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misssophiachase · 4 years ago

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Right of Way

For @klaroline-events KC Bingo - Enemies to Lovers - On AO3 and FF

At the Palm Beach Equestrian Club, Klaus Mikaelson is the prince of the polo field and Caroline the showjumping darling. They immediately dislike each other but, at the same time, can’t seem to get out of each other’s way.

right-of-way (noun) \ ˌrīt-ə(v)-ˈwā \

1: a legal right of passage over another person’s ground

2: in polo - when a player has the line of the ball on their right, they have the right of way (ROW). Enforced to keep all players safe and avoid collisions on the field, players may only enter or cross the ROW if they can do so safely and with enough distance.

Present Day (February) - Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Wellington, FL

(Caroline)

“I hate you.”

“Well, I hate you too, Forbes,” he growled, “now are you going to keep talking or am I going to have to...”

Before he could go through with his threat she’d pushed him up against the stall door, his intense gaze only increasing her desperation.

“Has anyone told you that you talk too much, Mikaelson?” He didn’t respond, just leaned in impatiently, his mouth claiming hers greedily.

Caroline pulled him closer, grabbing ample handfuls of his number 3 polo jersey. He was warm and familiar against her skin and a delicious aromatic mixture of spice and sandalwood. She’d never admit it, but Caroline loved being close to him post match. They’d just won convincingly, no surprises there, but he was always more needy and urgent and the sex decidedly more explosive.

His mouth travelled down her neck and Caroline had to bite her lip to stifle a moan. She wanted to take her time and enjoy him but given where they were that wasn’t an option. Plus, she knew from experience that he would make it up to her later.

He was trailing kisses along the length of her collar bone now, his lips teasing the swell of her breasts and his tongue close to delving into the valley between them when she heard a noise in one of the far stalls.

It startled them and broke up their kiss. They started at each other intently, panting but at the same time holding a silent discussion with their eyes. Should they risk it or should they move apart and avoid suspicion? It seemed like a fairly easy decision. No one could know they were together but the strong magnetic pull between them made moving seem inconvenient.

A further noise and subsequent horsey neigh made them realise that, unfortunately, it wasn’t going to happen. Not now anyway.

“I don’t like you that much anyway,” she reiterated, shrugging her shoulders. If he was offended by her comment he didn’t show it. His crimson lips curved into a knowing smile, a rogue dimple making an appearance in his left cheek.

“The feeling is mutual, love. Don’t miss me too much.” He was walking purposefully through the stables before she had a chance to reply.

Asshat.

Caroline hit her head against the stall a few times, hoping that it would somehow allow sense to prevail but unfortunately she knew if he kissed her again she wouldn’t resist. She was supposed to hate the guy not be rubbing up against him every chance she got.

Caroline felt a soft nuzzling against her shoulder, looking up into the warm and expectant eyes of her chestnut mare Coco.

“Don’t start,” she murmured, patting her nose affectionately.

How did she get here? How did they get here?

It had all started out so innocently. You don’t like the person, you ignore them.

Simple, right?

10 months earlier (April) - Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Wellington, FL

Equestrian was the way of life in Wellington. In fact, if you didn’t ride, compete or spectate there was no point in actually living there. Home to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre and to the famed Winter Equestrian Festival, they lived, breathed and everything else horse related. Caroline’s mom and grandmother had both competed at a national level and were local legends in her hometown.

She was following in their footsteps and out of the three she possessed the most natural talent. While skilled in dressage, her forte was showjumping and there were hopes she’d one day compete in the Olympics for the USA. As much as Caroline loved horse riding, she didn’t love the pressure associated with it.

Her best friend Kat competed with her from a young age, but she maintained she only stuck it out because she couldn’t resist a hot guy in jodphurs.

It was a Tuesday, Caroline remembered because she had her private lesson. After arriving at the club, she noticed a few new faces. Two guys and a girl, all around her age. The brooding blonde was especially good looking, he looked kind of familiar but she wasn’t sure why.

He also seemed generally unimpressed with his surroundings as the director Jenna Sommers showed them the facility. Caroline hung back, but was still close enough to overhear.

“The stables were built in 2017, there are sixty 12x12 stalls, twenty wash stalls, specialty hay and grain storage, multiple dressing rooms, laundry rooms, office space, full sized kitchen and bathrooms. There are three arenas, one covered, one sand and one grass.”

“And the polo facilities,” the blonde interrupted, clearly impatient. His voice was very English and his tone incredibly brusque.

“The Polo Club is adjacent. It spans nearly 250 acres and includes seven state-of-the-art tournament fields that can accommodate multiple games simultaneously.”

“I suppose that will have to do,” he muttered. Caroline knew she was biased but the polo club was internationally renowned and held many top level national and international competitions, this guy was clearly hard to please.

“Oh, Caroline,” she didn’t realise just how close she was. Jenna was looking at her curiously and she could tell was relieved by the interruption. “Meet the Mikaelson siblings, they’re new to Florida and the States. Caroline Forbes is one of our very best show jumpers.”

They seemed intimidating from the outset as they looked at her expectantly and Caroline wasn’t quite sure what to say, until she managed to get something out.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

The good looking one’s eyes flickered over her attire briefly before looking away. Charming. Well, two could play at that game.

“Rebekah is the same age, Caroline,” she said, gesturing to the blonde girl. “Maybe you could take her out to the arena for your lesson so she can look around?” Caroline figured it wasn’t a suggestion but an order.

At first Caroline thought Rebekah was incredibly uptight. Katherine would say she had a stick up her ass and Caroline was secretly glad her best friend wasn’t part of the welcoming committee.

She found out that the family were members of the exclusive Cowdray Park Polo Club in West Sussex and Rebekah’s older brother was skilled in polo. Rebekah excelled in dressage and was quite heavily involved in competitions like Caroline.

“So, I take it this isn’t that impressive compared to your previous club in England?”

“Why would you say that?”

“Your brother didn’t seem very happy with the polo facilities.”

“Niklaus isn’t happy with anything,” she drawled.

“Niklaus?”

“He hates it but I do it just to annoy him,” she offered, a slight smile crossing her face. Maybe there was a less uptight side to her after all.

“No, I meant that name sounds familiar.”

“He’s one of the best polo players in England and beyond, but don’t tell him I said that because I will deny it,” she groaned.

Now, it was all coming back to her. Caroline didn’t play polo but knew she’d seen him on the cover of quite a few magazines. He was incredibly good looking but from what she’d seen, he was clearly arrogant and self absorbed too.

“None of us are happy that my father was transferred for work but Nik is feeling the move the most. Elijah is off to Yale so is only passing through town and Kol is Kol.”

Caroline wasn’t sure what that meant, but she was certain she’d find out.

4 months later (August) USA v Argentina Display Match, Palm Beach International Polo Club, FL

“Look at that South American stallion in action,” Katherine purred from the sidelines. “And by that, I don’t mean the horse.”

Caroline rolled her eyes although it wouldn’t be Kat if she wasn’t checking out the talent.

The annual display match was a big event on the club’s polo calendar. People from all around the country and overseas attended and it was one of the premiere fashion events of the year. Although Caroline enjoyed it, something was making it less that way. Or someone if she was being specific.

Klaus Mikaelson.

Watching him take the field like he owned the place was a bad enough start to her day. In the four months she’d had the displeasure of knowing him, Caroline had decided that he was one of the most arrogant, conceited and smug idiots she’d ever met. Of course, the other girls at the club didn’t share her feelings and were all vying for his attention on and off the field. Caroline thought they were all pathetic for not seeing what she saw.

That he was an ass.

Caroline had every intention of steering clear of the guy but it seemed as if everywhere she went, he did too. It didn’t help that her and Katherine had been spending time together with his sister. It also didn’t help that he looked so attractive annoying her. Whether it was a flash of those dimples or a curve of his crimson lips, Caroline found herself doing all that she could not to jump him. And she hated herself for that. It also meant she was moody more often and it clearly hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“The grouchy look on your face is doing nothing for that stunning Burberry dress, Care,” Kat insisted. Caroline looked down at the white, fitted ensemble thinking her friend was right that it didn’t match her personality.

“Why do we have to watch this?” She growled, noticing Katherine was about to interrupt. “And I don’t want to hear about the South American stallions."

“Well, unfortunately the club has this really annoying policy whereby all younger members need to be present. Apparently, it helps with publicity and that means more members and we all know what that means.”

“Money,” she murmured. “I don’t like it but I get it. But since when did we become the cheerleaders for the guy’s polo team? I don’t see any of them at our show jumping meets.”

“As much as you don’t want to hear this, polo is more popular and it doesn’t hurt that the club’s star player is the best advertisement they’ve got.”

“If you say his name…”

“The club has hit a gold mine with Hottie Mchottie as a member and I’m inclined to agree.”

“You did that on purpose.”

“I could have meant anyone,” she smirked. “Okay, maybe. I have to admit, I love the way he riles you up, it’s like watching live action foreplay.”

“You have a one track mind.”

“And you, my dear, are in denial.”

“I can’t stand him and his pompous ass.”

“Talking about his ass again, are we?” Kat teased. “Anyone would think you were obsessed.” Caroline gave her a look which plainly said she wasn’t interested in engaging. “Have you considered relieving some of that sexual tension with him in the nearest stable on a strategically placed haystack? You might find that helps with your general mood.”

“Well, on that rather weird and erotic novel type note,” she growled, annoyed that Kat probably had a point. She couldn’t stand the guy but there was no denying her attraction. “I’m going to get a drink and then spike it so I don’t have to deal with your wild opinions.”

“Best thing you’ve suggested all day, get me one too,” she called out to her retreating back. Caroline could hear her laughter and it wasn’t helping improve her mood.

“Why are you in such a bad mood?”

What was this, pick on Caroline day? She looked over at Kol Mikaelson standing by the buffet table, his plate piled high.

“You realise you can come back again for more, right?”

“This is my third helping,” he said, gesturing to his food. “I don’t know why they insist on these tiny plates.”

“Probably so people like you don’t hoover up the entire buffet in one fell swoop and leave nothing for the rest of us,” she offered. “I’m surprised to see you actually.”

“Really? This is my dream come true, free food and beautiful women.” Caroline fought the urge to roll her eyes.

The youngest Mikaelson had always been an enigma to her. Kol had absolutely no interest in horses. Period. Unlike his sister and brother he only attended the club on social occasions. She actually found him to be the most fun, not that she’d ever admit that.

“Of course,” she sighed knowingly. “I’m not sure why I said that. I can see the food has been a hit, how about things on the girl front?”

“Not yet, but it’s still early. I have to say Katherine is looking…”

“I’m going to have to stop you there,” she interrupted. “I love my best friend but she is a pariah and will devour you and not in a good way. Plus, she likes older guys.”

“Well, that explains her checking out Elijah,” he muttered, referring to when his older brother visited the club on a break from college a month earlier. “Any other friends for me?”

“Not any I’d introduce you to, Kol,” she joked, noticing his face falter slightly. “The day is still young though and I’ve caught April Young checking you out.” Given the way his expression changed, Caroline figured she’d buoyed him slightly.

“Of course she was,” he grinned. “So, why so glum, sugar plum?” He asked, placing his plate down and looking at her earnestly. “Usually Niklaus has to be in at least a half mile radius for this kind of reaction.”

“This has nothing to do with…”

“I’m his brother and, trust me, I know the signs,” he advised. “I assume you’ve heard about the Winter Festival then?”

“Well, it’s held every year,” she replied.

The Winter Festival was the premiere equestrian event running from January to April every year in their hometown of Wellington. It was considered the largest and longest-running competition in the world and attracted varying levels of riders from all over the US and beyond.

“Yes,” he drawled sarcastically. “I meant about you and Niklaus doing...”

“Me and Niklaus?” His face was ashen now, clearly he’d misjudged the situation and her reaction. “Doing what exactly.”

“You’re going to have to ask him,” he blurted out, holding up his plate of food like a shield between them. “I have no intention of being the messenger who gets shot, especially when I’m so young and handsome and have so much to live for.”

“Gee, how dramatic. Just tell me, Kol, “ she pressed. “Trust me, my anger will be squarely directed at your brother. If you need any proof just look at precedent.”

“He told me that you two are going to be the faces of the festival,” he mumbled. “Do all the publicity and promotional things for it.”

“Unbelievable...” she scowled. “I’m going to kill him.”

She was gone before Kol could offer any rebuttal.

45 minutes later

(Klaus)

“No need to tell me how wonderful I am, Forbes,” he smiled, walking towards the stall leading his stallion Jet.

He’d happened upon her pacing outside his stall, her white dress doing nothing to hide her delectable curves. He’d almost lost concentration multiple times during the match thanks to that particular ensemble. Klaus wasn’t one who lost concentration often but was starting to realise that Caroline Forbes did something to him that no one ever had before.

Sure, he liked to give her a hard time and revelled in the way she reacted but she’d commanded his attention for months now. No one even stood a chance when she was in his line of sight.

It started when they met. Those golden waves and blue eyes were mesmerising but if Klaus was being honest it was the slight dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose that really drove him crazy.

“I’m not one of your pathetic, sycophantic groupies,” she hissed, finally coming to a stop and placing her arms across her chest defiantly. “I hear you’ve been making decisions on my behalf.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific,” he said, leading Jet into the stall and removing his bridle. Klaus wondered how long it would take for the news to reach Caroline.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t just go around making decisions on my behalf,” she argued.

“The festival, I assume?” He asked feigning innocence. “They needed two photogenic, equestrian talents to promote it. If anything I thought you’d be flattered.”

“Wow, you really think I’m going to fall into a giggling heap because you called me both photogenic and talented? You picked the wrong girl.”

“I didn’t pick anyone…”

“Oh no you don’t,” she shot back. “I just spoke to Jenna and apparently it was all your idea.”

“She asked me for suggestions and I obliged.” Klaus figured that at least sounded half true, even if it wasn’t.

Klaus knew that if he was going to be stuck doing publicity then the only person he wanted by his side was Caroline. Yes, it was selfish, and now, probably in hindsight, a little creepy sounding but he wanted her to see there was more to him.

“If that’s true,” she accused.

“If you do this then think of all the benefits.” She gave him a curious look and Klaus knew he had her attention. “Sponsorship, fame, fortune.”

“Just because you want those material things doesn’t mean I do,” she answered. “There’s more to life than all of this.” Klaus detected a sense of sadness in her tone, like show jumping wasn’t her only ambition in life. Before he could respond, she did. “Anyway, why would I make a pact with the devil?”

“You know, I’m much nicer once you get to know me, Caroline.”

“Says Satan,” she drawled. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Well, you’re going to have about six months to see it,” he replied.

“This is not happening,” she insisted. “I’m going to tell Jenna that this was all your hair brained scheme and I want no part of it.”

“Now, even I know you won’t do that,” he said, knowing he was right. If she backed out on this it would be frowned upon by the upper echelons at the club, not to mention her family. “Look, maybe you might even have a bit of fun. Did you ever think of that?”

“I’ve never associated you with fun,” she murmured. “More like the impediment to it.”

“We’ll see about that, love.”

“If we’re going to at least pretend to be friends, don’t call me love.”

Klaus watched her walk away, her hips wiggling hypnotically from side to side. Jet nuzzled into his neck, almost like he was thinking the exact same thing.

“Hooves off, boy, I saw her first.”

2 months later (October) - Municipal Beach, FL

“Why exactly am I wearing high heels on a horse on a beach?” She asked, as someone touched up her make-up. “I think this is up there with the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s supposed to be artistic.”

“Well, it’s not. Anyway, who asked you?” She shot back, as he held onto the reins of her horse. “You get to wear comfortable footwear at least.”

“If it’s any consolation, red is your colour,” he said, gesturing to the patent heels she was wearing. She groaned, no doubt moving around in order to get more comfortable, but given she was wearing a matching ball gown, Klaus knew it was no mean feat.

“I’ll tell you where you can stick your consolation, Mikaelson.”

“Now that’s not the way for a lady to speak, is it Jigsaw?” He spoke to the horse she was atop.

“Remind me never to agree to do this again,” she mumbled, leaning down so she could say it in his ear.

Klaus couldn’t help but laugh aloud, she’d been saying it ever since the publicity campaign began in September. Photo shoots had become commonplace for them but they’d also just finished a nation-wide interview blitz where he’d be charming and Caroline had no choice but to follow suit. He might have also held her hand a couple of times and gone out of his way not to deny a possible romance between the newest equestrian darlings. The media had eaten it up of course and Klaus was in no rush for it all to end. Luckily, they still had a while until it all wrapped up.

Her frustration with him seemed to only add to his need to be near her. Klaus knew it was a tactic she employed and that the attraction between them was not only one sided. Caroline seemed to make it her aim in life to keep her distance but Klaus could feel it in her looks and her touch.

“You secretly love the attention.”

“Not bloody likely.”

“Someone’s clearly been around me too long,” he teased hearing the ��b’ word.

“And don’t I know it,” she groaned, then attempted to sit upright again in the saddle. In the process her left shoe fell off and landed on the sand. Klaus sprang into action, kneeling down and picking it up. He noticed her looking downwards from the saddle and held it up to her foot.

“I think there was a fairytale about this once.”

“That’s fantastic,” the photographer shouted excitedly, what seemed like a thousand clicks sounding out from his camera. “Smile, Caroline, it’s your very own Prince Charming.”

“You’re never going to let me live this one down, are you?” She asked through gritted teeth.

“Never, Cinderella.”

One month later (November) - Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Wellington, FL

“That’s not the right of way,” he insisted, watching as she attempted to get the ball further down the field. “The line of the ball needs to be on the right.”

“But it’s my right of way,” she argued, moving the ball again.

“No, that’s cheating.”

“You are no fun, anyone ever tell you that?” She laughed.

“They want the faces of the festival to play in the charity polo tournament,” he said. “I don’t think the organisers would take too kindly to you breaking the rules.”

“Polo is entirely too civilised for my liking, far too many rules.”

It was at that point, her horse stopped dead in the middle of the field and no amount of encouragement was going to move her. Klaus swept in and took possession of the ball and rode the rest of the distance to score.

“Hey, that’s not fair! My horse is broken,” she shouted.

“That’s no way to talk about Scout, is it girl,” he grinned, trotting closer so he could rub her ears and mane affectionately.

“Sabotage, that’s what this is,” she growled. “I should have known when you gave me one of your fifty million horses for practice.”

“I have three and every polo rider should have a few to choose from,” he remarked. “And as much as I love Coco, she’s not a polo pony.”

“She wouldn’t cheat like this little lady.”

“Says the biggest cheater of them all,” he teased, nudging her slightly.

Caroline, not wanting to be outdone, pushed back until it became a full on play fight. Catching him by surprise, Caroline pulled at one of his stray curls causing Klaus to reel backward and off his horse completely. It had been raining overnight so the field was wet and muddy in parts. Klaus managed to fall right into one of them.

As much as he wanted to get angry and be upset, Klaus couldn’t help but think her melodic laughter was contagious and he started to follow suit. Pretty soon they were both in fits of laughter and Caroline wasn’t expecting him to reach up and pull her off the saddle and into the mud with him.

“Hey! That’s not fair!”

“Says the girl who started it,” he joked. “I don’t know, I think mud is a good look for you.” Before she could react he’d smeared it across her cheek.

“You did not just do that!” Caroline threw some back, hitting him square on the chest. “This means war, Mikaelson!”

“Bring it on, Forbes,” he provoked, pulling her into the mud with him.

45 minutes later

“I think we can safely say that our first polo practice was a disaster,” Caroline murmured.

They’d both showered in the centre’s bathroom facilities and were sitting outside waiting on some clothes to dry. Klaus was trying not to notice just how good she looked in a towel, her usually creamy skin tinged pink from the hot water.

“I don’t know, I personally thought it was a lot of fun, especially when I pulled you into the mud pit.”

“Of course you did,” she drawled. He noticed her eyes riveted by a stray water droplet running down his bare chest. It seemed like he wasn’t the only one currently distracted by the view. “I, uh, didn’t think you had it in you, to be honest.”

“Have what in me?”

“I thought you were far too into yourself to let loose and have a bit of fun,” she offered.

“Wow, you really think that badly of me?” He asked, not exactly surprised by her account of him but also slightly offended. “Talk about judging a book by its cover.”

“I’m sorry but you seemed unimpressed with everyone and everything here after you arrived in town.”

“I was homesick,” he replied honestly. “I still am sometimes. I never wanted to leave England. My whole life was there, my friends, my family. Florida is like a whole other world and I wasn’t sure how to act.”

“Yeah, it is intense.” The empathy reflected in her eyes was enough to tell Klaus she was reconsidering her views. “You do that confident, smug act a little too well.”

“Trust me, it was difficult. This place is like horses on steroids, well you know not the animals themselves.” Klaus couldn’t believe how stupid he sounded, he decided to blame it on her being barely dressed.

“I know exactly what you mean, although Wellington is all I’ve ever known.”

“You said something about there being more to life than this,” he recalled. “What did you mean by that?”

“The dreaded legacy.”

“Family pressure?” He guessed. Klaus knew from asking around that both her grandmother and mother had been champion riders.

“This life was it for them,” she murmured. “This is all they’ve ever known and they want me to follow in their footsteps but I’m not quite sure that’s what I want.”

“You mean there’s more to life than this equestrian dream?”

“I want to get out of Wellington, go to college next year and see what else is out there.”

“Have you ever considered talking it out with them?”

“Many times,” she shared. “But I chicken out every time. How do you start a conversation like that?”

“My step father is the opposite,” he offered. “Mikael thinks riding around on a horse is extremely unmasculine and that I should be doing more practical things in my life, like concentrating on college.”

“Wow, he sounds like a real…”

“Ass?” He answered for her. “I think he hoped this move would make me reconsider polo but I don’t really know anything else.”

“We are an extremely pathetic duo.”

“Maybe we need to do something to cheer ourselves up,” Klaus suggested, trying to ignore just how much he wanted to pull off her towel and play out every single fantasy he’d had starring Caroline.

“I’m not going to roll around in the mud again with you, Mikaelson.” He could tell by the way she was looking at him, biting her lower lip as her eyes devoured him, that she wasn’t opposed to it at all.

“I could think of other, more clean, ways to pass the time until our clothes are dry?” She clearly didn’t need to be asked twice.

“Now that you mention it, I think I missed a few spots,” she smiled, pulling him up by the hand and leading him towards the showers.

“I’d be more than happy to help with that, love.”

The tension that had been building between them for months finally dissipated in a shower stall. Her back up against the tiles as he moved inside her, the hot water falling down on them. Time stood still and they only emerged once the water ran out and they were forced back to reality in a cold burst.

As relieving as it was, Klaus was disinclined to ask too many questions in case the spell was broken. Caroline seemed just as reluctant. Suddenly, being near each other was all that mattered and any talk about their feelings pushed into the background.

Present Day (March) - Competition Arena, Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Wellington, FL

(Caroline)

“Only one circuit between you and the championship, Care,” Kat smiled, giving Coco an obligatory good luck sugar cube.

Caroline barely heard her best friend or the announcer over the loudspeaker, she was too busy trying to get into the competition zone. Usually, it was easy to block out outside influences but she’d been struggling for the last few weeks.

It had all started when Klaus decided to ask the question they’d managed to avoid for months now. They’d finished their ‘picnic’ at a secluded spot they secretly visited and rather than redressing and leaving as usual, he’d asked the question.

“What are we?” She’d frozen to the spot, unable to respond. They didn’t do this, they didn’t talk about their feelings or wherever this was going between them. They didn’t do anything.

“Klaus…”

“You and I both know that things can’t continue like this.”

“Why not?” She cried. “We’re having fun, we’re enjoying ourselves. Let’s not ruin what we have.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t know what we have,” he murmured. “I know that you make me happy and that the last few months have been the best of my life.”

“So, why do we have to put a label on it?”

“Because no one knows about us, we hide away like we’re ashamed of being together. I don’t want to do that anymore because I love you, Caroline.” He’d never said that before and she wasn’t quite sure how to handle it, especially mid-fight. His gaze was as intense as it was imploring.

“It’s just…” Caroline broke off, unable to explain how she was feeling and what she wanted. She knew she had strong feelings for Klaus but it scared the hell out of her. “You’re going to Oxford in the fall and…”

“So, you’ve had enough of me then? This was all just a game to you?” She knew it wasn’t a game but it was difficult to find the words. She was expected to keep on the equestrian track in the States and the thought of him leaving her there was too much.

“Of course not,” she murmured, her gaze now firmly downcast to avoid his gaze. “I just don’t know where this is going and the sooner we realise that the better.”

He was gone before she looked up and they hadn’t spoken since.

“Caroline, hello?” Katherine asked, waving her hands in front of her face animatedly. “Where did you go? If that was a sex trance, I want to know all of the dirty details.”

“I only told you about that because you’re my best friend, but I have no intention of going into detail, even if you’re giving me those pleading, sex-starved eyes.”

“No fun, bestie,” she pouted. “So, why do I sense there’s trouble in paradise?”

“There’s no trouble,” she offered. “We’re actually not seeing each other anymore. It’s really for the best given...”

“Are you dumb or blind or both?”

“It’s not going anywhere, he’s off to England in the fall and then what? I’ll still be here doing what I do.”

“And you sound so excited by that prospect.”

“You’re going off to Columbia, Rebekah to Harvard and I’m going to Brown, not because I really want to go there but because it has the best equestrian team.”

“You need to tell your mom that this isn’t the life you want.”

“Easier said than done,” Caroline groaned. “Did I tell you that I got into Oxford?”

“What do you think?” Kat drawled. “How could you not tell me this, I’m only your best friend.”

“I only received the letter on Thursday.”

“So, I’m officially confused. You want to go to Oxford, you always have. Doesn’t this mean that all the moaning and groaning about Klaus and a possible future is redundant?”

“Kat…”

“Caroline, I say this with love, but you’re an idiot. Yes, your family wants one thing but I think you’re old enough to make your own decisions. Plus, I bet the equestrian team at Oxford is pretty good, you know if you want to keep your options open.” She did have a point.

Caroline didn’t have time to respond though because one of the guys they knew from the polo club came running towards them frantically.

“Please tell me that’s not some new and really bad dance?” Kat asked, looking at him curiously.

“There’s been an accident on the polo field.”

“What happened?” Caroline asked, her stomach dropping. It could have been anyone but for some reason she felt like it was him.

“Number 3,” he panted. “Opposing team broke the right of way, there was a collision and he was thrown off his horse.”

“Is he okay?” Caroline asked, all composure lost. She didn’t care who knew just as long as he was going to be okay.

“They took him to hospital by ambulance, he was unconscious,” he replied.

Caroline handed Katherine the reins, and they held a conversation with their eyes. The decision about what to do was the easiest one she’d made. No championship was worth it, she was going to the hospital.

1 hour and 45 minutes later

(Klaus)

“He always was the most dramatic one in the family.” Klaus heard Rebekah’s voice as he started to come to. They all knew she was the most dramatic but liked to pretend she wasn’t.

“Oh, look,” Kol exclaimed. “I guess Rebekah having a voice like nails on a blackboard has finally come in handy. Welcome back, Niklaus.”

“Is this a nightmare?” He managed to get out, his gaze trained on his younger siblings.

“Wow, you made a joke,” Rebekah cooed. “Looks like big brother is back with an even worse sense of humour.”

“Can I have some water,” he rasped, his throat dry, not to mention a splitting headache. “And as much as I love your comedy act, can we please keep the yammering to a minimum.”

“Oh, he’s definitely back,” Kol joked. “How about I get some water and you find the doctor, Beks?” She hated that nickname and her scowl confirmed it.

They both left the room and Klaus had to admit he was happy to enjoy the silence and just close his eyes for a moment.

Although he wasn’t at fault, Klaus knew he’d been off kilter for a few weeks now and might have had a slight lapse in concentration. It was bad enough he hadn’t seen Caroline since their argument but the worst part was that she didn’t even seem to want to try and make things work for them. She also seemed embarrassed for some reason and that hurt more than Klaus had imagined.

Sure, things started off fun and as much as Klaus liked that he knew things couldn’t continue that way. Yes, he was off to Oxford but he hoped that she’d offer to try rather than giving up. He even told her he loved her and nothing. To say he was hurt was an understatement.

“Oh my god,” he heard her voice, almost like he’d summoned her or something.

“Klaus.” He could hear the emotion and the slight wobble in her voice. “What have you done?” He heard her take a seat at his bedside and felt her take his hand. Klaus knew he should have opened his eyes but he was curious about what she might say.

“Please tell me the other guy looks worse and if not I’m going to kick his ass.” Klaus had to fight the urge not to smile. She was incredibly adorable when she was being jealous.

“Can you please just open those pretty eyes so we can talk? I want to tell you what an idiot I was last time I saw you.” As much as he wanted to do just that and gloat, Klaus stayed still waiting.

“Fine, if you’re going to be stubborn about it,” she muttered. “A couple of things.”

“One, I was an idiot and if you expect me to admit that when you’re conscious, think again. Two, I was scared about losing you and what we have because my family has these overwhelming expectations and I was trying to be all things to all people.” Klaus figured she was just about done and then she continued.

“Three, I want you and I want us and I love you and I really regret not saying that the other week. And finally, four, I got into Oxford and I really want to go but I don’t want you to think I’m some crazy weird stalker..”

“You got into Oxford?” His eyes flew open and he spoke before thinking, he was that shocked.

“You were awake the whole time?” She growled, squeezing his hand tightly.

“Ouch, Caroline.”

“You deserved it,” she insisted, before relenting and loosening her grip. “Yes, I got into Oxford.”

“And you love me?”

“Well, there’s no point in asking given you heard it all,” she muttered.

“And you were an idiot?”

“I’m never going to live that one down, am I?”

“Probably not,” he smiled, pulling her closer. “But I wouldn’t have you any other way. Hang on, aren’t you supposed to be competing right now?”

“I was but decided I needed to be here,” she replied. “I need to start doing more of what I want with my life. But don’t let it go to your head, Mikaelson.”

“Come up here,” he asked, pulling her onto the bed so she was laying beside him. She felt familiar, comfortable and like home. “I want to make up for the last few weeks.”

“You want to do it in the hospital bed?”

“No, but someone is clearly over eager,” he chuckled.

“I’m so glad I’m in a hospital right now because I’m going to be sick,” Kol groaned, walking into the room with the doctor and Rebekah on his heels.

His reaction was predictable but Klaus and Caroline didn't really care, they were far too immersed in each other to even respond. Not when they had a future to look forward to and, after all of the initial animosity, it was most definitely worth it in the end.

#kcbingo2020 #klaroline fanfiction #klaroline drabbles #klaroline fanfic #klaroline #misssophiachase #my writing

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yasmine-arslan · 4 years ago

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( melisa pamuk, female, she/her. ) — see yasmine arslan (murray) ? that’s the broken bird of fairview . the twenty-nine year old has been a resident on wisteria lane for four years and currently works as a registered nurse (rn). yasmine confided in rose with the death of her son and grew close enough to her to help her cope with the his loss. since the news broke, any progress they’d made toward yasmine becoming a person again has sent her into regression. her returning-optimism has seemingly been replaced by a dark, cynical sense of humor cracking under the surface. maybe it’s the fact that a dark cloud in the form of one or two secrets is hanging over their head. they are described as smelling of ysl’s black opium, having a bronze-glow with enticing eyes and dark, long tresses with full lips and being able to save a life just as quickly as they can take one. // (jessy, she/her, twenty-four, cst). + disciplined, resourceful - cunning, perfervid

tw: child death, miscarriage, depression.

short version:

yasmine arslan comes from a wealthy family, primarily involving the shale or oil companies they own. she didn’t want to follow in her four older siblings’ footsteps (with yasmine being the youngest) and continue delving into the family business. she joined the military at a young age and became a medic for the u.s. marines with her family’s full-support.. it was meeting adrian that encouraged her to wrap up her contract and become honorably discharged from the marines seeing as fraternizing was forbidden. however, her devotion to helping people didn’t cease and she accepted an offer as an rn in the hometown they decided to settle into.

it came to little surprise to either of them, even after a miscarrige, when yasmine became pregnant with their little boy, josiah. those around her were shocked to see her excel at being a mother seeing as she seemingly didn’t possess a single maternal bone in her body, but motherhood changed her. she adored her son and josiah was absolutely adored to bits by both of his parents.

adrian had been in the military a lot longer than yasmine and had a lot more blood on his hands than she did. he had a harder time adjusting to the civilian lifestyle than she had and ultimately decided to cope by becoming a mercenary. he was a loving husband and father by day, but a killer, gun-for-hire by night. all of the killing began to take a toll when he sloppily allowed one of his marks to get away. he didn’t think it would come back to haunt him until it did. their four-year old son was killed in cold-blood in their arms, forever changing their lives and their marriage.

yasmine was never a warm person, by any means, but she lived for her son and her family. his death forced herself into a recluse unable to do much other than autonomously meander throughout life.

instead of separating, the family moved to wisteria lane to try and start over and discuss the idea of trying for another child. despite her cold demeanor, nursing is her passion. she seldom shows her emotions and really only allows adrian in long enough to get a glimpse of a person beyond her beautiful, bronzed, cold demeanor. she doesn’t know her husband is responsible for the death of their son because heaven forbid. when she isn’t in her nurses scrubs or work uniforms, she’s seen in designer attire. very little people know of josiah’s existence because no one is allowed in their home. those who are hardly make it far enough to see his room or any lingering pictures of him.

statistics:

TW: Miscarriage, PTSD, Drug and Alcohol Usage, Child Death, Divorce, Infertility, Depression

Basics:

☾ ━ Portrayal By: Melisa Pamuk ☾ ━ Full Name: Yasmine Arslan-Murray ☾ ━ Nicknames: Yas, Yaz, Yazzy, Mina, Arslan. ☾ ━ Age & Birth Date: 34 / 17 April 1993. ☾ ━ Sex & Pronouns: Female / She & Her. ☾ ━ Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual. ☾ ━ Marital Status: Married (Complicated). ☾ ━ Current Location: Fairview, Illinois. ☾ ━ Place of Birth: Ankara, Turkey. (Central Anatolia Region). ☾ ━ Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX, USA. ☾ ━ Ethnicity: Turkish & Italian. ☾ ━ Race & Nationality: Middle Eastern & Caucasian / Turkish (birth) & American (naturalization). ☾ ━ Languages Spoken: Turkish, English, Italian, and Spanish. ☾ ━ Religion: Non-practicing Muslim. ☾ ━ Occupation: Assistant (previously) / Registered Nurse (currently) / Medical Assistant (formerly). ☾ ━ Education: High School Diploma / Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. ☾ ━ Affiliation: Unapplicable.

Relationships:

☾ ━ Parents: Nina & Yousef Arslan. ☾ ━ Siblings: Yousef Arslan (brother; 39), Zayn Arslan (brother; 40), Maha Arslan (sister; 19). ☾ ━ Significant Other: Adrian Murray (husband; on-again, off again). Yasmine met Adrian in Corpus Christi while she was still in nursing school. (Insert their complicated history/timeline here). Eventually the duo became married, and had a son together. Later, after their son’s death, she attempted to separate herself from him after being unable to look past blaming him for Josiah’s death, but can’t seem to be without him. ☾ ━ Children: Josiah Zayn Russel-Arslan. Adrian (an ex-military, gun-for-hire mercenary) and Yasmine lost their son brutally for reasons unbeknownst to her, though Adrian knows who is responsible and why. They’d meant to shoot her or Adrian, but their son got caught in the cross fires. He died shortly before his fifth birthday. ☾ ━ Pets: 3 Coy fish, 2 dogs (Lilly; pitbull) & (Saguaro; german shepherd), 1 snake (Rose; mud snake). ☾ ━ Familial Ties: ☾ ━ Others Worth Mentioning: ☾ ━ Height: 5”4’. ☾ ━ Weight: 119lbs. ☾ ━ Eye Color & Shape: Deep brown & almond shape. ☾ ━ Hair Color & Style: Dark brown; naturally wavy with thick curls. Usually worn either curly, straight, up or tied back with two braids and loose tresses. ☾ ━ Complexion: Golden-bronze. ☾ ━ Distinguished Features: Two small beauty marks on the right side of her chin and cheek, prominent jawline, big, sultry eyes, a subtle accent. ☾ ━ Style: When she wasn’t wearing her military or nursing attire, Yasmine is found wearing any series of designer jeans or other bottoms including skirts and pants. Silky camisoles, satin blouses, plain tees, oversized sweaters, and over-the-shoulder shirts dominate her closet. She also wears dresses, sundresses or bodycons and anything in between, and even dual-utilizes her blazers as dresses. Yasmine can also be found wearing her ex-husband’s tees and jackets when she isn’t wearing her own cardigans, denim or leather outwear, or workout gear. Bralettes are always fashionably seen poking out of her shirts. She mostly wears neutral or minimalistic hues such as black, white, nude, baby pink or blue, gray, and any variations of these shades. Her obscene shoes are a vast collection of chunky booties, long boots, heels, wedges, and flats, mostly black with the occasional color. She can always be found wearing a designer bag and accessories. Her ears only wear one singular set of diamond earrings, while she wears a small cross around her neck that she interchanges with a lock that consists of a photo of her son, Josiah. She still wears her wedding bands and no other rings. ☾ ━ Physical Description: Barely standing at five and a half feet and a little over a hundred pounds, Yasmine can be described as petite. She is often underestimated as she can put anyone on their ass before they can anticipate it. Her go-to makeup look consists of a natural look unless she’s purposely going for a subtle glam look. Either way, her lipstick choices are subtle nudes, pinks, browns, and the occasional red. Mostly, she sticks to matte lips or clear glosses. Her lashes are thick and long without mascara, but she piles it on to accommodate her thick eyebrows and full lips. Now that she is no longer in the military or nursing, she can be found wearing black pants, booties or heels, and blouses. When she’s summoned to aid one of the Bianchi members or associates with medical attention, she will wear her nursing outfit if she can, but she always keeps her nursing bag handy that she mostly substitutes with her handbags. ☾ ━ Tropes: The Healer, The Grieving Mother, The Vengeful. ☾ ━ MBTI: ENFJ (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging). ☾ ━ Temperament: Choleric ☾ ━ Zodiac: Aries - The Ram. ☾ ━ Alignment: Chaotic neutral. ☾ ━ Element: Fire. ☾ ━ Sin: Wrath. ☾ ━ Hogwarts House: Slytherin. ☾ ━ Greek Goddess: Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom. ☾ ━ Negative Traits: Impatient, moody, short-tempered, impulsive, aggressive. ☾ ━ Positive Traits: Courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate. ☾ ━ Personality: She hadn’t had an easy childhood and it hardened her from an early age. Although she’s a nurse, her personality doesn’t fit the bill of a healer. She’s cold to nearly anyone initially other than her patients and her son before his death, and her ex-husband pre-divorce. She has a cold, dry sense of humor that consists of sarcasm and beration of others. She is easily set off and has been known for her violent outbursts, none of which she’s ever lost because she’s underestimated. While she can come off as neurotic and moody, Yasmine can be loyal to a fault and always puts the physical wellbeing and needs of others before her own. She was born from a wealthy family and has always chosen to help others in need, despite her lack of compassion. Losing her son only made her more aggressive and passionate, closed-off and even malicious. Few get to see past the fortress she’s created around her heart. ☾ ━ Fixations (Likes): ☾ ━ Aversions (Dislikes): ☾ ━ Vices: Red or white wine, tequila, the occasional cigarette, prescription anti-anxieties and opiates. ☾ ━ Medical History: Two pregnancies (one unsuccessful via miscarriage, one successful), fertility issues, a broken arm, two bullets in her shoulder, chicken pox, occasional seasonal allergies. ☾ ━ Psyche: Yasmine was diagnosed with a mild case of PTSD following her two tours overseas, but was easily cured with therapy and an antidepressant. She despised taking medications until she was diagnosed with a slight case of postpartum before giving birth to her son instead of after birthing him. Josiah was the light of Yasmine and Garrett’s lives, completely curing her of any depressive state she might’ve been in as she had always considered herself mentally strong. Since his death, she’s been unable to recover from the pit of despair and meanness that consumes her life. The only person capable of even coming close to making her feel a sliver of emotion is Garrett. She abuses prescription drugs, especially opiates, to cope with the loss. Occasionally she becomes roped into a state of mind where she seeks comfort in Garrett and sleeps with him, subconsciously trying for another child despite her aversion to exposing another child to their childhood.

Other:

➤ Yasmine was born in the country of Turkey into a strict household that consisted of three additional siblings (two older brothers, one younger sister), four including herself. Her parents own a shale corporation within the country and gave their children trust funds to jump start their educations and futures. For a better chance at a future, she was sent to live with an aunt and an uncle who raised her in Texas. They’d always envisioned their daughter as a doctor, but nursing was her passion. They were proud of her for graduating with honors and still continuing to work her way up the ranks in the medical field.

➤ She spent the entirety of her career easily surpassing the people around her at every milestone and every skill while healing those around her. She witnessed death until it desensitized her and tried to heal anyone, enemies and allies alike.

➤ Yasmine met Adrian Murray early-on in her nursing schooling career. He was infamous, more than a man but less than a God as far as other soldiers were concerned. After years of despising men and swerving them at every turn, she became infatuated with him despite the differences in their age. Garrett Russell was a Force Recon Marine, Scout Sniper, 2nd Lieutenant, and was a Silver Star recipient, with over a decade and a half of military experience under his belt. He reciprocated his feelings for her and chose to continue their relationship after he retired. Not shortly after she graduated, Yasmine became a nurse at a local hospital in Corpus and they began to see each other.

➤ After many false positives, difficulty with their fertility, and a miscarriage, Adrian and Yasmine successfully conceived a son, Josiah Zayn Murray. He was the best parts of his parents, the only good thing either of them were capable of. Adrian became a mercenary to support his family, even though Yasmine had her trust fund to keep them living a comfortable lifestyle. Regardless, he chose to funnel his energy and skills into something he was good at rather than let the trauma of his experiences as a soldier consume him.

➤ Their family was the epitome of picture-perfect, of happiness. It was enviable to watch a beautiful family live such a quaint, charmed life, despite Yasmine’s opposition to her husband’s occupation. She tried to focus on being a good mother and a supportive wife, but often found herself resenting him every time he’d come home covered in blood, smelling of gunpowder or burnt flesh. He was an attentive father, but became lost in the bloodlust aspect of being a mercenary and it eventually came back to haunt them.

➤ Shortly after completing a job, Adrian inadvertently left a loose end behind, or so she assumed.. Said ‘loose-end’ eventually found his family and remorselessly attacked them, spraying their home with bullets, leaving both of them unscathed. Their son, however, was shot repeatedly and died immediately and gruesomely in their arms. It took her awhile to figure out he was to blame, despite having her suspicions, but she resented him beyond her ability to remain married to him. They became separated because she couldn’t see him without thinking of Josiah, the spitting image of Adrian, but she refused to officially divorce him..

➤ Eventually, they moved to Fairview at the recommendation of a family friend and settled into the quaint neighborhood of Wisteria Lane, hoping for a chance at a fresh start where they could hopefully work on their marriage and try for another child.

➤ She doesn’t allow anyone to publicly see her grieve, choosing to break down on her own or amid her husband’s presence. Her coldness only amplified and she’s recently become more violent, hitting Adrian and throwing anything at him while purposely instigating so he’ll defend himself against her.

➤ She purposely finds and puts herself in situations that could cost her her life, unafraid of death and the morbid possibility of meeting her son soon.

#wisteriaintro #x. biography #tw: child death #tw: miscarriage #tw: death #tw: ptsd #tw: drugs #tw: alcohol #tw: infertility #tw: depression

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fireblaze5555 · 4 years ago

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Fire Away: Chapter 3

WARNING: This chapter contains assault and attempted sexual assault. If this is disturbing to you, please view the synopsis of the chapter in the end notes on Ao3.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24934339/chapters/61045300

Chapter 3: Pretend I'm a Shelter for Heartaches That Don't Have a Home

It was amazing, Karen had missed Frank incredibly since she last saw him, worried herself sick about him after she left the hospital. And yet, he had managed to infuriate her to an amazing degree twice in the span of just a couple of hours.

She felt her face heat with anger, how dare he take this decision from her. Karen let Frank make his decisions, as much as it hurt her to do so and he couldn’t even give her the same courtesy?

"Oh yeah? Just keeping up with your proclivity for double standards? Well YOU don't get to decide for me Frank. I didn't ask you to track me across anything, sorry you wasted your time.” She paused for a second, her eyes searing him with her fury as she thought carefully about her next words.

“When you asked me to walk away before, I listened," Not without fighting tooth and nail , she thought, but that's beside the point . Karen's voice dropped low and harsh, "You don't have to ask me walk away this time." She pretended she didn't see hurt flash across his soulful eyes before she stood from the table. Pretended like just saying those words didn’t make her heart feel like it was being ripped out and now she had to back them up and actually leave.

His eyes followed her as she straightened and said softly, "Thanks for dinner Frank. Have a safe trip back."

She was proud of how steady her voice was despite her throat closing around her anger and the fragments of her broken heart.

Karen turned on her heels and headed for the door. She heard his muttered curse but continued through the door and took off into the night, headed back to the motel on foot. Cutting behind the closed Dollar Store next door she tried to stick to the shadows as much as possible in the sparsely populated complex. Both trying to avoid being spotted in general but also to avoid one agitated marine.

Karen knew he meant well, it softened her anger towards him a little but he didn't get to force her out of his life only to pop up and tell her what she was going to do. Okay, so maybe her anger wasn't softened that much. She deliberately stayed off of the roads to avoid the van she was sure would be rolling by looking for her. Funny how being followed by a murder van driven by one of the most dangerous men in New York was a mere annoyance to her.

Scoffing to herself at the thought, she walked through parking lots and side streets that ran parallel to the main road that brought them from the motel. It only took a few minutes for her to realize she didn't have her jacket and despite the pleasant temperature during the day, night was still pretty chilly. A shiver ran through Karen, making her gasp when it reminded her about the large bruise covering her side. It was to a point where she could forget about it until she moved just right. Turns out, shivering was 'just right' because the ache got deeper and more persistent. It occurred to her as well when she went to reach in and verify she had a room key, that she had also left her bag in the room. Frank showing up had completely thrown her off.

"Well this is going to be a long walk back. I should have made my point a little closer to my destination." She murmured wrapping her arms around herself.

Karen tried to walk a bit more briskly, hoping a faster pace would help warm her extremities some. The crunch of tires on road debris had her rolling her eyes, it hadn't taken him as long to find her as she thought. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for the coming storm, Karen turned to glare at Frank the best she could through her shivering but went suddenly still.

‘He’ had found her it would seem but it wasn't Frank. It was a normal looking silver sedan, nothing out of the ordinary for small town USA. The man who climbed out of the driver seat, however, was not a 2nd shifter headed home from work, try as he might to look casual. He was a large man, several inches taller than her and muscularly built and she really hoped he was just a good samaritan.

"Excuse me Miss, you look lost. Do you need some directions?" His voice seemed sincere, light and friendly, it made her pause for a second until she saw the glint of something in his waistband.

Putting as much casual pleasantness in her voice as she could, Karen waved a hand vaguely ahead, "Oh, that's very kind of you but I actually don't live too far from here. I'll be meeting up with my husband soon anyway, he usually meets me halfway!" She gave a blinding smile but didn't turn her back. If it really was a good samaritan, he would get back in his car and let her go but if it wasn't, she wasn't going to turn her back on him.

He took a step closer, causing her to take a step back and with a smile that was all predator he began pushing his jacket sleeves up his forearms, "Funny, the file didn't say anything about you being married. It didn't say how pretty you were either, though, which is even better."

Well that answered that , Karen took off in a sprint, rounding the first corner she could to avoid any possible projectiles. She didn't hear any cracks of gunfire but she did hear footsteps behind her that sounded like they were covering much more ground than her. She cleared the next building and had an open parking lot between her and a small scrubby wooded area, if she could reach that she may be able to lose him. Pulling from her days in track she lengthened her stride and tried to regulate her breathing, ignoring how her heaving breaths made her ribs burn. Lord don't let all those years of running be for nothing .

As the sparse wooded area came closer, Karen felt like she might actually make it. Until a hand tangled in her hair, pulling her up short, knocking what wind she had left out of her lungs when she hit the pavement on her back. The man stepped into view so Karen wasted no time, lashing out with a long leg, kicking hard and hoping to land a blow to his groin. The kick landed but unfortunately it was only to his inner thigh. He let out a grunt only losing his footing for a second before landing a much more on target punch to her face.

Karen's cheek lit up with pain, her vision blurring. She was pretty sure the inside of her cheek got cut with the impact as well because she had the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.

"Now, now," the man panted above her as began dragging her the rest of the way into the scrub trees by her hair, his voice was light, like he was amused by her struggle, like tracking someone down to murder them was just the every day norm. "Be a good bounty. No need to make something so inevitable so difficult. I promise we will have a good time before I put you out of everyone's misery."

Ice cold fear gripped her spine at his tone. He didn't intend on just killing her and being done with it. Redoubling her efforts, Karen gripped the hand embedded in her hair doing her best to dig her nails into his wrist. Her other hand reached up until she felt his eye, digging her fingers in as much as she could there as well. The grip in her hair loosened just for a second while he cursed but then he was slamming her head into the ground causing the world around her to go black for a moment.

A weight on Karen’s ribs quickly brought her back around as the man straddled her hips and had heavy hands pushing her t-shirt up over her breasts. Karen let out a whimper but quickly started pushing at his face, an edge coming into her voice, "Don't touch me, motherfucker. I will fucking end you!"

He just laughed, pushing her hands away and pressing harder into her ribs. She did at least have the satisfaction of seeing blood running down his cheek. That evaporates quickly though, replaced by a sick feeling when he canted his hips so that she could feel just how much he was enjoying himself. His amusement was abruptly halted by the sickening crunch of his nose when Karen brought her elbow down onto it, baring her teeth and clenching her jaw against the pain that radiates up her arm from the impact.

"Goddamnit! Stupid fucking bitch!" He landed another blow that had her arms falling to the sides of her head. Her vision was dark around the edges but she could see the blood running from the man's face and the rage burning in his eyes. She was only vaguely aware of his hands unlatching his belt. Her mind was screaming at her to move, to do something but her limbs would not cooperate, the panic bubbling up through the sludge of near unconsciousness just giving her enough energy to stay awake.

An inhuman yell echoed through the area before Karen felt the man move off of her. The fog was starting to clear from her vision but she still flinched when she heard the crack of gunshots.

Looking in the direction she thought they had come from, she saw Frank fighting with the larger man, a power struggle for the gun. She had only managed to pull herself up to an elbow when she heard the sickening crunch of the man's wrist and before he could process the pain he had two bullets in his head and the rest of the magazine in his chest.

Karen shivered as she looked at Frank. Well, not quite Frank, at least not a side of him she had seen very often. She was looking at the Punisher, in all his wide eyed glory. He landed a kick to the side of the man's head for good measure, his breaths coming out in sharp bursts, his muscles coiled and ready for another attack. It only took a gasp from Karen as she tried to sit up to snap him back to himself.

"Karen!" he was kneeling at her side instantly, gently pushing her back. "Hey, hey, don't move, let me look ya over first." He started at her head, she hissed when he found the large bump on the back of her skull from where her assailant had bounced her head off of the ground. He skimmed over her cheekbones and down her arms, looking for broken bones. He stilled, quiet rage building in his eyes, his jaw clenching as he saw her shirt pushed up over her breasts. His hand was scorching hot against her chilled flesh as he ran his calloused hand lightly over her watercolor ribs.

Karen placed her hand over his on her side when she saw his rage start to bleed into torment. He met her eyes quickly. She spoke quiet but firm, "That was from before I left New York. This isn't on you Frank, none of it." She could tell he wanted to argue but settled for pulling her shirt down and quickly stripping his jacket off. Gingerly he helped Karen sit up and thread her arms through the much too large garment.

Voice low and ragged he gently pulled her to her feet, "The van is just up the embankment over there. We will get back to the room to get your stuff and then we need to leave."

She made a grunt of acknowledgement, doing her best not to let the pain show too much on her face as they moved up the hill to the waiting van. They were closer to the main road than she had realized but it still felt like an eternity as they made their way up the embankment. Frank had pulled the van hastily to the shoulder, presumably after seeing the struggle below.

Quickly, he bundled her up in the van before pulling back onto the deserted road to her motel room. Her shivering was starting to subside, his residual warmth in the jacket seeping into her bones. Karen took a deep breath, breathing in Frank's scent of gunsmoke and leather and with a sigh she realized how incredibly tired she was. Karen felt his eyes on her frequently and held his gaze for a while but before long she rested her head against the window and shut her eyes until the van eased to a stop.

---

Frank had slammed the ticket and money on the counter as quickly as he could but when he stepped outside it's like Karen had vanished into ether. Cursing louder this time, he stepped around the sides of the building hoping she had just stepped out to cool down.

The woman was infuriating. Karen was so goddamn headstrong, so damn stubborn and despite his rising frustration and unease he begrudgingly had to admit she had a right to be angry. It really wasn’t fair of him to push her away so strongly only to pop into her life when he saw fit but also, there was no way he could leave her to be hunted down. Just another example of her showing him she wasn't going to take his shit. Karen matched him blow for blow in so many ways.

However, if she got herself hurt to prove a point to him, he was going to kill her. Or at least give her a very stern talking-to. Right after he ensures there isn't a scratch on her and she is safe.

He crossed the lot, wrenching the van door open and hopping into the driver seat. She couldn't have gone too far, so he looped around a couple of buildings before getting back on the main road. He suspected she would not be out in the open so he scanned the surrounding area as he slowly rolled through. Thankfully there wasn't any traffic out, the less prying eyes the better.

Frank stopped abruptly, there was a car parked on an access road to his right. The lights were on and the driver's side door wide open. It had been about 10 minutes since he last saw her, there was no way she could be in trouble already...right? Who was he kidding, Karen was a shit magnet, trouble could find her at the drop of a hat.

He sped up a bit, dividing his attention between the road ahead of him and the access road to the side. It opened up into an empty parking lot that, for a second, had Frank thinking maybe the car had been a false alarm after all.

Movement caught his eye at the edge of the parking lot in a copse of trees. He saw a flash of blonde under a large man's hands as he was beating her head against the ground. Instinct took over before Frank had a second thought, the rage that fueled him blooming out from his chest and he pulled the van to the shoulder, slamming it in park with his sidearm in hand in a matter of seconds. He heard her beautiful voice spitting venom at the man on top of her and his heart stuttered in his chest knowing she was conscious and fighting back. The man's back was mostly to him but the angle of the embankment prevented Frank from having a clear shot. He didn't want to risk the bullet passing through him into Karen, so he holstered the gun and took off at a sprint. He saw her elbow come down and the man's answering punch and he was nearly mad with the fury from it but the world bled to crimson when he saw the man reaching for his own belt, a sadistic smile on his face.

Extreme military training and his current lifestyle allowed Frank to operate on near autopilot when he pulled Karen's assailant off of her. He barely felt the few blows the man got in on him and didn't flinch when he broke the man's wrist after a brief struggle, taking the gun and ending him with two shots to the head and 5 more in his chest for good measure. Everything was still tinged red, each breath raked his throat raw as Frank tried to rein himself in before he kicked the man in the head.

A pained gasp behind him brought the world back into full color and sharp focus and Frank was kneeling before Karen before he had time to blink. He thinks he said her name, he isn't sure, "Hey, hey, don't move, let me look ya over first."

There was a large goose egg on the back of her head, he would have to watch her for concussion. He skimmed his fingers over the delicate bones of her face, there was swelling but he didn't feel anything broken. He noticed blood gathered at the corner of her mouth, hopefully no broken teeth. As his hands smoothed down her arms he noticed her shirt had been pushed up over her bra and her side was a mix of blues and purples he was used to seeing on himself but would do anything to prevent ever seeing on Karen again. Rage and nausea hit him at the implications of what was about to happen.

Asshole, you had to be an asshole and chase her off. This wouldn't have happened if you weren't such a prick ...Frank was brought out of his thoughts by her hand resting firmly on his. He hadn't even realized he had reached out to touch the large bruise. Her voice was small but laced with steel, "That was from before I left New York. This isn't on you Frank, none of it."

He wanted to tell her how wrong she was but the way she was looking at him made the words stick in his throat.

Frank was pretty sure there wasn't a heaven or hell but if angels existed, Karen Page had to be a prime example. She never gave up on her crusade to redeem him and it blew him away every time. He glanced quickly over at the man with his broken nose and what looked like scratches by his eye before he looked back at her and saw hellfire in her eyes. Yeah, an angel of truth and retribution, burning the guilt out of every sinner. They'd build monuments to her one day.

Shaking himself out of that line of thought he tugged her shirt down gently and noticing her tremor he was out of his jacket in seconds. It felt like an eternity before he had her safely in the van, tucking the man's gun into a bag behind the center console before taking off in the direction of the motel. Every time he glanced at her he was met with her steady gaze but the final time he noticed she had closed her eyes to rest her head against the glass. He tried not to let his worry influence his driving. The last thing they needed was to be pulled over, both had blood splatter on them, she was beat to hell and there were numerous illegal guns in the back.

He pulled slowly into the spot closest to her room, leaning over and resting a gentle hand on her leg, "Hey," he spoke softly to not startle her and it took a second for her eyes to focus on his, "We're here. Let's go get you cleaned up and grab your stuff, yeah?"

She nodded and started to open the door and slide out but Frank was at her side in a second, a solid wall for her to lean into as they made their way to her door. He had the key inserted, cleared the room and ushered her inside before she had much chance to think, laying her back on the springy mattress.

Once he was sure it was as secure as it was going to be, Frank ran back out to the van to grab his first aid kit. He didn't think any of her injuries would require stitches but a cold compress would be good to keep the swelling down on her face. He took a quick second to change his clothes, tossing the blood stained outfit in a bag. Karen was still laying down when he came back and made a line for the sink to find something to wipe the blood from her face. She gave him a wan smile as he sat down beside her with a warm wet washcloth and began gently wiping away the blood.

Standing, Frank went back to the sink to grab a paper cup, filling it with tepid water from the faucet before stepping back and handing it to Karen.

"Here, you can rinse your mouth with this.” She took the cup, draining the contents with no protests, wincing slightly when she sloshed it around her mouth and spitting it back in the cup. Frank gave the barest nod as he set the cup aside, “Open up, let me see where that blood is coming from." He cupped her chin gently as she opened her mouth. "I don't see any broken teeth, looks like you cut the inside of your cheek pretty good though. Gonna be hell eating anything on that side for a while."

She gave a little huff as he let her go and handed her another cup full of clean water to drink.

Stepping over to her bag, he handed it to her, "Gonna wanna change, looks like there is just some blood on your shirt."

Karen didn't question anything, just dug around in her bag to find a different top. Frank busied himself taking out her other things, listening for any sign she might need help. Once she was resettled, he placed one compress to the back of her skull and had her lay back on it and instructed her to alternate the other one on each side of her face while he took her remaining things out, throwing her shirt in the same bag as his sullied clothes to be disposed of.

Before he stood up though, Frank looked her in the eye that wasn't covered with an ice pack and ground out a quiet, "I'm not goin' anywhere Karen."

He saw her lip twitch slightly before she laid her hand gently on the side of his face, running her thumb over his strong cheekbone. He saw moisture gathering in her eyes and just as quietly she rasped, "I know."

Frank leaned into her cool hand, leaving a soft kiss on her palm before moving off the bed. He tried to pretend he couldn't still feel her hand on his face. Tried not to feel how her touch was seared into his flesh. He tried, he failed. Frank felt like if he looked into the mirror he would see exactly where her hand had been, a red brand on his skin where she had caressed him.

It didn't take long for him to have the van loaded up with her meager belongings. He set up the small cot he kept in the back for stakeouts, cursing when he realized he just had one threadbare blanket. Frank walked quickly back into the room, gathering up the blanket bunched up around Karen, carrying it out with one of the spare pillows. Frank felt Karen's curious gaze on him as he absconded with the laundry but she didn’t say anything. She was sitting on the edge of the bed when he came back in to retrieve her. Her cheek was swollen and he could see bruising starting around both of her beautiful eyes. Each developing color and injury marring her skin was another monumental failure on his part. He catalogued every one of them. When he was able to get his hands on Wilson Fisk, he would be sure he got each bruise in turn. Before he died of course.

Without a word, he offered her his hand, pulling her gently to her feet. She gave a small grateful smile before heading out the door. Frank could tell she was trying to keep her shoulders straight but he could see her favoring her ribs. He would need to look closer at those when they had a chance to stop.

He stopped her as she started for the passenger side door, "I set up a cot in the back, why don't you start there. It'll give you a chance to rest and keep ice on those bruises." Karen opened her mouth to argue, he already knew what it would be, 'I'm fine. I don't need rest .'

Frank doesn't like to plead but desperate times and all that...he rested a gentle hand on her shoulder and pleadingly, "Please, Karen." He knew those words would have an affect on her, they always do. With a sigh, she gingerly climbed into the back managing a small exasperated look as she went. Her long legs looked a bit cramped on the small cot but before long she was settled in, cold compresses back in place.

Wasting no time, Frank slid the door shut and rounded the van. Glancing back from his spot in the driver's seat, he isn't surprised to see that Karen is already asleep. Double checking that there was plenty of gas in the vehicle and his firearm was tucked in the door, Frank pulled out of the parking lot. Before long he was on the interstate, heading West and dialing David to see about getting a safe house secured. It only rang once before a familiar voice answered.

" Did you find her ?" David's voice was urgent, not bothering with pleasantries.

"Yeah. Yeah I got her with me. Listen Lieberman, I've already involved you too much but I nee-,"

" Need a place to stay? Yeah I figured, I've been working on getting something set up while you looked ." Frank heard the tell-tale clicking of a keyboard in the background as the hacker's fingers worked deftly. " I have a couple places lined out: Illinois, South Dakota and Colorado. What are you thinking ?"

Frank shook his head, as much as David drove him crazy, the man was incredibly intuitive and efficient. He just hoped he wouldn't get him and his family involved in any shit.

" Hey, Earth to Frank, stop with the brooding and answer the question ."

"Fuck you Lieberman. Colorado, send me the info and then get off the grid. Don't get yourself into any shit trying to help me."

" Yeah, yeah, sure thing. I'll get it to you soon. " There was a pause, " How is she?"

Frank stayed silent for a moment, then quietly so he didn't wake her, "She's pretty beat up." He finished with a growl, "A couple guys got to her before I could stop them."

Another moment of silence.

"She's tough though, she put up a hell of a fight. She even tried to send me home once I found her, said she didn't need me." Amusement laced his tone, then he realized just how quiet David was on the other end of the line.

"Oh fuck off Lieberman. Don't start that shit. Just send me the information and go spend time with your family or somethin'."

There was a smile in David's voice and no small amount of smugness. There was no way to miss the affection in Frank's voice when he talked about Karen.

" Yeah, alright, it's sent. Try following the route I outlined, it will be easier for me to track you and make sure you don't have a tail. I've got channels open for any mention of Karen here in New York. You kids just relax and have a good time. Don't do anything I wouldn-.. " Frank hangs up the phone and tosses into the passenger seat before David can finish.

A muttered, "Asshole." Was all he said before settling in for a long trip.

#kastle #Karen Page #bamf karen page #frank castle x karen page #assault

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fnlrndcllctv · 4 years ago

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Tekken

In our Soundtrack Sunday series, we take a look at the music of fighting games, track by track!

For the fifth instalment, Shaun Eddleston takes a look at the music of 1994’s Tekken…

(For the purpose of this article, only the Arcade version of the game’s soundtrack is being covered).

In 1994, 3D fighting games were still in their infancy. SEGA’s first fighting game experiment in the form of Dark Edge and the boundary-pushing Virtua Fighter had barely been out for a year, and games such as Battle Arena Toshinden were still just around the corner for the next generation of home consoles such as the Sony PlayStation and SEGA Saturn.

Namco wanted in on the action, so enlisted the talents of Virtua Racing & Virtua Fighter game designer Seiichi Ishii to help develop 3D fighting game of their own, based on a hardware demo that was initially developed to show off some fancy new graphics off to investors. What started off as a game called “RAVE WAR” would eventually go on to become not only one of the most successful and longest-running fighting game franchises, but one of the biggest selling video game series of all time; Tekken.

As the technology was still somewhat limited at the time, Tekken’s stages were a simple affair. A seemingly infinite scrolling plane placed in front of some parallax backgrounds to give the impression of depth, each of these fighting arenas required a little bit more oomph to push forward and create a suitable, varied atmosphere in which players could beat each other up.

That’s where the music comes in. As Tekken was such an early entry in the realm of 3D fighters, the soundtrack played a considerably larger role in establishing how the game felt than in later entries.

So, how does the original soundtrack holdup today?

Let’s find out…

The game’s introduction is fairly non-eventful in its 20-second runtime, but it does make good use of the game’s stereo mix by panning left and right to create a more immersive effect, and reminds me a little bit of elements found in the PlayStation startup jingle.

Tekken’s character select music is a loop of what initially appears to be a fuzzy, overdriven funk bassline over a simple drumbeat, but to me personally, there was always something about this version that didn’t sit right with me. Upon listening closer, I think I’ve figured out what it is.

Behind the upbeat bass that is designed to get players pumped up before a fight, there’s two droning chords being played in the background that elicit a very serious, uneasy tone. Its a strange sensation that’s also present in the PlayStation version of the soundtrack (although it’s not as strong, thanks to better quality remixing!)

“Marine Stadium, Japan” is where the soundtrack has the most fun with the stereo mix, creating a dizzying effect by throwing samples at the listener from all directions in the left and right speaker. Once the track gets moving, there’s a call & response going on between many of the tracks separate elements, running a fine line between being a disjointed mess and a brilliantly cohesive piece.

Luckily the rhythm section and background pads do a great job of keeping things in check.

Definitely one of my favourites in the game.

“Chicago, USA” is probably the grittiest track of the OST, and is probably closer to what a lot of the game’s music sounds like in the modern era than the rest of the tracklist.

The fuzzy bass tone of the character select screen makes yet another appearance here, and immediately starts to make each of the “verse” sections feel incredibly busy and muddies the entire mix straight away.

The chorus, although very brief, saves the song in a big way. The soaring keys, accompanied by some fun percussive claps, make this one of the most enjoyable songs that still holds up really well today.

On a related note, the arrange version found in the PlayStation port is flawless.

The most immediate thing I noticed about this track is just how loud and distracting the bass is. It rumbles throughout the majority of the runtime, and almost ruins the whole experience for me, that is until the bass drops out and allows listeners to focus in a bit more on the tracks other elements.

Once you get past the overpowering synth bass, this is actually a really fun track. Utilising samples of traditional Chinese stringed instruments and gong hits, it’s a high energy track that perks up the players fighting in the mountainous stage.

Imagine a hard-hitting techno remix of Chun-Li from Street Fighter II’s music and you’ve got the right idea.

“Angkor Watt, Cambodia” is probably the closest that the game comes to an industrial sound, and I mean that in a literal sense. The drums and bass is accentuated with what sounds like stylised machinery interspersed with synth leads for the whole track. This robotic selection is an odd choice to use for a stage that’s based on the real life Angkor Watt (i.e. a complex of ancient temples in Cambodia, NOT a factory filled with heavy machinery).

The track also ends before it has the chance to build up into anything really interesting, and remains as a bit of a teaser for me.

“Fiji” is unlike anything else in the Tekken soundtrack, and is arguably one of the series’ most iconic pieces of music (it gets revisited a handful of times throughout the franchise’s long history). The track dials things up into party mode, with steel drums and a catchy salsa beat that really makes you feel like you are on holiday on a tropical island, with a bassline that you’d expect to hear in a bustling nightclub.

A true highlight of the soundtrack, and most definitely the biggest earworm of the whole tracklist.

With “Acropolis, Greece”, we steer into something with a much more dramatic mood.

While the drums and bass for most of the song leave a lot to be desired in terms of differentiating themselves from damn near every other song in the soundtrack, its the the chorus that saves the whole composition. Backed up by some choir keys that remind me of Angel Dust-era Faith No More (the best era, by the way!) and some military-style drumming that’s sprinkled throughout, it builds up to something pleasant, even though it doesn’t quite reach the majesty of the location’s namesake.

“Kyoto, Japan” follows in the footsteps of “Sichuan, China”, in that it utilises samples of traditional instruments from the location’s culture.

This is another track that makes great use of the stereo mix, with the instruments constantly in flux from the left to right speaker (and vice versa). The song does feel a little choppier than the rest of the soundtrack in places though, and the constant “un-tiss-un-tiss-un-tiss” drumbeat mixed together with the percussion samples of blocks being hit makes the song sound like something from the Samurai Shodown games if they were all on ecstasy.

“King George Island, Antarctica” is one of the more interesting items on this fighting game menu, as the song is driven forward by something outside of the simple drumbeat and funk bassline. Instead, it’s powered by an ongoing drone sound hidden in the background. While not quite in Sunn O))) territory, it’s something that makes the track feel unique to its peers, even though it largely contains a lot of the same elements as them.

This one took me by surprise.

Most of the runtime of “Venezia, Italy” sees the music simmering away comfortably, then once the chorus hits, it erupts into a slightly operatic, adventurous display of strings and choirs. Not only that, but for the latter half of the brief chorus, the drum beat instantly shifts into a jazzy offbeat section that definitely threw me off in terms of where I was expecting the music to go.

It’s a gamble that ultimately pays off, and it’s one that results in one of the more underrated tracks in the collection.

“Windermere, U.K.” is where the quality of the game’s music takes a hard hit.

Everything in the song sounds like you’re listening to it through a wall, with the individual instruments being drowned out by the overblown bass and frankly dull drum loops, and even then, the synthetic saxophone sections of the song don’t sound very interesting either. It’s a couple of minutes that holds the entire OST back.

At least the Arrange version in the following year’s PlayStation port was an improvement.

From the game’s weakest track, we head straight into one of the best moments in the entire OST.

“Monument Valley, USA” is one of the most ominous, evil-sounding stage themes that you’re likely to encounter in any fighting game. Just over a minute of harsh windy soundscapes, thunderous gongs, grandiose strings and monk chants that feel more like a summoning of an ancient demon than an actual song. It’s such a deviation from the rest of the music in Tekken, almost to the point where it could be from a totally different game altogether.

The PlayStation version of this song is rightfully in my top 10 favourite fighting game tracks of all time.

Tekken’s final credits music is an absolute pleasure to listen to. In just a couple of minutes, it effectively melds together all of the different vibes of each stage in the game without resorting to just clipping them together as a cheap montage.

Besides, it’s just a relief to have something relatively soothing after dealing with the horrid AI of Heihachi as a final boss.

Overall, the soundtrack to the very first Tekken game is pretty far away from people may be used to from the high intensity of the modern entries in the franchise.

Instead of punishing dubstep and songs you’d expect to hear from a harder-edged Dance Dance Revolution game soundtracks (is that even a thing?), the music selection here is much simpler and way more subdued.

Tasked with trying to represent the various locations from around the world, Namco Sounds did an admirable job getting the vibe right for each stage. From the absolute party of “Fiji” and the sports broadcast jingle of “Marine Stadium, Japan” to the gritty club beats of “Chicago, USA” and the windy soundscapes of “Monument Valley, USA”, the Tekken soundtrack is a varied, interesting mix that not only gives each landmark and setting more personality, but also attempts to set the bar for a series that has since become known for its great music.

Now, time to try and get “Fiji” out of my head until Tekken 2’s edition of Soundtrack Sunday…

The soundtrack is available on vinyl here.

Are you a fan of the original Tekken’s music? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#Tekken #Namco #Soundtrack #1994

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lostinthewiind · 6 years ago

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Hey there! First of all, congrats on nailing your atonomy lab! Second of all, I would like to request some johnny martin fic if that's okay. I really enoy the way you write his character. Hope you have a lovely day

I love my sweet mama Martin! He doesn’t get enough love :)

Guys, buckle up, this is gonna be feel-central. I tried to think of something happier, but this idea just won’t leave my head. I know you probably wanted something happy anon…I apologize.

Warnings: death, loss, sadness - like seriously guys I really went hard on this one and I’m sorry

Red-Tinted Snow

You could feel everything, and at the same time, nothing at all. You were numb but the cold snow pressing against the back of your neck was making you shiver to no end. Your eyes fluttered open and closed as you struggled to stay awake; you had to stay awake.

Another mortar went off beside you and cold, hard, frozen dirt shot up into your face. The soil hitting you felt like hail and it stung. You could feel the snow and the dirt, but somehow you couldn’t feel the fact that half of your lower leg was missing and that a large chunk of tree shrapnel was protruding from your opposite thigh.

You stared down at your wounds almost as if you were an observer. Those couldn’t be your legs, could they? You would feel that, right? You should feel that.

Your chest heaved up and down in a rugged, uneven rhythm. This couldn’t be happening. You were supposed to make it through this. He had promised you would make it through this. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

As the attack came to an end you could hear the faint voices of your friends in the background as they checked on each other. Sooner or later someone would find you. You hoped it would be sooner because even though you were indifferent to the major injuries, the red-tinted snow around you was a sign that you were not in good shape. You were bleeding out fast.

Funny, you always thought bleeding out would hurt more.

Your shaking intensified from both the cold and the blood loss and you suddenly felt like you were going to throw up. You were dying in the middle of a fucking forest and the only thing you could think about was how gross it would be to throw up all over yourself.

“Y/N?!” a voice echoed through the trees.

You heard the calling and you heard the footsteps, but you couldn’t do anything about it. You couldn’t speak. You were going to pass out soon, you were sure of it.

“Y/N?!” the voice called again. It was louder now. He was closer now. “Y/N where the hell are-”

The screaming cut off and you felt a pair of strong arms wrap around you from behind. “Y/N.” Martin dropped to his knees behind you and pulled you into his chest. You couldn’t see his eyes but you knew he was staring at you — staring at your legs, or more accurately, the slight lack thereof.

“Help…” was all you could muster as you let your weight sink into his embrace. He was warm. He was safe. Johnny Martin was always there for you when you needed him.

“MEDIC!” Martin bellowed, his voice ripping through his throat before he turned his full attention back to you. You were so pale. You were so cold.

Martin felt his heart drop at the sight of the blood — there was so much blood. How could there be that much blood? He hadn’t left you alone for that long; how had you lost so much blood?

“You told me I would be okay.” your words were barely audible, but Martin was close enough to hear every last squeak that left your lips. “You…promised.”

“You will be.” Martin pressed his face against yours, his forehead resting on your temple. “You will be.”

Your eyes fell to look at your legs again. Somehow they looked worse the second time around. “I don’t look okay,” you commented. “Johnny…am I going to die?”

Before Martin had the chance to answer another body leapt into the clearing. Company medic Eugene Roe skidded to your side, his hands already digging around in his bag before he had even come to a full stop. “How you doing Y/L/N?” his tone was calm and collected as if he were simply chatting you up and not saving your life.

“How the fuck do you think she’s doing?!” Martin snapped, his arms tightening around you protectively. “Her left foot and half of her fucking calf is missing, Roe! She’s bathing in her own blood! Quit the fucking small talk and save her!”

Your shaky hand slowly worked its way up to cup Martin’s face. “Don’t yell at the boy,” you told him. “Please…he’s doing his best… and it’s loud in my already ringing ears.”

“I’m sorry.” Martin pressed a kiss into your dirty and tangled hair. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…I’m sorry.”

As Martin mumbled apology after apology into your hair, you started to feel a tingling sensation. Lifting your head as much as you could, your half-open eyes followed Eugene’s every movement.

You watched as his hand went down to your leg, and as soon as he touched you, all the pain that had been missing filled you at once. You let out a blood-curdling scream and screwed your eyes shut as excruciating pain traveled up your legs and into the rest of your body.

“What the fuck did you do?” Martin’s wide eyes searched the medic for answers.

“I have to clean the wound the best I can before I bandage it up.” Eugene was dealing with your missing leg first, completely ignoring the decently sized sliver wood sticking out of your flesh. “It’s going to hurt, Y/N, I’m sorry. I-I don’t have any morphine.” You had a death grip on Martin’s arm as Eugene continued to tend to your wound. You were freezing but you were sweating. Your skin was almost as white as the snow and your eyes were sunken and full of fear. You didn’t want to die. You weren’t ready to die.

Was anyone ever ready to die?

Tears welled up in your eyes as you stared up past Martin at the dead treetops and bright blue sky. You didn’t want to go without saying goodbye to everyone. You didn’t want to go out like that; crying a pool of your own blood. You had spent years training to be one of the best and bravest soldiers in the USA and here you were, crying.

You weren’t supposed to be weak, but hell, you thought you were dying, and dying was scary.

“Don’t cry.” Martin wiped your tears away with his thumbs and directed your gaze back at him. “Don’t cry. You’re going to be okay. I promise.”

You shook your head as you felt your mind begin to swim. “Don’t…don’t promise me things you can’t promise me.”

“I can promise you this,” he demanded, his eyes frantically searching yours for the hope and optimism you usually kept there, but they were missing. “Roe’s gonna get you all fixed up and then you’re gonna be okay. Right doc?”

Eugene looked up from your leg, his hands covered in blood and his face expressionless. He made sure you weren’t looking before he locked eyes with Martin and shook his head. He couldn’t say it out loud, he refused to, but there wasn’t much he could do. If you were going to live, you needed to get to an aid station as soon as possible.

Martin swallowed hard before forcing a smile and looking back down at you. Your eyes were barely open at that point and you had become a complete dead weight in his arms. He couldn’t watch you die. It would destroy him.

Standing up, Eugene exhaled. “I’m gonna go get a jeep. Stay here.”

Martin didn’t say anything, but as the medic disappeared into the forest, he suddenly felt completely and utterly alone. “Y/N?” he shook you and sighed in relief when your eyes fluttered open again. “Don’t go to sleep on me. Stay with me.”

“I’m so tired.” your eyes pleaded with him to let you sleep. You had never been so exhausted in all your life and in Martin’s warm, comforting embrace you wanted nothing more than to close your eyes and let all the pain fade away.

“I know you’re tired.” he lifted you up further and pushed away some strands of sweat-soaked hair that had fallen into your face. “Just hold on a little bit longer, okay? Can you do that for me? Eugene will be back soon…just, look at me. Keep your eyes on me.”

A faint smile flashed across your lips as your hand went back to his cheek — you hadn’t even noticed it had fallen, but there it was, right by your side again. “I could look at you all day.” you breathed out, a cough escaping after the fact.

As you laid there in the snow, Martin gripping you like his life depended on it, you slowly felt yourself losing consciousness. There was no sign of Eugene, there was no sign of a jeep, there was no sign of hope. “If I die-” you started.

“No!” Martin gritted his teeth at the thought. “No, you don’t say that to me! You’re not going to die.”

“Martin.” you silently begged for him to let you speak. You had to say this. “If I die I want to-”

Martin thus far had been successful in holding back his own tears, but as you slowly slipped away in front of him he couldn’t stop it anymore. The floodgates had opened, the damn had broken, the switch had been flipped. “Please…stop…” a tear slid down his cheek as he pressed kisses to your face. “Please don’t die…I love you too much to lose you. Please…don’t leave me.”

Martin had never told you he loved you. As a matter of fact, he had never kissed you before either, but at that moment, he was doing all of the things he had been waiting for the right moment to do. The was doing everything because deep down, even though he didn’t want to admit it to himself, he was afraid this would be the last chance he would ever get.

You felt little heat rush to your cheeks at the confession of love. “What happened to grumpy Martin?” you still managed to find room for a joke.

Martin cracked a small smile, his tear-soaked lips stretching tight. “Grumpy Martin loves you too…all of me loves you. Grump Martin needs you…all of me needs you. Please don’t die.”

Martin pulled you into him hard, your face secure in the nape of his neck. You could hear the faint sounds of footsteps and an engine, but you couldn’t hang on any longer. Using every last ounce of energy you had left, you open your mouth to speak and intertwined your fingers with Martin’s.

“If I die I want to die in your arms.”

As soon as the confession left your mouth, your eyes peacefully fell shut and you relaxed into your final exhale. Once again, you didn’t hurt. There was no pain. There was no cold. There was no fear. There was no blood. There was no war.

There was just you and Martin.

When your grip in his hand loosened and Martin felt you become limp, his entire body tensed up. “Y/N?” he shook you once more, but this time your eyes didn’t open. “Y/N!” he screamed as Eugene ran up, the jeep behind him. “Y/N wake up! The jeep’s here. You’re going to be okay.”

Kneeling down next to your body, Eugene placed two fingers to your neck. There was no pulse.

You were gone.

“Martin, she’s-” Eugene started.

“No!” Martin growled as he adjusted you, your head lolling to the side in the process. “No! She can’t be! Help is here…she’s going to be okay…she has to be okay.”

Eugene patted Martin on the shoulder before backing away and giving him some space and time with you.

“No…” Martin sobbed as he buried his face into your chest. “You can’t do this to me…I love you…you-you love me. It’s not supposed to end like this. It can’t end like this.”

If there was one thing you learned in your final moments on Earth, it was that life sure had a sneaky way of hitting you with monumental things when you least expected them.

Maybe things could have been different if you had gone with Martin to collect some more supplies for your foxhole. Maybe you would have survived the war together. Maybe you would have had a good life together after. Maybe you would have gotten married and had kids.

Maybe. But not in this lifetime.

In this lifetime your pale body would lie in the snow and freeze with the coming nights. Your dog tags would be sent home along with a standard issued letter to your family. Your warm clothing would be stripped and given to soldiers more in need; alive soldiers.

In this lifetime Martin would miss you every day and every night that he lived longer than you did.

#band of brothers #band of brothers fanfic #band of brothers fanfiction #johnny martin #johnny martin x reader #martin #martin x reader #hbowar #reader insert #feels #death #lostinthewiind #im sorry i wrote this

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pivitor · 6 years ago

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My Top 10 Favorite Albums of 2018

When it comes to music, ideas of "good" or "bad" or "best" are purely subjective. Frankly, it's ridiculous to suggest that any one person, or even any one group, has the authority to decide what the best albums of the year are, even if they did have the capacity to listen to every single release. But I love these kind of lists anyway because, at their best, they provide people the chance to gush about the music they loved in a year, the albums that challenged them, brought them joy, and helped reshape their lives. I don't necessarily think music should be ranked and judged, but it absolutely should be explored, examined, and shared.

The following is exactly that. These are my ten favorite albums of 2018, the ten albums I spent the most time with, got the most out of, and loved more than anything else released this year (that I had a chance to listen to, at least). If you've heard some of these albums before, I hope I can help you find something new to appreciate, or at least remind you why you liked them in the first place; if you haven't, then I hope you find a new song, band, or album here to love.

Let's get to it:

10. MXPX -- MXPX: There were a few really strong albums competing for this final slot, but MXPX took it through sheer consistency. Every single song on this album is just an incredibly solid block of pop-punk, bolstered by some fun, yet often unexpectedly mature, lyrics. Mike Herrera and the rest of MXPX look backwards and forward simultaneously, reminiscing about their childhood and long history as a band, but also sharing the lessons they've learned along the way; on album stand-out "Moments Like This," Herrera specifically confronts the legacy he's leaving his family, and it's surprisingly poignant. MXPX is a blueprint for how any pop-punk band can mature without losing that youthful spark that makes the genre so dang fun in the first place.

Highlights: Rolling Strong, The Way We Do, Moments Like This

9. Justin Courtney Pierre -- In The Drink: Two grueling years after the demise of Motion City Soundtrack (one of my Top Five favorite bands), former frontman Justin Courtney Pierre has returned with a solo album that manages to capture much of the spirit of MCS, but of course, with a more personal, intimate spin. Pierre still graces listeners with his intricate wordplay and earworm hooks, but also highlights some techniques and instruments that rarely took prominence in MCS (the bouncy bass in "Shoulder the Weight" is a personal favorite). In The Drink cuts right to the core of every song, especially in the exhilarating title track; the album is blistering, economical, and often ruthless, not just musically (only two songs clock in at over three minutes), but also lyrically, examining some surprisingly dark scenarios with the honesty and careful empathy fans have come to expect from Pierre. It's great to have him back (I still miss Jesse's MOOG, though).

Highlights: Anchor, Shoulder the Weight, In The Drink

8. Jeff Rosenstock -- Post-: The first album of 2018 (seriously -- Post- was a surprise release on 1/1/18) remained urgent, relevant, and relatable throughout the entire year -- that's not good for the world, but it's great for Post-. Jeff Rosenstock's social commentary is as sharp as ever, deftly mixing the political and the personal, especially in tracks like opener "USA," which dives head-first into the paranoia, apathy, and hypocrisy of modern American living. The frustration and hopelessness of trying to change a broken system coats this album like dew, but Rosenstock's approachable and energetic strain of punk make them seem manageable -- or at least bearable -- nonetheless, and closer "Let Them Win" provides much needed catharsis and hope; it's a rally cry for a better future. Post- wasn't necessarily the follow-up to Worry. that anyone expected, but it's certainly the one we needed, right when we needed it.

Highlights: Powerlessness, 9/10, Let Them Win

7. The Penske File -- Salvation: Out of all the albums on this list, Salvation by far was the biggest (and happiest) surprise. Having never heard of them before, I saw The Penske File open for (the irresistibly fun) PKEW PKEW PKEW back in October and was blown away by their harmonies, by Alex Standen's ability to balance drums and lead vocals at the same time, and most of all, by a song that dug its way into my head and wouldn't let go. That song turned out to be album stand-out "Spin My History" (easily one of my top favorite new songs of the year), and thankfully, all the best aspects of The Penske File's live show translated perfectly over to Salvation. The vocals are the perfect combination of intensity, melody, and harmony; the lyrics expertly capture and unpack moments in time; the music itself (especially when accompanied by harmonica, which pops up in a few songs) wonderfully reflects the mood of each song, be it the reckless abandon of "Lakeshore" or the aching nostalgia of "American Basements." Thanks to Salvation, I could easily see The Penske File following in the blue collar punk footsteps of bands like the Menzingers, and that's high praise indeed.

Highlights: Spin My History, Come What May, Blessed Unrest

6. Joyce Manor -- Million Dollars to Kill Me: Joyce Manor has never been a band content to make the same album twice, and Million Dollars to Kill Me not only continues the musical evolution that began on 2016's Cody, but manages to run an entire musical gamut in under 25 minutes. Million Dollars to Kill Me shows off Joyce Manor's impressive range, leaping from something approaching hardcore ("Up The Punks") to shoegaze ("Gone Tomorrow") to ballads ("I'm Not the One") to even doo wop ("Silly Games"); lead singer Barry Johnson likewise moves between the frenetic, frantic yowls of "Up The Punks" or "Big Lie" to the gentle, sing-songy joy of "Wildflowers," revealing new facets to his voice and thus finding new notes for Joyce Manor to hit. Underneath it all, though, lies some wonderfully classic emo, with Johnson channeling intelligent, introspective, and bittersweet lyrics into each and every track. Not every song on Million Dollars to Kill Me is going to work for every listener, but every single one of them is guaranteed to leave an impression.

Highlights: Big Lie, Million Dollars to Kill Me, Wildflowers

5. Bad Moves -- Tell No One: On first listen, it might be Tell No One's flawless harmonies that most catch your attention, or perhaps the bouncy, infectious melodies of its early tracks. Spend some time with it, though, and Tell No One has so much more to offer. Bad Moves makes some truly ambitious musical leaps here, especially on tracks like "Out of Reach," whose bridge and outro layers several different, contrasting harmonies over a darkly ominous riff; it's the musical equivalent of standing at the edge of a hurricane, and it's exhilarating. Ultimately, though, it may be Tell No One's lyrics that leave the greatest impression. Bad Moves creates anthems for those on the outskirts of society; Tell No One features songs about dealing with disappointing your family, forbidden romances, dark family secrets, growing up queer, facing police harassment, and the toll hiding parts of yourself can take on you, but also some uplifting tracks about using everything you've got to make life better for everyone around you. There's albums I liked more this year, but I don't think there's any lyrics that hit home for me harder than the ones on Tell No One.

Highlights: Spirit FM, Out of Reach, Missing You

4. The Get Up Kids -- Kicker: Kicker is the Get Up Kids record I've wanted for more than a decade now; it's a band recapturing lightning in a bottle. The first three tracks channel the pop-punk glory of the Red Letter Day/Something to Write Home About era without copying it wholesale (there's a rawness to the guitars and Matt Pryor's voice that was absent on those releases; it's very rock and roll), and the lyrics take that trademark Get Up Kids earnestness and update it for 2018, with Pryor and Jim Suptic tackling topics like regret, responsibility, and family with the same honesty and emotional intensity they once saved for tales of adolescent love and heartbreak. And then comes the closer, "My Own Reflection," which sounds like nothing the Get Up Kids have ever done before, a track driven by one of James Dewees' best synth-lines, some propulsive drums, and a striking, surprising bit of profanity. It's somehow upbeat and downbeat simultaneously, totally bittersweet, and thus emo in a nutshell, while also transcending so many of the genre's (and this band's) most common cliches; if these four songs are the future of the Get Up Kids, then it's a bright one indeed. The main reason Kicker isn't ranked higher on this list is because it's an EP rather than a full record (it's harder to keep this level of quality up for 12 tracks instead of 4), but let's not mince words: every single song on this EP is perfect.

Highlight: My Own Reflection

3. Save Face -- Merci: Merci would be ambitious even if it wasn't Save Face's debut release -- it's a concept album about addiction and the way it can destroy lives and relationships, accompanied by music videos for each and every track, linking together to form a visual novel of sorts. What's even more impressive than all that ambition, though, is the fact that it all works -- the overall concept forms a compelling narrative on its own, but should still resonate with anyone who's dealt with addiction or mental illness, with heartbreak and loss, with self-hatred or self-destructive habits. All those ideas are packaged within some truly explosive tunes -- Save Face's riffs are so big it's a wonder they can even be contained within the record, and singer Tyler Povanda's voice cracks with passion and mania, accompanied by some cathartic, soul-piercing screams, yet Povanda also has the range to capture the smaller, more nuanced emotions beneath all the outsized drama. The simple melodies reveal more and more layers the more you listen to them, creating a record I've returned to over and over, consistently, throughout 2018. Merci is almost as addictive as the substances its songs highlights, although in this case, that's a feature, not a bug.

Highlights: Bad, Plans, Love

2. Saves the Day -- 9: There's a line from their song "It's Such a Beautiful World" that sums up both Saves the Day and their newest album, 9, perfectly: "Let them say what they say/we're gonna play what we play." That instinct has proven polarizing at times, but as an absolute Saves the Day fanatic, I've always found it a joy and privilege to join the band as they follow their muse, and thankfully, 9 is no exception. 9 is an investigation and celebration of Saves the Day's history and legacy; some listeners have criticized this as being self-indulgent, but Saves the Day has always been a band that's channeled very specific scenarios into relatable and cathartic emotion, and at its best, 9 does just that, from the power and joy of friendship ("Side By Side") to nostalgia and the way our experiences help us change and grow ("Rendezvous"), all of it wrapped up in the power music has to bring people together (and if that last point's not something you can appreciate, then I'm not sure how you even found this list). Meanwhile, "Rosé'" provides a classic Saves the Day diss track that wouldn't feel that out of place on Stay What You Are, while the 22 minute "29" transforms frontman Chris Conley's entire life story into a sprawling epic that needs to be heard to believed. 9 also provides an opportunity for each and every member of the band to show off; lead guitarist Arun Bali continues to highlight his ability to shred in increasingly cool and unique ways, Rodrigo Palma sneaks fun bass flourishes into every song, absolutely taking charge of "1997," and Conley stretches his voice to unexpected heights, be it the yowls of "Side By Side" or the falsetto of "Saves the Day." Hell, they even kick 9 off by writing their own theme song. If you can't appreciate that, this probably isn't the album for you, but man, that is my exact kind of jam.

Highlights: Side By Side, Rosé, 29

1. The Wonder Years -- Sister Cities: I can't remember the last time I've seen an album become an essential part of a band's canon as fast as Sister Cities has, especially considering how far The Wonder Years are into their career at this point. Sister Cities is undeniably a Wonder Years album despite sounding almost nothing like what's come before, and in large part, that's due to Dan Campbell's sheer skill as a storyteller. The songs on Sister Cities pick up the ideas of compassion, connectivity, and home introduced on previous albums and take them global; Campbell discovers the similarities between his relationship and the relationship of a homeless couple despite all their differences, finds a lifeline from his overwhelming grief half a world away, and just overall finds power in exploring what holds us together as human beings rather than what splits us apart. Even the music videos tap hard into these ideas; last winter I wrote about how the video for "Sister Cities" finds power in connection, and its follow up, "Raining in Kyoto," expands upon this by cutting back and forth between life in Kyoto and Philadelphia, showing how, no matter where you go, people are just trying to live their lives the best they can. Lyrically, Campbell just keeps getting better and better, creating vivid metaphors and word pictures and finding perfect turns of phrases; he's straight-up the best in the biz at knowing just when and how to use profanity to the maximum effect (seriously, nobody else should be allowed to use the word "goddamn" in a song until they can do it even half as well as Campbell does in "Pyramids of Salt" or "Flowers Where Your Face Should Be"). Musically, Sister Cities takes big risks, and finds success, in going small more often than not, but reaches its greatest heights in closer "The Ocean Grew Hands To Hold Me," a song that just builds and builds until it reaches this epic swell of pure catharsis that just washes over you like the ocean. Honestly, Sister Cities is so emotional that it can sometimes be hard to listen to. That kind of power is that makes it my favorite album of 2018.

Highlights: Sister Cities, Flowers Where Your Face Should Be, The Ocean Grew Hands To Hold Me

#The Wonder Years #Joyce Manor #Jeff Rosenstock #Saves the Day #Saves Face #Bad Moves #MXPX #The Get Up Kids #Justin Courtney Pierre #The Penske File #Pivitor #music

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legion1993 · 6 years ago

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The Time For Secrets is Over

A/N: this is my new fave story header!!! i mean he looks so hot!!!! anyway this is for another write challenge!!! happy birthday @thinkwritexpress-official!!! this is #2 of 3 for ya...

pairing: jensen x reader

prompt: possessive

masterlist

my city is Shadowhaven, my name is Y/N. my home was originally New York, but i moved for my work... what happened after i moved was the way things happen, the way i ended up standing beside my very double-sided possessive Fiance. although before i should probably tell you how we got into this situation before continuing.

~let me take you back to before we got into the danger~

as a artist, song writer and author i move around alot and always end up staying in a different place every few months or so.. depending on work, concerts, conventions, etc.

this project was taking me to the far regions of Europe. yay we are close to my ancestral grounds but i had never ever heard of a place called Shadowhaven till i was told to go record and spend time there... my manager told me it would be good for my rep...

so i booked my flight and left the USA behind, flying my way to Shadowhaven a decent sized town in the deep end of Scotland (my home ancestral grounds). it was a nice relaxing flight, course i knew my history, but Shadowhaven had never been mentioned anywhere at all.

i could tell that this was the start of a new adventure, immediately making my way through the airport, through customs, towards the inner of the airport, i decided to shop for a new wardrobe that might help me to blend in, i knew my family crest colors so i used my skills in shopping to inconspicuously find a blend in outfit.

you approached this one boutique upon arriving inside this shopkeeper approaches you, and notices that you look like your seeking something specific.

Shopkeeper: “good day lass, can i help ye with somethin’?”

you smile and turn to face this shopkeeper.

Y/N: “yes, what would you recommend for someone whose first time being in her ancestral grounds and wanting to experience some of her heritage?”

the shopkeeper was very impressed, but immediately had a thought. so she went around the desk again circling through some of the stuff she had back there, and as you watched you realized that it wouldnt be long before someone over here recognized you.

Shopkeeper: “what are your families colors?”

Y/N: “would this help i don really know how to describe it...”

you pulled out your smartphone and showed her a picture of your families colors. she comes up to you again a few moments later with a dress that looks like it was made for royalty, but yet it also looked surprisingly comfortable.

Shopkeeper: “come with me darling, let me help you put it on...”

you follow her to the back of the store storing your suitcase & backpack behind the counter, you knew that there was someone who was kind enough to help you.

as she helped you get into that dress you started to feel like a normal person. almost like this was your destiny. but thats when you got to look at yourself in the mirror. upon seeing yourself in that dress you felt something inside you change.

you looked at the lady and were instantly grateful.

Y/N: “thank you so much i appreciate this...”

Shopkeeper: “your welcome deary, its on the house... welcome home!”

you walked back to your bags and smiled as you left the store now blending in. you went to hail a cab and find somewhere to stay at a reasonable price.it wasnt until you got out of the cab in mid town, that there was a voice hailing you down...

a gentleman wearing a suit was now approaching you... it wasnt till he got alot closer that you realized how hot he was...

Jensen: “excuse me ma’am, may i help you? you look a little lost.”

Y/N: “well yes i am a little lost, i dont really know the city too well... and i very well dont know how to find myself a place to stay so i can start working on my vacation! well actually it was my boss who said i work too hard and told me to just go back to my roots... so here i am on my ancestral grounds.”

Jensen: “well how does staying with me in my castle sound...”

Y/N: “you know supposedly my family also has a castle somewhere but i hath no idea where... its really quite frustrating...”

Jensen could only smile as he moved closer to you... he extended his hand and bowed...

Jensen: “my name is Jensen Ackles! and what is your name mi-lady?”

you were so flattered that you slid your hand into his and curtsied.. not being completely away that he had just marked you... a mark of possession it is something that has been passed down between your 2 households for ages...

Y/N: “my name is Y/N Y/L/N it is good to meet such a fine handsome fellow...”

Jensen: “its my highest honor to have you stay with me for the duration of your stay... no exceptions no constitutions... but some nights i do have things to do, extra work loads and stuff... so on those nights ill be gone shortly after dusk... so will thee join me as my guest, fair lady!”

you smiled at him nodding, but then before you had a chance to say another word your bags were being loaded into his car...

Y/N: "sir, are you sure its fine for me to come stay with you, i really dont want to be a bother..."

at the sound of your lips calling him sir something inside him stirred... as if some sort of dark force on the inside was trying to push out his darkness and take control...

Jensen: "sir seems too formal just call me Jay... everyone does..."

Jensen smiled darkly as you threaded your arm through his and both of you walked to his car... getting in you happened to see the heading of a newpaper.

《《Ethereal Phoenix claims another woman as his own》》

but Jensen rook notice of how your eyes flitted immediately across the headline on the newspaper. Jensen also knew he would have to be careful with where you would wander off too...

Jensen: "those colors are a representation of one of the original founding families of Shadowhaven... it is actually a funny thing our 2 households have always had good relations!"

the dark twisted sound to his voice made you shiver but it was almost like that good kind of shiver...

Y/n: "well i hope that i can learn some history while im here... i honestoy can say i knew i was from scotland but i didnt know where.. it really is beautiful here..."

Jensen: "when we arrive at my castle we shall take a walk through the country side and ill show you where your families castle stands!"

Y/N: "that sounds wonderful in fact i had hoped to get to know the man whose house im staying in tonight. for its my undying gratitude that i give to thee."

Jensen could only smile for in his mind, his other side was getting ready for its time to reveal itself.

the rest of the ride was calm and peaceful! Jensen suddenly felt something come over him... he had the driver stop the car and he stumbled getting out he started into the trees, you followed you had to make sure he was ok...

<< The danger is revealed>>

After a bit of running you found yourself in a clearing, you stopped to admire your scenery, but someone else was there too. for the sound of bushes rustling, branches breaking and heavy footsteps scared you frozen in your tracks..

Y/N: "Jensen... Jensen where are you?"

it wasnt till you screamed that, a dark deep laugh came out of the trees. it showed through the trees a golden blur... it kinda startled you but at the same time made you wonder, what kind of creature might be able to move like that...

you kept a steady pace and slowly continued to now wonder the dark wood in search of Jensen. but you were startled once more qhen a voice spoke out of the darkness.

Ethereal Phoenix: "have you lost something mi lady?"

you tried to track where that voice was coming from but debated on answering it but felt like you could trust it. but as if natural you pulled out your best scottish accent.

Y/N: "a friend of mine ran into these woods a few moments ago and i have not been able to locate him. who are you? where are you?"

ethereal phoenix didnt answer right away instead he raised up in a gold blur and placed himself in a tree.

Ethereal phoenix: "i am the one that those papers in town speak of, the one who takes those women away from their men, i am he who makes women feel like they are worth something. i am Ethereal Phoenix. Miss, may i say you look new, how long have you been in Shadowhaven?"

Ethereal Phoenix said with a dark twisted tone to his voice. you shook off the bad feeling that suddenly plagued you.

Y/N: "only a few short hours... look i really dont mean to be rude but im really scared and i need to find my friend, so please excuse me.."

you started to retrace your steps back to the car, but once more the ethereal Phoenix spoke as thought he had been following you.

ethereal Phoenix: "why are you in such a rush to find your friend dont you want to be with a real man..."

you stopped dead in your tracks, almost feeling more scared of the voice that was talking than that of the dark wood. thats when you saw it standing there a shadowy figure in the little sunlight shining in between the trees.

Y/N: “excuse me, you have no idea how much of a decent hot man Jensen is... trust me he is better than you... mr im gonna be that creepy ass voice hiding in the shadows... that preys on innocent women, raping them, at least Jensen is man enough to show his face...”

at that moment Ethereal Phoenix rushed in a golden blur and pinned you to a tree... the sunlight reflecting off his face made it clear that he was nothing good...

Ethereal Phoenix: “you need to learn some manners little girl... how bout i teach you some manners. you know i feel a little possessive of you, now lets go somewhere where i can stand over you, while you scream... while you scream for a rescue that will never come. now hold still and let me see what kind of goodies you have under these clothes...”

at that moment it was like something out of an erotic rape novel... for this creature teleported the both of you to a fancy castle bedroom. where he got off of you after laying you on the bed... he then shackled you to the bed...

with one evil laugh he snapped his fingers and your dress tore in 2... this exposed your breasts and your lace panties and well everything. there was nothing good happening, there was a creature of some kind that looked human but yet wasnt...

for it was the thoughts of Jensen, the mystery man that had disappeared that kept you squirming, that kept you screaming... for it was then that you screamed louder... that you tried to break the chains that now held you down.

Y/N: “if i survive this you son of a bitch i’ll kill you...”

Ethereal Phoenix: “oh you will survive this, you will just be my slave... my pregnant slave...”

your mind was now clouded, your mind was scared... hell your physical form was scared... your emotions were running higher and higher, but your form was screaming but all it did was echo over the walls, bouncing off of them like soundwaves off a pond of water.

Ethereal Phoenix: “keep screaming no one will ever hear you...”

this thing seemed to be very sly & very very demanding... that of course is till you started to think back to when you fist met Jensen. it was pretty well a similar nature but this was probably your minds way of making you think about something else.

this of course also seemed to be the bane of your existance... just as you watched your captor walk around it seemed like he was now addressing someone else...

Ethereal Phoenix: “stay down little boy, the girl is not yours... I’m about to claim her... stay away...”

you at that moment wondered who the hell he was talking to...

Y/N: “hey ugly ass if your gonna claim me you should just do it ‘nstead of making small talk with yourself.”

thats when you heard it, a voice it came out of the shadows... a voice that was a delight to hear, for you had no heard it for hours.

Jensen (voice): “phoenix you will not lay another hand on her cause i already marked her... not in the way you were about to but a mark of claiming that i placed on her when i first held her hand... now i say again, let her go...”

the voice, there was only one man you knew to speak with such a dark fire... but ethereal phoenix started to stalk towards you again, this time he was removing his shirt... it seemed like everything you held dear was about to be taken from you but the panic started to set in...

Y/N: “Jensen help!!!!”

Jensen (voice): “hold on Y/N I’ll explain in a few... but first embrace your inner Scotish heritage, you have to try and seperate yourself from those chains...”

Ethereal Phoenix: “insulent fool if you think that you can help this young girl escape... ha, you are really demented... soon she will have the sperm of a god thrust inside her, while you Jay will never ever see the light of day again...”

Jensen at this point had enough and started trying harder to take control back of his own body...

Jensen (voice): “Ethereal Phoenix you have made an enemy of me... as soon as my girl is free you will die asshole.”

you kept doing what Jensen said trying to embrace your scotish heritage... after a few moments it turned out that Jensen had been right the entire time... for you felt this surge of energy loosening the chains...

Y/N: “Jay take control, bring him towards the mirror...”

the closer to you that phoenix came the louder that he screamed it was almost a war cry...

Jensen (voice): “Y/N keep doing what doing... he doesn’t seem to like it...”

Y/N: “thats fine but i dont know what im doing... or how im doing it...”

thats when it occured to jensen... he had to say something...

Jensen (deep dark voice): “Y/N, listen the mark i told him about its a mark of possession, it is always passed between our two houses when 2 people of the same age range find eachother... its passed through to show the other posers that the 2 people are... well its like a promise ring... or a betrothal of sorts... anyway its got powers, it is how your breaking the chains.”

Y/n: “ok so how does it work...”

Jensen (deep dark voice): “you have to think about what you want and you will have it so...”

with a few more thoughts your feet were free this made Phoenix look over at you... with a few more seconds and a loud crash your hands were now free... it was then that you were once more able to move...

you didnt bother trying to cover up cause this fight was more important than what ever was left of your decency...

Y/N: “hold on Jay... i’m gonna try to seperate you guys...”

you grabbed both arms, the screams got louder and louder the mirror started to crack... but you looked at the mirror coming face to face with Jensen, it was Jensen you could see him but you were hold Phoenix back...

Jensen (deep dark voice): “okay you need to think about spliting me and Phoenix apart... think about 2 seperate physical bodies... i promise once i am in my own body seperate from this evil son of a bitch i intend to be possessive of you in the right way...”

the way that Jensen said that sent a fire deep into your core it was unlike anything you had felt before... you suddenly like it was beyond your control found yourself holding 2 different arms pulling apart 2 different bodies... but it was only the beginning...

finally after one more good pull you had them split apart but when you did ethereal phoenix went flying out the window... it was not a pretty sight... Jensen however landed on the bed...

you knelt down to catch your breath for it felt as though you had been running and running continuously.. but in truth it was just your physical body being exhausted from all the magical exertion...

Jensen who was laying still on the bed only breathing from what you could tell he only started speaking in a dark deep tone...

Jensen (deep dark voice): “it is said that when 2 has become 1 that they will fight the evil that plagues the world... they from the moment of marking shall be known to the world as Dark Archer & Dark Mistress... may they serve their powers with the same courage and shattering loyalty as their ancestors...”

#my kind of love challenge #jensen x reader

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meliecho · 7 years ago

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Hearts and Heroes: One Shot - chpt: 10 - A Second Chance

The final chapter. (There may be an epilogue. This is 69 pages on my open office document, and I am so freaking proud of myself for that beautiful accident.)

---------------------------------

Summary: An old teammate makes an appearance. Sun wakes up and learns what Blue’s team did to save her life. She’s given a second chance, and Mark realizes that in saving her, he’s given himself a second chance.

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The Markihub – same night…

The portal opened in a colorful swirl of energy just ahead of the back wall behind the stage. 2 teams of 4 stepped out onto the stone floor and heaved collective sighs of relief. One of the older guys with dark blue eyes and gifted with an athletic-yet-trim 6’ tall frame carried the rescued mission target on his back.

A short girl who looked to be about 16 years old with cropped curly brown hair and wearing a dirty white dress rested her head against his shoulder at the fringe of his shaggy chestnut colored hair. The leaves speckling her locks, and the dirt smudges on her clothes and skin suggested her nightmare took place in a forest setting.

The two teams thanked each other for the help, and went to restock their supplies and to take care of injuries. The leader of team 1 adjusted his square black framed glasses and carried the mission target to the infirmary.

A few passerby in the hallway give him a warm 'welcome back,' which he returned. They were also other oldies to dream rescues. The hub still looked like a barely-populated NPC village. He knew time zones were a thing, and if kept track of time right, the USA west coast should be starting to rouse.

People were gradually finding their way back from the hubs of other various personalities peoples’ hearts followed, but it still saddened him to see the place he'd called a second home speckled with small holes in the surfaces, and cracks spidering along the walls. He, himself, had only found his way back three weeks ago. He knew something was wrong when he couldn’t access the hub, so he did what many of the oldies did: helped coordinate people of this hub who’d been sent to others. It sucked that he couldn’t remember much when he woke up.

Whatever had hit Mark had done enough damage to leave this place in derelict condition. Even after a month and a half, it was still in the process of repairs.

And that meant so was Mark.

He had faith that the leader of his home hub would come back even stronger from whatever it was that took him down. He was sorry he hadn't been there to help, but at least he knew who was.

He laid the rescued girl on the bed next to Blue, who continued to stare at the ceiling. “S'up, Blue?”

“You're mom.”

“Sass game: strong.”

“Always.”

“Good.”

She didn’t want to leave until her team had awakened. So far, Purple and Jade were the only two to return to the waking world. She watched Red’s body disappear in a rush of blue light as he woke up. Good. Now all that remained were Peach and Mark.

She also wanted to make sure Sun would be ok. She understood Mark's need to save her more than ever, now. Had that been Teal, she'd have been in Mark's place, gladly giving whatever she could to save her life.

But now they were home, recovering, and everything would be ok.

Tim bobbled over and hopped up to treat the wounded girl.

The one who’d brought her in moved across the aisle to where Mark sat watching over a girl in a blue hoodie and red scarf.

He tapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Hey, nerd.”

Mark finally moved for the first time since the energy transfer ended –not because he was upset, or moody, but because he was drained, dead-exhausted, and really didn’t have the strength to do more than breathe. “Hey.”

“Whoa. You look like shit.”

“Nice to see you, too, Nate.” Mark stretched.

“What used you as a pinata? I haven't seen you this beat up from a mission in forever.”

“It was...involved. You’re up in Vancouver for that thing right now, right? Shouldn’t you be awake?”

Nathan shrugged. “Eh. I woke up once already to pee and fell back asleep to finish the mission. We just got back.”

“How’d it go?”

“We got her,” he glanced across the aisle. “Rescued her from a survival game called 'The Forest'. We found our mission target hiding in a tree house from Terrorlings who looked like cannibals.” The bed springs creaked as he sat next to his friend. “Her name is Liz. She’s just a kid, but she’s a fighter. I think she’ll be able to do some good here once she finds her bearings. I already know who should be here when she recovers to show her around. Marly could use someone else on her team. She has 7, but 8 is a good number.”

Mark nodded and turned lazily back to watching Sun. “Good. Yeah. Marly. Good call. She's a solid leader.”

“What, no witty retort?” When he received no reply, his eyes moved from the girl to him and back, and the tenor of his voice turned more sympathetic. “Was it really that bad?”

Mark exhaled and worried his face. “Yeah. She, uh...” He didn't want to bring up the lost teammate's name, or invoke that memory. Sun's nightmare came too close to being a repeat experience.

Nate’s chest clenched from a shot of dread when he noticed his friend’s dim hero mark. “Dude, your heartlight…” he swiveled quickly toward the other row of beds across the aisle. “Tim!” He called over to the little box.

“Calm your tits, Mom. Tim already got to me. I’m recovering before I leave.”

His friend settled down. “Yeah, it’s just…call me paranoid, ok? What the hell happened to you, anyway? You look…no joke, man, you look terrible.”

“It’s a long story,” Mark muttered.

“You're being avoid-y. I don't like it when you do that.”

“I just don't want to talk about it right now, k?”

“Fair enough.” He pursed his lips. Something had transpired between him and this girl—perhaps his mission target—that brought up painful reminders that only existed here in the dream world. He was thankful most memories of this world left him and the others alone while awake. He cleared his throat and tried to lighten the mood. “She’s kind of cute. I bet she has a cute laugh. I wonder if she’s single…” he rubbed his chin.

A light snort left Mark. That was just like this friend, the womanizing ladies man. He wanted to tell him that this girl carried a Somni that could bust his balls, but he wasn’t in the mood to explain anything now, even if it was to an old teammate. “Just go wake up, ya bastard.” He lost the mirth. “I’ll explain everything later.”

He watched as a girl in a peach colored hijab on a bed in the row ahead of them returned to the waking world. “Was your entire team in here?”

Mark nodded.

“Damn. Maybe you guys should take tonight off.”

He shook his head. “I know my team.”

“Yeah. It sounds like you do,” Nathan smirked and squeezed his friend’s shoulder in support and reassurance. “Take care of yourself, pal.”

His friend left the infirmary and disappeared back to the waking world.

Mark exhaled. Once more, he was alone –save for Blue, whom he knew would stay until he disappeared back to physicality. He’d do the same; in fact he was doing just that. Call it a curse of the Team Leader. As hub leader, he never lost that habit.

He remained as a guard over Sun for the next ten minutes. She would crack open her eyes occasionally, then close them. Tim had explained that her spirit was adjusting to the massive amount of life energy within her. It had to settle down and join her own, but he didn’t know how long it would take since that particular method of saving someone had never been applied before.

Blue's, Red's, Purple's, Peach's, Jade's, and his life energy were all a part of her, now.

A soft repetitive sound tickled his ears and his vision began to fade. He recognized it instantly as the one thing that could override his willpower: the ringtone set as his alarm to go off at 8am.

The sound grew louder. He saw Sun’s eyes open again and tilt toward him just as his world faded out. “I’ll come back,” he whispered.

And then he woke up.

Their mission lasted the entire night.

* * * *

The Infirmary – around 10pm PST the next night…

The din of the infirmary reached her ears. She heard footsteps as the rare person walked by along with the tell-tale thump thump thump of Tiny Box Tim's hopping motion in a doppler effect.

She inhaled the sweet, faint aroma of flowers. It smelled like lavender. That was always a scent that soothed her. She didn't know if it was real or sense memory tricking her. Either way, she enjoyed it. It smelled so nice.

She remembered being taken from the tower through a portal that looked like someone swirled colored dye with oil in water, and then the rush of people moving swiftly around her as she was carried through a large room into one with multiple beds. Everything was a blur of faces, emotions, and then darkness.

Hear heart slowed. The pink light at her sleeve faded away. For a very brief moment, she heard a high-pitched mechanical beep like from medical monitoring equipment, followed by an unfamiliar woman's voice so quiet, she could have imagined it; 'We're losing her. Call the doctor!'

However, something stronger replaced it.

It pulled her out of the void back to her body, and she felt the pink energy pulse through her, igniting the heartlight. It pulled her into it and surrounded her.

The stranger's distant voice returned; 'She's stabilizing? How?' another spoke; 'I don't know, but thank god.'

It faded out of her hearing just as quickly as it came.

Five new colors joined it. The new torrent of energy refused to let her go. It contained familiar voices, images, and the presence of people she knew that formed phantoms within the void; it was the team that saved her.

She'd heard them, and made a promise to them and to herself to live.

All six colors of energy braided through her so tightly, it became hers. The first and last of it, a steady stream of pink iridescence, tied it all together.

Shadow retreated and stayed quiet, locked away.

After running forever, she could finally rest.

She existed within that cocoon where time had no meaning, and dreamed within her dream. Images of places that felt familiar flashed through her mind long enough for her to process what they were, but not enough to be identified as specific locations: the ocean, the setting sun, a Ferris wheel, a city. The team was with her. They were there, all of them, and she was happy.

The sounds of shifting fabric nearby urged her to pay attention. The greater fraction of her made of the pink energy flashed for no longer than an eye blink, and for some reason, she knew she didn't have to worry about who'd just arrived. In fact, she was curious to see whom that energy belonged to. Her perception of those colors dissipated and she was left with the darkness of the backs of her eyelids.

Sun opened her eyes and blinked to bring a languidly revolving ceiling fan into focus. She sat up slowly. There were beds in a row ahead of her, and a 'Keep Calm' kitty poster on the wall. A few cracks adorned the smooth surfaces, like this room had gone through an earthquake, and someone was in the process of filling all the breaks with plaster. An empty bed next to the wall set to her right, and to her left sat the most familiar person in her dream world life, and the source of that pink energy.

She blinked. “Mark?” Her voice—like herself—felt raw.

Mark sat on the bed with his hands clasped between his knees and smiled. “Welcome back, Sun.”

She looked around. “Where am I?”

“Home. You're in the infirmary of the Markihub.”

She regarded him curiously, “What’s a Markihub?”

“It's,” he searched for the right words, “Like a safe zone. It's our HQ.”

“Oh,” she rubbed a warm point just below her clavicle, but paused and took the end of the red scarf in hand. “I guess everything was real after all.”

He nodded. “Yup. Extremely. How are you feeling?”

She ran a quick mental check of her senses. “A little tired, numb, kinda cold, and eviscerated. And confused.”

“That sounds about right.” He knew what she was suffering through right now without any further explanation. “It'll hurt for a while. You basically ripped open a wound and dumped rubbing alcohol on it. You're going to feel like you have no skin for a few days.”

She shuddered. “Because of Shadow?”

He nodded. “You're going to feel it clawing at your psyche. It damaged you pretty good, but you've got it under control. Believe it or not, you won. It might not feel like it, but you did. You'll be ok, though. You'll figure out which voice is yours and which is hers.”

“How?”

“I'll help you.”

Her head bobbled lightly in acceptance. “How long have you been here?”

“I just got back. It's technically night, at least where I am.” He scratched at his hair. “You remember what I told you, right? About you being in a coma?”

She took a deep breath. She felt alive, like this was her body, and it wasn't lying in a hospital somewhere on life support. “Yeah, I remember. I remember everything from the past year, but still nothing before it.”

“Give it time.”

Sun recalled his face whenever she'd open her eyes after the others had gone. He'd stayed within her line of sight. He'd said he'd come back, so that must have been when he woke up. She'd believed him.

“Ya know what was weird? My wrist hurt the entire day. I had to wear that damn brace the whole time.”

“From when Shadow grabbed you?”

“Yup.”

Her gaze dropped to her hands in her lap. “I sorry I couldn't stop her. I tried, but I wasn't strong enough. She had full control and all I could do was watch as she forced me to hurt you and I hated it. I felt so helpless and terrified. I didn’t want to hurt any of you guys. I kept screaming at her to stop, but...”

“That's not your fault. Believe me, I know how hard it is to fight that thing.”

She looked back at him, into his sincere expression, and knew he told the truth. She now had someone on the sidelines that she could look to, see him nod, and know he understood. He was perhaps the only one who did.

“I mean,” he continued, “this isn't the first time I've felt the after effects of a difficult mission, but it was up there in ‘pain-in-the-ass’ annoyance.”

She tried to stand up, but lost her balance and braced herself against the bed. The new energy left her stronger than before, but it wasn't native to her, so she had to compensate. She felt light headed.

“Easy. You should take it slow for a while.”

Her legs felt heavy, but she forced them to work anyway. The more steps she took, the simpler control became. To her relief, Shadow stayed locked behind her wall. Sun's body was hers again without interference.

She moved up the aisle to the middle of the waiting area.

Mark walked casually behind her, hands in his pockets.

A couple of people entered the infirmary, making her step aside to give them room. One of them limped as their friend helped them sit on the bed Mark just vacated.

A high-pitched, small voice caught her attention from the floor at her feet. “Hi, Sun!”

Sun looked down at her sneakers to a small wooden box with a smiling face, big blue eyes, and skinny arms sticking out from the sides. It waved at her. She stepped back almost into Mark. “Y-you're a tiny box.”

“Yup, I am,” Tim's grin remained.

“And you're talking,” She blinked.

“Sometimes you can't get him to shut up,” Mark joked.

“Hey,” Tim looked up at his friend, “You have no room to talk.”

He held up one hand. “I...pfffft....whatever, blah blah, Tim, blah blah.”

She crouched down on one knee to get a better look at the little animated guy. “I haven't seen anything like you before.”

Mark shifted to his other foot. “You don't know who he is?”

Sun shook her head. “No idea.”

“And you don’t know who I am at all?”

She shook her head, ashamed at the feeling that she should implied by his question. “Sorry.”

“Nah, nothing to be sorry for. I'm just a guy.” He felt a swell of relief. Sun had accepted him for who he was not based on any previous knowledge of his public life. He realized the only 'Mark' that she knew was the one she met here. He wondered if that would change if her memory came back. It surprised him that a small part of him didn't want it to.

That eased her concern. “So, where’d you find him? Out there somewhere?”

“Oh, I came from Mark,” Tim stated calmly. “I'm a Somni. My job is to heal the heroes who come back from missions, like you guys.”

Sun's face snapped to instant fear and she fell backward. “A Somni?!” She scooted back on her hands until she hit the wall, and held up her right forearm in defense, suddenly wary of this adorable box boy.

Tim pouted and reached out. “No, I’m not like that.”

Mark knelt down to scoop up the little box in his hands. “You don't have to worry about Tim. He's one of three Somni here, but he's not like Shadow, or—“

“Or that giant jerk, Dark,” Tim growled.

“…Or that giant jerk, Dark,” Mark accepted that answer. Why not? Seemed accurate enough.

“He knows about Shadow?” Her hand covered her mouth in embarrassment. “Oh no.” She stood and flopped down in the nearest seats.

He sat next to her. “Listen. If there's anyone in this place you can trust, it's Tim. Your secret's safe with him.”

“That's right,” Tim saluted and smiled.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” he assured her.

“Well, I trust you, so,” Sun reached out and flinched a little when Tim took hold of her hand. “I guess he is pretty cute.”

The little box blushed, “Ah, jeeze, Sun. Thanks.” He hopped back to the floor. “I wouldn't recommend you leave the hub yet. It took a lot to bring you back. Healing from that and from a Demonling possession won't happen over night.”

“What do you mean by that?” She asked.

Mark found his shoes to be more interesting at that moment. “He means you were kind of...almost damned close to...well, dead.” He noticed her surprise and continued before she could blurt anything out. He kept his voice low. “We had to pull some drastic measures to save you, and it worked, and here you are. So...Yay.”

“What he's trying to say is that they gave you their life energy. Yours was pretty much gone. They saved your life by replacing it with theirs,” Tim clarified.

“We didn't even know if it would work, but we're all glad it did.”

Her eyes widened. So, she hadn't imagined it. What she'd felt truly was them. “How...” she cleared her throat. “How much of me was left?”

Tim answered softly. “From what I could tell, about 5%.”

Shock at her almost-reality zapped through her. “5%?” she whispered. “Then I really was... And everything else isn't me. It's...”

Tim gave her a 'no' motion. “No, it's yours now. Captain Overkill, here, and the others gave you a ton. You just have to wait for it to settle down. This hasn't been done before, so whatever happens from now on that you don't understand, you can talk to me about it. I'm here for you, Sun.”

Mark rubbed at his eyebrow, not able to look her in the eye. She was quiet, and when he did turn to lock eyes with her, he saw disbelief, and confusion, but mostly gratefulness. She recognized what they had given her. She was still stuck in a coma, but alive because of them.

Oddly enough, he felt that connection, as well as the sense of the Somni within her. Now that Shadow and Dark has interacted...ish...that part of him could tell it was there the same way Shadow detected Dark at the Glen when they'd found her.

He cleared his throat. “That was a bitch to do, let me tell ya. Don't want to do that again.”

“A-are you ok from that?” She still couldn't believe it. “It sounds super serious.”

Tim interrupted the awkward moment. “I checked Mark when he got here. He's not at full power yet, but he's fine—up to about 65%.

“69. Don't sugar coat it for her.”

“The others should be ok, too. It'll probably take a couple of days for everyone to get back up to 100, so don't worry about them.”

He stretched. “Felt like 30 when I woke up.”

Tim poked him in the shin. “I had to tell you to stop.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know.”

Sun leaned forward, trying to come to terms with the fact that only 5% of her own life energy remained.

“Well, I gotta patch up some heroes, so I'll see you later,” Tim waved. “Good luck out there!”

She watched him bobble down the aisle to help with the two who'd walked in moments ago.

Mark stood. “I need to get going, too. The team should be here soon and we need to prep for the next mission.”

She looked up, worried. “You're going back out there already? Those things are out there, and Tim said—”

“Hey, no life draining procedure ever stopped me from doing something that's potentially stupid.”

His humor reached her and she smiled slightly. “That made no sense. Are you sure you're ok?”

“This is nothing kicking some Terrorling ass won't fix.” He shrugged. “If you're up to it, you should explore the hub,” he offered. “But I’d steer clear of the Weaponry for a while, if I were you.”

“Why? What's wrong with the Weaponry?”

“It's not so much what’s wrong with the place as it is the guy,” he dragged the last syllable out to emphasize the instability of Wilford. “Look, just trust me, ok? If you see a guy with a pink mustache, do not approach. In fact, come back to the infirmary. He doesn't like it in here.”

“Is he dangerous?”

“Eh,” he pitched up his voice and it cracked, “To a degree, but he won't hurt anybody here. I made sure of that.”

“Oh-kay...” That wasn't very reassuring. She got to her feet. “Hey, when you see your team, please tell them I said thank you.”

“Nope,” he said. “They'll want to see you before we head out. You can tell them yourself.”

That sounded reasonable, and more preferable. She wanted to see them again, too.

He opened the door.

“Mark?”

He paused in the threshold to look back.

“I know who you are.”

He paused with that knot of concern in his chest. Shadow has said his voice was the last one she heard before she fell into her coma. Maybe her memory had started to return. The possibility of her perception of him changing due to his profession gave him a twinge of loss.

“You’re the one who called me back. When Shadow had full control, I heard you. I held onto that. So, …you’re…you're a…friend.” This man was no longer just a random stranger she came across in this world. She felt comfortable around him. He was important to her. After everything he'd gone through to save her, she thought he should at least know that much.

For the first time since they'd found her in the dream world, he saw her smile genuinely and completely. It brightened her spirit, and poured into the depths of her words that only a feeling could convey. He picked up on all of it. A thousand pages would never be enough.

“Thank you.”

He returned it in kind. “You're welcome.”

Sun watched him leave and exhaled.

She walked up to stand in front of the ‘Keep Calm’ kitty poster. “Now what?” she whispered to the adorable kitten in its scuba suit and clear round helmet. It gave a thousand-mile happy stare as an answer.

A few veins of cracks etched into the walls from beneath the poster. She'd noticed there were random areas like this all over the room. A couple of larger ones, some medium breaks, but mostly hairline fractures in clusters, or alone in jagged lightning strike lines. She touched the edge of a crack near the poster, and jerked her hand back when it suddenly sutured itself together. The damage healed completely. “Whoa.” She was pretty sure she’d never witnessed a building self-repair.

She felt like she was suddenly inside a massive creature that went through a gruesome battle and was slowly regenerating from getting its ass kicked. Was this another aspect of the dream world?

Shadow’s whispers—her negativity—tried to surface, but she shut her eyes against it and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering from an internal cold. She had 7 reasons to fight it, now, even if she didn’t really know what she was doing yet.

“Sun!” An exuberant squeal of delight resounded through the room.

Sun turned around just as Purple dashed down the center aisle and glomped her in a tight hug. The force of the hug-attack made her stumble back, but neither of them fell. “Wuh.”

“You’re awake and you’re ok!” Purple’s cheek squished against the scarf.

“Purple?” She recognized her, even though they hadn’t had a conversation before. Whether that familiarity was due to the mix of energy gradually becoming hers or not, she accepted it. This little girl with two-toned colored hair was part of the team that saved her. She'd bravely fought the horde of Terrorlings that Shadow summoned to take down the group. Though small, she was definitely not powerless. She was precious. Sun hugged her back. “Purple.”

“We were so scared. You fought so hard, and we went through all that, and we were scared to lose you, and... I’m so happy you’re ok!” A tear of elation slipped down her cheek.

“I’m up, aren’t I?” She held on tightly. “It’s because of you. Thank you, Purple.”

Purple’s grin reached ear to ear and she smooshed her face harder into the fabric. She wasn't useless, and now she knew she had saved a life, and that life mattered to her.

“Sheesh, Purple, don’t put her back in the hospital bed,” a taller boy in a beanie and warm hued flannel strolled over with his hands lazily in his jeans pockets. “As soon as she heard you were up, she took off.”

“Red,” Sun didn’t want to take her eyes off of him. He was beautiful. He came across as coarse and brash, but what he’d given her was strength and loyalty.

“Sorry,” the white mage apologized, but didn’t let go.

Four others followed behind their companion.

“Sun, you’re all right!” Peach jogged up and hugged her from the other side, since Purple refused to give up her spot in the middle. “We were so worried. I couldn’t concentrate at all today.”

“Peach,” she smiled.

“It’s about time you woke up!” Jade bounced down the aisle and gave Purple a run for her money when it came to hugs. “What were you going for, a world record?”

“Maybe, Jade.”

“Guys, come on, she just woke up,” Blue chuckled as she and Mark tailed the group. Though she couldn’t help herself and joined in on the group hug. “Let her breathe.”

“Says the team leader adding to the problem,” Red smirked. He felt the same joy at seeing her up and around, since the 6 of them had given her a part of themselves to bring her back. “Ah what the hell.” He wrapped his arms around her from Peach’s side. It was rare that he’d choose to be this open about his feelings, but he and his team had gone through enough together that they were some of the few people he was ok with. Besides, it’s not every day you give up part of your life energy to save someone else.

“Guys…” Sun sniffled as the immense amount of caring from those surrounding her poured out as tears. She knew all of their names. She didn't know how, but that mystery didn't matter. Shadow’s whispers faded away. Even if she wanted to drop to her knees, she couldn’t. These people were holding her up.

Mark folded his arms and just watched. He remembered this from Sun’s position, and knew how therapeutic that moment between him and his team had been. It stayed with him as part of the lock that kept Dark behind his wall.

“Hey, Mark, get in here. You’re the only one missing,” Blue held out her hand.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, keeping his voice light. “We had our moment.”

Sun looked over Purple’s head and gave an understanding nod. It was fine if he didn’t. She was ok with that. She’d said what she needed to earlier anyway.

Purple shuffled slightly sideways and held out her hand. Jade, Peach, and Red did the same. They all knew their teammate was still healing.

“You’re the main reason we even got her out of there,” Purple’s smile came out in her soft voice. “Blue put it together that you’d be the only one who could get through to her and you did. And Tim wouldn’t have been able to max out his healing spell without you. I don’t think any other team here could have rescued her. We fought our hardest, but if it wasn’t for you, Sun wouldn’t be here.“

“Yeah, being crushed by a bunch of nerds,” Jade added with a grin.

“The best nerds,” Peach wrapped her other arm around Red.

He knew they were right. He was the only one in this hub to experience possession of a Somni-Demonling, but he also knew if he’d gone into Sun’s dream alone, despite his story, skill, or history, he wouldn’t have been able to rescue her. He may even have fallen into darkness again trying.

Blue's team was a bunch of sensitive, ass-kicking memers—himself included—and dick jokes were the norm. Then again, he had a collection of tear-filled vlogs the world could view at any time, so he really didn’t have room to talk—like Tim said.

Sun was surprised when Purple relinquished her precious spot to let him in, but more surprised when he accepted it. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Purple squeezed back in between him and Blue and the group filled in the circle.

He was only a few inches taller than her. This was part of the dream world. They were spirits. But they were so warm. Tears of joy spilled from Sun's eyes. If only to these 6 people, she held value.

The pink glow from her hero mark remained steady—a constant reminder that a part of this team lived within her. She may fall down as she healed, but she wasn’t alone anymore. She could pull from their strength to continue, and maybe even wake up from her coma. The only thing she wanted was to always remember them. She would do the best she could to never betray that gift.

They let her go one by one, renewed and ready to go save someone from the Terrorlings.

“Come on, guys, we’re burning nightlight,” Jade bounced on the balls of their feet. Though they weren’t back up to 100% yet, they were psyched.

“I’m not sure that’s the right expression,” Purple giggled, “But I guess it fits, since it’s currently night time.”

“I’m going full throttle on this one,” Peach clenched her fists, ready for action. “We’ll rescue our mission target in record time.”

“And then we’ll be dragging your exhausted ass back,” Red stated.

“Red has a point. Let’s take it easy on the next couple, ok, guys?” Blue said.

The team accepted their leader’s ruling. They bid Sun farewell, said they’d be back soon, and talked to each other as they headed to the door.

…All except Mark.

She glanced back.

He remained hugging Sun tightly. He didn’t speak, and neither did she. It was an intimate, wordless conversation no one else would know the details to.

Blue caught the glint of a tear slipping down from behind his glasses. At first she was concerned that he was slipping backward—as had happened before—, but then she noticed his expression. It wasn't sadness, regret, or guilt. It was acceptance, and the evaporation of a very old weight.

Sun's expression changed to kind support and her arms tightened around his waist. Tears slid down her cheeks as she rested her head on his shoulder. Whatever she picked up, it had turned from 'I'm glad you're alive' from his end, and 'thank you,' from hers, to 'I understand. You'll be ok' from her, and 'I'm sorry. Forgive me' from him.

Her new knowledge of his past let her understand a fraction of that conversation.

He wasn’t embracing only Sun.

He was also embracing the one he couldn’t save.

Blue felt herself smile. Saving Sun had let him fully forgive himself and accept that the death of his teammate wasn't his fault. ‘You kept your promise,’ she told him in her heart, ‘Your teammate would be proud.’

“Hey, you comin', Blue?” Red caught her attention.

“Yeah,”

“What about him?”

Blue rested her hand on his upper arm. “He'll catch up. We're not leaving without him. Come on, let's stock up on ultra balls.” Hopefully soon, one of their missions would lead to Teal, and a second chance. She and Red left their two friends to take their time.

He had found closure in the most circuitous, introspective, unique way possible.

After 5 years, Mark could finally let go of the guilt and truly say good-bye.

------------

TBC

Prologue: A Light in the Darkness

Chapter 1: Weekend Warriors

Chapter 2: Something’s Suspishy

Chapter 3: Chasing the Sun

Chapter 4: The Nightmare’s Truth

Chapter 5: Light and Shadow

Chapter 6: Lifeline - part 1

Chapter 7: Lifeline - part 2

Chapter 8: Phantom Power

Chapter 9: Mark’s Past

Chapter 10: A Second Chance

Chapter 11: Learning to Breathe

Epilogue: Ad Infinitum

#hearts and heroes #markiplier #fanfic #fanfiction #sun #second chance #we come full circle #Sun is not the only one to heal #Mark finds closure #a new beginning #meliecho #This took me almost two months to write. Now I'm finished #I feel empty #now what?#You'll come back when they call you.#one shot #Nathan's such a bro. He hasn't been in a team with Mark for 5 years #but he cares about him enough to make sure the team he joined is made of good people

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topclassteacher-blog · 6 years ago

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What it’s like to live and teach English in South Korea

I have been teaching for nearly 10 years and during that time, I have had the privilege of teaching in a number of different countries. Therefore, I’d like to write a few posts for other travellers who may be thinking of following in my footsteps.

So, first of all, let’s go back to where it all began; Busan, South Korea. The year is 2008 and I had just finished my degree. Like a lot of graduates, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life but I had spent the previous few years working with kids and I had loved it. Therefore, when my mum told me that the daughter of one of her friends was teaching in South Korea, I thought why not?

Before Going

One of the worst parts of my whole experience was before I went. First of all, a mate of mine was supposed to come with me but he dropped out - after we had had our leaving party! Then, the agent who I had been working with went on holiday and my visa application sat on her desk untouched. This meant that I was late arriving and I missed the training provided by the EPIK (English Program in Korea). That being said, I have since been told that the training was not fantastic and that a lot of my peers went to their respective schools feeling far from confident.

If you are planning to go to Korea, you must be in possession of the following things:

- A Bachelor’s Degree

- A passport from a native speaking English country (UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland)

The following things are also important to consider

- No visible tattoos

- No history of mental illness

- No drug use (you are drug tested when you arrive)

However, remember that most employers in South Korea will pay for:

- Your rent

- Your flight (this will be reimbursed on arrival)

Arriving

Upon arriving in Busan, South Korea, I was taken to my school directly from the plane. Imagine my horror when I realised this - I was wearing a Hooters baseball top as it was the most comfortable and loose fitting thing I owned. I met the principal and had to give a little speech in front of all the other teachers - again something I wasn’t prepared for.

Just a day later, I was in front of my first ever class. I had been given a few textbooks (even then I could see what poor quality they were) and the powerpoints created by the previous incumbent of my position. I cobbled together an introduction lesson and stood up in front of the class. Now here is a huge difference to consider - will you be in a public school (organised by EPIK) or a hagwon (a private academy)? For an explanation of the difference, see the section below. I was with EPIK which meant I was assisted by a Korean co-teacher who translated everything I said into Korean. At the time, I thought this was great but I now realise that this is really bad practice. I was really glad she was there that day though as, 25 minutes into a 40 minute lesson, I ran out of things to say. Fortunately, she stepped in and ‘rescued’ me and by the time the next class rolled around, I had prepared a little more; enough to fill the time at least.

On the whole, I did the best I could in class but with no formal training, I acknowledge my lessons were pretty awful. That’s why I would definitely recommend getting a CELTA before teaching anywhere. Not only does it prepare you for what it’s like to stand in front of a class but you also get a slight salary bump as well.

EPIK or Hagwon?

EPIK

Advantages

A Korean co-teacher handles discipline and is on hand to translate any difficult words.

You don’t teach the same class all the time so you can ‘rinse and repeat’ lessons which means less planning.

Your classes are often cancelled as they are not high priority. This means you often get paid for doing nothing. For me, this was actually a disadvantage because I went stir-crazy with nothing to do for long periods.

You work a traditional work week - 8.30-4.30, Monday-Friday.

You are much less likely to get bad accommodation, although this does happen.

Disadvantages

Days are very repetitive

You may be the only native speaker teacher there which can make meeting new people difficult

You sometimes feel like a circus attraction - the kids used to come to my class just to stare at me or pull hairs out of my arms.

Hagwon

Advantages

Higher salary

You teach the same children so you have a chance to learn names and build a relationship with them

There are other native speakers around for you to interact with.

You are given full lesson plans to work with

Disadvantages

There are a lot of shady operators who do not treat their teachers very well, e.g. a friend of mine was made to live in her boss’ basement.

You work until late. The normal work day is 2-10pm.

Your classes are NEVER cancelled. If you are contracted to work those hours, there will always be students there.

You have to handle discipline yourself.

Life in Korea

Socialising in Korea

Socialising in Korea was incredible. I quickly got myself into a football team of native speaker teachers and travelled all over Korea with them and I had a large group of friends. While the majority of my free time was spent out drinking and partying, I also had some of the most incredible experiences there including:

- Making Kimchi (see food) with monks

- Diving with sharks at the Busan Aquarium

- Jumping off the Daegu Tower (unfortunately this is now closed)

- Playing in a volleyball tournament on Haeundae Beach in Busan

- Being invited to a co-teacher’s house for traditional Korean food

- Visiting incredible temples - Yonggungsa in Busan is stunning!

2. Korean Food

I miss the food - my God how I miss the food! When I arrived, I wasn’t convinced by the food but after being shown around by my new friends, I realised that Korean food is fantastic. Here are some of the things you need to try

- Kimchi. The Korean staple, Kimchi is fermented cabbage served in a chilli sauce. While it may not sound nice, it’s different in every restaurant that you visit and when you find 2-3 restaurants where they make good kimchi, you will not be able to stop eating it. Popular variations are Kimchi-jigae (Kimchi soup) and Kimchi-Pahjon (Kimchi pancake) which are also delicious.

- Samgyupsal and Bulgogi. Order raw meat and cook it on your own personal grill with onions, garlic, Korean chilli paste and Kimchi. Then enjoy family style!

- Hae-Jang-Guk. Translated this means ‘hangover soup’ and boy does it do the job. The contents are pork spine with a fiery broth. The meat just melts in your mouth and you can add rice for extra yumminess.

- Tang-Soo-Yuk. Korea’s answer to sweet and sour, this is much more tasty in my opinion. Sticky and really unhealthy, it’s another thing you won’t want to stop eating.

- Ojingo. Squid that is served while it is still moving. This is an acquired taste but something you have to try. The sensation of the suckers sticking to the inside of your mouth is bizarre but unique.

3. Korean people/customs

On the whole, you will find Koreans a pleasant enough bunch and some of the younger generations have grown up having native speaking English teachers so it is normal for them. Make an effort to have some Korean friends even though it’s tempting to just hang around with other English speakers. Some of my best experiences came with my Korean friends Gyu-Ho, and (Super) Hans. However, there are a few things you should be aware of. Do not get into any kind of conflict with a Korean as your status as a foreigner means you are always in the wrong (even in the eyes of the police in some cases). Koreans are fiercely protective of their language and are not especially helpful when you make mistakes. Do what I didn’t and take classes to make sure your pronunciation is spot on.

Korean people (especially women) love to form relationships with native speakers and while they are very affectionate and undeniably attractive in a lot of cases, this can cause problems with old-fashioned families. One friend of mine was told that he would marry his Korean girlfriend ‘over her father’s dead body’.

This section seems unduly negative and I don’t want it to be. Most of the people I met were great people and were so happy that I was there to share in their culture. The negative sides of this part are more a case of ‘forewarned is forearmed’.

In terms of customs, you will often find that you will need to remove your shoes before entering a house or, in my case, even a school. However, they will often provide slippers/sandals for you to wear.

While eating there are a few customs to be aware of. A lot of meals in restaurants are served on low tables which require you to sit cross-legged. I am the least flexible person ever so this was not an enjoyable experience for me. Also, the person sitting opposite you is your ‘partner’ and you are ‘responsible’ for them, Make sure they always have a drink in front of them and serve it to them with one hand while holding the other on your bicep, e.g. serve with your right hand, your left hand should be on your right bicep. Finally, please please please learn to use chopsticks before you go. When I arrived, I didn’t know how to use them and it caused me no end of embarrassment. When I finally learned, my Korean co-teachers and waiters/waitresses in restaurants were so happy. It’s a small thing but it makes a huge difference.

The last major custom that you should be aware of is the different approach to nudity. Koreans will often visit jjimjilbangs (spas) with friends and coworkers. Once inside, the men and the women are separated and go into large spa rooms/hot baths completely naked. This is normal but Korean people are a little prone to staring especially if, like me, you are quite hirsute.

4. Shopping in Korea

While you are in Korea, you will still be able to get a lot of your home comforts. In Busan, they have a Costco where you can buy a lot of Western food although you have to buy it in bulk.

In terms of clothes, you need to be aware that sizes differ drastically. Here in the UK, when buying a pair of shorts, I wear a medium but in Korea my shorts were an XL! Also, for women, if you are busty, it can be very difficult to find clothes that will fit. A friend of mine once went into a shop and the shop assistant pointed at her chest and said “No size, no size”.

As you might imagine, electronics are cheap so there’s no need to take too many gadgets with you. I bought a really nice camera out there much cheaper than I could have bought it in the UK.

5. Transport/Getting Around in Korea

The best way of travelling from city to city in Korea is the KTX (the bullet train). This super-fast train is affordable and comfortable and is a pleasure to travel on. If you’re on a budget there is also the mugunghwa which is an older, slower train that is used to get to smaller towns and villages.

In terms of travelling in the city, most of the big cities have a subway system which makes it easy to get around. I used this opportunity to learn the Korean letters as all the stations are in Korean and in English. There are also buses that you can use if there isn’t a subway station near where you are heading. Finally, taxis are much cheaper than in the UK (I’d say cheaper even than Uber) but make sure that you know how to pronounce where you’re going - I got into a rather heated argument with a taxi driver about my pronunciation of White Hotel as the Korean pronunciation was White-uh Hoe-ter. As you might imagine, I was quite upset about having my pronunciation of English words corrected.

Last word

Overall, Korea is a wonderful place and a part of me still misses living there. The quality of life is great and as an English teacher you will be financially comfortable.

I hope this guide to living in Korea has been helpful and if there is anything I haven’t covered or if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

#teach abroad #teach in korea #tefl #tefl life #busan #korean food #korean transport #socialising #topclassteacher #life in korea

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halcyonkrp · 7 years ago

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WHO’S THAT TRAINER ?

coming from maui, hawaii, usa and settling into the haeundae district here in busan as a top pokémon ranger, he’s not participating in the league! but don’t underestimate him, can you guess who he is?

IT’S KIM KAHONI !

POKEDEX ENTRY

Kahoni was born in Maui- as the step-grandson of the Island’s Kahuna. Shortly before Kahoni’s Mother became pregnant with Kahoni, his Grandmother was preparing to move to Maui…that was until a small accident completely halted their uprooting. A positive pregnancy test from his Mother completely made them rethink everything and rearrange their plans. Much to the Grandmother’s horror, his Mother claimed that she had no idea who the Father was. Plans were changed, and instead of Kahoni’s Mother staying in Korea and attending Busan Pokemon University- she moved with her Mother to Alola, knowing staying with family would be the best option for bringing Kahoni into the world. Despite Kahoni not being his biological grandchild, he took his Mother in like she was his own- being made Kahoni’s godfather and even being the one to name him.

The young boy attached himself to his Grandfather, growing up with the idea that stronger Pokemon was the only thing that equated to being better in battle. By the age of 10 he was gifted with being taught how to catch a Pokemon, his first Pokemon being a Pichu. Kahoni spent his time constantly battling, wanting to be the best like he saw his Grandfather was- following in his footsteps to be the next Island Kahuna. In this blindness all he did was focus on the power of his Pokemon, focusing too much on training his team that he completely forgot the compassion and safety that the creatures would need. Not to say that Kahoni treated his Pokemon terrible, he had a lot of care for each of them- but more often than not he found himself forgetting they were living and breathing creatures that could experience fatigue, and looked at them as just battle tools. Over and over- his Grandfather would tell him that he would never become Kahuna with the path he was taken, but failed to really explain to Kahoni what he meant by that. Wrapped up in his own cockiness, Kahoni completely ignored his warnings. Kahoni swept through battles, beating every trainer that challenged him- that alone should have been enough prove he was going in the right direction…right?

It was a night where he was seeking out Pokemon- following a legend that said to lead him a legendary that had power like no other. His mind didn’t think to focus on the protection and safety of his Pokemon, or the threats that could come from this- despite the warnings from his Grandfather to not fall into the temptation and greed, he didn’t listen. Interfering with people he shouldn’t have dealt with, and being a witness to something he had no business being a part in- putting himself and more importantly- threatened the lives of his Pokemon. Seeing the way his childhood friend now Raichu scramble to hang on to dear life, the disappointed look his Grandfather gave him- Kahoni determined he wasn’t worthy of being a trainer or a Kahuna in any way. The only reason Raichu and the rest of his Pokemon survived as they did, was because luckily there were Pokemon Rangers nearby that were able to calm the situation as much as they could- giving them enough room to save Raichu’s life.

Kahoni turned over a new leaf, the Pokemon he had that he knew truly had a passion for battling- he gave away to fellow Trainer he trusted would treat them well and take them far. The Pokemon that were tired and didn’t want any more of this league challenge lifestyle, he released- finally giving them the break he never gave them. The only Pokemon he kept was Raichu, the moment he tried releasing him- Raichu refused to leave. Despite all that Kahoni had done and the way he had treated him, the bond between him and Raichu was immense. He kept Raichu, but he promised to never let him go through any sort of harm again. At the age of 19 he moved from everything he knew and enrolled in Ranger school, and by the age of 20 he was placed as an Area Ranger in the Buk District. The new Ranger was a natural for what he did- and for once, he truly felt a place of satisfaction and fulfillment he never got as a Trainer. Being a Trainer- there was always something he was craving, no battle was ever good enough because there was something more to obtain. Being a Ranger- he didn’t have that feeling anymore. Each mission he completed, he had done something right. Whether it was saving a Pokemon or someone else, he finally was making a difference and serving his community. It didn’t matter if the whole city didnt know his name with the fame of a Kahuna, he was just happy knowing he made a difference every day. Giving back for all the bad karma he’s accumulated.

After 4 years of being an area Ranger- once the previous Leader Ranger was relocated to another region, he took over being the leader of the Buk district for 3 years- but his Ranger journey didn’t end there. After completing a particular mission that involved him heading back to Alola- having to tame and save the region of Alola from a legendary Yveltal gone wild- going face to face with the same legendary that nearly killed him and Raichu. His bravery and strategic actions through the entire incident led him to being promoted as a Top Ranger, proving to the Ranger Union he was the one to call with larger threats that involved much greater risks. He’s relocated to Haeundae- being the place that reminds him of home the most. The past 2 years as a Top Ranger has been intense, and while it seems like he finally has that level status he always wanted with being a Kahuna…he can’t help but miss leading his own Ranger base, working with others and not only completing high level jobs with so much at risk.

#hc.entry #hc.lee kikwang #hc.poke rangers

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pikapegasus · 7 years ago

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Can you please write 084 + 076 with Starmora? The numbers are from the new list. I'm such a sucker for domestic fluff and babies! And also I love your writing skills :D

76. “I could really use a foot rub right now.” // 84. “I think you might be pregnant.”

happy father’s day to the usa readers!!!! i personally think peter quill would make a p cool dad. yay!!!! ((also fuckkkkk the wifi is acting up hope i can get this up before i leave,,,,))

send me a ship + a number!!!

Gamora sighs as she sits down at the dining table, relaxinginto her chair.

“Hm, was that an it’sso good to be done with this mission-sigh or an it feels insanely good to sit down right now because I’m incrediblyexhausted-sigh?” Peter asks, looking at her over his shoulder as he workson dinner.

“The latter.” She closes her eyes briefly. He grabs a cupand fills it with water for her, placing it on the table in front of her,prompting her to open her eyes.

“What’s got you so tired lately?” he inquires, returning tohis place by the stove. “Not that our job isn’t insanely demanding, becausesometimes I feel like I literallycan’t move, but nothing’s been too crazy lately. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” she reassures him, sipping at the water.“Whatever this is, it’ll pass, soon enough.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“Well,” she teases, “I could really use a foot rub rightnow.”

“Uh, you tryexplaining to the others why their food tastes like your feet.” He gives her a look, and she just ducks her head,trying (and failing) to hide a smile. “But I’ll see what I can do afterdinner.”

“Thanks.”

Despite her words to him, Gamora’s not really sure what’s up with her lately, because theexhaustion she’s felt the past few days is dangerously close to rivaling whatshe felt when saving the entire galaxy—againstRonan, Ego, and Thanos, namely—with the team in the past. She hopes more thanactually knows the feelings will pass, because it’s making her already tedious,busy life that much more complicated to keep up with.

She doesn’t even notice she’s nodding off in the chairbefore Rocket’s voice suddenly greets her.

“There you are, Gamora,” he’s saying, walking into thekitchen with his latest project.

“Huh?” She blinks quickly, trying to wake herself up beforeeither Rocket or Peter can notice. “What do you need, Rocket?”

“Oh, nothin’,” he says casually, sitting across the tablefrom her. He sets his tools and work-in-progress down to continue histinkering. “I just wanted t’see how you were doin’, since you seemed kindaoutta’it earlier.”

“Are you sure you’re not sick?” Peter inquires from thestove.

“I’m sure,” Gamora says. “Even if I am, it’s just minor.Nothing to worry about.”

“Hm.” Rocket studies her for a moment before returning tohis work. “If ya say so.”

Rocket’s a curious character. He’d started out as somewhatof a professional asshole when they saved the galaxy the first time around,then, while maintaining his asshole-ness, developed into a more open,dependable teammate and friend. Gamora’s only direct qualm with him had been becauseof his decision to forcefully prevent her from going after Peter on Ego’splanet, but now, years later, they’ve moved so, so far past that.

(And, yeah, Gamora may still not agree with his decision,but it’s a miniscule anger in comparison to her overall close friendship withhim.)

Anyway, Rocket’s been acting strangely lately, as herhealth’s been acting up. She feels as if she’s suddenly spending more time withhim—not that she’s against that, she enjoys Rocket’s company—than usual. EvenPeter’s noticed, pointing out how Rocket’s occasionally directly followed her, around the ship, on amission, wherever.

Whatever it is, she doesn’t think much of it.

“What are you working on?” she asks after watching Rocketwork in silence for a minute or two.

“New baby monitors, or whatever-the-hell, for you’s’two,” heanswers, not even looking up. “Quill’s idea.”

“I just want to make sure we have the best surveillancepossible when Mer goes down for a nap or to play by herself or whatever,” Peterexplains, looking at them. “She’s a toddler, and toddlers are trouble.”

“Terrans,” Rocket grumbles, gesturing vaguely to the airbeside him.

“Zen-Whoberi-Terrans,”Peter corrects proudly.

“Whatever.”

They sit in a comfortable silence once again, only thesounds of Peter’s cooking and Rocket’s tinkering filling the air. Gamora findsherself struggling to stay awake again, her eyes slipping closed and headtilting slightly to the side.

A few blissful minutes pass before Rocket announces thecompletion of his project and leaves the room.

By then, Gamora’s given into her exhaustion, crossing herarms on the table and resting her head against them, ready for a quick napbefore—

Quiet, tiny footsteps fill her ears all too quickly,followed by Mer calling out to her parents from the doorway.

“Hi, Daddy!” Mer scampers over to Peter first, hugging hislegs.

“Hey, Mer-bear, be careful, the stove is hot.”

Gamora just barely manages to pull herself together in timefor Mer abandoning Peter and approaching her, holding her arms up toward her.“Hi, Mommy!”

“Hi,” Gamora mumbles sleepily, exhaling softly as she pullsMer up into her arms, setting her on her lap. She presses a kiss to Mer’s head.“How was your nap?”

“Good,” she answers, wrapping her arms around Gamora’s neckand resting her head against her chest. “Dinner?”

“Soon, kiddo,” Peter answers, turning off the stove. Heturns to Gamora and Mer at the table. “Be gentle with Mommy, she’s tired.”

“Why?”

“I’ve been busy,” Gamora says with a shrug, laying a hand onMer’s back. “But it’s okay, I’ll be better soon.”

Peter approaches them then. “Here, sit with me, Mer.”

Mer, as easygoing as ever, releases Gamora and turns herarms up to Peter. He picks her up, then sits in the chair beside Gamora’s,settling Mer on his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugs her closely tohim, prompting a giggle from her.

“Rocket’s still acting funny,” he comments, letting Mer playwith his fingers. “Did you do something to make him really like you all of asudden?”

Gamora shakes her head. “No, I’m not sure what prompted it,honestly. He’s just been more interested in whatever I’m doing lately, Iguess.”

Peter laughs a little then. “His behavior kinda reminds meof when you were—“

He cuts himself off with a look of bewilderment, staring ather with wide eyes.

She stares back, unimpressed. “When I was…?”

“The fatigue!”

“What?”

“Your fatigue lately, how you’re just randomly tired for noreason,” he says, gesturing to her. “And Rocket’s acting super…super protective of you! It all makes sense!”

“Peter, what—“

He quickly covers Mer’s ears, whispering harshly, “I thinkyou might be pregnant!”

Now it’s her turn to widen her eyes, her mouth hanging openas she comprehends his words. After several moments of stunned silence, shemanages a “What?”

(Because, as much as she’s too shocked and confused tooutright admit it, Peter’s reasoning makes sense, and, oh, my god, she probably ispregnant again, what the fuck—)

“That has to bewhat’s happening here,” Peter says, determined. “See, back on Earth, peoplesaid animals—like Rocket, since he’s a raccoon, even though he swears he’s not, he’s a freakin’ raccoon—could sometimes sense it beforepeople could, so they’d be more protective around the people they cared about,and, and—oh my god, you mightactually be pregnant again, holy shit.”

“Daddy,” Mer protests, pushing at his hands over her ears.

“Hey, Mer-bear, can you go play with Groot for a bit? He’sin his room,” Peter says, turning her in his lap to meet her eyes. “I need totalk with Mommy real quick.”

“Okay.” He lowers her from his lap and she scampers off downthe hallway.

“You…could be right,” Gamora finally admits. “It would make sense.”

“We should get this tested, like, now,” he says, somewhere between frantic and excited. “As soon aspossible.”

“And if that’s what this is?” she asks, because, what the hell, they hadn’t had much of a talk yetabout a second kid. It was never completely off the table, but they hadn’t planned for it, at least not specifically.This changes a lot of things, like the dynamics of their families, her abilityto contribute physically to the team, the amount of time either of them can contribute anythingto the team, not to mention Mer’s going to have to adjust to being one of two children.

“Well…we made it out safely after Mer surprised us,” hepoints out. “I mean, we’re definitelygoing to need some serious time to process this and actually talk about it, butI think we can handle it. You’re the one doing most of the work, though, so whatdo you think?”

She absentmindedly sets a hand over her flat stomach, tryingto process everything.

Is she ready?

Probably not, but is anyone really ready when things like this happen?

Does she even wantthis?

“I think,” she says slowly, reaching a hand out under thetable to grasp one of Peter’s hands, “this is good.”

“Yeah? Yeah. It’s good. Really good.” He nods along to hisown words, smiling carefully. She mirrors his expression. “Yeah. Okay. Awesome.We can totally do this. Second time’s the charm. Let’s do it.”

He seals his words with a quick kiss, and, honestly, withhim by her side, Gamora knows theycan do this again.

send me a ship + a prompt about your ship sharing a bed!!!

#starmora #gamora #peter quill #star lord #guardians of the galaxy #mcu #fanfiction #tumblr exclusive #omfg i had to use my phone as a personal hotspot i feel Attacked by this wifi #storytime: the time i was attacked by my grandparents' wifi #anyway happy dad day hope you enjoyed and have a good day!!!#happilyminiaturetastemaker #mer and ari and kat quill

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