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wd-ghosty · 1 month

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BreakOut

2012 Ophelia fic

The three of them were out in a park walking, doing normal people stuff, even though you weren’t normal people. They got weird stares from mothers walking with their children, people walking their dogs, and elderly couples stare at you guys in shock.

“You guys don’t think we could’ve gone to prince’s house, look at all the people staring at us” Jean puts his head down in slight embarrassment, all the eyes on them were too much for him to take.

“Well I wouldn’t say these outfits are the most family friendly…” Val tried to cover her waist with her flowy sleeves to moderate success.

Irritated by all the shame oozing out of her friends, Ophie decided to speak up. “Why are you two acting like this? We cosplay all the time, do you shouldn’t be embarrassed. And Valley, my love, cleavage and mid drift isn’t gonna send you to the ninth ring of hell.”

Ophelia’s a 16 year old designer, and cosplayer, with a couple of hustles on the side. She doesn’t like being her own model so she’ll get her friends to do it, sing the do gladly. Today was like any other, they go somewhere to take pictures them leave, but today was different.

While walking back to the car, they were putting all their stuff in the trunk, when a bright purple triangle tore through the sky. And what is best described as a lovecraftian apocalypse begun.

———————-

While running through the city, the clothes she was wearing ripped up, but that was the least of her concerns. All she could hear were the blood curdling screams of people all around her, she wanted to help but she knows helping is meaningless in a situation like this.

Ophelia ran back to her house, she hastily changed out of the clothes she was wearing and plot something more practical on. While running she saw orbs transforming whatever they scanned into monstrous anthro things, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before they reached her place.

After grabbing light water and food, stuffing it into messager bag, she grabs three things off her shelf. A purse, and parasol, and two lace fans. She grabbed a back and white snake mask before heading back out.

She planned to go upstate, thinking that’s far enough from the city, but to get out of manhattan she’ll have to go back to the city.

While creeping around the streets, sticking to the shadows trying to stay as, discrete as possible she hear rubble falling, then someone screaming.

“…I can’t. I shouldn’t.” She thinks to herself, “it’s the fucking apocalypse, I need to worry about myself, and anyone else skilled enough to get out…” she gets up to try and walk away but right before her eyes she sees someone her turned into a tentacle monster, she freezes.

Watching as that person loses all humanity, she snaps back into her body quickly hiding so the scanners won’t catch her. Even the coast is clear she gets up and starts running, in the direction of the screaming man.

“Hello?” She tries to project her voice while whispering, hoping the guy can hear her, “Sir are you still here?” A pit formed in her stomach, and the sinking sense of her mistake sprints to catch up with her. “HELLO” silence, the severity of the situation weighing in on her she lets out one last call. “sir please say something…”

“Over here, it’s hard to talk while trying to push cinder blocks off unit chest…”

She rushes over to the voice, seeing a guy wearing a bunch of… stuff? And a hockey mask, that supposed to look like a skull I guess.

She instantly drops to her knees and try’s to pry the blocks off of the guy, with their combined strength he’s freed and stands up on his own too feet, and dust himself off.”

“You’re a real life saver, thanks for that.”

“You’re wel-“

“No time get up we have to go.” He runs head first onto one of the scouting eye ball things suns destroys it

“Whatareyoudoing!” She harshly whispers, trying to stop him before more come.

“Just follow my lead viper, I’ll get us to safety.” He runs down the street, and Ophelia follows him.

“What did you call me?”

“Well your whole snake motif, Viper, it just fits.”

“Well I’d like something more like Boa, or inyoka, mabey even na-“

“You talk a lot,” Casey grabs her but the wrist and starts running “just follow me!”

————

The eventually made it into a car and they started driving,

“OMG that was…”

“So cool.”

“We almost died” she shrieked, “we almost got turned into monsters by a green substance and we had to escape laser and alien stuff while doing it!” She went on a tangent, about how Casey’s actions almost got them killed.

“But it was fun.”

“It kinda was- BUT that’s besides the point.” She slumped down in the passenger seat of the car, “what were you doing wandering around, and not hiding?”

“You were wandering.”

“I was escaping.”

There was a short silence in the car before Casey spoke up, “if you need to know I was looking for my sister, and dad. But as you can tell I didn’t find them…”

“Damn…” she was never the best at cheering people up, so she would always try and make them feel like they have common problems.

“Well my family left me, if that makes you feel any better. I know left is weird terminology but it’s the truth. Moved me across country and only calls to make sure I’m alive. But they also bought a nice house for me so I don’t mind it as much as I could.”

Casey just started laughing his ass off at her statement, “I- I can’t believe you just said that!? So uncalled for… also sad, but funny”

“Okay dude just drive.”

“Just saying”

Casey and Ophelia went driving around the city, barely evading krangg solders. It was obvious he was looking for someone but he didn’t find them. All of a sudden he made a super sharp right turn,

“What the fuck, what happened!?”

“Nothing!”

A red head, jumped in the car and instantly told Casey where to go. She was in too much of a panic to notice Ophie, so she kept her mouth shut.

——-

It felt like she’s before nightfall came, but finally the dust settled… more like people disappeared. It’s unusual to see such a populated city, so barren… all of a sudden she hears the back door swing opens, she draws her parasol seconds away from opening it, until she sees.

“oh my god, IS THAT GUY DEAD!?”

everyone in the car instantly turns to her in shock, and she’s looking at them in shock.

“Well considering this is an apocalypse, I guess that’s normal…”

Then she looks at the passed out guy, and the people who carried him in. And she screams.

“HOLLY SHIT ARE THOSE ANTHRO TURTLES!? Huh twitter furries really over exaggerated you looks…”

“Never mind that, CASEY!”

“On it.” He instantly hit the gas and Ophie fell back in her seat. The tension in the car was thick as the headed for upstate New York, but when they got to the farm house she decided to stick around.

Thx for reading, I’m currently working on chapter 2 so if you liked this then you should read it when I post it<<<333

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lonespektr · 1 year

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OCTOBER 4TH HORROR WATCH

No one will save you (2023)

Farm house big one in the middle of nowhere

Scenic white girl plain flower dress

Ring of dead grass

Drives past age appropriate white guy waves, he ignores he to

Mailed gift via post in a literal one main street town

Sitting on moms grave

Oh not on property - is a small grave yard

Continues to wave awkwardly at funeral goers?

Now we are hiding from

Maudes cops parents?

Mailman is very bad at his job

No dialogue

Old time house old time clothes old time music

Writing letters

Kitchen phone legit avocado corded

Immediately hung up as it rung

Maude is a BFF

Literal moo moo gown like vintage

Guilt and shame in the letters in her hiding from towns people

Unsettling music shift

Loud bang middle of the night

Oh shizz front door is open

Bells?

Footsteps?

If only the house wasn't a hundred years old a creaky door would be out of the question

Tiny person ran past the ?? Behind a semi transparent wall like a toddler gait

Was some clicking like echo locations

Running through the house chaotically

It's doing a good job with the tension because she keeps hiding so we cant see anything

But it's also extremely childlike and comical because it's humorously chaotically running through the house making silly noises and it's like 3.5feet high

Under the bed it's little feets are basically hands

Curling iron will save you

This genius saw the thing bail out of the second story window closed the door

And then...

I guess this makes sense if you are treating an alien like a wild boar that got loose in your home and not a sentient being with space travel capabilities

Electricity goes haywire again

As obvs the thing (probably more than one) are still on the property

No excuse for why she doesn't have a cell phone except for she's clearly cosplaying the fifties and she lives in the middle of no where so no service

Finally get a semi close up creature is very claigrey alien

Two extra long pointer fingers

Boom door smack

This one is taller

Ooo telekinesis that's difficult

Ooo broke her little model doll house, undoubtedly the only thing holding her sanity up in isolation

Lifting she's off the ground it's pulling her towards and shard of furniture through the head that's right you busted her little dolls

Down it goes, one and done

Hard to recover from a steak through a big squishy head

Ooo shock stayed there till morning

It's still down .not decaying apparently

She got glass in her foot

All electronics are off water is running she's goes back inside as car doesn't start

MY GIRL SIS she's living in hard denial

If you don't walk into town and bury that body outside somewhere

Mam the corpse is still in the home okay she biked at least

Ohh poor mr mail mana truck flipped on the road

Neighbor ( relative for the country probably few nlocks to a mile away) house is turned up too

Small town she's not talking to anyone on the way

Town hates her

Ooo lady spit on her wife of cop

She leaves police station

Literally the defiyot conflict avoidant my child would rather face an alien alone than talk to the towns people and face her guikt

I'm sure she killed someone on accident or something small town drunk driving?? Drugs??

She just goes and cries against a brick wall

Okay finally got something a greyhound bus

Still hat and sunglasses deep shame

Imagine being more afraid to face what you have done. Whatever it was than a literal alien abduction

Oh shizz it's a body snatcher thing i would say why her but 1 her property was marked 2 she ganked one of them

I'm sorry is this the fucking you tube/tick tock music guy??

2 body snatched

Solid uh Zombie adjacent body twiches

SIS you are running away from the bus with the people to be alone in the woods

Other real people were on the bus not just the two body snatched why didn't the driver radio for help?

A church

Locked?????????????

The doors of the church are always open??

She's literally locked out of heaven for her crimes same church near that tiny ass grave yard

It's maude

She did in fact kill maude

It was ten years ago and how by what method

Shes a track star shes been running miles at this point

Some clouds are chasing her

Back to the ranstacked neighbors

They're all standing up in a group and looking up directly at the sun/clouds with one hand up

Now the neighbor boy looks at her

You alerted the group babes

Why back to the house

The alien is decaying now but it's also clear there's a parasitic component

The towns people have something logged in their throat and something slimey came out of the aliens throat

Possibly suggesting that alien could have been human or another species and the parasitic thing turns anything it finds into a gray

Peak white person move following the slime trail outside

No dice apparently so house preparations

Nails and fire home alone style

It's night now and that didn't do much because

Well telekinesis dis

Nice shit of aliens retrieving the body

Almost akin to a funeral procession with invisible paul bearers

There's a theme here of her not talking

I'm emphasizing again that this is a completely dialogue-less film there are sound effects and she screams but no words

the aliens not having a clear communication that's auditory - seriously it's not like oh their language is clicks and grunts

They do not seem to have a language at all auditory range

And the towns people who got body snatched having something in their throats

Another alien (literally chilling curiously at her) disarmed her scissors but then took her little photo from the shelf

Now she mad again

That's the girl she killed her bff n her in the photo

Another alien a little one attacked her

A light tractor beam thing

Anyways i was saying themes around shame silence and being unable to speak to ask for help

Okay she skewered the little one gorl gorl girl

These things have telekinesis but no body strength and they are really mushy i think you should just hand to hand combat girl

You winning they got no muscle mass sis

Woah

How funking big is this lanky mother fucker outside

They are all sizes apparently

Toddler size, baby size, human size, house size, i should say height because they all still have gawky skinny limbs and mushy bodies

This guy is literally doing air traffic control to get this ship to land

I'm sorry this is hilarious perfect beat of scary and silly

Wait did the house sized one just like fall out like have a seizure

They aren't smart

Well the basketball player (if they never ate food) height one seemed like chill he just sat down stared at her until she screamed then he threw a desk but he stole her scissors and he could have stabbed her with them then he just looked at her picture like everyone else is attacking and he's visting???

The light tractor beams keep coming and taking the dead bodies

She offed the big one cause it wasn't very bright and got it's fool self stuck in the vehicle and she lit in on fire

Here comes the nice visting one

He opens the door cautiously and now He's looking at her photos

Babes this one hasn't done anything to you yet don't be racist

I mean besides a b and e but you did kill their homie

She tries to attack from behind but hes not the one flicks a finger and she flies through the wall

Their eyes are like star dust

They remodeling her house???

Tractor beam got her

Note this beam is red

I think all other beams have been blue

Whup alien floats up on ceiling towards her and yes it's a parasitic type thing that the thing vomited and floated into her mouth it was cute like a sea anemone they made a choice to make all these creatures a bit silly

This is the lead rapey version of a thing forcibly going into a woman's mouth as i have ever seen in a horror film

She woke up and everything is fine and her house is back to normal

And maude is alive!!!

And she speaks

I'm sorry maude

Now she puts her whole fist inside her mouth and pulls out the parasite i guess it wasn't latched yet

In addition to being the least rapey she pulled it back out of her own accord bonus points for that

It's also obviously jinn type so people wouldn't want to pull it out

The tractor beam is taking that thing

Nope it's cloning her with the dna pull from the sea anemone and now it's after her damn they make bodies quick

It stabbed her twice in the gutt

Ooo but she slit it's throat with her little safety cut knife (we already saw her tool up as best she could)

And shes now vicariously killed herself

So is this penance for maude complete?

Nope here come this tree sized motherfucker DAMN can sis get a break

Nope they zapped her up into the ship

Insert greg from into the garden wall quote " you gave beautiful eyes"

The one that was visiting in her house touched her head in the ship

It's a bunch of them there though

Oh shizz the flash back

What happened to maude??

Argument mauge pushes her

Oooo shit she bashed maude with a rock FUCK that's pretty dark

They are young but not NEARLY young enough to have this poor emotional regulation skills jeeebUS

This her later trying to write maude letters for a decade ???

Now she's reaching out to her younger self to forgive herself

Looks like they might have pupils after all

The curious ones actually do have language and they are discussing her memories

The ship appears semi sentient and they are talking to it there goes that humor again the ship literally dropped her back out the sky with a thud onto asphalt when it's literally grass every where but that one street

Aliens literally said we ain't taking no child murder into our ranks and dipped??

After an EMDR session???

She has a more modern look now as if she's no longer trapped in the time warp of the past

What about the rest of the town

Oh creepy synched waving / house clean up

At the neighbors now she's dancing with the neighbor boy

Everyone got stepforded?

Dance number

No still kinda old timey dress

Okay now the aliens leave after giving everyone forcible EMDR sessions like an episode of doom patrol this was just that season finale of doom patrol

Humor delightfully weird 3.7 stars 🌟🌟🌟⭐

Tomorrow is talk to me by popular vote

#graywatchhorror23 #no one will save you #doom patrol

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phantomenby · 2 years

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Did you see that?

"Where the reader gets shifted to their world and search for the boys, they get all excited and run up to them being a mega simp The boys are shocked by it and next day they go to find the reader and gets them to hang out with them. After spending so much time with them every night their friendship turns into them being all romantic."

Not sure who gave me this prompt, but so sorry for taking so long <3

"So I was thinking we could go on the carousel, and then the-" you paused, looking around you, realising your friends had vanished. "Guys?"

Looking around you could make no sight of them, your height allowing you to peek over the growing crowds when slightly on your tippy toes.

"Shit"

It had been your idea to go to Santa Cruz on your trip down the west coast, wanting to see all of the shooting locations of one of your favourite moves and to enjoy the boardwalk. Your two closest friends had come with you, though they seemed a little less pleased to be in a town known for its serial killers more than anything else.

Maybe if you stayed in one spot they could come and find you.

Walking over to the edge of the pier you hopped up to sit on the railings, feeling the cold metal press into your thighs as you held onto a lamppost beside where you were sat.

Honestly, it wasn't that surprising that they had vanished, the two of them were alot more interested in the retro stalls the town had to offer than the kiddie rides you had been gushing about on the way down. Apparently a carousel being over a hundred years old and an iconic filming location meant little in comparison to a vintage skirt, or old vinyl to add to their collection.

Though as you sat there, legs swinging to thump against the metal to the beat of the jazz rock combo playing from down the boardwalk, you realised they might have just ditched you.

Shame, you were the one with the car keys after all.

Sighing you reached into your pocket, pulling out your old samsung and turning it on. 20:17. You still had a few hours left before you would head back, but you might as well call them just to be sure.

In that moment your phone buzzed, and crackled, the screen going white then dark.

"What the fuck-"

It turned back on, beaming blinding white light at you, and you turned it away as a woman in neon pants scowled at you in irritation. Looking down at the device you inspect it, expecting to find some sort of damage to the screen, but you found nothing. It was still just as battered as ever but the screen was working fine, the buttons clicking on the side.

Only, when you looked at the top, you had no signal.

Groaning you shoved it back into your pocket, hopping down to the wooden ground and kicking it in irritation.

"Just me, myself and I," looking around you sought out something to do, figuring you might as well do what you intended to and heading towards the shiny golden carousel guiding you closer like a jewel in the night.

The queue was unsurprisingly long, full of children and teens dressed like punks, with the occasional double denim delinquent. Honestly, everyone you had seen so far looked quite odd.

Very, eighties-ish.

Maybe the town was still stuck in the past. It wasn't uncommon in the states, heck, some people still exist like they're in the medieval era. At least here most of them looked queer and kind in nature, not unlike the outdated towns that chased out anyone that wasn't a godfearing christian.

You sought out one of the stallions, choosing a pale blue one with a fiery red and orange mane that looked like it had been done up recently.

Climbing on you noticed all the others around you were quickly taken up by one of the cliquey groups, a rather ruggish bunch who wore mostly leather and stank of cheap beer and the beach. Some even had the signature skunk hair you remembered from the movie.

Maybe a cosplay event...

Now you understood some of your friends reluctance to be here, it really was quite a strange town.

The ride began, slow vintage tinkery music sounding from above you that crackled at it moved faster. You giggled softly, trying to contain your childish behaviour as you turned your head to look out into the crowds around you, figuring now would be a good time to get a good look for your missing compadres.

A cold hand brushed over your own, rough calloused fingers pressing to yours before sliding away. Brought out of your focus you looked back, catching a glimpse of a colourful patched jacket and mischevious green eyes meeting yours before they were pulled away from you, distracted by something else.

Your eyes focused, and frozed. Your mind trying to figure out what it was seeing.

Four familiar, tall figures, stood around the chariot a few paces in front of you.

"Holy shit..." dark eyes flitted to you, only for a second.

It was them. It was them.

The lost boys. Alex Winter, Kiefer Sutherland, Billy Wirth, and Brooke Mccarter.

They must have been the greatest replicas of the boys you had ever seen, even in all of the conventions online, their faces never matched so well.

Maybe you could get a picture with them.

Watching on you observed as the opening scene was recreated, how they fought with their well known rivals, how the security guard held back "David" with his baton and thus confirming his death.

"Christ.." you hadnt' realised how aggressive it had all been in the movie, imagining the director had toned it down and made it more chaotic. It felt a little too real.

Finally the four boys slunk off the side of the ride, and it returned its spinning motion. As you went past them you held their gazes, watching as the one dressed as Paul sent you a sly wink, while David's cosplayer send something much darker your way.

Shuddering you turned away, and for the next hour you fought not to think on them anymore.

Another hour passed. You had ridden the carousel twice, the ferris wheel thrice and the big dipper once before you decided you hated how it made your head spin.

Now you were stumbling around, enjoying how it was alot more bearable once most of the families had cleared out for the night.

There was still no sign of your friends.

You sighed for what must have been the millionth time that night, looking around and hoping, praying, you could get one glimpse of their dumb, brightly coloured hair.

Nothing.

Not a spec nor a crumb of their presence.

Your eyes did catch sight of something of interest. Those four boys. Now perched at the start of the pier in front of a large lodge styled building, crowing at eachother like children as they rattled their bikes.

Committed to the cause I guess. It wasn't often that a cosplayer met the look to that extent, though they could just be bikers generally, those kinds of cultish cliques did manage to survive out of the 80s.

Maybe you coul-

No.

But maybe...

Surely they wouldn't mind, they must have been used to getting asked for pictures by now.

"Oh fuck it," you began walking over, trying to move as gracefully and nonchalant as possible. Hopefully you didn't look too dumb. The two dressed as Marko and Paul hooted as your approached, wide grins spreading over their faces as you neared.

Your face must have been beet red, you could feel the intense heat reaching your cheeks.

"Whats up sugar?" 'Paul' leant forward, torso bending over the front of his bike, smiling teasingly.

"Yeah babe, see something you like," 'Marko' was stood beside him, stepping towards you.

Gathering your courage you spoke, too nervous to drag the interaction out too long, "well um, I was wondering," a hand reached forward, wrapping around your arm and pulling you closer, "I-I".

"Awe cat got your tongue?" you shook the brunette away, stepping back.

"I was wondering if I could take a picture with you, I'm a huge fan of your work," finally it was out and they were looking at you rather funny, your face was growing hotter, now realising how dumb of an idea it was, "if not that's fine I just figured-"

"Sure babe, why not," it was 'David' who had spoke, standing to walk closer to you, it wasn't until you pulled out a chunk of - something - that he paused, "the hell is that-"

There was a flash and the four vampires were stunned.

By the time they had come back to themselves you had already said a quick 'thank you' before disappearing into the crowd.

"Did you see that?" Pauls voice echoed all of their thoughts, what the hell was that and who the hell are you.

You were ecstatic, positively buzzing as you moved through the crowds, looking over the picture and completely dismissing how bright their eyes looked.

It was perfect, you thought you'd have to go to a real event for the movie to get a pic like this.

Now just to find your friends-

Looking up from your phone you were met with a very different sight, the crowds still packed by no longer in such old clothing. Rather everyone was dressed like they were at a summer festival, with pastel crop tops and thick-soled shoes.

"The hell-" when you turned to look back at where the boys had been you were met with an empty space, a large mark on the boardwalk designating the space for disabled patrons.

Maybe you were finally going mad.

"There you are!"

You were pulled out of your thoughts by your friend's hands on your shoulders, turning you to look at them.

"What the hell dude, you were gone for hours," they looked worried, which was odd to you considering they were the ones who ditched you, "nevermind, let's go I'm more than ready to pass out for the night."

You let them drag you along, hands held tight in theirs as you retreated to the car, only one thought left on your mind.

What an odd night.

#the lost boys #tlb #the lost boys imagines #the lost boys x reader #marko the lost boys #dwayne tlb #marko tlb #the lost boys fic #poly lost boys x reader #david tlb #the lost boys 1987

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rozcdust · 3 years

Text

I know how this story goes

pt. 8

Pairing: Rindou Haitani x f!reader x Haruchiyo Sanzu

Genre: Crack, SMAU, Fluff

Word count: 600ish

Warnings: Violence, substance abuse, profanity, irresponsible behaviour, reckless driving, reader is a cocky bitch, rindou hates her guts

Synopsis: Bonten needs a driver for a job. You just so happen to be Rindou’s fuck buddy with a talent for speeding and knowing the map of Tokyo’s back streets like the back of your palm. Rindou hates you.

pt. 1 | previous | next

Waking up to a phone ringing, you wanted to punch a wall.

Picking it up, you let out your best disappointed mum sigh, adjusting your tone to be as passive aggressive as possible.

“What?!”

“Y/n, darling, loveliest of all, for fuck’s sake don’t be so fucking loud.” Ran whined through the phone, and you could practically see him holding his head, eyes closed.

“You hungover?” You couldn’t stop the lazy grin that spread across your face.

“Yea… Rin is too, and we have work… Come pick us up? Please?”

“What am I, a fucking chauffeur?”

“Technically…?”

“I will run you over.”

“So… That a yes?”

Sighing, you pinched your nose.

“Yes.”

“You’re the best! See ya in an hour.” Cringing at his screech, you hung up, letting your face plop back into the pillows.

“Don’t move, you’re so comfy.” Sanzu mumbled, shamelessly nuzzling the back of your neck.

Turning your head to look at him, annoyed, you raised an eyebrow.

“How did I end up on my stomach and why are you on top of me and how in the fuck is my spine comfy?”

Sanzu planted a small kiss on your neck instead of an answer.

“Do you enjoy cosplaying as a baby koala?”

“Mhm.”

“You’re clingy.”

“And you love it.” He said in a smug tone as he gently trailed kisses down your jaw to your neck.

“I will exercise my right to remain silent, officer.”

“You’re no funnnnnn.” Whining, he rubbed his nose against your cheek, his finger drawing patterns on your shoulder blade.

You allowed yourself to enjoy his somewhat concerning need for physical affection, before forcing yourself to get up, throwing him off you onto the floor.

“YOU ARE RUDE!”

Grinning as he grumbled about hurting his back, you leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“Get up and get ready, we have to pick up Haitanis.”

“I have no fresh clothes.”

“Walk of shame.”

“I’mma just take yours.” He stuck his tongue out, revealing a piercing.

Curiously, and without much thinking, you grabbed his tongue.

“Didn’t know you had a tongue piercing.”

“Ughuh.” He mumbled, swatting at your hand to let go.

Letting go to open your closet to get him something that would fit his lanky ass, you threw a hoodie at him.

“…Haru, why are you blushing?”

“Gooooooooood morning!” Sanzu’s voice was annoyingly loud, even more so than usual, and you were sure he was doing it for no other reason than to cause Ran and Rindou pain.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Rindou groaned, slipping into your back seat.

“My fucking car, my fucking choice in passengers.”

“You have shit taste.”

“Which is why I’m fucking you I guess, everything suddenly makes sense.”

Kicking your seat, causing you to flip him off, Rindou crossed his arms.

“No, seriously darling, what is he doing here?” Ran asked this time.

“I slept over.”

Rindou, who was certain moving faster than snail’s pace would cause him incredible pain less than 20 seconds ago, now was sure could ignore his hangover in order to punch Sanzu.

He restrained himself because he could see the knowing look Ran was giving him.

“And why’d you sleep over?” Rindou hoped his voice didn’t sound as bitter as he felt.

“Had to pick her up from a police station last night.”

Ran bolted up from his comatose state to stare at you in disbelief.

“You got arrested?”

“Yep.”

“How?”

“They put handcuffs on me and said to call them daddy.”

“No, no, for what reason?”

“Public indecency.” Sarcasm dripped off your every word, letting Ran know he should drop it.

“I mean, with how much of a slut you are, it tracks.” Rindou smirked.

You wildly swerved into the opposite lane as a warning, enjoying his panicked screeching.

“…Sanzu, is that her hoodie?”

“Yep!” Sanzu smiled as he scrolled through your phone, searching for a song.

That was it, Rindou was knocking his teeth out the first chance he got.

And with Sanzu making sure Gasolina is blasting at an offensive volume, scrambling Rindou’s brains, he had a reason to.

Taglist (open)

@rindous-wife @marrymemanjiro @kampfkuchen85 @camilosa @shadoweepingscream @1818cigarettes @gulfkfl @youpieceofwasabi @bxnten @lovelybimbo @babu-haitani @tsukkisukkii @ihateuguys @kenma-yuuu @yukihime-mikeys-girl @lagrimasdeglitter @pirana10 @hana-patata @reapersimps @sammcaav222 @brokencoinlocker @graythecoffeebean @waywardzonkprofessorpainter @own-it-baby (bold can’t be tagged, sorry! 🤧)

a/n: naming this “i know how this story goes” was a fatal error because i do not, in fact, know how or where it’s going. AT ALL 🤧

#tokyorev #tokyo revengers #rindou haitani x y/n #rindou haitani x reader #sanzu haruchiyo x y/n #sanzu haruchiyo x reader #bonten #kakucho hitto #kokonoi hajime #manjiro sano #ran haitani #rindou haitani #sanzu haruchiyo #akashi haruchiyo

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godlygreta · 3 years

Text

all too well | j. m. kiszka

title | all too well

summary | josh cosplays at jake gyllenhaal

warnings | 18+. there is slight smut in this chapter (more so suggestive than descriptive) as well as depictions of heartbreak, not eating or taking care of one’s self.

word count | 1.7k+

author’s note | hello ! here’s the taylor swift ‘all too well’ fic with a slight happy twist at the end? maybe? sorry this is a short one my lovely people (also i really hope you love the summary bc i sure as hell do)

Oh, your sweet disposition and my wide-eyed gaze

We’re singing in the car, getting lost upstate

Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place

And I can picture it after all these days

The first vacation you ever went on with Josh was up in Northern Michigan, the leaves just beginning to fall as summer turned to autumn. It was serene - the drive. Nothing but trees stretched for miles, the occasional gas station and the very minimal small towns that had little to offer but memories that would last an entire lifetime.

The two of you laughed, air barely filling your lungs as the two of you sang incredibly off key. Mostly you, but Josh wouldn’t let you know that. He sang so terribly with you, nothing else had mattered. The familiar serenade of The Beatles was no match for the way the two of you felt for each other.

Album by album, song by song, the two of you kept butchering the lyrics and pitches until you had finally reached the little cabin he had brought you to. It was as beautiful as he was, you thought.

Trees lined the entire property, a fence - a wall - kept up for the utmost privacy for the two of you. The suitcases were left in the car as you walked around, touching the wooden porch with your fingertips, hoping to God you wouldn’t get any splinters. As you reach the porch in the backyard, you see there is a small little pond at the bottom of a hill, with a medium sized white oak tree next to it, casting the perfect shade from summertime’s blistering heat. You could imagine the rest of your life being spent here, summer’s with campfires and millions of little lamplights.

His strong arms wrap around your middle, pulling your back flush against his chest. His chin settled on your shoulder, lips pressing to your jaw, just below your ear. “You like it?”

“It’s beautiful here, Josh.” You turn around, allowing your arms to rest on his shoulders as you pull him closer. His hands rested on your lower back, slipping under the sweater you wore. You knew it was going to get chilly - especially in Michigan.

The sweater you wore was lost to the floor on the way inside. You didn’t get much of a chance to actually look at the furniture, too busy with the traveling lips on your skin, licking and biting. His hands pull you with him, walking the two of you backwards until he kicked the door closed with his feet.

The sheets were even softer than you had hoped.

After three months in the grave

And then you wondered where it went to as I reached for you

But all I felt was shame and you held my lifeless frame

Everyone had heard what happened to the two of you. The occasional “I’m sorry that your boyfriend was a dick, you were better off” flowers came to the door, to which your roommate, Indiana, brought them in every time. She always put them in a new vase, buying variously colored ones from a little boy down the street who was learning to blow glass. It took her almost three days to finally see you leave your room.

Every single night it was the exact same. Nightmare after nightmare. You couldn’t stand to sleep in your room, with those sheets. All you did was toss and turn; eyes dry from the excessive amounts of crying you had been doing. Kleenex littered your bedroom floor, as did photos of you and Josh. You didn’t have the heart to burn them, or tear them into pieces although you wanted to so fucking bad.

It took you two weeks to actually eat a full meal, and not just a granola bar or something small. Indiana sat you down, shoveling every single bite into your mouth despite your protests. “Y/N, I need to make sure you are actually eating this.”

“I will! I can do it myself.”

“Just.. fuckin’ finish your food then. You’re showering after and I will be helping you. Your hair is a mess, it needs to be detangled.”

You were thankful for her, though it didn’t always come across like that. Her heart was in the right place and yours had just been thoroughly stomped on.

You hated yourself. You gave in one night, fingers lingering over his contact. You knew it was a bad idea. You knew it wouldn’t lead you to anywhere good.

“Hello?”

“Josh..” Your voice was breathless, tears forming in your eyes before you even get the chance to mention that you miss him.

And he knows you do. You can barely hear his lamented sigh, but you knew it was there. He sat on the other end of the line, allowing you to cry to him until you had fallen asleep. You had no idea when that was, or who hung up your phone. The next morning, Indiana was not very kind towards you. She had every right to be mad.

“He’s done nothing but hurt you. Stop calling him.” She spoke, never once turning around from doing the dishes. “You come to me when you feel like calling him, okay? I don’t want you to hurt anymore than you already have.”

'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night

We're dancing 'round the kitchen in the refrigerator light

You knew this was a dream. You happily hummed along to the record that was playing, Josh putting it on since the two of you couldn’t go back to sleep. The thunder roared loud and strong. You could barely hear the record when the thunder cracked, but it didn’t bother you or Josh any.

Your arms wrapped around his neck, keeping him close as the two of you twirled around the kitchen. Your forehead pressed against his, eyes flickering down from his lips to his eyes. His eyes were closed, lips singing along to the lyrics of the song. The edges of your lips curled up into a smile, arms slipping from his shoulders, hands grabbing his face. You hummed against his lips, feeling his hands grip your waist a little tighter.

And there we are again when nobody had to know

You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath

It should have been a red flag that he didn’t tell anyone about you besides his family. And even then, he used the term ‘girlfriend’ very loosely. In fact, he didn’t even introduce you to them as his girlfriend. Said nothing other than the basic, “here she is, I brought a girl home, be nice”.

The first one to approach you was his twin, Jake. He welcomed you with open arms and offered you a small smile when you extended your hand out. He politely declined and told you he was more of a hugger than someone who liked a handshake anyway. His next brother, Sam, scooped you out of Jake’s arms and gave you the goofiest smile you had ever seen in your life.

Ronnie was the first one to let you breathe, almost. The two of you snuck outside, enjoying the brisk Michigan air as you held a glass of whatever Josh mixed up for you in the kitchen. The two of you giggled, her sharing stories of Jake and Josh when they were younger, the physical altercations they would get into. It was hard to not lose track of time when talking to her.

Karen was warm and inviting, although it always felt like she had something she was holding back. You only found out what that was after you and Josh had parted ways. Josh was never good about keeping girlfriends. Karen left a voicemail, telling you how sad she was to see you go, but that you could always reach out to her if you were ever in the area.

You hated Josh.

You hated him for introducing you to his mother, and then ripping her away from you within a month. You hated him for introducing you to Ronnie, and then making things awkward as soon as he told his family you two were no longer together. You hated him for giving you a taste at what it was like to be with him, completely and unabashed. Only to rip it away.

You fucking hated Josh.

Well, maybe we got lost in translation

Maybe I asked for too much

But maybe this thing was a masterpiece

'Til you tore it all up

It didn’t click in your brain that you were almost front row at their show until halfway through the opening act. One of your coworkers had dragged you out after five years since your devastating heartbreak. She figured, if anything, you might possibly find someone to go home with.

You had mended your broken heart the best way you knew how – music. You dove deep into it, throwing yourself into your university studies. Majoring in Music Production had a lot of perks – one of which was access to a studio. You and a few of the other students in your classes had spent many nights there, five of you sharing a few bottles of red wine, talking and singing about heartbreak.

You had gotten your name around campus that way, setting up performances around the campus in different dorm halls. Even after you graduated, people would beg you to come back and guest star in their performances. You did that a few times before you were eventually picked up by a few people to help them with their albums.

And now, he stood there in front of you, waving to the sea full of people in front of him. Everyone was smiling, laughing, jumping and singing along to all of the songs him and his brothers wrote. His eyes caught yours, stumbling over his words for a few seconds before shaking it away. Jake noticed you as well, as did Sam. The two of their smiles made you feel at home, but nothing could quite tear your gaze away from Josh. And you stood still, breath caught in your throat just like the first time. Maybe, just maybe, time has been kind to both of you.

taglist: @cal-a-bungaa @joshkiszkastea @screechesincoherently @weightofdreams-gvf @sarakay-gvf @ooswws-gvf @lupinevanfleet @kayle-e @gvfrry @miidnightcarlights @theweightofstardust @katie-gvf @kaylal15 @astro-place @idk-maddie @depressingdarlin @greta-flanveet @highladyofasgard @bumblebeeswrite @jakiszka @aureummel

#josh kiszka x reader #josh kiszka imagine #josh kiszka fanfic #josh kiszka fanfiction #josh kiszka angst #via writes josh #via writes angst #greta van fleet fanfic #greta van fleet imagine #greta van fleet angst

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mimzy-writing-online · 4 years

Note

Hello. I had a question regarding your post about blind characters. I have a character in my WIP that must cover their eyes.. but it’s blind. He may need to tell people he is blind to explain why he covers his eyes though. I was wondering how I might write this character without offending. Thank you :)

I think I want to start by explaining the “covering blind eyes” trope and why it has become a harmful trope. I think understanding why it’s hurtful helps everyone learn how to handle it better.

I would guess that the “blind people wear sunglasses” trope comes from Hollywood for the specific reason of 1. wanting to signal to the audience that the character is obviously blind and 2. avoid breaking the suspension of disbelief by preventing the audience from catching the sighted actor look at visual stimuli (because disabled characters are almost always played by able actors).

But this changed the way the public expects to experience blindness. If watching a sighted actor wear sunglasses and say he’s blind is all the exposure to the blind community a person has had, that’s the only model of blindness they’ll recognize. If they meet a blind person in real life who doesn’t wear sunglasses, it’s going to break this built perception and cause an uncomfortable cognitive dissonance.

And then there is the common “cloudy-white blank gaze” that pops up in media. It stems from the fact that cataracts is the most common cause of blindness and the appearance of severe cataracts is a cloudy film in the eyes obscuring the iris and pupil. It can also alter what color a person’s eyes appears to be, making them appear paler and grey in the beginning and then as the cataract advances it becomes more yellow/brown and alters a person’s vision to appear more yellow tinted.

There are lots of other eye conditions that makes the eyes look visibly different. Albinism for instance affects the color and structure of the iris. Eyes might be congenitally misshapen. The muscles might be weak or not work and one or both eyes point significantly outward. Someone who was born blind and experienced no visual stimuli might also have weak muscles around their eyes because they never had a reason to focus their eyes on anything.

And unfortunately humans have the habit of feeling uncomfortable when they meet someone who looks very obviously different from the norm, whether that’s a personal style choice (hair color and style, tattoos, clothing choices) or something they can’t help (a visible disability, skin color, scars).

To the paragraph above, @gothhabiba replied with: “it's very weird & ahistorical to claim that racism or ableism are some kind of natural "human" trait.. like frankly it's apologia”

You’re right, I wasn’t thinking beyond that generalization or assumption.

Perhaps a better way to put it is: I was raised in a society where I was taught from childhood to think that there was only one kind of human being to be. White, cis, straight, abled, conservative. That’s a very western thing and that’s a thing I’m going to constantly be unlearning.

Racism and ableism and homophobia aren’t innate, that’s a western thing that was forced onto the rest of the world by colonialism. And because western media created this idea that the world is white, abled, cis, straight, and Christian-value leaning, it taught people to think that was the norm so that seeing someone different from that archetype would cause a cognitive dissonance, which causes discomfort.

And instead of working past that cognitive dissonance to learn more and realize there’s so much more to life than media taught you, society encourages you to ignore that cognitive dissonance by sticking your head in the sand-- or TV screen.

So combine these two tropes or common beliefs together and you get something a little dangerous: the idea that blind people cover their eyes because they look obviously different and they’re ashamed (or should be ashamed) of that.

And if you’re someone who’s just gone blind or who was born blind and you have little to no contact with the blind community, then this societal belief that you should be ashamed of how your eyes look becomes detrimental to your self-esteem and further builds internalized ableism.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve read or watched a blind character cover their eyes with sunglasses because they were ashamed of how their eyes looked. And I distinctly remember a few times where a sighted friend of the character was trying to convince them to stop wearing sunglasses because there’s nothing wrong with looking different--which is true, but it plays into this fantasy of being the perfect abled ally who saves the blind character from being miserable.

In an ideal world, the character has no reason to believe looking different is a bad thing or diminishes their worth or makes people dislike them. And if they develop this belief, it’s more likely that someone more involved in the disabled community, most likely someone disabled themselves, will set them straight. Or that the character will learn to accept themselves on their own, looks included.

But there are some perfectly valid reasons for any blind person to wear sunglasses. They might have an interest in fashion and sunglasses complete the look they’re going for. They could want to protect their eyes from UV rays while they’re outside. They may experience light sensitivity and sunglasses reduces any discomfort or pain. Those are incredibly common reasons to wear sunglasses whether you’re sighted or blind.

But there are some more complicated situations.

In your words, your character must cover his eyes. You never specified why, so my primary guess is that he has some kind of power that is unpleasant or has devastating affects and the only way to prevent it is to keep his eyes covered. My primary guess stems from this post where an anon and I discussed a retelling of Medusa, a hypothetical blinding of oneself to avoid ever killing anyone ever again, and what I think I would do if I was in that scenario.

So how do you write a blind character who must cover their eyes and avoid some of the complications?

1. Your character must always have the ability to say “fuck off, it’s my business, I don’t have to tell you why I’m blind or why I cover my eyes.”

Most blind people really, really don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of why they’re blind and how they feel about it and what it’s like being blind with a stranger they’ll never see again or a new acquaintance they don’t know well yet. You have exceptions to that rule where sure, educating the public about blindness is a thing you want to do and you’re committed to helping your community, but I still have days where I don’t want to talk about being blind or disclose my medical crap.

And if someone doesn’t respect their right to their privacy or pushes too much, the blind character is allowed to be angry, is allowed to tell them off and complain without anyone else in the situation vilifying them or saying they’re “overreacting” and “should have just disclosed private information because big deal or whatever.” If they are angry, that’s their right, and it’s not unreasonable, it doesn’t make them a bad person.

2. Your character should not be ashamed of being blind or of covering their eyes. It is a part of their life, they’re used to it by now, even if they weren’t in the beginning.

The shame and internalized ableism is something that should be written about, but that’s for an own-voices story with a blind author. I don’t think an abled person will ever be able to understand how much society expects you to hate yourself and your disability because “being disabled is a tragic thing that ruins your life” and how that does affect your mental health, self esteem, your relationships with others, your medical care, and what kind of accommodations you can get.

3. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few sarcastic lines in response to uncomfortable conversations.

Stranger: so what’s with the...

Blind Character: what’s with what?

S: the... you know

BC: you’re gonna have to be a bit more specific

S: Your eyes?

BC: They’re... eyes

S: but you’re...

BC: Blind?

S: uh...

BC: yeah, I’m blind. *walks away*

Or this conversation:

S: *to some other character* so why are his eyes covered?

(author’s note: which, honestly, that’s fucking rude. At least have the guts to ask me yourself)

BC: If I look anyone in the eye they instantly perish.

*awkward silence*

BC: instantly.

Friend: It’s truly tragic

BC: *melancholic* that’s how I lost my sister. *chokes up* She was so young

Or this conversation:

S: Why are you wearing that?

BC: It’s called fashion Karen!

Or this conversation:

S: are you like... blind?

BC: yes?? why wouldn’t I be?? Wait, are you sighted? Are you one of those sighted people? You poor thing! What caused you to gain your sight? Do you have a car? A bike? Were you born sighted? What’s it like to see color? Do you miss not having to see

God, I want a chance to try that last one. I haven’t interacted with a stranger in almost a year. One day...

4. Honestly, it’d also be cool if someone’s reaction to your character covering their eyes was like, “cool sunglasses,” or “cool *insert random character, even one you made up* cosplay,” (which is ten times funnier if this character is a notable figure in modern society like an actor who people might cosplay).

5. You know, if he’s covering his eyes with some kind of blindfold, he should totally have custom blindfolds for his moods. Like, I have a mask that says “suck it up buttercup” and another that says “not today” because sometimes that’s the mood. And sometimes the mood is one of my floral masks, and sometimes the mood is my cat mask.

So, just some thoughts. I hope that helps.

Edit: a commenter said: “op, unless i'm mistaken this kind of reads like anon meant the character ISN'T blind but lies about being blind to explain covering their eyes? it seems like they made a typo on the word "isn't"”

So my original response to the question was based on the assumption that the character is blind. However,

If the character is not blind, then do not under any circumstances have them lie and say they’re blind to escape a mild inconvenience.

It’s better to have the character actually explain the situation or straight up leave the conversation or invent a more ridiculous lie than to perpetuate the very real stereotype and misconception that there are people who fake being blind and therefore it’s okay to discriminate or harass them if you even suspect they’re faking.

Do not under any circumstances perpetuate that stereotype. Do not harass someone because you don’t think they’re blind enough.

#blind character #writeblr #writing community #disabled character #writing tropes #trope talk #blindness tropes #Anonymous

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five-rivers · 4 years

Text

Cold Case

So, this is a continuation of Interview With a Ghost, my corpse AU. Sort of. Lots of outsider perspective.

But, I’m too lazy to hunt down the tumblr links. So. Here’s the AO3 link to the series.

McGee braced himself before getting out of his car and walking into the precinct. He’d heard all the jokes before, all the mindless digs at his name, and he liked to think that he’d grown a thick skin in response, but part of him still flinched every time.

Plus, there was a reason he’d been sent to Amity Park. That reason being the incredibly suspicious crime rate. That is, the just shy of nonexistent crime rate. Also, the billionaire mayor that had popped up out of nowhere. And the high road repair and park maintenance bills.

Oh, yeah, and the giant murder investigation that had just. Disappeared.

The county wanted answers. So, they sent McGee. Of course, they didn’t tell the Amity Park Police Department that. As far as they knew, he was just a transfer. Someone being shifted from one department to another.

So, yeah. Bracing. Just like the wind. Ouch, it was cold. McGee wrapped his coat more closely around himself and began jogging through the otherwise deserted parking garage.

The… underground parking garage. Wind?

McGee stopped and turned in place, trying to see where the breeze could have possibly come from. There weren’t exactly any windows down here.

Feeling more cautious, but not knowing why, McGee made his way more slowly to the elevator door and hit the call button. The doors opened immediately. Inside, a speaker tried to play music, but what came out of it was mostly ear-tearing static.

Well. If APPD was getting paid off by a mob or the town was skimming from road funds, they certainly weren’t using their ill-gotten gains on the elevators.

When the doors opened, McGee was hit with a blast of warm air and Christmas music. He kept his face carefully blank. It had only just become December, and the police station was… it was… Well. McGee would have to call it ‘decked out,’ no matter how much he abhorred the phrase.

… Why were there so many menorahs?

“Hey, are you John McGee?”

“Yes, that’s me,” said McGee, turning to face a remarkably plain man in a button-down shirt and a pullover sweater.

The man had a pair of novelty felt antlers on his head. They were decorated with bells. How unprofessional.

“I’m Collins. We’ll probably be working together at some point. Same department.”

“Homicide?”

Collins raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know what you were told, but we don’t have enough homicides to warrant a dedicated homicide department. We get a one or two mysterious deaths every month, but it always turns out to be, like, anaphylaxis or something.” He brought a mug to his lips and sipped slowly. “Mostly we do vice, theft, fraud, and missing persons. Not much of that last one, either. Oh, we had an arson one time. But it turned out it wasn’t really arson. Anyway, let’s get you checked in, and hopefully Patterson will be here by the time Captain Jones is done with you.”

“Patterson?”

“My partner. You know, you being here gives us an odd number of detectives. That’s going to be weird.” He sipped from his mug again. “Maybe we’ll promote someone. Not Cameron Daily, though.” Collins stared into the middle distance. “No. Not Cameron Daily. Love that man. He’s got to stay in tech support.”

“The captain?” prompted McGee.

“Hah. Yeah. You have to brave the secretaries, first.” Collins patted McGee on the shoulder, and McGee suppressed the impulse to shake him off. “Good luck. At least this is going to be a quiet month, right?”

McGee spent what was probably far too much time pondering what Collins had meant by ‘it’s going to be a quiet month.’ Did the APPD’s arrangement with the local criminals (because there had to be an arrangement) include forewarning concerning the crimes they did deign to investigate? Or did they have statistics that indicated December was a low-crime time for Amity Park?

Orientation was highly typical, as far as these things went. The only oddity were the advertisements and promotional pictures for the local tourist trap tapped up all over half the captain’s office. Was the man a fan? Did he believe in that ghost nonsense? Was it some kind of bizarre joke?

At least the Christmas plague hadn’t made it this far.

“Right, now that we’ve got that part out of the way, let’s move on. We normally like an even number of detectives, but the county moved you over so fast we couldn’t get you a partner, and no one is retiring.” Jones rolled his shoulders and fixed McGee with a very sharp gaze. “Do you know why the county was so… insistent with your transfer?”

Ah. So, the captain was suspicious. Time to put that backstory to good use.

“Honestly, sir, I embarrassed someone, and I think they just spun the wheel on how to get rid of me.”

“Mhm. See, usually when they do that, they pick from departments that actually put in requests for extra personnel. We haven’t.”

“I think the main concern was just to keep me away.”

“I see.” The level of suspicion in the man’s eyes did not change. “You’re going to be with Patterson and Collins until you get your feet under you and we decide what to do about the partner situation. If the county will even let us out another detective on payroll. Consider yourself on probation as far as whatever it is you’re doing with the county. Don’t put my detectives in danger.”

“Sir—”

“Whatever excuse you have, I don’t want to hear it. Go talk to Collins. I know you met him. Patterson probably isn’t here yet.”

Collins stood next to a woman in a coat with a long dark braid. Both of their backs were to McGee. He could see that they were talking to one another, making tight little gestures with their hands near their chests. All the other occupants of the room stared at them without a modicum of shame.

“—until he sees his first fight? We’re supposed to babysit him until January? We won’t be able to talk about anything!”

“Well, if you’d been on time, maybe we could have convinced the captain not to—”

Someone behind McGee cleared their throat. Loudly. Collins and the woman turned, sheepishly.

“Oh. McGee. McGee, this is Patterson. Patterson, this is McGee. You’ll be working with us, apparently.”

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to get out of your hair before too long,” said McGee.

“Don’t count on it. How long have you been in town?” asked Patterson.

“Only since yesterday. Why?”

“We’re showing you around,” said Patterson, snatching the antlers from Collins’s head.

“Consider it your last bit of freedom before you’re condemned to paperwork,” said Collins.

Amity Park was odd, McGee decided.

It wasn’t just the clashing but equally enthusiastic Halloween and Christmas decorations, the omnipresent construction, and the worrying number of holes in the road (really, there was no way the road repair budget was actually getting used on the roads). There was something else. Something McGee couldn’t put his finger on. Something—

He did a double-take. Were those two cosplaying the Ghostbusters? Why?

How seriously did these people take their tourist trap nonsense?

“What are Jack and Maddie doing out?” asked Patterson.

“I don’t know,” said Collins. He tilted his head to one side and pulled into a nearby convenience store parking lot. “You’d think they’d be told; December is a quiet month.”

“Mhm. Maybe they didn’t believe it?”

“They can be stubborn sometimes,” mused Collins. “But it would be nice if there was some action.” He pulled the parking brake. “You want to introduce McGee to the local celebrities?”

A look of indescribable disgust appeared on Patterson’s face. “Why don’t you introduce them?”

“I did that last time.”

“No, you didn’t. You rang their doorbell and then ran like the coward you are.”

Collins, without any hint of repentance, shrugged. “Wouldn’t you do the same?”

“This is different,” she protested. “This isn’t just any new resident. This is a coworker. A coworker who isn’t going to see that kind of action for a whole month.”

“Action?” asked McGee. This felt perilously close to what he’d been tasked to find out.

“You’ll find out in a month,” said Collins. “Assuming you last that long.”

McGee frowned, and decided to take another risk and prompt the pair further. “I know you have a low crime rate here,” he said, “but I’m sure there will be something for us to investigate before the end of the month.”

“Well, yeah,” said Collins. “We don’t get paid for doing nothing.”

There was a sharp rap on the window, and everyone jumped. God. It was just some kid. McGee put a hand over his heart and tried not to think too hard about the time he had almost been killed in his car by a dirty cop and his gangster friends.

Collins rolled the window down, letting in a gust of frigid wind.

“Hi, detectives!” chirped the teen. “I heard you got a new guy!”

Oh. That was interesting. Was the local gang using children as in-betweens?

“Yep,” said Patterson. “This is McGee. McGee, this is Danny, the only sane Fenton.”

Danny tipped his head to the side and squinted. “I think that title needs to go to Jazz.”

“Danny, I hate to break it to you, but your sister is a lunatic,” said Patterson, completely serious.

“Come on, you’re just saying that,” said Danny, staring openly at McGee.

Did this kid blink?

“Anyway, I’ve introduced McGee to one Fenton, you get to do the others,” said Patterson, poking Collins in the ribs.

“Danny doesn’t count,” protested Collins, squirming. “He’s sane, like you said.”

“You’ll have to be fast. Mom and Dad are like three blocks down the street chasing…” He trailed off. “Well, they think they’re chasing something, anyway. Transient noise on their latest EMF reader.” He rolled his eyes and finally blinked.

“Think they might actually get anything?” asked Patterson.

“Nothing with a mind,” said Danny. “Might have to play animal control soon, though.” There was a loud crash and a squeal of rubber, followed by distant but still deafening engine noises. Danny winced. “Can you please give them a fine for driving around in that thing?”

“They have a special permit,” said Collins, shrugging. “Straight from the mayor. Nothing we can do.”

“I will bribe you to do something.”

McGee choked.

“With what?” asked Collins. “You’re a penniless middle schooler.”

“Excuse you,” said Danny, crossing his arms. “You know I’m in high school.”

There was another crash.

“Are you sure they haven’t found anything?” asked Patterson, leaning forward.

“Absolutely positive,” said Danny. He sighed. “I should probably go, though.”

“Okay, have fun, Danny!”

“Don’t think you’re getting out of introductions, Patterson,” grumbled Collins.

“Alright,” said Collins, opening a narrow door and turning on the buzzing yellow light within. “Your kingdom awaits!” He gestured grandly, disrupting clouds of dust. “You’ll be entering old cases into the system. Did Cameron Daily show you how?”

McGee’s lips twisted at the memory of the computer tech. “Yes,” he said.

“Yeah, Cameron gets that reaction,” said Collins, thumping McGee on the back. “If it makes you feel better, he’s usually in charge of keeping track of the cults. Did he tell you about the VHS evidence?”

“The cults?”

“Yep. You’ll learn about those later. VHS?”

“Yes, he told me how to handle the VHS.”

“Great. So, Patterson and I will be working on case paperwork in the main room, if you have any questions, come get us, okay?”

“I will,” said McGee.

Collins nodded. “If we wind up being assigned a case, we’ll come get you.” He absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder. “The captain probably won’t give us anything today. Oh, and if Mayor Masters drops in, redirect him to the front desk. There’s no reason for him to be back here.”

There was a good deal of hostility in Collins’ tone. Interesting.

“Do you not get along with the mayor?”

“We get along fine,” said Collins. “He just oversteps his authority, sometimes.”

“I… see.”

“Not yet you don’t,” said Collins, softly, before turning to walk away. A “Good luck” was tossed casually over the man’s shoulder and seemed to echo in the air despite the hall being far too small for that to happen.

McGee turned to his work and smiled. They shouldn’t have left him alone with the records. This was where he did his best work. There was always a paper trail somewhere.

He opened the department-issued laptop and brought up the digital filing system.

It was odd, though. He’d spent years in the police, and he’d never heard of Fenton & Foley Information Systems.

The department computer filing system was a miracle. McGee meant that completely, as a connoisseur of filing systems. He wondered if he could get the county to adopt it, assuming it didn’t tie back to the mob or something equally unsavory.

On the other hand, it was only a couple months old, by the looks of it. It was, therefore, mostly empty, as compared to the almost infinite number of filing boxes in the record room.

The record room was not well organized. In fact, it was barely organized at all. Several of the boxes looked like they’d been beaten with a bat, others were singed. A few dripped with something sticky and green. One or two looked as though they’d been drenched in water and then left to dry in a dark, damp room. Only about half of them were labeled.

To top it off, towards the beginning he’d found a post-it that had said: Boxy, if you steal these again, I’m going to leave you in the thermos for a week. -Phantom

The people here were way too into their tourist trap shenanigans. Unless they weren’t just tourist trap shenanigans. Unless they were a front.

He’d put that on his list of things to investigate.

But first, first, he was going to find the records for the murder that was recently swept under the table.

The newest boxes, despite being reasonably intact and therefore unique, weren’t easy to find, but he was able to drag them out and sit down with his laptop. He could enter as he searched, and thereby give the illusion that he was a completely normal transfer more credence.

Except.

Except. The records for that murder didn’t seem to exist. Not even in the cold case box.

“Hey.”

McGee jumped. Patterson was standing behind him, holding two paper coffee cups.

“How’s it going?” she asked. “I know these records are hell.”

“Fine,” he said.

“Coffee?”

“Sure.” He took the offered cup from her. “Forgive me if I’m wrong,” he said, “but when I was working up at county, I heard that you had a murder case here, recently? You dug up a teen’s body?”

“Oh, yeah.” Patterson was unperturbed. “Yeah, that was pretty exciting. Collins and I were on that.”

“I can’t seem to find the records for it.”

“Yeah. Well, there wasn’t any foul play.” Patterson shrugged.

“Wasn’t he found buried in a public park?”

“Well, aren’t you informed,” said Patterson. She sipped her coffee aggressively through the plastic stirring straw.

“So, you found an illegally buried teenager’s corpse and just… dropped it?”

“We investigated it,” said Patterson. “There wasn’t anything there. Case was cold even without that.” Another long, aggressive sip. She couldn’t possibly be getting any coffee up through that straw. It had to be mostly air.

This was the most bizarre intimidation tactic McGee had ever come across in his entire life. This was saying something. Once he’d worked with a man who’d pretend to have the flu during interrogations.

“You should still have records for the investigation.”

Patterson shrugged. “You’d have to ask Captain Jones about that. Anyway, I brought a bunch of tapes for you, too. You’ll have to rewind them by hand, though, when you finally get to them.” Another sip. “Are you planning on doing the salvage boxes?”

“The what?”

“The salvage boxes. The ones that got fished out of the lake. Wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t. Just curious.”

“I’m- They were in a lake? Why?”

“Stick around and find out,” said Patterson. “Did Masters come bother you yet?”

“Mayor Masters?”

“The one and only,” said Patterson, raising her coffee in a mock toast.

“Why would he come here?”

“Because you’re new, and theoretically a weak link. Oh, yeah. One more thing. I know your check-out time is in half an hour, but come back around eight, okay?”

“Why?”

“Reasons.”

“Are you hazing me?”

“That’s what the salvage boxes are for,” said Patterson. “Come back at eight. Bye.” She waved as she left.

Great. What was he supposed to do about that?

He didn’t go home after checking out. Instead, he walked around town. Patterson and Collins’ tour had been… interesting. Not terribly informative. They had given him an overview of various restaurants, ‘paranormal hotspots,’ and places where dumb kids gathered to experiment with drugs of dubious legality.

But they had avoided certain parts of town. McGee had noticed.

True, some of that was likely coincidence, but McGee had never heard of a public cemetery that wasn’t the site of something shady. Sure, a good caretaker would chase off anyone messing around in daylight, but cemeteries and graveyards just attracted trouble. Even if that trouble was just the local goth kids running around while high out of their minds.

But this cemetery, evidently, is different. Because there’s an unholy amount of people there for something that supposedly hallowed ground. Is this also part of the weird ghost-theme the place had going for itself? Were those tourists? In the graveyard?

That seemed to be in remarkably poor taste.

McGee pushed his hands deeper into his pockets and lengthened his stride. This whole town was in poor taste.

Oddly, everyone seemed to be gathered around the same grave. Maybe it was a funeral? No, the ground in front of the headstone was long since patted firm, and the headstone, while obviously fairly new, had some evidence of weathering even from a distance.

Had there been a celebration today? Memorial Day wasn’t today, was it? McGee always lost track of those fiddly little holidays.

Huh. The headstone was blank.

“Excuse me,” he said to a nearby woman. “Do you know who was buried here?”

“You… don’t know?” she asked, eyes wide with surprise.

McGee grinned. “I’m new in town, I’m afraid, and I just saw all these people here… I’m curious, I guess.”

“Oh,” said the woman. She looked away, every part of her body language screaming that she was coming up with a story to feed him. A lie. Or, at least, deciding which lie to use. “Well, there was a body found a few months ago? No one ever identified him, so… He was buried here? We just, um. It was sad, you know? You’ll probably hear more about it if you stick around.”

Despite almost everything she said being a statement, she still managed to make everything but the last sentence sound like a question.

Even if it was a lie…

“I hadn’t, actually. Can you tell me what happened?”

… Maybe it was just what McGee needed.

#danny phantom #ectober #ectober 2020 #ectober week #ectober week 2020

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inkofamethyst · 3 years

Text

October 10, 2021

Update: I desperately desire a turn of the century winter jacket. Sleek, menswear-inspired, black with bronze or silver buttons, form-fitting, tailored, perhaps, soft and heavy wool with a silk or rayon lining, understated flare from the waist to accentuate the figure. Perhaps paired with a hat.

Oooohh and with a walking skirt too??? Mmmm.

So y’all know I went back home this weekend (we’ll get to that, don’t worry), well I started working on my waistcoat again, and it’s really quite close to being finished, actually. I just want to work on making the point at the front more accentuated before I add the lining in, and the lining just needs to be handsewed in, so I can do all of that by hand. I’m thinking that since I’ll be back home next week, I’ll get everything set up so that I can bring the project back with me and work on it every once and a while here. Then, perhaps, a walking skirt? (I mean I’ve got other projects to do too (maybe next weekend I could, like, finish the blue skirt and the green cape for the Jester cosplay and have those set to go for halloween? I’ll need to design the skirt and underskirt (tiered, perhaps?)... I dunno.))

Anyway I spent half of Saturday sleeping because I was so exhausted by last week. I did practice my sax a ton which was really fun. I got my audition in tonight, so we shall see how that goes by next Monday. I now have three instruments in my apartment, and, honestly, I could not be happier. Now I just need to study. It feels cozy to be surrounded by instruments again. They’re like stuffed animals for me in that way, I guess.

Today was a bit of a... well, a day. I woke up, watched church with the fam (decided to stay an extra night, and that was nice (plus I needed it, both from a practice standpoint (there really was a huge difference between Friday evening, yesterday’s practices, and this afternoon’s practice session) and a rest standpoint)), chilled for a bit, filmed for two hours, realized that my rehearsal for the symphony was an hour and a half earlier than I’d originally thought, rushed out of the house to speed back to campus, found out that my dnd-friend had brought her new boyfriend to campus, promptly got motion sick in the car (a shame, really, because this is the primary physical issue that’ll prevent me from joining the astronaut ranks) after reading for ten minutes, got to rehearsal on time but had a ton of nausea, did rehearsal, edited my audition video, and then ate dinner and hung out with my dnd-friend, her bf, my cello-friend, and my photo-friend for a bit. I really haven’t had the time to rest until, well, now. I’d intended to take out my twists today, but that might be a tomorrow-before-rehearsal thing.

Can you believe it? Almost halfway through the semester already!!

Today I’m thankful that I spent the weekend playing the saxophone at home. Even if I don’t get into the pep band, it was really fun, and I think I want to do it more often again so my thumbs and neck don’t lose feeling after half an hour of playing (I used to play for at least an hour and up to two hours a day every day! I do remember being in pain the first few weeks then too though lol). Also it was nice being at home, for lots of reasons.

Last thing: I started watching La Brea this weekend too. Seems very Lost-esque lol. So much so that the show acknowledges this within the first episode, and I picked up on it almost right away. No, but seriously: large, diverse ensemble cast, immediate disaster leaves people stranded in a place they don’t understand, mysterious people and animals who seem to have been in that place for a long time, A Doctor, A Cop... now we just need an evil-ish person who doesn’t want the best for the survivors.

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sailorhyunjinz · 4 years

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WAIT CHERRY BUNNY IS GLITCHING I SAW U JUST RESPONDED TO ANONS REQUEST - my whole body is glitching that is so cute pls . Seungmin gives off the sweetest most accepting vibes and I love it. Stan a puppy boy who loves chubby girls 💔

BUT YEA you and I literally think the same way ? If I really like someone I can’t just .. not touch .. them 🧍🏼‍♀️you’re also really cute , so I feel like we’d be snuggling a whole lot 🥰 <33

I can imagine some of them have code 😭 like - changbin’s code for “I’m horny , and want to fuck you” , is him waking you up at 2am to “cuddle” because he’s in need of “love and affection” but not in the innocent way that he makes it out to be lolol

I actually have skz sex hcs so pls take them , I’m feeding u 😩<33

Chan

- Either soft dominant , or bratty sub asf

- Calls you “baby” , “love” , or “honey” , because he’s a hopeless romantic - and enjoys the thought of being all sweet and soft with you. On the other side of the spectrum , probably calls you either “mommy” , or “mama” rip my heart SJFBD

( probably sees you as super fragile , and thinks you’re gonna snap in half in he manhandles you 🧍🏼‍♀️ )

- Super sentientive on both his ears and chest , and can cum untouched just by being massaged or kissed in those areas . Take that as you will ,,

- Definitely the type to do slow , but deep trusts. Never goes hard , unless he’s service topping - and really, really needy / horny :( <33

- Isn’t blunt at all when aroused .. just .. hints , like a toddler T_T

“I really wish that I were being touched right now”

“There are a lot of different things that we could be doing right now , since a bed has many purposes”

Changbin

- Hard dom .. that is all ..

- Horniest motherfucker that you will literally ever meet .. jerking off to a photo of just your face ? Yeah , he’s on that , and will think of the dirtiest things while doing so

- Is super clingy when horny , doesn’t wanna let go of you and your pretty body <//3

- Probably into body worship and rope bunnies , I mean .. let’s just be completely honest here lol

- Is not shy at all .. could literally be at work and would be 200% fine with pulling some dirty ass shit ??

“Send me a video of you getting off , princess. Use the biggest toy that you own”

“It’s hard to focus whenever I’m thinking about you like this .. my dick this fucking hard”

LIKE SHSHBFS I .. would faint ??

Jisung

- Jisung is a different breed asf

- No labels , he just wants to cum .. and make u cum. He’s definitely more of a service top , though bfhdje

- Super loud during sex , like .. this man goes from soft sighs , to obnoxious whimpers .. to screams - and it’s literally the hottest thing you’ve ever fucking heard

- Definitely into pretty lingerie , short skirts, stockings , cosplay.. ( like - a dirty schoolgirl or smth .. yeah ,, never said that he wasn’t kinda into roleplaying as your teacher 😸 ) it gets him off like crazy ?? <//3 he’s so cute pspsspsspp

- Senstive cock .. like .. really sensitive. That is all. Allow your imagination to run wild ! :D

- Says shit like :

“Please don’t stop.. gonna cum -!”

“You’re so good at this , so good..”

“You’re so beautiful / handsome”

Also an excessive amount of I love you’s , and “baby”

Hyunjin

- Either a service top or soft dom ( ? ) not really sure about it .. maybe considers himself unlabeled as well ! :D

- Literally cannot keep himself from getting unbearably horny around you .. I mean , you’re perfect - I don’t blame him ! <3

- The type to think a lot of dirty thoughts in his head , but feel a little to shy to just come out and just say it

- Breeding kink 1000% ?? Jinnie loves the intimacy of cumming inside of you. If you would prefer him not to do so, then he would cum all over your ass , or stomach. He likes to see his mark on you , he finds it super hot

- Definitely someone who enjoys being watched. If he wakes up around 3 , which is often , because he can’t sleep super well when restless ; he’ll get off right next to you. Openly hopes you’ll either see or hear , subconsciously jerking off to the thought

- Calls you “dove” or “bunny” while fucking pspsoso

( soft whines and whimpers. Loves fucking up into his hand , pretending it’s your tight cunt .. chefs kiss as fuck !! )

Minho

- HARD dom !! Like - no doubt about it ?? Definitely into bdsm and shit like that .. </3 it’s so hot ,,

- Dress up as a pretty kitten , tail , ears and all .. he’ll fucking lose his cool. You’re getting fucked , and hard .. but not before he punishes you 🥺

spankings are his favorite form of punishment , along with flogging and orgasm denial <//3

( guess who’s not gonna be able to walk for the next week ! Have fun explaining that to your friends ..)

- Fucking LOVES oral sex. He loves that he can make you cum with just his tongue , or his fingers. He also enjoys receiving .. I mean , come on. He will boast about seeing you on your knees ready to please him

“Gonna be a good girl / boy for daddy , aren’t you?”

“Aww .. did you like that ? You want more ? Beg”

- Public sex is such a turn on for him .. he literally won’t be able to contain himself :,)

Felix

- Definitely a sub. 100% bottom or a service top !!

- Touches his cock a lot ,, because he’s needy. Knows that it’s against the rules , but needs to cum at least once a day

- Sometimes gets horny while gaming , and so he’ll hump either a pillow or a stuffed animal while doing so. He tries to keep his wines under control , because if anyone hears him - his mommy / daddy will not be pleased. Always ends up spurting little lines cum across the soft material :( </3

- Loves getting pegged / fucked - though it only really gets him off if you’re in the missionary or doggystyle position ! He loves the intimacy , and adores feeling little under your touch

- Phone sex 24/7 !! Especially if you’re away ,, he constantly calls you when all whiny n stuff :(

“I feel needy .. may I please touch my cock?”

“Yes ,, m mommy / daddy’s good little pup”

( Rip bunny <//3 )

Seungmin

- Dom ... in all aspects possible

- Loves choking , spanking , and groping <33

- Horny as fuck , and has no shame .. will literally call u while you’re busy :

“I’m horny , be a good boy / girl and help me get off”

- When it comes to orgasming , his go-to will always be either inside of a condom or deep into your heat. Also loves cumming all over your tongue T_T

- Loves experimenting with fucking different places in the house .. he just ,, can’t get enough of it

also obsessed with car sex jdsbfjks

- Calls you “little one” , “puppy”, and “angel” 💔

Jeongin

- soft dom or no label !! <3

- He loves to finish inside of the condom while he’s still inside of your heat T_T

- Definitely the type to wanna do doggystyle every single time lsmshfks.. he just loves grabbing and slapping on your ass while he’s railing you ??

- Definitely masturbates a lot in the shower .. idk ,, it just seems right asf 🧍🏼‍♀️

- Not super horny .. doesn’t have a super high drive for sex like most guys do <3

- Very sweet and attentive :

“Do you want me to go faster .. or slower ?”

“It doesn’t hurt , right baby?”

SIGH !! I HOPE U LIKE IT !!

-🐇 is .. currently feeling .. 💤

AAAAHHH BUNNY U ARE AMAZING?! FEEDING ME THIS BEAUTY?! KITH MANY KITH TO U <<<333

this is so much better than anything i will ever write because it’s so accurate akdfhjf my switch brain is like “wtf is going on” because i want them to destroy me as doms and then destroy them as subs (^・x・^)

pegging felix in missionary while you see his pained expression as you slam into him? 😩😩😩

ALSO DRESSING UP FOR MINHO LIKE YAAALL my pussy screaming hahshsh he would spoil you with all types of ears, buttplugs and slutty costumes and would expect you to be ready by the time he came home. If not... you would not be able to walk which i mean,,, if it’s from fucking him it’s 100% ok in my book lmao

go and rest up bunny~~ you have done well today ♡

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thegoodgayshit · 4 years

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Luz’s mother really doesn’t want to send Luz to camp. She knows once she leaves, there is no going back. But Luz has a knack for getting into trouble, and one day she stumbles into the same type of people her mother would have preferred she avoided. After helping Luz dissolve her high school bully into dust, Eda and Lillith know right away that this kid is just like them - a child of the gods. So Luz hops on a Pegasus and heads to Camp Half-blood, where she embarks on a dangerous quest that makes her both friends and enemies... and she might even save Olympus along the way.

Chapter 1: I Steal My Bully's Necklace

“Get up, you freak!”

Luz coughed as she struggled to breathe after being thrown into the lockers. The wind had been knocked out of her and she already felt a lump forming on the back of her head where she had smacked it.

She was having the worst day at school, and that was saying something. Somehow, by some miracle, she had made it through the whole year at this one. But she had a terrible feeling that her luck wouldn’t last. Especially if the mean girl in her biology class wasn’t going to leave her alone.

She looked up to see the girl in question standing over her, grinning sadistically at her. She rubbed her hands together like some kind of mobster villain, her dog tag necklace hanging from her neck, and Luz fought the urge to roll her eyes. Lina had tormented her all year, and no matter what Luz did she couldn’t seem to shake her. Her dark amber eyes, (Luz swore sometimes they were almost red) were watching her like the next thing she would do to her was eat her. Her posse, two other girls her age, watched with their own small smiles.

She winced as she got to her feet, trying to control her anger. Terrible things happened when Luz got upset. She didn’t like this girl, but it wasn’t worth getting expelled over. Again.

This was Luz’s fifth school in twelve years. Ever since she started kindergarten, Luz was the problem child. She always managed to land herself into trouble, and she never really knew why. Half the time she hadn’t even done anything, weird things just seemed to happen to Luz. The other kids thought she was weird, so they never hung out with her, and so Luz had never really had any real friends. Teachers didn’t really like Luz either, her ADHD made learning really difficult, and so she always got bad grades. So when weird things would happen, the principal wouldn’t think twice. She would usually get expelled on the spot.

She didn’t want to get expelled again. Her Mami would be so disappointed in her. When Luz and her Mami had to move to New York City, her Mami had threatened her really good when they finally found a school that would take her.

“This is it, mija.” She had said. “I’m not doing this anymore. You either stay at this school and graduate or I’m sending you away to camp.”

That’s when Luz knew it was serious. Her Mami had not wanted to send her away to this camp. She had always threatened it when Luz was a little kid, but her Mami had never actually wanted to do it. She was stern, but Luz was all she had.

Besides, Luz never really understood why a summer camp would help straighten her out. If the military school she had gone to when she was ten was any indication, even they couldn’t get through to her.

Regardless, Luz wasn’t going to disappoint her Mami. So she got to her feet and did the first thing she could think to do.

She ran.

Breaking through the crowds of students who had been watching Lina bully her in the hallways, Luz ducked under the crowds and made a break for the staircase.

“Run, Luz Noceda!” Lina cackled as she fled. “Run from me!”

Anger flashed through Luz. She hated running. She wanted to stand and fight, to tell Lina off and get her to stop being a jerk. But she was outnumbered, and nobody would believe her anyway when something inevitably went wrong. It’s like her Mami said, “just keep your head low, Luz. Don’t engage, don’t fight back. Don’t give them a reason to punish you.”

So, despite the shame bubbling up in her chest, she kept running. She heard a commotion behind her, and Lina saying something to her friends before there was a cry of shock. And something that sounded strangely like hooves clamping along the tile.

Lina yelled something that definitely wasn’t English, but Luz understood it perfectly. Lina was following her, and the weirdness was starting again. She had to go before somebody blamed it on her.

Tearing down the stairs and pushing open the side exit to her school, Luz bolted down the alley she uses to get to the bus stop she takes home. It was her lunch period, so she’s hoping that by the time she gets back to school Lina will have long forgotten about her and she can get to her English class in one piece.

But then there’s a crash, and a furious scream from behind her and she realizes that Lina is following her. She begins to panic, picking up speed and darting into the new alley behind 94th street. There is a chain-link fence up ahead, and she breaks into a fresh sprint, launching her body up against it and over to the next street ahead.

Luz doesn’t know when she decided she wasn’t going back to school, but she knew that she needed to get away from Lina. She spared a glance back as she darted into the trafficked street, weaving through cars. Lina was still following her, her red eyes boring in fury into Luz’s back.

Luz gets onto the first bus she sees and fumbles for her MetroCard in her back pocket, slamming it down on the pad without looking back. She breaks for the back of the bus, crouching into an aisle seat and shrinking her whole body away from the window. She pulls the hood of her cat hoodie over her head, praying she wasn’t seen. The bus starts to move, thankfully without Lina on it, and Luz tries to let her body relax.

She zones out, wary of everyone getting on the bus. After some time, the realization that she doesn’t actually know where she’s going hits her like a truck. At the next stop, she gets up and darts off the bus, passing a quick thank you to the driver. When she steps out into the street, she realizes she has traveled all the way down to 34th street, and the Empire State Building is glaring down at her several blocks away.

Luz isn’t quite sure what to do now. She wasn’t going back to school today, that was for sure. Her Mami could be mad at her for skipping later. It was the end of the year, and Luz had unofficially made it all the way through.

Deciding she should celebrate, Luz walks around the city for a little while. Her Mami would never want her to wander off on her own, but she decided after the incident with Lina at school she deserved it. She remembers the awesome candy store her Mami took her to when they moved to the city, and pulls out her phone to punch Dylan’s Candy Bar into her maps. It’s only 20 minutes away, so she begins the trek through the city, putting in her earbuds and shuffling her favorite anime playlist.

Once she’s inside and picks out five chocolate bars and a pack of lemonade gumballs. As she approaches the register, the girl working the counter likes Luz so much, she throws in an extra bar for free. Luz thanks her enthusiastically, and she pays with the money she was going to use for lunch. She leaves the store and sits, beginning to chow down on her snacks on the street curb outside, but her eyes are still wearily scanning the streets as through Lina might appear at any moment. As she does this, she catches sight of the two strangest looking women she’s ever seen.

They’re both middle-aged, the first with black hair and piercing green eyes. The second is a little taller, with huge silver-grey hair. But what catches her attention is that both women are wearing huge, cosplay style cloaks – white and maroon respectively.

The woman with the huge hair and maroon cloak has a strange bird on her shoulder. Luz thinks it might be an owl. Not only that but when she squints Luz is almost positive the one with the white cloak has a weapon strapped to her belt. Her mouth immediately drops, and she gets up off the curb just as the pair duck into an alleyway. Tucking the remaining three chocolate bars into her blue backpack, (which has miraculously stayed on through her whole fight with Lina) she weaves through the streets to follow them. Luz wonders to herself if there’s some kind of Comicon or other convention she was missing.

She sneaks through the alleyway, peering at the two behind a dumpster. They are talking in low voices, so Luz slowly creeps forward to listen in.

“- called us to Olympus, it must be serious, Edalyn.” The first one says lowly.

“Don’t sweat it, sissy. We’ve been called in by dad before. It’s probably just another one of those check in’s.” The second says, shrugging.

“You must feel it.” The first mutters urgently. “The tension between the gods is only going to grow from here.”

“We have to stay patient, Lilith.” The second woman, Edalyn, responds. “Of course I’ve felt it, but until we’re told to summon the Oracle-”

“There you are!”

Luz squeals dropping her gumballs all over the alley, spinning around the dumpster to come face to face with Lina. She is furious, her red eyes boring into her, and she snarls at her angrily. Luz shrieks, realizing that Lina’s mouth is stretching to expose a pair of vicious and sharp looking fangs.

There is a commotion from behind her as the two women have realized they have been overheard, and Luz begins to feel guilty for eavesdropping. But she doesn’t turn to look at them, she has bigger problems right now.

“I have been hunting you for months, Luz Noceda,” Lina growls, baring her fangs. “You will not escape me again!”

“Please!” Luz exclaims, holding up her hands. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“Hurt me?” Lina laughs, taking a few menacing steps forward. “You cannot hurt me, little demigod. I will kill you before you get the chance!”

Before Luz can process anything that is happening, Lina shifts, her body changing rapidly. Her feet morph out of her tattered jeans into one metallic leg and one with hooves, and Luz can’t help but scream. Lina leaps at her and out of pure instinct, Luz rolls. Lina flies past her and Luz presses her back against the brick building behind her in terror.

“What are you?” She yelps, her whole body vibrating in horror.

“That’s an empousai, kid.” The woman with the red cloak says calmly, and when Luz turns her head, the two women are staring down Lina with disinterest. Luz can’t believe how calm they are.

“A what?”

And before Luz can pinch herself to make sure she isn’t dreaming, the dark-haired woman reaches under her cloaks and draws the weapon that shimmers the shiniest bronze Luz has ever seen. The blaze shifts and forms right in front of her eyes from a knife into an eight-foot sharp staff. The grey-haired woman plucks the bird off of her shoulder and it coos (Luz is certain now it’s an Owl) before the bird shifts into a seven-foot bronze tipped spear.

Lina the empousai, or whatever she is, hisses at the sight of the blade.

“Daughters of Zeus,” she says, trying to remain composed. But Luz has been bullied by Lina for months now, and she knows she looks nervous. “This is no business of yours.”

“Actually, I think this is our business.” The dark-haired witch, Lilith, says coldly. “Any half-blood we find is under our protection. What is a servant of Hecate doing hunting a child of the gods?”

Lina shuffles her legs – or…hoof and metal leg – and is now visibly nervous. Edalyn smirks, exposing a single gold tooth that sticks out like a fang.

“Unless… Hecate doesn’t know you’re here,” she singsongs, and Lina growls ferociously and lunges towards the woman.

“I will kill you before she ever finds out!” She roars, and both women sidestep from the lunge. Edalyn stabs with her spear, which Lina deflects off of her metal leg. Lilith swings with her staff, and Lina ducks. Luz has been forgotten, and she is shaking violently against the wall, trying to get a grip as to what the heck is even happening right now.

What did Lina call her? A demigod? The Lilith called her a half-blood… that was a really insulting insinuation for someone who was biracial, Luz thought. Besides, she wasn’t biracial, her Mami told her that her father had been a businessman visiting from Brazil. But those women… she had called them the daughters of Zeus?

Even if Luz was confused, she recognized what was happening. Those women had jumped to her aid despite Luz eavesdropping on them. These women were protecting her, even if she was a complete stranger. So despite her shaking body, and the fact that she was probably bordering an anxiety attack, she leaped in to help.

While Lina’s back was turned, Luz took a running leap and lunged, wrapping her arms around Lina’s neck and squeezing. Lina roared in frustration and did her best to shake her off, and Luz heard Edalyn cackling in the background.

“Alright! Get em’ kid.”

“Edalyn, focus!” Lilith snapped before she swung her own staff.

Lina tucked backward, but she wasn’t fast enough to totally dodge the blade, and it skimmed her stomach. She roared in pain and anger and finally knocked Luz away from her, and she went skidding across the ground. Coughing, Luz got to her feet and looked up at Lina’s stomach. The slice stretched across her stomach, but there was no blood. Instead, the slash seemed to be slowly dissolving her body. Lina looked down on it and hissed, glaring her red eyes up at Luz with absolute hatred.

She screamed again and charged at Luz, who scrambled backward in panic, but Lina never got closer. Edalyn spun her spear around her back and lunged, stabbing Lina right through the side. With a final scream, her whole body began to disintegrate into dust, before all that was left of her was a small pile of ashes and Lina’s dog tag necklace.

Spinning the spear, it shifted back into the owl which perches itself on Edalyn’s shoulder. Lilith spins her own staff, turning it back to a knife and clipping it to her belt. Luz was left staring at the pile of dust with a wide-eyed, and totally shocked expression. Her adrenaline was starting to fade, and it was beginning to change into full-blown panic.

“What just happened?” She said, but it came out as more of a breathy squeak. “Did we just kill her?"

Edalyn shrugged and held out her hand to help Luz up, which she took. “Yes, and no. Monsters don’t really die, they just return to Tartarus and wait to respawn.”

“They go where to do what?” This sentence was so high pitched she was surprised either of them heard it.

“Edalyn, give her a minute to process,” Lilith mumbled eying Luz like she was broken glass about to shatter.

“She doesn’t need to process, she’s probably been through it all by now.” She retorted with a roll of her eyes. Looking down at Luz with a knowing glint in her eyes, she pulled her to her feet and reached over to brush some of the dirt off her hoodie. “Let me guess, kid. You’re a bit of a problem child, always moving from place to place… weird things happen to you that nobody else can explain?”

Luz blinked. “Yeah, exactly like that. How’d you know?”

She laughed as if Luz had just said the funniest thing she’d ever heard. “Because we’re all like that. You’re an older one too, you’ve probably been on the monster's scent for a while. I don’t know how you possibly stayed alive without any help from camp.”

Luz felt a chill go up her spine. “Wait, camp? My Mami mentioned a camp… she always threatened to send me there if I didn’t straighten up…”

Edalyn and Lilith shared a look before they turned back to her.

“That monster said your name was Luz right?” Edalyn said, a little softer this time.

Luz nodded her head. “Yeah, that’s me. Luz Noceda.”

“I’m Eda, and this is my sister Lilith,” Eda said with a smile. “We’re the co-directors of Camp Half-blood.”

“Camp Half-Blood,” Luz said in a monotone voice. “Half what? I’m Latina.”

They shared another look.

“Half-blood doesn’t have anything to do with race,” Lilith said slowly. “It means people who are half-human, and half god.”

Luz’s mouth dropped open. She stared blankly between the two of them, not even sure what to say.

“God? Like…. Jesus?” she stuttered out, and Eda chuckled.

“No, like Greek God, kid. Half-bloods are kids with one human parent and one godly parent.” She reached under her cloak and pulled out a necklace that had been concealed previously. It had a gold pendant the shape of a thunderbolt. “Lily and I are sisters, but we have the same godly parent. Zeus.”

Luz’s brain began to finally work again, and she did her best to just try and process what she was saying. Nodding slowly, Luz does her best to recall her minimal knowledge of Greek deities she’s learned from books and movies.

“The god of the sky.” Luz nods, and Eda shrugs.

“Sure, among other things.”

Luz begins to pace, as she always does when her brain is moving too fast for her body. “Lina called me a demigod. Are you saying that my dad is a Greek God?”

“Well, that helps narrow down the possibilities,” Lilith said, keeping her voice calm and mellow. “A while ago the god’s made a promise to claim all of their children by the time they turn thirteen.”

“I’m fourteen,” Luz said. “Does that mean my dad forgot about me?”

“Nope, you just haven’t come to camp yet,” Eda said with a grin. “Most demigods come to Camp Half-Blood for training to defend themselves against monsters. The older you get, the stronger your scent is to them. You’re lucky you’ve been able to stay so inconspicuous for so long.”

Luz was suddenly presented with a lot of options for the first time in her life. Despite everything she had just learned, she wasn’t scared, or afraid. It actually made so much sense. All those terrible memories she could never explain, like the man with one eye who had tried to get her into his car when she was eleven. Or the women with leather wings who had watched her from the playground in first grade. All those weird things, that nobody had ever believed, finally clicked.

And sure, her Mami always told her not to trust strangers, but she figured this was a bit of an extenuating circumstance. Eda and Lilith were weird, but Luz liked it. She finally felt like she was seen and understood.

Plus, they had just killed her high school bully. She owed them one. Not that she needed much convincing anyways on what she wanted to do next.

“Will you take me?” Luz asked quietly, looking up at them slowly. “I mean... if you aren’t too busy or anything?”

Eda and Lilith shot each other a little smile, before nodding.

“Sure kid, we did have a meeting at Olympus, but Lily can go in my place.”

“It’s our job to make sure demigods get there safely, it’s our first priority,” Lilith added, clasping her hands together. “Edalyn, do you have your Pegasus whistle?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve got that here somewhere…” Eda mumbled, digging through her cloak pockets. Luz was still trying to fathom the fact that they had a meeting at the actual Mount Olympus when Eda pulled out a little bronze whistle and blew it into the sky.

After a second, there was a swooshing sound coming from above us, and the most beautiful horse Luz had ever seen glided down in the alley. It was a pure white horse with gorgeous wings that it tucked back into its sides as it came to a stop next to Eda.

“Oh wow!” Luz said in awe, and the Pegasus snorted almost bashfully.

Lilith walked over to the pile of dust that was once Luz’s bully and picked up the dog tag necklace still lying on the ground. She handed it to Luz, who took it hesitantly.

“It’s a spoil of war,” Lilith explained, giving Luz a small smile. “Your first kill as a half-blood.”

Luz didn’t really want it, she didn’t have the fondest memories of Lina. But she didn’t understand a lot of this half-blood stuff yet and wasn’t going to start by refusing Lilith.

“Err… thanks.” She ended up saying, and thankfully, Lilith laughed.

Eda leaped over the horses back, extending a hand to Luz. “Well? Are you coming?”

Luz hesitated for only a second. She thought about her mom back home, and how she was going to be wondering in a couple of hours why she wasn’t home from school. But she quickly pushed it down as she thought about what awaited her. She could call her when she got to camp.

Throwing the necklace over her shoulders and taking Eda’s hand, the women helped Luz sit behind her on the horse. Waving goodbye to Lilith with the promise to see her later at camp, Eda urged the Pegasus into a run down the alleyway. The horse began to pick up speed as they almost hit the busy street, before it leaped into the air, taking flight. Luz whooped in glee, feeling the wind blow through her face as she gripped the back of Eda’s cloak.

She looked down at the busy moving streets in Manhattan and realized with the confusion that nobody seemed to be looking twice at them.

“If I saw something as cool as this, I would have stared,” Luz mumbled to herself, almost offended nobody thought this was as awesome as she did.

She heard Eda laugh, and Luz’s cheeks flushed red. She hadn’t meant to be overheard.

“Mortals don’t see things the way we do. There’s a layer that covers their eyes from seeing our world. We call it the Mist.”

Soon, the Pegasus had left Manhattan, and the pair were flying over Queens. The view, while still being amazing, was starting to not be enough to keep Luz’s thoughts at bay. Turning to Eda, she realized she still had so many questions. Her eyes trained onto the little owl tucked onto Eda’s shoulder. Now that she’s looking at him, she realizes he looks 100% real. He coos softly into Eda and blinks it’s gold eyes brightly at her in a way that looks friendly.

“Owlbert is waiting for you to pet him,” Eda comments offhandedly, and Luz jumps back as though she was shocked.

“Owlbert?” She repeats back, and Eda nods her head. Taking that as enough encouragement, Luz hesitantly reaches forward and tickles the owl's tummy. He feels soft and warm, just like a real tiny owl. When she strokes him, he coos again happily.

“Owlbert's both a great weapon and a great companion,” Eda says with a smile, shooting Luz a wink. “A gift from a goddess after I helped her on a quest when I was just a little older than you.”

Luz lets herself process that information.

“My Mami said she didn’t want to send me to camp,” she eventually says, as though it’s some scandalous secret. “If it’s supposed to be a safe place for people like me… why wouldn’t she want me there?”

Eda hummed, and Luz picked up that Eda had been wondering the same thing. “Some parents want to protect their kids from this world. It’s dangerous, and the less you know the safer you are. That’s probably why you’ve been able to evade monsters like the empousai.”

“Lilith said the empousai was a servant of Hecate,” Luz commented, leaning over to look at Eda’s face. Her gold eyes were looking back at her playfully. “If my dad is a god, why would another god’s servant attack me?”

“Gods have been around much longer than us, Luz,” Eda said with a shrug. “They have a history that precedes any of us. Maybe your dad angered Hecate at some point.”

“But she looked scared when you said Hecate didn’t know she was there,” Luz pointed out, and Eda broke into a grin.

“You’re smarter than you look, kid. And I can’t say for sure why she was there, but a lot of weird stuff has been going on in our world recently.” She hummed thoughtfully, turning her eyes to look ahead once again. “Lily thinks it’s the reason we were called to Olympus. Your monster friend might have something to do with it.”

“She’s not my friend.” Luz retorted, biting her lip. “I don’t have any friends. People at school don’t like me.”

“You’re not the only weirdo out there,” Eda said, shrugging her shoulders. “None of us at camp fit in with the other mortals. That’s why Lily and I work so hard to keep the camp safe. Us weirdo’s have to stick together, you know? Camp Half-blood is our home.”

Luz felt her heart warm up at that, and she broke into a smile of her own. She liked the thought of that, being with people just like her in a place that genuinely felt like home. She had moved around so much, and been outcasted by so many kids her age, she had never known what that truly felt like. All she had was her Mami.

After the Pegasus left Queens, Luz wasn’t really sure where she was or where they were heading. But soon the smell of saltwater began to fill her nose, and Eda perked up in front of her.

“We’re close now. The camp is near Long Island Sound. Get ready to descend.”

Luz peaked over Eda’s shoulder, her stomach flipping in both nervousness and excitement. Eventually, the Pegasus swooped into a downward glide, and Luz got her first glimpse of the camp.

There were camp cabins stretched across what looked like a pavilion and a beach where she could see a few canoes. It looked like people eventually caught sight of the Pegasus, and when they saw Eda, they waved up at them. Most of the campers she saw were wearing orange t-shirts, and Luz noticed that a lot of them had some kind of weapon strapped to their belts.

Finally, the Pegasus touched down on a grassy field, and Luz could see a huge house with sky blue sliding sitting on top of a hill surrounded by strawberry fields. Luz breathed in a gasp. The place was beautiful.

Eda leaped off the Pegasus, and a crowd began to gather around them. Luz began to feel anxiety at the number of eyes staring at them, but then Eda extended a hand to her, shooting her a warm and excited smile.

“We're here, Luz. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood.”

#the owl house #lumity #Percy Jackson AU #luz x amity #luz noceda #amity blight #eda the owl lady #shelby speaks

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erintoknow · 4 years

Text

the truth won’t die when they pull that trigger

Spiraling - A Fallen Hero: Rebirth Fan-fiction

Keep working that crack brigger. One day it’ll be wide enough for you to walk on through. [Stigmata]

[Read on AO3]

Holding your breath, you fall from the top of the bridge strut to the traffic below, jets slowing your descent. You’d tagged the car in your HUD and timed the jump, but it’s another to actually do it.

The limousine bounces as you hit the roof. Tug at the mind of the driver and she settles back into her focus. Another nudge and she hits the button to bring up the privacy screen between her and the backseat.

Here we go.

You’re in control.

The past month has been burned on following up the lead from Marconi. Nudging open the cracks. And where you can’t get Jane to snoop around, Ghost is there to pick up the slack. You put your left hand to the roof and wake up the Nanovores. They open up a circle just big enough for you to drop through, landing next to your target.

George Vanderpoel looks up from his cellphone, a look of shock on his face.

“Oh, don’t bother calling for help.” You cross your legs, gesturing towards the driver. “She can’t hear us.”

He swallows, putting his phone down with trembling hands. “Stay away from me…”

“Mr. Vanderpoel,” You laugh, the distortion turning it into a flat, ugly sound. “I’m not going to hurt you.” You pause, make a show of shrugging. “Probably.”

He doesn’t dare look away. “What do you want?” His voice cracks.

“Just a chat. Between friends.”

“I know who you are.”

“You don’t. But, I know you. Mayor Alvarez’s personal aide.”

He frowns, tries to keep a stone face. But his hands give it away even if his internal screaming didn’t. “What do you want with me?”

“You’re a man of integrity.” You lie. “Tough on criminals.”

His expression remains guarded. “You’re a criminal.”

“Maybe. But there’s worse ones out there.” You hand dips down to your belt. There’s no small amount of satisfaction at watching him squirm, heartbeat pounding. You pull out a photocopied piece of paper, pass it over to him. “This look familiar?”

He frowns, not sure what to think, who to believe. “I didn’t sign this.”

“Thought so.” You sigh. “Oh, Mr. Vanderpoel, someone close to you has been very naughty.” You hand dips down to your belt again. Pulling out a card, you flick it towards him as well. “Your buddy, Ava? That’s the code for her safe. Give it a look.” The Chief of Staff’s personal safe might be out of yours or Jane’s reach for now. But no one will suspect Vanderpoel.

He turns the card over in his hands. Suspicion mixed with worry starting to win out over fear. “What? What’s your game here, Ghost?”

“There’s no game.” You lie, again. And then, since you’re already lying and you need him on your side; “I’m not the bad guy here, despite what a few suits want you to think.” You add a telepathic weight to your words, willing him to believe it. “It’s a shame. Can’t trust anyone these days.”

“I don’t–” The car slams to a halt, sending both of you rocking forwards.

You straighten up, on alert. The Rat-King pulls your attention past the driver’s panicked alarm and towards someone coming straight towards you. You stand up. “It’s been good talking with you, Mr. Vanderpoel.” You drop your voice, “Stay out of trouble now.”

Climbing back out onto the roof of the car, you take stock of the scene. Almost at the other end of the bridge and this whole lane of traffic has come to a halt. A glint of movement catches your eye and – there! Some asshole is weaving his motorcycle across traffic. Straight at you.

Knew you would be here? And which car?

Hrm.

The Rat-King braces you as you reach out, grab the offending mind and pull. Force him to drive in a straight line towards you. He doesn’t get far before a car slams into his motorcycle, sending him rolling across the pavement. You hop down to the road, wincing behind your helmet.

The traffic slows to a stop around the both of you as the other man gets to his feet. Rubberneckers. Who’s the interloper? Not one of Vanderpoel’s men. Not a Ranger. Dip in a little further, get the name ‘The Handyman.’ There’s a name you recognize. No mods, not a boost. Just some fancy gadgets and a preoccupation with playing detective.

You hum to yourself, watch him hold a hand to his bleeding head. He really doesn’t belong here. Can feel Vanderpoel’s eyes on you as you step forward. The performance never ends.

You let The Handyman take off his helmet, smooth back his black hair before tucking on a cap. “You’re not who I expected to show up.”

The Handyman’s eyes flash behind his diamante mask. “Disappointed?”

You shrug. “Don’t care.” You plant your feet, watching for any sudden moves. “Stalking Vanderpoel?”

“I have my sources.” The Handyman pulls out a wrench, spins it in his hand. “We knew you’d be targeting him.” He flashes a grin. “And this is a perfect ambush spot.”

You tsk, shaking your head. “And you didn’t think to warn him?” You shrug, hands palm up in an exaggerated gesture. He’s making this so easy. “What if I blew the poor guy up?”

“You wouldn’t.” He sounds more like he’s trying to convince himself. “I had a hunch.”

“Horrible.” You sigh, “risking someone’s life on a hunch.” You glance back at Vanderpoel. He’s still listening, good. “Hoping I’d take him out for you?”

“That’s not true and you know it.”

You step towards him, pulling your cape around you. “I’m not the one to convince here.”

The Handyman takes a step back. Reaches a hand back to his belt. “Don’t think you can trick me.”

Take a breath. Can already hear the distant thrum of helicopters in the distance.

Time to stop stalling.

You rush the man as he pulls a gun from the holster on his belt. The shot goes wide, as you slide under his aim. Rise up and grab his arm, snapping it backwards and twisting his thumb until he drops the weapon in a cry of pain. A hand comes down on the back of your helmet sending an electrical charge coursing through the suit system.

Panic shoots through you. Ortega!? Here!? You drop The Handyman, scanning the perimeter. Sweep your arm behind your head and you find the EMP charge. Your sigh of relief is met with a knee in your abdomen. Reeling backwards and coughing for breath you grab at the offending leg, twist the foot sharp the wrong direction.

The Handyman screams, collapsing to the road. You don’t give him a chance to recover. Kicking him in the ribs. “You – you really think you… had a shot against me?”

“I’m not…” He wheezes, pulling himself to his feet, one hand clutching his side. Favoring his uninjured ankle. “I’m not done yet.”

“Very heroic.” You hiss. “Give up.”

He tosses something at you, pellets that explode in a burst of light and chaff. You don’t need sight to pick out his mind however. To re-close the distance and kick the second gun out of his hand. Follow up with a punch to the face that lays him out back on the ground.

His hand goes for something else on his belt and you bring your boot down, pinning his wrist to the asphalt. “Stand down.” For just once could someone admit they’re beaten and go away already?

He’s grinning up at you with a bloody smile. Irritating. You press your boot against his wrist. You’ll give him something to smile about.

The Rat-King pulls at your attention with a chirp of alarm. You twist sideways, dodging silver claws. As if by magic, Lady Argent stands over The Handyman’s beaten body. An irritated scowl on her face. Late to the party? Shame about that LD traffic, huh?

Argent glances down at him, “Can you move?”

“Y–yeah…” He half-gasps it, voice rasping in pain as he pulls himself away. Hoping for a hand-up. It doesn’t come. Oh, this guy has a lot to learn about Argent it appears.

She shifts focus away from him, no longer concerned. “Then get out of here. I’ll wrap up our project.”

Really?

You can’t help the laugh as you clap your hands together. “The Rangers were in on this scheme?” Sure, let’s just have all your enemies discredit each other on live broadcast. Make this real easy. Who in the Farm wants to take the hit? You rest your hands on your hips, let The Handyman crawl away, he doesn’t matter. “Lady Argent…” You shake your head. “Of course you’re the one needlessly risking lives.”

“Whatever.” She bristles, flipping back her hair. “I’m not the one that set this up.” She glances back at The Handyman, takes a step forward to put herself between the two of you. “He had a plan, I liked it.”

He raises a shaky thumbs-up. “Not… the first trap we’ve sprung together.” His grin is triumphant despite being spotted with blood. “I set them up, she knocks them down…”

“...don’t say it…” Argent groans, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

“Gotta use the right tool for the right job.”

“...why do they always need to talk…”

You glance between the two. “Adorable.” Vanderpoel is still watching. Still listening. Jesus. This has gone phenomenally better than you could have expected. Rangers and vigilantes working together – knowingly putting city officials at risk? “So you’re in on it.”

“I’m not. I’m just here to bring you in.” Lady Argent drops her hands to her side, flexing her fingers as she shifts her stance.

They just can’t help themselves, can they? “Not to protect Mr. Vanderpeol?”

She snorts, waves the idea away. “He’s perfectly safe. Don’t play politics with me.”

“You ought to pay more attention when a banshee gives you a warning.”

“Yeah, whatever. Your cosplay doesn’t impress me.”

You frown. “That overconfidence is going to ruin you.”

She eyes you, shifts position again as her fingers elongate into claws. “I’d like to see you try, villain.”

Argent moves faster than you’d expected. But you’re still faster. Dodging some strikes, deflecting others with the armored plating on your arms. Your first match-up was abbreviated – already exhausted both body and soul.

There’s no point in waiting for your death any more. You’re past it. Past living. There’s only this moment, this fight. Either you win or you die. And that’s still a win.

Argent’s movements are quicker, anticipating you with an unnerving accuracy. Can pick up her surface thoughts, that she’s been studying the recordings of your fights.

Fair enough. So have you.

You roll out of reach of her arms, the two of you pausing for breath. This is the third time since the Marconi fiasco that Argent’s cut an operation of yours short. It’s starting to feel like she’s hounding you specifically. You watch her, waiting for movement. “I’m not the one that put all these people in danger.”

Not this time.

Not anymore.

What more do you need to prove?

Argent narrows her eyes at you. “Don’t try that with me. I don’t give a damn about politics.”

She really can’t help herself, can she?

You twist out of the way of her claws, catch a knee to your chest. Moving with the blow you slide back, grab her leg and flip her off her feet, sending her rolling backwards. “Why?” You yell after, “Afraid I’ve got a point?”

She gets to her feet, snarling. “Shut up and fight already, cheater.” She tenses, ready to jump.

You grin behind your helmet. “No tricks that time.”

She grins, a predatory smile, and jumps towards you. At the last minute you step aside. Her claws catch your arm, pulling you backwards with her.

Wait – shit –

Argent hits the ground, pulling you down. And then she’s on you, hands digging into the sides of your suit, trying to slip razors in between the plates. Heart pounding in your throat, you buck under her, grabbing her hands and twist her off.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck

this has to stop right now, needs to end fuck shit piss goddamnit

Argent’s eyes glance down at your hands, pick up a note of confusion. You don’t get time to examine it because you replace it with punching her in the face. She reels back, gouging more groves into your ablative plates.

It’s just Argent. You’re just fighting Argent. That’s all. Just a woman that can crack open your suit like a can-opener. Nothing to freak out over.

It’s fine.

You’re fine.

You. Are. In. Control.

Take the chance to step backwards, hand touching the guardrail. Let the nanovores get to work. Roll to the side as Argent comes after you. Touch another point on the rail. A chunk of the railing drops to the road. Tripping hazard.

You’ll trick her over the edge. If she can survive being flushed down sewers, she can survive a swim.

Or that’s the plan – a kick catches you in the back as you try to put distance between the two of you, send you to the ground. Roll out of the way and hit her in the ribs as she tries to follow-up.

It’s getting harder and harder to predict her attacks. Her mind focused solely on your next movement. It’s unsettling, like looking at the reflection of yourself in her silver skin. Distorted.

Can’t let it get to you.

Catch her on the next attack, grab and swing, bringing your knee up and pushing her back. She staggers backwards. Rights herself just before she would have tripped over the edge.

Damn it.

She launches herself at you and – fuck, this is the wrong direction to do the whole ‘over the edge trick’ now. You just need her out of the way. A crowd is gathering around the two of you now. Standing there, gawking. Watching. Always fucking watching and doing nothing.

Maybe it’s time for the audience participation round…

Roll backwards out of Argent’s reach. Snare the mind of the nearest civilian. Young woman. Dazed, she doesn’t back up in time. You grab her, pulling her in front of you.

Argent stops, flexing her fingers. “Coward.”

“Don’t care.” The woman in your grip struggles until you twist her arm back, just painful enough to give her the idea. She freezes. Hyperventilating. Fuck. Is this really what you’re reduced to now? You feel sick.

“Let her go.”

“No.” You grit your teeth. “You go.”

Argent drops her hands to her sides. Still watching you. “You’re no killer.”

“You – you willing to bet on that?”

She takes a step forward. “Yes.” She takes another step.

“Let her go. Don’t bring other people into our fight.”

Panicked thoughts in the head next to yours and it sets your teeth on edge. The Rat-King curls protectively around you, trying to dull the worst of it. This is… what’re you doing?

Really?

You let her go.

Neither you nor Argent move as the woman, weeping, scrambles back into the crowd, into someone’s embrace.

Argent braces herself again. “See? That’s better.”

“Fuck you.” You snarl.

Why the fuck did you do that? Hostage taking isn’t going to help Ghost’s public image. And it – it… fuck, that woman –

A spike of alarm from the Rat-King pulls you out of it just in time to dodge the kick in your direction. You twist sideways, intending to get Argent from behind. Instead your foot catches on something and you stumble. Argent is on you immediately, and something sharp pierces your side.

Shove her away and stagger backwards, you hit something with the back of your foot. The railing. Back here again. Fuck. Okay. Take 2.

Argent moves to press her advantage. You twist out of the way, using your cape to obscure the movement. She slashes at the fabric, hissing and you spin around to kick her over the edge.

She anticipates you – catches your leg and pulls you off balance. For a moment you’re in the air and there’s a hint of green on the horizon –

and then you’re falling again.

#fallen hero: rebirth #fallen hero fanfic #fanfiction #fhr/Ariadne

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