#timebomb has got me in tears

[achios]

always a dance

[jhyoos]

Off Limits

chapter four : heartbreaker

summary : after a night together, vi starts ghosting you and breaks off whatever she has with you.

mentions: angst, timebomb comforting reader, jayce being a dick, caitlyn still being a bitch, meljay, sevika mentioned, vi being toxic

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Ever since that night, Vi had disappeared. No texts, no calls—not even a lazy, teasing voice memo like she usually sent when she was too tired to type. At first, you told yourself it was fine, that she was just busy or maybe needed time. But as the hours stretched into days, that excuse started to feel thinner and thinner. You weren’t the type to chase, but with every glance at your phone, every time it vibrated with a notification that wasn’t her, frustration and confusion tangled inside you like a knot you couldn’t undo.

Then Monday came, and practice was moved to the soccer field since the gym was being used by faculty. It wasn’t ideal, but it was whatever. Or at least, that’s what you told yourself—until you spotted her.

Vi was there, running drills with her team, her usual confidence on full display as she barked orders and shoved teammates around in that rough, playful way she always did. And yet, the second you stepped onto the field, something in the air shifted. You could feel her looking at you before you even turned your head. When you finally glanced in her direction, she was already watching.

For a moment, everything else faded—the chatter of your teammates, the sound of cleats tearing through grass, even the cool breeze that brushed against your skin. It was just the two of you, standing on opposite sides of the field, caught in a silent stare that neither of you seemed willing to break.

You thought she’d smirk, maybe throw you a cocky wink like she had so many times before. But she didn’t. She didn’t wave, didn’t smile, didn’t even nod. And somehow, that hurt more than if she had just ignored you entirely.

You swallowed, forcing yourself to look away, pretending like it didn’t matter. Like she didn’t matter. But the ache in your chest said otherwise.

Something had changed. And whether you liked it or not, you knew this wasn’t over. It was only the beginning of whatever the hell this was turning into.

As you made your way toward the locker room, exhausted from practice, the last thing you expected was for Vi to grab your wrist, stopping you in your tracks. You turned to her, brows furrowing as you met her gaze—serious, conflicted, but steady.

“I don’t think we should do… whatever we’re doing anymore,” she said, her voice tight, like the words were hard to get out.

You blinked at her, momentarily stunned. Then a sharp laugh escaped you, bitter and humorless. “Yeah, I kinda got that idea when you ghosted me after leaving my apartment yesterday.” You pulled your wrist from her grasp, crossing your arms. “Why are you saying this now?”

Vi shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through her hair. “I just—” she exhaled, shaking her head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea anymore. Jayce has been on my ass, and if he finds out, he’s never gonna let me live it down.”

Your stomach twisted, but you held your ground. “You’re breaking things off because of my brother?”

She hesitated, avoiding your eyes for a split second before nodding. “Yeah… He’s like my brother too, and I don’t wanna do anything that could mess that up. I don’t wanna hurt him by dating you.”

You felt your heart drop. For a moment, you just stared at her, waiting for her to say something else—to take it back, to say she was scared, that this wasn’t about Jayce at all but about something deeper. But she didn’t.

A scoff left your lips, anger flaring in your chest, pushing past the hurt. “That’s such bullshit, Vi.” You shook your head, voice trembling despite how hard you tried to keep it steady. “You encouraged me to date you. You pushed me to say yes. You chased after me when I wasn’t sure. And then when I finally let myself… want you, you pull this?” You gestured between the two of you. “You can’t just act like it didn’t mean anything.”

Vi clenched her jaw. “It’s not that it didn’t mean anything—”

“Then what is it?” you snapped, your voice rising. “Because as far as I can tell, you were fine with this when you were flirting with me. You were fine when you kissed me. You were fine when you had me on your lap, riding your fucking thigh, Vi. And now suddenly, it’s a problem? You knew I was a Talis the whole damn time, so don’t act like this is some shocking revelation.”

Vi looked away, her hands curling into fists at her sides. She had nothing to say. Nothing to defend herself.

You took a shaky breath, swallowing down the lump in your throat. Your voice was quieter when you spoke again. “You could’ve just said you didn’t want me.”

Her head snapped up, eyes widening. “That’s not—”

“Save it,” you cut in, stepping back. You didn’t want to hear anything else. You didn’t want to give her the chance to soften the blow, to make it easier on herself.

You turned on your heel and walked away, wiping at your eyes before the tears could spill over. You weren’t going to let her see you cry. You weren’t going to give her the satisfaction of knowing she had that power over you.

“Fuck you, Vi,” you muttered under your breath, disappearing into the locker room and slamming the door behind you.

The library was quiet, the soft hum of the fluorescent lights blending with the occasional sound of pages turning and muffled whispers. You sat alone at a whiteboard, forcing yourself to focus on your notes instead of the constant replay of that night in your head. The exam wasn’t for a few more days, but you needed something—anything—to drown out the emotions clawing at your chest.

Standing on a chair, you scribbled formulas and key terms across the board, biting your lip in concentration as you balanced on the wobbly seat. Your fingers gripped the marker tightly, and you exhaled slowly, trying to commit each word to memory.

Then, suddenly, two hands gripped the back of the chair.

The movement jolted you, making you lose your footing. Your stomach flipped as you instinctively grabbed onto the whiteboard, the marker smearing across the surface as you barely caught yourself.

"What the fuck?!" you snapped, your heart racing as you looked down.

Ekko stood there, a smug grin on his face, completely unfazed.

"Oh, fuck you," you huffed, stepping down from the chair with an annoyed glare.

"Heard you got broken up with," he said, way too casually.

You blinked. "How?"

Before he could answer, Jinx strolled up, a coffee carrier in hand. She set it down on the table, looking way too pleased with herself.

"Caitlyn," she answered for him. "She’s been spreading it around, so… be on the lookout for when Jayce texts you."

You let out a sharp exhale, running a hand down your face. Of course, Caitlyn couldn’t let things go. It wasn’t enough for her to be a controlling, petty mess—she had to make sure everyone knew she was a controlling, petty mess.

"She’s such a petty bitch…" you muttered under your breath, shaking your head.

"Which is exactly why," Jinx interrupted, leaning in with a conspiratorial smirk, "I think we should go to this street race."

You raised a brow. "What?"

"Just you and me—and a couple of other girls I feel you would love," she added, her grin widening.

You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms. "No way."

But the way Jinx’s expression shifted—the way she leaned against the table, twirling a straw in her iced coffee—told you she wasn’t letting this go that easily.

Ekko smirked, nudging your arm. "Come on, think about it. You’re already on Cait’s radar—why not give her something real to talk about?"

Jinx tapped a manicured finger against the table. "Imagine it: you, looking hot as hell, dancing, drinking, thriving while Vi—if she shows up—has to sit there and watch you having the time of your life. And Cait? Oh, she’ll be pissed."

You exhaled, pressing your fingers against your temples. The last thing you wanted was to play games, but… were you really just going to sit around and let Caitlyn run her mouth unchecked?

Ekko leaned in, lowering his voice. "If nothing else, you need a distraction."

You hesitated, knowing he was right. Your emotions were eating you alive, and pretending you were fine wasn’t making it any easier.

Jinx’s grin widened. "So? What’s it gonna be?"

After a long moment, you sighed. "...Fine."

Jinx pumped her fist. "Hell yes! I’m picking your outfit, no arguments."

"You are not putting me in something ridiculous," you warned.

"You’ll thank me when you’re the hottest one in the meet," she shot back, already pulling out her phone to make plans.

Ekko chuckled, clapping a hand on your shoulder. "Atta girl. This is gonna be fun."

You weren’t so sure about that. But at this point, what did you have to lose?

Hours later, you pulled up to the abandoned lot with Jinx and Ekko, the place alive with music, neon lights, and the unmistakable sound of engines revving. Cars lined the perimeter, their hoods popped open to showcase souped-up engines, while groups of people gathered around, placing bets and waiting for the next race.

Jinx had insisted you wear something eye-catching—something that would make Vi do a double take. You had begrudgingly agreed to a sleek, black dress that clung to you in all the right places, paired with combat boots that at least made you feel somewhat prepared for the chaos of the night.

The air smelled like burnt rubber and gasoline, a sharp contrast to the heavy bass thumping through the speakers set up along the lot. You could already feel the adrenaline, the buzz of excitement in the crowd as a pair of cars rolled up to the starting line.

"See? Way better than a club," Jinx said, nudging you with her elbow.

You crossed your arms. "I don’t know why I let you talk me into this."

"Because deep down, you love pissing off Caitlyn," she teased.

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue.

Ekko scanned the crowd, then smirked. "Speak of the devil."

You followed his gaze, and sure enough, across the lot, Vi stood near a group of racers, dressed in her usual hoodie and jeans, arms crossed as she talked with someone. But the moment her eyes landed on you, her expression shifted.

Her jaw clenched. Her gaze swept over you, lingering a little too long before she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the cars.

You exhaled, heart pounding a little harder than you’d like to admit.

Jinx leaned in, whispering, "Oh, she’s pressed."

"Shut up," you muttered, but you couldn’t stop the small smirk forming on your lips.

The rumble of engines filled the air as the crowd began shifting towards the makeshift starting line. Two cars—a sleek, jet-black Nissan GT-R and a striking purple Dodge Challenger Hellcat—rolled up, their headlights slicing through the night. People gathered around, placing bets, hyping up the drivers, and waiting for the race to start.

Your eyes were drawn to the Hellcat’s driver as she stepped out, exuding nothing but confidence.

She was tall, her toned arms covered in intricate tattoos that stretched from her wrists up to her shoulders. The sleeves of her fitted black jacket were pushed up, revealing more ink along her hands and fingers. Her dark hair was pulled into a tight man bun, showing off the clean undercuts on both sides of her head. Dressed in ripped jeans, combat boots, and a half-zipped hoodie over a tight black tank top, she had that effortless, edgy look that made her stand out in the sea of racers.

But it wasn’t just her looks that caught your attention—it was the way she carried herself, the way she leaned casually against her car, arms crossed, exuding pure control.

And then her eyes landed on you.

For a moment, she just watched, expression unreadable, lips curled in something between a smirk and a challenge. Then, in one slow, deliberate motion, she tilted her head, gesturing for you to come over.

You hesitated, glancing at Jinx, who was already grinning like she knew this was about to be trouble.

"Well?" Jinx nudged you. "Go on, princess. She’s waiting."

You exhaled, pushing down the nerves creeping up your spine.

With measured steps, you walked over, the heavy bass of the music vibrating through the pavement beneath your boots. She didn’t move, just let her gaze rake over you before finally speaking, her voice deep and smooth.

"Didn’t take you for the street race type," she mused, arms still crossed.

You shrugged, tilting your head slightly. "Didn’t take you for the type to stare so much."

That made her smirk, a low chuckle escaping her lips. "Can’t help it."

She reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone before handing it to you. "Lemme get your number."

You arched a brow, glancing between her and the phone. "That’s bold."

She just smirked, completely unfazed. "I don’t waste time."

You tapped your fingers against your thigh, pretending to consider it before handing her phone back untouched. "Tell you what," you said, stepping closer, your voice dropping just enough to tease. "If you win, I’ll give you way more than my number."

That got her attention. Her smirk deepened, her head tilting slightly as she studied you.

"Yeah?" she mused. "Now that sounds like a challenge."

You shrugged playfully. "Guess you’ll have to prove yourself, then."

She pushed off the car, stepping just a little closer. Close enough that you could smell the faint scent of cigarettes and expensive cologne.

"Careful what you promise, princess," she murmured, voice dripping with amusement. "I never lose."

Your heart pounded in your chest, but you refused to back down. "We’ll see about that."

The crowd roared as someone announced the race was about to start. She gave you one last smirk before slipping into the driver’s seat, revving the Hellcat’s engine. The sound was powerful, sending vibrations through the ground beneath you.

Jinx appeared beside you, eyes wide. "Okay, who the hell was that, and why am I suddenly invested in this race?"

You didn’t answer.

Because truth be told, you were just as invested now.

The crowd buzzed with excitement as the racers revved their engines, the scent of burning rubber thick in the air. You stood near the sidelines, your arms crossed as you kept your eyes locked on the Hellcat and its driver. She sat there, one hand on the wheel, fingers drumming against the gear shift like she had all the time in the world. Completely unfazed. Completely in control.

Jinx nudged you. "You really put yourself on the line there, huh?"

You exhaled, shaking your head with a smirk. "She won’t win."

Jinx snorted. "You don’t even know what she can do."

You shrugged, but in truth, you weren’t as confident as you sounded. That girl carried herself like a winner. Like someone who was used to getting exactly what she wanted.

And for some reason, tonight… that seemed to include you.

A woman in tight leather shorts and a cropped racing jacket stepped into the middle of the lot, raising her arms to quiet the crowd. "Alright, listen up! This one’s a quarter-mile straight shot—no turns, no bullshit. First one past the marker takes it all!"

The drivers revved their engines again, and the air practically vibrated from the sheer power behind them. You swallowed, heart pounding as the girl in the Hellcat flicked her gaze toward you one last time.

Then the race girl raised both arms.

"Three… two… one—GO!"

The second her hands dropped, tires screeched against asphalt, smoke curling into the air as both cars launched forward.

The Hellcat jumped off the line, the deep growl of its supercharged engine drowning out everything else. But the GT-R was quick too, hugging the pavement as both cars shot down the strip at insane speeds.

The crowd roared, everyone pressing forward to watch the two machines tear through the night. The drivers barely had time to shift, their acceleration maxing out in mere seconds.

Your breath caught as the Hellcat edged forward.

Then the GT-R pulled even.

The finish line was approaching fast, a spray-painted marker across the pavement. The two cars were neck and neck, neither driver backing down—

Then, at the last second, the Hellcat surged forward.

A split-second difference, but enough.

The crowd exploded as the race girl threw up her arms, signaling the winner.

The Hellcat had won.

Your stomach flipped as you realized what that meant.

Jinx wheezed beside you, gripping your arm. "Holy shit—you’re so fucked."

Your heart pounded as the purple Challenger slowed, tires skidding slightly as the driver swung it around and rolled back toward the crowd. The other racer slammed his fists against the steering wheel, cursing, but no one was paying attention to him anymore.

Because she had won.

And now, she was coming straight for you.

The Hellcat rolled to a slow stop in front of you, its engine still humming like a caged beast. The driver stepped out, boots hitting the pavement with purpose, her full height now on display. She was built—broad shoulders, muscular arms covered in tattoos that told stories you’d never get to hear unless she wanted you to. The sleeves of her fitted black hoodie were pushed up just enough to show the ink wrapping around her forearms, and her hair was pulled into a tight man bun, exposing the sharp undercuts along the sides of her head. Everything about her screamed confidence. Control.

She stalked toward you, completely ignoring the roaring crowd, her focus entirely on you.

"Told you I’d win," she said, her voice smooth but edged with amusement. She stopped in front of you, leaning in just slightly. "So… what’s my prize?"

Before you could answer, a new voice cut in.

"Like hell you're getting anything from her."

You turned just in time to see Vi pushing through the crowd, her jaw tight, shoulders squared like she was ready to swing.

The amusement in the girl’s eyes flickered into something more intrigued as she glanced Vi up and down. "And you are?"

Vi scoffed. "Someone who doesn’t like sleazy assholes sniffing around where they don’t belong."

The taller woman chuckled, slow and mocking. "That so?" She stepped closer, towering over Vi now. "Funny, ‘cause from where I’m standing, looks like she’s the one who wants me."

Vi’s eyes flashed, and before you could blink, she grabbed the girl’s hoodie by the collar, fisting the fabric tight. A direct challenge.

Gasps and shouts erupted around you as the tension in the air spiked.

"You wanna test that theory?" Vi challenged, voice low, dangerous.

The girl smirked, completely unfazed. "You sure you wanna do this, princess?"

You had enough.

"Vi, let her go."

She didn’t move, her grip still locked tight.

"Vi. Now." Your voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

Her jaw tightened, but after a tense moment, she let go, shoving the girl back slightly before stepping away.

"Go find Caitlyn to bother," you snapped, not even sparing her a second glance.

Vi clenched her fists, looking like she wanted to argue, but you weren’t giving her the chance.

Without another word, you turned back to the driver, ignoring the way Vi’s glare burned into your back.

"So," you said, slipping your hand into hers with a smirk, "let’s go claim your prize."

The girl grinned, her fingers closing around yours as she led you straight to her Hellcat. The doors unlocked with a single click, and without hesitation, you got in, leaving Vi fuming in the crowd behind you.

The second you stepped inside, Jayce was already waiting. Arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched tight, eyes dark with frustration. He wasn’t just mad—he was furious.

"Where the hell have you been?" His voice was low but sharp, cutting through the silence of the house like a blade.

You barely had time to close the door before he was on you.

"Out," you muttered, kicking off your shoes like it was no big deal.

"Out where?" he pressed, stepping closer. "Because Vi told me you were at a damn street race in the middle of the night. And then you left with some random criminal—"

You scoffed, rolling your eyes. "Vi seriously ran to you like a little snitch?"

"Don’t make this about Vi!" Jayce’s voice rose, his anger bubbling over. "This is about you and your dumbass choices! Do you even realize how reckless this is? You don’t need to be around that shit!"

You exhaled harshly, already feeling your patience wear thin. "Jayce, I wasn’t drinking, I wasn’t doing drugs, I wasn’t even racing! I was just watching—"

"But you left with her!" he cut in, voice sharp. "You barely know this girl, and you just got in her car like it was nothing! Do you even think before you do shit?"

"Oh my god," you muttered, rubbing your temple. "You're being so dramatic—"

"I’m being dramatic?!" Jayce let out a bitter laugh, running both hands through his hair. "You were at an illegal street race, surrounded by people who wouldn’t think twice about screwing you over, and I’M the dramatic one?"

You clenched your jaw. "I know what I’m doing. I was with Ekko and Jinx…"

"No, you don’t!" He shook his head. "You think you do, but you don’t! You’re making the same stupid decisions you did back then, and you know where that landed you?" He pointed at you, voice full of raw frustration. "You almost ruined yourself. You almost fucking died."

Your stomach twisted.

You hated when he brought that up.

"I’m not gonna relapse," you said through gritted teeth.

Jayce exhaled sharply, looking at you like he didn’t believe a damn word. "You say that, but with the decisions you’re making? I doubt that."

That one hit. Hard.

Your breath caught in your throat, your chest tightening.

"You shouldn’t feel like you have to be my parent, Jayce," you said, voice trembling slightly. "That’s not your job."

"Yeah? Well, it sure as hell feels like my job!" he shot back. "Mom’s never here, and you think I don’t have to worry about you? You think I don’t see how close you are to throwing everything away again?"

You swallowed hard, your hands curling into fists.

Jayce shook his head, his tone suddenly quieter, but just as sharp. "I have no time for myself anymore. No time for my own life, my own relationship." He let out a bitter laugh. "Mel and I barely get any time together because I’m too busy making sure you’re still alive."

Guilt crawled up your spine like ice.

You hated that. Hated that he resented you for it.

"I didn’t ask you to do that," you muttered.

"Yeah? Well, I didn’t have a fucking choice!"

“I have better grades than you Jayce. I’ve had more jobs than what you’ve had. I’m not the one you should be ‘taking care’ of!,” you say

Silence.

The air felt suffocating, thick with things neither of you were saying.

And then, the voice you really didn’t want to hear right now.

"Jayce’s right."

Your whole body tensed.

You turned slowly, your stomach sinking at the sight of your mother standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

But that was the problem. It was always unreadable.

"You need to be more careful," she said simply, her voice calm. Too calm.

That was it?

That was all she had to say?

You let out a humorless laugh, shaking your head. "Of course," you muttered, voice laced with disbelief. "Of course you take his side."

Your mother exhaled through her nose, stepping down the stairs slowly. "Sweetheart, no one is against you," she said in that carefully measured voice—the one that always made you feel like you were the unreasonable one. "We just don’t want you to go down the wrong path again."

Your throat tightened.

"I won’t," you insisted, your voice barely above a whisper.

She reached out, cupping your cheek in her hand. Her touch was warm, gentle. It made you feel small.

"You say that," she murmured, tilting her head. "But how can we trust that?"

Your breath hitched.

A lump formed in your throat, your whole body locking up as something sharp twisted inside you.

You hated this. The way she always knew exactly how to make you doubt yourself.

Before either of them could say anything else, you stormed upstairs, slamming your bedroom door shut behind you.

You barely made it to your bed before the tears finally spilled over.

You sat on your bed, staring blankly at the wall, your mind still reeling from the argument. Your hands were clenched into fists on your lap, your breath uneven as the weight of the night pressed down on you.

Then, your phone buzzed.

You glanced at the screen, your heart dropping when you saw Vi’s name.

For a moment, you considered letting it ring out. Ignoring her. Pretending she didn’t exist. But your anger was boiling over, and before you could stop yourself, you answered.

"What do you want?" you snapped.

Vi hesitated on the other end, exhaling softly. "Look, I’m sorry," she said. Her voice was quieter than usual, lacking the usual cocky edge. "I was being selfish. I shouldn’t have—"

"You went to my brother?" you cut her off, your voice sharp with disbelief. "You’re so fucked up in the head, Vi."

"Wait, just let me—"

"Now you’re fucking up my head," you continued, your grip tightening on the phone. "You cut me off, then you try to fight the person I’m trying to move on with, and now you run to my brother?"

Vi was silent.

Your breath was shaky, but you forced the words out anyway. "I’m done. Delete my number."

And before she could say another word, you hung up.

You stared at your phone for a second, your pulse pounding in your ears.

Then, without another thought, you threw it onto your nightstand and turned off the light, willing yourself to disappear into the darkness.

taglist : @mommymilkers0526 @rhian88 @wrappedinvines @nanajustnana-a @prettybunnyscorner @s7nburn @ghutzz4gutz @pornoangelz @veladeangl @hauntedbydreams @taurtel @lorasdolly @catvi6luvr @savedforlaterr @eggphobic @alex-thegiraffeboyy @artfairyyyyy @jordynhartley2001 @ellieslefttit @h0n3yf0rlif3 @rizzscary @bjjeweledx @cherrybomb2298 @brooks-lin @vintagekarma @ags-artnstuff @axolotl-arsonist @mingitheii @baylegend6 @kiiramiz @lez-zuha @jupitism

[floralblur]

𝔗𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔦𝔰 ℌ𝔬𝔴 𝔦𝔱 𝔈𝔫𝔡𝔰 ♱ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

“ that caitvi jail scene ” but angsty.

sfw ♡ wc 1.8k

(art m.emityy ig)

𓂃 ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ now playing : reflections (the nbhd)

for what feels like centuries, violet has been cracking her skull trying to get out of the iron bars, punching them and trying to force her body through the gaps with no avail. each drop of the water leak in the corner of the cell where jinx once sat feels like a ticking timebomb to someone’s imminent demise, but she’s not sure whether it’ll be her or her sister. her knuckles bleed, raw and red, eyes stinging from the tears she refuses to let fall. every breath is hoarse, the memories of prison from what felt like another life ago flooding her mind, a throat dry like sandpaper. after all these years, it feels so exposing to be vulnerable, so she remains paralysed in guilt. her sister had told her to not feel guilty anymore, but how couldn't she? she was always caught between rocks and hard places, yet always on the losing side. her breath picks up, hands clawing through her hair as she’s slumped on ground, her head in her hands. how much more helpless could she be in such a dire situation?

at that moment, she hears the click of keys jangling in the cell door in front of her, instantly flicking her neck up so fast she almost gets whiplash, a lean silhouette in front of her. locking eyes, caitlyn’s expression is one of… hesitance? withdrawal? she tentatively steps forward to vi until she meets her where she stands at the wall, exhaling so quiet as if her breath would rouse a beast from its slumber. “cait.. what are you doing here?”

time was frozen yet still an endless stretch as vi got into gear, instantly bolting for the door with the chance to save her sister given to her on a silver platter, but she’s held by the shoulder unable to leave. “i’m sorry, violet…” except now her helplessness is overcome by anger and resentment for all the previous pain. “now is not time for an apology!! let me go- let me SAVE her!” but cait’s grip only tightens, like vines around her chest, keeping her trapped in her arms.

she can feel the tremors of her guilty tears, acknowledging the harm she’s perpetuated after all this time. hoping it’s not too late to make amends, holding on to every last chance. “i’m so sorry vi, i never should’ve hurt you or put you in danger, and i- i was so so selfish…” whispering to herself. except vi has no more empathy to give to caitlyn right now. not when her world is crumbling around her, when her sister has signed her farewell, when the woman who should love her left her drowning in a sea of hardship only alcohol could fix. there is no more patience, no more instant forgiveness, not in this moment.

she shakes cait off of her back, throwing her against the wall with force, yelling into her own hands. vi paces up and down the cell, hitting her hands to her temple to try and think with reason. part of her wants to believe this can be salvaged, the bond they share, the care they have for one another. but she knows it was thrown away, so easily. a look of disgust from her, standing tall and proud, like a snotty piltover princess who has to get her way, after punching vi in the gut no less. everything in her life was catered to, prepared for, set in stone. this is the same woman who would kill any innocent to get to jinx. “clearly she’s not thinking straight,” vi thinks, but she also knows it’s no excuse. her carnal need to tear jinx apart has already torn apart what they had, irreparably so.

“you have some nerve, coming in here, and saying sorry of all things!! like that’s gonna fix EVERYTHING you’ve done. you’d kill anyone at all, and only now you wanna apologise? abandoning me and leaving me at my worst is cruel but coming back to relish in it… i didn’t think you could be so evil.”

for a second, cait stutters, frowning and eyes wide and bleary as she pushes out “i’m not here t-to relish in anything, i’m here to make amends, i swear on everything violet. i know how badly i’ve fucked up and how much i’ve done, and i still...” she squeezes her eyes and wipes her face quickly saying “love you”, under her breath, unable to hold eye contact. of course she doesn’t think her actions are evil, she thinks they’re justified, putting an end to terror in the city.

vi’s lost her patience with her, squaring her up and getting so close to her face she could feel every delicate breath, hear every heartbeat. “i chose to fight with you on the battlefield. i told you i’d take down my own blood sister with you, i talk to you with reason and tell you to NOT RISK SHOOTING A FUCKING CHILD, and what do you do? you punch me in my wound, leave me crying in pain, and go on your merry way. do you think i’m below you cait? do you think you’re better than me because you’ve gotten everything you wanted?” when vi yells, she snarls, her nose twitching in fury, like a beast trying to tame itself. she shakes and steps back, turning around and crossing her arms defensively.

cait was transfixed on her eyes, unable to look away from the truth laid in front of her. “your mom got an actual funeral, a real nice coffin, beautiful ceremony. vander died and we had nothing. our parents died and we didn’t have a fancy ceremony. how long do i have to fucking spell it out for you? even your grief is seen as better than mine, and clearly you think it too-”

cait tries to interject, standing up for herself against vi, “you can’t compare our suffering to one another, thats not right violet-”, but she’s instantly shut up getting pushed against the wall by the neck, her breath stilted by the pressure of vi’s forearm. “you, of all people don’t get to tell me what’s right or fair,” letting go of her on the side of the wall, stepping back as cait clutches her neck for air. vi is instantly back to shaking the bars, relentless in her mission to get out and still unsuccessful.

unfortunately for cait, her segue from the guilt is straight into shame as she starts staring at violet from the other side of the cell, her muscles tensing and relaxing under pressure, her back muscles accentuated through her shirt, thinking of all the ways she could show her she misses what they had and that she’s sorry. she inhales and exhales slowly, dragging her feet along to vi who freezes in place.

cait lowers herself down to her knees, hands on her thighs, preparing all the words in her head for how to get this right. “violet, from the day we first comforted each other i felt you were the one for me, and your sister being… who she is made things so much more complicated. it doesn’t change how… selfish i was, how entitled i am, even if i don’t think about it. my decisions dont only affect me, but so many others. even with my blinding rage for your sister, i see how deeply your bond runs and to give you such an ultimatum and expect it to be steadfast was…. foolish. i made such terrible decisions in my fit of rage, pushing you away like i was an angry untameable animal, and for that i am so so sorry. my want to keep you all to myself is foolish. the way i hurt you and lashed out, left you and became ambessa’s puppet all to avoid the word “sorry” is probably my biggest regret, and i am so sorry for breaking your trust. let me be someone you can love… again. only if you let me. you don't have to accept my words… but i know actions speak louder. let me make amends… please.”

each soft word cuts through vi’s body like a knife, trying to maintain her unwavering resolve to remain cold, harsh and unfeeling towards her. God knows she’s deserves the cold shoulder for even a little while instead of getting everything her way. she looks back over her shoulder to cait on the floor, both of them meeting each other’s gaze as vi stares down. if broken glass had a face, it would be caitlyn’s in this very moment. she sighs and rubs her face, always battling with all the possibilities, all the new things that could go wrong, but even if she doesn’t accept her entirely, she can start with hearing her. vi kneels down to her level, the baggage of trauma, grief, loss and guilt weighing her shoulders in this moment as she finally lets her tears pour in a desperate cry. cait knows this isn’t about her and her struggles, her mother, or even jinx. right now, she needs to be there for her. so she clutches vi around her neck and holds onto her, for as long as she’s there, her body moving up and down with every sob.

“i-i just can’t do this, everything feels so unfixable and i don’t know how i can keep ever- everything together…” every scream she’s locked away since childhood just waiting to be let out. violet feels like there’s more air in her chest, exhaling slowly now, her tears staining cait’s shirt.

she lifts her head from her shoulder, cait’s hand rubbing up and down her neck in a soothing motion, her eyes dry and darting around her face. cait puts both hands around vi’s face, slowly pulling her in and pressing her lips against her forehead, not in any lustful manner, but to put all the love and regret into repetitive “i’m so sorry”s, pressing them around her face, each kiss long and thoughtful. vi’s salty tears continue to fall as cait tastes them and kisses them away anyway, with no words to say anymore.

vi pulls cait’s face to her own, looking into her eyes for a few seconds before flicking down to her lips and tasting them, with every touch feeling like a sting to the skin, fingers tracing down along backbones and up through shirts, but the hands just linger, cait’s finger digging into vi’s skin around her, tightening and coiling her again. she leans her head over to vi’s shoulder, taking small bites around the skin through heavy breaths, suddenly unable to initiate out of fear. vi brings her back to face her, running her hand through her tussled navy hair, not sure whether to dive head first into the murky waters of their future. it feels like her anger and pain has all melted away even temporarily, and now she just wants pleasure to drown out the noise. maybe she could get what she wants. but she knows what she has to do. she slides out of caitlyn’s grip, as she starts frantically grasping again while vi stands up, backing away, leaving her behind. cait starts to plead from her position, “no, no please don’t leave, don’t leave me vi!”.

its as if the air stands still, each breath they take weighing the earth down. with a delicate voice, violet whispers “this should be payback, for you leaving me...” her eyes well up with tears, shuddering trying to prevent them falling. “…but you know i have to save her.” she turns so fast she might fall off balance, taking each stride with one foot in front of the other out of that cell, until caitlyn’s cries fade away. perhaps they were never fated to be together. maybe this is how it ends.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ

first fic hello tumblr ,, you can tell i forgot the sequence of events in this scene . . . oops <3 plus no one in this one shot is feeling fantastic i’m sorry !

[letters-to-rosie]

Rosie!!!! Ep 7 had me pointing at the screen like that Leo DiCaprio gif when Jinx lit the match to blow up the bar and during the sweet Timebomb moment on the roof!!! I was like JUST LIKE ROSIE SAID AAAAHHHHHHH even timebomb only being possible in an AU is in line with that i think. AND you are giving us the revolution plot the show didn't!!

lol timebomb and roofs name a more iconic duo

the funny thing about the parallel is that Jinx is doing this tearful goodbye to a place that's been a home to her for so long and was owned by two successive fathers whose deaths she had a hand in and feels responsible for. and revolution!Powder is like "Ekko pissed me off" lmao. not to trivialize her feelings, because it's certainly more than that, but she didn't come there to destroy it initially. it's this explosion of all this pain and anger that then is released when she and Ekko fight in the alley. it's so much less deliberate than Jinx in the show. it was interesting for me to watch too lol I was like heyyyyyy I wrote something vaguely like that

I do wish the show hadn't given us the feeling that timebomb was only possible in an AU, just because it also explicitly shows us that Jinx heals when she has people to care for. I think Isha's death is to suggest that she'll never be anyone's true protector, but it really shouldn't have to be that way. because Jinx keeps saving people all throughout the season. Ekko even says her inventions change the world. and there's so much work to do in rebuilding Zaun and making it its own thing that Jinx could be a big part of. work that Ekko himself is going to be doing. this is all to say that we should've gotten Firelight Jinx lol. we kinda did with the final teamup, but we didn't get to see it, and that's a shame. I think that would have been a very natural ending for her, to hide away and then live amongst the people who have become her people. but noooooo we can't have nice things lol

and that kinda segues into the business of the revolution. I did figure that the two sides of the city would have to team up to fight off Ambessa, though I couldn't have seen her alliance with Viktor coming (though it makes sense given Singed's lore, in a convoluted way). really not a fan of how at the end of the show most of the problems that were present at the beginning as far as class and inequality go are left intact. the only real difference is that Zaun has some leverage, but not much. but this does align with my critiques of the first season having some pretty neoliberal underpinnings. the second season just doubles down on that super hard in a frustrating way

for me, a big part of why I wanted to do the fic is because the show gave me a world in which it was really easy to talk about a lot of issues I'm very serious about, and because I could see Jinx/Powder turning into a leader, even if not in a conventional sense, through traits that were evident even before season 2's direction was revealed to us. it's kinda crazy how it's so easy to forget that Ambessa only had such an easy in because of the oppression Piltover had been perpetuating against its poorer half the whole time. it's a good example of how oppression is dangerous for the oppressor as well (very Pedagogy of the Oppressed-core of me but it's me lol)

this got long anyway hope you're doing well!! we should talk soon!

fic we're discussing is here if anyone wants it

[sirsealery]

grrrr BARKBAKRBAKRBKARBARK I LOVE SOUNDTRACKS !!!!!!!!! KSJKVGFCYDRTYGUHIJ I LOVE SOUNDTRACKS SO MUCH !!!!!!!!!!! i need every soundtrack ive ever heard to be injected into me so that i can consume and become them i need to become one with the music so bad it is not funny i need this more than i need anything else urghhhhhhhhh please ..... please i will die happy if i become the music (gonna yap a shit ton about various media soundtracks beware) (line break because its really long uhh) (mild and accidental sotr spoiler)

i dont know how to put it into words ... but the final scene in tlou ?? the path ???? GANG. the "ttltllltlllltllltltlltltltl" PLAYS IN MY HEAD EVERY SINGLE DAY I NEED IT SO BAD. ill prolly say this a couple of times but i am going to rip my hair out i LOVE the path. only the path will save me gustavo santaolalla my heart is yours you can take my life and my soul. pleaseeee tell me someone else needs the tlou soundtrack as viscerally as i do because it really isnt funny i dont own a guitar and dont have the money to buy one (or the time to practice i dont practice my own instrument nearly enough .. oops) but my friend has one and all i ever wanna play is this damn game soundtrack i literally. am so unwell. please.

arcane soundtrack. i know everyone knows and loves it but every time i listen to any of the sounds i go absolutely fucking feral. playground? yes please. what could have been? YES. our love?? i am dancing and dancing around my room and my downstairs neighbors are about to send a complaint. DYNASTIES AND FUCKING DYSTOPIA??????? IM CRASHING OUTT GANG DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON GUNS FOR HIRE. DONT GET ME STARTED BECAUSE I AM SOBBING AND HITTING THE GROUND AND BAWLING GANGG. KISS YOUR PERFECT DAY GOODBYEEEEEE BECAUSE THE WORLDDDD IS ON FIREEEEEEEEEEEEE AJNEDBHUGVYTFU

and we're only on season 1. i legitimately think season 2 woke something inside me and its UNWELL. IT IS A CREATURE THAT IS TEARING THE PAINT OFF OF MY WALLS. to ashes and blood had me going absolutely wild for a language that isnt REAL GUYS ARE YOU FEELING ME OR NAH. ARE YOU FEELING ME OR FUCKING NAH BEYFET IHRU GA AHUNI LEKCHOOO BAYUN HABAB AHUNI LEKCHOOOOOOO IM FLIPPING MY SHIT i would do worse than kill to have a spot in that child choir you do not understand. paint the town blue is fucking fire its the first song i heard because i saw ashnikko and got excited before even watching the show and i love it !!!! i love paint the town blue so much !!!!!! need to hear it for the first time again PLEASE !!!!!!!! im actually somewhat normal about the line ive only screamed the lines until my throat hurt a couple of times ... which if you see some of the jayvik fans they go buck wild for it lmao. fantastic was peak lesbian shit i love it !! i totally didnt get the words super duper wrong for like a month but thats not important i dont think .. made me kinda sad after my ex broke up with me because i was no longer feeling fantastic but straight up WE ARE SO BACK AND WE ARE FEELING AMAZING, FUCKING AMAZING !!!!! cocktail molotov is so cathartic to listen to i love imagining punching holes into my walls whenever i listen to it (and i love vi i love the pitfighter montage more than a concerning number of things .. that shot where the camera spins around her and she lifts her fist into the air?? yes fucking please ill take three)

okay gonna cut it off so its not obscenely fucking long (can you tell i really love arcane season 2's soundtrack) but ermm time for my top 2 because !!! because !!!!!! i know these are popular picks but ig first of all lets go with ma meilleure ennemie because i know thats the fan favorite and for GOOD REASON. literally i wasnt going to watch arcane until i saw the soundtrack and saw that stromae (my KING) was in it and that was the day i started my downwards spiral (/jokes. well not really.) i love this song i was so worried theyd make stromae sing in english (not sure why) but the timebomb scene killed and then ressurected me. i have ascended to a separate astral plane. "je t'aime je te hais" dude just kill me already we're five seconds in. tu sais cquon dittttt sois pres dtes amis les plus chers MAIS AUSSIIIIIIIII look man ive been a stromae fan since i was a kid and hearing him on here is like seeing my captain america in my goddamn apartment okay it was life changing. and id never heard pomme before but shes actually majestic i NEED to listen to more french music idk why ive been so hesitant (anyone like michel sardou ... im not a senior citizen i swear my dad loves him if anyone likes michel sardou please talk to me i love that man) (les lacs du connemara is our favorite car karaoke song michel sardou i know youre too old and i respect that but please perform again it itll make my poor old man so happy) anyways back to pomme i LOVE HER VERSE SO MUCH !!!!! "pourquoi ton prenom me blesse? quand il se cache .. juste la dans lespace. cest quelle emotion la haine .. ou la douceur, QUAND JENTENDS TON PREEENOMM JE TAVAIS DITT NE REGARGE PAS EN ARRIERE LE PASSE QUI TE SUIT TE FAIT LA GUERRE" marry me miss pomme i love you .. and naturally the chorus is the greatest thing ever written okay i love arcane's music in other languages so much

and my other favorite. ishas song. ohhh ishas song nothing in the world will ever let me recover from the damage it inflicted upon me. eason chan i hated songs in chinese until you (fuck c-rap fuck 生僻字 i say with a soft and warm feeling in my heart) but ohhhhhhhhh eason chan. just cut me open itll hurt less. i dont think ive gone a day since watching s2 ep6 without thinking about this song. i honestly didnt realize it was in mandarin until i watched the music video because i was so overwhelmed by the scene which is very embarrassing for me but uh. 世界满是恍惚我们抬头就能看见月亮 在我们还是孩子的模样 im so ill okay im so incredibly ill the whole scene with the changing art style and the blue flicker in jinx's eyes and the sheer joy in their faces god i miss them so much isha please my baby i love that they made ishas song in mandarin i love it so so so much "我这样就很好" oh so. we're just gonna end it like that huh. no hug or kiss no nothing is it. not gonna tuck me in or give me a tissue at least i guess. just leave me to bleed i suppose. sighhhh

THE HUNGER GAMES !!!!! been listening to all the songs a lot recently and i love the songs !!! the hanging tree always will have a very special place in my heart because yes i will be coming to the tree where they strung up a man they say who murdered three. someone said one time it was like a french revolution song and as "ça ira"s number one fan i can confirm. and then in the mockingjay movie .. fuck the pop version but the group version with the scene where they blow up the forest and then the dam makes me cry every time i watch it. i love choral and orchestral music guys. and the ballad soundtrack. mmmmm the ballad soundtrack. rachel zegler's voice is beyond angelic its so perfectly painfully human and alive and fighting and afraid and loving and MMMMMMMMM. i love nothing you can take i love the covey say what you want about sotr but i was so happy to have the covey back theyre my favorites. nothing you can taaaaaake was ever worth keeping .. BAMBADAMBAMBAMMMM !!! i love the hob scene so freaking much shes so pretty and beautiful i love lucy gray baird. pure as the driven snow pulls at my heart every time and its funny and ironic in hindsight but i love the way she says "snow oh oh ohhhhhh" DO THAT AGAIN PLEASE. DO IT AGAIN UNTIL THE DAY I DIE. and my current fav is absolutely the old therebefore ive listened to it a disgusting number of times in the past couple weeks. i love the snakes scene version and i love the accapella version gang "youre headed for heaven" yes i am. "the sweet old hereafter" i love the first verse so so so much please if one day i die and go to heaven i really hope that this song plays on my ascent i hope for it more than anything. and i think about burdock singing it and i love it so much. i have a random headcanon that he sings it at every tribute funeral and i wonder if anyone sings it for his .. some of my friends say yes and some say no i honestly dont know. um. "right here in the old therebefore .. when nothing is left anymoreee"

ermm why not finish it with dune part 2 right. it got a grammy and im DAMN HAPPY FOR IT. i remember near sobbing in the cinemas i love hans zimmer so very much sir i love you very very very much it really sealed the movie for me. the cinematography was absolutely fire and the whole thing was so well executed but the soundtrack .. the soundtrack legitimately brought tears to my eyes. i love music guys i love music so so much okay bye

[phightingheadcanons]

…there we go! According to the wiki at least, that’s every NPC (with a decent bit of lore to them. Sorry to the Settoing, Grav, Warp, and Roger/Rojer fans out there.)

Now I’m gonna go back to hibernating until the next NPC gets added or whatever. Till then! 👋 

— Music Anon (3/3)

Firebrand - Roar of the Jungle Dragon by DM DOKURO

“My screams echo out through the fire, And your rival dares stand in my way. Yes, this is a hardship most dire. And one day, you will heed what I say.”

Windforce - Scylla by Jorge Rivera-Herrans

“Drown in your sorrow and fears. Choke on your blood and your tears. Bleed 'til you've run out of years! We must do what it takes to survive.”

Darkheart - Happy Face by Jagwar Twin

“They say put on a happy face, ‘Cause we're tick-tock, tick-tock, Ticking like a timebomb- Hey, put on a happy face! Then everything's okay! Put on a happy face.”

Icedagger - Turning Out by AJR

“I'm a little kid with so much doubt. Do you want to be there to see how I turn out?”

Venomshank - Monsters by OR3O

“Even though I'm decaying, I can surely take you down. Let my teeth and your screams do the talking. One brain is enough for me to take away my frown, I'll be out there stalking.”

Illumina - Unity by TheFatRat (pre-updated lyrics version)

”Someday, We'll all be free. Someday, We'll live as one family in the sweet harmony.”

Ghostwalker - Live in Life by Will Stetson

“After all, you've got to live in life, And leave the dying to the dead. If your flame is burning strong, Why watch the shadows on the wall.”

&

“Death has no favourite child. He visits those who wait, And he visits those who ought to have a while.”

Bonus: after careful consideration, I (barely) have a good enough grasp of Overseer’s vibes to include him, too.

Father Overseer - Bernadette by IAMX

“Bernadette, you are my liberty. I celebrate the day, that you changed my history. Life and death, will always lead you into love and regret. But you have answers, and I have the key. For the door, to Bernadette.”

.

[rah-nee-yah]

my thoughts on act 2:

im being so deadass i think ep6 is my fave in all of the show. its just nice seeing vi and jinx being sisters. istg if one of them dies…i really hope their dynamic will be like the one in those league comic thingies.

also CAITVI NATION IS SO BACK. love love loved seeing them together again. i do wish vi was colder to caitlyn when meeting her instead of calling her cupcake. but hey its been like three years since weve last seen vi call her cupcake so a win is a win. theyre definitely gonna bang next act, i think ep 8.

WTF JAYCE. EVERYTHING WAS GOING SO WELL. what did he see in there?? ik everyone is gonna hate him but im excited to see where hes gonna go from here.

and isha. just thinking about her makes me tear up😭😭 im gonna keep this brief so i dont start sobbing AGAIN but i miss her already. then again…we didnt actually see her die so maybe…(im delusional pls help)

AND THE FACT THEY GOT VANDER BACK FOR LIEK FIVE MINUTES. IT WAS ALL ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY DUDE.

anyways viktor is totes coming back and i think he may be involved in getting mel out of the black rose. also i think she’s pregnant. maybe. just a little

in terms of criticism i really would have loved to see vi actually pit fighting. i think the main problem was that we already saw the pit fighting scene like two months ago so it didnt hit as hard because that scene really did emphasize what vi was going through so seeing it again just didnt hit as hard. thats just me tho.

in terms of pacing, i honestly have no complaints. i liked it. it felt similar to season one but that could just be me. i like fast paced things sooo yeah. i also love how all the characters converged in ep 6 which kind of tidied some stuff up. still would have preferred longer episodes but animation is expensive and takes a shit ton of time so i understand.

but my main complaint is WHERE IS EKKO⁉️⁉️ THAT MAN HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES. since s1e7 was ekko’s, i think ep 7 is gonna be centered around him returning to zaun and meeting all the other characters again…with timebomb sprinkled in. cuz jinx needs some support. i also think ep7 may be a party episode sooo yeah.

anyways i loved this act. it might be my favorite from the entire series but we’ll see.

[dors-ee]

I think the MV for Ma meilleure ennemie gave me an art block 🙈

it's like Solavellan with dragon age... how can i get even close to it? How can I get even close to the poetry and artistry? To the depth and emotions?

Everything feels unsufficient and like... childish compared to the canon. Solavellan in particular. This mythical romance... (I do not think the artists for solavellan -or timebomb- are unsufficient and childish, not at all. Here those are my opinions and feelings about myself. And only myself.).

The MV really elevated the ship for me (edit 2 : it always had lots of fepth and complexity but it has reached new, different, heights for me here), all this poetry and symbolism... argh. I kinda get why it wasn't in the show (even tho as I mentionned for me the show as it was was lacking writing wise without the elements the MV brought.). The tone is quite different. The depth too.

But now it makes me feel... small. In an awe way, like when one looks at the stars realize they're just dust and one insignificant life in the universe etc etc etc. And I am not saying it is bad, this feeling. And I admire the artistry of the MV - and solavellan- and feel so glad I could experience it in my life.

But yeah. Got me into an art block 😅 (writing too... general artistic block I think.)

How do I equal the laying down together facing each others like that, and he descends to her level (like Lavellan with Solas) ? THE hug? How do I get close to those emotions? How do i get close to the firelights licking her tears? To her rewind fall? welcomed by THE hug? ARGH the feels.

(and maybe I shouldn't even if I could... but I'd like too. Arrogant of me? Greedy? But don't we all sometimes want to get to unachievable heights?)

edit : those are just my rambles etc etc. I am too tired to let anxiety has me write a long disclaimer and a "I know this is just a MV and I speak of it like an existential experience" long paragraph.

Or maybe I just did 😅 Anxiety always win it seems.

[achios]

sorry to any moots i’ve accidentally spoiled arcane for, im having a breakdown

[two-sides-halved]

"Ahh, right, right... can't forget about the giant nearly never ending fall between the floor of the ancient sky arena and the ground." Human Steven chuckled. He looked up at Connie and nodded. "Yep, yep, just need a minute to shake out the jitters, and make sure my neck and any other exposed skin is lathered properly... I kinda get sunburned easily."

Classic Steven was doing his own stretching while Gem Steven and Pink Connie were watching despite the fact that Classic was also going to watch at the beginning of the training session as well. Classic Steven gave a wave to Connie excited to see her.

Pink Connie hummed a bit and started a quiet conversation with Gem Steven. "think he's going to be ok?" "don't worry, i have contingency plans in place. i think he's more worried about the little one than himself since he knows he can save himself... but it'd tear him up inside if he was the reason why she got hurt." Gem Steven huffed a bit. "but i won't let that happen... not again..." His fists clenched, looking for a change in subject before turning back to Pink Connie.

"So how has the campsite been fairing since we kinda left it all to you?" Gem Steven asked. "It's been doing good. I came up with new recipes while I was out foraging... think I could cook dinner tonight?" "Haha, funny, the only way you're cooking in our house is --" "If I had my own stove and cookware." Pink Connie replied as she pulled the camp stove and several pans and a pot out of the back of her dark reddish hair.

"Ok, smartass, you can cook but only for your boyfriend." Gem Steven said in a low tone, yet playful tone when he called her a smart ass before turning to his neutral tone. "But that's up to him if he wants to indulge in your science experiments." "I'd like to call them culinary adventures." Pink Connie replied with a flair of jazz hands. "Oh ho-ho, okay, camp-side gastronomist, whatever you say." he said with a diamond eyeroll that started with a blink and his eyes going up before during a full rotation and his eyes setting his gaze on his brother's girlfriend, who giggled. "ah, look at you using big words." Pink Connie playfully poked at his arm. "Yea, watching food network does wonders for my culinary based vernacular." Gem Steven paused. "Besides I'm sure he'd love whatever monstrosity you'd cook up... even if he hated it he wouldn't tell you, and crush your dreams, oh master chef of the wilderness."

Human Steven leaned against the bottom of the stairs. He took a few more deep breathes to calm himself. "This is just training. There is no threat, there is no looming end of the world or any ticking timebombs... just average run of the mill training. I've eaten, I'm in my training gear. Pearl is counting on me, Connie is counting on me... why is this so difficult to calm down?" His skin starts glowing a pink starting at the bridge his nose and spread outward as his thoughts continue.

"It's not the end of the world, Steven. Most people tell you it's not that but you've been through that. You know what the end of the world is like... the weather gets all crazy, the ground cracks beneath you... you watch the love of your life get cut in half with garden sheers by someone you've literally tried all day to be friends with to prove you're better than your mother and then ended up shattering them because of what they did." Human Steven's height increased in sized despite how he took a few more breathes to find his center. The sheer amount of floof to his hair caused his sweat band to snap off and fall into the abyss on the other side of the ancient sky arena.

"It's just a training session. No one is in danger, no one's life is on the line, it is just training session... with swords... oh god, what if Garnet's messing up on the phone call and telling Connie's mom that the kids were playing with swords was actually this training session right now?!" Human Steven thought to himself. His vision shifting that eerie yellow hue, a swarm of butterflies in his ears. He shook his head as if he were shaking the bad thoughts out of his mind, holding the cheek that his beloved had kissed. "... You've been through more worst days of your life... your Connie is ok... A weapon is nothing without its wielder, you got this... this is going to be alright, it's going to be ok, Connie will be fine, you will be fine... you can do this for her."

Human Steven took a few more breathes, before the pink coloration had slowly receded, to where only his eyes remained glowing pink. He slowly climbed up the 2 flights of stairs, before heading through the entry way, unaware that he had grown taller in height.

Classic Steven gave a thumbs up. “Ready to go!” Human Steven nodded, making sure his bag was zipped closed so he wouldn’t accidently leave something in the warp. Gem Steven focused then activated the warp. The familiar chime sounded, the light came from below rose up to surround them, and then they were at the Ancient Sky Arena.

Human Steven took a deep cleansing breath, then stepped off the warp pad first, yet had not gone past the entry way. He started putting on sunscreen on the exposed parts of his skin. Human Steven was mentally giving himself a pep talk. “You can do this, this isn’t the end of the world. This is just sword training. Connie knows how to fight, you know how to fight… but you should probably hold back just to see how good she is… You don’t want to overwhelm her… you don’t want her to get hurt. So getting a bench mark on where her skills were is a good thing.” He let out a sigh as he was now fully covered from his head to his toes.

Gem Steven headed up with Classic Steven, while Pink Connie stayed behind to make sure Human Steven didn’t need any help and smiled back to her own mini me and continued their conversation.

“Well, I guess the only way to truly know would be to compare and contrast. But that can wait until after your training.” Pink Connie replied, ruffling Connie’s hair with a warm smile. “You’re gonna do great out there… just be aware of your surroundings…” Pink Connie went over to Human Steven, surprising him with a soft hug from behind. “and you too, Biscuit.” She added a kiss on his cheek, squishing his face between her hands gently.

“Ah thanks.” Human Steven replied, with the utmost genuine tone he could muster before Pink Connie grazed one of her hands under his chin before heading up the 2 flights of stairs to join the others.

Human Steven sighing happily at the touch before he looked over to the younger one and whispered as Pink Connie left ear shot. “what did i just say thank you for… i was just stuck in my thoughts and i have no idea what you two were talking about….”

[madaboutmunson]

Everlong - Part 1 - Stacked Actors (Let Me Call You Sweetheart Part 2)

Warnings: References to violence, murder, injury. imprisonment. Guitars. Otherworldly communication. Angst. Fluff. Monitoring.

Taglist (if you want to be added/removed let me know 💚):

@aedicn

@munchabunch

"You know, I count myself lucky to be one of the few that got out alive that night, and having the privilege of a safe space, with friends, to recover." You smile and force the tears to come, just like you rehearsed, just like you did for every reporter.

"So, why do you think you are in there whilst the rest of your alleged friends are out here on the other side of the glass?" The reporter, thinks they're asking a revolutionary question, giving a slight side eye to Dustin and Steve, but it's just like clockwork. They all did this they all wanted you to know they were on your side, but they had absolutely no idea what happened that night. Henderson, Harrington and the rest of the band did.

The government had obviously got involved, convinced people of other things, another big fire for the history books. You were labelled an arsonist, a disgruntled young person, who had been brainwashed by enigmatic man who had apparently also died in the fire. A big neon sign so that people had nothing to fear from you personally, you were just a confused kid, who made a bad choice. It just happened to be a big one.

A year and a half later and the reporters were still coming, less now, but much more niche.

The initially reporters wanted to paint you as what you deserved, a killer, a devil, a demon, born evil, corruptor.

Over the last month or so they'd changed, the people coming wanted to hear your story, the harsh environment you had grown up in, how that had thrust you into the arms of someone who showed you an ounce of care, Eddie. It killed you to lie about him, but Mr Harrington did not believe for  second, you would have been capable of anything you had done, if Eddie hadn't been involved. You were such a good kid before meeting Eddie. Part of you knew you were a timebomb, part of you didn't know if Eddie had been the spark or not, but you blamed him for nothing.

"I've been told that I caused some people serious injury that night. No part of me wants to be out there until everyone, including myself, is happy I won't do anything like that again. I can't take back what happened, but I just want to assure everyone that I am genuinely deeply sorry and want to make amends if they will allow me" You give the reporter the look they want as the camera next to them snaps. That doe eyed pout look, the slightly furrowed brow, on the verge of tears. They just ate up that shit.

It wasn't that you didn't care about the lives lost, you did, truly. The scenes haunted your wandering thoughts and dreams, but it all would have been worth it, if you hadn't been interrupted, if you hadn't had to make that choice. Fix everything, or save Eddie. Though in the moment it didn't feel like much of a choice, her voice screamed in your brain to save him, so you did.

Communities of people online campaigned for your release, labelling Dustin as a rich tyrant, Mr Harrington as his accomplice.

You look behind the reporter for a second and meet the eyes of Dustin Henderson, who is watching your every micro expression, and has a drone trained on you with a sedative if you make one false move. You look to the other side and meet Mr Harrington's happy face. He's beaming at you proudly, giving you a secret thumbs up when the visitors and Dustin aren't looking.

"Do we mind if we get a shot of the scar?" She asks politely, but you can see the morbid fascination in her eyes. She wanted to see want it looks like after you get impaled on a guitar and live.

"Absolutely, no problem" you smile, stand up, take off your suit jacket and gently lift your shirt, untucking it to reveal the uneven divoted flesh at the site of impact and exit. You move side to side as the camera rapidly clicks.

"Does it still hurt?", She asks, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape, drinking in that delicious scar tissue.

"Sometimes I get these twinges, but it's nothing compared to what happened to others. I am very lucky, truly." You say tucking your shirt back in and putting your blazer back on.

Softly smiling back at her and the photographer, who is now taking some wider shots of your living quarters, or as most people would call it, your cell. Mr Harrington had encouraged you to be using positive language to keep your spirits up.

"Do you think, you will ever play again?" She asks tilting her head, purposefully revealing the pick necklace that matched the one you had played with that night at The Jackroller. She wanted you to know, she was entirely on your side, but they all did. They wanted something exclusive.

You weren't allowed to see it, but every single interview they brought up that video of you in the bar 'The Jackroller'. How it's still circulated. The thousands of copies of the guitar that had been made. The copies of the picks. Even your handmade Unholy Angel t-shirt had been officially released as merch by the band. And the song? That was played everywhere now, not just in metal clubs, but in restaurants, at parties, in the background of adverts.

All battle of the bands footage and photos had been allegedly lost, anything that ever did crop up was so unbelievable it was dismissed as fake, because how could any of that have possibly happened.

"I'll play again when it's deemed safe for me to do so." You answer kindly and smile over at Dustin and Mr Harrington, then back to her.

"Do you miss it?" She almost whispers, leaning forward in her seat.

You venture into the dramatic for her. You look down at the ground and swallow. Look back up to lock her eyes with yours, and sigh, "Desperately" you say etching pain across your face and touching at your scar.

And there it is, the pity on her face, even the photographer this time. You were getting better at this.

She shuffles forward to ask another, but she is interrupted, "That's your time up." Dustin says sharply.

The reporters expression for a second changes to anger, before putting her own mask on to address Dustin, a big brilliant white smile, "So, sorry, I lost track of time. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Do you mind if I get a picture with them?"

Dustin hated this part. He felt as though he was putting someone in danger every time he allowed it. That this time you'd flip out and do something.

Unfortunately this was Mr Harrington's idea, showing people they had nothing to fear from you, you could be rehabilitated, you had been rehabilitated.

As everyone steps into the cell, you stand back giving them room and position yourself in a space, so they could organise you all however they wanted. She goes for an arm around the waist, her fingers hovering over the scar, she's so desperate to touch, and your arm around her shoulders. You have your other hand in your pocket.

You feel her arm tremble against you, "It's alright" you say gently, "You look great" she beams up at you and you both turn to the camera as the shutter snaps a few times.

As the photographer sets the timer for his own photo opportunity, she turns to you for a hug and whilst embraced whispers, "We're so close to getting you out of here. They can't keep you here forever."

As you part you say, "I have to stay here as long as it takes, but thank you for your support. It means a lot. Truly" You say as you put your hands over your heart.

The photographer wants a picture where you throw up the devil horns on your hands and Mr Harrington looks unsure, "Y/N I just don't think it's a good look, you know? You've been doing so well, and a picture like that on the wrong side of social media could be bad news"

You nod at Mr Harrington, and settle into the same arm drape as previously.

Once your visitors leave, Dustin is on you straight away, "What did she say to you?" He asks impatiently locking you back up.

"Same thing they always say, They'll get me out of here. They don't understand how much I want that, but I have to get better first." You glance over at Mr Harrington with slight forced smile, and he returns a proud one.

Dustin was a brick wall when it came to you, but Steve Harrington was malleable, he truly believed in you.

He'd been your boss at Harrington's Records for a while before the incident, in his 50's now, still a full head of head, always dressed in some variety of suit and loafer combo, unless it was a cookout, then it was those retro shorts and a  polo or t-shirt. He had a bus load of kids, never could keep a romantic relationship together for long, even when trying his hardest. Despite everything he treated you like one of his own, he sincerely believed you'd done the work and got well enough.

Whilst Dustin Henderson was resistant to you, he was not resistant to his buddy Steve, and that's how you were making steps. Your bargains with Mr Harrington transformed into bargains with Henderson.

Eat your food for a while week, you'd get to see the guitar. Do your therapy work and you'd get to walk around outside, under intense guard of course. Complete interviews and paint your captors in a good light, and maybe your get a step closer to freedom.

Other things effecting the situation in your favour, the backlash that their businesses were taking by keeping you locked up here. Individually they could live comfortably, but it was their dependants, their families and their employees that were suffering.

Apparently the twist of opinion in the public court could be traced back to one source. A social media group had popped up one day "Free Our Guitar Hero", original creator unknown.

It sat with one post for months, just the video of you playing at The Jackroller.

Then a comment "Are they saying this kid caused absolute carnage in a room full of security, and all they had was their guitar, and then some how escaped past all of them and set fire to everything? Please make it make sense at least 😂"

Then leaked photos of injuries on bodies, "There is no sign of fire damage at all".

Analysis of photos taken outside immediately after the incident, "These are government agent vehicles, not a standard fire department vehicle in sight"

That was all the internet needed, a drop in the ocean.

A snowflake, that formed a snowball, that caused an avalanche.

Mr Harrington points his hand towards you from the other side of the transparent wall, "See, Henderson? They know, and they're trying, even their therapist is satisfied. We absolutely cannot keep them locked up in here forever. You have enough security on them to take down a tank. The ankle bracelet, the drones and the occasional sniper. They are just a kid, Dustin. A kid who made a bad choice. Let's not repeat the mistakes we made with Eddie, ok?" Mr Harrington implores Dustin, "And besides they can get back out there, everyone will be off our backs, and they get a chance at a life."

"Steve, you were in that auditorium too. You saw what they did. It's too dangerous." Dustin says flatly.

"Yes, I was there, and you know what I saw. Eddie, and those guitars. They don't have any of those things anymore, come on Dustin. You know this." He's practically begging.

"Has it occurred to you, at all, Steve, that one of the most dangerous things, about all of this is, we only know where one of those things is?!!" Dustin snaps at him.

"Dustin, please, we don't want an Eddie version two point zero ok. There hasn't been any indication of an incident for over a year and a half now."

"Oh yeah? What about all the outbursts, and the talking to themselves, huh? What about that?" Dustin counters.

Steve's hands go to his hips pushing his blazer open, and he frowns at Dustin with absolute disappointment, "And if you were trapped in a cell, with nothing to do, with no visitors for the last six months, no creative outlet, wouldn't you? Wouldn't you maybe, get a little wound up? Wouldn't you maybe lose your temper? Wouldn't you self soothe, Dustin?"

Dustin's eyes go to Steve's and he softens a tiny amount.

Steve takes his opportunity, "All I'm saying is, with all the security measures we have in place. They could do some things. They could play *a* guitar, one that you have built, one that has some fancy do-hickey shut off or something, ok? The phone is ringing off the hook for them to perform again, just like one song. They'd love it, it'd get those fanatics off our backs and they'd leave our families alone, Dustin." Mr Harrington gestures to you again, "They are just a kid. Let's not let history repeat itself Dustin, please. I can't...I can't go through that again."

Dustin looks at the ground, then at you and back up at Steve, "I build the guitar" is all he says before walking out of the area.

Your face erupts into a giant smile, setting off the ever circling drone to scan you for a sudden change in mood. Mr Harrington frantically flips out his tablet and starts jabbing at the buttons.

"It's fucking joy, you piece of robotic shit! It's joy alright???! Calm the fuck down" he shouts at the drone, as it dances around you threatening you with its dart.

For effect you cower, sending Mr Harrington into full Dad mode, his hands planted on his hips, as he shouts into the camera, "THEY'RE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY MIGHT GET TO PLAY A GUITAR ALRIGHT ITS NOT A THREAT. AT LEAST ONE OF YOU NERDS UP THERE SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPINESS IS. JESUS CHRIST, TURN IT OFF, BEFORE I GO GET MY BAT AND TURN IT OFF FOR YOU!"

The dart immediately clicks back up into the drone, and Mr Harrington re-enters the cell to embrace you, "Hey there champ, it's ok. It's ok now" he gently shushes and brushes over your hair with his hands, as your face is firmly planted into his shoulder.

"Champ, Ha!" You hear Eddie scoff "He used to hug me like that too you know, before he stopped visiting, and left me to rot. Fucking Coward. Do not trust him to have your best interests, he's thinking about his family first Y/N. Not you." Eddie tone softens, " However he is proving to be invaluable, so you just need to keep this facade up a little more, ok? We're almost there." You hear Eddie whisper in your mind.

You take a peek over Mr Harrington's shoulder, and can just about make the glimmer of Eddie as he passes. He's so faint to the eye, to see him he had to be in motion and it almost looked like dust particles dancing through rays of light, impossible to detect. However, his touch and his words in your mind were by far the easiest ways to know he was there without alerting anyone else. So this kind of telepathic walkie channel is all you really had to communicate with one another.

It had started with the dance around your cell, but there had been the lights and the radio, all of which were dead giveaways to Steve and Dustin. The talking to him aloud had caused a stir, and you couldn't write to him he couldn't see anything here. Wherever he was, it was this location, but somewhere else in time. Even if Eddie did had the power to do so, making a tear between planes in this cell could mean trouble for you both.

You just had to be so careful, freedom was so close you could almost reach out and grab it. Once you were out of here, once you weren't under cameras 24/7 you could talk freely, maybe even meet up.

Eddie still had his guitar, so he had the means to generate the gateway, but yours was locked up tight and that was under stricter surveillance than you were.

Mr Harrington releases you and holds your chin up, "Not long now kiddo, and you can come home, ok? You're doing so well"

You give him a warm smile, "Thanks for believing in me Mr Harrington. Especially when no one else seems to. Any word from my folks or the band?" You inquire with your most needy voice.

You know full well you'll never hear from your parents again, that was completely impossible on the grounds you'd murdered them. The members of Unholy Angel were unlikely to speak to you again until they ran out of material or Terry's recent marriage failed.

Mr Harrington puts a hand on your shoulder, and looks down at the ground sadly before looking back up at you, "Nothing just yet, champ. Nothing just yet."

"Are people really asking for me to play Mr Harrington? Even after what I did?" You call after him as he's leaving and locking you back up again. A huge smile spreads across his face, "Every single day. You would not believe the offers we've had through. I'm not just talking about pay to play, I'm talking people that want to send you to college. Musicians from all over want you on their record, even if it's recorded right here, and they have to sample it. Don't even get me started on the fan mail" he says flicking his hand down at you.

"I get fan mail?" You ask, this is genuinely news to you. You knew about the support online, you had no idea they knew where you were. That had its own concerns attached to it.

"You sure do. I mean all the gifts we donate elsewhere, you know?" He gulps nervously, "And I've saved you most of the letters. Understandably I can't give you them now"

You nod in agreement, "Thank you for donating the gifts it's the best place for them. I don't deserve them really. Same with the letters. They should probably go too" you worry if that might have been a step too far, a sprinkling too much of martyr, but Eddie disagrees.

"Oooof, right in the ventricles" Eddie laughs for only you to hear. You peer up at Mr Harrington, who's hand is literally in the center of his chest, clutching at the heart you just smashed.

"Everything ok Mr Harrington?" You say sweetly moving you chair back to its usual corner

"Yep" he croaks through a breaking voice.

"See you tomorrow then, maybe?" You smile over at him.

"Yep" he manages again holding back his tears, before leaving.

"Wow! He's going straight up there now... He's...oh shit, he's pulling that card...fuck...right ok act normal...act normal" Eddie says frantically.

The door to the visiting area bursts open. It's Dustin, "Look I don't know what kind of games your playing with Steve but it needs to stop, ok? I have an idea, that Steve is happy with, but you just need to be patient, right? I have a busines to run. I don't need Steve bending my ear about you all day"

"I'm in no rush for anything" you offer innocently.

A micro sneer appears on Dustin's mouth. You couldn't win him over this way, it had to be via his own methods, it had to be trust.

You approach the cell wall nearest him, and he steps back the drone zooms right up to your neck, and you shut your eyes bracing for the sharp sting, but it doesn't come, you open one eye cautiously, and then the other.

"Listen I am really trying here Mr Henderson. Being cooped up in here is taking a toll on me, and I know...god I know I deserve worse, but please if there is a way to prove to you I can live out there, keep my head down, let me, please." This might be the most genuine thing you've said all day.

You look him in his tired eyes, all of this was affecting him too. For a moment there is a glimmer of belief, but something must occur to him and the stern expression is back.

"You'll get your chance soon enough" he says leaving, and trying in vain to slam the door behind him.

"It's messing up our plans, but I kinda admire the little shrimp, sticking to his guns like that." Eddie chuckles, "Veeeery smart, that one. I'm fairly certain you'll end up at Harrington's though, and I can get there easy enough. Well not like turning up on the doorstep, but in the vicinity"

Your heart races at the thought. You hadn't felt anything other than a shared common goal with Eddie previously, except for the moments the guitar had been around. However since Terry stopped visiting, Eddie was all you had for comfort, and more than that you had nothing to hide from him. You weren't sure how much you could hide from him, even if you wanted too, with him floating around in your mind and such.

He'd never brought it up, but you did wonder if he knew. If he new that something was growing. You tried to keep it buried deep or shut it down when it flurried in your mind, but you could feel those feelings of infatuation creeping their way through you. Sometimes it felt like nothing more than a sigh, other times it was verging on yearning.

Thinking about it like this now, and Eddie being silent, made you wonder still. You decide to grab a book and start reading. Your hand has instinctively reached for a random book, you turn it in your hands, Dracula, and you immediately go to return it.

"Dracula, huh? Interesting choice for the evening" you can hear him grin.

"How did you..." You start to think, as he can't see what you can see here.

"You thought the title and this is where I've mapped the bookcase to" he interrupts matter of factly.

"Of course yeah. I'm always surprised this title made it in here." You say lying on your bed, opening up the book.

"Oh I'll think you'll find it's one of Steve's favourites, or at least it was" You hear the tinge of sadness in his tone. Something had happened between Eddie, Dustin and Steve. Dustin hardly got any of Eddie's ire, but Steve got it with both barrels.

It sounded as though Eddie becoming a vampire, had made them much closer initially, but then something changed and Steve left Eddie behind. And that, had completely broken Eddie. Broken him to the point of attempting to alter time.

"Read it to me?" Eddie asks as gently as he can. His voice always with an air of command. Maybe over the years he'd just got used to talking to people like that, it was a much easier way to get what he wanted out of them.

It was an easy enough request to fulfill because Eddie could hear your thoughts anyway, you just couldn't skim read anything. As you start reading you, feel the slightest of something brush your arm, your try to keep your eyes focused on the words but the emerging goosebumps are terribly distracting.

"Don't mind me" Eddie says, "Continue" .

You aren't sure when it happens exactly but you've fallen asleep, at first all you see is darkness but then your eyes open to a meadow, in its spring prime. In your hand a basket filled with purples, yellows and greens. The wicker of the basket gently rustles over the long grass, your free hand dancing over its blades as you walk through it. You feel more peaceful and content than you have ever done in your entire life, the sun is doing just the right amount of shining, and if it gets a bit too enthusiastic a breeze swings through the landscape, to remind it, this day is for you.

As you walk further, the tranquillity subsides as a creeping dread crawls up your spine as you step from the wild grass to the man-worn path, to leave the comfort of the wilderness behind for the necessary evil of civilisation.

Passing the first store the head turns, whispers and glares begin. You don’t understand why, you look down at yourself for any horrors but other than having grubby bare feet you cannot understand what makes them look at you this way.

You walk deeper into the town, the buildings start to become more tightly packed together and they grow in height, looming over you, giving you a sense of being trapped. Your eyes dart around and you pick up your place, if you could just get there, wherever there was, you would be safe.

As your pace picks up so do the whispers and gossiping, “Witch” you hear one say, another spits on the ground towards you, but you give them no attention and continue on your way.

Your hand lunges for the door handle and the bell above it chimes as you enter, a little out of breath, taking a deep breath in, the multitude of scents around the place fill your senses. Lavender, Rose, Mint, and Camomile and you feel some of that fear lift from your shoulders.

“Ah there you are” an older voice croaks out, “Lets see what you have for me today”. Your head turns to a wizened old man behind the counter, and a wave of relief washes over you as you make your way over offering up the basket to him.

“Ah wonderful, wonderful, yes exactly what we needed today, how did you know?” the old man smiles and chuckles, “No, no don't tell me your secrets, girl. I enjoy the magic of it all.”

The man turns his head to the doorway behind him, “Aimon, come out here lad, there is someone you need to meet.”

The hurried sound of shoes on wood, and a young man appears, tight dark curls atop his head, in his finery, but also smudges on his fingertips and face, probably from working the pestle and mortar you figure.

“Aimon, this is Yedda, one of our most valued suppliers. Yedda this is my new apprentice Aimon” You brace yourself with a smile, unsure how someone new might react to you. The apprentice turns to you and time slows.

Some of the deep brown curls that had escaped the pomade pushed through them, like falling springs on his forehead, as he swings his head toward you, an initial blank expression on his face. He slowly blinks his round dark mahogany eyes at you one…two times. One side of his mouth curls up first, revealing the sweetest dimple next to his mouth, and soon the other side follows obediently. His eyes trail side to side from the floor at your feet, quickly zig-zagging right up to the scarf around your hair.

When his eyes meet yours, the sensation from the meadow returns again. You felt at home.

Your eyes flutter open, and you take in your surroundings. You're back in your cell, the book clutched to your chest, as a food tray is pushed through the door. Mr Harrington's face the other side of it, he looks excited about something.

"Mr Harrington, everything ok?" you smile at him, getting up and collecting your food.

"Look, I can't say much, but, you should really, like definitely, eat your breakfast this morning. You might even need it all" Mr Harrington is trying to hide a big smile, he keeps looking up at the camera.

The little drone circles you and you try to relax so it backs off a little.

You eat a big mouthful of your breakfast, as Mr Harrington sits in the visitors area scrolling through the news, occasionally looking up at you, checking your tray and then smiling slightly, his eyes sparkling.

You finish your food. It's the most you've eaten in such a long time, you almost feel glassy eyed full.

You gently push the tray through. Mr Harrington snatches it up quickly and leaves you standing there in confusion.

You laugh, puzzled, and go back to make your bed, and put away your book. You sit in your arm chair and pull at the bare threads, twisting them around your fingers, in anticipation. It was strange to be waiting and not have a clue what you were waiting for, if anything at all.

Your mind drifts back to your dream, you don't recall reading anything like that in your book, but the imagery was so vivid and the feelings felt so very real. You'd check with Eddie later, see if he knew anything about it, but as far as you knew Eddie got turned in the 80s, not in whatever age your dream was set. There again, it might not have been anything at all. Maybe your brain was still trying to process certain feelings of your own and just twisted things a little.

Your thoughts are interrupted by the sounds of the visitor door opening, you stand up and go to see what is going on.

You see a very excited Mr Harrington, and an almost nervous Dustin Henderson.

"Ok, back up. All the way to the other wall!" Dustin barks at you.

You do as instructed, your ever present friend the drone hurrying you along.

Once satisfied something is pushed through the door.

It looks like someone has wrapped up a plank of wood, badly. You stay perfectly still, looking between it and Dustin and Mr Harrington.

Mr Harrington's big smile dissolves a little, he's realised you're afraid to take it, and the shame creeps up on him, as he stares at you for a few moments. He looks at Dustin and then back you, he's seen your expression before on a different face. He composes himself and swallows hard, making eye contact with you again.

"Why don't you open it? It's for you, it's all yours. A reward, you know" he puts on a smile and says encouragingly.

Your eyes shoot to Dustin, he nods.

You walk forward slowly, take the wrapped gift from the ground, and take it over to your bed to open it. You take your time, and try to remain as calm as you can, because you can see a new red dot trained on you from somewhere.

As the paper parts the gift is revealed. The dark wood feels cold under your hand, as you run your fingers along it, occasionally bumping over the metal strips. It's a fret board. No headstock, no body, no strings. Just the maple neck and the ebony frets.

You let out a gutteral sob hunched over it whilst gripping it in your hands, the tears will not stop coming, as you try to get out a 'Thank you' as you look over to them.

Dustin eyes are trained on you, his hand ready, hovering over something.

Mr Harrington is almost in a similar state to you. His hand clasped over his mouth, turning around to look away occasionally, but he can't hold back his tears this time, his shoulders shaking with an outburst of repressed emotions.

You weren't sure if it was all for you, or if in some way it was to do with repentance, making up for what they did to Eddie through you. They had kept him trapped, then worse taken away all he had left, and finally left him with nothing. This time they hadn't left you and they given you a chance.

You slowly pick up the fret board from the paper and gently move your fingers along it tapping out notes you could only hear in your mind.

A whole week you trained on that thing, Eddie would come by sometimes and sing out the notes for you as you tapped against the wood. After no incidents and good behaviour it was then replaced by a version with a body and head stock.

A week with that and you were given a singular string at a time. You'd worked your way to a full guitar. If you weren't having to do something required (eating, sleeping, therapy, interviews) you were playing. Playing until your arms ached, until your finger tips were sore or until your eyes couldn't stay open anymore. A few times you had fallen asleep holding it.

The first few times Mr Harrington had removed it and woken you up, but he eventually stopped, his excuse was you'd only pick it up first thing anyway. Eddie had said it was probably because "You looked damn adorable" sleeping that way.

Finally the day came where they were gonna let you play through an amp. You had wires and pads all over you for monitoring your vitals and then some.

You were so nervous, sure it was exciting and exhilarating, but you also had to keep it together to make sure it didn't worry anyone.

You plug in, and pluck a few notes, a scale, some chords, a nice mellow song. You look over at everyone standing in the visiting section.

Dustin looks up from his screen as you stop, "You need to play the song from The Jackroller" he stares at you carefully and then looks down at his screen.

Mr Harrington folds his arms and looks very nervous now, his smiled pulled back into a partial grimace. Normally he looked so sure, but with his confidence flagging, your heart raced.

You squeeze you eyes shut, bracing for the worst, and launch into the song. You feel a sweat break out, remembering that night. Seeing Eddie wide eyed up you in the crowd, your band mates looks of horror as their bodies were taken over by some other force, bending them to its will.

Then that person dancing, they were too close to Eddie. Way too close, and before you knew it they been thrown against a wall and through a table by some invisible force.

The song finishes and you open your eyes, you are drenched in sweat, and your limbs tremble, as you look over at those studying you. They ask you to unplug, put the guitar down and walk over to them so they can remove all the monitors from you.

Everyone eventually leaves, and you pace around the cell for a bit, nervously biting your fingernails, wondering what would happen now.

You feel that tingling sensation on your shoulder, "Hey, good job today." Eddie says kindly, "I wouldn't wear yourself out waiting to an answer. They might be some time. Come and sit down" you feel the tingle on your shoulder move down to your hand, and although he can't possibly be, it is almost like Eddie's holding it, maybe it was what you wanted it to be.

With all the guitar stuff happening, you knew Eddie had been around a lot less, you hadn't asked why, you'd been too busy with the guitar. Sometimes you'd forget all about him, and that made you feel like absolute dirt, but part of you knew he understood. When you had eternity, what did a few days matter?

You pick up your guitar and start playing around on it,a few minutes later you feel a total body freeze. The sun beams down through your window, and in the golden hour rays you see dust particles condense around your own fingers.

"Maybe, I should have asked first?" Eddie asks as there is a shift again.

You chase the particles around the guitar, playing different famous guitar riffs. Eddie praising or chastising you in your head, depending on the results. One you recognise immediately and refuse to play it. You'd heard all about Master of Puppets on the trailer. Eddie laughs "Too on the nose, maybe?"

"This close to potential freedom and you want to play that? No way, buddy!" You think.

"You looked scared out there earlier, what were you afraid of?" He asks curiously, but you can tell by his tone he already knows the answer.

"You know I'm just so close to getting out of here, and they threw me that curve ball. I mean nothing happened so I'm hoping thats enough" you tell part of the truth and hope for the best.

Eddie tuts a few times and makes a buzzer noise, "Wrong, try again"

You stop playing for a minute and lean your head against the wall behind you, "Ok, I was scared I'd feel that power again. I was scared they would be able to tell I liked it, and they'd stop everything."

"I'm tired of not being able to see you too." He says quietly, as the flecks in the light condense around your arms and hands

"I didn't say that..." You start to say, feeling a little flustered. He can't help but know. You had tried to quieten your feelings but it was futile.

"You didn't have to say anything. If this does not go our way. I'll figure something out. I promise." He vows, "I've played nice for nearly two years. I will not let them hold you prisoner forever. I'm trying it this way for you, and it's smarter I'll give you that, but it is wearing thin" you hear the slight growl in his voice.

"So how long have you been able to do this neat trick?" You say wiggling your fingers, through the minuscule fragments in the fading light.

Eddie giggles a little, "Hey, stop that! Oh since forever...it's just...well...when you are doing something you enjoy, you're louder to me. Reading is good, sometimes certain visitors, the bits of guitar, like wow, but today when you plugged in and played that song...you were like a hologram." He says almost sweetly.

"And now?" You ask carefully.

"Now...well you're definition is fading..." He voice trails off a little, "but you are glowing" he whispers, and you close your eyes as he does so.

You were currently in a whole heap of actual lawful trouble, but this thought exchange made you feel like you were headed for another kind.

You squeeze you're eyes shut more tightly, and just start of thinking things from around the room.

"Hey! Just when it was starting to get good in here, you go and change the channel? No fair!" Eddie complains with a laugh.

You hear a rumble followed by the visitors doors opening up. Mr Harrington is standing there with two cases, "Get your stuff Y/N. You're coming home"

[snowdice]

Folds In Time Part 1 Playlist

Hey everyone, for those who are interested, I just wanted to let you know I’ve officially completed the Folds In Time Book 1 playlist. It’s currently 67 songs. It’s usually one or two songs per chapter. If you’re interested in which songs go with which chapters, you can see it under the cut. Totally willing to answer questions about why each song goes with the chapter I put it with. (Me scaling the wall wanting to talk about it, but also knowing most people don’t care as much as me.)

Here’s a link to the playlist on Youtube!

Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?

Chapter 1: Burnt Rubber Pop-Tarts

Disappear- Eli

Burn Rubber- SOPHIE

Chapter 2: Green Light

Nyan Cat

Chapter 3: Eye of Gold; Thigh of Blue

Masquerade- Motion Picture Cast | Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera Soundtrack

Charleston- Bob Crosy

Arc I Playlist

Chapter 4: Before All The Paperwork Got Signed

My Roommate is a Cat Opening- Unknown World

Straight Shot- DeVotchKa

Chapter 5: It Spills Itself in Fearing to be Spilt

Highly Suspect- Gath Salts

By Myself- FIDLAR

Vodka- Korpiklaani

Chapter 6: You Try to Cut Her Wires

Auld Lang Syne- Guy Lombardo (1947 Version)

Time Bomb- Iration

Chapter 7: Not Much Has Changed But They Live Underwater

Year 3000- Jonas Brothers

Auld Lang Syne (Cool Techno Remix)

Chapter 8: Just in the Nick of Time

Timebomb- Kylie Minogue

In the Nick of Time- Patti Labelle (Brewster’s millions movie)

Chapter 9: 大碗宽面 (Big Bowl Thick Noodle)

大碗宽面 (Big Bowl Thick Noodle)

Leave Me Be- Choir Boy

Chapter 10: All the Subliminal Things

Sucker-Jonas Brothers

Chapter 11: Right Place; Wrong Time

Meet Me By the River- Jacob Browne

Right Place Wrong Time- Dr. John

Chapter 12: French Lessons

French Class BLAJK

Chapter 13: Out of the Loop

1940- The Submarines (Amplive Remix)

Chapter 14: Crepe Date

Savory Truffle (2008 Remastered)- Beatles

Chapter 15: We’re No Strangers to Love

Never Gonna Give You Up- Rick Astley

It’s Not Unusual- Tom Jones

Arc II Playist

Chapter 16: Do the Mambo

Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)- Lou Bega

Chapter 17:

Carnavales Cameguey 2016 (Just music from the festival)

Chapter 18:

L-O-V-E Multilingual Version (Nat King Cole)

A La Mode- Los Abandoned

Chapter 19: Let Me Count the Waves

Flying Dutchman- Blasterjaxx & Zafrir

Let Me Count the Ways (I Love You)- The Temptations

Chapter 20; Two Wrongs Fix a Hole in Time

Distortions- David Guetta

Chapter 21: Promotion

Climbing the Corporate Ladder- Nmesh

Chapter 22: Late Night Trips

My Sister- The Juliana Hatfield Three

All Men Are Liars- Nick Lowe

Chapter 23: What Came First?

Egg- CG5

Chapter 24: Taco Pancakes

I Am Not a Robot- Marina and the Diamonds

Chapter 25: Now You See Me

DJ Got Us Falling in Love- Usher

Now U See Me- Dan and Drum

Chapter 26: Time is a Double-Edged Sword

Double Edged Sword- James the Seventh

Unfounded Revenge (Smashing Song of Praise) Super Smash Bros Soundtrack

Chapter 27: Now You Don’t

Disappear- Selena Gomez

Vanish- Dro Kenji

Arc III Playlist

Chapter 28: Face the Future

My Future – Billie Eilish

Chapter 29: A Storm Before Time

Romance Is Boring- Los Campesinos

Time- FreshmanSound

Chapter 30: Janus and Patton’s Get Along Hole in the Ground

Together- DJ Falcon & Thomas Bangalter

Chapter 31: Fishing for Laughs

Travel Song (Shrek the Musical)

Chapter 32: When It Rains

Time Travel- Daley

Ease- Troye Sivan

Chapter 33: Head Full of Paper

Origami- Capital Cities

Chapter 34: Raging Storms

Getting to Know you (King and I)

The Storm Inside- Daniel Gunnarsson

Chapter 35: Mistakes We Make

Rain Like Tears- Mirabai Ceiba

Numb Little Bug- Em Beihold

Chapter 36: 1000 Cranes

River- Ibeyi

Nothing Lost- The Alternate Routes

Chapter 37: Helpless to the Bass and the Fading Light

Together We’re Screwed- Robotaki

Shut up and Dance- Walk the Moon

Chapter 38: Not Quite Time

Time-Bomb- All Time Low

Let’s Go- Stuck in the Sound

Chapter 39: Coming Home

In My Blood- Shawn Mendes

[ollie-ollie-oxenfreee]

jinx for the character thing !

Favorite thing about them: I relate to her as a "second fiddle" little sibling who always felt like they couldn't escape their older sister's shadow. The scene where she first reunites with Vi absolutely broke my heart.

Least favorite thing about them: I understand why they're a part of her character, but some of her especially childish mannerisms post-timeskip got on my nerves a bit.

Favorite line: "I thought maybe you could love me like you used to. Even though I'm ... different. But you've changed too."

The voice acting on this line - especially the little hitch before she says "different" - is devastating

BrOTP: Her sibling relationship with Vi is incredibly compelling and heartbreaking, but the thought of her having a begrudging respect for Caitlyn as a marksman is also always fun to entertain. I really like the AUs where she meets Jayce and Viktor as a kid and nerds out about inventions with them too!

OTP: The excellent fic everything's better with a friend by typewriter_in_galaxy over on AO3 sold me on the Timebomb ship, it's as heartbreaking as it is sweet

NOTP: Any sort of relationship with Silco makes me extremely uncomfortable.

Random headcanon: Braiding her hair has helped her to ground herself in reality since she was a kid. The tactile aspect and repetitive rhythm of it - over, across, over - has always been soothing. She only wears her hair loose when she’s especially upset.

Unpopular opinion: I don’t know if this is necessarily unpopular but I don’t think Silco was a father to her. I interpret his relationship with her as largely an effort to shape her into a tool for furthering his own agenda. 

Song I associate with them: Guns for Hire immediately came to mind, but I think there’s a few lyrics from Delilah by Florence and the Machine that suit her well! It’s a song about manipulation and clinging on to what scraps of love you can find

“It’s a different kind of danger 

And the bells are ringing out

And I’m calling for my mother 

As I pull the pillars down

It’s a different kind of danger

And my feet are spinning round

Never knew I was a dancer

‘Til Delilah showed me how”

Favorite picture of them: I can’t find the relevant screenshots at the moment but the Tender Forehead Touch between Vi and Pow in Act 1 and their tearful hug when they reunite break my heart in the best way. The moment where she pulls the trigger on the rocket launcher in episode 9 and the light catches her Shimmer-pink eyes is also incredible. 

[beecreeper]

Part 2

This is Briar’s sexuality/kinks is a nutshell. Rough and kinky and switchy and freaky and, like unhealthy on purpose. “What I gotta do to find a sub who down to choke me?” Get you a man who can do both 💕

LOVE the vibes on this. Bit with the heavy metal and the sirens and the faux innocent “do you like that?” is just *chefs kiss*. Briar doesn’t have any rage about sexual harassment but she DOES think it’s very funny to seduce men to dominate and murder them. “Down on your knees boy, boo hoo.” VERY in character. Also vibing with the sarcastic prayer because throwing in religious imagery is always a plus.

This song is too explicitly romantic for Briar – she would NEVER say I love you – but disregarding that the manic obsessive murder energy is just right. This is the vibe when she fantasizes a little too hard about the day she finally murders Gortash properly.

A bit of Briar’s crueler, more torture-y side. She does like to play with her food. “Cutting you up will be so refreshing for me” is such a good line. She’s doing this just because she likes how it makes her feel. Empathy for another human life??? Never heard of her.

This one I really like for the bits that allude to durge as constructed, designed for murder and nothing else. “Am I real or a killing machine?” “The sultan's curse of cogs and gears [...] My clockwork claws, they tear and grasp”. Even through the singer is speaking like they relish the blood and violence, there’s still just a *hint* of the horror of being built for this by a powerful ruler with no say in it yourself.

This is song is extremely Act 3 Briar at Orin. She’s like OOH BITCH. YOU THOUGHT. TOO BAD I JUST REALIZED THAT I’M GODS FAVORITE AND NOW I’M COMING FOR YOU. BITCH.

OKAY LISTEN. LISTEN I’M COOKING. Like. I KNOW it’s an instrumental ragtime piece from a musical about the 1920’s but LISTEN. Chicago is a musical about terrible selfish people who on one hand get away with murder but on the other are still doomed losers. They win but they still lose! Pathetic greedy egotistical people who are never going to be satisfied and are thus going to be ultimately unhappy and also the stockmarket crash is looming over the horizon as a dramatic irony timebomb. The ending that this song goes to is these two people who are not friends but kinda made for each other anyway doing this grand finale dance in a big semi-real semi-not dream sequence curtain call! It also highlights how this has all been a show, a farce, a delusion, and that there’s nothing left to do now but finish it and take a bow. Do you SEE the durgetash vision yet??? A big grand send off to contrast how doomed they were from the very beginning and how everything they did was for fucking nothing and was always *going* to be for fucking nothing! These two horrible people hand in hand, on top of the world, perfectly in sync, but still fucking dying and losing anyway! For best results you can pair it with the song immediately preceding it, “Nowadays”, but honestly this alone still gets me.

Sorry to be a pony person on main but this song fits really REALLY well for Briar’s “good” ending where Sunflower talks her into rejecting Bhaal. She isn’t happy about it and certainly isn’t “redeemed”. “You tried so hard to make a hero out of me.” Sunflower gets literally the closest anyone could ever get to a “good” version of Briar but it’s still not enough. That’s just not in her. But the line that really makes it for me is “Did I get lost along the way? Lose my mind for a new identity” because of how her sense of self got all fucked up first by her tadpole lobotomy and secondly by losing Bhaal’s influence which was, like, the ONLY thing she had holding her identity together.

Briar Playlist Deepdive

Woe be upon you I wrote 1500 words yelling around music that makes me feel things

Rambling under the cut and also gonna reblog with a part two because of the audio limit

Starting with this because this is THE song that made me start compiling a playlist for her. THE Briar song of all time for me. Particularly her peak cult days. The “I want a life that will give me purpose” and “Don’t crack through my facade” lines delivered in with all the arrogant greedy rock star vibes hit especially good.

This one is very very much Briar’s pre-cult backstory. Honestly if I were to ever put the effort into a full animatic, this would be high on the list because I can see it SO WELL. The chorus “All the kids cried out ‘please stop you’re scaring me’, I can’t help this awful energy, god damn right you *should* be scared of me” is just sooooooo 🥺. I also love love love the lines “I’ve grown familiar with villains that live in my head, they beg me to write them so they'll never die when I'm dead” as alluding to Bhaal sending her the urges to continue his own power and legacy.

This one I added really early in playlist building literally just because mushrooms. BUT there are some good in character moments to chew on ESPECIALLY the ending bit which is very much a vibe for Briar just after she murders her druid circle and decides AHAHA FUCK IT NO MORE FEELINGS EVER AGAIN.

This one is less about *specific* lyrics because the verses are kinda just vague ominous occult sounding stuff but OOH MAN THE VIBES ARE OFF THE CHARTS. If you want a song that captures of the vibes of a fantasy murder cult this is it.

This one is also pretty self evident I think, especially as the plot with Gortash progresses and her motivations shift just a *bit* from “I’m gonna murder everyone” to “I’m gonna take over the world and *then* murder everyone”. I like that “I'm gonna run this nothing town” makes me think of the city of Baldur’s Gate specifically. The “Bite my tongue, bide my time” line at the very beginning also reminds me of how she’s holding back her urge and *not* murdering Gortash until he’s done being useful to her. (This could also fit well into her post-tadpole vibes also. Biding her time in Act 1, actively planning to take the brain in Act 3).

I mean. Honestly explaining myself almost feels silly. It’s RIGHT THERE. This song is definitely a mutual one with Gortash, with both of them feeling this towards each other. A particular line that hits especially good is “Smells like something I’ve forgotten, curled up died and now it’s rotten” because a) yaaaaay rot imagery and b) alludes to Briar having deliberately killed that part of herself that tries to care about people.

Another one that honestly speaks for itself and a strong contender for a possible animatic because YAY CULT LEADER BUDDIES. I also particularly like this cover because I loooove the sort of wicked relish these ladies sing with and the more sultry of the two singers is one of my headcanon voices for Briar. Favorite lines include “If they say that I’m a god, that’s what I am” (so much so that I drew a piece for it) and also “If we don’t comply [...] I could see us being sacrificed or stuffed” (which I imagine Briar saying with a huge grin on her face at the idea).

This is one that I like to sort of fill in the nuance and contrast between Briar’s view and Gortash’s. “A coronation, a beheading, From the funeral to the wedding. Do you think they care where the crown goes?” is VERY much a bhaalist talking to a banite, you know?

[kimberly-spirits13]

Right Hand Man (Loyal to the End) Pt. 8

Pairing: Damian Wayne x reader

Synopsis: You were like Talia’s daughter. The only thing was that you weren’t and instead, you had grown up in the foster care system and at a young age were taken by and personally trained by Talia. Along the way, you meet Damian and the two of you start to work side by side and eventually, after some time become closer and closer. However, when disaster in the league strikes, you face balancing an old, forgotten life as a normal child and the burden of right hand to the demon heir.

Note: I know that this is long and that there are a good number of time skips, but I didn’t want to make this into a series and just wanted it as a long fic because .... well because I can lol

Also, I didn’t want to have Damian so young in this so just go with it. I’m thinking maybe early 15 or almost 16 at the most. Idk I just don’t like writing for young Dami.

Warnings: angst, almost losing someone, buildings on fire, bombs, the usual lol

Word Count: 2181

Masterlist for Series

Both you and Damian had now been secretly dating for two months. It was an exhausting game of cat and mouse of either running from his family, or the prying eyes of the press. You had just excepted at this point that this was just going to be a new normal for a long time. There was nothing you could seriously complain about much however. This was all you had wanted for years and if the company of clandestine meetings was going to be a center of attention in this relationship, that was what was going to happen.

        Dates were mainly just tea or coffee on the rooftops late at night for only a short amount of time if it was on patrol, and longer if it was at the manor. Right now, you were sitting in the library, laying in Damian’s lap, both reading your own books. No one but Alfred was in the manor however, you were sure that he knew about you and Damian. Light streamed in through the windows and silence blanketed the room as Damian ran his fingers through your hair, occasionally braiding it. You fiddled with the matching golden ring on your left ring finger some as he did this. This was the most relaxed you had been in years and you wouldn’t trade it for anything.

        He didn’t know this until recently, but the only professor that had ever lived was one that you had. Your voice professor used to braid your hair during warm ups. She was the closest thing that you had ever had to a mother and in return for this, you begged Talia to let her live. You decided not to make it out so that you trusted or cared for her, but rather that she had connections to people that the league could use. With this tactic, Talia actually allowed her to leave but under a life- long oath of secrecy to protect the league. You braid your own hair when you were stressed or anxious but it’s better having someone else do it. Damian only found out when you started braiding and braiding your own hair in the roof tops one night at the league, only to let the piece unravel and start again.

        “Beloved are you going to go on patrol tonight?” He asked breaking the silence.

        “Of course.” You answered, “Is there a reason you asked?”

        “No, I was just checking.”

        “...Damian, how long do you think we’re going to stay a secret? I’m not upset or anything of the sort, it’s just a bit exhausting sometimes.” You questioned, flipping the page of your book.

        “I don’t really know Beloved. How long do you think you’d want to stay like this?” Damian set down his book to give the conversation his attention seeing as this one was important.

        You audibly sighed as he started braiding a portion of your hair, twisting it around and then letting it lose again, “I don’t really know, 3 months at most maybe?”

        “Are you tired of seeing strangers online pine away after me?” He asked smirking.

        You rolled your eyes and jokingly slapped his arm making him laugh, “What about me? I’ve seen plenty of suitors for myself.”

        “Don’t remind me Y/N.”

        “Oh no, I’ll remind you. First there was one that actually messaged me asking if I was single. Oh, another that tweeted asking if I was single. Then, there was another that mailed a love letter to the man-“

        Damian cut you off, putting his hand over your mouth making you laugh. You sat up and sat crisscrossed in his lap facing him, running your fingers through his hair.

        “You didn’t really think you could shut me up that easily did you demon?” You asked quietly.

        “I’d gage you would find a way to get your point across any way you could General.” He kissed the corner of your lips which made you glare at him some before pulling him in for a real kiss.

        “Next time some girl gets a hold of you at a gala though, just make sure not to charm her for me, will you?”

        “Whatever you say.”

_______________________________________________________________________

        Patrol started off boring and uneventful. Nothing exciting was happening but for maybe a few ally level crimes. You and Damian were perched on the rooftops looking down at the city lights and occasional people. Damian had obviously gotten the whole Robin outfit, in his own version of course. You however, took the same style as your past uniform. It was similar in the sense that it was amour and a hood, you still had your knives and compartments, this time though, the color was different. He couldn’t see the look on your face through the mask you were wearing which covered your lower face to your eyes, but he was sure you were bored. He was going to start a conversation when the comms came on with Bruce talking loudly.

        “I need everyone at the Rosehill Apartments on 7th Street! There’s multiple bombs spread throughout the building, civilians are inside.”

        You looked at Damian who nodded at you before you both swung off the building.

        “ETA 2 minutes.” You replied back getting onto your own bike and speeding off towards 7th St. following Damian.

_______________________________________________________________________

        Upon arrival to the building, you could see that everyone else was already inside but for Nightwing who on crowd duty until you two had gotten there.

        “There’s one more bomb in the kitchens. Everyone else is either getting their own or helping the residences escape.”

        You looked around for an entrance that wasn’t in terrible condition. Once you found one you ran towards it at full speed with a bomb on your mind.

        “Stick close, the roof might not be stable anymore.” You said, “If the bomb goes off, I expect you to leave immediately.”

        “Beloved I’m not leaving you if anything happens.” Robin replied running beside you.

        You didn’t reply, instead bursting into the kitchen and jumping over one of the carts in the way of your path. Using the locator on your wrist device, you scanned the room stopping when it got a hit.

        “It’s in the freezer!” You ran over and opened the door into the large room, “Hold this open and make sure it doesn’t close, I’ll disarm the bomb.”

        Damian nodded and did what you said as you went inside and ripped open one of the floorboards to find a massive collecting of wires and buttons connected onto one device. The type of timebomb was one that you had seen plenty of times before in training and when you yourself had used them. Part of training was learning to make one so it wasn’t too terribly difficult to disarm this one. The hard part was getting out.

        “Y/S/H/N!” You heard from behind you as you were about to stand up, “The place is on fire.” Damian called out, “We have to leave!”         You turned around and saw the place ablaze. Damian already had his other mask up over his face so he could breathe when you got out of the freezer. The two of you started running out to find the hallway also up in flames.

        “Don’t come near the kitchens, the whole place is going up in flames.” You said, “Bomb has been disarmed however.”

        “Good, now get out of there.” Batman replied back.

        “Working on that.”

        You and Damian sprinted down the hallway making sure no one else was inside on your way out. Once in the lobby you turned hearing someone screaming from a room nearby.

        “I’ll be right back.” You said turning around locating the person who was a small child.

        “I can’t find my Mommy.” She said sobbing into your arms.

        “I promise you I’ll find her.” You said running back up front, “I’m going to give you to Robin and he’ll take you outside, I’ll find your mommy.”

        You reached the front of the building where Robin was, “Take her, she can’t find her mother, I’m going in after her.”

        “You can’t, the building is going to come down at any minute!” Damian said taking the girl in his arms.

        “I have to check, I can’t let her grow up without parents like I did.”

_______________________________________________________________________

        You ran inside not really aware of what was happening outside anymore. Looking around you saw no sign of anyone but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t be buried under something. As you did this, you pulled out the scanner again but this time had it scan for biological creatures instead of machinery. There was nothing at the point where you were. Going farther into the structure was a no go at this point but it was your only option.

        Outside, Damian was trying to find the girl’s mother in the crowd as he mentally cursed himself for allowing you to go inside. He should’ve done more, he could’ve done more but he didn’t. Running to the line of ambulances, he looked for someone that matched the girl’s description of her mother. When he finally found the person, he rushed over just in time for the lady to see her daughter and burst into tears. She hugged her daughter and thanked Damian for bringing her back to her before Damian rushed back to find you.

        “Y/N!” He screamed getting inside catching your attention.

        Further down the hallway you heard Damian yelling for you. You turned around and started headed quickly for him and once he saw you, he announced that they had found the mother outside of the building. The two of you started running for the exit when you looked up hearing a faint beeping. The exit was 50 feet ahead and the closer to it you got, the louder the sound.

        “Damian! There’s a bomb above us, I- I think it’s about to blow.” You said as pieces of wood from the building came down little by little, “5 seconds now!”

        Damian had a look of terror as he picked up the pace. You knew that both of you wouldn’t make it without a little boost so you got behind Damian and launched him out of the way where Nightwing was standing right as the building was coming down. The last thing you heard was a defining thunder and then the screams Damian who was kicking and trying to get away from Nightwing to go back for you.

        “Y/N is still inside you idiot let me go!” He sobbed trying to elbow his oldest brother in the rib.

        The second round of explosions came, only making the structure collapse more, fire raining down.

        “Beloved!” He screeched making Nightwing almost drop him in surprise at what he called you.

        He understood why Damian was fighting so hard now, but that didn’t mean that he could let him go. The rest of the family standing by heard it as well. It would’ve been hard to miss anyways.

        “You can’t go in after her!” Nightwing yelled over the explosion.

        “I have to! She’s the only one I have, I have to go! Let me go!” Damian got lose just as the dust was settling.

        He ran to where he last saw you and started digging, tears filling his eyes so that he couldn’t see. There was no chance you were still alive and if you were, it wouldn’t be for long. That was when he heard you try and move something. He was looking in the wrong place, only a few feet away. When he saw where you were, he lifted the piles of wood and debris off of you to find you badly injured and hardly awake.

        “Beloved stay awake for me okay?” He said lifting you up out of the rubble.

        There was a part of your side where you had gotten impaled. It didn’t look like it hit any vital organs, however, you were bleeding out rapidly.

        He swept the hair out of your face and gently held you to him as he ran for the Batmoblie quickly trailed by everyone else. With you in the backseat, Nightwing front, and Batman driving, you were quickly headed for the cave. Damian wrapped your wounds tightly and held your head up in his lap checking your pulse every few seconds.

        “How is she?” Bruce asked sparing a glance at the back seat.    

        “Unwell, I-I don’t know how she’s still alive.” Damian responded.

        “Enhanced strength from the pit.” You groaned some in pain.

        “What the hell?!” Dick turned around to see you trying to sit up, “Enhanced strength my ass, how many times did you take a dip?”

        That earned a sharp glare from Damian and a reprimand from Bruce. He apologized realizing that he overstepped.

        “Beloved don’t move like that, just stay down.” Damian said gently, “You’ll only hurt yourself more.

        Getting to the cave, you don’t remember much, just waves of pain and floating in and out of consciousness. The only part that you really remember was the worst part, but that was later to come when everyone really thought you would die.

Tag List-

@we-want-mini-mini​ @a-door-into-my-mind​ @idkmanicantenglish​ @queengeorgiaaa​ @lucy-roo​ @wolfiemichele​ @grey-water-colors​ @random-fandom-girl-24​ @crumpets-are-better-with-jam​

[marshmallowprotection]

You've probably received an ask like this before, but do you have any specific thoughts/headcanons for Ray Route AE, in regards to the twins, as well as Saeran and MC's relationship? And what I mean by that is... do you think Saeran would have an easier time (even just slightly) getting over his hatred for his brother than he does in 707 Route SE? How would they interact? Would it be similar to how many people interpret their interactions for after the SEs (brotherly love-hate type deal), except maybe toned down a little?

And as for Saeran and MC, I'm not so much referring to the contents of their relationship, but Saeyoung's reaction to it, how he feels about it, etc.

I hope this makes sense, because I love the way you explain things and I would love to hear your thoughts on these ^^

[417]

Hopefully, Cheritz will give us a canon answer soon. I’ve definitely had the time to compare the two of them since I spend so much time in Saeran’s headspace playing around with this and that. Now, if we compare the events of the Secret Ending and the events of Ray Route, Saeran is in a very different headspace by a long shot. His place in his life is also drastically different. Unknown spent two more years in Mint Eye than GE Saeran did. There’s a vast difference between 6 months of being trapped and two years of being trapped. 

Both Suit Saeran and Ray were long buried in Unknown’s consciousness with no MC around to keep them tethered to the front. It was only a matter of time until either of them couldn’t function with what Rika did. I view Unknown to be another personality that split from Suit Saeran after some point during that two year period. Unknown and Suit Saeran have some things in common but they don’t read to be the same person to me. 

SE Saeran is just Unknown post-therapy and confrontation with Saeyoung, so I don’t see them as separate people, but the same person just in different eras of life. I’ve got a whole other people I could make about how it’s possible that Ray could flood back to the surface in therapy, as well as Suit Saeran, but they may not have the same names by that point. That’s more so just a big post on the way that their system works and how all of them cope with their trauma. 

But that wasn’t your question, but I’d be glad to answer that too at some point if you’re curious! Some people are torn on if Saeran has DID or OSDD specifically, and that’s a whole other topic. Anyways, back to the task at hand, SE Saeran in question went through literal hell for a very long time. He is fraught with so much anger and pain. He physically lashed out at Saeyoung and took weeks if not a few months to truly come to terms with what happened. He has to live with blood on his hands as well. 

We all know that SE Saeran tried to get rid of himself and Saeyoung, too. His emotional crisis is a strong one. He’s hurting so much until Saeyoung can get through to him and they can start to heal. It wasn’t easy. It was a fucking mess and that’s how life is. After what they went through? It’s wrong to assume that it would be simple or without pain and tears. Even after the Secret Ending comes to a close and we see Saeran with everyone, he looks so tired. His emotional state isn’t healed. He’s going to be dealing with panic attacks and much of the lingering PTSD for years to come. Saeyoung will as well. 

It’s going to be a constant battle for them. 

But, they’re both trying and the MC, as well as the RFA, are going to be there to help, which is great. A good support system is important but that’s also going to be messy because... well, you know, the truth wasn’t completely revealed to all of the RFA and that’s a ticking timebomb in itself. Saeran’s got issues trusting and being around much of the RFA. He can’t be around Yoosung or Jumin for obvious reasons. 

Either way, the Secret Ending has a lot of weight to it and it’s going to hurt just as much as it can get better for the Choi boys. Saeyoung believes that things can get better, and he’s willing and ready to stand by his brother to fight for their happiness. You know how much turmoil Saeyoung went through because we watched it. We know that he’s willing to do whatever he has to do for the ones that he loves. 

Even if it feels like pulling teeth. 

Now, thinking about what happens in Ray Route, we see the boys past revealed to the world with a direct attack. Saeran is able to realize that he was lied to and manipulated by the people that were supposed to take care of him. He is able to find out on his own that he needs to leave Magenta if he truly wants to be happy and free from his chains. We watch him be so damn strong and turn against the brainwashing and gaslighting. What he did should not be glossed over because going against your abuser is not easy. 

I was so proud of him for learning that for himself. He says himself that MC isn’t the one that got to him completely. It was a combination of factors that allowed him to see it. From how Ray was treated to how Saeran is treated, how they are promised things, and how those things are taken away. How it just didn’t make sense that Rika was disrespecting him and taking away everything. Nothing at all made sense anymore. She said one thing and did another. He decided to fight it even though it made him feel sick. 

You can watch his actions on the last day. How talking about Mint Eye as a bad place makes him gasp and choke, and whenever he tries to give his brother a chance... well, you see how he acts when you’re still holding onto your phone so tightly, asking him to take a chance on the RFA. He nearly has a panic attack when he tries to even say that he should look into it, much less talk to the RFA about it. He knows that he’s been tricked but he’s bouncing between what he has been told and what he’s trying to learn. 

That’s not an easy process. Saeran is going to be dealing with a lot after the events of his ending that we know of. The sudden fusion of Saeran and Ray can actually happen, I know some people feel like that was out of the blue but that can very well happen whether they make the conscious choice to do that or not and it was the best thing for the body at that time. GE Saeran isn’t Ray and he isn’t Suit Saeran, he’s not the two of them smashed together and he’s not one or the other. He’s someone made up of those parts but also his own person. Again, that’s a whole other thing that I’d have to get into here. 

Saeran has a lot to deal with as far as his trauma goes but you know what the difference is between GE Saeran and GE Saeran? GE Saeran had the choice to set himself free and SE Saeran had no choice. He was cornered like an animal and just... exploded. He was put in a position that he couldn’t decide. GE Saeran had the choice to leave Mint Eye on his own. That already makes the world of difference in his recovery. If we’re talking reasonably here, he definitely needs to start seeing someone to talk about what happened as soon as he feels ready to open up. 

So, he’s going to be spending a lot of time working on his problems and God knows how long it’s going to find Saeyoung so he’s likely to be making some good progress on his own. His relationship with the RFA is already pretty good compared to his counterpart as well. He gets along with everyone in the RFA, and he’s particularly close with Jumin, which makes sense given their natural wits. 

Now, therapy and getting a support system is good for Saeran. He’s got his MC as well with him. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s ready for Saeyoung to be back. When they find his brother... he’s going to need time and space for this to work. But, I imagine that he’s in a better headspace to handle it. He will tense up if Saeyoung hugs him and gets overwhelmed to see that his brother is alive after whatever he went through. Saeran will have to gently stop him and let him know that he needs time, he can’t handle all of this at once. Saeyoung needs to take it easy too. 

He’s got to react to the fact that he’s no longer bound by the agency and that he can live a life not hiding behind a mask. That’s going to be his own journey in itself that we could talk about for a while and I hope it doesn’t get glossed over because Saeyoung’s got a lot of his own woes to work on. So, don’t expect it to be perfect or anything here either. 

Saeran is able to breathe through the unease this time, but his MC will be there to hold his hand and help him speak to his brother about it. That first meeting is going to be a lot. It might trigger him, too. That would be the first time that Saeyoung is able to see that Saeran has someone that cares about him and that would be the selling point. If his brother is overwhelmed and scared and the one with him holds his hand and gently calms him, and removes him from the issue at hand, he’s sold. 

No hesitation. 

You protect Saeran, you show Saeyoung that you love Saeran, and that’s all he needs to see to trust you. He may not know all the details at that point but you can fucking count on him to be on board. He knows how to spot liars and people with bad intentions, and you don’t have that. 

He wouldn’t forget to tell you that, either. 

I think even more than that when he’s around the MC, he will notice how they just know when to touch Saeran’s hand and calm him. Saeran and his Mc have this silent communication. They don’t even really need words. They just look at each other and understand. That’s not something that is easily found in any relationship and when you see people that work in harmony you can’t help but smile. Saeyoung has hardly ever seen Saeran smile and you know when he sees it, he feels grateful that someone was there for Saeran when he couldn’t be there. 

There’s going to be guilt and other feelings in that but he’ll swallow that down. One more thing to add to his list of things to talk about when he’s ready to get his own help. 

Saeyoung and GE Saeran are going to interact slowly but surely. They’re going to be awkward... tense... maybe not angry, but there will be tight moments that feel overwhelming for both of them. Saeran might get angry and Saeyoung might be upset so there’s no avoiding a fight here and there but it may not be as violent as with SE Saeran and Saeyoung. Them getting to know each other is like getting to know a stranger... it’s been nearly a decade, they really don’t know each other at all. 

Sad as that is, it’s fun to get to know each other again. Saeyoung gets to learn things about his brother all the time and he writes that down, trying to make things right and make up for the past... Saeran swallowing back his shame and telling his brother that he’s not mad, and them just looking forward. It’s not always easy but I do think that GE Saeran and Saeyoung will have a different kind of relationship given purely from the fact that Saeran was allowed to choose recovery instead of being forced into it.