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girl4music · 4 months ago

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INTERVIEWER: "I really just want to ask you both how you've been. I mean the last time we saw each other it was the height of a pandemic. So Dom,... I'll ask you first. How's life been?"

DOM: "Life's been good. Thank you. What a lovely question. I feel as though this last chapter has been really important for me personally and I feel as though we see that reflected in Waverly's evolution this time around which is really really cool and I feel more grounded than I've ever felt before which is a really nice feeling. I have made some life choices that have I think served me really well and it added to my sense of excitement going back from that place and being able to reconnect through the character and the rest of the team. Yeah. Specifically this time it felt really really important."

INTERVIEWER: "Wonderful. Thank you so much. How about for you, Kat? I know you have a new one in your home."

KAT: "Yeah. I've found more and more work has become such a special treat. I have a lovely 2 under 3 - which is really amazing and exciting - but also means when I go to work I get like an unusual amount of time when I get to visit the other side of myself and, you know, get a little bit reminded who I am that kind of gets lost sometimes in the chaos of this chapter of my life. So in that way for me it was such a joy to get to come back not only to these characters that I love so much and this team that has become like really a second family but also get to kind of return to myself and have a little moment of just returning to something that I love so much and a good reminder of that love and it was an adventure and just like the gratitude to get to do this on so many levels was very present for me."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah. Wonderful. Well, that sounds beautiful. I wonder... Dom you kind of mentioned a little bit of Waverly's journey but I'd like to hear a little bit... I watched last night so it was really fun to see you all back together. it was very exciting and just a treat. So I know how things go but Dom would you share what you can about where we find Waverly a few years after we last saw Waverly?"

DOM: "Absolutely. Yeah, I mean we find Waverly and Nicole at the Homestead living their domestic WayHaught life. They have been revelling in the simplicity and the sort of afterglow of the wedding and their new marriage. But I think for Waverly - because she's such an ambitious spirit and she is the one who was wanting to break the Earp curse right from the get go - she's always wanted to be out on the field and alongside her sister, you know, in mission mode - I think that there's only so much crocheting and interior decorating and, you know, like the day-to-day stuff that she loves - don't get me wrong - like she loves it and puts her whole heart and soul into it - but there's only so much of that that will satisfy her and I think that the story in the special that has been really interesting to explore is the fact that those two things can co-exist. You can be in a really happy, beautiful relationship but if there are parts of yourself as an individual that aren't being exercised and fulfilled, there are inevitable tensions that are going to come up. So we do see that in the relationship and that was a really interesting layer to explore that then, you know, led us to actually see more strength in the relationship in the fact that Nicole lets her spread her wings and that's a really beautiful story to tell."

INTERVIEWER: "So to speak, right? Since she's an angel. Kat would you talk a little bit about where we find Nicole at this juncture?"

KAT: "Yeah, I think Nicole is enjoying the simplicity and the finally having Purgatory in a sense of calm. You know, we find her at the top and she's like finger-gunning it out down the street and saying hello to everybody and such a beautiful image of where Nicole starts is so perfectly encapsulated I think for the character in that moment. I think Nicole deep down knows that it's not going to last forever so I think she's just been enjoying the peace and quiet knowing that eventually things will probably get crazy again and I think secretly hoping that deep down - as much as she will never maybe admit it out loud - there's something that she revels in these crazy Earp girls and she misses her bestie and she wants her back and she wants Waverly to be happy and she wants Waverly to fulfil that sense of adventure and she knows that her wife isn't going to be living as her most full authentic self and her happiest version of herself without that and I think as much as Nicole wants to hold everyone close and wants to protect everyone, she knows that people need to live and explore and fulfil those wishes."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah, thank you. Dom, I hope I'm not giving anything away but there's a little line that's early on where Waverly says 'Oh no, I'm pansexual now' and so there's this evolution - there's a journey - and it's really lovely for people to see that, you know, identity is not always fixed. It moves and shifts and I think that Waverly is one of the first characters where we really get to see that even in 2024. Would you talk a little bit about that?"

DOM: "I love that you brought that up."

INTERVIEWER: "Well, you know, it's me. That's where I'm going to go."

DOM: "Yeah, 100%. I was so proud when I read those words. I thought that was so cool that - especially in that moment where it's just such an accepted statement like she's actually like 'Oh no, this is how I identify now' and Wynonna's like 'Oh, I'm so proud of you' - and just to witness characters like evolving in their identity and the terms and the labels that they choose to describe their experience at that moment and at that being so accepted and embraced by Wynonna I just thought was so beautiful and it actually really moved me. I said that it was my favourite line in the whole special because I guess on a personal level, you know, it really speaks to my own journey with my own discoveries in my sexuality and my gender expression and that it's a continuous discovery and it kind of showcases that in such a beautiful way and I just felt very proud of Waverly. I remember feeling just like 'I'm so proud of you as well for this massive journey that you've come on'. It's really special and unique and, as you say, something that we don't see all the time in TV."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah, I love that. Thank you. Kat, Emily in her writing has been really great at this from the beginning and this couple is really fighting against the trope of, you know, what we used to call 'Lesbian Bed Death'. Like this couple is very desirous of each other and there's this strong sexual element. But even more so - they talk about it. Like Dom has that joke about Nicole breaking her finger. I mean Waverly had the joke and was like 'Oh, that was my 3rd favourite finger'. It's so Easter-eggy for people. I mean it's really incredible. It's funny but it really actually means something because I don't even think 'The L Word' talked about sex like that. Would you talk a little bit about how 'Wynonna Earp' approaches this very sexual couple."

KAT: "Yeah. I think that it's been so amazing and I think the gift of getting to live with these characters for as long as we have now is that we have gotten to explore so much. Usually shows end at the wedding and it's like 'Okay, well what happens after that?' This amazing show has made yet another step further in incredible queer representation. We have this happily married couple and like where are they 2 and a half years later and what does that look like? When do we get to live with a couple that's like just genuinely happy and what's the next step of their adventure? Because I feel like the wedding was kind of just like the beginning for them. But I love that, you know, Waverly and Nicole maintain that sexual chemistry and this passion and I think there is something to be said about talking openly about desire and about sex and about our wants and how they change and how our identities change and how maybe what we like changes and I think that's a huge part of keeping sexual chemistry alive and the more we can talk about it in an open, accepting way I think the more it's de-stigmatized a little bit for people maybe in their own lives and their own relationships of like 'Oh yeah, I should talk to my partner openly about this', 'It's okay to express my desires' and like that helps keep the spark alive - especially when you're in a longterm committed relationship. So I think it's great. I think this show, just to Emily's credit, has always been so sex-positive, been so open about talking about those things and it's never been a taboo thing and I think it's just an incredible beacon of a wonderful example."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah, wonderful. Thank you so much. Dom, would you talk about... you know, it's been 8 years since 'Wynonna Earp' first came on the scene and you were probably shooting it well before then so we're going on almost a decade of this couple and they are still so resonant. They mean so much to people. Dom, would you talk a little bit about what you think it is about them that they are such an endearing couple for the fans."

DOM: "Beautiful question. I think it was at comic-con that we were saying that like this time 10 years ago we were cast in Wynonna. I think that was the calculation - which is like... when I figured that out and did that calculation... I was like 'My goodness. It's a decade of our lives that we have experienced-'"

KAT: "A HUGE decade. Like the 20's into the 30's. It's a huge transformative decade for people."

DOM: "Yeah, exactly, that we've like lived alongside one another and like birthed these characters at the same time and explored our connection through, you know, the connection of these characters alongside one another. It's so special. It's so magical and I think that like - I mean I think with every character in 'Wynonna Earp' the thing that shines through is that we are all perfectly imperfect in all of our, you know, mistakes, in our multi-faceted nature, that we have so many different layers and that we are all accepted in those layers and I think creating a world where it's okay to make mistakes, it's okay to grow, it's okay to figure yourself out and change your identity and to discover those things in a safe environment allows the audience to also create that kind of environment for themselves where they do feel welcome as they are. Where they see parts of themselves in one character and they see parts of themselves in another character and it's like it can be these beautiful reflections for us to discover ourselves alongside them. So I think like - I mean for this relationship in particular - like seeing a sex-positive queer relationship that are thriving and are just living unapologetically and even with Waverly's discovery into her sexuality how we told that story, you know, with all the complexities and the fears and the difficulty that can come in stepping into those shoes but also with the rest of the environment accepting it so wholeheartedly, so quickly - Wynonna's reaction with the, you know, "Do chicks?" and just all of the little moments that help people feel like, you know, maybe it can be different, maybe even if I was to come out, maybe it is okay,... you know? I think that, yeah, Waverly and Nicole do such a beautiful job at that and Nicole's support in Waverly needing to - understanding that she needs to propose in that moment. Just all of the nuances between how much they mean to one another on such a fundamental level and care within an environment where everyone also cares about them, I guess."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah, wonderful. Thank you, Dom."

KAT: "I always love that the show - like the crazy and the things that are being challenged or creating like problems are never any of the characters' identities. I think that's always what the show did so well. It's like it's never about like 'Oh, this is a problematic thing we have to work through'. It's just like 'That's great but there's this demon...", you know? I think that's such a beautiful story device to be like in life we hope that we're all moving towards the experience of like 'That's really great, I love you for it but let's go deal...", you know? I think that's what the show has always done so well. Just to piggyback on Dom's amazing answer."

INTERVIEWER: "Yeah, I love that addition. Thank you. I haven't been asked to wrap just yet but Kat I did want to ask you one thing because Nicole is human and in no way supernatural but so strong and powerful. If Nicole had a supernatural power, what do you think it is?"

KAT: "At the beginning I felt like I was always kind of like waiting for Nicole to get a supernatural power. It's like everyone else had these powers and I was kind of like 'Oh, I'm like the boring human.' Now I love that about her. It's like one of my favourite things because I think the audience gets to see themselves in her because she is just a human but I think we all have to have these beacons of like just humans doing amazing things and so I almost like don't even want to say a supernatural power because I've grown to like that about her so much. I think Nicole's... let's say 'human power', if I can twist it a little, is she doesn't give up on people despite like anything that would try to push her away. She is loyal almost to a fault sometimes. But like she will not give up on you and she will be your most loyal friend and I think that is such a beautiful quality in somebody. It's one of my favourite things about her. I think that her superpower is her ability to always see the best in people despite maybe their foibles or that they're not acting their best. She is able to dig underneath and see their goodness at their core and I think that that is a superpower."

This is a wonderful discussion between a representative of The Advocate and Dom Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell that play the queer characters Waverly Earp and Nicole Haught in 'Wynonna Earp' that I think you guys should take a watch or listen to. But if you can't - I've transcribed it all for you because I think it's worth the read at the least. If anyone really wanted to know or understand why the queer ship of WayHaught are so beloved and praised in the LGBTQ+ community, your best bet is to learn from the actors themselves who so evidently love these characters as much as the shipper fans do.

No matter where this whole new venture with Tubi goes, I think we can safely say that WayHaught are an untouchable WLW ship given the actors that portray them are queer themselves and will fight for them just as much as the fans will, if not more. I might not trust Tubi and their intentions with the IP of 'Wynonna Earp' just yet but I'm not worried about losing the thing that even makes it worth my support.

They know what they're doing and I trust them. I trust all of them. If Tubi step out of line, they'll speak up and they'll fight back - HARD!

#wynonna earp: vengeance #wynonna earp #vengeance #wayhaught #domkat #waverly earp #dom pc #nicole haught #the advocate #tracy e gilchrist #wlw representation #interview #discussion #queer representation #lgbtq representation

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runningfrom2am · 1 year ago

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𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞'𝐬 𝟏𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 !

immediately i want to start this by saying a massive, massive thank you to everyone who has followed me or even read my fics, you guys are all so special and you motivate me to keep writing :). i never thought i would reach 1000 people and it just makes me so happy i could cry :’). it means so much to me. seriously, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

if we haven’t met before, hi! i’m raye :) thank you for stopping in! you can find my nav here, which has all my masterlists, my rules, and a bit about me!!

navigation, requests/asks

starts: november 5th, 2023

ends: november 15th, 2023 (now closed)

𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫: rafe cameron, jj maybank, drew starkey, john b routledge, pope heyward, sarah cameron, zach maclaren

note!! pls keep everything in the asks sfw :) this is a family friendly blog y'all !!

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬:

𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐬: send me a song or a concept and a character and I'll write a little thing based on it :))

𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐬: pick a character and something from this prompt list- i’ll take care of the rest.

𝐣𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫: getting to know me seems important since there’s ONE THOUSAND OF YOU omg- so send me a word or a photo or anything and I'll tell you something ab myself based on it

𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐲: give me a number between 1-193 and i will show you an edit from my tiktok collection hehe

𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧: send me your thoughts or headcanons on any of my characters or about any of my fics or yours and i'll let you know my own thoughts on it! (big time bonus points if you have anything at all to say about the sea around us that fic is my pride and joy and labour of love so pls talk to me about it thank you) (inspired by @katsu28's celly event and stolen directly from @winterrrnight oops-)

𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐨: send me a character and a concept/trope and I'll make you a little moodboard and mini playlist!!

𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡: let’s come back down to earth- ask me any question from this list here or this one here ! and pls include your own answer if you’re comfortable! we’re getting to know each other here :))

send me everything here and i’ll get to it as soon as i can!! i'm looking forward to doing this with you guys :)

edit: thanks so much to anyone who sent something in! check out the tag "1k celebration !!" to see everything I've posted for this!

go follow my loves <3 (mutuals) : @madelynie, @whore-4-drewstarkey, @slut4drudy, @winterrrnight, @keziahcore, @totalswag, @sadfury @fullfledgedemo @rafemotherfuckingcameron, @peachprairie, @chenslucy

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simplyholl · 2 years ago

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Practice Makes Perfect Pt 6

Summary: Loki and Y/N have to pretend to be newlyweds for a mission. What can go wrong?

Pairing: Avenger Loki x F Avenger Reader

Warnings: Fake Dating

W/C: 917

See my Masterlist here

*The events Loki describes during dinner are taken directly from @lokisgoodgirl ‘s A Moment of Mischief. Mostly all of his dialogue in that scene was written by her too. Thank you for letting me use your work, my love! ❤️

Russell and Nicole invited us to dinner at their house. I just took the dessert I made for it out of the oven. I look over my outfit, the bruises Loki left on me are still as prominent as the day he left them. With all the sex we have been having, they will never fade.

Loki holds the dessert as we walk next door. He takes my hand after knocking rapidly on their white door. We have pulled this off so far, so my nerves aren’t as bad as they previously were. Nicole answers the door, her chestnut brown hair hangs down in waves. She is very dainty. If we didn’t have confirmation, I would never suspect she was a Hydra agent.

She takes the dessert and we follow her inside. She leads us to the dining table. Everyone else is already here. I rub the dagger Loki concealed against my thigh. “We can’t let our guard down tonight. We will be in their home, their comfort zone.” He warned me. But all I could think about was how that same dagger felt against my skin while he was deep inside me.

The conversation flowed easily amongst the group. I listen intently trying to notice if they talk in code. Rachel asks Valerie about her and Craig’s first date. We take turns telling our stories. I can tell Russell and Nicole were caught off guard by her question. They played off each other, making the answer up as they spoke.

When she asked me, I was prepared. Loki and I had discussed how to answer it. I told her about a hike, how spectacular the view was, how Loki had kissed me on top of the mountain. Loki smiles beside me. The lies we had rehearsed were believable. Loki taught me how to lie. I didn’t add too many details. I pretended to think back fondly on the memory.

Valerie and Craig must have practiced their story as well. She spoke of their fun filled night of nachos and bowling with such passion, I almost forget she’s making it up. Rachel sips her water slowly sitting it down before her loud outburst. “Oh! I want to know how everyone knew they were in love! I’ll go first!”

I stop listening to her because I’m in full panic mode. We didn’t expect this question. We don’t have a go to answer that I rehearsed hundreds of times. I look at Loki trying to hide my fear from everyone else. He places his hand on my thigh squeezing lightly. Nicole and Russell stumble to answer. Valerie and Craig are super believable, as expected.

Rachel beams at Loki expectantly. “She defended me when a group of our…. colleagues thought I had taken an item of importance.” My mind instantly recalls the time Loki had taken Steve’s shield. He needed it for a photo shoot, and immediately blamed Loki for its disappearance. I stepped in asking if he saw Loki take it. I even suggested he check with Tony because he might have brought it in for an inspection.

I knew Loki had something to do with it. I just didn’t like the way they were talking to him. Like it was his fault when any misfortune occurred. “Aww that’s so sweet. Y/N knew you were innocent.” Rachel looks between us. “Oh no, she knew I was guilty. But she defended me anyway. That’s when I knew.” Loki faces me, winking. I am stunned. Why would he tell a real story for this? He seemed so genuine. Maybe that’s the key to lying, tell mostly truth with a little falsehood sprinkled in. I don’t have time to linger on it, because Valerie is asking me when I knew I was in love with Loki.

She looks too eager. I know she can’t wait to hear how he charmed me so she can imagine herself in the same situation. I take a deep breath, deciding to go with the half-truth. I stick my hand in the air letting Loki’s ring shine under the lights. “This was Loki’s mother’s ring. He gave it to me while we were dating as a promise ring. I felt so special that he wanted me to have it. It’s such a beautiful family heirloom. I know how much his mother meant to him. When he gave it to me, I knew he trusted me. We have a mutual friend who suggested I get a more modern one for my wedding ring. But Loki’s ring felt like it was made for me to wear.

Even though a bigger ring is more my style, this one felt right. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I realized I loved him when he placed it on my finger the first time.” Loki wraps his fingers around my hand. He brings my ring finger to his lips placing soft, delicate kisses to the finger his ring sits on. He looks surprised at my story. But I know he remembers the moment Tony tried to give me the flashier one.

I remember how his eyes showed that he was hurt just for a moment. At the time, I thought I was sparing his feelings. But thinking back on it, I wanted to wear Loki’s ring. It really did feel like it was hand crafted for me to wear thousands of years after it was designed. That’s what scares me the most about this mission. It feels too real.

Part Seven

Tags

@lokisgoodgirl @fictive-sl0th @lokidbadguy @ozymdias @potter-puff007 @cakesandtom @eleniblue @marygoddessofmischief @coldnique @mochie85 @goblingirlsarah @jaidenhawke @lokissidepeice @huntress-artemiss @those-late-night-feels @acciotherapists @muddyorbsblr @lokixryss @lonadane @sheris532 @ladyjames78 @ravioli19 @lokidokieokie @usagishira @javagirl328 @fifufcc @assemblingavenger @lilibet261 @foranythingandeverything @luna-y-nova @vickie5446 @lemonadygirl @joyofbebbanburg @msturi2u @chrisevanscardigan @mybugabomlb @bunny24sstuff @anonymously-ominous @luthien-elvenia-asher @iambetterthanbefore

#Loki #loki laufeyson #loki x reader #loki x yn #loki x y/n

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blush-and-books · 4 months ago

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what do you think donna’s favorite movie is? im sure it’s some obscure experimental film no one’s ever heard of but i’m gonna say i think it’s carrie 1976

okay so this calls to attention and extremely important question regarding donna's character: is donna a film buff?

i can't respond to asks with any concise or short answer so buckle up!!!!

we know her as a lover of theatre, and while that doesn't mean she isn't into film, it is common that people are into one more than the other. so when we propose that she would like a really lowkey experimental film, that implies that she knows some deep cuts about film that are never really explored in canon; instead, we know her as a shakespeare lover and broadway girlie.

(however, if someone were to show her maya deren's short film meshes of the afternoon, which is like low-hanging experimental film fruit, it would absolutely change her life LMAO)

i am tempted to say that donna would be into the old hollywood classics and/or films that are more day-in-the-life or depicting the everyday, with some stellar acting performances. what comes to mind is Running On Empty (dir. Sidney Lumet, 1988), Ordinary People (dir. Robert Redford, 1980), or Faces (dir. John Cassavetes, 1968). lowkey donna gives me the vibe that she'd LOVE that movie subgenre that's just white heterosexual couples in miserable marriages screaming at each other for almost two hours.

on the other hand, i love to imagine her getting down with fun movies, rom-comy vibes, like Moonstruck (dir. Norman Jewison, 1987), When Harry Met Sally (dir. Rob Reiner, 1989) The Birdcage (dir. Mike Nichols, 1996) or To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (dir. Beeban Kidron, 1995). I'd say that When Harry Met Sally is probably one of her favorites of all time - it's romantic, it's witty, it's New York, and it's probably everything she wanted.

now this is even more oddly specific but it must be said that donna probably is obsessed with nicole kidman and would be particularly fixated on everything that nicole did when her career was blowing up in the 90s, because nicole had that amazing red hair!!! im talking Moulin Rouge! (dir. Baz Luhrmann, 2001) and Practical Magic (dir. Griffin Dunne, 1998). donna probably went as nicole's characters for Halloween.

i also want to add that i love the idea of her being into older horror films, like Carrie (dir. Brian De Palma, 1976) as you mentioned, and also the original Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin, 1973). donna being a horror lover feels just strange enough to work really well for her character, but i esp like the idea that she takes to classic horror movies!!!

now this is unrelated to everything i just discussed but she would absolutely LOVE Chicago (dir. Rob Marshall, 2002) starting Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta Jones.

we see her engage a little with harvey in his movie quoting but we never get to learn much about her own interest in film, so it all comes down to how much knowledge and passion for it that we think she has and if she values any kind of pretentious cinematic taste in the same way she is a longtime fan of live theatre.

#suits tv #donna paulsen #suits asks #chloes answers #thank you for giving me the opportunity to closely analyze Donna's hypothetical film tastes #i loved this so much

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head---ache · 8 months ago

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OMG!!!!! I love your Sonicole art!!! Do you have any lore to go with them that you can share,

Thank you! I guess I could info dump about them nskdjskx

Sooo uuuuh they're married, which makes them both queens. This gives them a very important diplomatic role but they're still very active in battle. Sally now commands an army, as the queen (but of course, she doesn't miss out on the action), as she always shines her brightest when in a leader position. It was Nicole's idea to get Destiny in the Restoration's teen program, and Destiny, being Sally's daughter immediately became president of the group lmao

Nicole and Sally can usually lean on each other, and go everywhere together. If you see one of them then surely the other is right around the corner. You could say they're a bit co-dependent on each other.

And yeah! If any of you asks, none of them was pregnant since Destiny is an AI girlie, and Sally was the one to propose.

So that's that, if anyone has any more questions about them feel free to ask! It helps build the story better nskzbskdks

#live & learn au

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thebenriksai · 4 months ago

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Lost peace (full fic)

Before everything: That was my second fic in terms of our AU and the first fic where I used Nico and Toby. I felt kinda cringe about it, because I showed Toby so badly ahaha. Anyway, have a good read!

An important day for Nicole finally arrived. She would be speaking in public for the first time in her department. She prepared a presentation on the topic of extraterrestrial life, which her department had been studying. She also styled her hair and put on some makeup, so that her colleagues would definitely like her!

—Ha! Even if it's not Aperture, I will definitely make a good first impression! -Nico was finishing her coffee.

— You sound.. too confident. -Toby replied. The guy is a student who works in the cafeteria and makes just wonderful coffee. He was the first one with whom... Nicole became friends(?) of all the people she has met. This guy's silent, but if he speaks, it's always on business. Just like now. He noticed the new girl's overconfidence and tried to gently point it out. He felt that such thing would not lead to good.

— I know! And, oh my God, how much strength it gives me! For the first time I am so happy in this place! And do you know why? — she asked a rhetorical question and looked straight into the Toby's eyes, who had obviously not slept this night — Because today the moment has finally come when I can change people's opinion about me!!

—... good luck. -The guy shrugged shoulders and looked away.

— Thank you!

To her own surprise, the cheerful girl looked at her watch. The moment has come!! The moment when she can transform this place from hell to heaven! Of course, Black Mesa will never replace her much-loved Aperture, but she is ready to make this place more pleasant for herself. To make it less nauseating for her to be here. It took a lot of effort to achieve all this, and in a sense it was feigned joy, but she was sure that without it she would not be accepted into this society. After saying goodbye to the student, she enthusiastically moved to the previously assigned room to finally show the best in herself.

She was shaking. At first it was a pleasant tremor. But with each step, Nicole realized more and more that she was afraid. What if everything goes wrong? What if the situation doesn't depend on her again? The girl slowed down, although time was already running out. What if...she still will be a stranger here? Like a small and frightened kitten hiding in a corner from the murderer of its parents. And so she will be doomed to spend some years of her life trapped in a corner and terribly scared.

Feeling an unpleasant itch in her eyes, she wiped away the tears and resolutely looked into the distance. No. It won't be like this! She can handle it! She will definitely cope!

With such thoughts and a phrase that she repeated all the way to the office, she quickened her pace and stepped much more decisively.

Here it is. The audience. The people she's working with now. They were all so different, but they had something in common. Nicole carefully looked around at everyone present. She was trying to figure out what they had in common..? If she finds the answer, she will easily join them!

— So, uh.. — the girl cleared her throat, sorting through the papers in parallel. All the equipment was already ready for her 'performance'—Me..My name is Nicole. I'm new here..

Before she could finish, the weight of the stares that fell on her intensified. Some began to whisper, remembering her and, most importantly, her old place of work. Swallowing heavily, she continued.

— ..yes. As you know, I came here from Aperture. But..But working with you will be... uh.. — She began to stammer. After skimming through the papers with the prepared text in advance, she still did not find where she left off- ..However, it doesn't matter. I'm sure that's not what we're here for.

The girl sighed. Well, her first fail! She wanted so much to make a good impression, but because of her stupid rashness, she couldn't do it. She glanced at this crowd again and caught her eyes on a long, skinny figure who was sitting somewhere behind and seemed to be silently waiting for something. From this cold look that came from that woman, Nicole felt uneasy, goosebumps ran down her back, which made the girl straighten up. There was a heavy silence in the office, everyone was waiting for action from Nicole. And she was finally ready to talk further.

— Recently ours..more precisely, ahem, yours. Your scientists went back to Xen and took several samples of wildlife from there. There were captured boids among them, a whole pack. One of which, however, had one of its wings torn.

The girl pressed the keyboard key and the slide changed to the next one. She quickly looked around the audience again. That woman was still looking at her. It felt like she wasn't blinking at all...

— So uh..as you can see, this cut is quite a major damage for boid, which is why he will no longer be able to fly. But what influenced this outcome of events? Scientists suggest that Boyd was attacked-

— He just cut himself.

The steel-cold voice made Nicole shudder. She wanted to continue, but tried to find the source of the sound with her eyes. Who interrupted her? No, who dared to interrupt her?

— I'm sorry, but don't interfere with my narration! — Nicole frowned.

— Oh, baby, believe me, I already know what you want to say.

That long and slender figure rose up. The woman was looking at Nicole with her bright green eyes. Is it creepy, is it even natural for a person? A heavy black shadow hung over her face, which seemed to be from her hair braided into a bun, or rather from the peering strands that were difficult to style.

— Excuse me? -Nicole couldn 't believe her ears- ..Baby? — she repeated faintly, feeling noticeably annoyed by the whole situation.

— You're probably saying that Boyd was attacked by some... mm...Let's say panthereye, catching poor boyd. Is that so? The woman, who continued to stand her ground, completely ignored Nicole's exclamations.

— Actually!!..

Nicole stuttered again, barely squeezing out the word under the weight of the stares. Audience looked at the sudden dispute between the two. Some scientist tried to cut in and calm the woman down, but she immediately turned her gaze to him and replied:

— Hush. Let her answer. I need to know what ideas she has about the creatures of Xen..

No one else dared to say a word. There was a heavy tension, and Nicole felt a certain ominous aura around the woman. What's going on?!

— Actually, I wanted to say that Boyd was attacked not by a panthereye, but by a tentacle!

— Why?

Nicole had clearly stumbled somewhere. The woman's face twisted into a caustic smile. There was clearly a trick!!

—I.. I assume that a flock of boids flew over the tentacle, which made him want to knock them out or disperse them, since they could interfere with the tentacle hunting.

— ..amazing. -The woman said and suppressed her grin with difficulty.- You really don't have the slightest idea about the animal world of Xen.

Nicole frowned and clenched her teeth. How dares she... Nico could barely restrain herself from replying something superfluous. She wanted to protect herself, but she wasn't sure of anything at the moment. Maybe Nicole is right and this is just a test by one of the scientists!! But before Nico could do anything, the woman continued:

— First of all, boids make resonant relaxing sounds that allow them to avoid excessive aggression of the living world of Xen. Secondly, tentacle and his hunts only benefit from this. All those who heard the howling of the Boids immediately relax and lose their vigilance, which allows the tentacle to grab the victim without much difficulty. Their world is much more complicated than you think, so such alliances and similar cooperation are not surprising at all. -The woman shrugged her shoulders.

— What?..but..but it is absolutely not written anywhere.. -Nicole said, both stunned and angry. The audience also widened their eyes, listening to what the woman was saying. But, for some reason, no one said anything against it. Were they afraid?...

— Oh, you need to read more carefully. And thirdly... Well, that's right, it's already a task of observation. Boid's wing is carelessly cut. It's like it's been torn up. This can be seen in two photos. Well, okay, this can be forgiven, the photo is really of poor quality, you may not notice it. Tentacle blades cut all organic matter like butter, clearly leaving no such defects. The conclusion is — the pack flew after the leader, who, as we know, tries to avoid obstacles. But, for some reason, one obstacle could not been avoided, which is why boid, who was this very leader, injured his wing. And his pack, having no idea what was going on, went down after him. That's how they were caught.

Nicole was stunned. How..Is that right? Even though Nicole didn't know some of the information, like the rest of those present, as it seemed to her, but everything sounded so plausible and realistic! Everything was perfectly connected. It's like that wannabe was there and saw everything firsthand... But that's impossible!!

- yes... Even so! —Nicole finally found her words.— This does not give you the right to interrupt my narration! I have every right to finish it, even if it is incorrect. In any case, I did not come up with this data, it was provided to me! So what's my fault?

—It would be possible if there weren't newbies like you sitting here, who listen to your every word and taking it as a truth of life. Well, they're almost newbies, they've had about a year of experience. And I've been working here for several years. And it's good that I decided to sit here and listen, otherwise this would have happened.. Well, your task as a scientist is to observe and notice errors that may be contained in the texts so kindly provided to you. —the woman stretched and yawned sweetly, smacking her lips several times— Okay, I'm off. There's nothing else for me to do here.

After these words, the woman really left. Nicole didn't even have time to see her name on the badge. The girl just stood there with her mouth open to the noise of the projector and the tense silence from the audience.

***

The next day. Nicole cried all night from what happened. She had never felt so flawed and pathetic before. And all because she was disgraced by this wannabe who thinks she knows everything about everyone. Pffft. Dumb competitor... Does she think that she can raise herself using Nicole? No, that woman is wrong... Nicole wouldn't just give up and wasn't even going to give up! But she didn't have the strength yet. Thank God what happened did not reach The Administrator and Nicole was still allowed to do more serious work. Now she was supposed to be an assistant and help carry out observations of the creatures from Xen.

And while it was not yet time for work, she stood at the table in the cafeteria and sniffed, remembering yesterday. She had the same Toby with her, still not getting enough sleep and still tired. He tried not to point it out, but he knew perfectly well that something terrible had happened when he saw the redness on the nose and eyes of a friend.

—.. I don't understand.. -Nicole finally said in a trembling voice- ..What the hell did she find out? I was just doing my job... Are you being scolded for completing an order?

Nicole raised her wet eyes to Toby. He listened attentively, so he immediately shook his head negatively. In general, the girl tried to seem strong and unyielding. She wouldn't let anyone see her like this, not even her closest friend. But no matter how sad it was, she had almost no control over her condition now. Thanks to Toby for being okay with it and not asking her anything, pretending that everything was as usual. That's what she needed.

— So and I think not... because it's stupid and not polite..

The girl finally stopped running her finger over the coffee cup and took a sip from there. She felt sick..

— ..well. — the student began, but immediately hesitated after that. He was extremely unsure if he should say anything now. But noticing Nicole's eyes, he animated from this look. He sighed heavily and continued- ..There are inadequate people. Who can quite calmly point on something and you immediately find yourself to blame for everything. -He glanced at Nicole briefly, as if asking if he should speak further or not- ..I have one such lecturer. He is... well... it is impossible to get a good mark. Well, that's just the kind of person he is. I have no choice but to almost fall at his feet. Do you understand what I mean?

—..that we don't solve anything in such situations?

— Yes. — Toby nodded — Unfortunately, this is just life. And like..well. I wouldn't get hung up on it. I care about the result, not the process. In such matters, for sure. And... like... Damn, I don't want to teach you or anyone else, but maybe you should think easier about it too?

— Well, yes.. -Nicole sighed. The student is right as never before. She even envied how calm he was about everything. Although she can't know what he's doing alone with himself. Maybe she's crying too, like her?— Really, I can't do anything here. What happened is over. It's worth rejoicing in general and saying thank you to the gods for this, considering it went unnoticed, and I still have some kind of job.

Their conversation was interrupted by another visitor, who began to dictate Toby their order. Stop. A familiar voice..

Nicole looked up at the client. Immediately, she recognized the tall and skinny figure, only this time she was without a lab coat. She gripped the edge of the table. It's her!!!!

— So it's you! -Nicole blurted out on her own.

The woman jumped a little from surprise at the noise and turned around lazily. She looked at the girl with relaxed eyes and raised one eyebrow.

—..Do I know you?

— It's you! You've disgraced me! -Nicole pointed a finger at her.

— Did I embarrass you?... oh, wait! it's you! You are a new one!! -A malicious smile immediately crept onto the woman's face.— How wonderful, we met again!

— Don't act like nothing happened! — the girl banged her fist on the table—And anyway, it would be strange if we didn't meet again! We work in the same department, unfortunately!

— Oh, yes, yes.. The smile widened.

— She's the one who shamed me! -Nicole was still pointing at the woman and glanced at the student for a second. Toby, in turn, looked almost scared, which was unexpected. He stared at Nicole with wide eyes and shook his head negatively, as if trying to tell her to stop. But Nicole did not notice this, all her attention was focused on the woman.— Why did you do that?! It's almost reached the administration! I could have been fired!

—Really? Sorry.

— Sorry?? SORRY?! -Nicole was furious. She grabbed her hair and pulled it, trying to calm down— And that's all you can say?!? What are you sorry about?!

—..I'm sorry that it didn't reach the administration. It should have been.

— HOW DARE YOU! -Nico finally couldn't stand it.

The woman only grinned slightly at this and took the ready-made coffee from Toby. Sipping it and setting it aside, she calmly reached into her pocket, took out the money and handed it to the student. With a grin, she continued to watch as the new girl freaked out and tried to cope with her emotions. She crossed her arms over her chest, and pushed one leg back a little, leaning on the table. She didn't seem to give a damn about the squeals and complaints.

— Are you enjoying all this?! Nicole continued.

— Yeah. And why not? I didn't do anything wrong. And your reaction amuses me incredibly. You're funny, you're hysterical.

Well, that's the last straw. Nicole was about to jump on her with bare fists, completely forgetting about all the rules of decency, when an unexpected yell returned her to the ground:

"I'M THE QUEEN OF THIS CAFETERIA!!!

Nico shrugged and turned around to see what was going on. Indeed, her mind cleared up and she was grateful to this someone for making her mind sober in time. Otherwise, there would have been only a few steps before being fired.

Meanwhile, the picture was as follows: A young red-haired girl in the uniform of a security guard climbed onto the table and was clearly happy about it. That's why there was this shout. What's going on in this Black Mesa..?

— Whoo, well done, Lee!

Nico turned back to the sound. This woman stood with a smile and clapped her hands. Wait. That look. Why is she so.. wait.

Meanwhile, a young guard had already run up to this wannabe and almost knocked her down with her hugs.

—I'll have a snack!!! — The redhead growled and really started biting

the green-eyed one:

-Ow, ow! What are you doing?

The woman calmly took the so-called Lee in arms and kept her at a certain distance from herself. It suddenly dawned on Nicole.

— It's your daughter?!

Both looked at Nico and laughed. The girl recoiled from such a reaction. She looked at Toby, hoping that he knew something, but he was just biting one finger slightly and looking away. What was he so visibly nervous about??

— This is my sister!! — Lee said cheerfully — And you're the one she mocked yesterday, aren't you?!

— What, sister?! -Nico blushed. And why did she come up with the option of being a daughter?..— Wow, that's the age difference-WAIT, WHAT?!

Lee giggled again

—All right, all right, let me go!! I want coffee!

— No coffee. -The woman replied calmly. Nicole, taking advantage of the situation, finally looked at her badge and read "Susan Thompson". And Lee's badge just said "Lee." It is logical, but at the same time it is strange, where is the last name? ...

— ..Should I make her some cocoa? - she heard Toby's voice as Lee was trying to lick her older sister's chin. Nicole looked at him dumbfounded. So he knows them!!!

—Please. — Susan replied and finally put Lee on his feet. She smiled again.

— Well, cocoa will do too! Sis, let's go to brother!!

— Not now. Don't you see that I'm arguing?

Lee turned to Nicole, who was shocked by the number of children in their family, and turned back to Susan.

— But BenreyBenreyBenrey is better..

— That's right.. but.. ah, okay. Let's go —the woman smiled strangely tenderly, giving up to girl.

Lee immediately threw up her hands, began to rejoice and jump. Susan took the finished cocoa, gave the money to the student again, took her coffee and hurried after the youngest, because she ran pretty fast..

Nicole was left with me in complete shock. She took hold of her head.

— What. Was. That???..

—..this.. -Toby stared at her in silence again. There was worry in his gaze.— You shouldn't have fought with her like that..

—Shush. I don't want to hear it. It turns out that you knew who I was talking about all this time. -She looked at him. He shook his head negatively and was about to open his mouth, but Nico curled her lips— No. Not now. I'm sorry, but not now.

Slowly, the girl moved from the cafeteria towards the office in which she would assist. Toby watched her go and even leaned out of his cabin. He knew exactly where this was going. And he felt terribly embarrassed that he couldn't warn Nicole.

***

The girl was sitting at a large control panel. It seemed to occupy almost the entire space in this room. A couple of metal lockers, armchairs, a table, a microwave on it. That's basically it. There was a window in front that led to a chamber with headcrabs inside. There were 5 samples there. Obviously, not the whole pack, only some tenth of it. The chamber itself was designed like one of the Xen islands, just for, it seems, the headcrabs feel calm and comfortable inside.

Next to Nicole was a man who, judging by his behavior and appearance, was no more than 26 years old. He was the assistant that Nicole took over. Johnny, as he introduced himself, was going to be assigned to another department for some time. He stood next to her, hanging over Nicole a little, and carefully watched her name the function of each button, at least as she understood it herself. He was delighted with how quickly she caught on everything.

—Yeah... And this button? -Johnny pointed to a tiny green button somewhere to the right in the corner.

— Uh.. — Nico, who still hadn't got past the morning, looked down. Fortunately, Johnny was a pleasant enough young man and the girl felt less tense with him. There was something about him that relaxed her—..oh! this is..uh... -She scratched the top of her head. The man was still looking at her with a slight smile, giving her a chance to think and remember—..oh, right! It gives access to lighting control!

The girl beamed at Johnny's face. He just stretched his smile in response and nodded.

— That's right. — Finally, the answer that Nicole wanted to hear was heard.

— Hooray! — the girl allowed herself to be slightly pleased, already enthusiastically examining every key on the control panel. Wow, she really mastered it!

— Well, it's time for you and me to finish..

Johnny sighed and looked at his watch. His eyebrows risen slightly, and his face itself expressed some incomprehension. He consulted his wristwatch and checked the time against the wall clock. This time, his brows furrowed.

— Oh, no. I can't let you go yet.. — he said thoughtfully, tapping his watch with his finger.

—Why? -Nicole asked, watching the man's every action.

— She's late..And why today? -Slightly displeased, he looked away.- I can't leave until she comes. I need to pass you from hand to hand.

— She?.. -Nicole tilted her head in incomprehension.

—..oh! So let me tell you about her while she's walking somewhere! At least you'll be a little ready for her... ahem...peculiar character. -He grinned.

Nicole nodded and sat down more comfortably in her chair. She was already stressed out that she would be working with a certain woman. Moreover, apparently, she also has a bad character.. Anyway, Nico was paying attention and Johnny saw it, so he started his story.

— Her name is Alex. The woman is so... uh...spicy. Perhaps this is the word that would suit her best to describe. — The man leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest — To put it simply — petty, aggressive, extremely attentive and just creepy.

Seeing the discomfort in Nicole's eyes, the man laughed and nodded understandingly.

— I understand. When they told me about her, I was a little scared too. And I was even more scared when I found out that she has a close relationship with Breen, huh..

— Stop. — The girl replied — Wait, with Dr. Breen?? The administrator of this place?!

The man suddenly stopped for a while and looked suspiciously at Nicole.

— Wait, are you saying you haven't heard about Alex at all?? She's on everyone's lips here, everyone is afraid of her here. And you've never even asked why they're afraid of her?

Nicole looked at the floor in discomfort and shook her head. Well, she fails again. She obviously has no luck with the team.

— Well, that's it. Yes, she knows Breen personally and complains to him about every disobedience and violation of someone, once she notices it. If she saw your violation and you were not fired at the same second, you can say that you are very lucky! Like you won the lottery..

Nicole swallowed. God, it's a good thing this Alex didn't see what was going on during that presentation, how she got into an argument with Susan. Otherwise, Nico wouldn't be here anymore..

— But don't be afraid! She also has a lot of good other traits! She may be unbearable, but damn, I honestly think she's one of the smartest scientists here. She knows the world of Xen like the back of her hand! For example, she can easily communicate with... well, with these headcrabs, for example! -Johnny pointed out the window at the headcrabs, some of whom were playing and climbing on top of each other— God knows how she understands them, but they really obey her! She treats them like children, haha! Maybe her powers of observation are helping her, I have no idea. But that's not all that's good about her. There are a lot more things, it's just thing what made her so popular here. A real authority, commands respect!

Johnny temporarily paused his story to clench his hand into a fist and lean it against his chest, ostensibly as a sign of respect. He even closed his eyes and bowed his head, smiling broadly. Nicole, in turn, was trying to make sense of everything the man had just told her. That is, there is another person smarter than that wannabe! Wow, if Alex had been there, she would have put Susan in her place right away! But her famous, apparently, approach to work and outlook on life scared the girl. Will they get along here and won't they kill each other in this little room? Only time will tell. But Nicole decided to show herself to be a really great employee. The main thing is that she does not lose this desire and her attention. Night tantrums, fuck them...

— .. in communication, as your boss, — Johnny continued meanwhile, interrupting Nicole's thoughts, — she behaves like your friend. She talks about topics that are distracted from work, she is interested in how you are doing, and so on. But that doesn't mean she's distracted. I'm not afraid to say this, she's always on the lookout. So do not think that you will really have something friendly and she will forgive you for even the smallest mistake that you made because you were distracted by something..

The door to the room finally opened. And she went inside...Susan?!? What is she doing here?! Nicole shrank back into her chair, obviously not eager to be noticed. A wave of thoughts swept through her head, after which it was empty. The girl was just watching a woman who put a cup of coffee on the table.

— Hello, Johnny. Hello.. -She fixed her bright green eye on Nicole.

— Dr. Alex! We were just remembering you! -Johnny immediately responded, for some reason happy to see this woman. Clearing his throat, he pointed at the frightened blonde—This is the new one! Her name is Nicole. I told her everything I know myself!

The woman squinted, carefully watching Nicole. Nicole, in turn, felt as if she was been stripped, looked at from head to toe, then slowly and painfully had her skin removed. Because of this, she shrank even more.

—... Hm... I guess you did. -Susan said softly. Or Alex. Nicole is confused. Frightened eyes began to run over the woman's shirt and noticed the badge, which still read "Susan Thompson."

— B-But..it's Susan.. -Nicole said softly. Unfortunately, she was heard.

— Hah, no. -Johnny chuckled.- This is Alex. What makes you think her name is Susan?

Nicole's eyes widened even more when it was no longer written "Susan Thompson" on the same badge, but "Alex". And again without a last name. How is this possible?! She was standing there and didn't move!!

—.....wh-what..how..in the same place..It was written there..

Johnny frowned and looked at the woman's badge himself. Then he smiled again and returned his gaze to the frightened girl.

— Alex sometimes wears other badges. By accident. Don't worry so much, her name is Alex, that's for sure!

Nicole swallowed and nodded. She stared at Alex's distorted face with fear. Her bright green eyes looked straight into Nico's soul, as if they glowing from a conveniently placed light, and glittering a little lower in the light were...Fangs??!

— Well, okay, I'll go then. They've been waiting for me already. -Johnny sighed and turned to Alex, who looked completely normal.

— Go ahead. The woman replied coldly as she was putting on her lab coat.

— Oh, come on!

The man came up from behind and gently wrapped his arms around the woman's body, wrapping her in an embrace. She tilted her head slightly and rolled her eyes. He seemed to annoy her with that.

— How about a coffee at 4 o'clock? — he did not calm down.

— Refuse. — the woman replied just as coldly, enduring this with the last of her strength.

Johnny had already started to say something when he was grabbed by the face and pushed towards the door. Alex was sick of his behavior. Or maybe..She was in a hurry to be alone with Nicole, who sat back down in her chair after an unsuccessful escape attempt. The man denied and muttered something in the palm of the woman's hand, but as soon as he was released and he was outside the threshold of this room, he pulled a smile again.

— I'll be waiting for you then! Good luck, new girl! -He winked at Nicole and the door immediately slammed in his face.

The girl trembled. Well, that's it. What's going to happen now? She stared in horror at Alex, who was breathing heavily, hunched up and leaning against the door. She saw that the green eye was still fixed on her. Somehow, her eyes were actually glowing. Brightly.

Nicole is trapped. She even sits in the corner. Panicking, she began to run her eyes around the room and think about how to escape. But she did not find anything useful during this search. There were no ideas either. Maybe now is the time to apologize? No... Nicole can't even move, what else to say. She was shackled by fear while Alex had already started her movement, she felt unexplained danger. Woman climbed up from above, clutching the back of the chair as if with claws. She bent one of her legs at the knee and placed it on the chair between Nicole's legs. She lowered her head to the blonde's face.

—What's up? -Alex asked with a kind of growl. Nicole's face immediately gave off heat, either from the heavy and languid breathing of the woman, or from such awkward intimacy. But it's not important to her now. A lot of thoughts were spinning in Nico's head that they were about to fall, given the angle of inclination of the chair now, that she was about to be gnawed, that Alex reminded her of an animal. And the woman was patiently waiting for an answer, although it was clear from the growl somewhere inside her body that she would not wait long.

—I ... -Nicole stuttered with tears in her eyes- ..excuse me..I'm sorry for what was there then..

Alex suddenly cringed all over. There was a laugh that came deep from the woman's throat. Clearly not a human laugh. But after a moment, she calmed down as suddenly as she laughed.

—What's it to me that you're apologizing here? The job is done. You've made it clear to me what kind of person you are, Nicole. —the woman whispered in the ear of the frightened and panicked girl.— Now I see everything. I know everything. So why apologize? On the contrary, you've given me so much interesting information about yourself. Even more information than is in your blood. -Alex growled the last one, even with hunger.

Nicole was shaking. She wasn't sure how it would end. She still couldn't move. She made only a muffled wheeze, trying to say something.

The woman clicked her tongue and stood on the ground. The chair returned to its usual position, and Nicole slid down a little. Her face was white, and there was a heavy feeling of vomiting inside. Alex dusted off her hands. She seems to have come to her senses.

— Okay, that's in the past! We have to work now! She said with her usual smile and went back to her coffee.— Come to your senses, we still have a lot of work to do.

— ..you are.. a monster. -Nicole muttered.

Alex curled up a little with laughter and answered quietly when she calmed down, continuing to drink her coffee:

— Yep. So be careful.

END

4 notes · View notes

blueopalorjustalex · 2 months ago

Text

I will duplicate my fic from Ao3 here (again), bc it's comfortable for some people. This time with arts at the beginning and at the end!!

Lost peace (full fic)

—Ha! Even if it's not Aperture, I will definitely make a good first impression! -Nico was finishing her coffee.

—... good luck. -The guy shrugged shoulders and looked away.

— Thank you!

Feeling an unpleasant itch in her eyes, she wiped away the tears and resolutely looked into the distance. No. It won't be like this! She can handle it! She will definitely cope!

With such thoughts and a phrase that she repeated all the way to the office, she quickened her pace and stepped much more decisively.

— So, uh.. — the girl cleared her throat, sorting through the papers in parallel. All the equipment was already ready for her 'performance'—Me..My name is Nicole. I'm new here..

Before she could finish, the weight of the stares that fell on her intensified. Some began to whisper, remembering her and, most importantly, her old place of work. Swallowing heavily, she continued.

The girl pressed the keyboard key and the slide changed to the next one. She quickly looked around the audience again. That woman was still looking at her. It felt like she wasn't blinking at all...

— He just cut himself.

The steel-cold voice made Nicole shudder. She wanted to continue, but tried to find the source of the sound with her eyes. Who interrupted her? No, who dared to interrupt her?

— I'm sorry, but don't interfere with my narration! — Nicole frowned.

— Oh, baby, believe me, I already know what you want to say.

— Excuse me? -Nicole couldn 't believe her ears- ..Baby? — she repeated faintly, feeling noticeably annoyed by the whole situation.

— Actually!!..

— Hush. Let her answer. I need to know what ideas she has about the creatures of Xen..

No one else dared to say a word. There was a heavy tension, and Nicole felt a certain ominous aura around the woman. What's going on?!

— Actually, I wanted to say that Boyd was attacked not by a panthereye, but by a tentacle!

— Why?

Nicole had clearly stumbled somewhere. The woman's face twisted into a caustic smile. There was clearly a trick!!

—I.. I assume that a flock of boids flew over the tentacle, which made him want to knock them out or disperse them, since they could interfere with the tentacle hunting.

— ..amazing. -The woman said and suppressed her grin with difficulty.- You really don't have the slightest idea about the animal world of Xen.

***

—.. I don't understand.. -Nicole finally said in a trembling voice- ..What the hell did she find out? I was just doing my job... Are you being scolded for completing an order?

— So and I think not... because it's stupid and not polite..

The girl finally stopped running her finger over the coffee cup and took a sip from there. She felt sick..

—..that we don't solve anything in such situations?

Their conversation was interrupted by another visitor, who began to dictate Toby their order. Stop. A familiar voice..

Nicole looked up at the client. Immediately, she recognized the tall and skinny figure, only this time she was without a lab coat. She gripped the edge of the table. It's her!!!!

— So it's you! -Nicole blurted out on her own.

The woman jumped a little from surprise at the noise and turned around lazily. She looked at the girl with relaxed eyes and raised one eyebrow.

—..Do I know you?

— It's you! You've disgraced me! -Nicole pointed a finger at her.

— Did I embarrass you?... oh, wait! it's you! You are a new one!! -A malicious smile immediately crept onto the woman's face.— How wonderful, we met again!

— Don't act like nothing happened! — the girl banged her fist on the table—And anyway, it would be strange if we didn't meet again! We work in the same department, unfortunately!

— Oh, yes, yes.. The smile widened.

—Really? Sorry.

— Sorry?? SORRY?! -Nicole was furious. She grabbed her hair and pulled it, trying to calm down— And that's all you can say?!? What are you sorry about?!

—..I'm sorry that it didn't reach the administration. It should have been.

— HOW DARE YOU! -Nico finally couldn't stand it.

— Are you enjoying all this?! Nicole continued.

— Yeah. And why not? I didn't do anything wrong. And your reaction amuses me incredibly. You're funny, you're hysterical.

Well, that's the last straw. Nicole was about to jump on her with bare fists, completely forgetting about all the rules of decency, when an unexpected yell returned her to the ground:

"I'M THE QUEEN OF THIS CAFETERIA!!!

— Whoo, well done, Lee!

Nico turned back to the sound. This woman stood with a smile and clapped her hands. Wait. That look. Why is she so.. wait.

Meanwhile, a young guard had already run up to this wannabe and almost knocked her down with her hugs.

—I'll have a snack!!! — The redhead growled and really started biting the green-eyed one: