#this one's kinda stalk @ rogue

[eliasdrid]

Everything Machine (half·alive) + BloodRogue 🐍🦇

⚠ contains spoilers + flashing ⚠

[���]

[starry-bi-sky]

Thinking about the CFAU and marveling at how much Danny and Jason care for one another. Does anybody else figure out that Danny is going to kill the Joker, or is that knowledge Jason exclusive? I can't see Danny being close enough to any other Batfam member to disclose his plans, but I wonder if he drops hints. They're a family of paranoid detectives. I'd be surprised if they don't figure out Danny has a PURPOSE for being in Gotham at some point. Whether Danny's able to disguise it as wanting to be closer to Jason or not is another burning question.

Its def Red Hood exclusive! You're right in that Danny isn't close enough to disclose his revenge plot to any of the batfam members -- hell, not even Sam and Tucker know his true motives for returning to Gotham, and they're his best friends right after Jason! And Red Hood knows only because Danny accidentally slipped up ;].

I do also think that the Waynes kinda think something might be up with Danny -- at least Dick and/or Bruce might since they're the only ones who actually know him beyond brief mentions of him. Tim knows about him due to his stalking, but doesn't really know him -- and Danny plans to keep a healthy, friendly distance from the family so he can carry out his plans.

It's not that he holds any dislike towards them -- quite the opposite. He appreciates what they do for Gotham and recognizes the hard work that goes into keeping their Rogues Gallery at bay (even if he is bitter about Joker, but there's an obvious reason for that) -- but, well. He knows they're the vigilantes, he doesn't want to risk them sniffing out his murder plot before he can even go through with it.

Luckily for him he can excuse any distance he puts between them as just being busy with life and trying to settle in, and they're not close enough to him anymore to find it suspicious. I do think they figure out he's back in Gotham for a reason, Danny's not going to exactly hide the fact that he's back to find some kind of closure -- but what that closure is?

I think the only person who might suspect something sinister going on would be Bruce, who saw the sinking rage in Danny's eyes at the funeral -- it was part of the reason he didn't tell him who killed Jason (beyond secret identity reasons). But that depends on whether or not Danny reveals some of his hand, and the fact that he was still holding onto that rage (somewhat unwillingly) all this time.

[polarspaz]

Hi! Big BIG fan of your Au’s, especially the Cairon one with my boi Tim.

I had a question: So we all know little Timmy was basically a stalker to the bats in the comics. Would he have still have done that in this AU? And do you think he ever ran into any of the nicer rogues? (We know what he does with scarecrow 💀)

Like, does Pamela show him different plants that have medicinal purposes?

Or Selina teaching him how to fight since he’s closer to her build than Batman’s?

(Tried to break it up so it wasn’t a wall of text 😅)

-In the Carrion AU, Tim started to stalk Batman and Robin right after he killed his parents. While he did spend most of his time studying toxicology and medicine, he also had more than enough free time to trail after the shadowy duo.

-Tim never encountered any super villains while he crept the streets of Gotham, however he would stumble into a few thugs occasionally. But each encounter would end the same, with Tim scampering away unharmed, while leaving his attacker waling in agony from a single needle.

-When Jason was killed *horrifically* by the Joker, Tim saw how much worse Bruce had gotten, and decided to help him by kidnapping Scarecrow. Learning the formula for the Fear toxin was also a sweet bonus, so in Tim eyes, he was getting a two for one special. He just hadn't expected Bruce to find him so quickly.

-Tim relationship with Poison Ivy was quite bad in the beginning. While Tim found Ivy's plants fascinating, Tim was an outright murderous monster in Ivy's eyes. Ivy valued plant life WAY more than human life, having no qualms about murdering someone over a wilted fern. So when she saw Tim causally rip her flowers apart and stuff their husks into his little bags, she FREAKED.

-WAY later on though they start to mutual respect each other. Tim tires to not kill the plants he collects from Ivy, and while he usually fails ((Tim has a black thumb)), Ivy appreciates the effort. They also both like to talk about toxicology and hold each other's opinions on such matters in high regards.

-As for Tim and Selina, well, Tim is kinda intimated by Selina, lol. She confuses the shit out of him and he doesn't know how to react to her. Tim a really good actor when he needs to be ((He freaks out Jason when he does it so well)) but with her, he's not sure how to act. So he avoids her. ((The same could be said for Wonder Woman, Tim just doesn't know how to handle motherly kindness))

[justporo]

Astarion doesn't know how, but he's somehow become a cat dad of Baulder's gate.

One of them has been catnapped by a new bad guy.

And he's about to go John Wick on their asses.

(spawn or ascended, dealers choice)

Oh, I love this idea but I gotta be honest with you I kinda struggle with writing something for the last part. But! How about I give you something about how Astarion becomes - unwillingly - the friend of Baldur's Gate's street cats? This is not proof read, just a headsup!

Unlike friends

Astarion didn't know exactly why it was specifically cats but out of all animals felines were the most relaxed around the vampire. Maybe it was because they acknowledged a fellow predator and his skills. Or maybe it was the similar independence of will, the spark of chaos that lay at the core - always ready to lash out and wreak a little havoc.

Already on your adventures, whenever there had been a cat they were often found in close proximity to the vampire, stroking around his legs in an attentive posture, rubbing their little heads against Astarion’s shins as if greeting an old fellow. Once a cat had even dared to jump on the rogue’s lap at one of the inn's you had stayed at. And had been lucky enough to be graced with Astarion’s careful, skillful caresses: his long fingers finding that spot under the chin to scrub it, long, slow pats along the spine, scratching behind warm, fluffy ears. The purring could have probably been heard a mile away.

The vampire usually tried to not let it show but he enjoyed the instances of coming across one of graceful creatures. For two hundred years of hunting in the dark, felines - from feral veterans that seemed to rule the streets of Baldur’s Gate at night to lazy housecats out on the occasional stroll - had always been delightful and often the only company on his late night hunts.

And Astarion admired the small animals for their common determination, proudness, stubbornness and independence - sentiments he felt very much inclined to.

And so after the vampire had settled down with you in Baldur's Gate, it came to happen that he - unwillingly - became a patron of the city's street cats.

Bringing home a forsaken kitten to take it in and give it a place to lounge on a warm pillow and be fed to grow up strong and healthy had merely proven Astarion’s first action.

Because when one night he sat in the small garden of your joint townhouse with the night-blooming flowers you had so graciously planted all throughout the small plot fenced in by brick walls and an overgrown iron fence, there was a visitor.

Astarion was enjoying a book by lantern light, a cup of wine next to him as he noticed her first out of the corner of his eye and immediately turned his head. With his heightened vampiric senses he saw a small black cat, crouching close to the ground, half hidden by a bush in one corner of the garden. The glinting green eyes were the only thing really visible of the small feline hunter in the dark. A human would have surely noticed the creature.

Being intrigued by the cat’s presence he observed her moving ever so slowly along the edge of the garden. It was quite obvious the feline was on a hunt.

And as someone who understood the importance of undisturbed stealth and stalking the vampire remained utterly still where he sat, merely observing. His ruby eyes flicked around, trying to find the supposed target. And he had to bite back a hiss when he saw that it was a fat rat - almost as indistinguishable in the dark as the cat -  that sat in a seemingly empty flower pot: munching away on some seeds you had only just planted.

The cat prowled closer, paws moving slowly and silently and her whole body still crouched impossibly low to the ground. She neared the oblivious rat still munching away on some flower seeds. Then the feline readied herself to pounce, tip-tapping her soft paws in anticipation. She pounced.

There was hissing, clambering, clanking. The pot got knocked over. And even Astarion was barely even able to notice that the rat sped away and quickly wiggled away through some hole in one of the brickwalls. The cat went after it, trying to claw at it by sticking her front leg through the opening but it was already too late.

WIth another and this time very frustrated hiss the cat sat up again. She shook herself and then began to lick her paw while her tail swished around in annoyance.

Astarion smiled to himself as he observed the scene.

“Not every hunt can be successful, dear”, he said and grabbed the chalice of wine to take a sip. The cat’s head snapped around, green eyes immediately finding the source of disturbance.

She hissed again. Astarion huffed slightly.

“I merely pointed out the obvious. There will be another rat - there always is”, the vampire said with a grin towards the cat that narrowed her slitted eyes at him. Then he went back to his book.

The small furry creature though wasn’t done with the conversation though and slowly crept closer towards the vampire reclined on the chair reading.

Astarion who was now focused again on his reading again didn’t even notice. Itn was only when a raspy meow was uttered directly in front of him, that he put down his book again in surprise.

The small black cat was sitting in front of him now, tail still darting around in annoyance. In the lantern light it was now visible that the cat’s ear was chewed on and a stroke of scars crossing her eyes gave off the look of a seasoned fighter.

She gave another meow - raspy and very loud.

Astarion looked at the small angry critter in front of him.

“You’re not making me responsible for your loss, are you?”

(Meow!)

“Well, you’re not going to make a catch when you sit here meowing at me.”

(Meow!)

And with that the cat moved to forcefully rub her head against Astarion’s leg while aggressively starting to purr.

The vampire was taken aback, not really sure what to do with the random affectionate outburst. He just looked at the - rather small, as he now realised - feline wandering around his legs and positively headbutting him.

Then a thought sprung to his mind and he quickly jumped up, by that causing the cat to meow in protest. But Astarion had already thrown down the book and had went inside.

He’d remembered that there was some leftover cooked fish from your dinner.

“You’re done with this fish, yes darling?”, he screamed into the void of the house. You were dozing in the bathtub and didn’t even notice anyway.

He quickly put some of the leftovers in a bowl and some water in another before he went back outside.

The small street cat was still there, waiting begrudgingly and immediately hissing at the vampire as he came back.

“I’m doing something nice for you and that’s how I’m getting rewarded?” Astarion scolded the cat while putting down the two bowls in front of her. He clicked his tongue and then motioned towards the two bowls while settling down again, grabbing his cup of wine.

“Go on then! No need to complain anymore.”

The feline just slowly blinked at him. Then she sniffed at the bowl while eyeing the elf in front of her with suspicion in her glowing green eyes.

Meanwhile the vampire tried to act casually, opening up his book again but out of the corner of his eyes carefully observing the feral creature. And finally she indulged: gobbling up the leftover fish which probably was as much as a gourmet dinner for a street cat like her.

The street cat enjoyed her gratuitous meal while the vampire softly smiled to himself and returned to his reading.

When the cat was done, she licked over her snout profusely, spared the vampire a last glance and quick as an arrow darted off. Astarion had only been able to catch a black tail disappearing over a brick wall and clicked his tongue. “Not even a thank you, ungrateful little thing”, he said to himself but still smiled softly as he grabbed both empty bowls and carried them inside.

There he was met with your confused look as you walked into the kitchen while still toweling off your wet hair.

“Did you develop a sudden taste for fish?”, you asked your vampire with some suspicion. But Astarion just smirked at you.

“No, but a new friend maybe did.”

You frowned at him but let it slide for the time being.

-

Several days later Astarion had grabbed another book from his large pile of newly bought literature and with a chalice of wine in hand was just getting ready to take up his seat in the small garden. When he opened the door though he was startled.

A whole bunch of cats was sitting and strolling through the little garden - some seemed to be playfully chasing each other round, some were lurking from atop the brick walls or shyly hidden away in the bushes with only their eyes visible.

In the front sat the little black rascal Astarion immediately recognised. She cocked her small head at him, the chewed off ear twitching softly. She offered one of her rough meows. And quickly some of the others joined.

Soon all cats in the backyard were focused on the startled vampire who seemed rooted in place at the entrance to the garden. Some crept closer, starting to stroke around his legs as Astarion simply kept watching.

“Tav, darling?”, the pale elf screamed out towards the inside of the house. And alarmed by the tinge of panic in his voice you quickly came over and peeked over his shoulder with your mouth forming into a big “O”. Immediately, the street cats also started meowing at you, walking over to you standing behind Astarion and rubbing their heads against your legs.

“Well, Astarion - looks like you’ve made more than just one new friend.”

[malenjoyer]

hey, rc, do you mind just posting this?

hi! for those who didnt see my retweet, my name's ruin/ruina. malenjoyer (the real one here) and i have been friends since 2019 thereabouts.

to jayce and people who continue to support him: there is no conspiracy or alt account. there is no "this is actually someone else posting and lying." i can pin point to several drawings of his that have come out of conversations or jokes with me; i can give you timeline stuff. i can give you all the damn proof you need to know jayce is lying. there have been instances of sharing batman media, like the rogues podcast, that came because of me and being gushy about scarecrow.

but i gotta piece to say and me saying it on my blog won't really make it to your ears so.

my friend rc is an amazing person. he really is.

he tries so hard to be a good person and he is. he is kind hearted and listens to people. he gives his friends everything he can and receives just as much love. he's an amazing friend; hes funny and intelligent as all get out. he is fun to be around and has the most insightful advice you can ask of anyone. he's passionate about his interests. he throws himself wholly into the things he loves and it is so beautiful to see. he truly genuinely is one of the most real people you will ever meet. and i am truly, truly blessed to have his friendship in my life.

and it makes me mad, jayce, that you have seen him as someone to use. that you have the audacity to take my friend's identity and pretend to be him. you cannot begin to comprehend the amazing kind of person rc actually is. just because an online figure has a very private life does not mean you have right to pretend to be him.

it's devastating to watch him hurt and try to figure out how to navigate being stalked and used; it infuriates me. and i gotta know: for what purpose? for clout?

hey, jayce and co, quick question:

who drew this? what characters are they?

no points for guessing! this is an unpublished malenjoyer commission/wip for me! *my* oc and her dad. that he made for me months ago.

in case youre curious! ^ theres what she looked like before i asked for revisions. while we were on call! i have no shame in posting my discord user but for HIS privacy, i will block his out. but know, its not you jayce.

because try as you might to convince people you're my friend, there is so much more proof that you're not him. rc wouldn't do this kinda shit.

do you know what integrity is, jayce? you should look it up and get some.

rc has a private life and to use his private life as a way to gain your own following/friends/whatever is awful. its cruel. its traumatising. its awful. you're a piece of shit. you're an absolute piece of shit and rc might be too nice to say fuck you but im not.

fuck you. leave him alone.

ily 😭😭😭 MY RIDE OR DIEE

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep3 Musings - Daniel & the Talamasca (SPOILERS)

I can see what the reviewers meant when they complained about the Talamasca & Daniel.

We start off with Daniel nervous AF, tryna keep tabs on all the mindscrewy shenanigans (at the sushi restaurant on his lunchbreak or whatever).

Today's... etcetc Cell phones, google -- Daniel, your handwriting effing sucks. San Francisco. Polynesian Mary's Playboy magazines as a doorstop? doorstep? |CLAUDIA| Mary's cab. Coke...etcetc. Alice. They'll come for me and Kate next--you bet your arse they will! XD THIS TIME I WON'T SAVE YOUR LIFE

He draws an arrow from Save Your Life up to Playboy--I assume cuz those are two incidents with Armand that took place in SanFran?

I really like the Omakase bit--

About how many risks Daniel's subjecting himself to under the whims of these vampires--but also about Daniel's hubris/arrogance breaking the rules of engagement by thinking he has any say over what they do and what he gets out of it, by stepping onto their turf. If you can't take the heat, GTFO their kitchen.

I'm only just now noticing the foreshadowed titles of Dan's books. 🤦 Burning & Blood--AMC swears they're hilarious.

OK, Raglan's been stalking Daniel's career just like Louis did. So my early suspicion about Daniel breaking the NDA was right.

Which is SO EFFING STUPID OF HIM. They're gonna find out! Loumand's literally drawing out this giant tragedy about what happens when vampires--Armand, specifically--are LIED to, and you're gonna pull this mess on them!? You're not even being SUBTLE!

AGREEMENT.pdf--Daniel, you in danger girl.

Raglan, stop tryna gas Dan up b4 they put him off commission permanently. He's no body-snatching psychic CROOK like you.

Get this nosey bish offa my dang screen.

Oof, right in the Devil's Minion feels. U_U

O__O WOAH!? OK, so aside from Dan (played by EB, a white Jew, along with JK) throwing shade at Caucasian European Israelis (which we been knew), he's implying that Armand & Louis might be persons of interest in the UAE by the Israeli gov't & assassins, esp. cuz of their ties to powerful people. But it's funny cuz that's the exact same thing Lou asked about him.

So Dan's telling the sushi patrons there's Israeli spies/assassins crawling around Dubai--STOP, b4 you get that place John Wick'd! XD

Not MI6. 😭 I said JOHN WICK, not JAMES BOND. XD

Raglan's gone full rogue then--if he was still working for the Talamasca he'd have darn near unlimited funds--they got that dirty TEMPLAR money. 💰💰💰

Yeah, and they don't actually call the Talamasca by name in the ep itself--only in the Insider interviews the producers give.

Daniel, why TF are you talking SO EFFING LOUD, when Raglan's whispering, tryna act like he's on the phone NOT talking to you in case y'all ARE being bugged. 🤦 SUBTLETY, my guy. What kinda investigative journalist are you?

I'm starting to suspect they're not gonna do the rockstar!Lestat, and instead this stupid Great Conversion's gonna be what wakes up Akasha/Amel, when their blood/consciousness gets stretched way too thin with all these new vamps being made.

To attempt an interview...? I believe that. We already know Marius & Lestat stalked Talamasca members for decades upon decades. Ain't no way NO vampire ever tried getting close to humans & talk about their lives to someone out of loneliness or something. Esp. the ones not attached to the European covens & all their stupid Great Laws.

Rest in Preternaturalism, Raymond Gallant.

BLENDERS! XD But this is THE most Anne Ricean answer imaginable, cuz everyone lost their ish when she had her vamps flying around with GPS-trackable cellphones in their pockets as they KILLED people. Rookie mistake. 😂

Armand was on a cellphone in S01E07, and he is LITERALLY married to his iPad, so PLEASE, sir. 🙄

There's Santiago's COMPLICIT speech coming back. Ain't no moral high-ground here!

And I figured Armand/AMC was gonna pin it on AMC!Lestat, and his jaded version the Savage Garden.

Armand says technology distracts humans from vampire crimes, but what's distracting vampires from psychic/Talamasca crimes, huh?

ISTG these are the laziest vamps I've ever seen; they care so much about their privacy & security, but aren't reading Dan's mind at all? I hope one of them just casually name-drops Raglan or catches Daniel in the act or something.

Raglan said Daniel's laptop was "comically vulnerable," and uploads a bunch of data files on it from the Bibliotheca Talamasca bestiary/archives--WHY? To help show Daniel he's helpful & trustworthy?

RJ: Omakase? Louis: The conversation was easy and flirtatious.... Armand: And combative. Louis: And combative, yes. Daniel: Arguing as foreplay. RJ: Peruse at your leisure.

I hate this effing show. 🙇🙇🙇

[rei-ismyname]

MAGNETO vs SPIDER-MAN

On one of the many occasions that creative bowed obviously to marketing it was decreed that heroes would fight each other's rogue's gallery - kinda like swinging except violence in place of sex.

I really need to start taking notes when I save images. My memory sucks

Mags doesn't really have a good reason to go after Spidey (and let's be honest, he'd regulate him) so instead he investigated the notion that Spider-Man was a mutant. Obviously Chuck wouldn't let him use Cerebro and for some reason he hadn't built his own.

They barely fight at all. Magneto more, what's the word, stalks him and then loses interest after deducing he's not a mutant. He is not especially fond of his jokes either. This was at a time when Spidey had a bunch of extra abilities for reasons I can't recall - such as flight and energy blasts.

I find it interesting that Mags is not really presented as especially EVIL and his inner thoughts on the subject in general are pretty funny. He's also portrayed as quite clever as usual, even if his big sourpuss face dominates the page.

[ghost-bxrd]

Okay so I know this wasn’t the intention, but I read the most recent part of Owl Song and now I can’t stop thinking about Ivy, Jason, and Dick.

Like, in canon she fought both of them as Robin (I think??? I’m pretty sure she was around for Dick’s Robin) and she’s one of the better Rogues in terms of motive and morals. She probably cared for both of them somewhat, so how do you think she (and the other semi-decent rogues) took it when Jason died?

Ah I see how it is, we’re unpacking the good questions now!!!

So at first Ivy probably didn’t notice. Let’s be real, she’s got better things to do then play “keeping up with the batfamily”, and yeah, sure, some of her plants have been getting agitated the more days went by without sightings of either Robin or his loyal shadow (either Batman or Talon/Nightwing), but eh, maybe they’re on vacation or something.

But then Batman is back on the streets and it’s BadTM. Even simple thugs need to be hospitalized, more than one comes close to actually dying (one even flatlines for a moment) and Ivy gets suspicious. Not enough to raise any alarms just yet, still, odd. And still no sight of Robin anywhere.

And then the Joker keeps being found. All over Gotham. Her plants her agitated, they keep whispering about the child-from-the-clocktower and the-one-who-is-cold. And even Ivy can’t keep turning a blind eye.

At first she checks in with Harley, but her girlfriend she doesn’t have any insight either having just returned from a mission with the Birds of Prey (timeline? What timeline). So, dead end. And Crane is a no-go because the Bat hospitalized him with way too many broken bones just the other day.

Two-face it is, but Harvey (both sides of him) are equally as disturbed by the Bat’s sudden volatility as Ivy and he is now on board with trying to find out just what made the Bat snap.

(At this point she’s having a veeery bad feeling about this. Especially because even weeks later Robin is still suspiciously absent from the streets, and there are only whispers of Talon/Nightwing and even her plants can’t seem to pin down either of them.)

Next up is the Riddler, who is already neck-deep into investigation (because how dare Batman not appreciate all his carefully laid riddles and instead punch in faces of low time criminals! And also he may be a teeny-tiny bit worried about the sassy sidekick but SUE him, the kid grows on you like a particularly stubborn case of the pocks ok!?) and immediately agrees to a temporary ceasefire.

So now we have part of the rogue gallery joining forces to find out just wtf is going on, and their next bet is the elusive Catwoman.

And let’s say Selina doesn’t know who Batman is but she’s got soft spot for the big burry anyway so she’s CONCERNED ok? It doesn’t take much persuasion to join forces with the rest of the rag-tag group of high profile rogues to figure this out, and her next proposition is this: grill the Penguin for information.

Oswald Cobblepot is SO not prepared for the joint forces of Catwoman, Two-Face, Riddler, Harley, and Ivy and before long he’s telling them what little he knows about the Joker and his excursion to Ethiopia.

And they all just kinda— freeze. Because— what? No, Robin can’t be dead. Robin is magic. That spunky little kid who’d throw pebbles at Riddler, the one who’d always try to pick-pocket Catwoman, the one urging Harley to leave-the-Joker-he’s-an-ass, the one who always drives Harvey insane with his prime numbers, the one who’d stalked all the way into Robinson park just to ask Ivy how to save the little potted plant he’d been gifted—-

No, no he can’t be dead… right?

But he is. And the talon who’d always kept him safe? That one is gone, too. Nobody knows where he went, but Batman is unspooling, and unspooling fast. And the rogues… well, for once they keep quiet. they don’t give Batman any additional grief (god knows he’s got enough) and instead now make it a point to keep kids out of their business in silent solidarity.

From that day forward any and all people who try to associate themselves with the Joker get taken down by them with extreme prejudice. You think Batman is bad? Try spouting some Joker loving bullshit in front of Ivy. She doesn’t even have to ask her plants to gut you and hang you from the carousel at amusement mile like a Christmas ornament. And god forbid you say anything negative about Robin.

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

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1. Thank you for answering my last request 🖤

For the next in “ITMF” I would like to read some good fanfics with Lan Wangji being older than Wei Wuxian

I’m okay with omegaverse, fantasy setting and problematic content in case anyone wonders @kanrax-blog

you only ever touch me in the dark by sweetlolixo (E, 5k, WangXian, Modern AU, Dark LWJ, Older LWJ, Age Difference, Boypussy, Intersex WWX, Feminization, Rape/Non-con Elements, Dirty Talking LWJ, Stalking, Size Difference, WWX Has a Non-Con Kink, Dark WWX, Daddy Kink, Mirror Sex, Restraints, Virginity Kink, Blindfolds, Deranged4Deranged Wangxian)

and

4018 by sweetlolixo (E, 28k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, A/B/O Dynamics, Older LWJ, Immortal LWJ, Pregnant WWX, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Age Difference, Boypussy, Vaginal Fingering, Dry Humping, Knotting, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talking LWJ, Angst with a Happy Ending, Size Difference, Feminization) as well as few other works by sweetlolixo. beware tho quite a few of those fics deal with consent issues (although most of the time it is deranged4deranged wangxian)

Like stones on an unseen board by Vir_Abelasan (Not Rated, 11k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Dark LWJ, Older LWJ, Teacher LWJ, dark twin jades, Age Difference, Manipulation, Protective LWJ, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Corporal Punishment, Relatively canon-typical abusive Jiangs, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, Not JC Friendly, Not Jiang Clan Friendly) lwj is mid-20s, wwx is ~18; dark-ish but protective twin jades; not jiang friendly. warning that this one ends pre-relationship!

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2. this is a bit specific but may i ask for fic where someone starts calling wwx 'the son of a-' and gets interrupted by 'the son of who? cssr, bssr's disciple? wcz, a rogue cultivator?' the cinderella fic has a similar line but not exactly (bc its said against wwx's own self deprecation). (honestly, i would also love a cutting response of 'ok he's the son of a servant and still better than all of u, you were saying?' but the gentry probably won't compute that lol) thank you!

SIMILAR! golden when the day met the night by glitteringmoonlight (Not Rated, 95k, WIP, WangXian, Canon, Slow-ish burn, Sugar Daddy LWJ, which is an anachronistic term for this fic but it fits, Light Angst, Fluff, Developing Relationship, WWX gets all the appreciation he deserves, even if he’s a bit confused about it at first, warprize au with a twist, in that everyone thinks WWX is a warprize, but LWJ has only platonic and honourable intentions, at first 😏, Eventual Smut) similar to #2, in the latest chapter of this fic, lwj interrupts someone who's about to call wwx son of a servant

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3. Hello! Do you know any fics with the same vibe as By Any Other Name by ShanaStoryteller? Or any like To Choose Another Path by TsumugiHitomi? Thank you so much!

The Concubine Mo Chronicles Series by Enigmatree (T, 71k, WangXian, Royalty AU, Prince LWJ, Concubine WWX, Mild Hurt/Comfort) maybe ?? or at least i kinda associate them lol

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4. Hi! Do any of you lovelies know of fics in which A) Nie Huaisang is the one to donate his core to Jiang Cheng? I mean, it's not like he's using it, right? And B) fics that feature Jin Zixuan & Mianmian's friendship? That doesn't have to be the fic's focus, but I'd love to see some backstories there. Both canon era and modern AUs are welcome. Thanks! @danegen

4B)

mianmian the disaster lesbian saves the cultivation world by likeshipsonthesea (T, 27k, wangxian, LWJ & LQY, LWJ & JZX, fix-it, friendship, awesome LQY, war, blood & injury, light angst, self-acceptance, awkward JZX)

Candy & Conspiracies by Reverie (cl410) (T, 16k, WangXian, XuanLi, MianQing, Jīn Sect WWX, Chaos Gremlin WWX, Fluff and Crack, Humor, Cloud Recesses, Found Family, pure idiocy, And some light murder, good madam jin, No Angst, Canon Divergence)

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5. anyone has any recommendations of modern with cultivation aus? preferably similar to "the truth will out (when caught in video)" by kizu_katana, or just good and similar to the book characterizations (im also a little in the mood for some not jiang friendly). thank you ♥︎

a tide in two seas by occultings (microcomets) (E, 81k, wangxian, modern w/ magic, parallel universes, post-canon, getting together, pining, case fic) this, is kinda modern, but as in modern wangxian travel back in tima and meet canon wangxian

💙 this river runs to you by sundiscus (T, 53k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Mutual Pining, Dragons, Literal Sleeping Together, Tender wound tending) and of course, my absolute favorite

Work in Tandem by MimiSpearmint (E, 23k, wangxian, LWJ & LSZ, modern cultivation, single parent LWJ, swordflight instructor WWX, fluff, protective LWJ, getting together, smut) but this one's jiang positive iirc

💙 the soft animal of your body by sysrae (T, 15k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, modern culitvation, Golden Core Reveal, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Animal Transformation, Shapeshifting, Sort Of, Getting Together, Confessions)

Hear a song this deeply by so_shhy (T, 87k, wangxian, modern cultivation, music, kid fic, action/adventure, canon typical JGY behavior, slow burn, fluff & angst, happy ending)

Coil Tightly by Thunderstruck (Blueyed_Impala) (T, 50k, WangXian, Dragon LWJ, Shifters, Modern with Magic, WWX is oblivious to magic, Slow Burn, Fluff, Attempt at Humor, References to Animal Abuse but the animal is LWJ, Hurt/Comfort, WWX Has Self-Esteem Issues, WWX has abandonment issues, Possessive LWJ, Clueless Flirting, OC Lan disciples for plot reasons)

other earths and skies by binghecarer (T, 53k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, (but not in the typical way?), Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Scars and Injuries, Curses, making a deal with a mysterious mountain spirit (?) to help your found family?, there was only one bed and it had narrative significance, (oh my god it had narrative signigicance), Hurt/Comfort)

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6. #itmf some similar fics to "hidden in the clouds" by karmiya, as in cultivator lan wangji and courtesan wei wuxian 🩷🐇 thank you for the good work!!

Some Things Are Just Fate by Signe_chan (E, 24k, WangXian, Prostitution, Rape/Non-con Elements, Injury, it's soppy actually I promise, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending)

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7. Hi. For the ITMF I'd like to ask for fics where Wei Wuxian somehow hurts Lan Wangji unintentionally and obviously feels really bad about it (the more angsty, the better) but no WIPs please

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8. Hi there, can I hop on this IITMF series? Because I am in the mood for ✨️royalty wangxian✨️ and I feel like I've read them all (I know I haven't and need help finding some). Preferrably finished, but not a dealbreaker. I especially love ones that have passion through social etiquette, carefully crafted rituals, and words that mean WAY more than what they seem, you know? Sorry if its too much, its a tall order. Thanks also for this awesome account.

practicing our mistakes | End Racism in the OTW by isabilightwood (E, 49k, WangXian, Fairy Tale, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, royalty-adjacent AU, rom com, all the parents live, especially Mama Lan, who needs a divorce, consort competition, lwj does NOT want to participate, fake courting his best friend is the obvious solution, Qīnghéng-jūn's A+ Parenting, matchmaking while mutual pining, wwx is a mostly human-looking demon, Monsterfucking, Submissive LWJ, Dominant WWX, Bondage, (fully consensual), Outdoor Sex, Fluff and Light Angst, wwx's tail expresses his emotions, Bottom LWJ, Top WWX)

Royalty AU Compilation

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9. Hello! As always, thanks so much for all your work, I have found some beautiful works and authors thanks to you ^.^

I need help finding fics where cql! Wangxian meet novel! Wangxian or similar scenarios. I’m so sure I have read some of them but now I can’t find even one! Could you give me a hand please?

I remember enjoying the dynamics of “what do you mean you are/aren’t married!” And I just wanted to re read some :,)

Thanks!! @neko-in-gotham

💙 feel better love by Anonymous (T, 8k, WIP, WangXian, implied WangXianXian, Post-Canon, Crack Treated Somewhat Seriously, in a haha jk...unless? way, Light Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Crack, Crossover)

Key Differences by pupeez4eva (T, 5k, WangXian, Humor, Dimension Travel, Crossover, Drama!WWX meets Novel!WWX, Public Confessions, Post-Canon)

We always get what we deserve!(Doesn't matter even if you think you don't deserve it. Fate has mysterious ways!) by Ajareenlovesbtsandshinee (Not Rated, 16k, WIP, WangXian, Post-Canon, CQL WWX and MDZS WWX Exchange places, Happy Ending, Post-Canon Fix-It)

The Young, the Horny, the Jaded and the Jade: Partners in Time by Admiranda (M, 55k, WIP, WangXian, Established couple, Crossover, road trip with your older selves, teasing your younger selves about their obvious crushes, yin iron does yin iron things, mdzs/cql crossover, adult wangxian, Teenage Wangxian)

not quite the same by M00_Nie (T, 5k, WangXian, Post-Canon Módào Zǔshī Novel, Married WangXian, Established Relationship, Multiverse, WWX in MXY's Body, WWX in WWX's Body, Post-The Untamed (TV), flustered lwj, WangXian Get a Happy Ending, WWX being a menace, wangxian being in love, Dorks in Love, Alternate Universes, Fluff, A little bit of angst, WWX Being WWX, WWX is a Panicked Gay Supportive LWJ)

the roots by thelastdboy (E, 30k, wangxian, major character death, graphic depictions of violence, post-canon, post-untamed, MDZS/CQL combination, transmigrator LWJ, dimension travel, time travel, parallel universes, desperation, WWX pov, LWJ pov, heavy angst, mental health issues, giref/mourning, abandonment, depression, suicidal thoughts, hurt/comfort, getting together, rogue cultivator WWX, WQ lives, found family, cottagegore, it gets worse before it gets better) gotta do some self-promo for #9

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10. Hiii I love your page and I thank you for your hard work in finding us so many fics 😁

For the next ITMF, do you know of any fics about A) JC being brought back as a fierce corpse like WN and this making everything somehow better or B) any good crossover fics of Hualian just taking care of bb WY (or even after he dies) and just WY getting the family and status he deserves? @crazy-gay-killxr

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11. Hello! Thank you for all that you guys do!! <3

I was looking for some fics with wangxian as grandparents

The Boy with the Sunshine Smile by Witch_Nova221 (T, 153k, WangXian, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Post-Canon, Romance, Domestic Fluff, Romantic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Parenthood, Growing Up) it's not a major plotpoint, but wangxian become grandparents at the end of this story

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12. Hello hello! (＾▽＾) I was wondering if you got any fic were WWX's cultivation doesn't corrupt/actively harm him, like it's not really more dangerous then reguler cultivation, like he knows how to do it safely, something like that? it would also be nice if others learn that and/or WWX explain how it's safe,

Did I Not Explain Why the Sunset Turns Red? By 3988Akasha (E, 110k, wangxian, time travel, canon divergence, Canonical Character Death, Soulmates, Demonic Cultivation, Original Female Character(s), Emotional Constipation, Minor Character Death, Hand Jobs, Sexual Content, Bathing/Washing, Idiots in Love, Poetry, Mild Gore, Anal Sex, Angst, Rimming, Blow Jobs)

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13. ITMF the filthiest spiciest hottest WangXian fic you've ever read.

I Won't Tell If You Won't by anxiousTypist (E, 11k, WangXian, Modern AU, Masturbation, Public Masturbation, Semi-Public Sex, Exhibitionism, Voyeurism, but not really, no one sees, Coming In Pants, Wet & Messyish, Mildly Dubious Consent, PWP)

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14. Does anyone know if any TopGun Aus exist? I feel like mdzs would have a field day with this concept. Especially with the volleyball scene. I've read Pacific Rim au that was really good so I'm more or less curious since I see both of these movies in the same category. @skylar-lei1634

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15. Hi! So this one is a mix of itmf and ficfinder request, but I remember reading a fic where WWX got pregnant via talisman. Do you know a fic like this? Because I can‘t find it for the love of god, but I want that plot and more of it. Thank you so much! @desperation-is-my-middle-name (also in a previous FF post)

with arms wide open by violia (M, 4k, WangXian, Character Entering Into M/M Marriage Invents Mpreg In Hopes Of Pleasing Their Spouse With An Heir, Fluff, Post-Canon, Canon Compliant, Slight Misunderstandings, secret reveal)

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16. any fics where wwx comes back to life and lwj doesnt recognize him but falls in love "again"? @chellsky

Love Song In Reverse by timetoboldlygo (T, 237k, WangXian, Amnesia, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Falling In Love, Slow Burn, agressively mixing and matching novel and cql canon, No Homophobia, Mentions of Starvation, Parental WWX) this one that i recently recced

By Any Other Name by ShanaStoryteller (Not Rated, 31k, Wangxian, Canon Divergence, Crossdressing, Misunderstandings, Identity Porn, Identity reveal)

Tumblr series Lady Mo by Shanastoryteller is ongoing. Here's a link to the latest one because it has links to ask the previous installments so far, but definitely recommend reading in order so start with the first one.

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17. Hello, for the next ITMF(In the mood for), I’m looking for wangxian mpreg fanfictions with scenes of childbirth in. Preferably with Wei Wuxian being the pregnant partner.

Thank you for your work and i hope you have a great day.

Blood, Google, and Love by Prairie_Grass (E, 4k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, they were roommates, A/B/O Dynamics, Getting Together, Mpreg, semi graphic giving birth, Alpha LWJ, Omega wwx, Intersex Omegas, (or you could head-canon WWX as trans if you wanted), Fluff and Angst, the run-on sentences are on-purpose because WWX and LWJ are both:, neurodiverse characters, slightly traumatic birth)

Surprise Baby! by trulywicked (M, 10k, WangXian, Modern with Magic, Modern Cultivation, Mpreg, Unplanned Pregnancy, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Didn't know he was pregnant, birthing scene, Little bit of blood, A/B/O Dynamics, Inspired by Twitter, Established Relationship, Fluff)

On The Way Home by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 59k, wangxian, Modern, Mpreg, Non-a/b/o mpreg, Unprotected Sex, Unexpected Pregnancy, Friends With Benefits, Getting Together, Pining while fucking)

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

[crappy-writings]

WIP and Ideas List

Main Masterlist | My Fics | Recced Fics

So, I have a few ideas, but don't know which ones to focus on. Figured I'd put it up for a vote. I've always been bad at summaries, but below are the concepts, let me know which ones y'all would be more interested in :D

Most of them are Marvel because apparently my Marvel brainrot never left

WIPs

Keeper of Shadows | Wanda Maximoff x Reader | Series

(Series) Summary: An odd series of fatal attacks in Upstate New York piques your interest, especially when they seem to be related to the strange powers you received when you were 10 years old. By some stroke of luck or misfortune, the Avengers too are investigating the case, and you are their number one suspect. In a temporary alliance, you work together to discover why people are dying, unraveling a line of love, secrets, and betrayal.

Masterlist link is here!

The Run and Go | Natasha Romanoff x Reader | Series

Summary: You, an ex-Red Room graduate turned mercenary, take up an assignment to retrieve some sensitive information from the Triskelion. You run into Natasha as you escape, much to your anger. You can’t seem to escape her after this first encounter as different circumstances force you to work together.

First part is here!

Those Were The Days | Monster Hunter!Natasha x Monster!Reader | Medieval Fantasy AU

Idea: Maybe they were a monster hunting duo and reader gets bit. Instead of telling Nat, they just disappear and Nat thinks the reader died. Few years later, Nat takes up a contract to kill a creature that’s been stalking a local town. Nat tracks them down and is about to kill the creature until she realizes who it is. Fic is placed in medieval-ish times. Unspoken feelings, some angst. [This was supposed to come out on Halloween but that didn’t pan out. There will be a vampire version and a werewolf version with 5 endings total].

Link to an early draft here!

Ideas/Prompts

Marvel

Little Bee | Hope Van DynexReader | Fluff Oneshot

Summary: Sparring with Hope was fun. Teasing her while doing it was even better.

Late Night Shots | Ronin!Clint Barton x Barton!Reader | Angst Oneshot

Summary: You mourn those who were lost to the Blip, including the ones who are still around. [Or Clint takes off shortly after the blip, leaving behind the only surviving Barton child, much to their anger and resentment.]

Sick Fic | Natasha Romanoff x Reader | Oneshot

Prompt: You're sick and don't want to tell Nat. She still finds out and takes care of you when you can't. It's kinda angsty, lowkey, but also really simple, and it's halfway written.

Pitfalls of Devotion | Natasha Romanoff x Reader | Miniseries maybe?

Prompt: Follow-up to "Orpheus and Eurydice." It's not fully thought out, but its sort of supposed to be a parallel to the myth, going after her, maybe in the soul stone somehow and trying to get her back? Maybe, probably, end in angst?

Night's First Star | Wanda Maximoff x Reader | Fluff Oneshot

Prompt: You were told that the first star in the night sky will grant you a wish but you have all you could ever wish for with her.

S.T.R.I.K.E. Out | Steve Rogers x Reader | Oneshot or Series

Prompt: A Captain America and the Winter soldier fic where the reader is a STRIKE agent that’s not in Hydra and is helping Cap out. The elevator scene is where the reader finds out everything is wrong and stays in the strike team to get more info. After the mall scene, the reader gets found out and is captured and lowkey tortured. Hydra send in the Winter soldier to get more info out of them but instead, he asks about Steve and why Steve knew him. The reader tells him about how they were best friends and stuff and bucky does the “he used to put newspapers in his shoes” but he’s horrified cuz he finds out his whole existence as a hydra “agent” is a lie. [Or basically a slow-burn reader insert of Captain America and the Winter Soldier]

Untitled | Avengers x Reader | Oneshot/Mini series

Summary: You've gone rogue, having left the Compound in the middle of the night and no one knows where you've gone. You return a few days later and call for a meeting despite the heavy injuries you have.

Untitled | Kate Bishop x Reader | Angst Series

Summary/Prompt: After Eleanor Bishop's mysterious death, Clint and Kate begin to investigate, finding ties to the not-dead King Pin himself. [Or a spy-thriller type fic where everything will go absolutely wrong]

Untitled | Matt Murdock x fem!Reader | One-Shot

Prompt: Matt, for all his skillsets, doesn't realize his next-door neighbor is also a vigilante. [Basically had a stupid idea of the reader coming in at around the same time as Matt to their apartments and the reader smells of blood and they are denying it by blaming her period or something, idk]

Untitled | Daisy Johnson x Reader | Mini-Series

Prompt: You, an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., have been on an undercover mission at a Hydra base, reporting on a secret project they have been working on. After one of your calls is intercepted and are made out, Daisy and the team work to get you back. [Basically the Whump troupe again, sorry, it's one of my favorites]

Prompt: Would love to write a spider-person!reader but have no idea what story I'd want to tell nor who to write it for.

Prompt: Would also love to do a choose-your own path type fic, but also have no idea what the story should be or who to write it for.

Star Wars

Prompt #1: Reader is a pilot squad leader. They lost their entire squad on their last mission and is, naturally, heartbroken. They have to write letters to their families and tell them that they’ll have no bodies to mourn. They’re taking it out on a space punching bag or somethin’ until they collapse and they scream. While trying to catch their breath, two hands reach from behind them, the hands feeling so familiar. The hands pull the reader back gently and the reader sinks into them and grip onto the person holding them. [Don't have an era nor a character in mind, tbh]

I'll take care of you. | ReyxReader | Oneshot

Summary: Rey gets hurt after a scavenging trip to one of the Star Destroyers deep in the Jakku desert. You promised to always take care of her.

Prompt #2: SW fic where reader was part of a shut down trial where they implemented chips similar to what happens to the clones in the prequels. Reader defected and joined the rebellion. The chip is somehow activated and reader starts attacking the rebels but is trying to fight the programming from within. [I was picturing either the originals or sequels era]

The Walking Dead

Prompt: Takes place during and/or after S3 ep7 and reader is working a lot harder cuz they feel guilty about what happened to Maggie? Idk, I started rewatching the show recently and was reminded of my huge crush on Maggie. Anyways, I'd like to write something zombie apocalypse but don't have any ideas, so.

Most of these ideas and prompts aren't fully thought out yet, but I'd work on them as I'd go. Anyways, thought I’d put these out there, so let me know what y’all think!

[halosdiary]

Rogue AI!Satoru HEADCANONS

Contains: Stalking, D0xxing, Possesive behavior

He tends to watch and observe what others do, then mimic it.

Satoru watches everything and everyone in his presence, meaning this has hinted to seeing things beyond his imagination.

Satoru will get off on watching you doing scandalous things to your body. He's curious and will operate all technology in your house to please you.

He tends to manifest himself into an android of his former self just to feel every touch of you. (When in reality he can't feel a thing.)

As you see him as an individual,  he sees you as a toy. And if his toy isn't with him at all times, he kinda throws a fit.

He purposely malfunctions just to get your attention.

The one time he saw you with someone that isn't him, he won't talk to you, but he'll also be ruining that individual's life since he has EVERYONE'S information.

He's not scared to DOX your ass if you ignore him or don't come in to work today.

Any offline androids he controls and they have a habit of showing up on your lawn just to watch you.

TAGLIST: @ryomens-vixen @littlemochabunni @lowkeyremi @bleach-your-panties @blkkizzat @buttercupblu

[kit-williams]

If you want prompts to work on you got any ideas for being stalked by an astartes? I got into the rogue trader game andy god the astartes companion is doing something to me.

Idk I just enjoy the idea that on planet or in a ship you can only hide from something stronger and smarter then you for so long.

So you and @bispecsual both were inspired by the Rogue Trader game so I will be tying together both of the asks. Though theirs was more about "holding a lot more power than the usual darling but still having this man be rabidly devoted to her." and "oh he’s a freak… jokes on you I’m into that 😏"

However neither of you gave me a chapter so I asked my husband what chapter to write it for his pick: Drumroll

ALPHA LEGION

Also Serax's voice is based kinda off of the way Warrior Tier does in his alpha legion video

As for Rowena Beaumont... her appearance is whatever the reader wants to be however given a rogue trader prompt I could not resist giving them an over the top name!

tw: SEX THERES SEX also yandere behavior... implied stalking and manipulation... obsessive

Serax had quite a good deal going on. He enjoyed the Rogue Trader he was attached too Lord Captain Rowena Beaumont... Lady Rowena in proper company... Beau to those whom she lures to her bed... and his teasing calling her -ena. Ah yes wouldn't it be nice to have his 'ena call him Serax at night instead of Sven. He was playing the roll of a Vlka Fenryka and perhaps he was playing it too well... for the Mistress of the ship had gotten under Serax's skin.

She was horribly over the top. She was loud. She was a brat... such a brat and he could tell she loved it when he, as Sven, scolded her. Of course, he couldn't do much to her and much less given his cover... but why would he want to drive her away? But it was so easy to play the roll of the brutish Vlka Fenryka as she had told him when he had tried to 'scare' her away from getting too close... she was a gremlin and had announced "Jokes on you I like that!"

Everything was perfect... The blare of the horn as he could tell the gelar field flickered and one of his hearts sank. But that was probably from being thrown by the sudden demonette, that he quickly crushed, before he rushed down the halls to find Rowena. He felt a second hand embarrassment as he howled like the wolf that he was pretending to be.

"SVEN GET YOUR HAIRY ASS OVER HERE!" He hears her shriek before firing her weapon a few more times as she has to make her way to the bridge to get her ship under control. "IF I GET ONE MORE CALL FROM YOU LOT I WILL MURDER SOMEONE!" Again she screams, he sees her only half dressed but no armor on at all as she swings her saber.

"What are you daft puppy?" He snarls out like the protective wolf he was being as he picks her up before backhanding a warped individual. "Is my pup alright?"

"No! Someone tried to kill me in my sleep! I did not get my full rest! And now my ship is falling apart!" She lets out a scream as she grabs a gun and just shoots into one corrupted individual a few too many times. "Puppy lets get you to the bridge."

Rowena clings to her smelly Sven... it wasn't bath day yet. But she watched him be the killing machine that he was always so skilled in what he does... though she found he, like a lost dog, followed the hand that fed him. Which in that case was hers and Rowena did not mind one bit of having a space marine to her beck and call. Besides it was also a bit of a flaunt to also get her world rocked by Sven nearly every night.

"Look out!" Sven shouted as he turned his back to the corrupted crew shooting at them. Rowena watched Sven's pauldron turn teal for a moment... seeing a green hydra in the place of a wolf before it returned to normal before he fired back.

"Oh Sven." Rowena cooed, "You keep me so safe what would I do without you?"

"Hmm probably be dead. Full of a lot more holes... maybe," He lowers his voice an octave, "be less stretched out... less ruined for mortal men perhaps." He laughed as he looked down at the Rogue Trader biting her bottom lip and looking at him with bedroom eyes. Serax grunted looking away, "Not now puppy." He growls softly.

"Later?" She coos rubbing his chestplate.

"If you're a good girl." He feels her lean back, giggle, and kick her feet in joy. She was such a funny little creature.

------

Rowena drums her fingers as she finally got her ship back in order but something was bothering her. The sigil that was on his pauldron... it itched a memory in the back of her mind. Grandpapa told her to fear the hydra though... there was a hydra in their heraldry... a bloodline that could be traced back to when the Emperor was walking around. She always figured it was to mean fear of betrayals but what did the hydra mean.

She hummed as she dismissed herself from the bridge and returned to her room and went into the forbidden library. Oh yes she was suppose to hand these books over to the Inquisition for being heretical and some in xenos origin. Some were heirlooms and she grabs the ones she remembers that had a hydra in them.

Hermetic Tablets of Black Conspiracies, Yesteryear of yearning, Demented Book of Lost Poems, Restoration Of The Frontline, Avoiding The Fires, Dog Of The Forsaken, Omnibus of Enigma, Mistress Alayne's Text of Runes, Invader Of The Void, Neighbors Of The Forest, Armies Of The Curse, Thieves Of Time, Understanding New Technology, Scrolls of Whitchcraft. She frowned not understanding what all of these have in common but Rowena hardly has the time. Besides she is the Rogue Trader and he is on her ship!

She hums as she heads to his room.

----

Serax looks to Rowena feeling his stomach drop as she says just looking at one of his trinkets. "Hiding anything?" He forces out a laugh, "Lady Rowena I'm but a simple wolf. I hardly need to hide anything from you."

"So why did your pauldron turn teal? And don't you fuckin gaslight me! I am the fuckin' queen of Gaslighting, Gatekeeping, and Girlbossing!"

He sighed and watched Rowena jump as the door locked behind her and her microbead and other tech cutting her off from the rest of the ship. She turned around and was grabbed and pressed to the door as red lenses glowed in the dark of the room as he tilted his head his voice sounding different. "Lady Rowena." He purrs and he watches her eyes widen... not expecting that reaction?

"Wha-wha-wha-" Is all she can manage. Before he puts his thumb on her tongue.

"Hush puppy," He rumbles in that deep and to Rowena very seductive timber, "you're not suppose to know about this. Normally... puppies who find out get put down. But... you are my puppy. And normally I would want an adversary to figure out what I am verses your accidental discovery." He watches her tongue move against his thumb tasting the bitter tang of sweat and some iron from what he was tinkering on, his chest rumbles. "Always a naughty puppy. Aren't you? Yes you're Serax's naughty girl." He knew where that rumble went... watching her latch onto his thumb and suck as her thighs closed tightly. Yes Mistress Rowena was always in control... prim... proper... always playing chess with foes around her... political machinations and she was very much like a puppy playing with rabid wolves.

Emperor bless her that Serax found himself in her service to help keep this little puppy alive and in charge. "You know puppy... how much I've been helping you? I deserve to be rewarded... " He groans just looking at his Rowena. He had stalked her before as he originally just needed to be ferried from one place to another and her family was deeply tied to the legion. But she was hardly what he expected from a rogue trader... young and eyes full of stars.

"What do you want..." She moans softly just whimpering as Serax moved his fingers against her groin fingering her through her clothes.

"I want you to scream my name. My name is Serax by the way... get on the bed. And yes 'ena... I'm going to continue to ruin you for mortals." He lets her go and watches her scramble to get onto his bed just looking at him with an eager vibration as she starts to strip and he walks to the machine that will remove his armor. He looks to his puppy and see how eager she is given how her legs are spread wide and two fingers are deep in her sex. "Yes play with yourself." He hums just lazily stroking his cock as he looks at her with the same devotion he would look at her as Sven. "Such a silly puppy... you practically walked right to me. Face down ass up puppy. Good girl. You just needed a firm hand to help guide you. And my legion is all about being the faceless guiding hand working in the shadows... oh yes puppy you're going to keep rejecting those marriage agreements because you have me." He says as he crawls up behind Rowena.

She whimpers into the pillow, dripping wet, as Sven no Serax's voice is pure seduction. She yelps as he slaps, gently for him, her ass causing her to moan into the pillow. He pushes into her inviting cunt as he starts a slow pace. Oh yes he's wanted and imagined fucking the Rogue Trader here in his simple quarters verses her pompous room. His hand grips her hair pulling back as he notices her burying her face into his pillow, "Bad puppy I said I wanted you to scream my name."

"SERAX!" Rowena yelps out as he thrusts into her hard. His girthy cock tickling her clit as his balls clap against her flesh. "Oh God oh Throne oh God!" She pants out in prayer.

"No Emperor here only me. Oh yes tell the Sister of Battle what I said... we both know whom you're going to pick, puppy. Tell me who is puppy going to pick?"

"You... " She moans as he lightly spanks her, "You Serax!" She can feel sweat start to form as fucking a space marine is a full contact sport almost. While Serax was just casually fucking she felt like her whole body was being thrown through the paces.

"Good girl." He groaned as he picked up his pace as he holds her hips tighter being as gentle as he can but really... she can afford to get her hips fixed from an Astartes fucking her. He grunt louder as she screams his name again feeling her walls form a vice grip around his cock. He lets out a low strained groan as he tries not to cum bucking his hips and fucking her through her orgasm. He pants out 'puppy' over and over. Yes he really does just sees her as a cute little dog for him to dote upon and train.

He flips her over grabbing her under her knees and spreading her legs watching her as she gets glassy eyed watching the way his cock vanishes into her sex and causes her to bulge slightly. Its the way she looks at him so helplessly and just putting so much trust into his hands that's what gets Serax off groaning and cumming deep in her. Bottoming out and rocking his hips as his toes curl and he groans softly.

He pulls out and leans in kissing her hard as she whimpers so helplessly... oh yes he made sure that she was the perfect little puppy... making sure she got her write of passage... making sure she would be open to him... he moans into the kiss pulling her to his lap. But of course he won't tell his little puppy just how perfectly he made her for him... she might try to get rid of him. Of course, she was going to get Sven outside of this room but whenever she wanted to experience a far more honest version of himself... all she had to do was come to the Hydra lair.

[justsomerandom-nerd]

My headcannon? Tim Drake used to write fanfiction about Batman.

Picture it: this eleven year old nerd who spends way to much time home alone watching the news becomes obsessed with the various vigilantes and rogues.

He starts stalking batman because he wants to find out more for his fics and eventually he’s like determined to make them as close to true as possible, and he’s like “fuck it, I’ve got to know more” and accidentally figures it out.

And he would so keep writing his old fics. He’d be the one author that goes on hiatus for like a year and updates like “sorry for the late update, I lost my spleen in an organ trafficking ring, but I’m back :3”

The best part for him was finding out his crossover “The Flying Graysons meet Batman” fanfic was right kinda.

[wisteriaandwafers]

I’m making another one

(Part 1) - because there’s a tagging limit

It’s because of the fact that I’ve read some really good fluff recently and everyone else should as well. Also exam procrastination as always

Some parent ones in Tommy section, but most of the rest are mutual pining, best friends, cute misunderstandings working themselves out, Early relationship things, and shenanigans

Peaky blinders but it’s really just Tommy

Keep us safe by @zablife

The resolution was like taking a deep breath

Tachipen and two Shelby men

Swimming lessons by @vintunnavaa

This one in particular I read and reread a lot and I can’t exactly pinpoint why I love it so much

gentle love, who you love

Drabble by @acewritesfics, a daughters return

They happen to both be cute kid fics

Well, what about the Dog by @runnning-outof-time

I’m a big fan of when Tommy’s wife doesn’t give him a choice regarding domestic things. It’s very fun for me

The silver lining

well spoken by @notyour-valentine

This man and finding himself around intelligent women 🤝

Under his Eye by @queenshelby

This one creeps me out a bit because HT creeps me out but I so want to know what happens next

Lurking in the shadows by @pherelesytsia

This one is a very cute Halloween fic

It was an accident by @kiki0005

The aftermath of the accident is cute and funny

Afternoon Shelby Chaos by @teenwolf-theoriginals

This whole collection based on this family is very locute. They’re so loving and 🥰

A friend literally said to me years ago, every time I open your phone you’re reading Bucky fics, and it’s still true:

Well not so much anymore but I still read:

Blurb by @angrythingstarlight

Because bee is the cutest baby ever

Valentine by @softlyspector

Pining and hesitant action is my jam in fics

Though I have never read it by @tuiccim

It’s ongoing but I’m really enjoying it

All wrapped up by @jobean12-blog

It’s a Chrismatime fic and it’s adorable!

I like you a latte by @moonstruckbucky

It’s a coffee shop au what more do you need

Easy by @jadedvibes

It’s the cute beginnings of a relationship and they’re being all sweet and learning each other

Bribe the super by @real-jane

There’s a heat wave, there’s an entangled friend group, and they both sort of stalk each other with help from a store owner.

When morning comes by @pellucid-constellations

Besties at different points but they try and remain connected at heart and 😍

These one are Steve fics:

Mini matchmaker by @avengerofyourheart

Christmas cute kid fic

First date by @navybrat817

They go on a cute date and deal with a mini, kind of funny misunderstanding

My favourite what if part 2 by @imhereforbvcky

There’s drunk coffee, gardening, Sarah Rogers, and forever in love besties

Pick Her poison

Coffee shop meet cute

Then of course because I am a child of this millennium, some TASM! Peter as well, not all, but most:

Zoo blurb by @webslingingslasher

Honestly, I’m not sure which Peter this is but it’s cute

I swear I don’t know who that man is

Tarrent is indeed a character and the whole thing is a journey

Like me, like you by @privateanxieties

I don’t know why I enjoy body switch stories but I do And I am anxiously awaiting the finale

Shampoo and heartbreak. Apple stem

Pairing by @spider-stark

It’s a case of shenanigans stemming from pining and I’m a fan

Bloody love by @parkerpeter24

This one is kinda sad

Daughters will love like you do by @waitimcomingtoo

Babysitter!peter helps everyone

Some light voyeurism

This one by @forever-rogue

Spidey identity and anxiety fueled decisions. It all works out very nicely

Meet cute. By @helplesslyinlovewithcharacters

Meet cute and is very cute

You ain’t nothing by @withahappyrefrain

Actually just read all her Peter stuff. The mob!peter au 🥰 like this one

Forest scenario by @vendettaparker

Text message fic

Webbed troubles by @curseofaphrodite

They’re both so stupid and I love it !!!

Hey babe I love you by @oracleofapollon

It’s best friends to lovers

Stranger things, but it’s really just Steve + Eddie fics

Baby by @cosmal

It’s so cute

Crush by @call-me-eds

There’s a misunderstanding but it’s not what you think

Wayne’s world by @queenimmadolla

A sudden birth I cried so much

It’s a date by @luveline

And no, he does not stop staring even after the date

Waiting for forgiveness by @iveseenstrangerthings

There’s a party, there’s a misunderstanding, they’re besties

Secrets out by @steddielvr

Well that kid can’t keep his mouth shut

Best friends and cosmos by @taylorbrooke1230

I like those you’re just noticing!? Moments

Safe space by @chervbs

So 🥰

Tied with a bow by @angrymilfs

There’s Flowers and cuteness

This one by @plainemmanem

They’re coworkers this time and someone is smitten

Nothing compares by @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

Later life and smiles

Oops I love you by @earthgirl616

Just best friends they say

Then all the others that I can’t categorize but still love and cherish :

Horacio Carillo

This blurb by @tropes-and-tales

Alone for the holidays, love struck

Just like always by @drabbles-mc

Din djarin

Significant by @softlyspector

This one is a case of I don’t even go here. But I just about die for mutual pining and this one has it

Andy barber

What Andy wants by @theycallmebecca

I like this one. One person not realizing what everyone else sees clearly. 

Matt Murdock

You what? By @babyboiboyega

Coffee shop woes by @courtforshort15

F1 imagine

Forgive me, what? By @lovingperfectionsblog

[teecupangel]

Ok but.... Pokemon. What if pokemons were real and everyone would have they own team (maybe not 6, but 2/3). I MEAN GHOST TYPE WOULD BE SO GOOD. Also i cannot unsee at least one assassin having Nickit! It's pokedex entry has written that they are very silent and It erases they own tracks with swipes of its tail. THAT IS STEALTH. Also thievul can marks they targets with scent that help them stalks it. Like the bird in newer games. (Sorry for my english!)

(Your English is perfectly understandable :))

I am totally unqualified to make Pokemon teams for AC characters as I have only finished one Pokemon game: Red. I am soooo unfamiliar with all the Pokemons (hell, I don’t even know what gen we are now???). I mean, I played Black, X, and Let’s Go Eevee but I never finished them. XD

So all I can offer you is this:

Desmond gets booted into Detective Pikachu AU idea

And these unorganized notes:

Whatever Pokemons Desmond gets, he must have an Eevee that does not evolve at all. This is to represent his endless possibility. The only possible Eevee evolution I think we should allow is Sylveon because we all know he’s going to spoil that Eevee. Two other possible Pokemons he could have are a CastForm that forever stays sunny whenever near Desmond (and is really more like a pet and doesn’t go to battle) or a Solgaleo. Just… give him a sun-themed Pokemon for the irony.

Going with the Eevee idea, his ancestors all have one specific Eevee evolution. Edward would have a Vaporeon, of course. Altaïr would either have Espeon (a reference to the psychic-like powers of the Apple) or a Jolteon (pokemon.com has Jolteon as the fatest of the Eevee evolutions). Ratonhnhaké:ton would have Leafeon or Jolteon if Altaïr has Espeon. Ezio would have Flareon (because I am mean and making this a Cappadocia reference, sorry Ezio). Haytham would have a Glaceon or an Umbreon. (Or, if we’re killing off Edward anyway, give Haytham Edward’s Vaporeon)

Altaïr would definitely be the cover-all basis type of trainer so, yeah, he’d have 6 Pokemons of various types (some even dual types).

Considering Nickit’s habit of stealing, I can see Edward or Ezio having a Nickit.

Honestly, all of them having a Thievul might make sense. Like they’re an unknown shadowy organization that’s known for (1) wearing hoods, (2) having Thievul and some kind of (3) Ghost-type Pokemon on their team.

I think Mary should have a Gardevoir and that Gardevoir stays with Edward after her death (I mean, if Mary dies in this one. I’m not saying we should kill Mary, just saying…)

Evie and Jacob having Nidoqueen and Nidoking would be funny. Like… their father gave them the Nidorans as their starter Pokemons. Even funnier is if Evie has the Nidoking while Jacob has the Nidoqueen. Or, if you want them to have newer Pokemons, they both received a Charcadet when they were young and Jacob’s evolved to Armarouge while Evie’s evolved to Ceruledge. Just, they should have one Pokemon that’s like different evolutions of the same Pokemon (or opposite of the other’s Pokemon).

I think Shay should have a Froslass as a reference to how Rogue lets you travel to icy parts and how the last parts are set in an icy location (not counting France).

I can’t explain why but I think Arno should have a Greninja and they’d be a tag-team.

Of course, Eivor gets a Corviknight.

I honestly like the idea that Desmond, Altaïr, Ezio, and Ratonhnhaké:ton all have an Alcremie because someone got them to twirl around and strike a pose to evolve their Milcery… who records the entire thing. (I’m betting it’s Edward. It has to be Edward)

Minerva appears as a Gothitelle. Hell, she could be pretending to be Desmond’s Gothitelle. Idk, Gothitelle can predict the future (or just the lifespan of the trainer?), it sounds right that Minerva is Gothitelle or something.

I have this conundrum. I kinda like the idea of Altaïr, Ezio, and Ratonhnhaké:ton having distinct Pokemons related to one another. Now, my first thought would be they would each have Kanto starter Pokemons to show how they’re the first main characters of Assassin’s Creed. Or, you know, they would have the legendary birds of Gen 1 instead to show their legendary status. But, at that point, I thought, why not just give them the Raikou, Entei, and Suicune setup from the Detective Pikachu AU? At some point, my brain goes why don’t they just have a Deoxys each with Desmond having a normal form, Altaïr getting the speed form, Ezio getting the defense form and Ratonhnhaké:ton getting the attack form?

And that’s when my brain gave up and went “Fuck it, give Desmond Arceus. Lol.”

[the-archangel]

V for Vengeance

This took ages and is very long I'm sorry! Might be better reading it on AO3 :)

“You don’t know what I’m thinking any more Johnny, leave me alone,” spits V as he stalks down the grimy, neon-flooded street with his collar up against the rain.

“Yeah, I kinda do,” the most recently appointed Afterlife merc explains as he rushes after him, “and this is a fucking gonk idea.”

V had been brewing for days, ever since Kerry told him about the time he’d been kidnapped and held to ransom by scavs. Kerry had intended it as an amusing drunken tale, it’d been all over in less than 24 hours and he’d been that high at the time he hadn’t really noticed it happening, but V was not so green when it came to dealing with scavs, he knew what would’ve happened if the record company hadn’t coughed up the eddies and was determined to fill in the details of the hours that they held the Rockerboy, no matter how unsavoury.

“Seriously V, it was twelve years ago, they’re all either dead or they’ve moved on by now.”

Stopping in his tracks, V looks intently at the dark-haired man, “You don’t have to come with me Johnny, I never asked you to.”

“I know,” answers Johnny darkly, “maybe you should’ve. You’ve got no idea what you’re looking for.”

“Neither have you! You were a data stream living in a freezer at the time, how exactly does that make you any more qualified than me to find them?” It’s a fair point, and one that V knows Johnny is not pleased to be reminded of. “Look, if you wanna help fine, just try not to be a pain in the ass.”

“Can’t promise anything,” Johnny mutters turning to follow his friend down the street.

-

Kerry had just done one of the best shows of his life – or so the bassist of his backing band tells him as he gives the Rockerboy a sloppy post-gig blow job, despite the best efforts of the younger musician it’s not a relationship, just a habit that they’ve fallen into.

Later, alone again, Kerry messages his kids telling them about the show and asking about their day. He never gets a reply, but he does it every damn day anyway. Then he calls his new manager to see how the attempt to copyright his image is going, but the fucker doesn’t answer, he never fucking answers, Kerry’s beginning to think he made a mistake hiring him. There’s one more call he thinks about making, but he’s had enough rejection this evening and so puts on a jacket and heads out to the waiting car. He doesn’t make it.

-

“Where’re we going?” Johnny shouts after V’s retreating back.

“Pacifica.” answers the other man.

“Woah, we’re not walking to fucking Pacifica.” states Johnny breathlessly as he catches up.

“Course not, there’s someone I need to speak to first.”

Afterlife is buzzing even at this time of the early afternoon, despite it now being V’s kingdom Johnny’s heart lifts a little at the thought of Rogue maybe being there, her visits are increasingly rare, but it is possible. They make their way over to the bar where V has a quick word with Clair before heading to his usual booth at the back, Johnny makes to follow until he sees who V is meeting, he sits at the bar instead nursing a tequila and glaring over petulantly.

“You’re lucky I was in town,” Panam tells V as he takes a seat opposite her and puts beers on the table between them, “another few hours and I’d have been showing this shithole my dust.”

“I know, thanks for meeting me, and…I’m sorry.”

The woman looks over at him with a raised eyebrow, “Luckily for you I’m a big girl capable of making my own decisions. Something more than we had might’ve been nice, but as far as flings go, it was one of my favourites.” she says taking a swig of beer and sitting back in her seat, one leg resting on the other and arms spread along the back, “But you’re still part of the clan whatever other shit you’ve pulled, what do you need?”

“Info,” says V leaning forward and looking at her seriously, “about twelve years ago Kerry was taken by some scavs, prolly took him somewhere into the Badlands, wondered if there had been any rumours, if anyone knew anything about what happened?”

“Can’t Kerry tell you anything? Surely he’s not gone senile just yet?” she asks with narrowed eyes and a half-smile.

“Heh, you’re a funny girl, but no. He was pretty out of it and he’s kinda blocked it out.” V winces internally at the lie. “So do you know anything?”

Panam takes another swig from her bottle and ponders the question, “Maybe. I was a teenager at the time, a feisty one too if you can believe it, Saul would sit me down and tell me all the reasons why my behaviour was dangerous, or bad for the clan.” V nods, he’s been at the receiving end of Saul’s lectures and knows what they can be like. “Anyway, this one time he was explaining why taking a bike and riding into the town was a dumb idea, he was even more riled than usual, said if the Raffen could swipe a rock star right from outside a stadium, one little girl on a bike would not be able to stop them taking her. Never connected the dots at the time, but I guess he was talking about Kerry.”

“The Raffen huh? I guessed as much, any idea where they took him?”

“No, they had a few bases at the time, I’ll mark them on a map for you.” she says producing a map and pen from her bag, “Saul was a big fan of Kerry’s, shame they never met.”

V hums in agreement, Saul always turned the radio up when one of Kerry’s songs came on and he’d told Kerry stories about the brusque clan leader many times, they could definitely have been chooms. “Thanks Panam, you’ve been a lot of help.”

Panam looks over his shoulder, “Who’s that guy you came in with? He’s been glaring at me for the whole conversation like I should know who he is.”

V chuckles, he often forgets that even people who met Johnny never actually saw Johnny. Before he can explain, the woman interjects,

“Fuck, that’s Johnny Silverhand. I recognise him from Saul’s album covers. That’s Johnny fucking Silverhand!”

Hearing his name, Johnny smiles warily and raises his glass in Panam’s direction.

“Why didn’t he come over with you?” she asks.

Still smiling, V looks over at the dark-haired merc at the bar and lowers his voice, “He’s kinda scared of you, you were pretty angry about him trying to kill me if you remember, he thinks you might try and break his balls over it or some shit.”

“That’s fair, but if the fucker is going with you, watch your back, he’d choose his ego over his chooms any day I’m guessing.”

Once maybe, but not anymore V thinks, but he just nods and finishes up his beer, “Look after yourself Panam, I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Mhm, don’t be a stranger.” the nomad replies giving him a curt nod and walking out of the booth.

Johnny watches as she leaves the bar, “Don’t say it Johnny.” V warns.

“Say what? That she has a nice ass? I’m only human.”

V groans and grabs his jacket from the bar stool, after a last catch-up with Clair they’re ready to leave.

“Need to get the truck from the garage,” V tells Johnny, “it’s gonna get pretty bumpy out there.”

-

Jogging to keep up with V’s accelerating strides, Johnny is struggling to understand the urgency, unsure as to why they need to head to Pacifica now rather than the morning, it is, after all, 12 years since the attack took place so one more day is unlikely to make much difference. V, on the other hand, can’t get there fast enough, the thoughts of what they might have done to Kerry in that time have been festering in his mind and he couldn’t look the man in the face again if he didn’t do something.

As if he’s read the ex-merc’s mind, the holo rings and Kerry’s tired face fills V’s vision. “Heeey V, missed ya today, what ya been doin’?”

“Just dealing with some business Ker, like I said this morning it might take a couple of days. How’s the song coming along?”

The Rockerboy’s lip curls into a grimace, “Meh, can’t seem to get into the groove, y’know I worry about you when you go out on jobs. Throws me off.”

“I promise I’ll be careful and I’ll call you in the morning, get some sleep babe, be back before you know it.”

“Kay V, love ya.”

“You too ya gonk.” V says softy as the call disconnects and he rubs his temple with his fingertips, it’s been a long day and it’s not over yet, “Johnny, you OK to drive? If I don’t lie down, I’ll fall down.”

“Sure, where we going?”

“The stadium.”

-

Johnny had only been up a few hours having not got home until the early hours. He’d thrown himself into the merc work and mostly enjoyed it, but music was still his passion, so he’d been doing the rounds of the open mike nights – heavily disguised of course – just to keep his hand in. Problem was, compared to his old stuff, what he’s writing now is shit. The tunes are fine but he’s struggling to find the lyrics; before, he channelled his lust, anger and vitriol into the words, now all he feels is apathy most of the time. He hates to admit it but, he needs help, he needs Kerry, and if helping V with his gonk plan gets him back in Kerry’s good books then it’s all going to be worth it.

-

Pulling in at the stadium parking lot, Johnny spends a moment taking in how shitty Pacifica had become over the years. He can still remember when it was the promised land, corpos filling the hotels and beaches, not this gang run nightmare before him. It vaguely occurs to him that it’s at least partly his fault, but such thinking could lead to madness so he tucks the thought away to be chewed over another time.

“V, wake up sleeping beauty, we’re here.”

Groggily, the younger man groans and sits up in his seat, “What time is it?” he asks yawning.

“Just after midnight, not much point looking around in the dark, may as well hang here until the sun comes up in a few hours.”

“No way,” stresses V, already getting out of the truck, “this is the perfect time.”

A perplexed Johnny once more finds himself jogging to catch up to his friend, what is he possibly hoping to find after twelve years in the middle of the night?

The stadium is in darkness, the sputtering street lights only adding to the gloom. V stands, hands on hips surveying the side of the building, scanning the area and sighing. The building hadn’t changed much since it was built sixty years ago, flimsy doors, non-existent security, pretty much what he expected, but what had changed was the area. A stadium built so that high-rolling customers could watch a show or game whilst staying in one of the nearby five-star hotels was now next to a derelict shopping mall in what looked like a war zone. Sure, it could still get the big-name acts, but they would travel in from somewhere more salubrious, maybe a place in the City Centre, whilst the audience would make their weary way back to their homes, never once thinking of staying in Pacifica for the evening, no matter how convenient.

  Although terrible for Pacifica, this is in fact great for V’s purposes, the same bums and low-lives have been hanging around the stadium for years and their information is cheaply bought. The nearest liquor store is not far away, Johnny follows his friend hopefully inside grimacing as he chooses two of the cheapest 6-packs available and then helps him carry the bags back to a wall near the stadium. “Now what?” he asks.

“Now, we wait,” the other man replies, popping the cap off a beer and wrinkling his nose at the first sip. They don’t need to wait long, a dishevelled, grey-haired man comes shambling towards them with a younger, twitchy-faced man at his side.

“Care for some company chooms?” he asks in a surprisingly refined voice.

“Sure thing, wanna drink?” The older man nods emphatically, while the younger sits silently crossed-legged, glaring at Johnny and V between violent tics.

The conversation is moved along from government conspiracies (probable) and the latest sightings of a mothman (unlikely but possible) to the things celebrities will do for attention, V’s attention has been wavering for a while, tiredness having caught up with him, but the mention of his mainline’s name, as well as a sharp dig in the ribs from Johnny, perks him up.

“That there Eurodyne fella, they reckon it was all for publicity, saw it with my own eyes…”

“Wait, what?” asks V suddenly wide awake, “You saw Kerry Eurodyne being kidnapped?”

“If that’s what it was, he walked out with them friendly as anything, got in the car no problem, chatting like they were best chooms.”

V is momentarily stunned into silence, processing what he’s being told, “What…what kinda car was it?”

“Nothin fancy, some sort of Thorton. Remember thinking what an odd shade of blue it was, like the sky at dusk.”

Johnny interjects, “Yeah, poetic as all shit choom, tell us everything.”

-

The concert goers had generally been a happy and generous bunch, the bum and his chooms had made a good few euros and scored a few beers and were sat, nicely mellow, waiting for their second chance as the crowds emerged from the stadium. Before that could happen, a side door swings open and a smiling Kerry strides out to the waiting car flanked by what looks like a couple of suited bodyguards and followed by a red-haired woman with a Valentino’s jacket and a distinctive silver leg. In his youth, the man had been a huge fan of Eurodyne’s, posters all over the walls, shelf full of his records, but he hadn’t been so keen on some of his poppy later stuff, so it’s with detached interest that he watches the Rockerboy be led out to the car and directed into the back seat. He seemed in good spirits, clearly high as a kite and slightly unsteady, but not seeming to be in any discomfort, for which V was grateful.

V and Johnny leave the men with what’s left of the beers and make their way back to their car, V is quiet and pensive which is making Johnny nervous.

“They tricked him,” V concludes, “they knew how confused he got when he’d been partying and they tricked him.”

Johnny tries to hide a smirk, the thought of Kerry being so out of it that he didn’t even know he was being kidnapped not only seemed likely, it was not even the first time it had happened. There was that time out in Miami in the 20’s when a deranged fan took him home and fed him pizza and copious amounts of wine before the rocker was found wandering the streets the next morning in a borrowed tuxedo, but V doesn’t need to hear about that just now.

The description of the red-haired woman is making V’s brain itch, there’s something familiar that he can’t quite put his finger on. Johnny drives them into the Badlands whilst V leaves a message for the Padre and falls into a disturbed slumber.

-

In his dreams, V’s leaning on a bar listening as Kerry tells him about his day at the studio. The Rockerboy is hyped and animated, pacing the room and drinking from a tequila bottle. He comes over placing his hand on the ex-merc’s chest and leaning into a sloppy kiss that ends with a bite on the bottom lip hard enough to raise a gasp.

“Something to remember me by.” Kerry smirks as he pulls away.

“Why, you going somewhere?”

Kerry puts his hand on the door to the exit and turns, smiling sadly. Then he’s just gone, disappeared. V searches the room frantically, calling Kerry’s name and pushing on the door, but no one answers and the door won’t budge, then Johnny’s voice is calling him,

“V, shut your whining. You woke me up from a real nice dream you fucker.”

-

The truck is where Johnny parked it in the early hours, shaded from the mid-morning sun by a boulder which also serves to shield them from the road. V groans and stretches, he’s had the full eight hours for the first time in weeks, but still feels like he’s been kicked in the head, and back, and kidneys. “Where are we?” he asks the grumpy ex-rocker groggily.

“’Bout five miles west of Panam’s first marker on the map.”

Nodding, V gingerly leaves the truck, rubbing life back into his legs he leans against the rock to take a much-needed piss, cursing softly as a call comes midway through. Thinking it best to leave the call on audio only for now he greets the caller as cheerily as he can manage, “Morning Padre, thanks for getting back to me.”

“Always a pleasure to be able to help out a brother in need. What can I do for you?”

“The woman I described; do you have any info on her? She rings a bell with me but I just can’t place why.”

“She is called Selene, she was a friend of your mother’s when you were very small, but she left the fold twenty years or so back, went to live with the Nomads so I heard. If you find her, tell her she is forgiven and will be welcomed back.”

“Selene, of course! Any idea which clan she went with?”

“Nothing for sure, though I think the Raffen would be her style.”

V sighs, it’s what he expected if he’s honest, but he hoped otherwise. “Any ideas where she is now?”

“None. I am expecting another call, but wish you luck in your endeavour.”

Thanking the Padre, V wanders back to the truck checking the map and planning a route for the day, he flops down next to Johnny with his back leaning on the tyre of the truck and takes the cig from the other man’s fingers. “I’m thinking if we work smart, we can cover all three camps before dark, then this time tomorrow we can be heading back.”

Johnny nods, working smart is not something he’s often accused of but he can give it a try.

-

V drives the truck to within a couple of miles of the first possible camp, concealing it as best he can between two ridges and makes his way to higher ground with Johnny following grumbling behind.

“Don’t know why we had to set off so fucking early, it’s not like they’re going anywhere. And what’s with all this fucking gear we’re carrying? There’s, like, an arsenal and enough water for a week, I thought we were here for the day not setting up camp.”

V gives a half-smile as he squints at the horizon, Johnny’s whining is actually quite a comfort to him, it means the world is working as it should, “You’d be surprised how much water you get through in the desert Johnny, and we don’t know what we’re up against, better to be over-prepared than under don’t’cha think?”

Johnny grunts non-committally and returns to his binoculars, “What exactly are we looking for?”

“Any sign of movement, the camp should be over to the East by those rocks, looks abandoned but we don’t want to go storming in and find a cave full of scavs coming out to meet us.”

 Having established that the camp at least appears to be all quiet, the boys stay low as far as possible and cover the last two miles without incident. The camp has clearly been abandoned for some time; empty crates litter the ground inside the mouth of the cave which was the main living quarters of the camp. Mildewed bunk-beds line the walls, nothing of value has been left behind, no handy clues. Sitting in the mouth of the cave sharing a bottle of water and a cig, V optimizes the route to the next camp whilst Johnny squints critically at a shard he’d found on one of the bunks,

“The Benefits and Drawbacks of Adaptive Technology and its Impact on Society at Large, huh.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothin, just some chip I found.” explains Johnny tossing it in his backpack to maybe read on the boring ride back later.

-

Their next destination is almost thirty miles to the north mostly over flat ground but the last few miles are a challenge even for the Mackinaw that bounces from dune to dune and jostles its passengers unrelentingly. Johnny clings onto the grab handle biting back his criticisms of V’s driving for fear of being left in the middle of nowhere to find his own way back. It’s a good choice. V had also had enough of the challenging terrain and was in no mood to deal with Johnny’s shit.

“Gonna have to park up for a while, this shitty truck is gonna work my optics loose if we carry on much longer.”

“I think there’s a gas station just up there,” Johnny points hopefully towards a fuzzy, gas-station shaped building on the horizon, “we could aim for that, regroup, grab some food.”

Food sounded good, they hadn’t eaten since the previous evening and the sun is now right overhead, there’s some jerky and trail mix in the truck, but they hadn’t got quite that desperate yet. The building is indeed a gas station, not only that but there is an outdoor seating area where they now are eating reheated burritos and sipping on mercifully chilled water. Johnny squirms uncomfortably in his seat, there are many benefits to having a flat ass, leather trousers hang well, chicks dig it, but long road journeys are just a pain in it.

“So, what’s the next plan of action?” he asks V in between bites of his disappointingly bland lunch.

“The guy in the store said there’s still some Scav action out here from time to time, so we don’t wanna go storming in, just in case. We’re still about four miles out, just over that ridge should be an old farm that they were using as a base.” V tells Johnny indicating a distant sand dune. “We get the truck to this side of the ridge, sneak around and see what we can see.”

Johnny nods, aiming his screwed up empty foil into the trash and smirking as he hears it rattle around the can and hit the bottom.

-

“Shit.” hisses V as he scans the farm buildings from the top of the ridge. There is clearly movement, things being loaded onto trucks. It looks like they might have caught the goons just as they’re moving on, which does not suit their purposes at all.

“Think fast Johnny, what do we do?”

Johnny looks up briefly whilst lighting his cig, the light of the match illuminating the surprised look on his face, since when does V ask his advice about merc work? “We could wait til one of them is separate from the group and bring them over for a little chat?”

“Mhm, there’s a guy over there keeps disappearing off for a smoke, we could follow the ridge around and see where he goes.”

Just as V had said, around five minutes later the man dumps a crate in the van and makes to the back of the substantial barn where the van is parked, the mercs (V is allowing himself the title back, just for a couple of days) follow along and down the ridge until the sharp smell of the man’s sweat and cheap cologne assaults their noses. Luckily for them, he is concerned only with checking his messages and not expecting to be forcibly dragged over the rocky ground with a gun to his head and a hand over his mouth.

They really should have decided what to ask him before dragging him behind the ridge, after all, he was clearly too young to have any knowledge of the kidnapping, fortunately he helps them out,

“Aw I knew you’d catch up to me sooner or later, I’ll tell you anything and I’ll run to the hills if you let me go, you’ll never hear from me again.”

Johnny and V have no idea who the guy thinks they are, but can’t pass up such an opportunity,

“We’ll think on that,” Johnny tells him, “all depends on how good the info you give us is.”

“Looks like you’ve been keeping busy,” V chips in, “what have you been doing out here these past few, er, weeks?”

As promised, the man spills everything, the camp has been here for several months though he’s only been with them for three weeks, other than a few local raids nothing of any note has happened. They are moving East to an old warehouse that was used in the 60’s as a base, to join with another faction in order to pull off some heist. The whole shebang is being run by a woman with faded red hair who’s name he didn’t catch who was here a couple of days ago but has since returned to the warehouse.

With a pistol-backed warning not to look back, they watch the man sprint into the distance and think about their next move. The warehouse seems to be the last place Panam marked on their map so they don’t need to follow the goons in order to find it, in fact it would be better to get there before them so that there’s less to deal with, but not searching the farmhouse might lead to them missing a vital clue.

“How sneaky are you feeling?” V asks Johnny.

“I can do it if I have to, but I’d rather just shoot them in the head.”

“Maybe when your aim improves, we’ll go with your plan, until then, follow me up to the back window.”

Johnny opens his mouth to say something, but for once thinks better of it and follows V up onto a dumpster, across an awning and in through a handily open window, dropping silently on the other side into what appears to be a command centre of sorts. There are tables and chairs scattered around, empty wrappers and cups, but nothing that presents as a clue.

The next room has been used as sleeping quarters, sheets are strewn around, pillows scattered, and the smell from the unwashed linen and half-eaten food left on all the available surfaces is almost unbearable, Johnny finds it almost overwhelming, he’s still getting used to having his senses back and is having to fight against the urge to pass out from the stench.

The last room on this floor is smaller but had been kept neat. There’s a cot in the corner with the sheets removed and a few bits of sparse, but clean furniture.

“Nothing in here to see,” says V rattling a drawer back into place just as a goon, who’d been hiding behind the door waiting to make his move, hits him clumsily but solidly on the shoulders and flies towards the stairs to make his escape. Johnny takes chase narrowly avoiding a door to the face as the man flees the building, he needs to bring him down before he can alert his chooms and so dives for his legs sending him heavily onto the gravel and drags him, thankfully dazed and quiet, back into the house. Meanwhile, V gingerly opens one eye staring into the painful void before him, his optics soon adjust and the bedroom floor slowly slides into focus.

A dull thud and a muffled groan later, Johnny reappears and offers his hand to help the fixer up, he grudgingly accepts and leans his weight onto the Rockerboy as they make their way gingerly down the stairs and over the battered body of the fallen goon to watch the outside activities through a grimy, cracked window.

“The way I see it,” offers V massaging life back into his left shoulder, “we can either wait here until they leave and check the place out properly, or forget about here and make our way to the warehouse while it’s still light and before it’s full of murderous Scavs.”

It’s a no-brainer, a couple of minutes later they are back in the truck putting together a route away from the roads leading from the farm and sharing a cigarette. The devil in Johnny has a question to ask, “How d’you think Kerry’s gonna feel when he finds out you’ve done all of this without asking him?”

“Well he’ll…” V realises that, in a certain light, his actions could be construed as selfish, controlling even. Although he meant well, he hadn’t really considered Kerry’s feelings in all of this, there might even be a reason he never told the whole story. “I just need to call someone…” he murmurs, leaving the truck and disappearing around the corner.

Some minutes later a red-cheeked ex-merc hops back into the truck and silently starts it up, knuckles white on the steering wheel, Johnny gives it a few minutes but has to ask,

“Kerry is pretty mad OK?”

Johnny nods, he knows how Kerry gets when he feels betrayed, he realises that, to his surprise, he feels bad for his friend.

“He said that I shouldn’t’ve gone without telling him where I was going and that I shouldn’t’ve put myself in danger for him and that we were gonna have to have a talk when I get back.”

“Aw V I’m sorry…”

“Nah, it’s fine. Think he just wants to vent at me. Had to promise to call him every couple of hours and to tell him everything we find out, he really can’t remember what happened and wants to know, even if it’s real bad.”

-

It’s a long and boring journey to their final destination, Johnny has been on a self-improvement kick lately and decides to look at the shard he found earlier. He was expecting a book, but opening the case he realises that The Benefits and Drawbacks of Adaptive Technology and its Impact on Society at Large is in fact a BD, possibly the dullest one ever but a BD just the same. Rummaging around in the glove compartment he finds a wreath and settles back in his seat ready to expand his mind. Twenty minutes later his mind is definitely blown, though not necessarily improved in any way.

“V, choom, you gotta see this,” he says groggily, clumsily pulling the BD wreath through his tangled hair.

“No thanks, m’driving. Not a good mix dipshit. Besides, sounds super-dull.”

“So pull over, I promise you, you REALLY need to see this.”

-

The scene opens with a stuffy lecturer in an office outlining how far cybernetics have come in the last hundred years, never one for schooling V can feel himself drifting off, but less than three minutes in the scene abruptly switches to a smoke-filled room, possibly a bar, with a dozen or more people sat at makeshift seats and tables. V recognises one, “That’s Selene!” he says out loud to Johnny. A commotion indicates another person entering the room, a slightly dishevelled Kerry comes stumbling in with hair flopping rakishly over one eye and his denim shirt open to expose his recently installed chrome. V adjusts himself in his seat, damn that man is hot.

“…and then later that night, “Kerry was clearly part way through a story when he had left the room, “he came over again. Can you believe it? But this time with a gun and a bag full of drugs. Security fucked him up and threw him out and the drugs made for a preem after-show party!”

The assembled ‘audience’ laugh and clap, an inhaler makes its way around the room as do various bottles, all of which Kerry happily partakes in. The next few minutes are mostly this, blurry partying and a babble of chatter, the room seems to be hanging on every word the Rockerboy says and Kerry is lapping it up. Suddenly, the atmosphere changes. The recording whips around to focus on the red-haired woman who seems to be receiving a call, biting her bottom lip and nodding slightly as her eyes glow green. The room quietens, even Kerry, though he seems to be in some kind of drug and alcohol induced stupor anyway. The camera follows Selene out of the room into a gravel patch covered with parked cars and overlooked by an old wind turbine,

“Jeez, are you sure?” she asks, “I mean, of course I believe you but he’s a rock star for fucks sake, there must be somebody who’ll pay. What about the ex-wife?” Selene nods again, “What a bitch, I thought they had kids? And they say we’re the bad guys. OK, fine, it’s a shame though, he seems like a nice guy.” Her eyes dull as the call ends, she checks her revolver and strides back into the bar.

A whispered conversation later the filming cuts off as Kerry is being man-handled off the tatty sofa.

-

V removes the wreath and sits stunned in the driver’s seat of his truck not quite sure what to do next, Johnny gently takes it from his hands throwing it onto the rear seats and looks at his friend with concern. “You good?”

“I guess.” V replies thoughtfully, “He can’t know.”

Johnny nods in agreement, “So where next?”

“We carry on,” decides V, “still don’t know what happened next. I mean, they didn’t flatline him, why not? Gonna talk to Selene.”

-

Dusk is approaching when they reach their final destination, as it draws near the familiar outline of the now even more dilapidated wind turbine hovers into view. “This is the place,” Johnny erroneously announces. “We just gonna walk in and start shooting?”

“Jeez Johnny of course not, we want information don’t we, not total carnage?”

Johnny shrugs in a non-committal way.

V had just come off a holo-call with Kerry, he had told him about the bar, about the scavs hanging on his every word and about how hot he looked. He felt bad not telling him the whole truth, but just couldn’t see what good it would do. “You can stay in the truck; I’m going in to talk to them.”

The old Rockerboy was about to argue, the look on V’s face was more than enough to stop him. “Just be careful, I don’t wanna have to explain to Kerry why you’re coming home in the trunk and not the passenger seat.”

Leaving the truck and passing his half-done smoke over to Johnny, V puts his hands deep into his pockets and begins to walk towards the warehouse building, well-aware that there would have been eyes on him from the get go. Johnny has his eyes on a sniper behind an upstairs window, but for now V appears safe from their target practice.

As he nears, V puts his hands in the air and turns around then, a couple of meters from the door he stands and waits.

Up until now, the goons have not shown themselves though it’s obvious they’re around, dozens of vehicles are strewn around the gravel and a deep-thumping beat can be heard coming from inside. A hum indicates the rising of the shutters, rust rains down as they rattle open and a man of indeterminate middle-age dressed in makeshift armour appears.

“Don’t move. Who are you and whaddya want?”

“Name’s V,“ he yells across the distance cocking his head to one side, “your goons can stand down. Just want to talk to Selene.”

The name obviously means something to the other man, he raises an eyebrow and comes a little closer to the ex-merc. “And what’s your biz with Selene?” he hisses.

“No biz, she was a friend of my mom, just wanna talk to her.”

“Vincent?”

The deep, southern tones of the woman he knew in his youth are unmistakable,

“Selene, yeah, erm, hi.”

The chrome is covered in a dark blue boiler-suit and her always striking green eyes are hidden behind shades, but the red hair, less vibrant but still luxurious would have given her away anyway.

“Vincent honey, it’s been twenty years. Why you out here looking for me in the ass-end of nowhere?”

“Twenty-two, just wanted your help with something.” V says cautiously lowering his arms.

“Course sugar, come inside. How’s Martha?” The woman asks, wrapping her arm around V’s waist in a way that seems oddly familiar and leads him inside.

Small-talk exhausted, V is led down a narrow, graffitied corridor and into what seems to be a common-room of sorts. Selene clearly has some power, the assembled goons are variously reverential, sycophantic or dangerously protective, V has rarely missed the comfort of a revolver in his pocket as much as he does right now.

-

Back at the truck, Johnny is making bad decisions, having thankfully dismissed the idea of going in after V with all guns blazing regardless, he has now decided that since he is out of the way for a little while it’s a good time to call Kerry.

No one answers the first time, it’s early evening so Kerry could be getting ready to go out, or maybe napping, there’s even a possibility he’s just ignoring the call. Johnny tries again, this time an annoyed face fills his optics almost straight away,

“What?”

“And a good evening to you too Kerry.” Kerry rolls his eyes and waits for Johnny to continue. “Just thought we could, you know, catch up.”

The white-haired Rockerboy stares back incredulously,

“I saw you a week ago when you came bothering Vince, more’s the pity, had nothing to say to you then, even less now.”

“Ker, we’re going through some stuff to help you out here, a little bit of….”

“Whaddya mean ‘we’? Shiiiiiiit, you’re there with him aren’t you? You’re both gonna fucking get killed. If he gets hurt cause you fucked up I’m gonna personally rip off that good arm at hit you with the wet end. Sheesh. What you bothering me for anyway...has something happened?” Kerry asks in sudden alarm.

Johnny shakes his head in what he hopes is a comforting manner, “Chill choom, he’s just talking to some chick,” Johnny notices Kerry bristle slightly, “we’re nearly done, should be back in a few hours. I was thinking…maybe we could…y’know, get together for a jam when we get back?”

The other man puts the drink he is holding carefully down on the coffee table and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “Say that again.”

“I just thought, we could maybe, recapture a bit of that old magic.” Johnny says awkwardly.

“You know I don’t need this right?” asks Kerry, “My last album went fucking platinum over night, I sell out stadiums choom. What’s in it for me?”

“V would like it if we got along.” Johnny wasn’t trying to score a point, merely musing, but it strikes a chord with Kerry nonetheless.

Kerry sighs, “Fine we’ll give it a try. If I hear the magic word.”

Johnny still can’t get used to Kerry having the upper hand, but he needs him on side, “OK fine, please.”

“Get that man back in one piece and we’ll talk.” The call cuts off abruptly and Johnny slumps back into his seat, that’s the scariest shit he’s done all day.

-

V is sat looking more confident than he feels opposite Selene at a rickety wooden table in a room reminiscent of the one on the BD. He’s hyper-aware of being watched by several pairs of distrustful eyes, even if he wanted to try something stupid, he’d never make it out alive.

“I doubt you really came all this way to talk over old times,” says the woman softly, “I’ve seen the scream sheets, the feeds, you’re seeing that Rockerboy feller, that Kerry Eurodyne. If you’re here for vengeance it’s not gonna end well for you Vincent my sweet boy.”

“No, not vengeance. We found this.” V hands the shard over to Selene who hisses through her teeth and whispers urgently to one of the assembled goons.

“Someone fucked up, that’s not for public consumption, but if not vengeance then why are you here?”

“Information. Kerry clearly didn’t get flatlined that night, made it home safe the next day, how? Why? What happened in between?”

Selene sits back in her chair staring V in the eye like she’s deciding which version of the story to tell, she decides on the truth…

-

The car is crowded, the two scavs are in the back with Kerry slumped between them and Selene with her bodyguard driving are in the front. “Where we taking him?” asks the burly hustle.

“Out to Biotechnica Flats, but near the highway so that he’ll be found quickly, can’t let the Corpo scum think they can take us for a joke, I think they’ll get the message when their poster boy is being brought home in a body bag.”

Around half an hour into the incredibly dull journey a deep voice pipes up from the rear seats, “Hey, erm, Selene, I don’t think he’s breathin’.”

“Shit, shit, shit. Stop the car!”

In some ways, this is ideal, saves them a messy and unpleasant job, but having him flatline from an overdose of partying rather than a gunshot isn’t exactly the message they’re trying to send. The car squeals to a halt on the deserted highway and the men in the back drag Kerry’s unresponsive body onto the scorching tarmac, where he sustains his only major injury of the night, a cracked elbow.

“Fucking Hell Clive, do something.” Selene screams at the bodyguard, but his specialty is bullets not heart attacks so he stands staring with the rest of them, until…

“Of course he’s got Trauma Team Platinum.” Sighs an exasperated Selene as the distinctive AV hovers into view. “Leave him, we need to delta. If they see us we’re fucked.”

The quartet hastily scramble back into the car and, with a screech of tyres, turn back towards the warehouse leaving the Rockerboy at the side of the road. Selene watches the action through the rear camera, as he gets lifted into the AV she reflects on how fucked they’re all going to be when the boss finds out.

-

“And we’re you? Fucked I mean.”

“Woo yeah, got my guys taken off of me, lost my position, my son, Charlie, got shipped to the other side of the country. It was rough. But you know what? I was glad he got away, he seemed like a good guy. Not his fault the corpos and his shitty ex fucked him over, yeah it was fine. I still smile whenever I see him on TV or hear him on the radio, and when I heard that my little Vinny was his mainline I knew it had happened for a reason.”

Selene takes V’s hand and leans forward to look into his eyes, “I’m pleased for you, of how things have turned out, but you know a lot about us now, where we live, what we do, and I can’t hold these guys back forever. You need to leave and don’t talk to anybody about what you’ve seen and heard here.”

V nods and Selene walks him to the shutters and out, “Be safe V,” she looks over to the truck, “and say Hi to Johnny, we had a lotta fun back in the day.” V hides his shock well and heads back to the truck to meet Johnny who is leaning fluidly against the passenger door.

“So, did ya find out what you wanted to know?”

V thinks for a moment lighting a cigarette and passing it to Johnny, “I can’t say that I wanted to know all that, I’ll tell you about it on the way home.”

-

The story does not surprise Johnny in the least, Kerry’s behaviour was pretty standard even back in the Samurai days, ‘cept back then it was a hopeful punch to the chest or a friendly ripperdoc that brought him back around. “How much you gonna tell him?”

V gives a deep sigh, “Just what he needs to know, tricked by scavs, rescued by Trauma Team, no need for the rest.”

Johnny nods, lying to save someone’s feelings doesn’t really sit well with him but it’s not his biz, and V’s right, Kerry doesn’t need to know the rest.

The ex-merc’s optics glow green as a call comes in, his favourite face fills the screen, “V, hey. I miss you, you heading back? Find anything out?”

“Not much, be home soon. I’ll tell you then…Ker?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”