lines like that would leave me repulsed, but there was something about the pilot that made his stupid pickup lines work. his shit eating grin was quickly wiped off his face by Bradley “accidentally” hitting him in the hip with the cue in his hands.

“next time you try to get with mal you should remember who she’s related too, bagman.” bradley spat out. he was obviously annoyed. my father was probably the source of that annoyance but i wasn’t here to play therapist. i wasn’t really sure why i was here, but listening to bradley complain about my dad wasn’t the reason.

“oh i can handle maverick, what’s he gonna do? make me do extra push up’s because i’m an incredible pilot?” hangman shot back, cockiness oozing out of him as if he was a slug.

“my father is the least of your problems. unless you’re totally confident that you can face uncle tom.” i joked. it didn’t matter how cocky he was, none of my boyfriends made it past iceman. hearing i was related to tom kazansky was like a punch in the gut for any aviator that tried to get my number, but hangman was doing surprisingly well at keeping his defeat hidden. “i’m heading to the bar does anyone want anything?”, the pilots all responded with various head shakes and no’s. i pulled up to the bar and ordered a vodka cran, feeling a pressure against my lower back.

“hey baby, i saw you walk in earlier. can i buy you a drink?” the mysterious man asked.

“no thanks, i’m not interested.” i replied, pushing his hand off of my back.

“what’s wrong? don’t you like me? i saw the way you were looking at me when you came in.” he said while grabbing my wrist.

“whatever you thought you saw was bullshit, now leave me alone.” i tried to release myself from his grip, to which he retaliated by squeezing even harder. “i’m asking you nicely, please let go of me.”

“why would i let go? i bet you like this huh.”

“totally love it. do you do this to every girl you try to take home? harass them until they give in and go home with you?”

“god why do you have to be such a bitch.” he complained. letting go of my wrist to take a sip of his beer.

“i prefer the term army brat, dick.” i spat at him, stomping on his foot with my heel. my sudden attack startled him giving me a chance to get up from the bar and head towards the exit. oh my god how fucking hard is it to be decent, i thought. as soon as i was outside i ran for my car, fumbling with my bag to try and find my keys. why is there so much shit in here? everytime i thought i found it i just pulled out a lip gloss or a hair tie. anything but my keys. i was freaking out, plain and simple.

“you know if you were a little nicer maybe you’d have a boyfriend!” the creep shouted, hobbling out of the bar. “maybe that’s why you’re a bitter cunt! cause you can’t get fucking laid!”

“fuck.” i whispered. he was getting very close, very fast. “you really don’t wanna do this” i tried to sound assertive but i was fucking terrified.

“what’re you gonna do? slap me?”

“next time, maybe don’t use your shitty moves on a girl from north island.” i said, kneeing the creep in the balls. “that’s for ruining my night.” he bent over, grabbing his crotch. looking up for a split second before i punched him in the face. “and that’s for putting your hands on me.” i reached into my pocket, finally finding my keys.

“that was badass.” hangman shouted from the side of the parking lot, walking towards me. “you gotta teach me some of your moves sometime.”

“how much of that did you see?” i shouted back.

“enough.”

“i’m not doing this tonight bagman, i’m tired and i’ve sworn off navymen.”

“it’s jake.” he was 2 feet away at this point, and still getting closer. “jake seresin.”

“well,” i paused, “jake.” he was very very close now. “you can get my number when you prove you deserve it.” closing the gap between us and pulling him into a kiss.

“i can do that, yeah” he whispered as i pulled away. i could feel his stare lingering as i got into my car.

“goodnight jake. i’m looking forward to seeing you soon.”

#top gun maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #pete maverick mitchell #natasha phoenix trace #robert bob floyd #top gun fanfic #hangman fanfic #jake hangman seresin x #fem! mitchell! oc #jake seresin fanfic #penny benjamin #pete maverick mitchell x daughter oc #bradley rooster bradshaw x sister oc #javy coyote machado #mickey fanboy garcia

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mandareeboo · 4 years ago

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SU Music Rankings

Bc I can and I wanna start some Disk Horse rip. These are all in order of preference, with explanations, etc. It’s a long bitch. That said, I’m not counting little short jingles or small joke songs like Little Butler. This is the meat and potatoes of SU music- just under 30 songs. I might do the rest if people like my takes lol.

I scored it mostly on three bases- how dear it was to my heart, how much/often I relisten to it, and also what it means to the plot. That said, little fun songs don’t automatically go farther down than big, plot-heavy songs either! It’s a strange little balance.

Special Note: I don’t dislike any of this music! I love SU and that includes its bumps and glitches. I just pick favorite children lol.

1.) Change

Was there ever a more Steven moment than when he wiped the blood off his face and kissed it into sparkles? I think not.

If “Be Wherever You Are” is an ode to young Steven, then this is teen Steven’s. Talking about change, and how much and how little it can do. How he holds his arms up for Spinel to hug him, so trusting. How he seems able to just. Break into soft tears at will, and not to be manipulative- it’s just his kind nature. The warmth in his voice. Fuck yesssss.

2.) Change Your Mind

This song is only fifty five seconds and it’s EVERYTHING to me. It really felt like someone was speaking the words I’d always held deep inside of me, unsure of how to say. It feels like a goodbye to someone who never really loved me.

As much as I enjoyed Future, if this was the finale of SU, I would’ve been perfectly okay with that.

3.) Drift Away

This song gave me legitimate shivers the first time I heard it, and it still haunts me to this day. Spinel stayed, and waited, and all she got was a transmission thousands of years later. Fuck.

4.) Here We Are In The Future

THE MOVIE IS SU AS ITS BEST AND I WON’T BE SWAYED ON IT. Steven being a teen who loves his weird family but is growing just a bit sarcastic to their drama. The adorable love he and Connie share. His slow realization that he will always be working, always have things to do, is both somber and real. The Crystal Gems won’t be safe with one epic battle. They’ll be safe with years of hard work and love. HIS LITTLE HANDSHAKE WITH AMETHYST.

This is a helluva bop and a great way to summarize the main character’s backstories.

5.) Let’s Only Think About Love

Did ya’ll know that Zach Callison killed his throat with that last note? He gave his all for this performance in a vocal range he no longer comfortably do and by god did it SHINE. The FLAIR. The FORESHADOWING. All of the Gems all being awkward about Rose and Steven trying to bring them to the present. Peridot having a mini-existential crisis in a cute yellow dress. I love Zach Callison’s normal singing voice but man is that a fucking bop. Nothing will ever beat it.

6.) Here Comes A Thought

This bad boy helped me out a LOT with some mental issues I was dealing with in high school. I was unmedicated, unsupervised, and full of anxiety. I’d have break downs when I tried to speak about certain things. I couldn’t function. This song inspired me. It helped me feel okay with my intrusive thoughts.

And the episode! -chef’s kiss-. Once again bringing up the morally gray area of training child soldiers. Connie expanding her social group. Steven’s trauma hauling ass in that second half. The ANIMATION. Stevonnie’s gorgeous singing voice. GOD yes.

7.) It’s Over Isn’t It?

Just barely squeaking above Stronger Than You, this ballad is everything gorgeous. The whole episode is. I think Mr. Greg stands in the top five of my episodes for the entire show. It even got nominated!

There’s just so much about this song that I love. The gentle melancholy of Pearl’s voice. How the crew had to redo the shots for this bit bc Deedee went so fucking hard. The hard cuts between Pearl, remembering the love of her life, and Steven, who has begun to feel like he took her away. I’d recommend this song to anyone, regardless of what they do or don’t know about SU, simply bc it tugs so many heartstrings of love, loss, and responsibility.

8.) Stronger Than You

Did you realize this episode aired SEVEN years ago? This bitch was what got me into SU! Hearing about Ruby and Sapphire made my little gay heart so happy inside, and then getting a whole song confirming that they were a couple, that their love powered the strongest Gem on the team? Aaaaaaaaa

To this DAY I get excited when I hear Estelle start singing. This song is timeless. This song will live in media history. God I fucking love this song.

9.) Other Friends

I’m not the biggest musical person, so I hadn’t heard of Sarah Stiles before her casting as Spinel, but JESUS CHRIST the lady went hard. She went SO fucking hard. Sarah Stiles started on 100 and somehow just kept CLIMBING. You can just hear the sheer manic energy building in her voice, the anger and resentment. 10/10 Sarah Stiles is a queen.

10.) Independent Together

This made the list entirely bc the crew was like “you’re gonna get a himbo ass Steven-Greg fusion singing with Opal while Garnet flies across the moon on Lion while floating” and I am forever thankful to them for it

11.) Who We Are

Bismuth deserved more songs. ‘Nuff said.

12.) Peace and Love (On the Planet Earth)

It Could’ve been Great is EASILY one of my favorite s2 episodes. I love the entire concept of this song. Of Steven making music to reflect how much Earth means to him and his family. Of him teaching Peridot some self-care. Also Peridot’s singing voice is really cute and squeaky.

I know it’s silly, but I would’ve really enjoyed a flip around of this in Future! Like Peridot reminding Steven how much he loves music, that he needs to take time to relax for himself, maybe with a new verse or just a remix of the original song!

13.) Something Entirely New

I watched this episode as it aired, and I legitimately almost cried. I love Charlyne Yi’s voice so much ya’ll- her raspy, not perfect singing voice against Sapphire’s deep soothing lull is great.

And to have Ruby and Sapphire’s meeting be the way it was- for Ruby to bemoan Sapphire losing Homeworld, to being stuck with a single Ruby, while Sapphire is a noble who has always been taught everyone in her “caste” is vitally important (and has, in her own mind, taken that to mean every Gem, as she should) and how they come together and make each other happy. Good shit good shit.

14.) I’m Just a Comet

The fact that Greg’s music career never really blasted off pisses me off to this day bc Tom Scharpling’s voice is fucking BUTTER. Also the song really feels like a jab at his parents now that we know the kind of dynamic he had growing up. “This life in the stars if all I’ve ever known” is definitely him wiping away their existence after reminding them (and himself) the things they used to say about him.

15.) Do It For Her

This episode. This fucking episode. This episode got me permanently hooked on SU. I’d just binged season 1 and was kinda meh about it overall after the bop of Stronger Than You. “Oh,” I thought to myself, foolishly, “I’ll probably just casually watch this from time to time.”

Like three days later Sworn to the Sword aired and that was it. I was hooked! Pearl’s gentle training song turning darker and darker, Connie’s accompaniment from nervous to determined to fully into such a toxic mindset. The fact that SU had the BALLS to discuss the repercussions of training child soldiers, now and later. This episode was everything to me, STILL is everything to me.

Six years and well over 100 fanfics written later, I think it’s safe to say this show swallowed me whole and never let go.

16.) System/Boot.pearl_final(3)

I debated putting this on the list because it’s not anything crazy important, just a way to show things are Wrong, but I had to do it entirely bc Pearl is so damn SALTY.

Like telling us about the Gems makes sense, she felt like she was given a duty, but she went so damn petty. WHY is that Ruby alone. Gross. This Amethyst is a trash dump. Wtf are you people.

17.) Full Disclosure

This episode really feels like a turning point for SU. Before, the show had its dark moments- but now we’re in the thick of it, and it’s not going away. Full Disclosure felt like an rebuff to the idea of returning to any normal we’d established in season 1. Gems are actually a giant species now. Gems tried to kill us now. There’s this Yellow Diamond bitch who got namedropped. Something about a Cluster.

The song itself is BALLER, with its ingenious use of Steven’s ringtone and photos as he tries to decide whether to clue in Connie on all this nonsense. Meanwhile we, the audience, already know damn well Connie about to yeet some common sense into him.

18.) What’s the Use of Feeling Blue?

I’mma admit it- I’m a Yellow Diamond stan. I’ve always loved her- her anger, her poise, her hardworking nature. I actively argued against the “Yellow Shattered Pink” theories back in the day. But, man, when this arc leaked? I got so overexcited I was too jittery to watch it for like two days. It’s easily my favorite arc of the series. The sheer alien nature of the zoo, the Famethyst, and absolutely Patti Lupone’s beautiful ballad. Goddamn. Yellow singing to Blue to try and help her regain her old status, the warble in her voice as she reminds Blue she misses Pink too, the movement of the bubbles as she talks about attack. It gives me shivers to this day. FUCK.

19.) Tower of Mistakes

This is, fun fact, that only SU song I have completely memorized. The story itself is kinda funny! See, we lost internet at my house for a solid 5 to 6 months when these episodes aired, so I only got a very brief window to view them all. But this was the first Amethyst song in a long while, and I didn’t want to forget it! So I keep replaying it in my head for ages. And that’s still definitely a thing.

Anyway will never not be sad that this entire song was about making it up to Garnet for Amethyst’s perceived slights with Sugilite (which was a two-way road), only for Garnet to pressure her into fusion later when pissed and never discuss it again bc Garnet probably never thought twice about it and Amethyst has the emotional openness of a clam that’s just been told its ugly. Helluva way to make someone feel like shit, G. Helluva way to bottle that shit, Ames.

20.) On the Run

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Amethyst! Needed! More! Songs!

The dichotomy between Steven’s play and Amethyst’s honest desire to run away from home is so well-done, especially when you consider a lot of Steven and Amethyst’s actions are playing together. The song is also near and dear to me simply bc it’s my favorite Amethyst episode to exist (well, maybe second to What’s Your Problem, but not by much). Moments like these are all the proof I need that they were right to fuse first.

21.) Be Wherever You Are

This tune really just feels like an ode to who Steven was as a kid. Trapped on an island with no way home, and he’s just happy to be with his friends. The stars are beautiful and not oppressive. Also that one animatic with Lars and the Off Colors playing in the Homeworld Kindergarten to this music was iconic and made this song get stuck in my head for a solid month.

22.) Familiar

I ADORE how the crew use bright neon colors to show how alien Homeworld can be. And Steven recognizing that the Diamonds treat him how the CGs used to, and how prepared he is to “fix” a broken family. It’s a soft, gentle tune about melancholy. Also the Pebbles are beautiful.

23.) Let Me Drive My Van Into Your Heart

Such a cute little love ballad, but every time I listen to it now I just imagine the heart attack Rose must’ve had at the line “And if we look out of place/Well, baby, that's okay/I'll drive us into outer space.” like there’s a Vietnam war flashback if I ever heard one

24.) What Can I Do?

I’m kind of neutral on this one? Rose and Greg both have great voices, but the song itself lacks many lyrics. I think it was definitely a good way to show Rose’s flaws in thinking.

Also, I’m shocked they managed cram that much vaguely sexual innuendo into two minutes, followed by how Not Hetereo that dance between Rose and Pearl was, and not get their asses chewed by it. You go guys.

25.) Cookie Cat

I love a lot of the vibes this song has. The lyrics are so damn prophetic, but they also sound like the kind of weird 90s commercials I grew up on. It’s been like two decades since I saw the Shirley Temple commercial but I’ll be damned if I don’t remember “Animals crackers in my soup! Monkey and rabbits loop-de-loop.”

26.) Giant Woman

I am. NOT the biggest fan of Steven’s original singing voice. I feel bad saying that, since it was just Zach Callison as a kid, but he never jived well with me for some reason. So I wouldn’t listen to this on the fly.

The song itself is still really good though, with all sorts of fun animation of Amethyst and Pearl being bitchy to each other. It’s a bit sad in hindsight to see tiny Steven trying to get his moms to get along. Ahh, season 1.

27.) Strong in the Real Way

This song has SUCH a strong start. Pearl reflecting on Sugilite’s problems, but the show making sure to show us that Pearl’s lack of enthusiasm towards her also lends itself to jealousy as well as just general malaise. How much she cares about Steven, and wants him to grow up strong.

And then Steven just kinda. Ruins it? I appreciate his enthusiasm for tryna bulk up but to take what was starting as such a rich, personal song and broadcasting it to random strangers just makes me a bit sad. Almost a bit angry on her behalf?

28.) That Distant Shore

I KNOW this is gonna create some discourse, but I’m just not the biggest Lapis stan. I love her voice. I love the visuals of the song. And I get why she felt afraid and needed to flee.

But Lapis never got to take responsibility for her own actions. And, in the end, the song feels hollow to me- because we all know she’ll never talk to anyone about it, know she’ll burst back in and destroy the barn, and no one will ever question it. I like Lapis a lot, but I feel like her arc never was fully finished. She never got help. She never learned to feel safe.

29.) Dear Old Dad

I’ve yet to meet a single human being who likes this episode tbh. There’s some great discussion about what kind of parent Greg is from it, and what kind of dynamic he has with the Gems that he felt he had to fake an injury to hang out with his son. Honestly the first half was fine and dandy. It’s just that then they Greg just went out of his way to drag Steven away from missions and such. It never jived well with his character before or after.

Also, is it just me, or does Zach himself sound like he hates the song as he sings it? There’s no passion or heart in his voice. It sounds like they told him to read off cue cards and he did. Tom Scharpling’s best attempts didn’t save this one for being a skipper. But the episode, unfortunately, isn’t, so it gets a spot on here.

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matchamorphosis · 3 years ago

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𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 || 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒚 || 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 ━━ a walk through the city to your apartment leads to a carton of icecream being shared in the comfort of your kitchen. 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 ━━ hayden (harvard hottie) × [black//woc]fem!reader 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 ━━ 18+ hints to nsfw themes, hayden is having an existential crisis, anxiety + stress mention, some kissing, pet names: “Romeo and Juliet”, hayden and reader are hopelessly in love with each other, sexy times not described but still present :p

Her crescent moon smile, it bewitches and twinkles beneath the milky twilight.

It persuades the bright lights of New York City to dim in envy, knowing they can’t face the competition as the darkening hour presents itself. Nothing topped the magnetic attraction you radiated, and nothing topped the feeling of Hayden knowing you were his girl.

“What’s the mood for tonight, Romeo? Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake or chunky Cookie Dough?”

Again, the aspiring law student hears this, and he thinks ‘they both sound good, but you know i’ll choose Cookie Dough over anything.’ although he doesn’t seem to know that you can’t read his thoughts.

“Um I dunno, we could have um- cookie dough sounds nice.” Hayden mutters, taking your hand in his so he doesn’t loose you within the growing crowd.

“Cookie Dough it is then.” you grin, secretly hoping he’d say that but your smile doesn’t spread once you notice the tenseness, the drowsiness that soaks him.

Taking a sip from his Americana, his cold one that he doesn’t understand why he’s still holding onto, his mind somehow reverts its attention back to the stresses he thought he’d forgotten an hour ago.

Bitter coats of black coffee lace Hayden’s tongue, you take the coffee cup from his grasps and take a sip from it. Humming at the bitterness, the hints of hazelnut subtle enough for you to take another sip.

“Yum, cold stale coffee. I hope you haven’t been drinking this all day baby.” your remark not overtly concerned but still bearing the protectiveness that Hayden both appreciated and hated.

A droplet of black coffee imprinting at the plumpness of your bottom lip. Hypnotizing the blond as he tries to keep up with your quick feet through the labyrinth that is Fifth Avenue.

The coffee cup in your grasps, you look over your shoulder thoughtlessly. It makes lovesick Hayden taste the black coffee again, makes him swim about it in the simple way your irises entrance the beat of his heart.

Although you think the very same about him, you see everything in him.

He’s so lively, like the night that soaks the cities boulevard of street lamps dripping in their golden dewdrop light.

He’s so enriching, like the street pavement underneath your feet whilst the eyes trace in the clarification in the bronzes and coppers of street lamps.

He’s so vivacious, like the splashing sea in his simple white paper cup that crashes in charcoal waves against the plastic lid.

It seems you’ve willingly walked over the edge and are spiraling down the rabbit hole of complete admiration. Making your body burst in little energy splurges that Hayden struggles to keep up with although it keeps him conscious as a candlestick.

Keeping his mind away from the flaming anxiety, carelessly unaware that it drips in stress— that your wonder boy is dripping in wax.

“Hayden?” the mention of his name doesn’t grab his attention, those caffeine soaked irises and his mind seem to be in another galaxy as he takes his phone out of his pocket.

“Baby?” you speak up and he almost trips on a mossy crack in the concrete, reading the words on the screen that do little to ease him.

“Yeah?” his eyes tears away from his cellphone, there you notice the slight dark bags underneath his blue hues.

He needs to get some sleep, you think. When was the last time he had a full days rest? Had a moment to not worry about LSATs, Law School or his demanding father? Not current enough, to your dissatisfaction.

“I want to make tonight special for you. you’ve been working nonstop for the past few weeks and- I really want you to have one night were you aren’t worry-” you’re cut off with his tired sigh.

“y/n, baby, I would love that. I really would, but I have a full schedule tomorrow to meet up with my advisor and I have to refresh on-”

“And that is all for tomorrow. Tonight is about you.” you interrupt, giving him a smile as you drink again from his coffee as Hayden attempts and fails to steal it back.

“Besides-” you continue, stopping Hayden in his tracks as you stand at the tips of your toes. Warm lips brushing against his ear while your hand traces the ropes of muscle that rope up and down his forearms.

“I have a special treat for the both of us once we’re done with our icecream.” you lick the space of skin beneath his ear before grabbing his hands. The beat of heart pacing now as a crooked smile graces his now cherry face.

“I guess I can’t disagree with you now then,” Hayden stammers, his own hand gliding down to wrap his arm around your waist.

“Nope, you absolutely cannot or i’ll leave you without my touch and you know how well I am with my hands.” smirking, gifting his hand a tender squeeze before your fingers trace his thigh and cup his dick.

Hayden chokes on his spit, heat flushing his face as his eyes look around to hopefully see that nobody noticed. Although all his attention catches is your laughter and your hand pulling him to your side suddenly.

Turning the corner, you and Hayden race across the road pavement of the bustling city. Igniting an adolescent-like rush as you seek out the reason why you both are so lovelorn for each other.

A galaxy of headlights shining like lively stars of white, yellow and orange. Gifting Hayden the taste of liveliness again as he takes your hand in his, the wind moving through your hair as the cars honk behind you two.

However, giving an opportunity for that dark, enriching and vivacious coffee sea to break free from it’s paper cup cage. Creating sticky black puddles to splattered over the faultless canvas that is suddenly Hayden’s blue polo as your feet hit the pavement.

“Oh Romeo, my dear Romeo. You are not having a good day today are you?” you cannot contain your laughter even if it’s not the best at the time.

Hayden throws you a tamed glare and an irritated eye roll, although he still doesn’t let go of your hand. The powdered blue is stained like his milk white teeth, possessing a yellow tint from drinking it continuously.

One thing you know about your wonder boy is that he religiously partakes in his caffeine consumption when the sun rises in the shape of a lemon slice to bruising as a pink peach as it sets.

Some remains of the coffee stick like honey on his hands, irritation sparks but so does exhaustion from the endless hours of studying in the small coffee-shop across Central Park.

Bundles of civilians pass you both, possessing faces different the next yet bearing their own colorfully unique auras. Filling the sidewalk atmosphere with chatter and soles of shoes against the pavement.

Like muscle memory, his fingers twine through the delicate petals of pink and purple azalea bushes as the grip weaved within yours tightens a slight. The symphony of the theater close by can be heard softly as well as the applauding encore afterwards.

The incoming taxi cabs rushing past blare the music in the radio, and the sweet and savory smells of the near asian cuisine restaurants fill Hayden’s senses of sight, sound, and smell — It’s comforting.

Manhattan, Hayden’s city — which he considers to be his only home, layers in so many simple complexities. Although they all go along sourly with the obnoxious buzzing of his cellphone in his back pocket— and still, Hayden ignores it just like the other missed calls from his pressing father.

He’ll stop calling me sometime tonight, Hayden reasons. Remembering the very familiar path of flower plants in the simple columns along the white stone sidewalks.

“You want me to kiss your bad, terrible, no good day better?” whether it was another tease or you were really being serious, Hayden steals a swift yet tranquil kiss.

Coming to no surprise to him that the tension so thick in his head and chest clears away just a bit. Similar to sunlight peeking through the retreating storm clouds of a foggy afternoon, spotting a bit of blue sky behind the gray canvas.

“There, i’m all better— On the other hand...” Hayden pauses as he pretends to figure out what else to say, either way it’s making your attention quirk in curiosity.

“I really think I need something stronger. A peck just won’t cover me. I mean I’ve been studying all day without any kisses from you and I spilt coffee on my favorite shirt. There has to be something else you could give me to make my day better, don’t you think so Juliet?” he whispers in your ear as his large hands cup your hips.

“Come back with a note from your doctor Romeo. Otherwise, this pharmacy is closed.” you playfully roll your eyes, smiling at the fake blow Hayden emphasis although not minding the tight squeeze he gives to your ass.

“You really know how to break my heart into two don’t you baby? Do I have to beg you to kiss it better this time?” he smirks in your ear, catching the familiar silver pool of the the lobby of your apartment a few feet away.

“Oh please, the only way you get anything from me is begging wonder boy—” you pause, looking up at him with a smile Hayden can recognize only as pure mischief. “— i’m not expecting anything less when you get this whiny and needy.” smirking with a quick tug at his belt, seeing the tent in his pants become very noticeable.

It makes Hayden pout, a genuine pout that makes you foo as you pinch his cheek. “I’m not being needy and whiny. I’m just tired- and I just need a little—” Hayden stammers, trying to soothe the sudden lust swimming through his body.

“You’re going through the stage of denial Romeo. Don’t you worry, Juliet is here to make sure you get fucked really good.” you smirk whilst guiding Hayden who is bearing a blush three shades deeper than before? into the lobby of your building.

“Before or after our icecream?” he plays along, his fingers playing with the charms of your bracelet.

Even in the moment where other people join the elevator, instinctively giving space between each other, you still feel his gaze weighting upon you after flittering his eyes somewhere else.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” you whisper, and with the ding of the elevator reaching your floor, you and Hayden step off.

Excusing yourselves and exchanging good byes to the people you know, you both stepped out of the elevator and slowly walk a respective distance from each other down the hallway.

However, when the moment the elevator door closed, did you burst in a fit of giggles and playful scream as Hayden wrapped you up in his arms suddenly.

The pace of giggles and messy kisses to your apartment not conservative whatsoever to anyone of your elderly and rather nosy neighbors but you two did bring a sense of youthful liveliness.

You yourself practically radiating all the romantic temptation you’re currently yearning for as Hayden wraps his thick arms around your waist.

“Can we skip the icecream?” Hayden whispers in your ear, his fingers playing again with the charms of your bracelet before they glide underneath the cloth of your halter top.

“And mess up our tradition? We always eat a carton of icecream together on Tuesdays.” you whine, bitting your glossy bottom lip a bit at the drag of his fingers underneath the waistline of your maxi skirt.

Thrumming his fingers along the exposed skin of your belly in patience as you try to find the key to your apartment on your keychain that bares more shiny trinkets than keys. Wet kisses being gifted to you on your jaw and neck, “There’s nothing wrong with changing things up. It’s normal, and besides lots of good things happen on Tuesdays besides icecream.”

He smirks into your shoulder once you finally open your apartment, settling your things as you lock the door behind you.

Hayden watches your figure, parting from your shoes and ruffling your hair before making your way to the kitchen. The blond follows right behind you as you open the freezer. “That is totally not so, icecream is the best thing we do together on Tuesdays.”

“Is it though?” Hayden presses, a shit eating grin crossing his boyish features that almost makes your inside flutter. “I remember our Tuesday traditions differently.” he drawls as he watch’s you take out the ice cream carton of chunky cookie dough.

Although Hayden contemplates his own plans for tonight that don’t involve the sweet you’re digging into with a silver spoon. “Okay and what are you referring to? The icecream or the lap dances?” you press as you lean over the island, not breaking the contact you both know will lead to noisy but stress relieving sex.

“C’mon baby you always give me the best lap dance!” Hayden laughs as his fingers play with the curly locks of hair that lay on the soft rich skin of your exposed back.

“I’m not saying we forget about our carton of Cookie Dough but I am saying that maybe it’s perfectly alright to shake up our tradition.” his knuckles tracings the outlines of your back before his hands take their place on their hips, rubbing them to feel the delicious curve in his grasps.

Sucking on your skin, his teeth grazing the delicate spot above your paving jugular. “What do you say Juliet?” his tone so light and airy, leaving room for you to answer but all he receives are whimpers when his hands massage the plumpness of your ass.

A pair of warm, coffee drunk lips graze the sensitive skin of your neck just right as he closes the freezer door. Intending on making this shift in tradition worth it for you, Hayden intends on making you feel worthy of every chance he makes.

you’re deserving and worthy of every one.

You find comfort in the scent of roasted coffee beans etched on his skin from sitting in the coffee shop for hours, you spoon a good enough chunk of cookie dough and vanilla into Hayden’s mouth.

The both of you are wrapped up within each other, a carton of icecream in between you both as you scoop from it every other minute. The flow of the city scape present in your window as you both watch another round of Legally Blonde.

Despite Hayden saying it isn’t realistic and whispering insult after insult under his breath whenever Warner appears on screen, you know he enjoys it just as much as you when he laughs at the jokes.

“I cannot believe the universe blessed us with this much cookie dough in one carton.” you whispered and Hayden laughs at that.

The soothing sound pairing better with his rosy fingers creeping up underneath your baggy sleeping shirt— well, it’s technically his since he keeps a few clothes at your place.

“I think the universe knew we both needed a break. Glad she’s being considerate.” he smiles as his eyes travel back to the tv, watching Elle Woods arriving to the the supposed costume party and witnessing her heart being once again broken at the hands of Warner Huntington in her playboy bunny outfit.

“What a pretentious little ass-prick.” he scoffs at the screen, you quirk your brow at him as you take another scoop of icecream.

“Ass-prick?” you giggle and Hayden rolls his eyes, a smile pulling at his lips when you laugh at the new found insult. “What is that a bridge word between asshole and dickhead that also alludes to a dildo?” you series of laughs make Hayden raise to his own defense.

“Well, yeah I guess! There’s so much I wanna say but people like this ass-prick really leave you looking for new words to describe how much an ass-prick they are. Trust me, babe, I know. I met so many of ‘em at Harvard and i’m gonna have to encounter them again sooner or later.”

You laughter died down, noticing how much his mood has deflated now. Licking the creamy vanilla off your spoon as you suck down on a chocolate chip in thought, you continue looking his way. In a way that he knows that you’re asking for permission to ask what’s wrong.

Hayden takes another spoon of icecream, looking from the tv screen then at his phone that’s resting at the coffee table with your fashion magazines and panties. Then, slowly at you, who holds his hand as he rests his head against the couch cushion.

“I’m not even sure with myself if I want to go to Law School. I just considered it a top priority to please my dad. I mean when you’re only parental figure wants you to become a certain person you try your best to fit into that mold.”

You listen, after the pauses in his sentences, you know from experience that Hayden is not someone who likes to keep his feeling bottled up in front of you.

“I’ve been pleasing him since I was a kid and I still seeked out his approval when he was observing my every move when I was an undergrad.”

The dizziness and pressurizing sensation that appeared when he walked the busy streets and smooth sidewalks of Manhattan returns back in his chest slowly.

What benefit does he give himself in shoving them down, Hayden thinks. He’s been shoving and pushing and running away from his own goals just to chase something he might never receive.

It makes him overthink his own theories that clash with his fathers unwanted destiny: if to pursue Law or to not pursue Law.

The comfort that was the quiet living room playing Legally Blonde gets louder and louder; a distraction but a helpful one that helps Hayden grounds his senses to the present. Of who he wants to be and what he wants to be without his father gravitating his final thought.

Then he realizes, that no matter where he’ll be, it’s just another step in his path to finding his purpose.

what’s the rush? what’s the consequence of being so uncertain about the meaning of your existence?

should there be a rush? should he be worrying his mind off until he can’t sleep and find a thought of clarity?

It doesn’t seem so once he promises himself he’ll call his father on his decision. It’s turning into mist once you show him all the practice tests you’ve graded with those high marks. It’s completely disappeared once you kissed him, telling him he’ll be alright.

Those cupid bows always found a home when they molded against his mouth. A confectionary sensibility a-raising when you would taste the coffee of his tongue and he the strawberry lipgloss smoothed sweetly on your lips.

It’s a sort of kiss that has the power to cease all the anxieties building up in his chest and your own fingers trace the vanilla icecream stains on his shirt till his heart beats underneath the skin of your fingers.

The kind of kiss that starts and ends so shortly, although designed to crave another taste all the same.

It leaves him intoxicated off you and from the sweetness from the chunk of cookie dough you dug up with his shiny spoon. All remains of that dizzy feeling are replaced with the warmth of your fingers through his hair, you always knew the right spots that made him turn into putty in your hands.

Hayden promises himself he won’t ever be your Warner.

There is nothing better and no one more significant that he could substitute you for in his life. The growing sensation of dependence clouds his heart, a dangerous feeling considering how you both haven’t ever spoken about the status of whatever this confusing intimacy is.

Hayden hasn’t once heard you call him his boyfriend; he hasn’t once called you his girlfriend. All the twinkles that added happiness to this cluster of complex constellations of your relationship must have a meaning even when you both aren’t certain where you align.

is there meaning?

That thought breaks to a stop once he feels your head on his shoulder, eyes drowsy and glossed with sleepiness. Those shiny curls of yours framing the dewiness of your face in their divine disarrayed way, your fingers reaching to interlock with his.

And he can’t help but squeeze back, and he can’t help by pull you closer to his side.

maybe there is.

♡♡♡ thank you for reading! ♡♡♡ pretty please like, reblog and comment what you think and if you enjoy this follow my library blog to be notified of my future works! ♡♡♡

#✿ — rosie posie writes!#harvard hottie × fem!reader #harvard hottie × black!reader #harvard hottie × woc!reader #harvard hottie fluff #chris evans × fem!reader #chris evans × black!reader #chris evans × woc!reader #chris evans fluff #harvard hottie smut #chris evans angst

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eyndr-stories · 2 years ago

Text

To Be Human (FNAF SB fanfic) C7 - Ribboned Bells

In Summary:

In a distant future where humans no longer roam the Earth and the sentient robots they left behind are left with little to no clues as to the lost history of their inherited world, Sun and Moon take up the title of scientists and endeavor to create their own human in their lab (that's where you come in!) in order to shed light on the mystery that is the lost history of the human race. Shenanigans and existential dread ensue as you, a funky little lab creature given sentience, attempt to puzzle out what it really means to be human.

Things To Know (always read responsibly!):

Reader insert! Y/N is not used and gender is not specified, though later in the fic the reader receives a name (also, this reader does not have any boobas lol which I only mention because reader doesn't have a shirt when they first Emerge From The Science Tube Thing and I don't mean to curse / bless yall with the mental image of reader just runnin around titties out lmao)

hurt / comfort :^)

Non-specified relationships between reader and Sun & Moon, this can be read either as pals or more, totally up to your interpretation

enemies (sorta??) to friends (to perhaps more, up to u lol)

Sun & Moon are referred to with gender neutral pronouns

The reader and other characters are often in mortal peril! This world is full of Funky Creatures (other than you) and some of them attack and hurt several characters, including the reader character

On that note there is some blood and minor gore

Occasional swearing

Reader is at times kidnapped / brough to / kept in places against their will

Thoughts and ponderings of sentience and whether or not your thoughts and feelings are your own

Sun & Moon treat the reader as if they are not sentient / intelligent for the first few chapters

That's all I can think of, as always if you want me to add something please let me know!

Start reading here: Chapter 1

Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

C7 - Ribboned Bells

There was a very soft sort of rain as you, Moon, and Sun left the shelter together. Precipitation floated down from the sky in a cold mist, casting the world in a tired haze and swallowing distant trees in a fog. Everything was quiet, like the forest was resting.

You lifted your good arm and stared in fascination as tiny drops of water gathered along the hairs. You lifted your chin, smiling as the sky gently misted your face, cooling your skin.

The rain was nice and refreshing at first, but as the three of you walked, it gradually became less pleasant as your clothes became damp and you started to shiver at the chill.

You and Sun flanked Moon as they lead the way through the trees. You did your best to put the discomfort at the back of your mind and push on.

Moon glanced warily left and right every once in a while, expression set in a tired frown. Sometimes they would slow and peer carefully through the trees, then seem to decide that everything was fine and continue onwards.

Sun looked around as well, but with a more distracted eye, compared to Moon’s vigilance. Sun often looked up to see the rain coming down through the leaves above, often enough that you were keeping an eye on them now to be sure they didn’t fall, as they’d tripped more than once.

You adjusted the straps of your bag. You couldn’t seem to get the length of the straps just right, to your slight irritation. Your bag held a few supplies; a container of berries, a flashlight, a pouch of water, and a small emergency wire repair kit.

After a few hours of walking, the hunger was starting to press at your insides, and your feet were horribly sore. You tapped Moon’s arm.

“Rest,” you said.

“Alright. Not too long, though,” Moon said.

You plopped right down in the wet moss you happened to be standing on. The moss was comfortably squishy, and relief eased its way through your feet and legs as you sat.

Moon remained standing, folding their arms and scowling around at the surrounding trees, as if they expected one of the trees to suddenly turn and attack the three of you.

Sun sat as well, carefully easing down onto a raised tree root. They ran a check up on their exposed wiring, making sure everything was still as it was supposed to be.

You devoured your container of berries. You still felt hungry, but the berries had eased the discomfort well enough. You eyed Sun as you put the container away.

You looked down at your own torso. You pressed a hand against your stomach. You were squishy, much squishier than Sun and Moon, though if you pressed in certain places you could feel harder things inside. Why were you so squishy? That seemed… weird. You thought your body should be solid and tough, less malleable, like Sun and Moon’s.

“What’s wrong? Are you damaged?” Sun asked, noticing you pressing a hand into your middle.

You tapped your stomach twice. “…Are there wires in me, too?”

“Wires??” Sun’s head tilted to the side. “No. Under your plating- er. Skin. There’s blood, as you know. Muscles, and bones. As well as nerves and organs and all sorts of things.”

These words sounded right, and you thought you knew roughly what they meant. You frowned at Sun’s exposed wires. Sun didn’t have any of that stuff. You doubted Moon did either.

“Different,” you mumbled.

“We are made of different material, yes.” Sun gave you a curious look.

Moon spoke up. “We should keep moving.”

You adjusted the straps of your bag one final time before reluctantly leaving them be. You got to your feet with Sun and the three of you carried on once more.

After a good deal more walking, a discovery of some mushrooms that you hungrily stuffed in your mouth before Sun and Moon could stop you, and even more walking later, Moon announced that the three of you were close.

Sure enough, the trees began to thin both in size and frequency around you, and then Moon came to a stop. You eagerly stepped up next to them to look ahead.

Beyond what appeared to be the tree-line before you, there was a steep downhill length of sparse grass and weeds and dark purple dirt, and then…

The closest buildings, all bricks and stone and sculpted wood, were in varying states of disrepair and damage. Not only did it seem like the forest was trying to creep up along the walls, vines and weeds working a slow and relentless hold into the cracks between bricks and around foundations, but it almost looked like some giant being had decided to have a reckless flailing dance amongst the buildings, knocking holes in walls and rooftops and toppling some buildings almost entirely, leaving the vague impression of walls behind.

The buildings towering in the distance and along the horizon were in much better condition, though the longer you looked the more you realized just how patchwork it all was. A great mix of materials haphazardly comprised the mighty structures. In some places more than others, it was clear that the buildings hadn’t been constructed that way. Whole chunks of walls had been patched over with a material different from the rest of the building.

“Right. Repairs first. We’ll stick to the back streets, obviously. We don’t want to be spotted,” Moon said.

“Why?” you asked.

Moon and Sun shared a concerned look.

“Despite you being a… you know. Quite obviously human-looking creature. We are… technically… wanted by the authorities here in the city,” Sun said slowly.

“Why??” you asked again.

“Let’s not worry about all that.” Sun laughed, hands fidgeting as they turned their attention to the city. “Don’t want to waste any more time standing around here! Lead the way, Moon!”

You had all kinds of questions, but Sun and Moon seemed eager to get moving. You resolved to question them further later and followed them out of the trees and down the hill.

Sun and Moon weaved a serpentine path through narrow streets, down tight alleys, and around crumbling and quiet buildings.

You stared down every street with eager eyes, taking in everything you could while keeping up with Sun and Moon. You spotted a few people walking around, but they were always too far away and out of sight too quickly to glean any details.

Moon motioned for you and Sun to stop while they peeked out of the end of an alley, head swiveling left and right over the street beyond. Moon motioned for you and Sun to follow, deeming the coast clear. The three of you hurried out into the street and towards a less dilapidated building sitting on the street’s corner. A glowing neon image of a wrench glowed through the mist of rain above a wide metal grated door, casting a deep red, yellow, and blue haze out over the street. Moon quickly knocked at the door.

A low gruff voice growled from behind the door. “Piss off, whoever that is.”

“Let us in Montgomery.” Moon sighed. They glanced again along the still otherwise vacant street.

“Who’s ‘Montgomery’??” the voice on the other side of the door asked with an excessive amount of nonchalance.

Moon scowled and looked ready to break the door down when Sun stepped up.

“Monty please, we’re trying to stay out of sight,” Sun said.

“Alright, alright.” The door rattled, then swung inwards.

Sun and Moon quickly stepped inside. You followed behind, both eager and nervous to meet whoever was inside the building.

Inside, the lights were dim and colorful, dull neon signs on the walls casting a rainbow of hues over the sparse room. There was a long counter along the far wall with a wide metal double door behind it. There were heavy metal shelves along the walls, cluttered with junk and metal and weird bits and bobs. A mess of chains hung from the unfinished ceiling, exposed pipes hissing and dripping unrecognizable liquid in small puddles over the cracked checker pattern floor.

“I’ve told you a hundred times not to call me th- AHH WHA??”

The moment you stepped in sight of the owner of the gruff voice, he jumped violently, causing you to flinch.

“WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT IS THAT??” Monty yelled, pointing accusatorially at you.

Moon quickly slammed the door shut behind you. “Get a hold of yourself, Montgomery. This is clearly a human.”

Monty stared at Moon incredulously. He eyed you with extreme wariness.

You eyed Monty as well. He was bigger than Sun and Moon, much wider and much pointier. He didn’t have clothes, but he was painted with harsh and vibrant colors, mostly green and purple and red. He wore his wiry hair in a bright red mohawk. You noted a thick spiked tail, claw tipped hands, and a massive muzzle full of small drills, almost like rows of pointed teeth. Monty had thick goggles, much like Moon’s, though he was actually wearing his over his eyes, and they were painted a shiny gold color. You couldn’t see Monty’s eyes very well but it was clear none the less that he was staring right back at you.

“…Bite??” you questioned, chomping your teeth.

Monty stared at you for a moment, then opened his muzzle and snapped it shut, drills whirring as he did so.

“Chomp chomp.” You mimicked the motion, though you imagined you were much less intimidating than Monty.

To your surprise, Monty burst out laughing. “Okay yeah, this thing is weird but I think I like it.”

You turned to grin at Sun and Moon, pleased that you’d managed to befriend this stranger. Moon had gone to a window and was busy peering out at the street through thin metal shutters. Sun wasn’t looking at you, their arms folded sternly as they turned their full attention to Monty.

“Now listen Monty. The human is not an ‘it’, they have thoughts and feelings same as us,” Sun corrected.

“Oh. Really??” Monty looked at you again.

You shrugged.

“Huh. Okay. Sorry, little… creature.” Monty gently poked you with a claw.

You poked Monty back. Monty smiled and poked you again. You poked him back, and suddenly you were in the midst of some strange back and forth poking game. Sun giggled quietly at the two of you.

“Is Freddy here at the moment?” Moon asked, finally satisfied that the lot of you hadn’t drawn any unwanted attention.

“Freddy’s busy with Roxy. Bonnie’s not busy, though,” Monty replied. There was something taunting about his tone, though you weren’t sure why.

Sun ‘tsk’ed. “Roxy’s here more than she’s not.”

“Tell me about it. She doesn’t cause trouble though, so I’m not complaining.” Monty stopped poking you and leaned back against the wall, turning his head to Moon. “Shall I get Bonnie for you? I’m sure he’d love to see you specifically and catch up.”

Moon glared dangerously at Monty. “I’m not in the mood for this, Montgomery.”

“Really? You seem to be in some sort of mood,” Monty said.

“Ahoy, I thought I heard squabbling!”

Everyone turned as someone new pushed past the double doors. They had almost rounded the counter before noticing you and stopping dead in their tracks.

“…Huh.” The stranger stared at you blankly with a sharp eye.

This stranger had a long sort of face, like Monty’s, but no visible ‘teeth’. They were smaller, maybe only a head taller than you. They were painted a dull red, though they also wore clothes, long flowing layered clothes that looked well worn and even torn in places. They had a massive pack strapped to their back, which appeared to be stuffed to the brim. A wide tail twitched nervously behind them. You noted this stranger seemed to be injured, or damaged. Were they here for repairs too? They had a dark panel of metal welded over one eye, and one of their legs didn’t match the other, much narrower and an entirely different plain grey color. One of their hands was also mismatched, a bronze metal curling into a hook in place of a more traditional hand.

“…Chomp?” you asked hopefully.

“Hi there Foxy, nice to see you,” Sun greeted the stranger cheerfully.

“Heh. Uh. Why does your… associate seem to want to bite me?” the stranger, Foxy, asked, their eye never leaving you for a moment.

“They’re just saying hi,” Monty assured. He pat your shoulder with a heavy hand. “This is Sun and Moon’s human creature.”

“Eh?? Human?!” The stranger gasped. All apprehension was instantly gone, and they rushed forwards, sliding their pack off and dropping it on the floor with a heavy clunky rattle. They strode with surprising speed and ease towards you, despite the mismatched legs. “Aye, so they are!! Good gracious, how in the great world have you managed this?!” Foxy studied you closely with fascination, hands hovering as if they wanted to start a poking game with you.

“We made them,” Moon stated, no small amount of pride to their tone.

Monty and Foxy both gaped at Moon and Sun.

“You WHAT.” Foxy looked at you again.

You were starting to feel uncomfortable under all this attention.

“Was this your secret project? The one you’ve been working on for years??” Foxy asked.

“Yes! Aren't they marvelous and wonderful??” Sun beamed.

You smiled at Sun.

“They seem kinda small…” Monty said. “Are humans supposed to be so small?”

Your smile turned into a frown.

“We can talk all about the human later. First, we need repairs. Look at Sun, for goodness sake! Can we stop goofing around?” Moon interjected.

“Aye, you’re not too much better off yourself it seems,” Foxy said gently.

“…Did the human do that??” Monty asked, pointing at the ragged hole in Sun’s torso.

“No,” Sun assured quickly. “Actually, they helped fight off the creature that did this.”

You glanced sideways at Moon, wondering if they’d share about their injuries.

Moon said nothing.

“Really?? They’re such a wee thing… So they’re stronger than they look.” Foxy hummed. “Not to be underestimated, this one.”

You found yourself standing a little taller. You decided you liked Foxy.

“So the lot of ya are hiding out in the forest these days, aye?” Foxy asked.

“How’d you know?” Sun asked.

“Not much in the city that can do damage like that,” Foxy said, then leaned in and mock-whispered, “Besides Roxy’s attitude, that is.”

Monty chuckled. “Right. Speaking of, she’s getting patched up by Freddy now.” Moon looked at Moon.

Sun looked at Moon as well. Foxy hummed and awkwardly scuffed their off-color leg over the floor. You eyed Moon curiously.

Moon looked uncomfortable. They folded their arms. “Fine.”

Monty nodded and strode over to the double doors. He poked his head through. “AY BONNIE!!” he hollered, loud enough to send vibrations through the puddles on the floor.

“Jeez Monty, the room isn't that big hon,” someone said from the room beyond.

“Sun and Moon are here, need patching up. They’ve brought a funky human creature with them,” Monty said.

There were questions and chatter beyond the door that you couldn’t make out very well.

You braced yourself for more attention.

Four more people came into the room through the double doors. Sun introduced everyone to you, and you to everyone. Foxy busied themself with shuffling through whatever was in that big bag they’d dropped earlier, Monty curiously peering over their shoulder. Bonnie and Freddy, you learned, ran this establishment and did most of the repairs. Chica was their understudy, and a good friend of Roxy’s. Roxy actually seemed entirely uninterested in you. She was mid repair, her right shoulder missing its paneling and sprouting a mess of frayed and sparking wires. She only stuck around long enough to eye you over with disdain and scoff before heading back through the double doors. Chica was far more polite, and gave you a friendly wave before going to tend to Roxy.

Bonnie leaned over the counter to look at you while Freddy came around the counter to meet you and greet Sun and Moon. You noted that Bonnie looked a little different than the others. He wasn’t made of metal, comprised instead of something fuzzy and pastel purple. He had big long ears with long grooved satellite dishes set in them. He also wore a button up shirt and a black cap that matched Freddy’s, though Bonnie was wearing his backwards. You could see a little wrench symbol on the front of Freddy’s hat, matching the neon sign outside. Bonnie looked about Foxy’s size, though he was much wider and rounder compared to Foxy’s wiry limbs. Freddy’s size and bulk seemed to match Monty well enough, though Freddy was a little smaller. Freddy was mostly brown in color, though he had some fun paint on his face matching the colors of the sign outside.

“How wonderful to see the pair of you again!” Freddy gave both Sun and Moon friendly pats on the shoulder. “And it’s always a pleasure to make a new friend.” Freddy smiled kindly at you, his eyes glowing warmly, and pat you on the shoulder as well. His hands were large, the fingers rounded, though there were little round grippy pads on the ends of his fingers. “Forgive me, I’ve never met a human before! What’s your name?”

“My name…?” You stared wide-eyed at Freddy. You’d never needed a name before. You glanced at Sun and Moon, who were sharing a look. “I… don’t have one?”

“Oh?” Freddy tilted his head. “Would it be alright to call you ‘human’ to refer to you then?”

You hesitated. You weren’t sure how… accurate that was. It didn’t feel like it fit. Like a cutout that you matched the shape of, but you were too small to fill.

Freddy was starting to look worried. His little rounded ears sank low on the sides of his head. “Oh my, I haven’t caused offense, have I??”

“No no,” you assured, reaching out and tapping his arm twice. You awkwardly lowered your hand as you realized he probably wouldn’t understand the tapping. “Um. I just. It doesn’t… fit…”

“How about ‘star’?” Bonnie offered.

“Star?” You looked at Bonnie curiously.

“Yeah! Just as a placeholder for now, if you like. Fits with Sun and Moon’s whole solar theme, right?” Bonnie explained.

“Yeah. Yeah!” You smiled. “I like it. Star.”

“Aw, that’s cute!” Sun nodded their approval.

“Fantastic!” Freddy smiled. “What about pronouns? Do you have any you prefer?”

“Huh??” Geez, you weren’t sure what to do with all these questions regarding your identity.

“You people and your pronouns.” Moon sighed.

“Whats wrong with personalized pronouns??” Monty challenged, looking up from Foxy’s bag.

“It’s just another annoying fad. I can’t keep up with these silly trends,” Moon complained.

“I would have thought a human fanatic would be into personalized pronouns, seeing as its apparently a human thing,” Monty teased. “One of your crazy scientist friends made the news decoding some ancient bit of whatever revealing that personalized pronouns and gender expression were all the rage with humans. Foxy told us all about it.”

“I don’t have time for such trivial matters and complicated constructs. Speaking of, is anyone is this repair shop ever going to repair us or not??” Moon huffed, gesturing at Sun’s torso.

“Oh yes, of course! I’m afraid I’ve still got a ways to go with Roxanne, but Bonnie can assist you,” Freddy said. “Speaking of, I really should get back to work… you know how Roxy can be.” Freddy laughed good-naturedly and excused himself, returning to the room beyond the double doors.

Moon and Bonnie shared a brief and awkward look, then they both quickly looked away.

Bonnie cleared his throat. “Sun? You ready, hun?”

“You bet,” Sun said, putting on a smile. They glanced at Moon, touching them lightly on the arm as they walked past to join Bonnie in the room beyond the double doors.

You stared at Moon. “Why do you and Bonnie not like each other?”

Moon bristled. Monty and Foxy both immediately stopped what they were doing to look at you and Moon.

“Its- Its complicated,” Moon said. “Don’t worry about it.”

You were deeply curious, and Moon’s response only made you more so. “Your behavior is weird.”

Monty barked a loud laugh, then quickly snapped his muzzle shut. Moon shot him a sour look.

“We won’t be here long. We have other errands to run. Bonnie won’t have to put up with me for much longer,” Moon grumbled.

“What else has you visiting the city?” Foxy asked.

Moon eagerly jumped on the new subject. “We’re hoping to go back to the old lab and pick up a few things we left behind.”

“Oh? Its not like the two of you to be leaving things behind,” Foxy remarked.

“What, were you chased out of town?” Monty asked with a grin.

“…” Moon awkwardly glanced away.

“No way! What happened?!” Monty gasped.

“You’re not in trouble with the authorities again, are ya?” Foxy asked.

“No,” Moon said quickly. “I mean. It was the authorities who chased us out of the city. But only because they were tipped off about our location.”

Foxy’s expression fell. “Ahh. So that investor of yours sold you out.”

Moon sighed. “You sure pieced that together fast.”

“I’m paid to be quick on my feet.” Foxy smiled. “But why fund and supply your research and experiments all those years just to sell the two of ya out?”

Moon’s expression hardened. “Sun and I found out their true intentions behind funding our work. They did not care about historic discoveries or even grand technological feats, as we had naively hoped. They're as malicious as they are rich, which I honestly had suspected, they kept such a stifling grip on our project. They just wanted to steal our work, once we’d created a human. They wanted a human for the prestige of it, a trophy to flaunt and increase their standing even further. When we found out, Sun… we broke ties with the investor, told them we’d be working on our own. Over the years, thanks to my distrust, Sun and I squirreled enough away that we were able to build our own lab, you see. The investor didn’t take us cutting ties well, naturally. They threatened to expose our location to the authorities if we went through with it. Sun and I cut ties anyways, sabotaged the project, and planned to start over at our lab in the woods. Admittedly, we were not expecting this human to be so… complete. Fully formed and decidedly sentient. We're still unsure of how that happened, they aren't really even supposed to be alive." Moon looked at you, then quickly added, "Not that either of us are upset! Just surprised, is all."

You lightly pat Moon's arm, trying to convey that there were no hard feelings.

Foxy let out a low whistle. "Good golly. That's a lot."

"Aren't you worried that investor and their goons will still be hanging around your old lab?" Monty asked.

"We were hoping that enough time had passed that they would assume we were not coming back," Moon said.

Foxy straightened and stretched. "Alright, give me a moment and I'll head on out and take a look."

Moon looked surprised. "What? You really don't have to-"

"Hush, matey. I'm doing you this favor and you can't stop me. You know I'd best you in a fight." Foxy grinned. "I'll pick up a disguise while I'm out as well, so Star can walk about without being bothered."

"Thank you," you said. You briefly imagined taking a walk around the city, exploring the streets and buildings.

"…Thank you, Foxy. It's highly appreciated," Moon said quietly.

"Aye, mate. Don't mention it." Foxy pat Moon's shoulder.

Foxy started unpacking their big sack, planning to head out after everything was sorted. At your curious questioning, Foxy explained that they were a sort of rare goods merchant. They made their money selling high quality parts, mods, and materials. Foxy also made a decent amount selling artifacts they scrounged up to the human fanatic community. Foxy's line of work was dangerous at times, hence their mis-matched parts. Foxy said that they were still quick and light on their feet, and their one eye was augmented and very sharp.

Foxy told you a little about the culture among animatronics as they knew it, regarding humans. There were a decent amount of people who were fascinated by humans and the lost history of the world before them. Others couldn't care less about humans and would rather look to the future than the past.

You listened quietly as Moon gave Foxy specific directions to the lab, and told them how to get in once they were there. Foxy gave Moon a little salute before heading out.

When Foxy left, you decided to check out the room beyond the double doors, and see how Sun was doing.

Beyond the double doors, everything was much brighter, you noted. Bright yellow domed lights dangled from the ceiling in a line, splitting the room in half. To the right were shelves and desks and racks packed full of boxes and a wide array of limbs, parts, bundles of wires, and more complicated bits of machinery you couldn’t discern the purpose of. To the left were three little areas lined up along the wall, each divided by a curtain hanging from the ceiling. All the curtains were currently tied back, and you could see in each little area there were long padded tables, short rolling desks full of tools, and chunky machines each sprouting bundles of wires and displaying loads of confusing information on their screens.

At the nearest little station was Roxy, who eyed you warily. Sun was situated at the station in the middle, Bonnie carefully straightening wires in their torso with a narrow tool. Freddy was busy tightening a thick metal panel back into place over Roxy’s shoulder while Chica carefully held Roxy’s arm out and held the bottom of the panel in place for Freddy.

Roxy had more paint than any of the others. She was covered in bright stripes and checker patterns and glittering green streaks. She had on a pair of black fingerless leather gloves with shiny silver trim, which matched her well polished aviator goggles, currently acting as a headband for her wild bushy silver hair.

Roxy said nothing as you both eyed each other over, and you didn’t have much to say either. You made your way over to Sun.

“Doing okay?” you asked.

“I’m doing just fine, friend.” Sun gave you a reassuring smile. “Bonnie’s very gentle. I hardly feel a thing.”

Bonnie looked very focused on what he was doing.

“No hurting?”

“Nope!” Sun pat your shoulder. “There wasn’t really that much internal damage so it’s hardly even uncomfortable.”

“Hm.” You nodded. “Good.”

Bonnie finished what he was doing and grabbed a metal plate. It was matte grey and looked to be thicker than the rest of Sun’s plating. Even so, it seemed to fit in place snugly over the hole in Sun’s torso. It looked like Bonnie had already cut away the more jagged and rough ends.

“Would you like to help, Star?” Bonnie asked.

You straightened. “Yes,” you said eagerly.

“Good, would you mind holding this steady here while I weld the panel in place?” Bonnie asked, scooting to the side to allow you room next to him.

You rounded the padded table without a word and set your hands firmly over the panel, pressing it tightly to Sun’s torso.

Bonnie began to weld, using a tool that expelled a hot little flame and heated a narrow rod of metal that melted eagerly to the seam between the new panel and Sun’s torso. Sun showed no signs of pain or discomfort. In no time at all, the panel was fixed in place, and Bonnie put his tools away.

“You’re all done! I’m afraid we’re out of your particular yellow paint at the moment,” Bonnie said.

“That’s alright, I think there’s some at the old lab,” Sun said. They sat up and stretched a little, turning this way and that, making sure they still had their full range of mobility. “Fantastic job, as always!”

“Nothing less than the best for you, Sunny.” Bonnie smiled.

“Standard rates, I assume?” Sun asked.

“That’s right. Take your time, whenever you’re ready. I’ll get it set up for you.” Bonnie left to go find something amongst the shelves and tables across the room.

You poked at Sun’s new plate, gently testing the new seam between yellow and grey with a thumb.

Scar.

Bonnie returned with a machine roughly the size of your head. A thick cable ran between it and some sort of heavy duty capsule the length of your arm.

“Would you mind hooking me up, Star?” Sun asked, tapping at the back of their head. They took a thinner cable from the back end of the machine, pulling it until it was fully extended, then handing the chunky end of it to you.

“What’s this?” You eyed the cable curiously as you stepped around behind Sun’s head. You found a small inset square just above where Sun’s head connected to their neck, and below a little latch that looked like it would release a larger panel. The chunky end of the square cable in your hand looked to be the perfect fit for the inset square.

“This is how I pay for the provided services,” Sun said. They shivered as you plugged the cable in.

The machine lit up. You stepped back around to face Sun, eying the machine as it started to hum.

“Around here, people pay for things with electrical energy. Everyone runs on energy, we need it to live,” Sun explained patiently.

Concern etched its way into your expression. “Why are you giving your energy away if you need it to live?? I can give instead.” You started to reach for the cord plugged into Sun’s head.

“No no, it’s alright!” Sun laughed lightly, catching your hand with theirs. “I have plenty to give. Moon and I are special, you see. We’re an uncommon type, we generate and store our own energy all on our own. There are very few others like us, but they do exist. Makes it convenient to pay for things, we don’t need to carry batteries with us!”

“Oh…” you squinted suspiciously at the machine. The capsule it was connected to looked to be slowly filling, as little lights along the side lit up one after the other in a line. “You have enough energy to give?”

“That’s right, I have plenty. I have so much in fact that I often need to shut down for a little while so I don’t build up too much and overheat my systems,” Sun said.

You had seen both Sun and Moon rest from time to time, laying down to ‘sleep’ like you did occasionally.

“Hmm… okay.” You nodded.

“I appreciate the concern,” Sun said softly.

You weren’t sure what to say. You suddenly became aware that Sun’s hand was still in yours. Your face felt warm as you took your hand back.

You turned your attention to Roxy, who seemed to now be fully repaired. She flexed and rolled her arm around, testing out her newly fixed shoulder.

“Feels pretty good. Thanks, Freddy,” she said.

“Anytime, dear. Please try to be more careful out on the race track. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I do wish you wouldn’t visit us quite as frequently,” Freddy said.

“Right. We’ll see about that. Being careful isn’t quite my style, you know.” Roxy smiled.

Freddy sighed. “Well, we will always be here for you.”

Roxy handed over some smaller capsules, not unlike the big one Sun was charging up, and left the establishment.

Moon came to take Roxy’s place on the first table. Bonnie stepped out to the front of the store.

“I have good news and bad news,” Freddy said as Moon got situated. “Which would you like to hear first?”

“Bad news first,” Moon said.

“The bad news is that repairing your eye will be uncomfortable, since we need to extract the old one and replace it. The good news is that we have the replacement here in the shop so you don’t have to wait! The whole thing won’t take long at all,” Freddy assured.

“The new eye will have the same augments and everything?” Moon asked.

“That’s right! Night vision and selective magnification, correct?”

“That’s right,” Moon confirmed. “Okay, let’s get this over with.”

“Right. Chica, would you prep the replacement eye while I get ready to extract the old one?” Freddy asked.

“On it boss!” Chica moved across the room to loom through the shelves.

You turned back to Sun. “Freddy said… race track? To Roxy?”

“That’s right, Roxy is a racer! People in town love a good race. Roxy is one of the best,” Sun said.

“It’s a dangerous and reckless pastime. I get people need entertainment but there are better things to waste time on,” Moon remarked.

“Things like… trespassing on historical landmarks?” Freddy asked innocently.

Moon squinted at Freddy with their one good eye. “I! Haven’t done any scientific field research in years. Sun can vouch for me.”

“It’s true! We haven’t been to the catacombs in a long time,” Sun said.

“You’ve been to the catacombs?!” Chica fumbled and nearly dropped the box she was carrying back across the room. “What’s it like?? Is it really as spooky and dangerous as they say?”

“It’s not too dangerous, if you know what you’re doing. You just need to keep your wits about you,” Moon said.

“Alright Moon, I need you to hold still for me for a moment, please,” Freddy said.

Moon laid back and stilled, face tilted slightly towards Freddy, who leaned in and quickly got to work.

“The catacombs are actually where Moon and I first met,” Sun remarked.

“Oh really?” Chica pressed.

Sun had both Chica’s attention and yours now.

Sun nodded. “We were both down there exploring and searching for human artifacts. We’d both been following a peculiar melodic chiming noise for a while when we discovered, at the same time, both each other and the source of the noise. It was so strange, like discovering the other half to your coin when previously you hadn’t even known anything had been missing. Later we discovered we’d been crafted by the same creator, or at least the same team of creators, which explained a lot about how well we seemed to work together. But it just felt natural, it felt right. Sticking with Moon.” Sun smiled.

You noted Moon was also smiling, though you could hardly see it around Freddy’s steady hands.

“Aww that’s sweet! What was the noise that lead you to each other?” Chica asked.

“Oh! That’s actually… the main reason I wanted to go back to the lab. We left in such a rush, we accidentally left it behind… the bells. Beautiful shiny little bells tied to the ends of these soft red ribbons. The ribbons had gotten caught in the collapse of an ancient pillar down in the catacombs, and a draft was jostling the bells for who knows how long before Moon and I found them together,” Sun explained.

“They sound lovely. I hope you can find them,” Chica said.

Sun nodded. “Me too, I’d hate to loose them. They’re important to both of us.”

Freddy finished removing Moon’s old eye and wasted no time getting the new one installed. Moon would occasionally twitch, and seemed very stiff, but didn’t make a sound.

You helped unplug Sun once they were done filling up the battery. You and Sun stood by Moon and continued to chat, offering Moon a distraction while they underwent repairs.

Freddy was almost finished with Moon’s arm when Foxy returned.

“Did you make it to the old lab okay?” Moon asked.

“Aye, I did.” Foxy breathed out a long sigh and folded their arms. “I’m afraid it’s not good news, matey.”

Foxy explained that they’d seen a pair of suspicious bots on the property, patrolling the building and watching the streets. They weren’t authorities, and there weren’t a lot of people who had access to the lab.

“The investor’s goons, no doubt,” Moon grumbled.

Sun and Moon shared a look.

“I suppose we won’t be going to the lab after all,” Moon said quietly.

“I wouldn’t advise it. Those bots look like they mean serious business,” Foxy said, their tone sympathetic.

Sun rubbed their arms and turned their face away. They said nothing.

“I’m upset at the loss as well. But… it’s not the end of the world,” Moon said gently.

“Right.” Sun nodded, though their eyes were still turned down.

You felt some sort of heat in your chest, under the skin. You felt restless and uncomfortable.

“I did pick this up for you, Star. You shouldn’t need to worry too much about being spotted and noticed with this on. A little paint on the legs and you’ll look just like any other human fanatic,” Foxy said.

Foxy handed you a small bundle of black cloth. It was soft, and you eagerly squeezed it in your hands. Unfurling it, you realized the clothing would indeed hide your entire top half. You pulled it on, the lengths for arms and the holes for your head and hands seemingly self explanatory enough. The fabric was thick and comfortable, and you instantly felt much warmer. There was a big pocket right in the front, which you thought would be perfect for storing rocks and leaves. It also had a big hood that covered your head and obscured your face. You smiled at Foxy.

“I like this. Thank you,” you said.

“Anytime, matey.” Foxy smiled at you. “Well. I’m afraid I can’t stay long. I’ll settle my product with Bonnie and head out. Is there anything else I can help with before I make myself scarce?”

“You’ve helped plenty, Foxy. Thank you,” Moon said.

“Yes, thank you! Be safe out there,” Sun said.

Foxy gave the pair a little salute before stepping out of the room.

Sun and Moon talked quietly while Freddy finished up with Moon’s arm and Chica went to move the battery machine to Moon’s table.

You stood to the side, slipping your hands into the pocket of your new hoodie. You traced circles over the soft fabric inside with your thumbs while you thought.

You could still remember the directions to the old lab that Moon had given to Foxy. You even knew how to get in. You also knew that the investor’s guards would be looking for Sun and Moon. You were not Sun or Moon. And you were awfully small… and with your new disguise, you thought you’d be a lot harder to see against the darkness of the night.

Your hopes were high when you slipped out of the room without anyone noticing. They were even higher when you made it out of the building without anyone noticing you. Monty was busy talking to Foxy and Bonnie about some particularly interesting artifact Foxy had brought in.

The rain had let up. Night had descended, and the shadows that fell across the street were sharp and long, broken up by tall light posts and sparse shop lights and the occasional lit window. You turned Moon’s directions over in your mind, then set off down the street, sticking close to the buildings.

Just a quick little trip. Foxy hadn’t been gone long, so the lab couldn’t be far. If you hurried, no one would even know you were gone, and you would have the perfect surprise for Sun and Moon. You imagined how delighted they’d be when you offered up their ribboned bells, and maybe even Sun’s paint.

In your defense, things did start off going very well for you. You found the lab without getting lost, even managed to get in without trouble. You found a familiar room, the one you'd woken up in, now dim and quiet and mostly empty. In an adjacent room, you located your prize. The bells and their beautiful red ribbons were unmistakable. You pocketed them in your hoodie pocket and started to search for Sun’s paint.

That’s when you were discovered.

“What do you think you’re doing, trespassing here??” one of the strangers questioned.

The one that had grabbed you by the arm eyed you over suspiciously. They both looked identical, big and boxy with hefty wheels in place of legs and retractable arms with claws at the ends. Those claws were currently digging into your arm through the fabric of your clothes, and you were extremely grateful you’d been grabbed by your good arm.

You swallowed your panic. You tried to be smart. “I’m just a human fanatic. Heard there might be some old artifacts here,” you said. “I’m sorry, thought the place was abandoned. I’ll leave, no trouble.”

“No trouble is right, you little rat. You’d better not come back, or we won’t hesitate to decommission you, got it?” the first stranger warned. They sounded angry enough that you believed them.

“Hold on. Something’s off, I've never seen leg casing like that before.” The one holding you pulled you closer. Their head didn’t have eyes or anything, just a smooth white plate, but a tiny light came on and flickered for a moment. “What's your model??”

“Uh.” You were starting to sweat. You pulled against the stranger’s hold, but you weren’t anywhere near strong enough to break free.

“…Wait.” The first stranger snapped up your hood with a claw and threw it back.

Both bots recoiled.

“No way. No way,” the first muttered.

“A human. A real one??” The stranger holding you stared at the first, their blank head swiveling to face the other.

“Boss did say they never found the one that’d been in progress,” the first bot murmured. “We’d better take it to them.”

“Right.”

“Now hold on,” you started nervously, trying to twist away.

The one holding you only readjusted their grip to lift you clean off the ground, their arm bending to wrap securely around you, pinning your arms to your sides. “You’re coming with us.”

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ahkaahshi · 4 years ago

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some things take time [sakusa kiyoomi x reader]

pairing: sakusa kiyoomi x fem reader

genre: fluff with ever so slight angst

warning(s): n/a

word count: 1k

overview: you learn that unreciprocated feelings don’t have to mean the end of a relationship.

notes: bc my brain just went 🥺 sakusa 🥺 as it usually does.

Sakusa’s heart is racing so fast he thinks he’s quite possibly on the brink of passing out right where he’s sitting on the concrete wall separating the beach from the sidewalks.

There’s nothing happening around him to elicit such a reaction from him. In fact, his surroundings are rather serene.

In front of him, the gentle waves of the ocean kiss the sandy shoreline, making it shimmer with light emanating from the stars, moon, and cityscape. Around him, the sounds of the city blend together to form a peaceful bath of white noise that’s soft enough not to irritate or bother him. Beside him, you sit quietly, basking in the comfortable silence surrounding you as you gaze upwards at the constellations in the nighttime sky.

Little does he know that your heart is also thumping erratically in your chest, in spite of the calmness you’re exuding. The twinkling stars are just a distraction from the thoughts that linger in your mind whenever it’s idle. In the darkness of the sky above, you can envision a moment that never fails to leave you feeling as if you’ve had the wind completely knocked out of you.

About three months ago, you’d told Sakusa that you loved him. And, about three months ago, he’d told you that he wasn’t there yet.

But, here he sat beside you, truly a man of his word intent on sticking to what he’d told you that day: “I still care about you a lot, (f/n), and our relationship isn’t over. Give me some time. I want to get there with you.”

And while that memory was reassuring in some aspects, since it was a constant reminder that he wanted to be with you, it haunted you. Far too many times, you’d caught yourself mentally digging your own grave. Telling yourself that his hesitation was a sign that he just wasn’t into you, and that you’d probably scared him by confessing so soon. In your experience, talk of commitment had led to cold feet.

But Sakusa was different. You just knew he was.

You wanted so desperately to give him the time and the space to feel comfortable and certain of his decision, but you couldn’t deny that waiting for him to say the words you wanted to hear more than anything was getting more and more challenging as the days wore on. Oh, how you hoped he wasn’t going to waste your time like all the others had.

“(F/n).”

The sound of your name leaving his lips in that smooth voice of his rouses you from your borderline existential crisis of a moment, and you slowly turn your (e/c) gaze to meet his the darkest shade of midnight. Every time you look into his eyes, you can feel yourself getting lost in them.

“Yeah?” you wonder softly, turning your lips upwards to form a small smile.

A pause that seems to last a lifetime ensues between the two of you as he regards you in a way that makes you think he’s looking for an answer or reassurance in your features. One of his hands slowly moves over your own, giving it a gentle squeeze. He’s far from a romantic person, so any act of affection from him is enough to spread warmth over every inch of your skin. When the other makes its way towards your face, brushing a few stray strands of hair away from your eyes before coming to rest on the side of your head, your heart rate suddenly skyrockets.

This whole time, you’ve been so focused on his touch that you’re not even fully aware of how close his face has gotten to yours until you can feel his warm breath fanning across your skin. In an instant, his lips are on yours, prompting you to pull him in closer by placing your unoccupied hand on the back of his head and sinking your fingers into his black sea of waves. The kiss you share isn’t particularly long or passionate, but it’s also not as short and fleeting as usual, which you’re grateful for.

After a few moments, he pulls away, but not enough to keep distance between your mouths. With his lips brushing against yours, as if he’s worried that creating more space will dull the effects of his words, the promise that you’ve been waiting to hear him say for the past few months finally reaches your ears in a soft tone.

“I love you.”

Despite feeling nervous earlier, he’s able to say these words with a kind of ease that settles his previously racing heart and fills him with relief. Though it took him a few months to utter this statement, he’s absolutely sure of what he’s saying and the commitment he’s making to you by saying it. He had been right, and those pessimistic sides that lived within each of you, spurned and defensive from many years of negative experiences, had been wrong instead of the other way around, for once.

As the two of you take a moment to let his words sink in, your foreheads pressed together while you bask in the warmth radiating from one another, you finally realize that some things take time--and that time wasn’t always a force that weakened. In the instance of Sakusa’s adoration towards you, it had the power to strengthen.

Now, your heart’s brimming with joy not just because of his confession, but because you’re finally able to respond, “I love you too, Kiyoomi.”

#fran writes hq!!#sakusa kiyoomi #sakusa kiyoomi x reader #x reader #reader insert #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu!!#hq!!#anime #manga #cute #fluffy #sakusa x reader #haikyuu

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pandapupremade · 3 years ago

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the doll

WORDS: 1,147

PAIRING: Luvenia (s/i) x Shin-Ah (yot.d)

CONTENT WARNINGS: mentions of medication, injury, i think thats it but

SUMMARY: Shin-Ah is injured, and Luvenia wants to make something to help him feel better.

AUTHOR NOTES: takes place shortly after chapter 51 of yot.d which tore my heart apart. also there’s other platonic f/o characters who appear. idk i just wrote this for character interactions

reblogs ok, but not required! the s/i uses any pronouns, and is a trans man

---------

With the sun setting, the moon was beginning to rise in turn, and shadows grew long over the camp. The purplish-orange hue twinkled with specks of stars, and the wind had settled into a soft breeze. Many were to turn in at this point, but a purple-haired ex-marauder, was wearily working even as the evening loomed over him.

"You should really get some sleep, Luvenia," scolded Yoon as he passed by the fireplace, a mortal and pestle in hand that he was using to grind some plant matter. "Shin-Ah won't heal any faster if you worry yourself sick over him..."

"And what about you?" replied the other, not looking up from what he was shoddily welding, "You should get some rest, too. In your words, Shin-Ah won't heal any faster if you worry yourself sick over him."

"Actually, he will, in my case...Though I'm not really worried. I've tended to worse wounds from the Thunder Beast..." Yoon shook his head, "Anyway, I'm making him medicine."

"And I'm making him a gift!"

"How will a gift help?" Yoon sighed. "Do what you will, then. Just don't make a racket."

And with that, he ducked into the tent which Shin-Ah was currently resting inside. Luvenia quickly peeked to see if he could catch a glimpse of the wounded man, but by the time he'd turned the tent's flap had already closed, so he turned back to the fire once more...

Still...his grip tightened a bit on his tools. He knew logically, what he was making was of no use, but...

Yona...that person...give her back...

Luvenia froze, as all his muscles tensed at once...No, he couldn't think of such things right now. He couldn't think of it...He wouldn't think of it.

He just had to continue his work, and...

"Oh! Luvie! Luvie!"

And at the sudden voice, 'Luvie' shouted out and fell back off the log he'd been using as a seat. He dropped the welded pieces in the process.

"Oh, did Zeno startle you?" The blonde hair dangled over Luvenia's face as said Zeno leaned over them, eyes wide and smile big. "So sorry, so sorry..." Luvenia stared upward, but said nothing.

"...Are you okay, Luvie? Did you get hurt by Zeno?! Oh, Yoon must have another paitent..."

"...No." Luvenia closed their eyes. "I'm fine." But they felt like they were holding their breath...Really, they felt the same speaking to Yoon...Zeno was quiet , looking down at him, but...

"You're stressed."

"You're perceptive." Luvenia grumbled, sitting up. He rubbed the back of his head, turning to Zeno - whose expression was more serious now. Ah, crap, was he going to roast them like he'd roasted Yona a long time before...? They really didn't feel like they were up to that sort of existential crisis, and tried to say so.

"Look, Zeno..."

"What were you making?"

"...What?" Luvenia was taken aback. Zeno didn't repeat himself, and...Luvenia scrambled through the grass for the object. "Um...It w-was...Ah...I can't -"

"Is this it?" Indeed, Zeno was holding it. Luvenia flushed in slight embarrassment at their panic, but reached out for it. Instead of returning it, Zeno turned it around in his hands. "...A metal doll?"

"It's - it's....yeah, I guess."

"...It's cute." Zeno smiled sweetly, finally offering it back.

"It's - it's nothing, I just...Had some spare pieces, so I..."

"Is it for Shin-Ah?"

Luvenia stared. Luvenia felt their cheeks warm up just a little, and looked away. "Yeah."

There was a moment of silence, but it wasn't as awkward as it could've been with the radiation of sunshine from Zeno's smile....Although maybe that made it more awkward, too, because Luvenia didn't quite know the context to his smile.

Despite that, their hands trembled a bit. "...Zeno...."

"You love him, don't you?" The yellow dragon tilted his head, closing his eyes.

"W-wh-" Luvenia's eyes widened. "H-how did...I mean....I don't..."

"Zeno won't tell." He shook his head, "But..." His expression changed once more. "You should think carefully about it."

"W...Think carefully? There's nothing to...."

"You are giving your heart to a man who has known nothing." Zeno lowered his voice. "The Blue Dragon is a quiet soul...A damaged one."

"I-I know that...I know." How could she not? Not after watching the scene that had resulted in his current state to begin with... "But that's even more so..."

"Hm?"

"That's even more so the reason to reach out like this...Isn't it? To show him warmth, even beyond the friends he's desired so long...?"

At this, Zeno gazed at them for a long while, and then....

"...Phew, Zeno is beat." Yawning anticlimactically, he looked a lot softer now. "Zeno will find Kija..."

"K...Kija?"

"To sleep next to!" Zeno smiled, and got to his feet now, moving away from the light of the fire....Luvenia watched him go, but soon looked down at the 'doll'....

.............

.....................

When the light came up from the horizon, a groggy Luvenia came up from the grass.

"An all-nighter?" Yoon scolded the poor sleepless guy, "I knew you were reckless, but to work until you passed out..." He paused, and his eyes trailed to what Luvenia gripped, "And what on earth is that ugly thing? Don't tell me it's what you lost sleep over!"

"....." Luvenia blinked a few times, his ponytail all askew - well, more than usual... "A-ah, Shin-Ah..."

"Of course that's your first thought," sighed Yoon, "Thanks to your resident pretty boy genius, he survived the night. You can go see him after you -"

Well, whatever Yoon was saying, Luvenia didn't hear. She also didn't hear the annoyed shouts as she rushed to the masked man's tent...Where he was still lying rather stiff.

"...Sh-Shin-ah..." Luvenia dropped to their knees beside him, holding the doll in both hands. "I ...I know you can't hold this right now..."

"...L.....uv..."

"Don't stress yourself, Shin-Ah..." They shook their head. "I don't want you to..."

"...Luv...."

"I'll just leave this here and go, okay? Um...It's a gift. A get-well present..." Suddenly, a familiar fuzzy creatures popped out of Shin-Ah's white, fluffy wig. She stared up at Luvenia with big, shiny black eyes.

"...Hi Ao... Uh. Can I help you with something?"

The squirrel blinked.

"Luv...." Shin-Ah's fingers twitched. Apparently, saying his full name was a lot right now, but the sign of movement was good, right?

"Please, Shin-Ah...Get better, okay? I... I care about you. We all do, I mean -" What was he saying? "Just...Take care of yourself, okay? A-and let Yoon take care of you, and..."

His fingers twitched again. Ao squeaked, and scrambled down the mostly-paralyzed Shin-Ah to his hand. Somehow, Luvenia felt like this was some sort of...message? Hesitantly, he placed the metallic little figure into his crush's hand, and...The fingers half closed around it.

"Th.....an....k...you...." Shin-Ah's words got weaker, but...He seemed happy. Luvenia couldn't tell you how she knew that, though.

...Although she found it hard to pull her hand away now that it was so close to his.

#🔫💰 Luvenia (Self Insert)#💙🌑 Light of the Moon (Shin-Ah)#🌑💰 Moonlit Gamble (Ship)#kermitwriting #ok 2 reblog #ask to tag #🐅 Dark Dragon and Happy Hungry Bunch (Platonic)

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ezrasarm · 4 years ago

Text

Inconsequential

Pairing: Ezra x reader

Word count: 1.7k

Warnings: the not very uplifting product of an existential crisis (do with that what you will), main character death ...or is it?

A/n: listen, I’m not even sure where this came from. One second I was listening to Indifference by Pearl Jam and the next... this. I’m sorry okay? Also, yes, the gif is from Interstellar.

[ masterlist ]

You’d missed it.

Just barely.

Your last chance to get home from the toxic green moon and you had missed the sling back by minutes. It was Ezra who in his obstinance not to admit you were stranded had tried to chase the damn thing. His efforts were fruitless of course with the beat up and burnt out pod. It was like a row boat trying to catch up with a cruise ship. There was no comparison.

Your fuel reserves were just enough to get you to the freighter. No more, no less. You had never considered the possibility you wouldn’t make it. You hadn’t wanted to. But now you didn’t even have enough to get you back to the green rock that had been your own personal hell for cycles on end. “I’m sorry, dove. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Ezra, silhouetted only by the light streaming in through the window, muttered as the power inevitably went out. You had enough food and water to last you a little while. You were comfortable enough. It was your oxygen supply that would be the issue.

“It’s alright Ezra.” You hummed back but he was already shaking his head. You were stuck, floating in its orbit, so close to the rock it felt like the slightest nudge could send you back.

“No, it’s not. It’s my fault we missed it.” He rebuked, gaze dropping to his feet as he sat on the cot in front of you. Sure it was easy now to count back the minutes and wonder what would have been different if you had just kept walking instead of taking that water break, if you had woken up a little earlier, if you had taken a left instead of a right but none of that mattered now. What was done was done, you had decided. There was no use mourning the loss of a future that never came to fruition. With all the possibilities in the world you would never drag yourself out of bed with that kind of weight on your shoulders.

“Besides, it’s not so bad.” You remark. “We’ve got a view some only ever dream of seeing,” you say gesturing out the window to the moon, so close but so far away and dwarfed by the planet it orbited. That, dwarfed by the emptiness of space beyond it. It was funny how perspective worked that way. The forest had seemed so vast when you were on the ground and yet now it all seemed so insignificant. You couldn’t help but feel you could relate. You had never intended for your life to be quite this short but you supposed that wasn’t your choice to make. “We’re in as much of a home as we’ve ever had,” you go on “We’ve got food and water. We’ve got beds and blankets” you say, noticing the slight chill that had swept over the pod since the heating had gone out. “We’ve got each other...” you say, feeling the words tug at your heart strings when you finally process them. You and Ezra had never thought of yourselves as much more than work partners but you knew you cared for him as deeply- maybe even deeper than you had ever cared for anyone in your life before and you had no reason to believe he felt any different towards you. You had always looked out for one another, taken each other in when you had no place else to go and supported one another when you couldn’t support yourselves. “It’s not such a bad way to go.” You shrug up at him, a weak smile at your lips. “I’ve heard it’s just like falling asleep.” You say and you watch as the tension in his shoulders subsides with a tight sigh.

“You were gonna make a life for yourself though.” He noted, gaze still fixed on his feet. “You were gonna get out. You were gonna learn and travel until you found a place that felt like you belonged.” He reminded you. But those we’re just dreams. Ghost stories you told yourself so you wouldn’t give up too soon. You knew you would have to face them at some point- that reality would set in and you’d have to be prepared to let them slip from your grasp. That’s what you had done as you watched that freighter drift out of sight.

Ezra had never admitted this to you but those dreams- your dreams, had kept him going too. They gave him more hope than he could have wished to muster himself. It was part of the reason he had been a little overzealous on the harvesting front. Why he’d decided to take his time and indulge his greed. For you and him both to stand a fighting chance at achieving it.

“Maybe I’ve already found it.”You murmured, shuffling a little closer to him so your knees knocked against his own as you slipped his hand into yours.

“You don’t mean that.” He said, eyes wet with unshed tears when he looked up at you.

Ezra had given up once before he met you. He had accepted he wouldn’t see old age and he wasn’t convinced he wanted to but by some miracle he had survived. From there he went on existing day to day. It didn’t make much sense to him to try and do anything else. Until you cropped up in his life and all of that changed. Suddenly it felt like his life had purpose. He wasn’t so sure he was willing to give that up again but as he looked around the dead silent pod he finally realized there weren’t any other options. And with the calmness and resolve with which you spoke it didn’t seem so bad anymore. Maybe this was his purpose. To stick it out so you wouldn’t be alone when the time came.

“I’ve lived my life, Ezra.” You whispered, your free hand coming up to brush a rogue tear from his cheek. “This was all it was ever going to be.” You said. In truth, you weren’t sure there was a future for you beyond prospecting. The gamble, the risk, the thrill. They had consumed you. They were all you knew and now that the moon was spent you couldn’t help but feel that you were too. “But meeting you...” your words trailed off. “Meeting you was more than I ever could have dreamed of.” You explained. You could never have hoped for such true companionship. For as much honesty and trust and security as you felt when you were with him. That was‘s something you could have ever anticipated experiencing in your life. With that he sniffed back his onslaught of tears gave a curt nod and it was decided.

You weren’t sure what kind of love you felt for one another as you curled into each other’s embrace. If it was romantic, platonic or just sheer desperation to feel something in the drudged void of space but what you did know was it was strong and uncompromising. Having been drifting for some time now the pod’s insulation never stood a chance without the heating systems functioning. It was now below freezing and enough for your fingers and toes, your lips and the tip of your nose to feel numb as you gripped onto each other in your double layers of blankets. You’d never held each other so close before and you couldn’t help but wonder why now with the way you fit together so effortlessly.

With your ear laid to his chest you could hear each shallow breath and grounding beat of his heart beneath your head. His arm had snaked its way around you, the soft pad of his thumb rubbing circles into the sliver of exposed skin where your shirt had ridden up at the small of your back. Your arms and legs felt heavy now as they tangled around him. He hummed your name softly, voice quiet and slightly hoarse from the dryness of what little air you had left. You both knew today would be the day you would fall asleep with no guarantee of waking again. You knew the air quality in the tiny drop pod had fallen dangerously low and you knew your consciousness wouldn’t remain for long.

It took you a moment longer to respond than usual and for a second his chest contracted at the thought that you may already have drifted off. With your muscles fatigued and brain slightly fuzzy, it took almost all your energy just to lift your chin to look up at him. “Mmm?” You groaned back, eyelids heavy as you pried them open and he felt his muscles relax slightly upon hearing your voice.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his lips pressed to the crown of your head and his breath, soft and warm as it tickled your hairline.

“For what?” You breathed back.

“For making this inconsequential existence feel a little more... consequential.” he mumbled, that honey sweet voice of his rumbling under your ear. You could feel each reverberation as it thrummed against his rib cage, and you felt the corners of your lips pull up into a watery smile. His heart beat picked up ever so slightly as his next words dawned on him but they never reached his lips, his breath growing shallower despite his resistance against the exhaustion tugging at him and threatening to pull him under the veil.

“I love you.” You murmured back, your eyelids falling shut as you focused on the pulse beneath your ear. “Ez,” You said, somewhere on the boarder of consciousness and un when you got nothing in return. “Ezra?” The name was choked as tears threatened to squeeze past your shut eyes. You hoped you weren’t too late for this too as you choked back a sob. You refused to let your last thought be a sad one as you clung to the dissipating heart beat. He heard you, you assured yourself. He drifted off knowing he was loved. That thought was enough for you as you let yourself slip into oblivion. It was soft, gentle and all encompassing, a wave of thin black silk drifting over you and causing your senses to go numb to anything else. You were unsure if the static that rung through your ears now was real or a product of your imagination as you teatered just on the edge, ready to follow in Ezra’s foot steps.

“KP-4N9, come in KP-4N9, this is KP-8F7, do you copy? over.”

“I repeat, KP-4N9, this is KP-8F7, do you copy? over.”

[ masterlist ]

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Pedro Boys Taglist: @theravenreads @seasonschange-butpeopledont @chaotic-noceur @deafspaceperson

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#ezra x reader #ezra prospect #ezra #ezra (prospect) x reader #ezra (prospect)#prospect #prospect 2018 #Prospect (2018)#prospect fanfiction

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