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maccreadysbaby · 4 months ago

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Project: Killcode

batfamily + oc insert

tw: none

wanna read more? here’s the table of contents!

want to read the first fic in the hundred days series so you understand what’s going on here? here it is!

bellamy and bentley actually make my heart hurt

part seventeen

❝ ONE AFTER ANOTHER ❞

MONDAY — JULY 23 — 10:54AM

BENTLEY MADE IT THROUGH MATH CLASS.

The whole thing was Dr… Mr. Keene giving a presentation about himself. He had two sons, instead of a daughter that he turned into a raging supervillain. He didn’t have a doctorate, he had a bachelors. He’d lived in New York City since he was in his early twenties — he didn’t live in Gotham, and he never had. In some of the pictures of his family, the Dr. Keene Bentley knew made appearances, standing alongside his brother when they were young.

About halfway through the presentation, Bentley actually started believing it wasn’t him. But his… appearance was something he’d have to get used to.

Bentley was pretty jittery for the rest of the class, and Varian kept glancing over at him about every three seconds for the entire period, just to make sure he was okay. Which he was. He was fine. It wasn’t Dr. Keene, and all of that had happened three years ago, now. He should be over it… right? (Getting kidnapped, tortured in his own mind, shot, watching people die, seeing all of Gotham on fire, watching Asten’s heart literally flatline… he should be over it all. Right? Right?)

When the bell rang for them to go to fourth period, Bentley and Varian gathered their things and left the room in a blink, purposefully giving Mr. Keene no time to pull Bentley aside or try to speak to him.

Instead, they broke off for their next classes — and Bentley’s was beginner’s biology.

The science building was right next to the math building, so Bentley was one of the first few students to cross into the classroom. It was large, set up like the others — the blackboard at the front of the room had a huge, intricate chalk drawing of a cell and all its intricacies on it. There was a skeleton standing in the front corner with a Hawaiian skirt and lei, and a name tag labeled Bessie on its ribs.

There were only three other students in there, so Bentley pretty much got his pick of a table — he chose an unsuspecting one right in the middle of the room, not in the front, and not in the back. He just hoped no one random would sit with him.

The teacher was an older woman, with black hair cut into a bob and a very… serious aura about her. She was sitting at her desk with reading glasses perched precariously on her nose, staring at her computer screen with a strange intensity, wearing the same uniform as Ms. Heidi.

He didn’t say anything, nor did he do anything to draw attention to himself. He just pulled a green binder out of his backpack and put it on the table in front of him, silently hoping and praying he wouldn’t have to share the two-person desk with a stranger.

The bell hadn’t rang yet, so he pulled out his phone and held it sort of under the table — did they get in trouble for using them before class started? — and scrolled and tapped away mindlessly before he remembered he needed to look something up.

He typed Adora, California into his search bar, and was immediately greeted by several articles about…

Genocide?

He blinked a few times and turned his brightness down, tapping on the first article in the list.

Adora, California, was a small town right on the edge of Sacramento established just under fifteen years ago. It was inhabited largely by a very secretive cult who offered their allegiance and worship to an unnamed god of death. They lived “off the grid” as in no one born in that town has a physical birth certificate or social security, making them legally nonexistent.

Bentley cringed, skimming through the rest of the article quickly.

Three years ago, the entire town, save the children, was mass-murdered inside the temple of their worship building. No evidence of a physical killer have been found. Most are inclined to think they took part in a mass-suicide as tribute to their-

Bentley swiped the tab away, suddenly feeling kind of really weird and uncomfortable. Koa was from… he was born into… a cult? That was kind of weird. Or maybe he wasn’t because Bentley was pretty sure he was fifteen, and it said the town was established under fifteen years ago. He’d lived with a cult, then. That was super strange, because Koa acted completely, utterly normal -- not like cult people who were in the movies.

Bentley promptly remembered that Koa never talked about his parents, but about a young man who had custody of him. Obviously they’d survived the genocide, or suicide, or whatever. Maybe they-

Bentley shook his head, pushing it all far from his mind, because it was starting to make him feel weird. He… he guessed he’d just keep being friends with Koa like he didn’t know what Adora was -- after all, Bentley, too, had an insanely crazy past. It’d be kind of rude for him to judge Koa for his, especially since he wasn’t really supposed to know about it.

So he sat there and looked at the desk some more, and students began filing into the room at a more rapid pace. Bentley quickly glanced at each one that came in, pleased when they went to tables different from his own.

And then someone really little walked into the room.

Oh yeah, he suddenly remembered. He had biology with Bellamy.

He watched Bellamy’s brown eyes trail the room quickly as stepped inside, starting at the blackboard and traveling to the skeleton, and then the desks, bouncing here and there before they finally landed on Bentley. He saw relief physically wash across his small features, and he pulled his backpack straps up tighter on his shoulders, making his way across the room toward his table. He glanced at the teachers desk; and Bentley didn’t miss the way he tensed at the sight of her and her threatening aura. (He didn’t really blame him.)

“Hey, Bellamy,” Bentley sent a smile in his direction, and Bellamy stepped up to the other side of the table, glancing down at it, then at Bentley, like he was asking for permission.

“You can sit with me, if you want,” Bentley continued. Bellamy shrugged his bag off and sat down next to him without saying anything, sinking down into his chair with a long, shaky exhale. Bentley watched him carefully. “...You okay?”

“I’m tired,” Was the only answer he got, and he didn’t press for anything more.

Bentley sat quiet for a few minutes, watching Bellamy glance at the teacher anxiously a few times, like she was going to come over there and personally stab him or something. She stood up from her desk and headed for the door -- Bellamy made himself smaller.

“Have you had a good day?” Bentley attempted a distraction, but it didn’t seem to help -- Bellamy just shrugged, his eyes lingering on the woman in the room. Bentley wasn’t sure what was going on, but he wasn’t a fan of the body language Bellamy was displaying. The same kind of body language Bentley used to have toward his own father.

“It's been fine,” He said softly, watching the teacher’s every move with hawk-like eyes. “I don’t like school.”

“I’m not sure many of us do,” Bentley replied, scooting his chair into the table more, keeping his gaze on Bellamy, the teacher in his peripheral. “Are you… feeling alright?”

“Mhm,” Bellamy replied. “Just tired.”

Bentley brought a hand up to rub at Bellamy’s back without thinking -- and he was sure his life flashed before his eyes at the speed the other boy jumped, so violently that it shook their entire desk and nearly knocked him out of his chair. His head snapped up and he looked over at Bentley incredulously, his brown eyes blown wide on his face, like he half-expected him to punch him or throw something at him or knock him flat out.

“I’m sorry,” Bentley immediately blurted, drawing his hand back quickly like he’d been burned. He could feel a few eyes on them from around the room, but he didn’t pay them any mind; Instead, something inside of him twisted uncomfortably when he recognized the look in Bellamy’s eyes -- a far-off, detached kind of look, like he just knew something bad was going to happen, like he was…

Like he was afraid of him.

“I’m sorry, Bellamy,” Bentley repeated, quieter. “I didn’t mean to scare you, I promise.”

Bellamy’s eyes fell, and he slowly began to relax, exhaling a breath that Bentley hadn’t noticed he was holding. “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t… mean to do that.”

“It's okay,” Bentley was quick to reply. Their teacher, who had apparently finished her duties in the hallway, came back into the classroom and closed the door with a loud wooden slam that shook the very walls.

Bellamy flinched again, his eyes flying up to the door like he expected something terrible and murderous to come back through it, then flicking to the teacher like she was the terrible and murderous thing. He brought his hands up and around himself as a means of comfort, gripping his own blazer sleeves until his knuckles turned white. Bentley reached out to touch his arm, but stopped short when he realized that was stupid given his current state.

He gently asked: “Bellamy?” instead.

Bentley only then noticed that Bellamy’s hands were trembling, and his breathing was growing increasingly more ragged the longer they sat there. Bentley just sort of watched, unsure of what to do that wouldn’t freak him out even more -- and Bellamy dipped his head down close to the table, his shoulders shuddering.

“Bellamy… hey, what is it?” Bentley tried, glancing up at the teacher, who was looking at them with distaste, her eyebrows raised above the metal rims of her glasses.

When Bellamy finally made a noise, it was a soft, muffled, telltale whimper in the back of his throat that sort of made Bentley want to kill someone.

He was crying.

Everything Bentley was thinking of seemed to leave his brain at the realization, and he reached for him again, only stopping when he remembered not to do that anymore. He forgot every single thing any Wayne had ever done for him when he was crying, and instead, his mind only seemed to reach back far enough to catalog what Varian had done during Bentley’s meltdown last period.

It seemed good enough.

“Hey… let's go in the hallway,” He tried, glancing around and catching a few of the pairs of eyes that were now resting on them.

Thankfully, it wasn’t very hard to convince him. Bellamy stood without a second thought, and Bentley did, too, crossing the short distance between their table and the door. Bentley stayed to Bellamy’s right, between him and the woman, just for good measure, because he didn’t know what was going on and he didn’t like it.

As soon as they were in the hallway and away from prying eyes, Bentley closed the door. Bellamy took a few steps down the hall, closing in on himself more, his sobs becoming barely, pitifully audible.

(This kid was too much like Bentley for his own good.)

“Bellamy…” He tried again, taking a few steps to follow him. “What’s wrong? Do you know her?”

He vaguely saw Bellamy shake his head no, but he was pretty much shaking all over, so Bentley wasn’t so sure about it. What he was sure about was how painfully lost he felt, having to take over the role of the help-someone-feel-better-er, the one role that was pretty much never left to him back at home simply because he was the youngest.

He wiped his hands on his pants. “You can tell me, Bell.”

“I’m…” Bellamy started, hiccuping lightly, still facing away from Bentley. “I… don’t know. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

“That’s okay, too,” Bentley said, stepping forward again.

Bellamy turned to look at him and Bentley frowned — his brown eyes were wide and pooling with tears that were steaming down his face, making dots on his blazer. He hiccuped suddenly, bringing his hands up toward his eyes in an attempt to hide it. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry, it’s okay,” Bentley replied quietly, glancing around the fancy hallway, glad it was empty. “What do you need?”

Without speaking a word, Bellamy stepped forward until he collided with him gently, synching his arms tightly around Bentley’s back.

Bentley fought the urge to gasp, instead, bringing his arms up and around him in return.

“I don’t know… what’s wrong with me,” He sniffled, his voice muffled as his face was hidden away in Bentley’s blazer.

“Nothing,” Bentley was quick to reply. “All of this, Redwood, it’s… overwhelming. Even for me. It’s okay to… need a minute. I did the same thing last period, believe it or not.”

Bellamy seemed to relax a little when he said that, tightening his hold a little more, sniffling and hiccuping quietly against Bentley’s shoulder.

(He wondered if it was a form of torture that was being bestowed upon him, rooming him with a kid who was just like him in so many ways — and not the good ones. Like he was having to deal with himself. If the nightmares weren’t reminiscent enough of Bentley’s past relationship with sleep, Bellamy’s uncanny ability to have some kind of a nervous breakdown maybe only an hour after Bentley did certainly said something about them… but Bentley wasn’t sure what.)

Bellamy sniffled deeply. “My head hurts.”

Suddenly, a door opened and closed behind them, and Bellamy went rigid.

“Is everything okay?” The teacher’s voice came, and Bentley glanced over Bellamy’s head to where she was, standing next to the door with a faintly worried expression on her face. Bentley felt Bellamy grip tightly onto the back of his blazer, and all big dig his head into his shoulder so he couldn’t see her, and for some reason, Bentley couldn’t bring himself to like the woman.

“First day nerves,” Bentley replied curtly, glancing back down at Bellamy’s head. “He’s… okay with me, we might just need a few minutes.”

She nodded once, frowning at Bellamy’s trembling figure. “Yes… take your time.”

Then she disappeared back into the classroom.

Bellamy hiccuped lightly again, his hold not loosening. “I want to go to my room.”

Bentley but his lip, glancing around the hallway as though the wainscoted walls would give him a proper answer. He breathed in and out, smoothing down the hair on the back of Bellamy’s head.

“I…” He started, trailing off, unsure of what exactly to say. He didn’t think he needed to endorse Bellamy skipping class, but he didn’t just want to peer pressure him into something that made him uncomfortable, either. (If he was anything like Bentley, peer pressure didn’t actually take much pressure.) “I… I’ll be with you the whole time. And I’m pretty sure lunch is right after this, and we can ask the others if you have any classes with them for the rest of the day. I’m sure they won’t mind letting you sit with them.”

Bellamy sniffled, but said nothing. So Bentley just stayed in the hallway with him for a while, pondering what his reaction to the teacher could’ve meant.

His fathers voice from so many years ago told him that he had to pay just as much attention to what people didn’t say, as he did to what they did say.

So quietly (and probably reading too far into the conversation), he wondered why, when he was clearly in distress, Bellamy said he wanted to go to his room, rather than saying he wanted to go home.

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ladykailitha · 2 years ago

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All My Roads Lead Back to You Part 11

We learn more about Harri and Addison makes a brief appearance. She’s dumb, your honor.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

***

Eddie put down his phone and buried his head in his hands. What the hell was he supposed to do with that information anyway? That the three major relationships that Steve had been in were catastrophic failures where his partner cheated on him. Swearing off women after Addison, according to Jeff. And then swearing off men after...what was it Edie said his name was? Mick? Simon? Dick? Well, he certainly was that.

He snapped his fingers. Andy! That’s what the asshole’s name was. Fuck. Steve deserved someone like Jay was to Eddie. Someone to be his partner to take care of him. Edie shouldn’t have had to take care of her dad. That shouldn’t have been her job. She was still a kid. And she had that ripped away from her because Steve didn’t find someone who loved him as much as he deserved to be loved.

Because despite their history, Eddie still believed that. Yes, Steve had hurt him, but he didn’t deserve to be relegated to a lifetime of loneliness just because he didn’t choose Eddie.

Jay was a bright soul. Happy and carefree in ways that Eddie couldn’t even fathom after Vecna and hell literally tearing his hometown apart. He taught Eddie how to enjoy life again and they brought Harri into this world. He was so grateful that he got the time he had with Jay. He missed that vibrant soul.

There were now only three people in the whole world who knew how Harri was brought into this world. It used to be four before Jay died. Eddie, the surrogate herself, and the surrogate’s husband. Well, boyfriend at the time. Eddie got up and opened his safe. He pulled out an envelope that held a small key.

He took out the key, hefting it in his hand. He walked to his bedroom and threw back the rug to reveal a trap door in the floor. He used the key to unlock the trapdoor and opened it up to reveal a small wooden box which held a small puzzle looking piece. He set the box aside and got up to go to his studio.

He slotted the piece in the wall behind their gold record for the song “Run Boy Run” and out popped another safe. He put in the combination 03-27-86 and it hissed from the air entering the safe for the first time since he installed the labyrinth of secret hiding places. The builders thought he was nuts, Eddie insisted and it was built to how he wanted it.

He had a secret to keep and he fully intended to keep it until his dying day. He would of course tell Harri when he turned twenty-one as per the agreement but that was the only time it would be told. To anyone.

He pulled out the large manila envelope and sat down on the couch. Inside was Harri’s birth certificate with the mother listed as Annie Souris. It was a little joke they made because souris was mouse in French so it was Annie Mouse=anonymous.

The paparazzi had tried to take photos of the surrogate on numerous occasions but they always made sure she was covered. Especially her hair and face. Because there were very few people in the country that wouldn’t recognize the face of ace reporter and investigative journalist, Nancy Wheeler.

She kept her maiden name, which Jonathan had been okay with provided their kids took on his last name. Which Nancy had agreed to before the surrogacy thinking it wouldn’t matter. But the only way Jonathan was going to be okay with her bearing someone else’s kid, they had to try for one themselves.

They would give it a year after Harri was born and then try for three years. If it didn’t take by then, Jonathan would agree it wasn’t in the cards for them and be okay with no kids. Two years after Harri was born Lillian Byers came into this world in a hospital in Germany.

He didn’t know the story behind the name until Edie told him, and he thought it added a layer of cute that hadn’t been there before.

Then Eddie pulled out the only picture of Harri in Nancy’s arms they had ever taken. Nancy looked exhausted but proud. And Jonathan was by her side, stroking her hair.

Jay was on the other side looking down at their baby with absolute heart-eyes. Eddie was the one that had taken the picture so he wasn’t in it, but god he loved that picture.

He carefully put everything back and settled back on the sofa, a picture of Jay holding Harri for the first time and the love that just poured out his husband in his hand.

They had hoped that with Nancy looking like enough like Eddie that they would get a kid that would have both their traits as they would have used Jay’s sperm.

Only to be devastated to learn that Jay was shooting blanks. They had briefly thought about not using Nancy and finding another surrogate but the doctors said it could be another year before they found someone suitable. So Nancy was it. It was why Harri looked so much like Eddie. The poor kid had been blasted from both sides of gene pool.

There was a knock on the door and Eddie looked up to see Harri standing there.

“You okay?” he asked as he came into the room to sit next to Eddie.

Eddie nodded. “I was just talking to Dustin today and it made me realize how lucky I was to found have found Papa.”

Harri nodded. “Is this about Mr Harrington? About what Miss Thing–I mean Edie said about his last boyfriend cheating on him?”

Eddie sighed. Harri got his smarts from Nancy, no doubt about that. “Yeah. I don’t know about his other partners, but the three major ones I know of all cheated on him.”

Harri’s eyes went wide. “All of them?”

Eddie nodded. “And while he was out there struggling to find someone who loved him as much he loved them, I lucked out with Papa.” Tears slid down his cheeks. “And it’s not fair. Yeah, I’ve been angry at Steve for a long time, but everyone deserves love. Him most of all. And to think that he never found that? Hurts, you know?”

Harri hugged him tight. “We were so lucky with Papa. I guess I never thought about how lucky.”

Eddie nodded. “I’m sorry I haven’t been a good dad since Papa died.”

Harri shook his head. “No, Dad. I’m the one that fucked up, not you.”

“If I had been there for you...” Eddie whispered. “I’m so sorry, Harri.”

Harri squeezed his dad tight. “You were doing your best in a bad situation. I’m the one that refused to go to therapy. I was the one that turned to alcohol at fifteen. I was the one that took your car for a joyride, too drunk to even see.”

Eddie hugged his son tightly. “But I should have seen how badly his death had affected you. But I was so deep into fog of my own grief that I didn’t see yours.”

Harri clung to his dad. “I’m sorry, too. I know the first twenty years of your life wasn’t easy and then I had to go make the last five even harder than that.”

“You’re the only reason I’m still alive, kiddo,” Eddie promised. “If I didn’t have you I’m not sure I wouldn’t have gone to darker places then you did.”

“So does this mean I get to drive again?” Harri asked with a grin.

Eddie pushed him off the sofa and he landed on the floor with a thump. “Nice try, kid.”

Harri laughed. “Yeah, yeah. Sober for a year was the deal.”

“Damn right it was,” Eddie said. “It’s my way of ensuring you don’t get back off track.”

Harri smirked. “Yeah, because against what literally everyone else was telling you, you chose not to call the cops.”

Eddie nodded. “It would have been better for my career, sure. But I would have lost your trust and that was something I wasn’t willing to lose.”

“And everyone says Papa was the smart one,” Harri teased.

Eddie tossed a throw pillow at him. “There are more than one kind of intelligence. Emotional intelligence, street smarts, battle strategy verse battle tactics, math verses history. There are all kinds.”

“Like what Edie was saying about her dad,” Harri said thoughtfully. “About how everyone thought he was dumb.”

Eddie nodded. “He was surrounded by literal geniuses and he still managed to see things they didn’t. Got a good head for business if that tech company of his is any indication. And he was too good at knowing when something was wrong, or upsetting you.”

Harri flopped down next to him on the couch and bumped his shoulder. “So are you.” He stopped him when Eddie started to argue. “That’s how you knew where to find me when I went off the rails.”

Eddie pursed his lips and then nodded. “We’ll make it together. Just you wait and see.”

Harri smiled back. “I know we will, Dad. I know.”

Steve was in his office when he got the notification of a visitor without an appointment. He frowned. He didn’t want to deal with anyone today, he was in a good mood and uninvited guests tended to ruin that, so hit the red button, signaling to Vanessa that he was busy.

Only for the door to slam open anyway with Vanessa right on this person’s heels.

Steve narrowed his eyes and immediately signed to her to call security.

“Still making wild gestures like a child, Steven,” the woman sneered.

Steve glared at her and then rolled his shoulders as if he was preparing for a fight. Which considering who it was, it wasn’t hyperbole.

He looked her up and down and decided she had really come up in the world since the last time he saw her. She had slimmed down and wore designer clothes. She looked like she had just walked out a fashion magazine.

“Addison Reed,” he bit out, still signing to Vanessa as he talked. “You’re violating your restraining order.”

The woman sneered again. “I go by Didi Patrick now.”

Steve went stock-still, except his hands, so that Vanessa could understand what was going on. “Doesn’t matter what fucking loser decided to make you an honest woman, you are still in violation of the law.”

Didi’s face twisted in rage. “I’m here for what is rightfully mine.”

Steve threw his head back and laughed. “Addison, you don’t get a dime of any of this.” He waved his hand at his office. “All this was after our divorce and even if it wasn’t you still wouldn’t get a cent because you cheated on me.”

He stood up and walked to the front of his desk and leaned on the edge of it. He smiled at her and tucked his hair behind his ear, showing off the hearing aid.

“Even with my parents hiring the best attorney in the state for you, still couldn’t change the fact that trust funds and inheritance aren’t considered shared and that you cheated on me. Plus, I hate to break it to you, alimony is only until you marry someone else. Which...” He waved a hand at her and cocked his head.

Her face was an ugly mask of rage and disgust. “You think you’re so smart, Steven, but you didn’t even realize that I’d been trying to get pregnant from the moment we met. Just you wait, all this will be mine and you’ll be in the gutter where you belong.”

Steve laughed again. “No, I knew, and I didn’t care, I wanted kids, Addison. I’ve always wanted kids. You just made the mistake of thinking that I would stay with you for the kid. But you made a classic blunder, babe. I have seen what happens when parents are too unhappy to divorce for ‘the kids’.” His whole body hummed with the thrill of it. He hadn’t thought he missed being in the thick of battle, but maybe this was why he was so good at business.

“Also, I didn’t used my trust fund for this. I still have it. Although it’s a lot closer to twenty million dollars by now. And that’s not including Edie’s trust fund which has about five million in it.”

“Her name is Edith,” Didi bit out.

Steve stuck out his bottom lip thoughtfully. “Nope, I’m pretty sure you don’t to decide that anymore. She’s almost eighteen now and hell, most of her friends don’t even call her Edie. They call her Miss Thing. Putting her even farther from your influence.”

He got up and looked over her shoulder. He nodded and then said to her. “I have more money than just this company and the trust funds. You have to be racking your brain where I got the money to start my own business. So I’ll tell you.”

Steve got close to her ear, his hands finally still and whispered, “Government hush money.”

Her eyes went wide as her mind filled in the blanks with all sorts of terrible things that Steve could have been involved with that would have caused the US government to pay him enough to start S&D Technologies.

Didi gulped, but before she could even open her mouth, she was being roughly grabbed from behind. She continued to scream obscenities and threats against him as she was hauled out by security to the waiting arms of the police.

***

A/N: I just want to clear up a couple of things because I don’t think they’re important enough to clarify in the story but that people might have questions about them anyway.

First, Jonathan. Nancy was free to do whatever she wanted, but she had to take into consideration what Jonathan would feel if she told him no kids and then was a surrogate for Eddie. What message that would send their relationship. So trying for A kid of their own was the compromise.

And then the hush money. Dustin and Steve went in on the business 50/50 with both of their money that they got from the mall incident. Thanks to the Upside Down, Steve was wealthier than his parents by the time he met Addison, he just didn’t flaunt it.

***

Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Epilogue

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk @trashpocket @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @plyerice27 @mightbeasleep @thedragonsaunt @chaoticlovingdreamer @trashpocket @sapphirecobalt-1 @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @steddie-as-they-go @lillemilly @callas-shitshow @bisexualdisastersworld @renaissan-vvitch @immortal-iratze @bookbinderbitch @thylatrek @lilacrobin @nightmareglitter @nerdsconquerall

#My writing #stranger things #steddie #reconnecting years later AU #ladykailtiha writes

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thedawningofthehour · 1 year ago

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In tandem with my ramblings about doth being an actual separated au instead of a 'Donnie thinks it's a separated au' au and some conversation with @dryad-druid about that and Big Mama being an actual mama-yeah, I think I've thought up a pretty cool au idea.

(this is long. you will regret this)

So the classic Donnie gets separated from his brothers, Lou takes the other kids in the divorce and Draxum gets left with Donnie, but unlike other separated aus, Lou very clearly sees Draxum save him from the flames. But Lou's hurt, choking on smoke, holding three babies and Draxum is holding his baby and OH YEAH HE'S LITERALLY IN THE PROCESS OF MUTATING. Lou has to flee for the safety of his other kids.

But he fought Draxum and took the turtles for a reason, and every moment he spends with his three babies just renews his conviction. He can't let Draxum keep even one of the turtles, and he will not leave his child to the mercy of that monster.

He needs to return to reclaim his last baby...but he barely got out alive the first time. Not only that, but he has three little lives that depend on him now. Even if he was successful, they couldn't be left alone for long. And he cannot fail. He can't leave his purple baby with Draxum, and he can't leave his other children alone.

So he returns to the Battle Nexus. He tells Big Mama he'll stay, he'll do whatever she wants him to do, provided two things: she provides for his children, feed them and educate them and keep them safe from anyone who might try to harm them or use them for their own ends, including herself. And second, help him reclaim his child from Draxum.

Big Mama is ecstatic. She has Lou back right where she wants him, his boys are just the most adorable turtles she's ever seen, and she really doesn't like Draxum anyway. They get married, she gets the boys birth certificates or whatever and sets them up in luxury accommodations, and hires mercenaries to capture Baron Draxum and his remaining creation and bring them to her-unharmed, she stresses. The baby must be kept safe, at all costs.

Meanwhile, Draxum just watched his entire life's work go up in flames as he was violently divorced by the guy he sort of-totally had a crush on, who was also the father of his kids and kidnapped 3/4's of them, and is now left with whatever meager possessions survived the blaze, his gargoyles, and a single turtle.

And yes, this turtle fusses constantly and keeps pulling his hair and doesn't let him sleep for more than two hours at a time, but...he, weirdly, really enjoys it. Yes, he's exhausted and hungry and hasn't been able to take a leisurely poop in a week because the second he sits down someone starts to cry, but when he stares up at Draxum with those big eyes while he takes a bottle, when he refuses to settle down and fall asleep until he's in Draxum's arms, he just...can't help it. He's completely taken with this kid. He'd do anything for him. He's all that Draxum has left.

So when the bounty hunters come looking for him, intending to take his son away, Draxum runs.

Homeless, penniless, not daring to use even his name, Draxum goes into hiding with only what he can carry on his back and the baby in his arms. He unfortunately has to get rid of the gargoyles-he won't be able to pay them and they're too stupid to keep anything a secret, plus they sucked as nannies. So they go back to the gargoyle agency, and Draxum goes off into the night.

Hiding in the Hidden City proves difficult, considering there's only so many goat Yokai, and Big Mama's goons are nothing if not thorough. I thought maybe he could live in some fantasy-esque cottage out in the middle of the mushroom forest or something, and maybe he does for the first few years, but as Galois grows so do his needs, and he becomes increasingly harder to keep hidden. So Draxum retreats to the only place left he has a prayer of disappearing into-NYC.

Life on the surface is hard and forces Draxum to deal with-shudders-humans, but he soon finds himself benefitting from their kindness. A coat draped over his shoulders when the temperatures start to dip, leftovers from a restaurant worker who is supposed to throw them away but puts it all in a to-go box instead. He likes to think of it as fate, choosing the alleyway right outside their apartment the night before he was stumbled upon, but after the shock had worn off the couple was eager to help him, and neither they nor their daughter April treated his son any differently.

The O'Neils help Draxum get a settled in a recently vacated apartment in their building and things begin looking up. Galois and April become attached at the hip almost immediately, and though neither of them completely understand why Gale has to stay hidden, they listen to the adults. Draxum can pass for human even without his cloaking brooch, so he gets a part-time job in the evenings to at least cover some of what the O'Neils are doing for him. April goes to his apartment when she gets done with school and he watches her until her own parents get home, and the O'Neils watch Galois while his father is at work.

It's not perfect, but they have so many more opportunities on the surface. April struggles in school so Draxum offers to homeschool her alongside Galois, and her parents agree to do that for at least her elementary years. When April is twelve and Galois is ten, Draxum gives him his own cloaking brooch so he can attend middle school with her. It comes with a long lecture on how he can't let anyone know his secret, that Draxum was asking a lot from the both of them, but he felt like they were mature enough to understand how important it was.

So they go to school, then come home and learns alchemy and Yokai history from Draxum, Galois sets his curtains on fire multiple times performing experiments in his bedroom, and always seems to be learning a new subject from Youtube tutorials. Draxum gets a day job as a lunch lady and starts thinking about getting a human degree, so he can go back to doing science things or practicing medicine. Two decades ago he would have recoiled in horror if someone showed him his future, but he finds himself...weirdly content.

MEANWHILE. The rest of the boys grow up in a life of luxury, tailored clothing and endless servants and world-class tutors. Lou settles himself into being Big Mama's part-time champion and full-time trophy husband. True to his word, he does whatever Big Mama asks of him, so long as it doesn't compromise his sons. He fights, he smiles and poses for the press, he sleeps in her bed when she wants him and makes himself scarce when she doesn't. And he does what he can to ensure his boys don't get too spoiled. Taking care of them is the only thing in his life that makes him happy now.

But the deal he made with Big Mama chafes him at every turn. She said she'd never force his children to fight, but when Raphael begs her to put him in some of the smaller, no-kill fights...well, that certainly wasn't against the terms of their contract, and how could she ever say no to one of her turtley-boos?! Leonardo is clever, far cleverer than any of his nannies or tutors, with a skill in manipulation that would put most car salesmen to shame. Not to mention he's definitely the most handsome of his sons, with his bold markings and charismatic personality. Big Mama delights in parading him around, using him as arm-candy when Lou isn't available. And worst of all, she's taken to teaching him business at her side. She fixates on Michelangelo as well, but Lou can't really find anything to object to when she hangs up his artwork and brags to her dinner guests about their meal being planned and cooked by one of her sons. Still, he keeps his last baby close, so she'll have all the more trouble finding something to exploit in him.

All the while, he can't bring himself to truly be angry with Big Mama. She took him back, kept him and his boys safe when they needed it. She's his children's mother, they love her, look at all she provides them. He was the one that left those loopholes in, he was the one who failed his sons. He was the one who left one of them behind. He can't be angry with her, no.

But he knows who he can be angry with.

So that's how he passes the years. Watching his wife exploit the children she claims to love, reading report after report of every failed mission to locate Draxum and his missing child, taking his fury out on every mercenary that returns without them. He thinks about his last baby, what hell their life must be. How they must feel, knowing their father left them with a monster. He thinks about Draxum, the source of all his misery, who has eluded him and kept his child captive for thirteen long years. Lou waits. He plans. While inside him, a simmering hatred plants its roots deeper and deeper, and slowly begins to boil.

#if you made it to the end congratumalations #you win no prize i don't know why you did that #this is barely proofread so all the mistakes you see no you didn't #i spent so long typing this when i could have been working on the next chapter #anyway going to bed now

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roxynmae · 2 years ago

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Hey I'm the og spider is the bio kid of jake anon and I'm LOVING the responses to this sooooo much!!!

My brain went down the route of in the wreckage of the ships some tablets got washed up and still worked. Jake gets spider to log into his old account to see in it still works (spider has small enough fingers to type) and they log in and it's like all of jake old phone, like videos of the past, old texts, his music library everything and it's like very fun - until norm points out that there is an unread message.

And it's a video message from spiders biological mum, who speaks French or smth (I live the idea that jake speaks French for some reason idk, and she chooses to tell the message in French because she knows none of the other crewmates speak it.) She tells him in the message that she knows what's coming and that she won't drag the baby into being blackmail, so they lied and said that Paz was pregs and that the bio mum was her support when it was born. Had to choose quaritch for the birth certificate bc he was the only man paz had slept with in the right time period. Idk I love the idea that she actually lived and went back to earth, and that somewhere in the message she says 'I know you might not get this but even if you don't know that he's yours I don't imagine you'll leave a kid to be raised by scientists, give him a good life jake'.

And it's just jake blank stare because oh my god that's her hair and his eyes and his mums nose and how the fuck didn't he see this before. I like to imagine a point of conflict being that he tells neytiri before spider

I'm not the biggest quaritch and Spider fan so I don't imagine he would run to him, but I do like what you wrote on neyteyam, and how he would be pretty skeptical of his dad's behaviour. I feel like spider would be much the same once the honeymoon period is over

Idk about neytiri, I imagine she would be pissed but I also think that she would accept him (maybe not as her own kid but as a stepchild) because she still has a feeling that this sort of thing would be eywas will, that the first human child would be born of toruk macto

Jake, I may be in the minority bc spider tumblr loves quaritch, but I think he could be an amazing dad he just has to make the decision to do better and not wallow in his own guilt. He would have alot of work to do, but I think he could do it (if he pulls his head out on his ass)

But yeah!!! Tell me what you think xxx

Wow! Thank you I’m loving this AU so much!

Them finding the message and only Jake understanding is a really good idea! It also makes for an interesting interaction with all the ones around him at the moment. And he as to lie his way out of the situation until he figures how to deal with the situation. The man literally froze into place, all that he himself had done and what he let other do to Spider downing on him. Her last words making him feel ashamed, how could he be such a horrible man?

Now I don’t see her surviving only because why wouldn’t she try to talk to Jake directly? Going to him, telling him the truth, she did all of this to protect their child I don’t see her wanting to be away from him.

I’m happy that you agree on how Neteyam would take the news. The boy truly feels lost at the moment, he grows resentment towards Spider, in his eyes now he lost his spot as first born, the rift between him and his siblings is getting bigger by the day and he truly feels as if he only has his mom left. He won’t even look at his dad in the eyes, Neteyam feels betrayed by him.

Neytiri is constantly trying to forget Jake’s past as a human and now Spider is the biggest reminder. It’s not going to get better, actually I see her getting even more antagonistic considering how Neteyam has taken the news.

Now for the dad situation, I have to admit my bias towards Quaritch, I love him as Spider’s dad and I don’t think Jake deserves this kid, not that he deserves his other children. Jake would need to do some serious work towards his whole family, because in my opinion as things stand he failed both as a father and as a husband.

#spider is jake’s kid!au #avatar #avatar the way of water #avatar 2 #na’vi avatar #miles spider socorro #spider socorro #avatar spider #avatar quaritch #jake sully #miles quaritch #neteyam #neytiri

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flowerwebs · 6 months ago

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hi! I saw your post/answer about xiran and hui and I gotta say I absolutely agree as someone who's half hui and grew up muslim/in a hui household jklfdhfhg I've been meaning to post about it but I'm glad other people are pointing it out. Aside from the host of other problems in her work, her refusal to ever really bring up hui culture outside of when its politically useful while basically making Han Culture Bite Sized Lectures for a white audience has always really rubbed me the wrong way - and although like you said Hui is a diverse term and there are many ways to be Hui, her Zachary Ying book had some aspects to it that made me raise my eyebrows and didn't really ring true to the experience of being Hui diaspora. Especially the fact that there was a big fuss made in the books about the political repercussions of Zachary being Hui, but the rest of the book is about him being possessed by Qin Shi Huang and 'magic' and such (?????) which feels a lot like it's in direct opposition to Hui culture and beliefs... it leaves a really bad taste in my mouth that she strongly establishes his Hui heritage in order to write twitter rants abt politics at the beginning but then totally erases his Hui culture and makes him 'reconnect' to a Han Chinese culture :/ Hui have been in China for literally over a thousand years and there's a whole host of unique and diverse mixed cultures across China that are categorized under 'Hui' but his story doesn't even explore a single one... it's really disappointing, especially as she positions herself as Hui and a position of authority. Of course there are people with Hui on their birth certificates that don't practice Islam, but she goes beyond that by pulling it out for points while being so dismissive of the unique culture and context of our people. Anyways, I'm sorry for rambling in your inbox but I was really excited to see someone mention it when my friend linked me your post kfjldhgf

hi, ty for the insight! and yea like you said a lot of her stuff about being hui comes off as like pure exotification and sometimes dare i'd say orientalism...it gives off "i only have a supposed native american princess great grandmother so i call myself indigenous to people for brownie points" energy. xiran claiming she is hui when she is definitively not is erasing actual hui chinese voices and at its very worst is unfortunately her views of han ethnocentrism projected onto a chinese ethnic minority; even on the slight chance that xiran is actually muslim, she needs to repair a lot of how she poorly represents hui culture. (also narratively` making a hui muslim character happily assimilate to han chinese folk religious customs is fucking racist as hell can we talk about that?!) i actually despise how much she's spread possibly dangerous and very flimsy misinterpretations of hui culture to her broader audience...how tf is girlie a leading expert on chinese culture/history when by this she's no better than the racist white scholars who've ruined the east asian studies field to the point where its reputation is almost tarnished in leftist circles

#asks #as another chinese ethnoreligious minority we get it so fucking hard already geez. my blood is boiling thinking abt what shes done #btw op: if you want a youtube educator of chinese history/culture who does not perform self-orientalizing white ppl pandering bs pls check #out @aini_ i love her videos on east asian beauty standards and ai in china #like you can tell girls research and approach to stuff is more authentic than whatever tf xiran is doing

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kiss-my-freckle · 1 year ago

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I'm gonna put a nail in the Joe Goldberg debate. It'll take a little bit, so just follow along to my recent Twitter thread.

One of the things I love about the night Damon and Elena first met, is the difference between him and Stefan as it relates to their scene in 1x22. This is where Stefan tells Damon that Elena's relationship with Jeremy is none of his business.

Stefan: Elena's relationship with her brother is none of your business. So stay out of it! Damon: Oh, there's only one "do-gooder" role available. My bad.

Mind you, it's not Stefan's place to say as much. One of multiple scenes where Stefan speaks for others even though they're quite capable of speaking for themselves.

This is Damon respecting Elena's relationship with Matt on the night they first met. Respect he gave even though he didn't have to because Elena invited him into her business.

Elena: Got into a fight with my boyfriend. Damon: About what? May I ask.

Mind you, she's getting the same advice from Damon that she's getting from Bonnie and her mother. She knows what she wants, period.

At the same time, Stefan digs into Elena's family history. Literally dives into her business without invitation or consent.

Stefan: It didn't make any sense to me. You were a Gilbert. She was a Pierce. But the resemblance was too similar. And then I learned the truth. You were adopted, Elena. Elena: How do you know all this? Stefan: Your birth certificate from the city records. It says Elena Gilbert, Mystic Falls General. But there's no record of your mother ever being admitted. There's no record of her ever being pregnant.

Season 5 only shows how ridiculous it is for Stefan to have no idea that Elena wasn't Katherine.

Stefan: When I pulled you out, I looked at your face. You looked like Katherine. I couldn't believe the resemblance. After that, I spent months making sure that you weren't her. I watched you. I learned everything that I could about you. And I saw that you were nothing like Katherine.

Ridiculous it is that it took four months for him to figure this out. He knew the moment he saved her on the bridge.

You mean to tell me that Stefan believed a man would actually beg him to save Katherine first.

That a vampire Katherine who'd simply die, wake up, smash out the rear window and save herself would actually need someone like Stefan to save her? lol

As if a vampire like Katherine couldn't do this to a car door.

Or this lol

They didn't just drown Stefan in season 5. They drowned Katherine when they put her in that safe with him, which then completely obliterated what he claimed in 1x11.

Had that safe been made of glass, Stefan would've only drowned once, just as Katherine would've saved herself in that car. They literally put Katherine into the context of drowning in that car with Elena's parents when Stefan saved her life. "In this moment, are you going to feed on me or are you gonna save my life?"

Then what? You're gonna tell me that Stefan actually believed Katherine somehow cured herself of vampirism?

That he actually believed Katherine was just as human in their car as she is in that safe with him in season 5? lol

The same guy who, when Rebekah tells him there's a cure for vampirism, straight up says there's no cure for vampirism.

Stefan: There is no cure for vampirism. Rebekah: He's telling the truth, Stefan.

For Stefan to believe Elena was Katherine, even for ten minutes... he'd either have to believe a vampire Katherine would need him to save her, or believe a cure existed to make Katherine human... neither of which would be true.

So, not only did they destroy the night they first met...

Elena: How could you?! My parents died going over this bridge. I almost died. You knew that. You're the one who saved me.

They straight-up turned Stefan into Joe Goldberg, and they did this by obliterating his claim in 1x11. He already knew Elena wasn't Katherine, and he stalked her for four months anyway.

Stefan: I have to know her.

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pbandjesse · 1 year ago

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Well today was a bust. Just did not work out. I am trying to not be sad about it but I got my feelings hurt. And I was so tired.

I didn't get enough sleep. I did sleep alright but when I woke up I felt horrible. My eyes were swollen and hurt so much. I took allergy meds and put eye drops in but it was very painful. And I wasn't in a good mood.

James tried to make me feel better. But I was just so sad. I was trying to be positive but it was very hard.

James took me to get hash browns before we went to the elementary school. The hash browns helped. I felt a little more awake. But things were fragile. I felt fragile.

James pulled the wagon and we headed inside. I had a nice space where I could see the door and see people coming in. Which I liked. I got set up and was mostly alright. My sign got scuffed and when James tried to fix it it got worse. Then we tried to cover it with a sticker but it tore when it got placed wrong and I tried covering it up and it was just going very bad. But once I calmed down and delt with that I was alright. James set up some bags with business cards for me. And then walked outside with me to show me where they had parked the car. Before they left to go to work. Hugs and telling them to be careful on their long arduous journey (down the street) and I headed inside.

Everything was alright at first. I had like 40

minutes until people should start coming though so I looked around, and I would do some sewing and made 4 new felt pins throughout the morning.

I found a pair of earrings that I absolutely loved. They were a shop that takes orders though so I got the website and added the to my wishlist.

I was slightly disappointed that there was at least one person drop shipping and there were two mlms. But it was fine. Two crochet sellers. Two books. Some general goods like totesbags and tea towels. A crystal seller. A photographer. Someone selling plants. A baked sale. Girls scout cookies. Candles

It was a good mix.

But I did not have fun. Firstly almost no one talked to me. Including the venders on either side of me. I felt like I was losing my voice again and was having trouble being heard by the few people that were stopping to look at my table. And it was few. I felt like people were aggressively avoiding my table. They would be focused on the table next to me, then make a big U swerve, then go to the next table. At first I was like. Okay that's fine. But then it kept happening. More and more. No one was looking at my table. They were aggressively not looking at me. Im not going to lie I got my feelings hurt.

I get it. You think your kids have to many stuffed animals. But also it's a holiday market. The idea is to buy gifts? I don't just have plushies. I have bags and stickers too. Please just come look. I was becoming more and more disheartened and upset. Literally the highlight of the day was when someone came in with two goats and just walked around.

I tried to just focus on my sewing. Smile at people and try to not show how sad I was. I kept working on my little bead pins.

I would get a brownie and a piece of strawberry cake from the baked sale. I would sell two stickers to some little girls. I was disappointed but I appreciated the sales I did make.

Around noon I finally sold a bear. A girl a little younger then me bought one because she said it made her nostalgic. Thank you! That's exactly it! She liked the birth certificate and made me feel less bad.

But this was a bust. This was a bad day. I didn't even break even with the table cost. I got my feelings hurt. I messed up my sign. I was very close to tears on my drive home.

I also struggled to pack up. Having the two extra crates was great for display but the one for the horses does not fit with the other. I would make it work, and thankfully everything fits in the wagon and I was able to leave in one trip.

I was very upset once I got to the car. I just wanted to go home.

It was foggy and rainy but it would clear up as I got back here. Mr Will and Tina were here putting up Christmas decorations. I love that she does that. She gets fresh pine things. I love it. She was also so nice and said how she was really happy to see me and that my hair looked great.

Will said I seemed very tired. And I was. my eyes were as puffy but I just needed to lay down. After a hug I said goodbye to them both and went upstairs.

I changed into a fleece and put some stuff away. Got cozy in bed and went to sleep with sweetp laying on my side keeping me warm.

It was a good sleep. I woke up a little after 4 because I was cold.

I texted James to check in because the original plan was to go see houses at 5. But it ended up not working out with the listing agent. So we will do that tomorrow. I was only about because I had gotten dressed again.

I ate some cereal while I waited for James to tell me what the plan was. And once I had confirmation we weren't going out I got cozy on the couch. And waited for them to get home.

When they got back here they were all damp from the fog. We hung out on the couch. It made me feel a bit better. They made us a nice little dinner. They would also go walk to get some milk for us.

Eventually I would go take a bath and it was nice. I am tired and still feel a little sad. But I will be okay. I hope next week goes better.

Tomorrow I have a busy day. With my private lesson with Naomi and Kim. Then seeing houses if that works out. And then having dinner with Callie. Busy day but I think it will be good.

Sleep well everyone. Be careful and be kind.

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roxy206 · 2 years ago

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Proper Posterior Grooming Techniques — 04/18/2023

watch here | listen here

I love the ad for the live pod 🥺

I dig the all black vibes

Can I talk to you about something

That scared the shit out of me — imagine having the condo next to Trixie’s. I really hope those walls aren’t thin

Katya is basically living in a jump scare filming this episode omg

Katya 🤝 Trixie

Get that mung Forever mung

Poor Trixie thinking wait was this a read. Girl, take that compliment!

Ru Paul came in about six feet taller than her

I love that when you came to film Trixie Motel I had COVID & you didn’t get it

I was sure I had it. Because I was in bed with you. Tongue kissing you — Why are they like this 😭😭😭

But you can’t get it from fucking yourself with my foot

I was too lazy to find the I hate it here gif which is how I feel but this one surely fits for these idiots in this moment

I gotta shave my ass Oh my god I just did that last night

The physicality of Katya laughing

I want to be a short hair domestic cat

Where did you try to do it? Well let me tell you where I tried to do it — the level of concern as if we don’t all know where this is going

Do you think I own 50% of anything, Mama? True

Katya shaving for herself — good for her

Owning a home is a gateway to becoming yourself

Hold on a moment, there is a whole ass story that we’re missing here

I had it in there while I was working out — okay I’m very glad that Katya is using something that is intended for the purpose & there’s a flared base but this is still screaming embarrassing emergency room visit waiting to happen

Trixie not comprehending Katya’s solo endeavors here though

You gonna pull it out of my ass with a fucking Acme magnet like in Looney Tunes? Yeah, yeah, that’s what I’m talking about Alright. You think you — I — okay — so you think you can control me? You’re gonna control me? Someone has to apparently — … when Katya joking about them making out in bed last year is the tame part of the episode

We played the Wang Center — the way Katya literally already said that 😂

Lmfao Katya talking about how much she loved watching the progression of Trixie forgetting the tour script

☹️ I hate that Katya’s in pain

So we have to fake your birth certificate or what? — Trixie being like bitch you’re getting this surgery

It’s not cringe to be grateful

Katya crying on the phone ☹️

#kimmy watches #the bald and the beautiful #dostoyevsky in the sheets #oh honeyyyyy #trixya #trixie & katya #katya #katya zamo #katya zamolodchikova #trixie mattel

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thefastestelementalmasteralive · 1 year ago

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So i actually wrote something for the Lion!Vader Au lol

uh.. it's just a quick thing i wrote up and its not finished

uh.. yeh

This was not supposed to be happening. Well, a lot of things weren’t supposed to have happened in the past years of Padme’s life.

The Empire, the genocide of the Jedi, the clone wars, the Tusken massacre, the invasion of Naboo, and Anakin-..

A small squadron of rebels had been sent on a mission and thought they’d return to the base successfully. The Empire had tracked them, and been led back to the base.

Luckily, many had been able to escape from the empire’s clutches, Unfortunately, Padme’s ship was not one of the ones that were able to make the jump, and she and the others on board were captured by the starcruiser and brought to the heart of the empire for a sham trial.

The captured, unfortunately (has she mentioned how unfortunate this situation is?), consisted of herself, her son Luke, and her daughter Leia, Obi-wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano aka Fulcrum, and Ex-Clone-Captain Rex.

It was times like this that Padme missed how reassuring Anakin could be.. But she had to keep herself calm and carry on, trusting that they would figure a way out of this.

Before the trial Ahsoka, Luke, and Leia were all pulled aside individually, presumably to try and get them to join the empire or rat the others out for a lighter sentence or avoid a death penalty.

Everyone’s trials went by rather quickly and all resulted in the same sentence. The only wavering in time was for Luke and Leia’s trials to try and, unsuccessfully, find birth certificates for one, and two try them as adults, seeing as they were only 17. They had all been sentenced to execution and filed onto a ship. In other cases, they might have simply had a quiet death in prison somewhere, but it seemed Padme and Obi-wan were seen as too important to go quietly. They were being shipped off to an arena where Palpatine kept his favorite pet project. Pet in the literal sense. The planet used to be called Tee Ree bashatae, or in basic; ‘NOT VERY AGGRESSIVE’. The planet's occupants used to joyfully shout it whenever they were to talk about it, now all that was left was the arena and some villages meant to support the arena. The planet's new name is bahana see luobeokay, or Arena of Gladiators. The arena was typically meant for executing higher-up Rebels, or lower rebels stored away for ‘celebrations’ on empire day.

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azuramarigold · 1 year ago

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The Found Turnabout Ch2

Series Summary: When Apollo Justice was literally shipped off from Khura'in back to his native country in America, he had issues from bouncing from foster home to foster home - that is until one day in the courthouse he met Phoenix Wright at the age of twelve years old. With a new found family and starting to learn the legal ropes early, Apollo joins Phoenix Wright on some of the earlier cases and the downfalls.

Chapter Summary: Apollo goes to his first official foster home - at first things seem to all fine and dandy, but things take a dark turn.

AO3 CH1

Chapter 2: Foster Home #1 – The Rodriguez’s

It’s been three days since staying in Aria’s home.

Apollo was adjusting to America a little better with the noise at night, he much rather it be silent though. Every night he was still crying about missing his home in Khuar’in, but he just had to remember to say what Dhurke always told him.

“You’re Apollo Justice, and you’re fine.”

I’m Apollo Justice and I’m fine.

I’m fine.

“Apollo, dearie,” Aria called from the living room.

Apollo was just sitting in the bedroom he was given, reading a book. Despite being from Khura’in, English was a secondary language. He learned how to read and write English very well along with Khura’inese. When he spoke English, he had an accent from Khura’in, so sometimes it was hard for Aria to understand him with certain words.

So, Apollo did as he was told. He ran into the living room, both cats following close behind his heels. When he saw who else was in the living room he stopped dead in his tracks, one of the cats running into his leg.

“Heya, pal!” the scruffy detective from the precinct called out to him with a wave. He was still friendly like before, but Apollo had an uneasy feeling.

“Hap’piraki,” Apollo greeted, his voice weary. “What are you doing here, Detective Gumshoe?”

Gumshoe then held up some paperwork. “We officially have a foster family for you stay with, kid,” he announced with a smile. “They’re willing to take on another kid.”

Apollo felt his heart drop. He liked it here.

“Why can’t I stay with Aria?” he demanded, his voice starting to get louder.

Gumshoe shook his head sadly. “Sorry, pal, she’s a temp,” he got up from the couch with a grunt. “She only takes on a kid for a couple of days to at most two weeks until we can arrange the more permanent solution.”

“Apollo,” Aria gently said, her voice soft. “This family has a couple of kids your age, you’ll have fun with them.”

“You’re like, what, nine years old?” Gumshoe commented. “That’s what a translator at the precinct got out of your birth certificate. We can tell it’s not your official one, but it was an official one for the country.”

Apollo pouted as he crossed his arms, his bracelet uncomfortably burying itself into his skin. “Yeah, I’m nine, so what of it?” he huffed.

Gumshoe just sighed, “You’re just too young to grasp everything right now.” He then turned over to Aria. “Sorry ma’am, about this. I know you go through this a lot.”

Aria then approached Apollo, “Come on dearie,” she whispered. “Let’s get a bag packed for you…”

“But…!” Apollo tried to object.

“Please, Apollo.” Aria’s voice soft, but stern.

He did as he was told. Aria Commons was the nicest woman he had ever met, she had opened her home to him. Apollo wondered if his own mother had ever been that kind to him at one point in his life.

Once in the bedroom he had been staying in, Aria pulled out a small suitcase that was in the closet, Apollo noticing there were multiple ones inside.

How many other kids has she done this for…?

Aria began packing some of the more common clothes that Apollo had been fond of; these included some jeans, red sweatshirts, white t-shirts, and a pair of red/white sneakers that were recently purchased for him. The small bag of toiletries was also placed in the bag as well, that had his red toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo and bodywash.

“I have a question, Aria,” Apollo then said.

“Yes, dearie?”

“How’d you know I liked red?”

She gave him a smile. “You just seemed to gravitate toward it,” she replied. “Did you know in Greek mythology the god Apollo’s color is actually pure white?”

Apollo scrunched up his nose. “I don’t like white that much,” he said simply.

“You coordinate it with your red though, I notice.”

“Apollo is also the god of music, archery, poetry, and the sun – I bet you knew that.” Aria winked at him. “I’ve seen you read all the books here in the house, because I have a few on mythology.”

Apollo gave a laugh, “I was told my parents were travelling musicians… I’m not good at music. They named me the wrong thing.” He knew she was trying to make a light conversation while packing, just trying to make him feel more comfortable while this was going on.

On the very top of the suitcase, she then placed the book that Apollo was currently reading – a law book introducing someone to defense law. It was something that he had asked Aria to buy for him when she out on the town the other day.

“It looks like you’re already halfway through this, huh?” Aria commented when she zipped the suitcase, seeing the bookmark in the book.

Apollo beamed, his smile large, “Of course!”

“You were serious about becoming a Defense Attorney, weren’t you?” she then asked him.

“Of course, I am!” he stated proudly.

It was then he realized that his measly possessions were all packed away in that suitcase. Now it felt more real that he was leaving the house. He didn’t want to leave.

How many people are gonna just set me aside?

Aria then held out her hand for Apollo to take, which he did gently. She gripped his hand tightly, as they left the room, her rolling his newly obtained and packed suitcase behind him. With each step, his heart grew heavier and heavier, as if stones were being placed inside.

Blood roared in his ears – he couldn’t hear the conversation between the detective and Aria at this point. All her heard was just a constant pounding.

He took a deep breath.

I’m fine… I’m fine… I’m fine…

It was then Aria dropped to her knees and gave Apollo a hug, her crushing him into her.

“You be safe out there, okay, dearie?” she whispered in his ear. “I’m sure one day we’ll meet again. Be good.”

Tears threaten to sting his eyes, but Apollo couldn’t allow that. He forced himself to take a deep breath, but no words came out. Instead, he just nodded against her shoulder.

“Alright, kid,” Gumshoe called out. “Let’s get ya to the new place.”

Apollo practically felt himself prying out of Aria’s arms as he took his suitcase and followed Gumshoe out of the house and to the police car. Gumshoe loaded the suitcase into the trunk and opened the back passenger door for Apollo, and with a glance behind him Aria gestured to him that it was okay for him to enter. Just entering the police vehicle made his stomach churn. He hated being in any type of car.

The passenger door closes, just as Apollo saw Aria sadly waving “goodbye” to him. He managed to wave back before the tinted windows obscured his vision.

Apollo buckled himself in, him remembering from the few times he had been in Aria’s coupe. He took a deep breath, bracing himself.

The scruffy detective started the police car, the sirens silent and no lights on, and he pulled away from the small house that Apollo was growing attached to. As the house began to become a dot in the distance, Gumshoe picked up speed as he left the residential area and was approaching entryway to the freeway.

Apollo’s stomach churned and his face flushed, he had to try to control his breathing by breathing through his nose and out his mouth. The few times in Aria’s car he had vomited, the motions of the vehicle were just too much for him. Even the one time they took a bus together he felt very sick; however, when they took a train to a bigger brand clothing store for something it was a much smoother ride.

“You’ll like this place, pal,” Gumshoe piped up, seemingly trying to make conversation. “This couple have two other foster kids – both boys ‘round your age, like ten and eleven I think.”

Apollo glanced out the window, barely seeing his own reflection as the other cars race by. He didn’t really care about being around other kids, it was always him and Nahyuta anyway; even though the two were not related by blood, they were close like brothers.

The scruffy detective then pulled the patrol car off the exit ramp of the freeway, but he did it with such a sharp velocity that Apollo couldn’t control his breathing anymore. He finally vomited on the floor of the patrol car, his hacking catching the eye of the detective in the rearview mirror.

“Ah!” Gumshoe yelped. “Really, kid? Ya couldn’t have told me so I can pull over?!”

“… sorry…” Apollo groaned pathetically. “I get car sick…”

Gumshoe just sighed, “I guess it can’t be helped…”

After another twenty minutes of driving, the detective finally arrived in front of large two-story home. As soon as he had stopped the car, Apollo immediately jumped out of the patrol car and proceeded to vomit once again near the tire; he felt bad for doing it in the car the first time, so he really wanted to make sure it was done outside so Gumshoe didn’t have any more to clean up than necessary.

Apollo felt a large hand on his back, it almost felt like a gentle patting. After his retching he was then handed a napkin and a bottle of water from the front seat of the patrol car by the detective. The young boy managed to utter a thanks as he wiped his mouth and chugged the water empty.

The scruffy detective popped open the trunk and grabbed Apollo’s single suitcase and rolled it to him. “Ya ready?” he asked gently.

“No…” Apollo muttered, wiping his chin from the dribble of water.

Gumshoe gave him almost a… pitiful look. “Hey, pal, I know you’re upset,” he began. “But ya gotta give this family a chance, okay?”

He has a point…

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I am Apollo Justice and I am fine.

Apollo then grasped the handle of his suitcase and started to follow Gumshoe up the path to the door of the large home. Each step felt heavier, despite his suitcase being pitifully light. Blood roared in his ears again, just like when he had to leave Aria’s house.

What if they don’t like me…? What if I get sent away again?

They were finally at the door and Gumshoe rang the doorbell. A lovely chime was loud enough to be heard from the outside. There was barking coming from the inside, which made Apollo jump; he wasn’t a big fan of dogs.

The door opened and a tall, well-built man with deep tanned skin, jet black hair, the darkest brown eyes Apollo had ever seen, and wearing a business suit that was pure gray with a black tie had answered the door. The silver glasses that framed his face looked from the detective to Apollo with a look of confusion.

“Good afternoon, sir!” Gumshoe greeted enthusiastically. “I’m Detective Dick Gumshoe, we spoke earlier on the phone. This is the Rodriguez household, right?”

The man once again glanced between Gumshoe and Apollo. “Yes… this is the home…” he answered slowly. “I thought you said you were bringing a child that was from Khura’in?”

It was Gumshoe’s turn to look confused. “Um… I did sir…?” he puzzledly replied. “This is Apollo Justice, nine years old. The precinct had sent you guys all the paperwork a couple of days ago with his info and picture…”

The man rolled his eyes. “My wife handles all of that,” he gruffly stated. “She just told me there was a kid coming from Khura’in.”

Apollo couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled on Gumshoe’s tan coat with his free hand to usher him down. When Gumshoe did bend that was when Apollo started talking in Khura’inese, just loud enough for Mr. Rodriguez to hear.

“Pal, ya know I don’t understand what you’re saying… right?” Gumshoe grumbled, him facepalming himself.

“Does he even speak English?” Mr. Rodriguez snapped angrily.

“I do,” Apollo answered, him with his Khura’inese accent.

Mr. Rodriguez glared at him. “Then why were you not speaking it earlier?” he demanded, clearly annoyed.

Apollo shrugged. “Ya didn’t ask, pal,” he retorted, a smirk on his face. He heard Gumshoe try to stifle a chuckle.

Before Mr. Rodriguez could even reply to the child, a voice from inside called, “Dear, is that the detective at the door?” A moment later a woman with caramel colored skin and copper tinted hair came to the door, her eyes the color of an almond and large like a doe’s. A pink apron was tied around her waist, covering her white skirt and blue blouse. “Ah! It is you!” she cheerfully squealed. She then glanced down and saw Apollo and she beamed a lovely smile. “And you must be Apollo!”

“Yes, I am, ma’am,” Apollo replied respectfully. “Hap’piraki,” he then greeted.

The woman giggled, “Aren’t you so polite!” There was a scoff from Mr. Rodriguez. “And you have such a cute accent!”

Apollo furrowed his face in frustration at that comment.

“I’m Luciana Rodriguez,” she then introduced. “You can call me ‘Lucy’ though, the other boys do.” She then grabbed Apollo’s suitcase and handed it to her husband. “Honey, take this to the room that Apollo is going to be staying it.”

“But-” Mr. Rodriguez tried to object, but his wife just ushered him away inside the house.

Lucy then shook Gumshoe’s hand. “Thank you, Detective. Hopefully you’ll get out of the slump and be back on the homicide cases soon!” she said gleefully.

“Uh… sure…” Gumshoe replied, not entirely sure what to make of that comment. He then handed Apollo a small business card. “Here ya go, kid. If ya need anything just call, alright?”

Apollo graciously took the card and put it in his red jacket pocket. He had a feeling maybe one day he’ll need it.

Lucy then led Apollo inside the large foyer, him seeing above him a crystal chandelier that sparkled in the sunlight that shone through the large window that was above the door. The dog that he had heard earlier had come running down the large marble stairs that were to his left, the creature being a large and yellow with brown eyes; the dog had jumped on him, startling him with a yelp, and began to try to lick his face.

“Looks like our dog, Cosmo, already likes you, Apollo!” Lucy beamed, her smile large. “It’s adorable too! His name is ‘Cosmo’ and you’re ‘Apollo’, all space themed!”

“My name is Greek… like the Greek god of the sun ‘Apollo’,” the boy tried to explain, him trying to push the dog off him. He was already not a fan of the thing. He much preferred the quiet cats that Aria had.

I miss Aria…

“If you’re name is Greek then how come you’re not a foreign kid from Greece?” Mr. Rodriguez’s condescending tone piped up as he walked down the stairs. His wife gave him a glare, but he ignored her. “I was told we were getting a kid from Khura’in, wouldn’t you be Khrua’inese which is Asian?”

Apollo deadpanned, “That’s very rude.”

Lucy didn’t miss a beat, “Emilio!” she chastised. Apollo made note that “Emilio” was Mr. Rodriguez’s first name. “Does that really matter?” she exasperated.

“He could be lying,” Emilio replied simply.

“I don’t lie,” Apollo glowered, his tone going up in volume. He was starting to get loud again. He instinctively rubbed his bracelet that was on his left wrist with his right hand, in a way it helped him calm down.

Inside voice… that’s what Aria told me to try to remember…

Lucy could tell Apollo was getting upset and she took his hand. “Let me get you to your room so you can unpack, okay?” she softly said to him. The boy nods as they headed up the stairs. A scoff and a huff were heard from the bottom of the stairs by Emilio.

The second floor had lovely dark wood flooring in the hallway, four doors to his right. The end of the hallway looked like it turned more to the right so it could go deeper into the home.

“Your room is the third one down,” Lucy told him. “The very end room is the bathroom you boys will share.” She then led and opened the door to Apollo’s new room.

The room was easily double the size of the one he had at Aria’s. It had a double bed that was completely white with its bedding next to the door where the light switch was, his suitcase laid on top. There wasn’t a window in the room, but there was a large television that was turned on that emulated outside with birds chirping and the sound of rainfall. Underneath the television was a desk and chair, it had a few notebooks and pencils neatly placed in the center. A dark oak colored dresser was on the east wall, it had six drawers – all completely empty Apollo noticed when he opened them – and at the top was a few books in regards to math and science.

The room was also bare, the walls completely white and blank. There were no shelves, no posters – just a solid emptiness a void of all emotion. The floor was still the same dark flooring as the hallway, not even a rug to fill the large empty space.

It just felt too empty. Apollo didn’t like that.

“How do you like it, Apollo?” Lucy asked him. “We of course will go shopping to get you a few things and a new bed set to something you like.”

“It’s… nice,” Apollo offered, giving her a weak smile. He then went to his suitcase and began to unpack his bag. The first thing on top was the defense law book that Aria had bought him – that cover a pale yellow with a picture of a rhino in a suit pointing to something off the cover.

“Defense Law…?” Lucy asked quizzically. “Why would a nine-year-old be reading about defense law?”

Apollo had jumped. He didn’t realize she was reading over his shoulder. “I want to be a defense attorney when I grow up…” he explained.

To his surprise, Lucy laughed. She laughed in hysterics. “A defense attorney?” she bellowed. “You realize they don’t make any money, right? They’re always trying to make sure criminals are walking our streets!” She had the look of distain in her eyes. “You would actually try to make sure a murderer was let off the hook to be with us regular people and kill again?”

Apollo tried to shake his head in disagreement. “No… no, that’s not what-”

“If you really want to be a lawyer,” she continued, her face flushed from laughter. “I suggest being a Prosecutor.”

He felt crestfallen, his hair drooping. He felt the book being taken away from him with force. “H-hey!” he yelped. “Please… that’s mine! My first foster father… he was defense attorney back in Khura’in…”

Lucy again laughed. “And…?” she questioned; her voice almost now snarky. It was almost like her personality did a complete 180, her now so… cold. “From what I’ve read about that kingdom is that they loathe defense attorneys and if they lose the trial the criminal and themselves are jailed or executed.” She then gave a shrug. “Seems fair to me.”

Apollo just couldn’t believe it. The book was more special than he first thought. It was not only because he wanted to become a Defense Attorney, but because Aria bought it for him.

Just as quickly as the iciness crept into her, the sunniness came back out. Lucy clapped her right hand into the book cheerfully. “Anyway! Please unpack your things! Dinner shall be ready in about an hour!” now it seemed like her voice was overly sweet like honey, like it was fake.

Lucy then left his room as he began unpacking the rest of his pitiful items. It didn’t take long for him to do, his little bit of clothes only fit in one drawer. His toiletries he just kept on the desk until it was time to brush his teeth later. Now, he seemed bored because now he didn’t even have his book to read.

“So, you must be the new kid, huh?” a rough voice asked from the doorway. Apollo looked up from the desk as he was messing with a notebook to see a kid that was a little older than him - most likely the eleven-year-old that Gumshoe mentioned - that was African American with milk chocolate skin with equally colored eyes and his hair as black as raven feathers that was in a Twists hairstyle. He was wearing a yellow basketball jersey and purple basketball shorts, and white high-top sneakers covering his ankles with a popular brand in red on the side.

“Uh… yeah…” Apollo replied weakly. “My name is Apollo… Apollo Justice.”

“Tyler,” the other boy replied. “Tyler Jones.” He then glanced around the room. “I’m guessing you’re new to the whole ‘foster’ thing, cause you ain’t got shit.”

Apollo’s eyes widened. “You shouldn’t be cussing…” he whispered. He then muttered something in Khura’inese. He knew a few cuss words in the language, and when he or Nahyuta accidentally uttered even one of them in front of Dhurke or even when Datz, Dhurke’s friend and right-hand man when it came to their group, was around there was hell to pay. Apollo shuddered internally at the thought.

Tyler gave a shrug. “Eh, what those two assholes gonna do?” he snapped. “Send me off? Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Another boy the popped his head from around the doorframe, who looked a lot meeker. He was blonde with pale skin, his eyes green like the grass in a meadow. The top part of a purple shirt could be seen. “The new kid is right, Tyler… lay off the cussing for a bit…” his voice was very feathery. “Emilio washed your mouth with soap last week, remember?”

Tyler jolted. “That stuff was nasty!” He then straightened up. “You’re right though… I can’t afford to get kicked out right now… This is my second home and Lucy said I can go for the basketball team at the school.”

“Basket… ball?” Apollo echoed, clearly confused.

The meek boy came into full view form the doorway, revealing he was wearing jeans and white tennis shoes. “You have a strange accent…” he commented. “Do you not have basketball where you’re from?

Tyler looked completely shocked. “How do you not have basketball!? Next, you’re gonna tell me you don’t have lacrosse or football too!”

Apollo gave a blank stare.

The meek boy whispered to Tyler, “I don’t think he does…”

“Dude!” Tyler screeched. “Where the hell are you from!? MARS!?

“Khura’in,” Apollo replied with a shrug. “Also, ‘Apollo’ in planet terms is associated with Sun Mercury.”

Tyler looked back at the meek blonde. “Sam, is this kid fricken serious?!” he then shouted, him nearly going into hysterics.

The meek blonde, Sam, nodded, “He is correct about the ‘Apollo’ thing in Greek mythology.”

Tyler deadpanned, “I meant about the lack of sports in that Cure whatever place…”

“We have bike riding,” Apollo offered. “And we also have archery…” He was considered okay at archery, which was funny due to his namesake; A few times Dhurke took him and Nahyuta hunting for chickens for the rare occasion of meat, and it was usually him and Dhurke that got the kill.

Tyler then sighed in exasperation, “Whatever, man.” He then grabbed Apollo by the arm. “Welcome to the Hellhole known as the Rodriguez House, new brother.”

Tyler and Sam showed Apollo around the house, the dog Cosmo following close at their heels.

The house was abnormally large on the inside; it seemed way too big for a family of five and one dog to live in. Despite the boys each having their own room and sharing one large bathroom, there was still Emilio and Lucy’s master bedroom and bathroom with an additional four bedrooms and three bathrooms in the house. There was also a game room, complete with a pool table and foosball table.

“We can pretty much do anything we want here,” Tyler practically bragged during the tour.

The kitchen put five-star restaurants to shame. It was all stainless steel, and it seemed like it had the newest appliances on the market. There were three cooks in there along with Lucy, busily cooking and baking. For the most part, Lucy was clean and was barely doing anything, she was just sipping a glass of wine.

When Sam showed Apollo the backyard, the boy could barely tell that it was a residential backyard. It seemed like it was an outdoor bar, a full bar with every type of alcohol you could imagine stocked to the brim behind the counter. The pool was glittering like crystals, and of course there was a spot to swim up to the bar, and the pool had its own rock enclosure and waterfall.

I know where I am not going.

“Do you have a swimsuit?” Sam asked happily, his eyes beaming. “The pool is heated and everything! It is so much fun!”

“I don’t swim,” Apollo replied quickly, almost too quickly, his hands up defensively.

The memory of him and Nahyuta being swept up in the river almost engulfed him, just like the fast current that almost took them. It was a stupid mistake the two made thinking they could handle jumping on the rocks, but they both slipped and fell. The current was too strong, and as Apollo thought he was going to slip under the water with his flailing arms desperately trying to reach shore, Dhurke had grabbed him and Nahyuta just in time.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

“Okay,” Sam just said. “No big deal.”

Tyler then clapped his hands, “Oh!” he shouted. “There is only one place we can’t go in the house!”

“The basement,” Sam finished, his voice almost trembling. “It’s where Emilio does a lot of his work, so it’s private and he doesn’t want us kids bugging him.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Guy’s a prick, but he makes all the money to afford it here.”

Apollo was curious at that. “What does he do…?” he arched an eyebrow.

Tyler shrugged. “I have no idea,” he honestly said. “Every time I ask, I get yelled at.”

Before Apollo could ask more a voice, belonging to Lucy, called out, “Boys, dinner is ready!”

“Finally!” Tyler bellowed out, hands on his stomach. “I was withering away!” He then grabbed Apollo by the arm. “Come on, Apollo, you’ll love the food here!”

The table that he was seated at was big enough that Apollo thought it could put the Khura’in Royal family’s dining area to shame – not that he had ever been there himself, but he had seen pictures. He had sat next to Sam, who sat next Tyler, all three boys having a plate with prime rib with a baked potato that was stuffed to the brim with all the fixings and a side of grilled asparagus with butter and sea salt.

Lucy and Emilio were at the very end of the table, both eating and chatting lightly. Lucy, of course, was still drinking her wine that Apollo had seen earlier. Alcohol was a thing in Khura’in, he has seen Dhurke and Datz drink once in a while, but it wasn’t a major occurrence, and it was a peach sake that him and Nahyuta snuck a sip once.

And Dhurke was super angry while Datz laughed.

As everyone ate, Apollo moved the food around on the plate. Since arriving in America he still had mainly a vegetable based diet like back in Khura’in. Even when Aria had made him the hamburgers his first night, he felt horrible stomach pain as he was not used to beef. Slowly, he ate the asparagus, which was honestly the best he has ever ate, as it cut with his fork so simply and effortlessly.

“Do you not like the food?” Emilio barked angrily.

Apollo jumped at the sudden noise, even Sam did as well. “Um… I don’t usually eat meat…” the brunette tried to explain, his face flushing red in embarrassment.

“Who the hell doesn’t eat meat!?” Emilio sounded super exasperated. He glared at his wife. “You had to pick the broken kid, huh?” He then took a large swig of his own wine. “First he has an accent, two he wants to be a Defense Attorney, and now he doesn’t want meat.”

Tyler muttered loud enough for Apollo to hear, “Damn… just ignore him, Apollo… he’s probably drunk…”

Apollo wasn’t the type to keep his mouth shut. “In Khura’in, we eat mainly rice and vegetables,” he raised his voice, which to him was a little, but to mainly others it was considered “loud”. He had always been naturally a loud kid, just had the diaphragm and lung capacity to project his voice very well. Dhurke had told him if possibly he had better vocal training, he probably could’ve been a vocalist like his parents were. “The only meat we typically eat is pork and chicken, only the royal family would eat something as luxurious as beef.”

Emilio sneered, “Then be happy you get something so luxurious.”

“Not when my stomach isn’t used to it and I get sick,” the red-clothed boy counted. “Unless you want me to vomit all over your nice home, I rather have another helping of these very delicious asparagus, please.”

That was when one of the chefs from earlier then brought out more asparagus for him and took away his prime rib and his potato. With a cheerful “Thank you” in traditional Khura’inese, Apollo dug into his pile vegetable; Sam and Tyler tried to mimic the word in poor pronunciation but Apollo appreciated it nonetheless.

After dinner was not as exciting. Sam and Tyler showed Apollo the gaming room where the three played some video games, although Apollo lost horribly as he was not used to them. Finally, Lucy told the boys it was time for bed as Sam and Tyler had school in the morning.

“I do have to get you registered for school,” Lucy told Apollo. “But they’re going to have you take some tests so they know what grade level to start you off in tutoring even though you’re technically in the fourth grade.”

The words that were coming out of her mouth made absolutely no sense to him. Dhurke had made sure he and Nahyuta were taught very well; Apollo knew how to read in both Khura’inese and English by the time he was four, and Nahyuta knew higher math and basic science when he was six. The two boys had never gone to a place called school.

His first full day in the new home was a rough one to say the least – he enjoyed his time with Tyler and Sam, but he had rather be either at home in Khura’in or with Aria. Once he was all set in the large bedroom, the blank walls that surrounded him seemed overly suffocating. The white bareness of it all was consuming him… complete emptiness.

“You’ll like this place, pal.”

“This family has a couple of kids your age, you’ll have fun with them.”

The voices of Detective Gumshoe and Aria echoed in his mind. Was he really going to like it here? It hasn’t even been a full day and the “Foster Father” was a complete jerk to him and the “Foster Mother” was already being two-faced.

The next few weeks were completely uneventful to him.

As promised, Apollo was registered at a nearby elementary school, a private one at that. He was forced to wear an all-black uniform with a white undershirt – the fabric feeling completely itching and stiff against his skin. The school even forced him to gel his hair down against his head, but it stubbornly kept trying to creep up.

When he was given his testing he had actually exceeded the levels of expectation, keeping him at the fourth grade level, but they gave him extra work to keep him stimulated. As this was a private school he attended, he took on extracurricular activities, including another language with Sam, as he attended the same school for fifth grade; both taking on Spanish.

I’m sure Spanish will come in handy while speaking with clients in the future… probably more common than Khura’inese.

Tyler attended the private middle school, him being in multiple sport extracurriculars. It seemed he was aiming for being in teams and captain positions for high school so he could end up with top notch scholarships for college.

Apollo’s relationship with the boys was going on well, they were getting along quickly. However, his relationship with the “parents” seemed to have faltered. Lucy was still insistent on trying to have him change his career path in life, her buying him many different law books that had nothing to do with defense law – every book had to do with prosecution, insurance fraud law, civil law, health insurance law, and divorce law.

Seems she rather me become any other attorney but a Defense Attorney…

Lucy pushed a very similar narrative on Tyler and Sam. She encouraged Tyler in sports only for a scholarship, but whenever he mentioned about becoming a professional basketball player or lacrosse player, she threatened to pull him from the team. Sam had mentioned he wanted to be a psychologist, but Lucy told him they were quacks and if he wanted to be a doctor of any kind it should be a surgeon or cardiologist as they made more money.

Emilio was the same as ever. He ignored all three kids and for the most part was only in the basement. The man would spend hours in the basement just to come upstairs, eat a meal, and leave the house for hours on end with large suitcases only to not return with them.

One day Apollo finally asked, “What do you even do in the basement, Emilio?”

The man had given him a hard glare. “Adult things,” he had practically growled. He had muttered something in Spanish, and thanks to Apollo taking Spanish classes he understood what was said.

“Nosey little asshole.”

“What are in the suitcases when you leave?” Apollo had then asked.

“Clothes.”

At the time, Apollo felt an uncomfortable tightness on his left wrist. Emilio’s left nostril flared, and he sniffled as he said that word. Something didn’t seem right.

It all came to a head one fateful day in December…

“Yo, I hope we get that new gaming console for Christmas!” Tyler cheered, him throwing his backpack onto the floor of the foyer when the three kids arrived at home after school.

Winter break had finally arrived, all three were off school for the next month. Apollo kept hearing the word “Christmas” thrown around for the last month since living at the Rodriguez’s. Just a couple of weeks ago they celebrated something called “Thanksgiving” where he ate turkey for the first time, which was easy on his stomach like chicken, and he enjoyed it. However, the term “Christmas” he was not used to, and everyone kept talking to him about it as if he did know.

Sam nodded in agreement to Tyler. “Oh, I know!” he laughed. “The graphics card on the new one is supposed to be, like, eight times better than the last one!”

Apollo gave a lighthearted, “Yes, agreed…!” and to put the icing on the cake he did a small “fist pump” he saw other kids at his school do.

Tyler laughed at him. “Pol, that was the lamest, and I mean this in the nicest way possible as your older brother here,” he howled. “But that was truly, the lamest fist pump I have ever seen! And I’ve lived with Sam for four months!”

“Yeah -! HEY!” Sam was about to agree but then just realized what was said.

Tyler gave Sam a small playful shove. “Ya know I’m messin’!” he joked. He then turned to Apollo. “So, ya gave Lucy any ideas for what you want for Christmas?”

Apollo gave a blank stare. “I… I don’t know…” he honestly said, his hand running through the stickiness of his gelled hair. He absolutely hated the gel. “We didn’t have Christmas in Khura’in.”

Sam gave a gasp, “YOU DIDN’T!?”

“We prayed a lot, to the Holy Mother,” Apollo offered. “Well, my family really didn’t much, we didn’t do the strict schedule the rest of the country did.”

Sam then pondered for a moment. “Wait… I think in my class we talked about Khura’in today… that’s the country that has a lot… of Spirit Mediums, right?”

“Yes.”

“Like… summoning the dead…?”

“Not really… it’s channeling a spirit and hosting the soul in your own body. It’s mainly a woman thing though.”

Tyler scoffed. “A country of Spirit Mediums…? Sounds like a B-Ghost movie plot.”

Sam gave an audible shudder. “That’s terrifying!” he cried. “I never want to see that!”

Apollo agreed, it was terrifying. He’s seen it once, it was from the Master of the Kurain School when she had visited when he was four, where they do a special form of channeling. Instead of just hosting the spirit and the spirit speaking through the host, the Master of the Kurain, or anyone from that bloodline, takes on the form of that person. Their body shape changes, hairstyle, certain facial features like a mole or scar shows up, height and weight become noticeable, and their voice matches; the actual spirit is there using the body like a puppet.

It was the most disturbing thing Apollo had ever seen, and he never wanted to see that again.

Apollo went to his room to put his backpack away. In the past few weeks, it was as promised where there were things bought for him to make his room feel more like his own. His plain white bedding was replaced with red and black; a black rug was placed on the floor to take up space, a small bookshelf that started collecting the various law books and Spanish language books, and he was bought a small laptop to be able to do schoolwork on. The walls were still bare as ever, he had no idea what to do to fill the space – so every night when he tried to go to sleep, the bareness of it all engulfed him.

Once he was done putting his books away from his backpack, he ran to the bathroom so he could run his head under the fairly large sink to wash out the hair gel. If there was one thing about the school that he absolutely hated was that it tried to force him to conform – they forced him to gel his hair every morning due to his “horns”; one of the teachers even tried to come at him with scissors until he ran away screaming. Once a week they try to put him in “speech therapy” with the Speech Therapist of the school to work on losing his Khura’inese accent.

“Dinner’s ready!” Apollo heard Lucy call from the kitchen. He dried his hair quickly and ran down the stairs, Cosmo the dog suddenly at his heels.

Everyone was accounted for at the table – all except for Emilio.

�� “Apollo,” Lucy said sweetly. “Can you just open the basement door and call down to Emilio and let him know dinner is ready?”

The boy nodded politely, and he obediently went to go do the task. He opened the basement door and called down. There was no answer. He raised his voice slightly, which in normal terms was almost shouting. There was still no answer.

“There is only one place we can’t go in the house!” Tyler’s voiced echoed in Apollo’s head.

“The basement!” Sam’s voice finished.

But Emilio isn’t responding… and I don’t want to get in trouble by Lucy either…

So, Apollo stepped down the stairs. Because the house was so new and luxurious, the stairs didn’t make one sound, so it was easy for him to go down quietly. Once he was at the bottom he saw that the lights were on and that he was in a completely furnished basement; the floor carpeted a generic tan, a couple of couches that were black leather with a large coffee table between them, and along the wall…

Wait… what are those…?

Apollo walked over to the large pile of what looked to be sacks of flour… Each sack had the weight of them printed on them and the amount of money of their worth… some of the bags were worth over one hundred thousand dollars. He backed away quickly, he didn’t want to even touch it. A glint caught his eye. On the coffee table in the center was a handgun with a few stray bullets lying about.

“What are you doing down here, kid!?” a gruff voice demanded.

Apollo spun around and saw a tall man with blonde hair wearing a black suit and tie glaring at him. The man would look like any other normal guy if it weren’t for the jagged, raised red scar that was across his face. He pulled something from his side, another flash of silver, and a handgun was produced.

“Thought that idiot told you kids not to come down here…!” the suited man grumbled.

“L-Lucy said d-dinner was ready…” Apollo stammered nervously, his brown eyes not leaving the gun.

The man sighed with fake sadness, “Looks like things are gonna end like the last kid they fostered…” There was a sound of the man cocking the gun. “Ya see… the last little bastard that came down here cause he was all curious got a lead aspirin…” The man then forced Apollo to look at him in the eyes, the boy seeing that the man’s eyes were an unusual shade of lilac. “Luckily, I made it look like a good accident so Little Miss Housewife could still be a foster mom to kids, but only if that idiot made sure nothing like that happened again.” He gave a subtle shake of his head. “Looks like all three of you boys need to die…”

Sweat beaded on Apollo’s forehead. America can’t really be like this, can it!? Dhurke had made it sound like he had to leave Khura’in because it was more dangerous there than anywhere else! Now there is drugs and a man threatening to kill him!?

“APOLLO, GET OUT OF HERE!” the voice of Emilio screamed as he came out of seemingly nowhere, tackling the man to the ground.

A loud bang! went off and there was a scream.

Apollo ran up the basement stairs as fast as he could, him practically tripping and almost smashing his face against the steps. As he ran past the dining room he heard Lucy try to call out to him, but there was more screaming as there was another gunshot. He finally made it up to his room and frantically searched for the card Detective Gumshoe gave him the day he was dropped off. He found it at the bottom of the sock drawer and took off, running around the corner of the hallway to get to the back of the house, to the one place he knew would have a phone: Lucy and Emilio’s room.

Another gunshot rang out and he heard wood splintering precariously close to his ear. He couldn’t think about how he was almost just shot and kept running. Once he made it to the Master Bedroom, he slammed it shut and locked it; he was panting but he had not time to catch his breath. He found the phone on the nightstand and immediately dialed Gumshoe’s number – praying to the Holy Mother herself that he would answer.

“This is Detective Dick Gumshoe, how can I help ya, pal?” the scruffy detective’s voice greeted.

“Detective! It’s me, Apollo Justice!” Apollo frantically cried, his voice high pitched and he could feel tears in his eyes.

“Oh, heya, kid… is every-”

“THERE IS A GUY IN THE HOUSE WITH A GUN!” and right on cue a shot blasted through the door and whizzed past him, shattering a picture of Lucy and Emilio on their wedding day that was hanging on the wall.

“Whoa, pal!” Gumshoe screamed into the phone. “That explains why everyone here is scrambling – we got multiple calls from the neighborhood there! I’ll be there myself in five minutes – you get yourself holed up somewhere!”

There was a click and dial-tone. The detective had hung up.

SLAM!

The door was kicked open and the blonde man was in the entry way. He clicked his tongue, “My, who knew a little foreigner orphan boy would be the cause of so much trouble in this operation…” Behind the man, Apollo saw that Emilio was limping down the hall, a gun in hand. “All that idiot had to do was just follow the rules, let his wife play ‘Mommy’ and he got to have all this money and big house – but like he said, you’re a noisy little prick.”

“Drugs and guns are illegal…” Apollo squeaked out.

The man then laughed, “So is murder kid, but how many trials of that do you see on television?” He gave a shrug. “All we do is frame others, and the Prosecution is so relentless… even the innocent is Guilty!”

Apollo winced. “So, the legal system in America is messed up too, huh?”

“Why do you care?”

“I’m going to be a Defense Attorney – I’m going to make sure assholes like you don’t get away with this!”

A loud bang! once again rang out, and there was a sickening crunch! A hole appeared suddenly in the middle of the blonde man’s head, and his lilac eyes widened in disbelief and shock just for a moment before they glossed over. He fell forward with a heavy thump! as scarlet pooled beneath him.

Emilio was at the doorway, a gun raised, and him panting heavily. Blood was on his left side and there was a hole on the left side of his suit jacket; he must’ve been shot when he had tackled the man in the basement.

“Apollo!” Emilio shouted as he limped over, concern in his brown eyes. “Hey… hey, kid! Are you okay!?”

Apollo didn’t say anything. He just stood there, numbness creeping into him.

“You have blood on your face…” Emilio whispered as he took a cloth from his left breast pocket. He began to try to wipe the blood from the boy’s face, but it seemed to only smear it.

A loud booming voice then shouted, “This is the police, pal!”

Emilio immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up, his hands raised up. The gun he had earlier was on the ground next to him.

“Hey, Apollo, you okay, kid!?” Gumshoe bellowed.

Again Apollo said nothing as red and blue lights began to fill the now darkening room and the night began to creep in that cold, December evening.

Apollo, Tyler, and Sam sat on the couch in the living room as the police swept the entire home.

Lucy was put on a gurney, a sheet over her entire body. Scarlet stained the white sheet as the body was still seeping with blood. The gunshot that Apollo had heard while he was running past was the blonde man pulling the trigger on her, killing her instantly.

Tyler and Sam were uninjured, and Apollo was thankful for that. But a lingering guilt clutched onto him. If he hadn’t went down to the basement… Lucy would be alive.

It turned out that Emilio Rodriguez was part of large drug smuggling operation in Los Angeles, him being blackmailed since he was in high school. Emilio had done something in his youth that caused the head of the organization to use that to their advantage and blackmail him for years. Of course Emilio got plenty of money, ended up meeting with Lucy who was his high school sweetheart and got married – the two couldn’t have biological children, so they went into being foster parents, and Lucy wanted to make sure each child would have the best career path for them that was legitimate so they could not possibly go on this path; she seemed to be rough and maybe seemed heartless when it came to their dreams, but deep down she only had their best interests at heart.

The reason why Emilio was so rough on the foster kids… was because of the death of the first kid that him and Lucy fostered. Just as the blonde man had said, the child had wandered down to the basement and caught sight of the illegal items. While Emilio insisted that the child would not say anything, the kid was taken care of so to speak and arranged in a way where there was an accident not tied to the home. He became cold to the next foster children that came into the picture, which was Tyler, then Sam, and finally Apollo, so that they wouldn’t meet the same fate.

Everything was confiscated in the basement, and Emilio was arrested for illegal possession of drugs and firearms as well as murder. As Emilio was being escorted out of the house in handcuffs, it looked like he almost had the look of peace on his face along with sadness.

“Sorry you kids have to be shipped off again…” Emilio said as one of the police officers guided him past. “I… I really wish it didn’t come to this.”

Apollo felt a pang in his chest. It was his fault after all.

Once officer each then escorted the boys to their rooms so they could pack their belongings. Gumshoe escorted Apollo himself, him seeing that the boy was tense and was moving very stiffly.

Apollo packed in his suitcase clothing, the legal books he was given, and the toiletries. He didn’t bother with the laptop as it was already confiscated by the police in case of other shady business. He zipped up the suitcase and approached Gumshoe, who looked a little shocked that the boy barely packed anything.

“You… sure you don’t have anything else…?” Gumshoe asked wearily.

“No…” Apollo replied stoically. “This is all.”

Gumshoe and Apollo went back downstairs, just in time to see Tyler and Sam be put in the back of two separate police cars. Cosmo the dog was put in a Humane Society van, ready to be put at a center so he could be adopted out himself.

I guess I put the dog in the same boat as us…

“Alright, pal,” Gumshoe said gently. “Let’s go…” as he began to lead the boy to his patrol car.

“Where are we going…?”

“I think I know where we are going, Apollo.”

This time Gumshoe had a couple of plastic bags from a convenience store in the back seat for him. As the scruffy detective put the car into gear, Apollo immediately felt his stomach churn and made a grab for a plastic bag. He couldn’t hold it in anymore – from between the fright of what he witnessed earlier, the blood from the man, Lucy’s dead body, and now the car, he just let retched into the bag.

“I… learned my lesson last time…” Gumshoe tried to say lightly, him grimacing at the sounds of the boy vomiting.

The stomach acid stung his throat, and his face streaked with tears. Every time he closed his eyes he just the man’s face with the hole in the middle of his forehead. He saw Lucy’s lifeless body on the gurney. He saw Emilio in handcuffs. He saw Tyler and Sam being once again shipped off to another home.

“Here we are, pal…” Gumshoe softly said as he pulled over the patrol car.

Apollo looked up to see a very familiar looking house. He opened the patrol car door and unbuckled his seatbelt and ran up the sidewalk that led to the front door. Before he even made it to the door, it opened and the warm light poured out with a silhouette of the woman who had taken care of him before.

“ARIA!” Apollo wailed, his eyes brimming with tears. Aria only crouched down and let the boy crash into her embrace. He started wailing in hysterics, a combination of Khura’inese, English, and now his new budding Spanish of everything. His whole body shook as he cried, but he felt comforted as Aria’s warm hands gently rubbed his back and consoled him.

“It’s going to be fine, Apollo…” she whispered to him. “You’re fine.”

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