#val had her first as well so i accidentally missed it on your end | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

burning-clutch · 4 years ago

Text

Headstrong With Headstones

cross posted on a03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30588233

-.-.-.-.-.-

Ghosts are always around to ruin Danny’s day. Nothing new there, but what came of it when the Red huntress tackled him and sent them both through the ghost catcher? Well, this was new...

Warnings: descriptions of death-like trama, injuries

Prompt by: EchoGhost

Valerie, as the Red Huntress, is chasing Phantom and they end up both accidentally flying through the Fenton Ghost Catcher together. This causes Danny to end up with the hunter suit and Valerie to end up with ghost powers. (Optional: When Val goes ghost she still looks exactly like Phantom.)

Whoo boy, this one was a ride! Fun to write though but boy! Did it get away from me! it’s a long one! Anyway, enjoy! Unbetaed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“I am really hating these things!” Phantom called out as he flew about the area blasting another giant ant looking.

He had no idea where these things came from or why but suddenly Amity was overrun with ant and bug ghosts that were just… everywhere. They were large, as far as bugs go, that is, ranging from the size of a house cat to a large dog, and each seemed to be either possessing citizens or stealing food to bring back for their queen.

Why they needed physical food, Danny wasn’t sure, but he also wasn’t about to let them stick around to let them accomplish their goal to find out. He looked over his shoulder as Sam and Tucker wrestled with a thirty something woman who was howling in rage tied up in a Fenton fishing line before they tossed her through the Ghost Catcher to separate out the ghost bug from the woman.

That done they blasted the ant ghost causing it to explode. “At least these things aren’t hard to destroy,” Tucker said, a disgusted look on his face. At least they had managed to get the catcher down here to the epicentre of the ant outbreak. Ant-break? Eh….

ng ghost. The ectoplasmic drone exploded into goo making Danny wince. “Ugh nasty... “ The halfa complained “At least we’re finally getting through them... “ Sam sighed in agreement. Though she would rather they catch the ghosts overblowing them up into goo she couldn’t deny the effectiveness. It was faster and more efficient to do rather than catch them in the thermoses and given they were only ecto constructs she couldn’t feel too bad about the whole thing. They just really needed to find the queen ant ghost sooner rather than later given that these things would never stop coming otherwise.

“Come on Tuck there's more down here! I just saw, like, eight go down the alley,” Sam said to her current partner in ghost busting. Tucker groaned but readied his lipstick blaster nonetheless and followed closely behind the dark haired girl.

Phantom watched them go before turning his attention back to the task at hand shooting through a random old man to pull out a ghost and explode that removed one as well as a larger one sneaking up on him all with the same large ecto blast.

A call of triumph was soon changed into a call of pain as Phantom was suddenly shot in the back. "I don't know how you're involved in this but I know you are, ghost!" Came an all too familiar and rather unwelcome voice from behind the halfa.

"Can we not right now Red?" Phantom complained. That shot between his shoulder blades had hurt! And he had really hoped that one of the ant ghosts had just been stronger than the others. Wishful thinking…

"Don't wanna hear your 'hero' spiel, ghost! Once I take care of you these bugs will be gone!" The Red Huntress spat back angrily.

"Me being here, and those bugs are not connected!" Phantom called back in exasperation just barely dodging a blast from the hunter.

"Stay still and let me end you ghost!"

"Tempting offer but, no. Gonna have to pass on that." Phantom called, aiming a shot and knocking the gun from Red's hands before trying to flee from her all the while still trying to round up the ghost bugs he came across.

It didn't exactly bode well with Valerie. The huntress dove after her gun, catching it before it smashed to the ground below, and tearing after the monochromatic ghost. “Get back here you ectoplasmic skum!” She yowled punching the gas so to speak, as she tried to gain headway against Phantom’s much more agile form.

“Oh! Good one! Haven’t heard that one every day of my afterlife! You need new insults!” He taunted blasting an ant ghost before slipping underground hoping to shake the huntress.

Red growled and brought up the information she’d need to track the menace in her visor eager to try and pinpoint where that jerk would be coming out. Thankfully her instruments didn’t fail her and she was able to see where he was, and got into position to head him off at the pass.

When Phantom did reemerge he did so invisibly not that it made a difference to the hunter, her visor showing where he was rather accurately. She fired, landing the hit on Phantom forcing him to drop his invisibility and jump back into the normal visible spectrum.

The ghost blinked at her stupidly a moment before asking, “New upgrades?”

“Yes, All the better to take revenge on you!”

“You’re still on about that?! You know I’m the ghost in this relationship, right? I’m supposed to be the one with the obsession?” He called only to let out a yelp and dodge down out of the way of the incoming missiles barely a second later.

“The only relationship we have is hunter and prey!” Red called out in rage making Phantom grimace.

The ghost turned to shoot any of the tracking missiles that were still coming at him before telling the girl, “You know you sound like Skulker right?! Like ew!”

“Shut up! You have no idea what this is like!”

“I was alive once ya know” Phantom argued back dodging another volley of shots and ducking down weaving under a billboard. “If anything you’re the one who doesn’t understand! Not to mention the anger issues!”

“I’ll show you anger issues!” Red quipped back yelping as her gun was shot out of her hand and exploded into bits from a follow up shot from Phantom. She was nearly out of ammo for that one anyway…

Still, she gave pursuit, even if she was ill prepared, given how fast she booked it out and after that stupid spectre when he appeared on her radar she was a little light, not that it mattered. Still, she hated to admit but she was well aware that if these bug things were Phantom’s he wouldn’t just be destroying them… it didn’t fit his MO.

Then again this was a ghost they were looking at as if they had any rational thought or feelings whatsoever! She could almost laugh at the thought. A ghost with actual feelings. HA! No matter though this time, this time she’d have him… he was weak after fighting all those other ghosts after all those minor literal bugs that needed to be squashed. She would take care of Phantom first then finish the mess he undoubtedly created.

Red let out a growl of frustration as her shots went wide, her anger causing her to miss, she knew it was that but she found herself seeing, well, red. She yelped at the burn her hand and arm sustained as Phantom blasted at her gun again, sort of missing his target and causing the weapon to explode in her hand. Of course, that only served to make her madder.

Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

While Phantom was gloating about his shot or some other such thing, no that sorry was sarcastic! How could it be anything else from a ghost?! She shot forward at top speed, the motor in her board whirring and whining in dismay as she punished it for all it had, slamming into Phantom and more or less tackling him with her board.

He yelped in surprise and she activated the stinger prod on the end of the board giving the stupid ghost a good amount of electricity.

Phantom screeched something fierce, a horrid sound that she had never heard before and his eyes widened in fear. GOOD! He finally knew to fear her! She shocked him again still moving forward to keep him on the end of her board.

In her delirium of finally getting something in on that stupid ghost she wasn’t exactly looking where she was steering, and well, to say she was shocked when she had passed through the Ghost catcher would be an understatement.

Pain, that’s all her mind knew, and that’s all Phantom’s knew as well as the ghostly energies and anti-energies hit the semi permeable film of the catcher. Valerie screeched, her own pitch seeming to match Phantom’s as they passed through.

She hears herself grunt, but it didn’t come from her own throat.

She felt herself groaning, but it sounded much too deep…

"What?" She heard her voice ask. "I- o-oh wait… Valerie!?"

The Huntress in question opened her eyes and blinked a few times staring at her own visor, and it took her a few seconds to realize what exactly she was looking at. Frantically she stands up or at least tries to, given she floated upwards towards the sky. Her robotic suit is now replaced with a black and white skin tight suit.

Phantom on the other hand had instantly felt heavy and hot. But when he saw a semi red tinted version of his own glowing green eyes staring back at him, the sparking ghost catcher in the background…

Well, his first thought was he separated from himself... but he still felt like himself and thought as he normally would… but then... hearing Valerie's voice come out of his own throat?

"Well shit" Danny managed to say smartly

Valerie screamed realizing she was looking at herself, her body, still in her Huntress suit. She waved her arms as she yelled obscenities, joining in Phantom’s own frantic flailing as the ghost boy tried to calm her down.

" Phantom what did you do? How dare you take over my body! Why am I stuck in your gross floaty one?!” The huntress turned ghost screeched.

“You think I planned this? I don’t wanna be a girl! This is your fault you’re the one who threw us through the catcher! You should know by now that m- The Fenton’s inventions do some whack stuff!” Danny argued hauling himself up to his feet properly and flailing his arms in circles to keep balance. He was both not used to being (fully) human as well as having a different centre of gravity, not to mention the suit covering his new form.

This wasn’t like possession at all. With that, it was like wearing a tight suit. It wasn’t too terrible overall but at the same time you instinctively knew how to move within one, this was a whole new experience, like being given stilts and set onto a tightrope and told to cross the canyon, all with an additional fifty pounds strapped to you.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how mad I am at this!” Valerie said as she grabbed onto a crack in the concrete to keep herself from floating away before face planting into the gravel and grunting. Phantom couldn’t help but smirk behind the visor despite himself. “Are you? Because the way I see it you’re the ghost, your anger isn’t real, your feelings are just remnants of what you remember anger to be.” He shot her condescending look that was hidden behind the helmet, but oh! It felt good to throw that back at her.

“What!? No! That is not how this works, ghost!” Valerie screeched out, reaching a rather impressive octave with his vocal cords.

“Actually it completely is. I’m not possessing you, otherwise, my “body”-” He held up his fingers to do the air quotes here “-wouldn’t still be here, and it definitely wouldn’t do this when I overshadow someone.”

“Why you!”

“Hey chill all we gotta do is go back through the-” Danny’s voice dropped off into silence as he stared up at the ghost catcher with a deepening frown. The center where the ethereal ‘thread’ of the catcher was had broken leaving a fancy looking bubble ring at best and a really bad eye of Sauron at worst.

“Okay, New plan we get that fixed and then we can get this whole thing straightened around,'' Phantom said with a firm nod to himself after flailing his hands back and forth to himself and… himself… oh his head was going to hurt.

Valerie yelped as her feet started to sink through the concrete, causing Phantom to snort. “Not so easy is it?” He retorted smugly doing his best impression of a bitchy prep, now that he had the vocal cords for it. Though when he realized that the slow descent into the concrete wasn’t stopping making the asphalt look more like quicksand than anything, Danny rushed forward to grab the ghostly upper arm.

He was glad for once that this suit had anti phase capabilities. Valerie on the other hand had a gambit of emotions cross her face. Confusion and fear were being the most prominent as well as anger.

And how could she not! That ghost had her body, and while he had made the mention of her emotions not being ‘real’ she knew that it was because her brain and whatever her consciousness was made up of was over here in Phantom. He was still the same evil conniving ghost as always and she wasn’t sure how he had planned this, but she just knew that this was a plot of some kind to make her life even more of a hell for her.

Still, phasing through things she could do without. “You have to focus on staying solid as your body, er my body I guess, will naturally want to turn intangible. The same thing with flight, you have to will yourself to stay on the ground, your default is to float so if you want to stay in one spot you have to will yourself there…. It- It’s like have you ever had a lucid dream?”

Valerie blinked at the ghost, her? … at the words before they actually registered. Why would he bother trying to help her? Wouldn't it be easier to have her crippled under a new body and new powers and all the confusion that surrounds it?

“What?” She said after a moment of thought. He had to be tricking her somehow with this right? There’s no way… “As if I’d trust anything you have to say.”

“What?! Don’t be stupid that is my body! I spent long enough accidentally phasing through stuff that I learned how to will myself to work!” Phantom argued indignantly.

"Fine" she snapped out, relenting slightly, but only just. She figured that if, and that's an IF the size of a planet… if he really didn't somehow plan this She supposed it wouldn't hurt to try what he was saying. After all, if she didn't play nice, why knows what crimes he'll commit while inhabiting her body.

Valerie shuddered as a good number of thoughts entered her head about what Phantom could potentially do with her body. Make her look like a fool, ruin her reputation! … What could she do in Phantoms? How was this real? How did that… whatever of the Fentons make this happen? Thinking about this too much would undoubtedly make her head hurt.

Right focus, keep yourself solid. “It’s harder than it looks, you know. Like I said when I had that whole thing with Cujo I couldn’t control myself entirely and controlling him too, well….” Phantom piped up earning a glare from the huntress.

“Shut up!” Valerie roared earning a blast of sound from her jaws as she had the bar start of a ghostly wail.

Phantom squawked and covered his ears, thankful the helmet was still on given it blocked out a good amount of the sound. “Easy your emotions make you- my powers go haywire!”

“Valerie’s eyes widened as she stared at the small trail of destruction she had caused. It… it was that easy to flip over three cars and punch a hole in a building?! And phantom… Phantom held this kind of raw power? Well, now she did... This pure, unrestrained power that was so hard to control and if she focused she could feel it just below the surface in her chest, running outward and under her skin like an electric current, writhing through her veins like caterpillars.

She was disgusted by it… she was thrilled by it… she was genuinely afraid of it…

“Y-You can just…” She trailed off. She didn’t want to say what she had done, what she had just seen, or acknowledge what she was still seeing… that trail of rubble there, she didn’t want to talk about it… as about it, but she had to… and yet, she didn’t want it to be made real by her accepting it...

“Like I said it takes a while to learn control.” Phantom offered simply.

“Stay right where you are spook!” Jack Fenton’s voice was suddenly echoing down the street causing Danny to instinctively throw up his hands before giving an “Oh wait.” and looking to Val with a mix of emotions on his face.

“He’s talking to you” Phantom taunted knowingly. At least Jack was a bit of a ways off, though closing in fast… They had at least a minute for him to get into firing range.

“What no! You’re the ghost!”

“Not from where I’m standing.” Phantom shot back hotly, and he was right… technically… And Valerie really hated that he was right! “We gotta get you, me, US We gotta get outta here!” Phantom stammered out, grabbing the ghost’s arm before bolting down the nearest alleyway. Danny shoved Valerie in his body back deeper into the dark of the alley wincing as he realized she may need to transform. Then again… “How do I use your board?” Phantom half asked half yelled out at the huntress, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look into her own panicked eyes.

“Why should I tell you?!” She spat back indignantly. Thankfully, or rather unluckily depending on how you look at it, an ectoblast shot their way clipping an overhead fire escape and pinging off the metal. Phantom simply threw his arm up towards the scorch mark with a huff of his own. “You wanna feel what those are like?” He says eyes narrowing the visors glow seemed to enhance the effect.

“Ugh fine,” Though it was meant to sound like reluctant compliance, the hitch in the tone gave her worry away. “Just jump into the air and call it up like mentally.”

He huffed and jumped up, only to land back down a second later with a frown. Again he tried going higher in his jump and clicking his heels together, this time it spawned the board but he simply hovered there on it. “And to fly?” Phantom asked ducking out of pure instinct as another ecto shot flew their way.

“Like surfing, or skateboarding Lean the way you want to go, put the pressure on your front foot for up and back for down.” Came the semi-rushed answer. Phantom nodded, grabbed Valerie and shot up like a rocket. The ghost let out a yelp and ended up overcompensating, sending them into a barrel roll as they climbed up into the clouds. By the time he managed to regain control he felt like he was going to barf, but Valerie only looked mildly annoyed. “Electromagnetic boots?” He asked wobbling a bit as he tried to haul his counterpart onto the board.

“Yep,” Came the answer as Valerie settled on the edge of the board with a defeated sigh.

“Just so you know I’m still blaming you for this. The only reason I’m playing nice with you right now is because I know if I don’t you’ll mess up something in my body or my suit.” Valerie hissed after a moment’s silence.

“Right ‘cuz I was totally the one who tackled us through that catcher.” Came the bitter retort. “I wish just once you would listen to me! Those ants are not my fault!”

“Then why bother trying to do anything about it?! Ghosts only want to manipulate people and I know if you’re not responsible for this mess then you’re making hay in the sunshine and taking advantage so that you can force people to view you as a hero,” She spat out making a scrunched face that very much did not belong on Phantom’s features.

“What? No! If I could do that don’t you think I would have?”

“Maybe you’re just not strong enough yet, need more believers or something.”

“You saw what ‘power’ I actually have Valerie, hell you used some of it! And by accident!”

“Well,” She sputtered shifting uncomfortably unable to deny what she had seen, done… what she could still sort of make out from here.

“And what was with the electricity earlier? That is beyond cruel you know! Keeping that up as long as you did!” Phantom raged the cybernetics seeming to respond in kind, a small laser popping out of his shoulder which the former halfa growled at and physically pushed back down to get it to go away.

“You’re a ghost! You don’t feel pain in the same way humans do.” Valery shot back reciting the rote excuse he had heard far too often.

Phantom saw red, and not just because of the visor he was currently forced to wear. So he did the only thing that his brain could think of. He slapped himself in the face. “OW! What the hell Phant-?!”

“Oh shut up! The pain’s all in your head! It’s not real! You’re just imagining it! You’re simply an imprint of who you once were, you’re not a person anymore, and feelings aren’t real because you're not human!” Phantom ranted and raved. When he was done he found himself panting heavily the excursion much more mental but ANCIENTS did it feel good to finally do that and scream and not take out a city block.

“Do you remember your time as Valerie Grey?” he asked after a few moments of getting his breathing in check.

“W-What? Are you stupid of course I do!” Valerie responded instantly, creeped out that the ghost knew her full name and identity but given the display of raw anger she had just witnessed she smartly decided to not bother to hedge that issue just yet. “We only just had this mess happen…” She offered up not fully sure what more to say.

“So you can say you died at that moment, well congrats, you’re no longer the person you once were, you’re not Valerie any longer, you are an imprint of what that person was and your memories of being human mean nothing.” Phantom hissed out lowly. This time he wasn’t shouting, but his tone was the purest sour thing she had ever heard come out of any single person.

“Well, I’m you.” She stated dumbly. Even though she was looking at herself and it was sort of an uncanny valley sort of thing to be looking at she still saw Phantom, raw feral and angry… The fact that she was technically the more powerful of them right now didn’t even register.

“That doesn’t matter, you’re not me you’re a ghost. It doesn’t matter who you were before you’re a ghost now and that’s all they’ll ever see.” He was shaking in barely constrained anger now. Valerie at least had the wherewithal to know that if positions were reversed and she was feeling the fury that the other was putting out, she would have come at the subject of her ire guns blazing...

Valerie opened her mouth and closed it a few times realizing something. She could literally feel the rage and sadness flowing out of the ghost controlling her body. She wanted to believe it was simply that the ghost was in HER body that the emotions were prevalent, but they were far too strong to be imitations…

She knew why she could feel, could taste, the emotions coming out of the other, and how it seemed to give a small boost of energy. It was sort of like eating something really sugary, the small jolt she got with it wouldn’t last long and she knew it instinctively, but the fact it gave a boost at all… Ghosts couldn’t feed on other ghost’s emotions… it’s one of the reasons they attacked humans after all…

She wanted to retort to the spectre snap at him like she always would but she couldn’t find it in herself… she simply felt… deflated... And it wasn’t just because her arm had all but disappeared into a wisp of smoke either…

She swallowed thickly letting the stupid ghost arm do whatever it wanted (why did she have to control these body parts) and took in a deep sigh. “You said the shock was cruel… Why?” She wondered after a moment.

Phantom had somehow managed to figure out how to open and disappear the helmet while Valerie was staring down at her, his, gloved hands, so it was a shock to see the whirlwind of storm clouds behind her own eyes. Phantom was always expressive, but it seemed to hit her harder seeing it on her own face… it looked far too real, too convincing in her own dark eyes.

“Take off the glove, the right one.” He says simply, almost too softly for her to hear.

It confused her, she hadn’t thought a ghost’s clothing could be removed… but, she did. There was little she would have thought to have seen under the glove but this? This wasn’t anything she was prepared for.

The fingers on the hand were deathly pale, but with a green underlay that was especially noticeable in the fingernails. Not a surprise really there… but just before the third knuckles the back of the hand started to deepen looking almost like something you’d find on an eighty year old, or a bit of dried wood one would toss in a fire, before fading back out and becoming the tanned green colour at the wrist that Phantom sported on his face.

Litchendburg scars were obvious and prevalent along the back of the hand, worsening into an almost perfect circle on his palm, about the size of a quarter and indented just a little bit. Now that she was looking at it, it was like his hand was burned clean through on the palm…. And those lightning bolt shaped scars, well, she knew what that meant.

“Death marks,” Phantom says simply almost reading her mind as she stared at the palm. “It’s exactly what you think it was and the scars snake around my arm all the way to my chest…. Kinda figure the whole thing exploded my heart and that’s what actually killed me...”

“And… You remember it?” Valerie asked, eyes widening in realization. Somehow talking to the ghost boy like this with his words coming out of her mouth… it seemed to make this all the more validating to her like she was finally hearing him for the first time… She probably was, now that she’d thought about it…

“Yeah, I remember a lot of my life… not everything mind you but it’s like remembering a dream you had the morning after…” Phantom says softly. That much was true, despite his halfa status, everything from before he became a half ghost was kind of hazy at best and shrouded in a dream like fog at worst. There were some memories he had that if he didn’t see photo evidence for it, he would have chalked it up to a kind of lucid dream…

“Oh,” Valerie said. What could she say to that? “And the ghost powers..? They weren’t innate and instinctual like the Fenton’s say were they?”

“No, it has been a trial by fire since the first day I died…” Phantom responded solemnly

She felt like dirt, and she glared at her whispering body before scrunching up her face and willing herself solid. She couldn’t control what her body was doing, she had no idea how to work any of… this! How many times had Phantom told her it was an accident and she refused to believe him?!

It was only now was she seeing the ghost she had been actively and relentlessly hunting as simply a teen who got thrown in too deep too fast over his head and was trying to make the most of it. Though there was one thing she didn’t quite understand, and she had wondered about it since she had first laid eyes on the odd monochromatic ghost.

“Why do you attack other ghosts at all?” She asked simply giving into her wondering.

“Because I wanna protect the people I left behind…” He answered earnestly

Valerie thought about that, he had said it before sure, but somehow it felt different this time he’d said it. Maybe she was overthinking it now? Or this was the first time she had given it any thought at all?

She stared down at her, at Phantom’s ungloved hand with a frown. Maybe he wanted to protect people to save people because no one came to save him? Almost sounded like too noble a thought to be wasted on some dumb ghost…

She shook her head wanting to end that train and derail it before it even left the station. She knew damn well it was her own anger and brashness that got her into this whole freaky Friday thing, but she would never admit to it aloud...

“How do we fix this?” She asked after a few more beats of listening to the soft whirring of the hoverboard beneath her.

“The Fenton Catcher got us into this, the Fenton Catcher can get us out,” Danny said simply. “IT’s like I was saying earlier. The electricity you were hitting me with overloaded the catcher and made it go haywire but luckily there is a reverse side to the thing, we just gotta hope the Fentons either fix the one that got fried or we hope they have a spare.” Phantom replied candidly. With a hum, the ghost boy tapped a finger on his, her lip.

The action was so normal yet so bewildering to her as she watched herself perform it. It was clearly something unconscious he did, given the thousand yard stare he had going on there… Phantom makes her go crosseyed and she couldn’t help but snort.

Danny knew full well there was a duplicate, well, sort of, of The Catcher in the lab, but the problem was he didn’t know where exactly it was. Secondly, he needed to be sure if it was worth the risk to try and use the catcher 1.0 when it was the updated version that they had been messed up by... The one they also destroyed.

Well… today seemed to be a sharing and show and tell kind of day so, “Valerie, there's an inside pocket on that suit, the zipper is under the collar since you probably can’t phase through yourself with any sort of control… Um, in that pocket there's a cell phone. Can you grab it and hand it to me?”

“You have a cell phone?” She asked her, his, nose crinkling up giving a look that clearly thought he was a stalker or something.

“Yes, a friend got it for me…. And before you say anything... Yes, I have friends, NO they are not evil… mostly, and the cellphone is paid for by them.” Phantom preemptively rattled off holding out his hand expectantly.

Valerie grunted in acknowledgement before fumbling about under the collar of the suit and finding the zipper. “What kind of ghost needs a zipper?”

“Don’t judge, I didn’t get to choose what I died in, you know.” Phantom huffed out impatiently.

Valerie blinked and grimaced, sort of feeling bad about the complaint now, though it was instantly rectified by Phantom’s next comment. “Hey lighten up, just gotta laugh at my grave sense of humour.”

“I will smack you… ugh, I can’t believe I’m undressing a ghost… Here’s your damn phone.” Valerie grumbled pointedly averting her eyes away from the ghost’s bare chest, acting as though she didn’t want to see anything she shouldn’t, in reality, she just didn’t want to see any more scarring and see it as though they were on her body. As it was she’ll be surprised enough if she doesn’t have nightmares.

She was already imagining herself being in Phantom’s spot, burning as you’re being electrocuted. Feeling your heart sputter and stop before being reborn as a ghost confused and lost still remembering everything and knowing you’ve died? She shuddered, and could only hope she would never become a ghost. Having that loom over you every time you saw your reflection didn’t sound like fun at all...

Phantom takes his phone, a flip phone that thankfully, was only ever used for his Phantom needs, and only contained three contacts, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker. Sam paid the bill for him and was a good fail safe if his parents ever punished his human half by taking away his electronics or if he ever had to leave in a hurry he had a secured line that shouldn’t be tied to him really in any way.

And right now it would work to make sure Valerie doesn’t see a phone was the same as Fenton’s. He flipped open the device, the clamshell was indestructible (mostly) and cheap! By Sam’s standards anyhow, fifty bucks may be nothing to her on her allowance but Danny would have to save up a month to get there. HE shook his head from his musings to focus on the task at hand, sending out a message to the group text asking his friends to either convince his parents to fix the ghost catcher or to retrieve the 1.0 version and set it up somewhere for him to try and fix a problem. He left it vague, apart from telling them he wasn’t exactly himself at the moment, which prompted an instant slew of worried texts from the three people in the chat chain but, well, he could deal with that later, he wrangled the ’ghostkateers’ back in and set them on their way. He just had to hope that he could get through this with his alternative identity intact.

“What was all that about?” Valerie asked suspiciously.

Ah, there it was… “I have contact with the Fenton kids… They help me get some of their parents stuff when I need it…. Didn’t you wonder why that Fenton Ghost Catcher was even in the middle of town in the first place?” Phantom said with a raised brow.

Valerie blinked in thought. She honestly hadn’t put that much thought into it. The Fenton adults had said that Phantom stole their stuff all the time and she’d simply left it at that. Why would she have wasted brain power on it? Though the more she thought about it the more she frowned.

Phantom was a ghost so just how had he been stealing things from the ghost hunters when they clearly had made and marketed things that stop and keep out ghosts? Phantom needed someone who could actually grab the stuff he needed, to get through the shields… someone(s) who were on the inside, and given how Danny would sometimes meekly defend Phantom, or how Jazz would sometimes ‘trip up’ her parents when they were going after Phantom, well…

Yeah, she really was blinded by her own rage and prejudices… Star was right on that, she supposed… too pinpointed on the small things that were pissing her off the most to focus on the bigger picture going on around her…

She shook her head before burying it in her hands. Ugh, stupid ghost making her question herself.

Phantom sighed and handed the phone back to her instructing her to tuck it away again. Curious she flipped it open and stared at the passcode ask that popped up. She didn’t even think flip phones had passcodes but whatever. She tried to make it look like she was playing with the phone flipping it and closing it, rather than actually trying to snoop… though the scoff from Phantom told her the ruse was pointless. She sighed and put the phone back where she found it.

Phantom had started grumbling about something under his breath earning a look of confusion from Valerie, though it didn’t take long for her to see what it was he was upset about, as he was trying to get the board to go. Valerie knew she should probably help him but at the same time, she was all too content to simply sit here and sulk.

It was a scream from somewhere below that snapped her from her spiralling thoughts of self depreciation. She instantly noticed two things; firstly how low her glow had become around her arms when she found a particular interest in the stitching in the gloves Phantom wore… and secondly, the scream was almost like a beacon to her, calling her out of her thoughts and making her want to go.

She felt anxious and antsy all of a sudden like she had to go somewhere, but couldn't. Like when one has to pee really bad but it's during a test, that split if need to go need to stay...she didn't know how to get Phantom's flight to work for her, but she wanted to figure out what the screaming was about…

Her legs jostle and bounce as she tries to quell the nervous energy she feels building. Why was she suddenly feeling this way? She steals a glance at Phantom, snorting when she sees him trying to unstick himself from the board but another scream for help pulls her attention back to the ground below.

She could taste the frustration from Phantom and given his growls towards the board he was standing on it was obvious where that was from, but it sort of irked her that he had no urgency about him. Couldn't he hear the screams why weren't they helping!? She had to help! She knew she could so she should! She HAD to even if she didn't know how to help she HAD to… she was compelled to.

"What are you doing? There are people who need help!" She spat feeling her agitation and anxiety rise. Phantom looked to her dumbly before looking down to the ground and noticing the chaos. “Huh…” He said simply eyes lazily roaming the crowd.

“What do you mean ‘huh?’ This is serious!” Valerie didn’t know why but she felt so much like a caged cat right now wanting to get at some prey that was just beyond her reach. She was almost positive that if she could she would be pacing back and forth on that board.

Phantom watched her twitching, her glow brightening and dimming and her anxiousness that made her look like she was getting ready to jump off this board, damned be the consequences, and he slowly felt a smirk form on his face much to the agitation of the huntress currently in his body. “It’s interesting, I mean… I’m watching this and well, I’m doing what you’re doing… it’s almost a relief” He chuckled dryly. “Jeez, guess I’m really not as much of a hero as I thought I was…” He says almost sadly before running a hand through his, her, hair.

“Phantom now is not the time to be cryptic! There are people down there who need …. Help…” Her anger suddenly ebbed away as she realized just what Phantom was getting at. How many times had the ghost told her that he just wanted to help? He always had a desperate insanity to his voice when he was tied down by her or some other ghost and he frantically would do anything he could to get out there to HELP.

“That’s your obsession, isn’t it... “ She clutched at Phantom’s jumpsuit over the ache in her chest where she could feel the ghostly core vibrating violently demanding retribution. It physically hurt, made her want to throw up and she knew the only thing to stop that feeling was to help.

Perhaps that’s why he was always involved, it was exactly the reason he said it was... He literally had no choice but to help when he saw something he could do… Was that why he was often seen helping out with inane tasks? Carrying things for people rescuing people… hell even rescuing a balloon from a tree for a little kid… He was literally trapped in an endless cycle.

Perhaps her earlier ideas of Phantom wanting to help because he didn’t get help when he needed it most wasn’t so far off. But feeling this now, in his body… it was awful to think that if she had gotten herself killed while chasing Phantom or some other ghost, she would be trapped in a similar cycle, but be even less noble… not to say Phantom was noble but that her ‘quest’ was rather unnoble.

“Yeah… guess it is…” Phantom answered sourly as he stared down at the chaos. He wanted to be a hero, he thought he was, he was helping people, saving people, after all right? Though thinking about this revelation…? It seemed to sour the point of him being a hero. If he wasn’t making the choice to help and to save people but being forced to do it… Was he really a hero?

His shoulders slumped as he watched the ghosts attack below. Even still now, he could make the choice right? He may not have his usual repertoire of powers he was used to but Red still had her suit, the suit he was currently occupying.

And looking to the huntress in his body he couldn't help but smirk. At least she would finally be more focused on saving people than shooting him. "Like a skateboard ya said right?" He asked, suddenly earning a bewildered look from the huntress.

She caught on quickly though, the small smirk appeared on her lips though it looked more conniving on Danny's face. "Yeah, and you think about the guns you want to will them out of the cybernetics." She added.

"For Ectoblasts, do you feel that cold spot in your chest, my chest?" At her nod, he continues. "Force that out and down your arm, gather it in your palm and let it go." He explained eyes narrowing.

Valerie caught on and nodded. "I'll take the left side you take right?" She asked eagerly, wanting to help the people below, not caring that she would be working with Phantom to get it done.

He was making a choice this time. Even if it wasn't him who would be hailed as the hero, given his current attire and whatnot but he wasn't being forced to make this decision. That had to count for something right?

He grunted as he fumbled around his head trying to put the helmet back up over his head. It takes him a few moments but he was able to get it eventually. He gives a nod and after a few experimental wiggles, he manages to get the hoverboard to sputter forward. He manages to move a little smoother by the time he gets closer to the ground willing out a blaster, he was hoping for something with a little more oomph but well, a wrist blaster worked too he supposed. He sees an ant ghost and fires, following up with more and more taking care of all in his sightlines. He gives a small "sorry!" As he almost knocks someone over but otherwise he seemed to be getting somewhere.

Valerie on the other hand had stood up into a sort of half crouch and was frantically waving her arm around trying to build the power in her blast hoping she could manage at least one shot. With a growl, she manages to get her hand to glow a bit green, which was progress, but not enough to create an effective attack. She shook her hand again, smacking her wrist a bit as though it were a buggy flashlight, before she was able to send out something a little more decent.

“Heh got ya!” She called out grinning at her mitt of ectoplasm, She may have only burned a hole through a street sign but hey, she got a hit on something so she was still going to count it as a win. “Over here!” Danny perked up hearing Jazz call pointing to the ghost catcher 1.0. Suppose it was better than nothing. He hoped it would do to only have themselves go through the catcher again and not have to recreate the whole process because, ow. The ghost turned huntress pitched a bit sharply earning a growling reprimand from Valerie, though it was quickly rectified by him blasting an ant ghost that was getting ready to jump at them.

It let out a horrid caterwauling noise, something that made their ears ring from the sound, “Ugh that’s worse than your screaming.” Phantom commented wincing a bit behind the visor, sighing in relief when the noise went silent.

“Ugh, really?” Valerie shot back though she could just make out the playful smirk that was showing on his face. Valerie opened her mouth to retort only to yelp as they pitched a hard right turn and went skyward. She didn’t need to ask why as the large queen ant ghost emerged from the ground.

The thing was as tall as a small building and as long as a transport truck. And the thing let out a wail that sounded like a mix of a lion and a hog squealing. “Well… That’s bigger than I thought it would be... “ Phantom said with a frown. “I don’t know if I can beat this thing in your body… We gotta get to that catcher!” He called.

The ant queen let out another roar and sent a bit of... Acidic goo... Vomit... stuff towards them. Valerie didn’t want to think too hard on it. Honestly, it looked like ecto snot but came out of what she hoped was the and queens mouth… “Ugh nasty.” She complained watching as the wad of snot sailed over them and into a building, melting it a bit.

“Yeah, let’s not get hit by that…” Phantom agreed, watching the brick melt away. “I need shields and you need to get your guns back.” He said scanning the ground around the queen to search for where the Catcher had landed.

“There!” Valerie seemed to catch on to what he was looking for and pointed it out spotting it first. At least they were in agreement on the fact they needed to swap back sooner rather than later.

Phantom leaned forward urging the board on towards the catcher hoping they would manage it in one swoop. Alas, it was not to be as the queen jumped into the air up at them, let out a roar before massive wings sprouted from her back smacking Danny and Valerie off the board, the electromagnetic functions in the huntresses suit doing nothing against the force of that hit.

They plummet downwards and Phantom tries to call out to the board but it doesn’t come for him. “Valerie fly!” He tries desperately, staring down to the fastly approaching ground. “Will yourself to fly!”

Valerie gasped out herself grunting as Danny flailed her body about before managing to cling to her. “I’m trying!” She shoots back angrily. She lets out a whine and closes her eyes in concentration before the glow around the ghostly body flares and they level out and tip upwards, earning a whoop of delight from Phantom.

“Head for the Catcher!” Phantom tells her.

“Again I’m trying you ectoplasmic pice of-”

Whatever she was going to say was cut off as they, by some miracle, had managed to head straight through the catcher. The pairs’ screams mix together and they end up on a heap on the other side with Jazz blinking down at them. “Did it work?” The ginger teen asked.

“Ow... Jazz?” Danny grumbled out. He raised a hand to his head to rub at his forehead and gave a pained whooped when he was able to see the glowing glove at the end of his limb. He offers a half hearted smile up to his sister before glaring at the queen who was being distracted by Sam and Tucker from wherever they had found cover in the nearby broken buildings.

“I got better at aiming I guess?” Jazz offered to give a hand to help up her half ghost brother. “I moved the Catcher to um, Catch you. I’m glad you didn’t smash into the metal siding, that would have hurt…”

“Thanks, Jazz I owe ya one,” Phantom says with a nod. “Get anyone who’s not protected out of here!” And with that Phantom flew off to attack the Queen ant.

Valerie was quick to pick herself back up and tar off after Phantom. “This is a temporary truce I hope you know!” She calls as she catches her board and flies off after the ghost, though even as she said it lacked her usual vitreal.

Thankfully once they were back in their own skin they made short work of the queen ant ghost, and even managed to not cause too much more property damage.

As Danny caps the thermos, he side eyes the Red huntress next to him in the air and offers the teen a hesitant hand. “I’m not gonna ask you to forgive me again but… maybe hesitant colleagues?”

Red eyed the ghost before her, his hesitant but hopeful smile that didn’t quite hide the worry and fear behind his eyes struck her more than anything. She used to think he was simply good at mimicking emotions but now… having felt them being him, herself? Well… she supposed the saying is true that you really can’t understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. His emotions felt real, on both sides she could taste the ones he was putting through her body, She felt pain when she was slapped by him… And she was finally able to see him as just another teen that was in over his head…. Dog ruining her life or not, though looking back on it now she had to admit it was something she was thankful for in a way.

She would see Paulina and her A list brainless wonders and know she used to be one of them. Caring too much about the wrong things and ruled by money in a way… Now? She knew she had to work to get anywhere, people liked her for her, not just her status and well… She had a purpose she could be proud of now.

“Yeah, Colleagues sounds like a good start… But step even a toe outta line and I will smear your ectoplasmic innards all over town.” Valerie threatened though she was teasing Phantom still grimaced as she grasped his hand. “Eh, I think I’ll take that…” he replied somewhat nervously.

“Good. Also… Maybe since you have one, I should give you my cell number… Case you ever need more than just some inventions as a backup.”

Phantom visibly brightened at that his glow got brighter and he grinned. “Yeah, that’d be perfect actually! Maybe we can trade off patrol routes and stuff too? Give each other a night off once in a while? I know you work so… ya know…?”

Valerie snorted but she appreciated the gesture nonetheless. She looks around before pulling a random piece of paper from off of the ground and using some piece of charcoal from who knows what that exploded she managed to scribble down her number.

Phantom bit his tongue as he almost told her he had her number already, or that if he needed it he could easily get it with Tucker’s help but that wouldn’t do him any good now. He made it this far without blowing his secret, he wasn’t about to blow it on something stupid like this!

Though it did make him wonder why Valerie hadn’t changed back to Fanton at all accidentally. He sure as hell did constantly when he first started out, it was a nightmare and resulted in far more detentions than he would have liked… Well, maybe she just didn’t think it was a possibility? He didn’t want to think too hard on that right now honestly, it brought with it too many questions.

He took the paper from the huntress when she offered it and nodded to her in thanks. “See ya around ghost brat.” She said, almost endearingly before speeding off, no doubt to sleep.

Phantom watches her go a moment before heading off on his own way back towards where his friends were waiting for him. Oh they had angry looks didn’t they, fun…

He had a hell of an experience to tell, and some things he wanted to get advice on… he hated being the embodiment of an existential crisis all the time, but hey, at least it was interesting right?

He just hoped Val keeps her new attitude. He’d rather work with her than have to dodge her blasts all the time after all…. And a few nights off here and there sounded wonderful.

Only time will tell, he supposed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.- Complete

Total word count: 8875

#phic phight 2021 #Danny Phantom #danny fenton #valerie #red huntress #Switcheroo #Team Ghost

23 notes · View notes

doc-pickles · 4 years ago

Text

right where you left me

It’s finally heeeere! One of the reasons I waited so long to post this fic was because my brain wasn’t working but also this accidentally went from a one shot to 8k words... Oops. Since this got so big I’m going to post it in two parts. Here is part one, so I hope y’all enjoy! (and don’t say i never did anything for y’all)

TW// Blood and Miscarriage Mention

Jo had just left Val’s room, her situation not improving and looking like it might get worse. The news had brought her to tears, her body desperately racking with sobs as she stood outside the hospital. She knew she probably looked crazy, she felt crazy, but the day had been too much for her.

The thing that terrified Jo about Val’s situation was that she could place herself there in an instant. Val was pregnant and scared and alone and because of that Luna might not have her mother around. Her mind drifted to the little life growing inside of her, hand flitting down the swell of her stomach as she sat on a bench and gasped for air. What if she died and her child didn’t have anyone? What if she was fighting for her life and her baby was in an incubator alone and scared?

Logically she knew that wouldn’t happen, her friends and coworkers would make sure her baby was taken care of. And Alex… well she still needed to tell him, but she knew he’d step up and take care of their child despite what had happened between them.

That particular thought brought another round of tears to Jo’s eyes, her heart aching at the fact that she had to call Alex and tell him that they were having a baby instead of coming up with some stupid cheesy way to tell him when he came home from work. They’d been trying, maybe not with any conscious effort but she’d gone off her birth control after coming back from treatment and he hadn’t restocked on condoms and well… If there was anything Alex and Jo were good at it was finding time to have sex. They’d even managed to find time for a quick round in the shower the morning he left.She missed him, after all the shit he’d put her through she missed him so much. She chalked it up to her hormones, but Jo would give a lot to see Alex again.

“I’m so sorry to intrude, but are you okay? I know we’re supposed to keep our distance but you look like you could use a hug.”

Jo looked to the woman who now stood in front of her. She was bundled up in a dark pea coat and a grey woolen cap that covered her whole head except a few blonde curls that managed to sneak out. She couldn’t make out any discernible features through the woman’s pink striped face mask, but her dark brown eyes looked friendly enough.

“I’m just having… a really shitty year,” Jo threw her hands out in exasperation, another sob coming up as the woman sat next to her on the wooden bench. “I have this patient and she’s basically dying and she has this… this beautiful little daughter in the NICU and her baby has no one else and it’s just… What if my baby ends up like that? I mean my husband already up and left me to move halfway across the country, wouldn’t me dying from COVID or something just as horrible really be the cherry on top of this disastrous year?”

The woman places a hand on Jo’s shoulder, the small amount of human interaction soothing her soul as the stranger begins to speak, “You have a good heart, I can tell. Who else would be this concerned about someone else’s baby?”

A chuckle escapes Jo as she thinks in her head that her newfound empathy is a direct result of her pregnancy hormones, “Not me usually, but impending motherhood and the prospect of being alone for the rest of my life has turned me into a softie.”

“I get it, when I saw my kids for the first time my whole life changed. My heart just…,” the woman paused, then let out a laugh. “You know in the Grinch? When his heart grows three sizes? That’s what holding my babies for the first time felt like.”

Jo settles a hand onto her slightly rounded stomach, wondering if that’s the reason Alex hadn’t come home. If he’d been so overwhelmed with love for his kids that he just couldn’t leave. She’d never considered the possibility, but now that she did her own heart cracked a bit at the thought.

“I just… I never thought I’d be going through this alone. My husband, he’s so good with kids and he’d wanted them for so long and I was finally ready,” Jo wiped at her eyes as she stared up at the sky, willing her tears to stop just for a moment. “And then he left because he found out he already has kids with his ex. So of course that’s when I would get pregnant, right? Right when things were about to change and we were going to get everything we wanted, he left.”

There was a pause that let Jo collect herself, blinking back her tears before she really had a meltdown in front of this complete stranger. She brushed her coat off, standing and facing the woman on the bench who was staring curiously at Jo.

“Thank you, for letting me vent. I really needed it,” Jo sighed, running a hand through her unruly hair as she straightened her face mask. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a NICU baby to go and check on.”

Jo walked back into the hospital feeling lighter than she had in weeks, the kindness of the stranger she’d met lifting her spirits as she journeyed upstairs. She would be okay, her baby would be fine, and Luna’s situation would resolve itself no matter Val’s outcome.

“Alex!” Standing outside Meredith’s hospital room, Alex turned at the sound of Izzie’s voice. He was grateful she’d offered to come with him to Seattle for emotional support, but he was so lost in his thoughts that he’d barely registered her presence.

“Hey Iz, I just checked on her. They won’t let me in, but she’s doing good,” Alex let a chuckle out as he looked to Meredith’s sleeping form. “She was shocked to see me but the grin she got on her face… It was priceless.” “I think you should stay in Seattle.”

There’s a momentary silence as Alex tries to absorb what Izzie’s said to him. Why the hell would he come back here when his kids were in Kansas? Sure he loved Meredith and her kids… and Jo too, he loved her more than anything. But none of that mattered anymore, his kids were his first priority and he wouldn’t let them down.

“I just think… maybe you should consider it,” Izzie kept speaking before he could even get a word in, her tone making him listen intently. “I love that you’re there for Eli and Alexis, but they’ll be fine only seeing you on holidays and during the summer. I just think you’re needed here, by more people than just Meredith.”

“Iz I-”

“Go up to the NICU, just trust me,” Izzie looks at him, eyes shining with unshed tears as they meet his. He notices that she doesn’t look sad, she looks relieved, happy almost as she speaks to him. “Go to the NICU and if your answer is still the same when you come back then fine. But just… I think it’s important for you to go and see what you’re missing.”

Izzie doesn’t say anything else, settling into a visitor’s chair in the hallway and bringing out the scarf she’d been working on since they’d left Kansas. Alex knows better than to ask questions when she’s this adamant about things, instead letting his feet carry him on the all too familiar path towards the NICU. He missed it if he were honest, being chief of a huge hospital didn’t give him much time to go up and stare at the babies in their plastic incubators anymore. But the room had always been soothing to him, it’s where he’d realized that he wanted to be a Peds surgeon and for that he’d always be grateful.

When he approaches the room he sees exactly what Izzie had been steering him towards. She’s walking out of the NICU, stripping out of the cumbersome PPE she’d had to wear inside and back down to her scrubs. Her hair tumbles out of the messy bun it’d been in but she seems unaffected as she smoothes down the creases in her navy colored scrubs.

That’s when he notices it, the slight swell of her stomach straining against the dark fabric as she reaches up to adjust her face mask. His breathing hitches as his eyes stay glued to her abdomen. After looking at her for almost every day of the past eight years, Alex considered himself an expert on Jo’s body and he knew that the small bump was not there the last time he saw her.

When she turns towards him finally she freezes, eyes wide as they stand across from one another. Their eyes meet for the first time in months and all Alex wants to do is surge forward and bring Jo into a tight hug. He knows he can’t, she would probably punch him in the face if he got within 3 feet of her, but he can dream, right? She’s blinking at him in confusion as if his presence genuinely doesn’t compute in her brain.

“Alex.”

She’s not sure if she’s hallucinating the sight of her ex husband in front of her, but he’s standing there in that stupid black jacket looking at her as if it were for the first time. Her heart is racing, telling her to run to him and hug him tight and not let go. Her brain talks her out of it, instead carrying her forward to stand a few feet in front of him. Jo doesn’t know where her courage comes from, but she hears herself speak first.

“What’re you doing here?”

Her tone isn’t angry or upset like she’d thought it would be, instead carrying a neutral tone to it as she takes in Alex. His eyes are scanning over her too and she knows that he’s going to catch on to the fact that something is different about her. He knew her well enough, it wouldn’t take him long.

“I’m Mer’s healthcare proxy still, I’m gonna hang around until she’s out of the woods,” Alex’s eyes finally come up to meet her again, his fingers reaching out to grab at her hand. “Can we… Can we talk?”

Her heart wins out that time, fingers lacing with Alex’s as she nods and lets him lead her down the hallway. Jo doesn’t know what she’s going to say, doesn’t know what Alex is going to say, but the feeling of his hand pressed against hers is a relief she can’t quite explain.

When they enter the empty on call room, Jo sits herself on one of the beds, her eyes watching her feet as she rips her face mask away. The cool air of the room gives her lungs a needed reprieve as she focuses on anything except Alex.

“How far along are you?”

Her heart stops then, eyes darting up to Alex in panic. He’d already figured it out, already realized that she was pregnant before she even had a chance to say anything to him. Fear builds up inside her as she desperately hopes that he doesn’t think she’s been hiding from him on purpose.

“12 weeks… I haven’t known for that long, I was avoiding it for awhile,” her fingers nervously tangle together as she wills back another round of tears. She’s not going to cry in front of him, she’s stronger than that. “I swear I was going to tell you, I just-”

“I’m not mad, take a breath Jo,” Alex was kneeling in front of her, placing his hands over her own shaking ones as he looked her over. She couldn’t meet his eyes, her own letting hot tears stream down her face no matter how hard she tried to stop them. “Hey don’t cry, I’m not mad. It’s okay, there’s no reason to cry.”

“There is though! There is because you left! You left without a second thought. You didn’t even call, couldn’t even look me in the eye and tell me,” Jo looks up then, meeting his eyes that are now displaying a sad expression. “You left Alex. Nothing changes that, not a baby or a pandemic or anything else. You left me.”

He sighs then, his head hanging low as he takes a deep breath. The all too familiar instinct in Jo wants to hold him close and run her fingers through his hair, but she keeps reminding herself that he’s the one that got them there, not her, “I know I left and I’ve regretted it every day since. I wish I could take it back and talk with you and-”

“You can’t though! You can’t take back what you did, you can’t take back leaving me for Izzie,” Jo pulls her hands out of his grasp then, running them delicately through her hair as she tries to get a grip on her emotions. “You can’t just waltz back in here and pretend a simple apology is going to fix everything because it’s not.”

There’s a thick silence then, the only sounds between the two are their heavy breathing. Jo’s mind is racing and Alex… well Jo is sure that if he didn’t feel guilty before that he definitely does now. She lets her eyes close for a moment, ignoring the tense air and the presence of her ex husband so that she can collect her thoughts.

“I wanna be there, for you and the baby, you know,” Alex’s voice is soft and laced with trepidation as if he might say the wrong thing. “I’m… Izzie is gonna send the kids for summers so I can come back here. And I’m never gonna stop apologizing for-”

“Fine, you can help with the baby but that’s it. I can’t… I can’t do this again. I can’t trust you anymore,” she knows the words are cruel, but they’re true. The moment she opened the letter he’d written Jo had lost all trust in Alex. “You can be there for the baby, I won’t keep you away, but I don’t need you anymore. I can’t need you anymore.”

She stands and leaves then, knowing if she stays any longer she’ll say something she regrets. She’s full of anger and hurt, but more than anything she wishes she could turn around and fold herself into Alex’s arms for hours on end.

There’s something wrong.

As soon as she wakes up in the middle of the night, Jo knows something is wrong. She sits up and turns on the side lamp, not feeling any different but knowing deep down that something had changed. She almost rolled over and went back to sleep, but her fingers brushed against something cool on her sheets. When she looks down at her hand, her heart stops.

Blood.

Her fingers were bright red as she looked down at them, heart hammering loudly in her ears as she tried to make sense of what was happening. She’d been fine when she went to bed just a few hours earlier and now her sheets were covered in blood.

“No no no, please no,” Jo’s voice was barely audible as she reached one hand out towards her phone, blindly dialing the number she knew by heart. “Please god no.”

“Jo? It’s two in the morning.”

“I know but I-”

Her voice cracks then, not able to make out any other words as she stares at the pool of blood on her white sheets. She could hear him clattering around on the other end, the sound of keys jangling and his front door opening and closing.

“I’m coming, I’ll be there in 15 minutes.”

Really he's there in 10, sliding the door to the loft open and finding Jo sitting up in the same spot she had been when she’d called. As soon as she sees him across the darkened loft she really cracks, a loud sob breaking through her as Alex rushes to her side, his eyes immediately taking in the blood stained sheets. His arms are around her in seconds, pulling her into his chest as heavy sobs wracked her body.

“Hey, deep breaths it’s okay,” Alex’s fingers are under her chin, tilting her head up and meeting her eyes. She’s terrified, her heart beating out of time, but Alex’s calm demeanor slows her breathing down and gets her to focus on him. “Go rinse off and then I’ll take you in. Okay?”

Jo nods, trusting Alex’s words as she walks silently to the bathroom and strips out of her clothes. She climbs into the shower, letting the hot water calm her only slightly as her fingers float down to her swollen belly. At 15 weeks she’d thought she’d left her worries behind in the first trimester, but the cold reality of the real world had decided to slap her across the face tonight. As she stands under the warm spray she prays to any god that might be out there to keep the baby resting in her womb safe where they are.

“You okay? Jo?”

Alex’s voice sounding outside the bathroom door snaps Jo out of her thoughts, her burning skin telling her she’d been in there for longer than she’d thought. She responds quickly, letting Alex know she was still alive before shutting the water off and grabbing a towel to wrap around herself. Jo realizes that she hadn’t even noticed him putting a pair of sweatpants and one of his old t-shirts in the bathroom for her. She quickly pulled the clothing on, exiting the bathroom to find Alex gathering up her bedsheets and throwing them into the laundry hamper.

“Hey,” Alex’s tone is laced with concern and care as he steps towards her. She’s barely talked to him in the few weeks he’d been back in Seattle, but Jo can’t resist folding herself into the comfort of his arms as hot tears begin to stream down her face. “Hey it’s okay, everything is gonna be okay.”

Jo hadn’t changed her mind on what she’d told Alex when he’d found out about the baby, but as she faced the possibility that they might lose their child all she wanted was his comfort. His arms settled around her waist, one hand curling towards her stomach to let his fingers brush across the bump there.

“Let me take you in, we’ll get you checked out and everything will be okay,” Alex’s voice is muffled as he presses his lips into her hair. Jo blindly nods, not moving from her place against Alex’s chest. “You’re gonna be okay, you’re not bleeding anymore right?”

Jo shakes her head in answer, her body curling closer to Alex’s as she thought about going in and being told her baby hadn’t made it.

“That’s a good thing. Come on,” when Jo still makes no move to leave his embrace, Alex leans back and looks down at her, eyes scanning her face somberly. “I’ll stay with you the whole time, okay?”

Jo lets Alex lead her out of the loft and down to his car that’s parked haphazardly in the lot. The drive seems to take twice as long as usual, Jo’s hand never leaving Alex’s grip as she watches the scenery of Seattle pass by in a blur. Her free hand subconsciously wraps around her belly, hoping for the flutters she’d felt the past few days to return.

Before she can comprehend what’s happening around her, Jo is sitting in an exam room waiting for the OB on call to see her. She doesn’t remember walking out of the car or coming into the hospital, she doesn’t remember changing into the sterile smelling hospital gown or answering whatever intake questions were asked of her. She figures Alex had taken care of that, his hand still clasped in hers as he sits in the chair next to the exam bed.

“I’m still here, I’m not leaving,” Alex’s voice soothes her nerves, as if he can hear the exact thoughts running through her head at the moment. “I’m not leaving Jo.”

And he doesn’t. The OB comes in and performs a quick physical exam before she powers on the ultrasound machine. Jo lays back, eyes closed in a combination of fear and anxiety as she feels the probe slide around her abdomen. She doesn’t want to see the woman’s face when she tells her that her baby isn’t alive anymore.

And then, there’s a booming sound that echoes through the room. Jo’s eyes flash open and look towards the screen, the black and white image of her uterus showing a baby that won’t stop moving around. The heartbeat booms again and it takes everything in her not to break down and cry tears of joy.

“I told you it would be okay,” Alex’s voice is soft and filled with emotion as he squeezes her hand, his lips involuntarily pressing against her forehead. “See, they're fine. You’re both fine.”

The OB spouts off something or another but all Jo hears is that she and the baby are okay. She needs to stay off her feet for a few days but she’ll be fine. Her heart returns to normal as the woman leaves the room, hands coming up to cover her face as a fresh round of tears begin to float down her cheeks.

“Come here, you’re okay,” Alex envelops her in his arms once more, Jo pressing herself tightly against him as she let her tears flow. They weren’t sad or scared anymore, the tears she was crying now were ones of relief and joy. “Get dressed and I'll take you home okay? I’m gonna go get you discharged.”

Quickly changing back into her clothes, Jo sat on the edge of the exam table reflecting on her night so far. The terrified feeling she’d had when she saw her blood stained sheets hadn’t gone away unless Alex was holding her in his arms, his soothing words and physical presence doing more to put her mind at ease than any of her years of experience as a doctor. Her fingers moved to her stomach as she felt a light flutter, her baby making sure she knew she wasn’t alone.

“You ready? You’re all set to get out of here and crawl back in bed,” as soon as he had stepped back into the room, Alex laced his fingers with Jo’s and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“I don’t want to go home,” Jo shook her head, eyes moving to Alex’s as she took a deep breath. “I don’t want to go back to sleep in my bed. Please.”

“Okay, I won’t take you home,” Alex pulled Jo up and into his chest, one arm wrapping around her shoulders as they walked out of the ER.

The constant comfort of Alex’s skin against hers is the only thing that keeps Jo stable as he drives away from the hospital. One hand is on the steering wheel but the other is still grasping tightly to Jo’s hand. She thinks he knows how calming his presence is, how at ease he makes her feel when everything around her is uncertain. He’d never say anything but she knew that he could read her thoughts so clearly.

They pull up outside of an apartment complex just a few blocks from the loft. Jo realizes then that she’s never been to Alex’s apartment, she’s never had a reason to before now. She lets him lead her inside and upstairs, opening the front door of the small one bedroom apartment. There’s still boxes around the living room, some she’d even packed herself in her haste to get rid of anything that reminded her of Alex.

His hand is on her back as she walks into his bedroom, an empty shell of a room besides the bed frame, bedside table and dresser. Jo takes in the two pictures on the nightstand, the first is of Alex sandwiched between two young children that she knows to be his kids, all three wearing matching crooked smiles. The second is an all too familiar picture frame wrapped up with a red bow. She knows if she looks on the back of it that she’ll see her own handwriting penned in gold ink, but she doesn’t dare to do this now. Instead she settles herself on the edge of the bed, watching silently as Alex kicks his shoes off into the corner of the room before gently removing her own slippers and placing them next to his.

“You can take my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch,” Alex’s voice snapped Jo out of her daze, her fingers reaching back out to him as he moved away from her. She doesn’t say anything as she wraps herself in his covers, staring up at him silently and waiting for him to join her.

When he finally does climb into bed Jo waits a moment before curling her body around his, her fingers clutching his shirt tightly. It’s not until Alex’s fingers brush across her stomach that she breaks down, letting her sobs fill the air as he holds her close. She’s relieved, of course she is, but she doesn’t think she’s let her emotions properly air out. So she cries and she lets herself be vulnerable in Alex’s arms and for just a few hours, everything seems like it’s going to be okay.

#jolex #alex karev #jo karev #jo wilson #greys anatomy #jo x alex #jolex fanfic #jolex fic #nina writes #fix it fic

52 notes · View notes

prairiesongserial · 4 years ago

Text

16.1

The lights on the burlesque stage went out just as Friday’s brassiere fell open - the timing of which she and Abernathy had been practicing for days. The crowd was so reactive that Friday felt the whistles and applause reverberating in the floorboards as she hustled off the stage. It was a louder reception than she was used to. She’d had fans at the Ace, but unlike the burlesque tent of the Madsen and Graves Circus, the Ace was just as much about drinking and catching up with friends over cards as it was about the girls.

Behind the curtain, in the tiny staging area, Beatrix was getting ready for her fan dance - she always did the finale, and it was always the same act. Friday had picked up the importance of crowd control since she first started hanging around the burlesque tent. With just cloth tent-flaps between yourself and a crowd that had been waiting a year for the circus to come through town, it was important they understood when the show was over.

A little girl popped through the curtain behind Friday while Friday was still trying to fix her brassiere back in place.

“Hey, baby,” Friday said, shooting her a smile. Jaelle, All-Fair’s kid, had been working the crowd. It was odd - usually Johannes did the burlesque tent himself, or at least got one of the men to do it. They blended in better. On the other hand, looking at the dozens of rings jammed on Jaelle’s fingers and the watches crawling up her arms, maybe the kid was the right choice.

“Hello, Miss Friday,” Jaelle said. She deposited her goods in the tin lock-box that Abernathy would come collect at the end of the night, turning the key with an air of great importance. “Can’t stay and chat - Johannes has me working every tent in the circus.” She heaved a sigh. “Bury me standing - I’ve been on my knees all my life.”

Friday had no idea what Jaelle was talking about, but the kid took off before she could ask. The circus would be winding down, now that the burlesque tent was putting on its last show. Friday threw slacks and a shirt on over her sequined underwear, still soaked in sweat from performing. She needed an ice cream cone before the stall packed up for the night.

When Friday left the tent, she was abruptly reminded that this was no ordinary show.

Her boots tread on grass, but there was no sky here. Despite the fact that it should have been past ten at night, dozens of lights high up on a domed ceiling gave the impression of daylight. Johannes’s amplified voice reached her from the main tent as he announced the last attraction. All at once, the lights on the ceiling shifted from yellow to orange to red, performing dusk in a matter of seconds. If not for that, the effect would have been eerily realistic.

Friday got a strawberry cone from Di and decided to wander over to the main tent. Might as well.

The last act in the main tent was fire-hooping, which was worth watching. The twin clowns had shed the baggy overalls from their tumbling routine and now wore form-fitting red and blue harlequin outfits as the flaming hula hoops arced through the air in perfect sync. Not only were the fire-hoopers impressive, but when the flames were extinguished at the end of the show, it made for a powerful symbol. Lights out, go home.

Friday felt the lightest touch against her back pocket. Most people would have written it off as the movement of displaced air as someone nearby walked past. Friday jerked her hand back and caught a slim wrist.

“Damn, I’ve been made,” Jaelle whispered.

“It’s just me,” Friday said, letting go. She beckoned Jaelle forward. “See that cluster of people three rows ahead of us, a little to the left? Heavy purses.”

Jaelle squinted in the direction Friday had indicated.

“Thanks, Miss Friday,” she said, then disappeared into the crowd again.

On stage, one of the clowns tossed her hoop up in the air, tumbled through the center of her twin’s hoop, and caught the one she’d thrown on the other side. The crowd clapped. That was the perfect moment to pick pockets. People’s hands were occupied, it was noisy, and the whole tent was filled with vibration, making little touches harder to notice. Friday felt the urge to check her own pockets again.

She did wonder at Johannes’s directive to go hard on pickpocketing this show. They were underground - had actually had to pay a toll to get into this giant bunker - and only after the steel door had been sealed behind the circus caravan had Friday learned that this was Washington, DC; home of Hemisphere Central. If Jaelle was caught picking the wrong pocket, that pocket had a pretty good chance of belonging to a powerful mobster. And the circus was trapped in here.

It was interesting how the Madsen and Graves circuit just happened to hit so many Hemisphere towns - from Everglades City to the accidental run in with the Good Guys - and now Central itself. No, interesting wasn’t the right word. At this point, it was almost boring, how obvious it was that Johannes was planning on handing her, Val, John, and Cody over to Hemisphere. Friday had finally tested her L-shaped pin against those used in the trailer hitches, and it was a perfect match. Johannes was trying to kill them, and Friday didn’t have a next move.

The fire-hooping ended with the lights shutting off just as the fires were extinguished. When they came back on, Johannes stood center stage to announce that the night of spectacle had come to a close. He’d changed backstage, and now wore a sequined suit - the left gold and the right black - and a cream cravat with a gold pin. Also cream colored was the porcelain mask that covered the top half of his face. Strange.

“Thank you all for coming to our show - that’s all the entertainment we have for you tonight. We hope you enjoyed the feats of athletics and wonder of the Madsen and Graves Circus.”

Friday spied Enis climbing down the ladder of the crow’s nest from which he controlled the lights. The crowd began to move toward the exit.

Friday wondered what Val thought about all this. She hadn’t tried to talk to him since he came back from Monocacy, but she’d pieced together from the gossip that Johannes had kissed him, it hadn’t been appreciated, and Val was pissed about it. Di, who was approaching sixty and had likely been with the circus since before Johannes was born, had called Johannes a dog and spat on the ground.

The crowd cleared the main tent surprisingly quickly - there were whispers of stopping at home to get changed. Interesting. Apparently the Madsen and Graves was the unwitting first half of a double feature.

As the last of the crowd left, circus members began to file into the main tent. Not unusual - after a show, there were sometimes special instructions for striking the sets. Friday saw Val hanging around the edges, and John and Cody front and center. She made her way over to Val.

“Catch my show?” she asked him.

Val looked at her, made an embarrassed face, then looked back to the stage.

“Would you rather I said yes?” he asked.

Friday smiled to herself, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

“A girl can dream,” she said, and winked at him. Val rolled his eyes. For a second, the summer had rolled back to the start, before John, Cody, and the fire. The reminder of how things used to be made Friday forget what she wanted to say next.

“Alright people, gather round,” Johannes called out, tipping the mask up to show his face. “You all know your strike teams, but there’s a little change. Enis and Abernathy are standing in for me and Ezra. We’re gonna shmooze at the gala and see if we can’t get us some extra gigs next year.”

Ezra had joined Johannes onstage by this point. He too was dressed up, wearing a bright navy suit and polished red leather shoes. He held a red mask in one hand.

Friday was surprised when Ezra projected his voice exactly as competently as his brother had.

“Once you’re done, feel free to go into town, buy things that aren’t good for you, and give Enis a hard time.”

The crowd of circus members laughed, and a few ribbed Enis.

“Alright, get outta here,” Johannes added.

Friday stole another glance at Val. His brow was furrowed, his eyes intense on the brothers as they descended the stage.

“Gala, huh,” Friday said. “Sounds like a high class affair.”

Val gave her the look that meant I know what you’re getting at.

“I’m just saying, beer and campfires are nice, but I’ve never been to a champagne-on-little-trays kinda party.”

Friday wanted to keep an eye on Johannes - to judge if this was going to be a planned handoff, or if he’d spend the gala advertising the bounties to interested parties. Either way, Friday needed as much advance warning as she could get. And if Val came to the gala with her, maybe he’d finally see Johannes for who he was.

“It’s a Hemisphere party,” Val said.

So don’t you think it’s interesting that Johannes is looking for work there? Friday thought. Come on, Val.

“No one’s gonna be looking for us there,” she said. “It’s a fancy ball. We’ll wear big sparkly dresses and masks and introduce ourselves as the stars of a not yet released Bellamy picture that no one’s even heard of yet. No further questions.”

“I’ll come, but I’m not doing that,” Val said. “Someone has to keep you out of trouble.”

“Me? Trouble? Never,” Friday said, a wide grin growing on her face. “Come on, let’s find costumes.”

epilogue 15 || 16.2

#story

5 notes · View notes

mischiefandspirits · 4 years ago

Text

Doppelgänger (11/?)

Previously on Doppelgänger ~ Masterlist ~ Next time on Doppelgänger

Danny, Sam, and Tucker were just 14 when they took a look inside the portal Danny’s parents had built. From there, everything changed. They woke up with white hair, green skin, and powers they could learn to control. They were hybrids, halfas.

They were the hero Doppelgänger.

{Life Lessons, Part 3}

The two ghosts led Valerie through the Ghost Zone in a weaving path. They were going at a pace slower than she was used to when dealing with them, but still fast enough that Danny had to hold on to keep from falling off.

“You okay?” she asked when his grip tightened during a turn.

“Yeah, just not used to it.”

“Maybe I should take you flying with me some time,” she said, glancing back at him and was pleased to see his smile.

“Sounds fun.”

The trip was thankfully short and soon enough Valerie was following the ghosts through a swirling vortex, coming out in the Fentons’ lab.

“Last stop, home,” Danny joked as he hopped down.

“What was that?”

All four teens froze at the voice before the ghosts darted through the walls and Valerie retracted her suit. A moment later, Danny’s parents came running down the stairs.

“Danny!” his mom shrieked when she saw them and the two adults swooped in to hug him. “We’ve been so worried! Are you okay? Did that awful ghost hurt you?”

“I’m-Mom, I’m-I’m okay! I-Dad, I can’t breath!”

The two pulled away and his mom held him at arm’s length to look him over. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, mom. Really.”

She didn’t look convinced, but turned to the other teen. “Valerie Gray, right? Are you okay?”

“Uh, yes ma’am,” she said, blinking. “Um, how did you know…”

“Your boss saw you and Danny get attacked and called it in,” Mrs. Fenton explained. “We tried to track it, but we found out this morning that it managed to get back to the zone somehow without using our portal. We were just preparing the speeder so we could come find you.”

“But you managed to escape on your own,” Mr. Fenton said, slapping Danny on the back hard enough that he stumbled forward. “That’s our boy!”

“The ghost didn’t hurt you?” Mrs. Fenton asked, looking Valerie over as she’d done Danny.

“No. He was some sort of collector or something. He just stuck us in a cage, like zoo animals,” Danny said.

“Well, I suppose that’s better than the alternative. I still want to be sure, though. Jack, why don’t you call Damon and the police and tell them the kids are back.”

“Yes, dear.” Mr. Fenton ruffled Danny’s hair then ran upstairs.

Mrs. Fenton checked them both thoroughly for injuries then grabbed what she referred to as a first aid kit, but turned out to be a large toolbox full of medical equipment. She used it to check their eyes, lungs, and heart before measuring any ectoplasmic radiation they were giving off.

“A 0.3er,” she read off after scanning Valerie. When she saw the girl’s curious expression, she explained, “Lower than I would have thought, which is good. It’s a completely healthy reading. It also means the atmospheric ecto-rad level of the Ghost Zone might be lower than we were expecting.” She then turned to Danny and scanned him. “A 1.18er.”

“Is that bad?” Valerie asked, worried.

Danny shook his head. “I run hotter than most. My whole family does, really, but I got into an accident a few months back so I run even hotter. That’s not much higher than my usual.”

“We don’t start worrying until a person’s ecto-rad level reaches 1.5er,” Mrs. Fenton added. “That’s when ectoplasm starts to negatively affect a human’s body.”

“Mom, Mr. Gray is here,” Danny’s sister said, poking her head in. Her eyes widened. “Danny!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny gave a pleased sigh as he cuddled up between his partners.

“Sorry it took us so long to find you,” Sam said, squeezing him.

He kissed her cheek. “It’s not your fault. Besides, it was kind of fun tormenting Skulker. I think he was actually tempted to send us back towards the end there.”

“Only you would think annoying the crud out of the homicidal ghost keeping you prisoner was a good idea,” Tucker chuckled, nuzzling into his neck.

“That’s why you love me!” Danny nuzzled him back. “How did you guys find us?”

“Someone found video footage of Skulker going through that random portal on their CCTV camera and turned it over to the police,” Sam explained. “Jazz told us when they were bringing in your parents to see the video so we were able to come along invisibly.”

“Weird as it is, Jazz is probably the hero this time,” Tucker said. “She also got you and Val an A on your baby assignment.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, she came by that night and told us you were missing, then took both sacks with her. Said something about giving us time to process.”

“Which was good because we were up all night trying to find you.”

“Then the next morning after she gave us ours back she went to Tetslaff and explained what had happened. We don’t know what she said, but she turned in the sack and when Tetslaff handed out grades, she said you’d get As for trusting someone so responsible and mature to babysit for you.”

“Wow, score one for teacher’s pet Jazz. Maybe we should bring her in on the secret.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sam snorted.

“She’s even more overprotective of you than you are of anyone. She’d never leave us alone,” Tucker huffed.

Danny’s nose scrunched up as he remembered how Jazz had hovered over him for two months after his parents had accidentally left him at the Christmas tree lot when he was six. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair. I’ll have to do something nice for Jazz, though. So how’d you guys do on the baby thing anyways?”

Sam smirked. “Well, I got an A.”

Tucker grumbled something and pressed further into Danny’s neck.

{The Million Dollar Ghost}

“Thanks for covering for me, Sam,” Danny said as he scrubbed ectoplasm off the lab’s floor. “There’s no way I’d have been able to get my chores done with all the extra work Lancer assigned me.”

“It’s fine. As long as we cover the next poetry night.”

“I will.”

“Did we charge the bazooka already?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“Did we change the ecto-filtrator?”

Danny paused then went to do just that.

“We’d be lost without us,” Sam chuckled. “Did we talk to our dad about showing up at school?”

“Jazz and Mom were taking care of it when -”

“GUYS!”

“Tuck?”

“Volume!”

“Did you hear?” Tucker said, thankfully quieter.

“Hear what?”

“Turn on the tv! Amity news!”

“We’re on patrol,” Sam said as Danny went to the lab’s tv.

“Switching to FaceTime.”

“-etent, non-Jack Fenton ghost hunters in Amity Park has never been more obvious,” the news anchor was saying while footage of his dad’s attack on Lancer played. It switched back to the anchor and she continued. “Luckily a mysterious benefactor has offered a million-dollar bounty on the head of Amity Park’s most famous ghost and invited the world’s best-known ghost hunters to track her down.”

Danny’s jaw dropped as a picture of Tucker in ghost form appeared onscreen. “What?”

“Who on earth would place a bounty on us?”

“Besides Valerie, but we know she doesn’t have that kind of money,” Tucker added.

“Valerie wants to hunt us down herself, same for my parents,” Danny said. Then laughed. “Oh man, my dad is going to go crazy when he hears about this.”

“Dude, this is serious.”

“Aren't we worried? These are the best-known ghost hunters in the world!”

“Sam, they’re the best-known, they’re not the best,” he scoffed. “Trust me, I grew up around these people so I have a pretty good idea who’s going to show up. It will be great.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“We’ll admit, they don’t look threatening,” the trio said, watching the gathering of ghost hunters from atop a nearby building. “It’s actually kind of sad.”

“Tell me about it.” The trio flinched and turned to Valerie as she landed next to them.

“Hey. Hi. You here for the bounty?”

“Lucky for you, no.” She sat down on the edge next to them. “I don’t trust this bounty thing. I’m here for the same reason as you, the show. Danny said his dad would be here to show up the out-of-towners.”

The four watched as the Fenton parents ran over a pair of ATVs.

“And that’s only half the show.”

“What do you mean?”

“SAVE DOPPELGÄNGER!”

The four turned to see a horde of teenagers marching into the Nasty Burger parking lot, all waving signs saying things like, “Protect the ghost boy!”, “Freedom for the ghost girl!”, and even just their name or picture. Paulina and Dash were at the head of the charge with fierce looks on their faces.

“I found out the popular kids at my school were organizing a protest against the bounty.”

“Well, don’t we feel special.”

“Apparently Paulina and Dash, the most popular sophomores, both have crushes on you.”

“Yikes. Wow. We don’t know if we should be flattered or creeped out.”

“You’re dead. It’s creepy.”

“Rude. Do they think we’re a guy or a girl?”

“Dash is adamant you’re a girl. Probably to soothe his poor straight heart. Paulina thought you were a guy, but I think my friend Star said something to her after I let it slip you might be non-binary because she’s been using they pronouns lately.”

“That’s… more forward-thinking than I assumed she could be. Given she’s the popular type.”

“She’s bi. As long as you weren’t femme, she would have been game.”

“Oh.”

“She’s still in the closet, so don’t say anything to anyone.”

“We won’t.”

Screams sounded over the arguing and the four looked back to the crowd to see a trio of bird ghosts dive-bombing the hunters.

“Those are Plasmius’s vultures. Should have known he was behind this whole thing.”

“Plasmius,” Valerie asked.

“A fruit loop of a ghost.”

“Let me guess, he hates you too?”

“Worse, he wants us as his kid. Tried to kill our dad and kidnapped our mom once.”

“Seriously?”

“Unfortunately. Do you mind taking care of this? The out-of-towners are idiots, but we’d rather not test the Fentons.”

She shrugged and climbed to her feet. They watched her drop down and start firing on the birds until a voice sounded behind them.

“Not going to lend your father a hand, Daniel?”

The trio turned to see Vlad floating behind them.

“Wow, you look even stupider than we sai-remember. You do realize the modern interpretation of vampires is a hot person, right?”

“I see you’ve been working on your duplication then,” he said with a scowl. “You do realize you don’t have to talk together, don’t you ?”

“You do realize there are better uses for your time than bothering a teenager, don’t you? Shouldn't you be getting home to the love of your life? Oh, that’s right! Our dad married the love of your life. We’re trying to watch the show, do you mind?”

Vlad scowled and fired on them.

“Should we really be teasing the older, stronger half-ghost? Well, we do outnumber him.”

Vlad split in three.

“Now we don’t.”

Sam raised a shield around her and Tucker while he grabbed onto the GAV’s controls and used it to fire on Vlad. Meanwhile, Danny put his speed to use diving around the three Vlad’s.

“You’ve gotten better,” one Vlad said as Danny curled around his blast, a bit of frustration leaking into his voice.

“And you’ve gotten worse,” they said.

Was it just Danny or were the Vlad’s slower and weaker than usual? Did duplication cut their power?

Interesting, and good to know for Sam.

A green blast flew by and Danny looked down to see they’d gotten the hunters’ attention.

Danny turned back to the Vlads and fired at the one closest to him. A pink blast joined his and the Vlad disappeared.

“Your stalker?” Valerie asked.

“Yup.”

“I believe that’s my cue to leave,” a Vlad said and they teleported away.

“And ours,” the trio said as a few more of the hunters’ blasts flew past them.

Valerie turned her blaster towards Danny, who raised his hands. “Thought you weren’t going for the bounty.”

“I’m not. This is for me.”

Sam and Tucker shot away as Danny flew down towards the crowd, distracting all the hunters and waving at their fans before he dove straight into the ground. He came up in an alley where his partners were waiting and all three transformed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I knew there was something sketchy about this mess,” Valerie said as she looked over her pistol. “I didn’t think a ghost would be the one placing the bounty though.”

“Ghost?” Danny said, coming back over with a now-empty thermos.

“Yeah, some enemy of the ghost kid. They said he wants them as his kid, but I don’t even know how that works for ghosts.”

“No clue. Maybe he’s just insane.”

“Probably.”

Valerie’s phone went off and she pulled it out. “There’s an attack downtown.”

He leaned in as she brought up a live feed.

A large, t-rex-looking ghost was stomping through the street. Sam and Tucker were already there, firing on its head. The hunters, Danny’s parents included, could be seen chasing them in the background.

“You going to join them?” Danny asked, pulling back and grabbing Valerie’s grenade launcher. His partners looked like they had it and they’d give him a call if they didn’t.

“And risk getting into another ghost discussion with those pathetic excuses for hunters? Pass.”

“You should see them at one of the conventions.”

The two worked in silence until Danny’s ghost sense went off and a device on the counter next to them started beeping.

“Ghost?” Danny grabbed it and checked it. “It shouldn’t be picking up the fight from here.”

Valerie loaded the cartridge back into her pistol while Danny grabbed the only other operational weapons on the table, the thermos and Fenton Ghost Gloves.

The vultures flew through the ceiling, then froze. “You should not be here.”

Valerie blasted all three in the face.

Danny grabbed one in one hand and sucked the second into the thermos with the other before they could recover. The third dodged around another blast from Valerie, only for the Jack o' Nine Tails to come shooting out of the stairs and wrap around it.

Jazz slammed it into the floor as she came into the lab. “You guys okay?”

“We’re fine,” Danny said, sucking the last two into the thermos. “You?”

“Fine. I was just heading into the kitchen to grab a snack and saw them flying by.” She watched as Danny went to empty the thermos, then turned to Valerie. “What are you guys doing down here?”

“Well now, isn’t this a surprise?”

The teens looked up to see Vlad hovering over the lab.

“Great, another uninvited guest,” Danny groaned.

The ghost turned to him in shock. “Daniel?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you?”

Valerie shot Vlad before he could do anything else.

Jazz tried to grab him with the nine tails, but he caught it out of the air and yanked it away from her. Danny used the distraction to punch him in the back. He smirked down at the gauntlets when the older halfa was sent into the wall.

Valerie slid up to his side as Jazz grabbed the Fenton Foamer off a table and blasted Vlad. “Trade you.”

Knowing from personal -- bruising -- experience that Valerie was better at hand-to-hand, Danny passed her the gauntlets and took the pistol.

The kids didn’t give Vlad a chance to breathe, switching quickly between Valerie beating him into the ground and the Fentons shooting him out of the air. Soon enough, Danny was opening the portal so Valerie could toss him through.

“And don’t come back!” he yelled before shutting it. He turned and smiled at Valerie before meeting Jazz’s eyes. “Mom and Dad never hear of this?”

“Agreed.”

#danny phantom #danny fenton #valerie gray #sam manson #tucker foley #Doppelgänger au

17 notes · View notes

sanchoyo · 4 years ago

Text

danny phantom, season 3, episodes 7-13 thoughts! cannot believe im finishing this series so fast. ...cannot believe it ended like that...uh. one of the weirdest finales to a show I think I've seen, it really stood out against the rest of the series, and not in a good way, in my opinion. I paused to yell in caps lock...several times, I think, out of anger... BUT. ANYWAY, HERE WE GO.

see prev episode thoughts in this tag <3

-the fentons putting the kids to Work in the lab, with NO SAFETY GEAR. AT ALL. THEY JUST GOT BACK FROM SCHOOL AND ARE TIRED!!! and when jack asked how danny his day was and danny tried to say it was bad jack cut him off :( for the 400th time, i am stealing these kids.

-maddie and jack IMMEDIATELY SELLING THEIR LAB AND WORK FOR A LOT OF MONEY. and danny cant get into the portal anymore, oh no!!! he could always just steal vlads I Guess.

-THEY ARE VLADS NEW NEIGHBOR. OH MY GOD. this is a sitcom format. a butler came with the new mansion. i would absolutely try a kiwi fudge milkshake, why is the butler disgusted.

-the..guys in white bought the lab to shoot a missile. into the ghost zone thru the portal. bro i hate these guys

-jazz straight up setting her new bedroom up in the library. i am very very jealous

-"RATED E, FOR ENTRAILS"

-I like how the 14 year olds very quickly realize if the giw destroy the ghost zone itll destroy OUR ZONE because its just. like. the other side of the quarter so to speak. and the giw, a fully funded government agency, didnt consider that...(or worse, are willing to risk that anyway...)

-a...graphic novel version of the constitution? what in the world have you been READING SAM

-'cool, I always wanted to be called a meddling kid!' scooby doo reference...

-can they keep the butler. I love him.

-ecto latte....I also want to try that. is ectoplasm edible...

-YESS I KNEW DANNY WOULD USE VLAD'S PORTAL. vindicated.

-DANNY WHY DIDNT YOU JUST ASK JOHNNY NICELY. STEALING HIS BIKE IS SO SO RUDE.

-youngblood is also into astronaut stuff, thats really cute. and him being like 'phantom, dude!! :D' ALL EXCITED. THATS ADORABLE.

-the slapstick comedy of the giw slipping and falling and running into shit in the lab. is funny, but also, because this lab has NOOO safety codes in practice. god its a wonder dannys the only one to have died here...

-JOHNNY, SKULKER AND YOUNGBLOOD HELPING DANNY!!! I keep saying it but the other ghosts helping him. is my fav thing in the world. and, it's a really good thing the missile in the real world was harmless...otherwise the fentons wouldn't have had a home/lab to come back to...

-WULF WANTED POSTER!!! we havent seen wulfy in so long :( very funny the box ghost is offended by how much these ghosts are wanted for. first off, what do ghosts even DO WITH MONEY. does the ghost zone have its own currency??? what are ghosts BUYING

-the box ghost is So Funny, im so glad hes still got his bubble wrap. u are VERY wanted in THIS house box ghost. you are SO scary king. dont give up on ur dreams

-this needs to be a meme format. I made a transparent version, very very messily, for future use.

-this is a Fellow and a Friend

-box ghost accidentally bringing lunch for everyone, and giving people at the mall free shoes. SHOES ARE SO EXPENSIVE, ID BE SO GRATEFUL. helpful king. i feel SO bad for him lmao, he's putting in SO much effort. he wants the evil aesthetic So bad but hes Just Too Silly. I understand your plight, box ghost....

-oh my god. pandoras BOX. 'THOSE OF US IN THE BOX TRADE' HOW MANY ARE IN THIS BOX TRADE. I WANT IN. pandora is a multi-armed ghost goddess and i love her.

-SKULKER WHY ARE YOU RUNNING FROM THE EVIL UNICORN?? YOURE A HUNTER!! JUST SHOOT IT!!!!!!! JUST HUNT IT!!!

-box ghost...where did you get the cowboy hat. I respect it, i just want to know

-JAZZ COMING IN WITH THE BAZOOKA TO FIGHT THE 10 HEADED DRAGON!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! and the rest of the fentons I Guess

-ignoring the sam/danny moments. I simple do not see them.

-...why doesnt danny just fly over the maze. or do the whole 'real world people act as ghosts in the ghost zone' and turn back!!! I know its just to show off the ghost greek monster designs. but STILL.

-danny being like. um. hi pandora. i found your box. >< polite...PANDORA IS SO GIANT. GIANT GHOST WOMAN. SHES GOING TO BEAT BOX GHOSTS ASS. another ghost thats nice to danny to add to the list :) and HER FORCING BOX GHOST TO APOLOGIZE. and having sandwiches with danny after making box ghost clean up. I LOVE HER.

-DANNYS 'BEWARE' AT THE END JAKHDJFKN

-okay, when dash pulled out danny's seat and was calling him buddy, for half a second I was like 'this is a prank, hes gonna pull it back' BUT THEN FRIGHT KNIGHT MY BELOVED IS BACK. AND EVERYONE STARTS CHANTING FOR DANNY TO BEAT HIS ASS WITH GHOST POWERS AND DANNY DOES WAY TOO EASILY, and im like, yup, this is a dream LMAO

-danny is getting an A+ in science :) my smart son

-DANNY WAKING UP FROM THE DREAM RIGHT BEFORE KISSING SAM AND BEING LIKE 'that was a dream...no, a NIGHTMARE!' same. not to be a hater but, shouldve been val. maybe I am a hater

-...danny running and checking the 'tapes'...why is his whole house constantly being recorded. hes been in ghost form/fights plenty of times in his house. does he have to run and wipe the tapes after?? every single time?? god

-letting this image speak for itself

-this is SO cursed

-NOCTURN'S DESIGN FUCKS SO HARD. the Venice mask vibes. also his space pattern not moving while the rest of his animation does is big chowder vibes. but this guy is basically the sandman but Evil, huh. I love dream plots. also, nocturn's design feels very similar to clockwork, like, red eyes and a scar over the same eye, but also just the purple, and the Cosmic Vibes. I want to see them fight. anyway nocturn's va was also avatar roku AND alfred in several batman cartoons.

-the 'sleepwalkers' designs were super cute in shape (kinda remind me of oogie boogie! pillow-cased shaped, which is appropriate for the 'king of dreams's minions) until I looked closer at their eyes. why do they look sewn shut!! (they open their eyes a few times, so they aren't, but they look like it...)

-I like how this show has been pretty consistent (with a few exceptions) about a Ghost Being Huge (or getting larger) = Very Powerful

-2 months of summer camping??? wtf, do camping things usually take that long?? I've never been to a camping...thing like that. but isnt that basically their entire summer??

-'the entirety of nature is your bathroom!' and thats why I do no camping despite loving nature LMAO.

-sam, at least TRY TO BE NICE TO THE OTHER GIRLS YOU'RE GOING TO BE SHARING A CABIN WITH. also, the amount of times people in this show have their SHOES ON THE BED!!! IM DISGUSTED

-swamp creature Is A Ghost. Big Foot is a Ghost. starting to think in this universe, every single cryptid or legend is a Ghost Actually

-paulina crying not only because star is missing, but because SHE FORGOT HER SUNBLOCK AND SHE BURNS SO EASILY!!!! okay girlfriends

-ghost cops are the real monsters at the camp. i.......I mean. fair. no one missed you walker

-WULF!!!!!!!!!!! WULF IS BACK!!!!!!!! MY FRIEND WULF :D MI AMAS VIN!!!!! kaj danny lernis Esperanto :)

-'relax kid, we arent here to do any harm' *immediately shoots danny* yeah. ghost cops. and also danny bringing walker 'wulf' and walker IMMEDIATELY SUCKING DANNY IN A THERMOS. FUCK OFF

-haha walker Bald. and haha walker Frozen Now

-the fenton thermos can...reverse its polarity to close portals? okay

-LIBERA MIA AMIKO. :")

-ohhh they end the ep with them star gazing, thats pretty cute...

-dani is back! ...with a new voice actress? wiki says AnnaSophia was in 3 diff movies in 2007 when this aired, so she was probably too busy... (including, bridge to terabithia aka the movie that ripped my heart out that I mentioned in the first ep Dani was in...kinda wanna rewatch it now)

-shes still scared of vlad, who's still being creepy and spying on her. 'shes hardly going to come home to daddy!' I WONDER WHY. also does vlad's cat look more evil than last time? love the concept of him going shopping for cats and being like 'give me your most EVILEST looking cat, please, so I can pet it in my spinny chair dramatically!' ...oh god white cat hair on his black suit. I have a black cat and her hair is still way too noticeable..

-vlad has a big 'valerie' button in his office. can he be pressing that button every episode, thanks

-'theres a GIRL called dani phantom?' yeah valerie. no relation, obviously, even with her looking EXACTLY like danny. so sad valerie just wants to help her dad and her get out of the place theyre in now and vlad using her. ill MAUL HIM

-dani having to STEAL FOOD. :( and valerie immediately being like oh poor kid :(( and trying to help her!!! and then dani immediately helping valerie!! this episode is starting SO well

-...and then valerie catching her. DAMN IT. and being surprised dani knew danny?? HELLO VALERIE I KNOW YOURE SMARTER THAN THIS. I AM SO SORRY THEY WROTE YOU THIS WAY. I STILL LOVE AND BELIEVE IN U !!!

-valerie lying her ASS off for a chance at gettin danny. ok <3 also 'they couldnt catch a ghost if it was living under their own roof' JSDHKJHNK

-danny. why dont you just tell valerie!! this would be so much easier if he was direct. there is NO way valerie would hurt danny (fenton) she'd be HORRIFIED. esp since she got on board helping dani!!

*is held* :)

-look at valerie and danny. flying together. about to go beat vlads ass together <333

-DANI SCREAMING AS VLAD IS MELTING HER. WHAT THE FUCCCK

-...fucking vlad convincing valerie hes a good dude with his stupid duplication. FUCK. DANNY JUST TELL H E R

-jesus christ how many times has danny had to watch loved ones die. even if she didnt stay perma-dead. glad they fixed her...

-valerie and dani pranking danny when he came out, oh :( cute...them havin fun and laughing together...babies

-BUT THEYRE JUST LETTING DANI LEAVE, AGAIN??? SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY STEALING FOOD. CHRIST GIVE HER A PLACE TO LIVE. OR A FAMILY. actually, I think it'd be really cute if, since danny isnt ready to out himself, dani went and lived with valerie?? dunno if her dad would have the money but,, it'd be a cute concept. big sis valerie...

-'tomorrow, it's game on!' 'and ill be ready to play!' THE FLIRTING....DANNY/VALERIE REAL

-oh my god,, valerie found out about vlad in the end. But he doesn’t know she knows!!! the DRAMA!!! HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING.

-this episode was. SO Much and probably one of my favorites out of s3. (I mean, there has been a gross lack of valerie this whole season, so thats not a hard choice to make...)

-FINALE EPISODE TIME.

-the title screen looks different! so no title card...

-vlad has his own fucked up satellite that looks like him?? okay. why does the animation look so different?? are they mixing cg in?? for what. anyway, vlad and the gang in SPACE. danny is 100% living his astronaut dreams rn

-'defeating frostbite' YOU BETTER NOT HAVE. YOU STOLE HIS COOL MAP. FUCK YOU VLAD

-wait oh my god. vlad is the final series boss, isn't he. I half expected a fake out, for another boss to show up midway, and for him to finally have to have a real truce with danny for this ep. ITS THE FINALE. VLAD FEELS SO UNDERWHELMING.

-And it's like-- his character isn't bad, i just feel like..he has more potential! they WANT him to seem like some smart super evil genius, but the way he's written makes that SO hard to believe...but the solid backstory and design is THERE and its FRUSTRATING.

-...DANNY CALLING VLAD OUT SAYING HE NEEDS THERAPY LMAOO THATS WHAT IVE BEEN SAYING.

-my grandpa technus is in the finale too :) 'well look on the bright side, at least im not downloading them illegally!' he says while stealing dvds. feels like hes calling me out. im watching this series on a bootleg website lmao. anyway, him turning the tech into a transformer. love that

-mASters BLASters sTOp diSAsterS shut the fuck up. you will never be valerie or danny. bite chomp kill. violence

-like this if u crie everytiem

-my god the 3d/cgi mixed in looks SO BAD IT DIDNT AGE WELL AT ALL

-the white stripe in dannys hair kinda rules tho. did he just KILL HIS GHOST HALF??? 'revert his human half back to normal' UM. you ever unkill yourself. why are his friends/jazz so mad about it, he'll be in a lot less danger!! christ. they can still hunt ghosts!! as humans!! if they want to!! hes 14 if he wanted to be normal. let him. vlads stupid little team has things COVERED apparently. why are they acting like this. jazz would never act like this. is this fake whats going ON

-oh my god jack was in a college band. vlad was also in the band. what did instruments they play. i didnt need that headline to tell me they sucked, but i want to KNOW MORE REGARDLESS

-valerie was here for 0.3 seconds.

-sam calling danny selfish. the audacity. no one is stopping YOU from hunting ghosts, girl. valerie does it!!

-I'm halfway through the episode and incredibly underwhelmed so far.

-why would they send jack and 3 teens to space to destroy the asteroid. why not professional astronauts. not even the 3 teens that have already been to space this episode...

-jack getting beat up by teenagers. ON TV. IN SPACE. I GUESS. I GUESS EVERYONE AGREED TO SEND JACK BECAUSE..VLAD SAID SO? we know it was to embarrass jack, but why would everyone agree. why didnt any other space program Do More or whatever, they sent like, 3 rockets/missiles tops?? no way

-danny attempting to punch vlad in the face. i WISH HE WOULDVE LANDED THAT HIT.

-vlad outed himself on live tv, on purpose? and BLASTED AT THE TEENAGERS HE HIRED. LMAO. HES HOLDING THE WORLD HOSTAGE, MAKING THEM PAY HIM BILLIONS TO STOP THE STUPID ASTROID. THATS YOUR GRAND PLAN??? REALLY. REALLY. im like. lmfao

-jack just now, on the last episode GETTING TOLD HE MADE VLAD A GHOST. THIS SHOULDVE HAPPENED WAY SOONER. jack's reaction was one of the only times in this entire show hes seemed human. 'an old friend? no. you? yes.' GET HIS ASSSS ACTUALLY. HE STRAIGHT UP LEFT VLAD IN SPACE. GOD DAMN. that is a Murder! I mean, I guess vlad could fly back to earth, but...I mean, he'll have to, right? no food in space. (that we KNOW of...)

-'thE WHolE EArtH, INTangiBLe?!' oh my god.

-...the white strand of hair somehow still had ghost dna, I guess, and getting blasted turned him back into phantom. I GUESS. I GUESS.

-the fentons being the first to clap for danny despite not knowing hes phantom...that was sweet. and very sudden character development, not at all gradual over the course of time or episodes like it probably should have been...

-sam and danny kissing. IT SHOULDVE BEEN VALERIE, BUT OKAY, I GUESS. also, its a little underwhelming, considering theyve kissed already...

-ALL of the ghosts being ready to beat danny's ass? really. no they wouldn't, they've worked together before, and some of those ghosts are friendly!! cringe. why is the last ep written like this. I mean they came thru at the last minute but. was really cringing for a minute there, why did they write it like that

-valerie is there for another 0.3 seconds! ....she should've been more involved. dani is also there! for also like 0.3 seconds. almost fast enough to miss. (btw, I think shes still homeless at this point, are, we going to...do ANYTHING ABOUT THAT IN THE LAST 5 MINS OF THE SHOW)

-the cgi smoke or whatever it is. this whole post is me saying the cgi is bad, but IT IS.

-'danny or should we say. DAAANNNNY.' this is like the 3rd or 4th time hes been outed damn, but to the whole world, again. and valerie saw, and is just. an extra in the bg clapping. bro im so mad.

-TUCKER IS THE NEW MAYOR? WHAT THE FUCK?? HES 14.

-i think. this is still linked to the dream ep a few times ago. hes still dreaming. this is a plot a 14 year old would write. this feels like a bad fanfic. so much got rushed, and not tied up. vlad wasnt really even the villain this episode, a fucking. non-being asteroid was.

-they kiss again. ok. sure. whatever at this point.

-VLAD IS NOW A FREE-ROAMING SPACE NOMAD. I GUESS. THATS. SURE. WHATEVER. THE END, I GUESS. cannot believe I'm saying this, but: they did vlad dirty.

-IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE HIM A VILLAIN, MAKE HIM A VILLAIN!!! DON'T MAKE IT A METEOR!!! STOP BEING WISHY WASHY WHO WANTS TO SEE DANNY VS ASTEROID!!! I didnt even WANT vlad to be the final villain because his character is SO back and forth (esp this season.) but he has done some FUCKED UP SHIT AND I WANTED THE WRITERS TO DOUBLE DOWN, PERSONALLY, IF THEY HAD TO MAKE HIM THE FINAL BOSS. the cabin ep where he basically held danny and maddie hostage? FUCKED. THE DANI THING? FUCKED. FUCKING COMMIT AND MAKE HIM ACTUALLY SCARY OR HAVE HIM FUCK OFF AND AGREE TO A TRUCE!! WHAT IS THIS DYING IN SPACE NONSENSE. (and, he will (fully) die out there, right? still half human, still needs food and water. I imagine he'll like, slowly half-die but this time his human side is dying. will he come back 100% ghost? we dONT KNOW. WE DONT GET TO SEE, ITS PLAYED LIKE SOME FUNNY THING AT THE END, THEN THATS IT!!! WHAT!!!)

-I don't know how to articulate how FRUSTRATING THAT IS. having him basically out himself and ''hold the world hostage'' does not track at all in my brain. like. he's always been scary because he is HUMAN, TOO. like, if he was 100% ghost, he'd be LESS scary, but vlad MASTERS has more power and influence than vlad PLASMIUS because of his position as mayor, his money, too, and his (supposed, s3 made me doubt it) intelligence/manipulation skills, and his being in good graces with jack made it HARD FOR DANNY. him outing himself for,, money and to 'control the world' i guess?? MONEY WAS NEVER HIS LIKE, MAIN GOAL. yeah obv he likes money and is materialistic and values his Rich Life, but hes got billions, the end goal? 1. getting maddie (and or danny as his son, but to me he always treated that as secondary) 2. ruining jack. this feels like they wanted to say 'oh he just wants POWER' which is. HMM?? OKAY?? obv he /does/ want power (usually over certain ppl, tho), but seeing him try to get it like this FELT WEIRD SOMEHOW. weird like the ep where he tried and failed to take over various historical civilizations, because like,, how is that realistically going to do anything for him?? just, being in that time forever and never seeing maddie aka Goal #1 again?? HELLO??? this was like that, but worse

-this was such a weird ending to an entire show. why did season 3 only have 13 episodes?? why did it feel so weirdly paced?? WHY WAS THE ENDING LIKE THAT. I think. I am going to pretend I did not see that. fucked up, dudes. I'm like...hm. I shouldn't have watched that because now I'm mad. valerie sweetie im SO sorry you shouldve been more present. it felt like..if they knew this season was going to be short, and the last season, they should've spent more time wrapping up EVERYONE'S plot lines for the entire season. imagine how cool it wouldve been if every single ep of season 3 was working towards something, a big, nice wrap up at the end, with nothing feeling TOO rushed because they'd been heading towards the End for the whole season....

I will probably end up writing a follow up full series thoughts post. In a couple of days so I can sit with my thoughts. BUT. overall, I really liked the show! (ignoring the finale and some of the moments that aged pretty poorly...) it was charming and a fun concept and very fun to watch in general :) and I am pretending the finale didnt happen <3 and I’m gonna dive RIGHT into the dp tags and mix fanart and posts in my queue, very excited to run and look at that 🏃🏻 (and, of course, make more fanart myself hehe >:3)

#dp thoughts #danny phantom #sanchoyorambles

6 notes · View notes

maevemarethyu · 4 years ago

Text

The Pack (3/?)

(Not my GIF)

(Bucky Barnes x Reader)

The Night Wolves. New York’s most prolific and secretive gang. Always watching yet somehow always out of reach. Always slipping through the Avengers grasp.

Until they got you.

You were a street rat. A grunt working for the most gruesome group of criminals New York had ever seen.

Captain America wasn’t expecting much when they brought you in, he certainly wasn’t expecting you and his best friend to get along so well. You were a courier, nothing more.

Or so they thought.

Warnings: Violence, Cursing, Talks of Murder, Actual Murder, Talks of Abuse, Kidnapping, Depictions of Abuse, Crude Humor, Sexual Humor, Bucky Barnes (because he needs a warning all in himself), Sad Boi Hours.

You groan against the rays of sunlight the next morning, regretting that you let Wanda keep you up as late as she had.

Mountains of snacks and Sam Wilson being scared out of his shorts wasn’t what you had been expecting from movie night, but you weren’t disappointed in the least. For some reason you thought the Avengers would be the no talking and veggie trays type of movie watchers. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and you were able to eat your body weight in caramel corn once you got it out of Bucky’s grasp. The man had a serious sweet tooth and that somehow added to his disgustingly perfect charm in your eyes.

You had half a mind to think that it was nothing more than an elaborate ploy to gain your trust. Had being the operative word. After watching the man spill and entire milkshake on his lap when you accidentally brushed up against him on the couch you decided that the man couldn’t put up a front for the life of him.

Even if you ended up being wrong, you were impressed.

When you finally open your eyes, your mind wanders to Flora and Maeve. More than a week had passed since you last saw them. No matter how humble and welcoming the Scarlet Witch was, she wasn’t your sister like those two were.

You once again find yourself regretting this plan. There had to be another way. It didn’t even have to be a better way. Just any way other than this.

The clock on your phone reads seven in the morning and you groan again. Normally by this time you were sitting in your office, planning another hit with your choice of coffee in hand. Gracie would be winding through your legs and the girls would be hounding you to take better care of yourself. You banish the memory with a shake of your head. Daydreaming wouldn’t solve your problems. You were stuck here until the end of the month. Only twenty-six more days to go but, who’s counting.

Not you, that’s for sure.

There’s a familiar knock at your door and you debate between pretending to be asleep of answering it.

The choice is made for you when Bucky’s baritone voice calls out. “Hey, uh, Wanda wanted me to ask you to meet her in the common room.”

You decide to feign sleep.

“She also left you some clothes.” He adds.

The sound that passes through your lips is somewhere between a moan and a growl. Were all the Avengers morning people? You didn’t think you could handle that.

You definitely couldn’t handle Rogers’ holier than thou aura before noon.

Rolling out of bed, you stretch your arms above your head and open the door mid-yawn. You throw in a pout for good measure when you meet Bucky’s baby blues. To your satisfaction, a blush rises on the man’s face. Serves him right for waking you so early after a late night.

“Thanks Bucky.” Hopefully he doesn’t realize the sincerity in your voice is forced when, in an odd sense of déjà vu, you take the bundle of clothes from his hands. “I’ll give you your shirt back after I wash it.”

He mumbles something along the lines of take your time before flashing you a shy smile and making his way back towards his room. After his blunder last night, he’d begun to relax around you more. He laughed a bit harder when Sam cracked jokes and relaxed into the couch next to you after changing where as he had been stiff as a board when everyone first took their seats.

Honestly, if you though his voice was velvet; his laugh was in knee-buckling league of its own.

Barnes was a complete package and you think it a shame that you were natural enemies. The both of you could have done great things together.

Your phone goes off on your nightstand, breaking you out of the great things you were imagining, and you dash for it.

It’s a call from Liza, Flora’s cover contact, and you could just scream in glee. This was her first attempt at contact and like hell you were going to miss it.

“Hello?” You answer in a sing-song.

“Hey girlie. I haven’t seen you at the shop in a while! Are you okay? How are things?” Her familiar voice warms your heart. There wasn’t a doubt in your mind that this call was being recorded so you had to choose your next words carefully.

“Sorry to worry you. I’ve had a really hectic week, so much has happened. I had to leave the city for a while because of dad but, I’m safe I promise you. I’ve met some really nice people that are letting me stay with them. They’re looking out for me while we get dad back on his feet.” Holding the phone between your ear and shoulder, you begin to slide out of your clothes and pull on the clean ones.

“Really? That’s nice of them. What are they like?” There was an edge to Flora’s voice that only you would notice. She was worried for obvious reasons.

“Well the first few days were rough because it was all guys and they’re clueless on how to deal with women.”

You hope Flora could read between the lines. The men are clueless and suspect nothing. Let alone that I’m the Alpha. Sexism at its finest.

“Oh geez.” You snort at her exclamation. “But, you said the first few days. I’m assuming there’s another girl there now?”

You nod even though she can’t see you. “Mhm. She really nice and really helpful. I’m surprised the men can function without her. She wears the pants around here. I’m actually going to meet with her now.”

Translation: She’s the brains and powerful to boot. We should be weary of her.

“As she should.” Flora proclaims haughtily. “You be careful okay? And let me know when you’ll be back! We miss you.”

Your hand pauses while slipping on a sock. “I miss you guys too. Hopefully we can get dad better and come home soon. This place isn’t home.”

“Home is where the heart is Val. Toodles!”

After the call disconnects, you stare at your phone in shock. You never, in the time you’ve known Flora, thought you would hear the woman say toodles. You never thought you’d hear anyone use the word. This whole plan was bringing out the crazy in all of you.

You make for your door, shoes in hand, ready to face the Witch. Flora’s call had lifted a weight from your shoulders and you’re able to walk down the hall with a pep in your step. Things were going to plan and nothing put you in a better mood, even if it was a plan you despised with every fiber of your being. You even managed a cheery hello to the Star Spangled Ken Doll when you pass him.

He reciprocates with wide eyes that follow you down the hall.

Wanda is waiting for you on the couch; sat next to her is a face you had only known through magazines.

“Hey Valerie!” The witch greets with a smile. “This is Pepper Potts-Stark.”

You knew who she was; of course you did. The woman was a legend. Starting as Tony Stark’s assistant she eventually married the billionaire and proceeded to take over his company when he passed. Since she gained control, Stark Industries had skyrocketed to numbers even its founder couldn’t reach. The woman was the best businesswoman in the world and a mother on top of that.

“It’s nice to meet you.” The woman grins, extending a hand for you to shake, which you do with wide eyes.

“Me?” You guffaw. This woman was your goddam hero Valerie Mason or not. “It’s nic-amazing to meet you. Mrs. Pot-“

“Please, call me Pepper.”

“Pepper.” You rectify giddily. “Its very nice to meet you too.”

“Wanda told me the boys brought you in here without any clothes or other necessities. I give you full permission to smack the hell out of them. I swear, the three of them would lose their heads if they weren’t attached to their bodies. I’m pretty sure FRIDAY has to remind them to wash their hair.” The redhead whispers conspiratorially with a roll of her eyes and you could swoon on the spot.

“So, since Steve has refused to let us take you back to your apartment, we’re going to be taking you shopping.” Wanda continues as the duo stands. You could cry tears of joy. Shopping with the Pepper Potts.

And Scarlet Witch, of course but, Pepper Potts.

But, you weren’t you. You were Valerie Mason and she would say- “I can’t let you do that. I can deal with what I have. You’ve already done so much.”

“You won’t talk her out of it.” Pepper laughs. “We’re taking you out. End of discussion.”

“But Captain Rogers-“

“Is staying in a building I own. If he doesn’t like it he can leave.” The billionaire shrugs and you weigh the pros and cons of proposing to her right there.

“Besides. We need dresses for the upcoming gala. You included.” Wanda affirms while looping her arm through yours. “And you need something other than Bucky’s shirt to wear around.”

It’s Pepper’s turn to look at you with wide eyes. You guessed it wasn’t every day Barnes gave his clothing to strange women. The knowledge filled you with a twisted sense of pride but, you duck your head to avoid the woman’s gaze.

You wait until you’re out of the building to lift your head. The fresh air felt amazing to breathe in. The morning sun left you feeling energized and warm.

The car that pulls up in front of you is the same model you have stored in your garage and it sends a pang of longing through your heart. You missed your car.

And your cat.

And your bed.

And your pool.

And-

“Are you ready?” Pepper asks, opening a door for you. All thoughts of the things you missed fly from your head (aside from Gracie that is) as you squeeze into the luxury vehicle.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Maybe this month wouldn’t be awful after all.

By the time you return to the compound, your feet are aching and your arms feel as though they’re about to fall off due to the weight of your bags.

You’re so absorbed in your wallowing that you almost walk past the giant green thing in the kitchen.

Almost.

Wanda had warned you that Banner was coming home today but, you had forgotten somewhere between SoHo and Manhattan. His back was turned to you so, you take the time to observe him. The man was huge. The videos of him scaling buildings and taking down aliens didn’t do him justice. According to the Witch he had mellowed out completely but, that did little to calm your nerves.

You relax when you hear the signature clinking of a spoon being stirred in a mug. The Hulk was making tea if your sense of smell was on point.

You debate not introducing yourself and just making a break for you room before deciding against it. You’d rather meet him one on one rather than in a room filled with watchful eyes.

“Um… Hi.” You start, starling the man. “You must be Bruce Banner.”

The green giant turns towards you slowly and you’re taken aback by how kind his eyes look behind his small glasses. He holds a teacup between his thumb a pointer finger, which he’s careful not to spill.

Banner nods, extending his unoccupied hand before thinking better of it and retracting the gesture. “You must be Valerie Mason.” His eyes travel to the copious bags in your hands and he grins shyly. “Pep and Wanda got to you I see.”

“Apparently I’m going to a gala and I needed a dress.”

Banner’s eyes turn solemn at your words and you fear you may have said something wrong. The last thing you needed was for the Hulk to lose his cool and throw you out a window.

“Is it that time of year already?” He mutters; more to himself than you. He must see the question in your eyes because he clears his throat. “It’s the gala celebrating Thanos’ defeat and to remember those we lost. Tony, Vision-“

“And Natasha.” You finish. You had heard rumors of the romance between the Hulk and Black Widow but, you’d always chalked it up to a reporter’s overactive imagination. The pain on his face tells you that those weren’t just rumors. “I’m sorry. It must be hard.”

“Yeah well, it doesn’t get easier.” The teacup shudders between his fingers and, for a moment, you fear that it would shatter in his grip.

It doesn’t and the giant man lets out a sigh. “I should probably get back to the lab. You should stop by if you’re interested in… well anything really. We’ve got it all.”

You’d have to take him up on that offer. Sure, the Hulk’s size was intimidating but, you were never one to back down from a challenge and the opportunity to sift through one of Stark’s labs wasn’t one you’d miss.

“Thank you. I’d like that.” Banner gives you a tired smile before lumbering off and you almost pity him before you check yourself. You had a very limited amount of fucks to give on a given day and you weren’t going to waste a single one of them on the Avengers.

From the hall he disappeared down, you hear something shatter and a quiet shit.

…Okay, maybe you could spare one. Plus, strategically, getting the resident genius on your side could only help your position.

With an idea taking root in your brain, you rush towards your room, hitting the breaks before you crash into one Steve Rogers who doesn’t look like he’s moved since this morning.

“Sorry Captain Rogers. Didn’t see you there.” You stutter, turning on the awkward charm that, according to Pepper, Valerie Mason had in loads.

It doesn’t work. Blue eyes lock onto the bags in your hands and a frown mars the blond’s face.

In a split second decision, you shift your bags so that the several Victoria’s Secret logos are revealed and whatever the man was about to say dies in his throat. A blush crawls up Rogers’ neck as he mumbles incoherently before rushing off, leaving you in a state of victorious satisfaction.

He’s gone so quickly, its almost funny and you’re free to go to your room without persecution.

Not that Wanda would let the Captain berate you. You had a feeling the Witch was going to be one of your best assets in this situation. You felt for the woman. She had lost her parents, brother, and the love of her life and you almost feel guilty for using her need for attachments to your advantage.

You manage to open and close your door with your foot before promptly collapsing on the floor. Shopping with the richest woman in the world and the most powerful woman in the world was no joke. You were half-surprised you survived.

“Hey FRIDAY?” You call out from your place on the floor.

“Yes Miss Mason?” The AI replies cheerfully. You weren’t used to a cheerful AI. MARVI had an attitude you couldn’t seem to program out of him.

“Can you get me the numbers of a couple pottery studios willing to do custom pieces?”

There’s a beat of silence before she speaks again. “May I ask what the custom piece is?”

“A mug.” You sigh. “A really big mug.”

“I will get right on that Miss Mason.”

Your room goes silent once more and you revel in it. You had always preferred the quiet of an empty room to the non-stop chatter of a party. It was the main reason you had gotten a home far from the city. Wildflowers and green fields as far as the eye can see had always attracted you more than sky high buildings and the constant bustle of everyone thinking their lives are more important than common fucking courtesy.

You had lost count of how many people you wanted to throttle for bumping into you on the sidewalk.

No matter how much you wished to stay in your place on the floor, you had a feeling Pepper wouldn’t forgive you if you let the dress she bought wrinkle because you were too lazy to hang it up. It would be a shame; the dress was beautiful even if you didn’t want to go to the gala it was for.

You had a feeling that emotions would be running high during the memorial and emotions weren’t really your forte. You feared that your lack of understanding would completely blow your cover. For as long as you could remember you worked liked a robot from one job to another. There was a certain amount of feeling in your line of work but, nothing like what the Avengers had faced.

Now, now. Enough of that.

You pull yourself off of the floor with a huff and remove the dress from its bag before unfolding it. You’d have to get it tailored because the store only had it in a size larger than yours but, you couldn’t pass the gown up. Wanda had pulled the black dress with gold detailing with such glee that saying no would have been akin to kicking a puppy and you were above animal abuse.

After hanging the dress up, you move on to the other bags, folding and putting away their contents until all that’s left are the same bags you used to scare the Captain away.

He was pathetic. One of Earth’s mightiest heroes running away from a striped bag. Maeve would get a kick out of that.

Wanda would too. You’d have to tell her tonight at dinner and you were quite looking forward to it for the first time since being brought here.

After dinner, you’d have to go up to the roof as well. Pepper had mentioned that it used to be her favorite place in the compound at night. That she could see the stars for miles and, more importantly, it was deserted and there were no cameras.

Staying in the confines of your room would drive you mad if you let it so, when the woman told her about the little escape, you made it a goal of yours to spend a bit of time out there every night.

In blissful loneliness.

After dinner (complete with Wanda teasing the Captain about the bag incident) and after you’re sure everyone else has gone to bed you slip on a new set of sleeping clothes before making your way to the kitchen.

It looked eerie with only one light illuminating the area but, you make do. After searching the cabinets, you finally find where the mugs were stored then, you start the process of boiling water. It was chilly tonight and you’d be damned if you went to sit on the roof with nothing to fight off the cold.

As you wait for the water to heat, your mind wanders to dinner once more. It was the second time you had eaten with the Avengers but, the first time you had been so nervous that you hadn’t really taken anything in. Now that you had time to study the group, you had noticed a few oddities.

But, at the top of your list was the way the Winter Soldier refused to look his Captain in the eye; or even look at him in general. Your first assumption was that, much to your dismay, the Captain was more Bucky’s type than you were but, then you saw it.

It was brief – only a flicker in Bucky’s blue eyes but, it was one of the only emotions you understood completely.

Anger.

Anger mixed with something you could only describe as betrayal. Something Rogers did hurt his best friend beyond repair and you wanted to know what. You don’t even attempt to integrate it into your mission. You just wanted to sate your own curiosity and another, dare you say protective, part of you needs to know why anyone would hurt the human embodiment of a cinnamon roll.

Barnes was so sweet you could eat him up.

The whistling of the kettle brings you back to reality and you quickly pull it off of the stove before the noise wakes any of the other residents.

The drawer next to you opens on its own accord, nearly giving you a heart attack before you see the boxes of tea sat inside.

“Thanks FRIDAY.” You grin with a low voice as you search through the boxes. Next to a tiny jar of honey is a container of lavender and you take it as a sign. While the tea steeps you pour in a healthy dollop of honey before making your way to the elevator.

The warmth of the mug seeps into your bones and one sip of it brings a bright smile to your face and you climb the floors. You’d have to ask FRIDAY about ordering a book for you to read during your nights on the roof.

The elevator doors open with a quiet ding and your smile grows as you step out of the box and follow the signs down the dimly lit hallway. You were only a few steps away from the beginnings of a new and solitary tradition of yours: dream of your future plans of calling Maeve and Flora without watchful eyes on you as you push the door open.

The dream is quickly shattered when you spot another lone figure standing at the railing and a hiss of disappointment leaves your throat before you can stop it.

The figure was definitively male and white which really rained on your parade since the only two white guys in the tower were super soldiers with super hearing and that meant he heard you open the door.

You curse your excellent deductive reasoning as the figure turns, moonlight shining off of a metal appendage.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Once again, your mouth works faster than your brain but, the same can’t be said for the man staring at you with an open mouth. “Sorry to interrupt. I’ll just go.”

You go to turn on your heel but, Bucky’s gruff voice stops you in your tracks. “No wait. I’ll go. You can-“

He was back at it with the puppy eyes and overly sweet demeanor. The way he shyly shuffles his feet and stumbles over his words were quickly becoming your kryptonite.

You find yourself shaking your head in refusal. “You were here first.”

Blue eyes lock with yours and you let out a nervous laugh befitting of your cover. Something about this man never failed to catch you off guard and, as someone who craved control, you hated it.

“Or.” He mumbles after a moment. “We could both stay. If you want.”

You didn’t want. You wanted to sit on top of the building alone and be yourself. You wanted to drop this innocent girl act and scowl to your heart’s desire. You wanted to flip off the moon and curse at the stars.

You wanted to be you and you couldn’t do that with Barnes watching you from two feet away.

You almost decline before you think better of it. It was late and no doubt the man was tired. You had learned a long time ago that people were willing to admit things in the dark that they would never voice out loud with the sun’s ray warming their body. People don’t feel judged by the moon’s gentle gaze.

This would be your first step in the direction of getting to know what the Avengers know and then some.

You knew your answer but, you didn’t like it one bit. “I’d like that.”

Tags: @cherryblossomskye @hollarious @vicmc624

#bucky #Bucky Barnes #bucky fanfic #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #marvel

10 notes · View notes

lugialagia · 4 years ago

Text

A new life

Summary : War is destroying Asgard and Hela is winning. Valkyrie is supposed to be brave but she decides to run away and ends falling on Sakaar. That’s where she finds love, in a place where she would never think of finding happiness again.

Pairing : Valkyrie x alien!reader (3rd person)

Words : 2,297

War was at rage on Asgard. Val's squadron perished, she was the only survivor. Her courage and her honor should have make her fight until her death, or her oponent's, but her cowardice made her run away. She ran, leaving her family, her realm behind her, to the hands of the worse tyran of the whole history; Hela.

Flying away on her pegasus, she went up toward the dark sky. But Hela wasn't done with her. The Goddess shot an attack toward the horse and the woman didn't see it. Val couldn't avoid the blast of magic and the poor stalion died immediately, making the young woman to fall into the abyss.

At this moment, she was thinking about everyone that she had abandoned, even if they already were in Valhala. She thought that they would reject her after what she had done, after being a coward. But honestly, she didn't think she was going to join them in Valhala, she would surely perish in Hel's realm.

The fall was going to be hard and kill her. Val was Aesir, yes, but no matter where she would fall, she will never make it alive. But, by chance, a portal opened right under her. It was invisible, but the woman did feel the changing in the air and that's when she understood that she would land in another realm. The fall was less important that what she expected but she still stood up with difficulties and a few grunts. Looking around, she saw that there was only trash and rocks. This was a realm unknown to her, this was probably out of Yggdrasil.

***

Walking for two days, she went through different landscapes. Fields with blue grass, forests with bended trees, hillsthat were moving like a water mattress. But even with all that walking, she didn't see any form of life. Until a man with purple skin came toward her. By instinct, Val drew out her sword, ready to fight even if she was in a weak state. But the man quickly raised his hand in front of him. "I come in peace. Inhabitants signaled an unusual presence in their land."

"I never saw anyone." she said, suspicious. "What you don't see, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Anyway, the Grandmaster wants to welcome you into his community. Please follow me." the man stated.

Starving and on an unknown realm, without nowhere to go, she decided to follow the strange man. "I still have some question to ask about." she suddenly said. "What's the name of this realm?" she asked. "You are on Sakaar." replied the man. "l must be far away from home." she murmured to herself. "I don't even know this planet. Anyway, who's this Grandmaster?"

Surely, the man had a big ego to be named like this. "The Grandmaster is the first man to landed a feet on Sakaar. Before him, there was no form of life here. Sakaar is a trash planet, surrounded by portals." he explained. "We come here only by mistake. The Grandmaster lived alone here for years before someone else fell from a portal, so it is natural for him to be the Master of this planet."

After a long conversation, they finally arrived in the city that the Grandmaster built. The Aesir was clearly surprised, everything looked like a real city but all was made from old frame of ships or metals. Udon, the purple skinned man, led the woman inside the biggest building, where the Grandmaster were living. The exterior was all trash and dirt, but the inside was strangely luxurious and modern. Val wasn't used to this type of decoration, but it was better than what was outside. Red, white, blue and gold seemed to be the favorite colors of the Grandmaster. And everything was shiny.

A man with a golden robe was standing in front of a large window. "Grandmaster, I brought the new girl." declared Udon. Hearing those words, the Grandmaster turned around. He was older than Val, that was for sure seeing his wrinkles and white hair all over his head. Like everything in this fortress, he was wearing red and blue clothes under the golden robe. A strange blue line marked his bottom lip and chin. He looked nice but Val knew that monsters could hide behing a pretty shell.

"Oh! Welcome on Sakaar, pretty girl." he greeted happily. Even with his happy smile, the woman was still ready to take her sword if he was becoming suspicious. "May I know your name?" he then asked. "Val." she simply replied.

"Never heard that name." he mused. "That's because it's just a nickname. And you? Grandmaster? Seriously, I can see your head inflate from here." she snorted back. "Oh but she's biting! I love this! Udon, give her the room A25." the Grandmaster said, dismissing them.

Udon nodded and did just as he was asked. Val found the Grandmaster nice but she had doubt because of his arrogance and ego. The hallways were all looking the same -almost- and they were made of the same material. "Here is your suite." the man said as he opened the door.

The woman was pulled out of her thoughts when he spoke. Shaking her head a bit, she entered her new bedroom. Of course, it was in the same style that everything else, but she liked the color better; blue and silver. She shrugged a bit like to say that it wasn't that bad. Of course, she used to live in luxury in the palace, her chambers were made of serveral rooms and everything was golden. Everything she wanted, everything she could have. Here, it was different. But it was still pretty nice. And she needed to get used to it since she wouldn't go back on Asgard, if Asgard still was, of course. "You're a lucky one. The Grandmaster seems to like you, he gave you one of his best room." Udon declared. "Really? I must have made a good impression." she replied with an arched brow.

"Most certainly. Every survivors only have a simple room with barely a bed on which to sleep. And if they are getting aggressive, they're thrown in the dungeon of the arena." Udon explained. After that, silence started to fill the room. "Well, l will leave you there. If you have any issue or if you want something, push the button next to the door or the bed." he explained, pointing to a black and golden button that looked like a switch light. "A maid shall come for you."

"Thank you, Udon." Val said before he left. Now alone, she was thinking back about everything that previously happened and every emotion she buried, came back hard. She was sad to have lost her people, her family, but she was also deeply angry against herself for being such a coward, disgusted to not have perished with the rest of the soldiers. Val was strong, physically and mentally, this was a true fact, but right now, it was too much.

Without understanding anything, she slid down against the wall right before she could reach the bed with silky sheets. Head hidden between her knees, tears were rolling down her cheeks like waterfalls. Her body were shaking, her breathing was harsh to the point where she felt like suffocating. Her fallen friends' faces were haunting her.

Suddenly, hands were on her shoulders. The woman lifted her head up with a swift movement and by instinct, tried to reach for her sword. But in her state, she just confused her left and right. An unknown face was standing only inches away from her, she could see the person's lips moving, but she didn't hear anything. The other woman seemed to be young compared to Val. Her orange skin reminded her of the sun settings and her blue hair the deep water seas. White marks decorated her eyes, starting on her forehead to stop under her purple eyes. "Miss! Miss, please calm down. You are safe. Please, take a deep breath."

Her soft voice finally started to reach Val's ears while the maid continued to repeat the same words over and over again. Tears started to stop falling and her breathing was back to normal. "How do you feel?" Y/N asked. "Good, l think." Val replied, still a bit lost. "Who are you? How did you know l needed help?"

"I am your maid, Miss. You called for me." she said, pointing to the button above them. Val didn't recall pushing it, but in her previous state, maybe she accidentally did without thinking about it. "Wait here, I will bring you something to make you feel better." Y/N said, standing up. "Wait...uh...what's your name?" the Aesir asked. "Y/N, Miss."

Then, Y/N left the room with a smile. Little by little, Val felt the fog in her mind disappear and she started to remember what happened. It surely last a few minutes, but to her, it felt like hours. When Y/N came back with a tray with food and water, Val was sitting on the bed, head in hands. The maid put the tray down on the bedside table and knelt in front of the woman. "How do you feel?" she asked softly. "Better, l think." Val replied without much of conviction.

* * *

A few weeks passed by and Val was getting used to her new life on this unknown planet. She was definitely feeling better and she even worked as a Collector, like Udon, after refusing to be a Fighter. The Grandmaster promised her fortune if she accepted to fight in the arena for special occasion, the true fights being reserved to mobsters or traitors.

In the end, she liked this new life. She was trying to forget her past and her mistakes. And it was also thanks to Y/N even if she wouldn't admit it out loud. The two were close now, like they were childhood friends. And Val saw her like a friend more than a maid, even more... "Oh sorry Val! I didn't know you were in there!" Y/N said while looking away. "I knocked but you didn't replied so..."

"It's okay, l was in my thoughts." Val replied, a towel wrapped around her chest. "Maybe you just did this on purpose." she joked, a smirk on her face. "N-no! Why would I do that?" Y/N scoffed as her cheeks started to be flushed. Val shrugged a bit in response. Y/N unconsciously observed her body, feeling irremediably attracted and aroused. But that's also when she discovered a unique tattoo on her right arm, something that she knew of.

"Val for Valkyrie..." she whispered. All trace of joke disapeared from the Aesir's face. She didn't want to feel all this shame again. "Get out." she ordered. "Val, l don't know..." Y/N tried. "Get. Out. Now!" even if she didn't want to, Y/N left the bathroom. She didn't know what was wrong, why the other woman reacted this way. She was a Valkyrie! They were known on every realm of the galaxy! And Y/N was glad she could be in her presence, it was an honor. So why this reaction? Why didn't she tell her?

The maid was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a loud noise in the bathroom. Without thinking about it, she opened the door and she froze at the sight of the Aesir with a bloody hand and a broken mirror. Y/N slowly approach her like she was a wounded animal, she didn't want her to run away or be angry. She took her hand softly, like she was the only who could do that. Eyes cold and heart in pain, Val still knew what was best, so she let herself being guided toward the bed, staring at the orange hand in her, now red because of her blood. But Y/N didn't care, her hand was were it was meant to be.

And it was staring at their hands that Val laid down on the mattress. She then talked about everything she had in mind. Her life, Hela, the war, her army's death, her escape, her shame. She couldn't stop. In the end, Val looked at Y/N, obviously thinking that the woman would reject her, but all she could see in her purple orbs was love. "Val, I don't care what you have done. I won't judge you on that. I also made mistakes in the past, but that is a story for another time." Y/N said with a smile. "All I see is the woman you are now, on Sakaar."

No word came out of the Aesir after that. She just leaned forward and pressed her lips against Y/N one. And of course, without any hesitation, Y/N returned the kiss.

* * *

"After that, we continued our story as survivor and maid. But the Grandmaster saw what was between us. So, after a few months of being together, he made her a Collector and also my coworker." Val said with nostalgia. "I lost her...on a mission." she continued in a whisper. "A whole ship arrived on Sakaar and they weren't really friendly. We had a team but we still had to fight. She did what she could." she said with a sob.

Thor placed a warm hand on her shoulder in compassion. "What's worse...it's time." Val continued after taking a breath. "I'm sure that only a few years passed on Asgard, but on Sakaar, we lived a dozen of years together." Thor nodded. "l understand why you were so down, but you're not the only one in this state now." he said as he looked at all the empty beer bottle around him. "But you're still more able to run New Asgard than me."

Val sighed and took another breath. "I'll do my best. At least for Y/N." she declared. "For Y/N." Thor repeated.

#valkyrie #valkyrie marvel #thor #thor ragnarok #marvel #marvel imagine #valkyrie imagine #fanfiction #fanfic #love #shame #angst

4 notes · View notes

razorblade180 · 5 years ago

Text

Twin Snowflakes pt5: Support

Nicholas:*writing* What did you get for the thermal and physics question on the back?

Valerie:...... There’s a back?

Nick:I’m starting to think this studying isn’t mutually beneficial.....

*door opens*

Summer:Hey Nick, I’m back from- oh..... what’s up Val.

Valerie:Hey Snow Angel, you look wonderful as usual.

Summer:Really? I feel like a mess and a little hun- ahhhh!

Her sentence was cut off by Nicholas grabbing each side of her face and pulling it enough to hurt.

Summer:Agh!!! Let go let go let go let go let go!

Nick:This is what you get for not remembering to text me that you went for a check up! Getting intense sudden chills through my body is scary. What do you have to say for yourself?

Summer:I’m sorry!!!!!! I’m sorry!!!!!! Please stop!

Nick:*lets go* That’s all I wanted.

Summer:*rubbing her face* I’m not five, you gotta stop pinching me like that. I can feel my face getting red. Well, redder I suppose.

Valerie: I say it’s an improvement. Care to join us for a quick study session? I bet you know this stuff like the back of your hand by now.

Summer:What subject?

Valerie:Science.....mostly physics now; even though we’ll probably never use it. *twirling pencil*

Summer*cringes* Yeah I can’t help with that. Not on the physics portion yet.

Nick:You’d be if you showed up to school more often. Probably be top student in all your classes actually.

Summer:Good point. Counterpoint, no.... that’s a title I’m fine seeing you have. School is a war zone. I avoid the crossfire as much as possible. Having a solid B in everything is more than enough.

Valerie:Which reminds me, you have two more times to miss P.E. before you automatically fail.

What little happiness she had was washed away with annoyance as the two of them hears her groan like restless toddler. Nick couldn’t help but enjoy seeing his sister flip her attitude so easily. It does comes with plenty of practice he supposes. For better or for.....no, it’s usually just for worse.

Summer:I guess it’s a good thing I have a doctors note.

Nick:I thought mom got Penny to stop signing those.

Summer:The thing about Penny’s hand writing is literally so perfect that only a machine could do it. So I got one of those metal arm machines in the lab to do it.

Nick:That sounds like more work than showing up.

Summer:That’s because it is. How much longer are you two studying?

Valerie:Actually I think I’m calling it a day. If I cram anymore than I have then I might actually explode. I’m sure I can handle whatever the test throws at me. After all, I’m awesome.... *starts glowing*

Nick:Pfft all that tough talk as usual.

Valerie:You more than anyone knows there’s plenty of muscle behind and skill behind them. That’s why the from the recent tournament medal in my room is gold while yours matches the forks and spoon you eat with. *pokes his nose*

Nick:Oh I do hope you make it all the way to finals in the single matches of Ruler of the Castle, because I’m totally making it to the end.

Valerie:*leaning in* I’m sorry, that sounds like you’re looking for a rematch. A world televised rematch at that. You sure you wanna live a world with two silver medals? At least they’ll match your outfit good enough. *smirking*

Nick:Just like your silver tongue. *smirking*

Valerie:Oooo that’s the only silver you won’t be getting.

The two of them enter another state off a tension and heated excitement. Summer watches the two peas in a pod act like their usual, over the top selves. If she had had a nickel for every time the top of them but heads like this then she would rich regardless of her family name.

Summer:Are you two done having a moment or should I leave the room again?

Valerie:*stands up* Nah, I should head home soon anyways. I got an early day of training tomorrow; you never know when someone might try and catch you off gaurd. *walking out*

Nick:That fact you gotta train for me is compliments enough.

Valerie:Whatever dork, I’ll see you in school. Now Summer, if you’re not going to school then maybe afterwards we could go see a movie or...

Summer:*slowly closing door* See you around Val. *smiles*

Valerie:Y...yeah! Bye.....*red*

*door closes*

Nick:*whistles* not even gonna walk her to the front door; truly you are a cold mistress my dear sister. *snickering*

Summer:Oh shut up, you just let all that trash talk happen because any conversation with her is heaven in your eyes. You’re so hopeless hehe.

Nick:It’s all in good fun like it’s always been. Same old same old.

Summer:For your sake it better be. Like she said, that rematch is gonna be televised if it happens.

Nick:Aww you worried about your big bro?

Summer:I’m worried that your antics will rope me into them as usual. Last thing I need to be is known has “Summer, sister of two hit chump.”

Nick:Ah! So little faith. If anything we should be more concerned about duo’s since that requires both of us firing on all cylinders.

Summer:Speaking of that.......a fancy signature isn’t all I ended up taking.

Nervously she chuckled as she shook out her sleeves to reveal two tiny vials of Diamond Dust. The sight of the substance caused Nicholas’s jaw to drop. He wanted to grab it out her hand immediately but he could tell how tight her grip was on them. Last thing anyone wants is for those break on accident. Wariness comes across both of their faces as they stare at the vials.

Nick:Why do you have those?

Summer:I was hoping you and I could do our own testing. Penny is a huge help but there’s only so much you can learn in a lab. Maybe what needs to happen is more.... practical test.

Nick:That’s why we go to the woods outside of Argus and put you in the cold!

Summer:Yeah but the cold and dust are kinda on two different levels.

Nick:Oh I know! Do you not remember when you got covered in this stuff.

Summer:........

Summer:You know I haven’t.

Nick:Sigh Summer, I didn’t mean to-

Summer:I’m aware of the risks. I understand this idea is a stupid idea. Even so, I’m tired of feeling like my wheels are spinning. *gives him vials* Just study them and figure out how we could possibly make me better.

Nick:Better, or stronger?

Summer:.....If we do this right then there won’t be a difference. We’ll take first place for sure and I’ll be one step closer to just being me. Being, normal and approachable. Maybe finally eat a bowl of ice cream without some voice nagging me or go outside and not stress out if I’m a little underdressed. I could finally feel like it is my life, that I’m living..... *looks down* last time I felt like that was when I was four.

Nick:*frowning*.......I can’t promise we’ll achieve anything huge but obviously I’ll try something. I just don’t want us doing something that’ll take you away from me; I promised to always lend you hand in need. Messing with this stuff feels like breaking that promise. Like I’ll end up hurting you again.

Again, it wasn’t the first time Summer has heard them. No matter what people assured him, Nicholas always blamed himself for the incident. Kids have tantrums and get a little rambunctious. Who could’ve predicted his would’ve ended with an accidental stunt so disastrous. It was a miracle that he could even look at the scars on her body as far as Summer is concerned. A thousand times she’s waited for the fearful day when even her own brother couldn’t stand them, yet he sees pass them like all who truly know her do. Unfortunately, there’s always a bit of glimmer of guilt in his eyes she wishes she could snuff out. Not just for him, but for her as well. That’s why Shiva has to go. Maybe, just maybe if she can finally get rid of the true thing that constantly reminds them of the past then everything else can finally start healing right; she could start healing right. Her arms reached out grab him on each side.

Summer:🎶Don’t worry, I got you. Nothing will ever harm you. I’m close by. I’ll stay here. Through alll things......🎶

Nicholas: “I will be near.” I can’t believe you still know that song.

Summer:You sung it to me everyday you visited me in the hospital. It didn’t matter if I was awake or unconscious; I could hear my amazing older brother sing and play a guitar for the first time just so he can comfort me. *tearing up* You’re the reason sing now, not mom. I want you to shine like gold the way you want me to. Not once have you ever hurt me. Everything you do for me makes me feel better. Let me try to return the favor.

Nick:.......*rubbing his eyes* We are going to get into serious trouble if someone finds out or something goes wrong.

Summer:Sounds par for the course. At least we’ll be yelled at together. *smiles*

Nick:Stronget together right?

Summer:Stronger together. *hugs him tightly*

xxx

“You wavered back then. What I didn’t let you see was I was just as nervous as you, but for once it really nice to have the roles reversed. To be the person that other’s needed to lean on. Maybe that’s why I pushed the idea so hard. Maybe that’s why I came up with it in the first place. Why did I come up with that idea? Why.... why couldn’t I just listen to you? Am I.... am I really that selfish? I guess that makes sense. After all, the only thing I’m good at is being a problem. I’m sorry..... I’m so, so sorry.

xxx

The final days of winter break soon disappeared like a fleeting dream. Nicholas found himself pretty eager to get back to school as he put on his shoes and made sure his school uniform was perfectly clean. Most people whined about being groomed in the hopes that the rigid rules would make them more at ease to one day go to Atlas to continue their studies. He honestly didn’t care since he had no real attention of going anywhere else. Other places interested him but Atlas has a charm about it and one day it’ll be his job to keep it charming. That fact however, did make him a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Just another thing on his plate to ponder about whenever he has time to do so.

Nicholas made his way down the hallway to Summer’s room. It was still pretty early but that’s because he likes the walk to school or stop by a coffee shop before he goes. The young man finally made it to the warm, wooden door and knocked. The heat from inside could be felt the hinges and made its way to him. Being rich is wonderful thing; power bills would be this families worse nightmare otherwise.

Nick:Summer, I’m gonna walk to school. Wanna join me?

Summer:*groaning* I’m good, be safe out there. Plenty of people on the streets on visitors from the break and-

Nick:Horrible at driving in the snow; I know I know. Are you going to school today at all or should I save my wallet from buying an unnecessary hot chocolate?

Summer:......I’ll think about it.

Nick:*shakes his head*

Summer:I can feel you judging me. Goodbye Nick!

Nick:Yeah yeah, have a good day sis. *walking away*

Summer:*laying in bed and staring at a calendar that says “Today💀” on it.”

Summer:.......I guess I’m using that doctors note sooner than I hoped. *yawns* just...my.....Zzzzz

Quickly she drifts off to sleep peacefully until a knock on the door wakes her up again. The little bit of light through her window tells her that it’s still far too early to be up. The knocking continues to happen in a familiar rhythm but she can’t exactly place it.

Summer:I’m coming. *gets up*

*knock knock knock*

Summer:Ugh, dad I love you but what could you possibly- *opens door* w....want........

Shiva:Well I’m not your father but there’s plenty of things I want. Care to discuss them?

Part 4

#rwby twin snowflakes #rwby #summer schnee #nicholas schnee #val valkyrie #rwby whiteknight

25 notes · View notes

suffering-and-happy-about-it · 6 years ago

Text

WhatsApp? Part 6. (Steve Rogers x reader)

Description: You’ve never been lucky with guys. You just wanted to catch someone’s eye, to be loved. One day, that’s about to turn completely - with one fake, completely imagined number a guy gave you

A/N: Sending a nod to Starlord’s direction with this one. ;) Also I am so sorry about the voice attributes rant, I studied special pedagogics and in here, voice, its attributes and the speech itself is a huge part of ENT studies centering around ears, throat, and neck...

A/N: THANK YOU FOR 200 FOLLOWERS. OMG.

A/N: I am sorry, @missdictatorme for no phone s*x. Ily by the way.

A song which I want to highlight for this chapter: Fallingforyou by the 1975.

Warnings: none really?

Tagging: @missdictatorme @songforhema

Read more here, babe ;): Part One Part Two Part three Part four Part five

If you like things in one place, you might like the series master list: H E R E

The time had tendencies to stop when Steve so far, far away from you.

You hadn't got a single clue where could be or what's he doing but you hoped he's safe and well. Sometimes you looked out of the window for ten minutes straight just thinking about where he could be. You checked your phone every morning and evening - nothing. He wasn't really messing around when he told you it can take a whole month before he comes back to you.

Deena, who was a self-proclaimed dancing teacher volunteered to lead the choreo. And she wasn't really bad at it.

At least you had your head all Steve-cleared off do could actually focus on your choreography for the big evening itself. It was somehow borderline racy but still PG-13 friendly as you thought it will be. May made sure it will be. You were dancing in sync, and you were grouped to trios for this one. You were basically repeating actions of the trio which went before you, it was simple yet good, or so you thought. You felt good about it at least.

You were in the last trio along with Deena and Marzia, another girl from your office so it would be double insured that you can't actually fuck up.

The girls made sure you acted all bossy - at some point, you started to use chairs to make it even more clear. That you were the ones being on the top during your dance. Before you could even dance in slight sync, it took you two weeks of every of your working day afternoon. Every one of you worked on it hard and it was paying off. Even you, probably the least talented person, or so you felt, could incredibly sway your hips. You didn't think that you can actually look that deductive yet you did.

Val told you that you were a killer - you took her only partially seriously because she was always friendly flirting with you.

Sometimes Peter came along. He was the sound tech guy every time. And then made fun of you when you accidentally fucked up. You loved that clueless boy so much.

"Okay. What do you think?" - You asked Peter, drinking from a water bottle. It was week three of you almost destroying your legs on those a bit too much tall high heels. You didn't want to wear them - your feet were swollen and hurt after every afternoon, but Deena shushed you off. It should look sexier than you dancing in Canada shoes and that Deena considered a pure fact.

"That you will kill yourself during that turn around with the chair in your hands." - He answered honestly with a childish smile, winging his feet in old Converse shoes from side to side. - “But there is a chance you will kill somebody else, so it's 50-50.”

"How gentle of you, Parker. You must be a real hit with the ladies, am I right?" - You nudged his shoulder, taking those devilish shoes off your feet, massaging them. He grinned at you.

"I can say obscene things like actually liking it out loud here, Y/N. And you know that!" - Peter laughed out loud, showing the gentle wrinkles around his hazelnut eyes. - "And since I ripped your tee off? May would have killed me if she actually heard me saying something nice about you!"

You had to laugh at his remark. You both were poking fun out that event since the next day Pete actually came to visit you, only May didn't find it as amusing as you two. Poor boy never got his free Oreo milkshake. And to be fair - Val actually started the beef with some pretty explicit jokes. And because you two were who you two were, it didn't take so long before you put that beef on fully.

"So continue calling me dumb. That will do. That's basically every girl's dream." - You nudged his head and left to a small cab to change your clothes. Your eyes just checked your phone as they were used to do all along those three weeks.

And your heart performed a fucking parkour jump at the sight of the green diode beeping at your eyes. The breath was caught in your throat when you gulped. Your hands shook by their will when you took the phone in your hands. It was a text from him. Steve was actually back.

As you opened the conversation, his promise popped directly in your head. A call. He promised you a fucking call. Steve willingly offered you to hear his voice. Three weeks ago. And now he was back. You were on cloud fucking nine. That was an offer you couldn't pass on.

Steve: I was so looking forward to texting you from the moment we took off. I'm back and well, Y/N.

Dear lord, you thought to himself, your eyes were firmly closed and you could feel a smile creeping on your lips. Thank you for keeping that man safe and well. Thank you for letting him come back.

Y/N: I missed you so much and I have so much thing to tell you! How was your little work trip?

You couldn't care less about being eager or too obvious with being excited about him being back. It was just natural for you to be excited. You had to tell Peter, so you changed your clothes the quickest way. You ran away from the cab looking like a mess with your bag over your shoulder with your smile looking better than a five-star hotel.

"Pete, Pete, Pete!" - You quirked in a high pitch. Peter wasn't sure if you hadn't got mad, looking at you with his puppy eyes in a horrified manner.

"Tell me that you have won a million dollars and I don't have to go to school anymore. I beg you." - Peter mumbled with a side smile. You shoved your phone right into his eyes and smiled widely. - "You're shitting me!" - He fangirled as hard as you had and performed your typical victory dance.

"Peter! Have you just cussed? We've talked about that!" - May shouted into your direction and you both freeze. Then you giggled.

"That means..." - Peter wiggled his eyebrows. Of course, you've told him about that call promise. He knew everything that happened with Steve. Not because he wanted to know, but because you rambled about Steve as much as he has rambled about Liz Toomes.

"You bet your favorite Lego puzzle!" - You hummed a tune and Peter laughed again.

"It isn't called a puzzle, to be honest..." - Peter trailed off the topic again, but you were leaving at that point, so you didn't take him too seriously.

"I don't caa-are." - You sang playfully and left the studio you rented for your choreography training, hoping you would get home as soon as possible.

---

The European job didn't go as bad as they were warned about but it didn't go exactly as smooth as Steve hope it will. He really got his hopes set high to be earlier at home. Sometimes he wanted to just take his phone off his bag, turn it on and text you that he and his friends are ok. But Natasha almost knifed him with her eyes every time that thought crossed his mind.

In the end, they were tired, really dirty, sleepy like 24/7. Even Sam, who usually tried to talk a big hole into others heads, layed in total silence. Now he was most likely dead on the back seats, covering his face with his forearm.

Of course, you were the first thing on his mind when he got to his phone - after having a long-ass sleep, a great warm shower and a bunch of unhealthy food ordered from a near China restaurant.

You texted back almost immediately, which made him smile and relax on the bed. He had a feeling that maybe you would be pretty pissed about his sudden, unexcusable need to disappear to a different continent because of a work a don't make me remind him that you still didn't even know what in the hell he's doing. But the better he got to know you, the more difficult and surreal saying his true identity to you was.

Almost unthinkable even.

Y/N: So that promise, can I still count on it?

You asked after he told you a little about his three weeks in Europe. He didn't lie but he definitely didn't tell you anything that could give you an actual image of what happened there - a lot of counterespionage from Nat, a lot of fighting and a lot of bad guy's blood spilling. He was giving you a gentle, sweet, careful silver linings to keep you safe. Those were his intentions - protecting you at all costs before knowing the truth.

Steve: Of course. I am a man of my word. Today at seven p.m.?

It was already five p.m. so two hours were remaining but he was sure it will be a terror for him. Maybe you'll just refuse to move this far behind the formal line today? He knew he's shitting himself at the moment.

Y/N: Okay. I'll be waiting, handsome.

---

Your hands literally shook as you panicked.

You needed to calm down asap. It wasn't an eye-to-eye meeting with him nor it was an actual FaceTime. It was just a fucking call which got you so off-rail. This got you even more intensely than when you were waiting for a call from some office lady whether you got that job or you did not.

It was Steve for god's sake. Not just someone. Steve. You felt like Lykke Li in one of those videos Peter showed you. She was extremely obsessing about a man, having his pictures all over her apartment, just wished he would take notice of her.

You would do the same at that point if you actually got some of his photos. You were just one hundred percent sure.

That one call was everything you could actually think about - you showered beforehand even tho he couldn't smell you through the phone just to feel pretty. You also did have a proper dinner so your liver would not do anything unplanned. You even tried some dumb yoga bullshit Marzia and Suzie thought you to calm yourself down.

You felt so, so, so stupid for overreacting that strongly but then you reminded yourself that it is mysterious, funny and gentle Steve. And you panicked again, trying to imagine his voice. Would it be high-pitched or too deep? Would it be raspy or smooth? There were too many options - too many tembers, too many speed rates, and too many articulation options.

Maybe he stutters? Which would be kinda cool you hoped. Or maybe he has a problem with saying out loud some letters? Wow, you were overwhelmed for a slight bit at that moment. But no matter ho Steves speech will be, you told to yourself, you will not give up on him because of that.

And let me say that you almost jumped off your bed when the phone rang in your hand with his name in the fucking middle of that, suddenly too small, screen. This was it. This was the moment.

You tried to breathe until the lowerest part of your lungs wasn't filled with air and then you quickly answered. That feeling of nervousness was all over your body, you felt partially numb and all you could say was that you marched around your room with your cheeks burning on fire.

“H-Hey, hey.” - You mumbled out, which was a big win-win for you. You didn't stutter that much, just maybe breathing a bit too heavily. All you could hear was a chuckle from the other side of the phone.

It almost sent you right to fainting. That was a sound of gods - you would bet your whole lego set on that. Holy goddamn shit. You jumped at the bed, feeling really quirky and cheese. You just fangirled over his chuckle. Great. You were going crazy. That was a fact. If Pete saw you acting around this clingy and cheesy, he would be laughing so hard.

“Hey.” - He answered with a chuckle under his breath, he sounded so calm and smooth, to begin with. (It wasn't the truth at all. But he was trying his actual best to appear cool in front of you.) - "Is everything alright out there? Am I interrupting you from something? I didn't mean to..." - And there he was. His usual nervousness got a hold on him eventually. That wasn't as smooth as he anticipated, but exactly make you like him more.

He was just as nervous as you were. You weren't acting like a total idiot after all.

"No. Of course, you're not... Interrupting anything. Don't be silly." - You laughed with a high, nervous tone, sounding like a boy in puberty. Well, damn. This was going so off rails so fast.

You analyzed his voice precisely. It wasn't super deep nor rough for that matter. He had actually really smooth voice which was just really nice to listen to. And he had to think you're an idiot.

"I can't believe I've done it." - Steve said all of a sudden stopping you in the middle of marching up to your bed again. One of your feet was on the mattress and the second one was still on the ground. You looked like a stretching ballerina.

"It feels so surreal, am I right?" - You chuckled, finally taking a hold of your own voice. You finally sounded like a grown woman.

"Exactly. It's... Wow. I don't know what it didn't cross my mind earlier. You could told me a lot of your stories so quicker and it would be much more fun."

"So you don't find reading my miserable life stories interesting. Okay, noted." - You teased him slightly. Steve laughed, saying a loud 'nooo!'. God, this man was just something.

"I didn't mean that at all!" - That was the first time you heard him actually giggled. He was doing it all the time because of your texts. But this was for the first time in real life you've heard it. The sight of you was messy - your eyes shone, your cheeks were rosy and your hair was not in the slightest order at all because your subconsciousness made you play with it. But you looked so happy and your smile way so relaxed.

"Why are you yelling so loud here, man?" - A completely different voice cut through the conversation. It was a bit higher than Steve's and it was way smooth with a seriously strong accent. - "Is that, oh damn." - The man laughed while you smiled at the ways Steve demanded the man leaving his room.

"I'm Sam! Nice to meet you, Steve's girl!" - He yelled before the door shut. Steve grunted out loud. That was so sweet.

"So you're telling them about me, I suppose? Was that Sam or James?" - You giggled, making Steve grunt again. Sam knew which moments to choose.

"That was Sam. I told them about you, however, the girlfriend thing is something Sam had made up." - Steve choked in defeated voice.

"Don't worry. It's fine. It made me laugh." - You calmed Steve down about Sam's behaviour. It was pretty funny and sweet for you. Sam to Steve was definitely like Pete to you. Best cheering up fangirling friend you could ask for.

"That was nice." - Steve commented at your laugh so smoothly without a single doubt in his voice.

"Thank you." - A dazzled sight came out of your lips.

---

You two talked for what seemed like forever. It was a conversation about nothing - just a constant back and forward with a lot of nervousness, thank yous and sweet voices.

Steve was dazzled by your voice. He could listen to it before sleeping, with his eyes closed. Let me, as the narrator, tell you - you were such sweet dorks. Both nervous, out of your minds basically. This one phone call actually meant something to both of you. It was your first form of actual contact, just hearing the other side and being so breathless and speechless because both of you actually existed.

The texting was fine, sure. But it didn't feel like this. It wasn't as real as this.

Nothing could tell him how you laughed when his dorky ass made you chuckle somehow. The way you spoke was so calm, relaxing him to death. Or texting couldn't reveal your voice raising up when you got excited about remembering something.

When Sam peeked into Steve's room, he stood there in silence for a moment or two. Steve was standing up in from of a window, looking down on the street, telling that Y/N something in a quiet, humming tone.

"I don't want to interrupt you." - Sam spoke quietly, freaking Steve he hell out. The tall blonde turned to Sam, covering the phone with his hand. - "But we're about to watch Footloose."

"I'll be there in a minute." - Steve nodded sadly. He didn't want this to end even if it was as dorky and cheesy as it was. But a movie night with his fellas after Europe was a thing Steve was looking forward to.

"I need to go, Y/N." - Steve started slowly and he would swear that his heart hurt at those words. - "We're about to watch something called Footloose?"

"Oh, my dear lord. You've never ever seen Footloose? Are you serious?" - You asked in an unbelieving voice. - "THE Footloose with Kevin Bacon? Steve, you really make me feel like you're not from today's world. Deena told me she hoped that her prom would look like the ending scene, but you know, Kevin Bacon never came." - You giggled.

His stomach shrank at that remark. He's not from today's world. He's the man out of time. And you have no idea, you just joked.

"I think it's exactly the one with Kevin Bacon, yeah." - Steve circled his hand around his waist, sounding nervously all of the sudden. What was he thinking about? Of course that his true identity would hunt him eventually down, even in his little personal bubble he created with you.

"Yeah..." - You sighed and shut up for a second. - "Let's call it a night today, what do you say?"

"You're right, I should go or Sam and James would start without me." - Steve tried to sound as relaxed as he could. You couldn't recognize he hides something - you've heard him for the first time. You haven't got any idea that something's off.

"Would you call me tomorrow? It's your turn." - He teased you, but you grunted a little, giving the answer away.

"I can't tomorrow, I'm at work, then we have a choreography training and we have a ladies night... I won't be at home at all. I'm sorry." - You said sadly.

"Don't be sad about that, Y/N. I'm not little. Just tell me when and I'll take some time for you, alright?" - Steve asked to make you feel better.

He slowly realized that this will be like a drug to him. Once he tasted it, he would need more and more of it to even survive. There was no turning back now. Phone calls were something new, exciting, something he wanted to do until the dawn comes. Just to feel that he haves you closer than normally.

"Hope that will be soon. Now, I'll go to sleep and you'll go and enjoy Kevin Bacon's amazing rebel-ish and dancing method acting, ok? And enjoy Footloose, like that song. It's amazing. Bye, handsome." - You said with a happy voice.

"Goodnight, Y/N. I'll text you in the morning." - Steve sighed with a soft smile on his lips, ending the call. Yeah, maybe it would be really difficult to tell you who he is and maybe you'll freak out at hell - but at that moment? He felt like a pretty attractive school girl realizing that she is falling for a nerd from her Chemistry class.

Beautifully numb and so glad he couldn't even express it.

#Steve Rogers #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers x reader #captain america #james buchanan barnes #james barnes #bucky burnes #the winter soldier #natasha romanoff #black widow #sam wilson #the falcon #fallingforyou #the1975

76 notes · View notes

klsywccds · 6 years ago

Text

hello all! val back with another, jfc valerie revamp to Kelsey. a lot of her story is still the same && all of her connections are still in place! this is just a little more fleshed out to give her some more depth because i was having a hard time relating to her, rip. WARNING: this shit is long. val got carried away... again. what else is new? so here is kelsey’s new and improved bio !! sliding this in the ‘call’ tag as well bc my sunshine bb desperately needs more plots. did i mention that i love y’all? without further ado, read on!

[ alycia debnam-carey, twenty-five, cisfemale, she/her ] ━ hey, I just saw [ kelsey woods ] walking down the streets of crownsville. they’ve lived in town for [ 18 years ], and you can catch them around town working as a [ high school art teacher ]. I hear they’re known to be [ bubbly & creative ] and [ timid & sensitive ]. if asked, they would say their aesthetic would be [ service dogs, deaf culture, over-alls covered in paint, succulent plants, sunflowers, pride flags, cup of tea ]

Kelsey Noelle Woods (nee Williams) was born on February 24th, 1994 in Gold Coast, Australia. She has never had much information about either one of her biological parents aside from the fact that her mother was a teenager. Kelsey was abandoned on the steps of a fire department a mere few days after her birth. It was a gut wrenching decision for her mother. As much as she adored the little girl, she knew that she wasn’t equipped to provide for all of the child’s needs. Kelsey never really harbored any animosity towards her mother for this but it did cause her to grow up with a deep-rooted insecurity and fear of not being enough.

After her surrender, Kelsey grew up in the foster care system in Australia. Kelsey hated every minute of it. Although some foster parents genuinely did have their hearts in the right place, most of the homes were overcrowded and the parents stretched too thin while also being weary of getting overly attached to the foster children. At worst, the homes were abusive. Kelsey always felt on edge and had an anxiety disorder from a young age. She had a hard time making friends with the other kids due to her never staying in one place for long. The little girl would go to bed and dream of finding a family of her own.

At the age of 7, Kelsey’s dreams came true and she was adopted by the Woods family. The move from Australia to Crownsville was rough for Kelsey. Even after the adoption was finalized, Kelsey was terrified that the smallest mistake would make her dads realize that they had made a huge mistake and send Kelsey back into the foster system. It wasn’t until she bonded with her adopted brother, Connor, that Kelsey started to realize that her new family wasn’t going anywhere. They actually wanted her around --- the first time in Kelsey’s life that someone had wanted her.

She was diagnosed hard of hearing shortly after she moved in with the Woods’. After a couple of surgeries as a child, her hearing was partially restored in her right ear. However, out of her left ear she can’t hear anything. Eventually, Kelsey will lose her hearing all together. She can speak aloud but prefers to use ASL and can hold her own with reading lips. Kelsey never really felt like this held her back in life. It was all that she had ever known. Her dads insisted that, since her other senses became stronger, Kelsey was the superhero of the family. This started a life-long obsession with superheroes. Figuring that it would help their daughter, Kelsey got her first service dog when she was eight. Her first service dog was named Jarvis (after Iron Man which is her favorite movie). The dog was trained not only to alert Kelsey to sounds but also to help with her anxiety.

School was a mixed bag for Kelsey. She was a naturally bright and gifted student, always at the top of her class academically and never daring to misbehave. She never wanted to draw unnecessary attention to herself. However, Kelsey was severely bullied by the other kids. She was bullied for everything from being adopted, to her thick Australian accent, to her disability, and finally for being gay after she came out in high school. She spent most of her time with the teachers. Her teachers always adored Kelsey and, ever since, Kelsey knew that one day she wanted to be a teacher so that she could help kids too.

Kelsey also fell in love with art at a young age. Although Kelsey is modest about her talent, anyone can see that she is a remarkable painter. She paints everything from completely abstract, to scenery, to almost scarily accurate portraits of people. When she got to college, Kelsey decided to combine her two interests and study to become an art teacher. She originally intended on staying in Georgia for college. However, after a lot of thought, Kelsey decided to take a leap of faith and go out of state for college. She accepted a full ride art scholarship at the University of Colorado. Since then, Kelsey never looked back.

Kelsey moved back home to Crownsville after finishing her undergraduate degree. She missed being around her family so she got her teaching certificate in Atlanta. With her latest service dog, Gamora, by her side, Kelsey is in her first year of teaching art at the high school. It’s funny to her to be back walking the same halls not long after she graduated and even funnier to be working alongside her former teachers. As well as teaching art, Kelsey also runs the high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. She is eager to prove herself and make her classroom a safe space for her students. She suspects her students are more interested in Gamora than anything else --- but hey, whatever works, right?

Kelsey is the ultimate sweetheart and would never dare to speak ill of anyone. Even though she’s had her fair share of heartbreak, Kelsey chooses to look on the bright side. She believes there’s beauty in the world and a good person inside of everyone.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

a page will be coming soon with more detailed descriptions! but off the top of my head: biological mother, biological siblings, foster siblings, college friends, teacher friends, artist friends, ex-girlfriend that she dated before leaving for college, neighbors, former bully in high school turned close friend. and as always, anything that your beautiful mind can think of!

TAKEN CONNECTIONS

adopted brother --- @conncrwoods --- kelsey’s #1 in life. she will forever consider him her best friend and he’s always the first one kelsey calls in a time of crisis. she’d do anything for him.

childhood friends --- @lvcybirch, @elirades, @will-blooms --- people that kelsey grew up with in crownsville and have stayed close over the years.

first love --- @tierneytaylcr --- tierney and kelsey met in college. they were each other’s roommate. right from the start, they hit it off and fell pretty quickly for each other. they dated for four years but broke up after graduation because kelsey wanted to return home while tierney wanted to travel the world and pursue her music career.

roommate --- @ellymunro --- honestly, kelsey believes they were destined to be each other’s roommate. elly is one of the only people who is just as nerdy as kelsey is. she can’t imagine living with anyone else.

current girlfriend --- @silver-sixx --- in true kelsey fashion, kelsey was crushing hard on silver ever since they met on the booze cruise. completely flustered, kelsey accidentally introduced herself as batman. kelsey was sure that she completely ruined her chances until a month later, when silver kissed her in a coffee shop. they’ve been together ever since.

close friend / lowkey bad influence --- @amara-lange --- whereas kelsey has always played it safe and never wanted any trouble, amara always presses kelsey to get out of her comfort zone. kelsey is always nervous but ends up loving it. almost all of her ‘wild’ stories happened with amara.

#crownsvilleintro #crownsvillecall #ableism tw #mental illness tw #abuse tw

7 notes · View notes

they-are-not-just-stories · 6 years ago

Text

P.S. I’ve Always Loved You - Chapter 1

A/N: Disclaimer: I am not a licensed doctor and any and all medical terminology and mentions below should not be used for medical advice. Guys, I’m only a young, aspiring med student so don’t quote me on anything I write in here about it! Thanks, love you!

Recommended Playlist: P.S. I’ve Always Loved You Playlist

Pairing: Tom Hardy x OFC, OFC x Minor Characters

Warnings: Foreshadow because I am a jerk

Word Count: ~3k

You wake up to the incessant buzzing of your alarm. You pry one open to check the time and see that the clock read 5:30 a.m. You hated mornings because it took your forever to actually become a functioning human being, but being a doctor for a few years made it more bearable as you always looked forward to the work.

You pull the covers off your body, swinging your legs over the edge you make your way to the bathroom. You do the usual routine of showering, brushing your teeth and touching up the dark circles under your eyes. You make weird faces at yourself in the mirror and decided it was good enough. You enter the kitchen to make a cup of coffee for now and one for the road, breathing in the aroma of freshly roasted coffee. When you were still in your residency, you used to go get coffee with Tom in the morning because he was filming locally and had to be up early too. So you both made it a habit to have coffee together, but that ended once you finished your residency and he went off to find other films.

You finish up your breakfast, grabbing your bag, keys and coffee. The car ride to the hospital, you liked to run through all your cases and what you would be doing today and plan for the work and studying you would do afterwards. A good habit you needed to make while in school because you probably wouldn’t have been as successful without it. You just wished some of that would have rubbed off on Tom. Sure he was organized in his own way, but as kids, you would sometimes have dinner at his house and hear his mum get after him for his dirty room and always missing school assignments because he didn’t keep them organized.

He was a lot better with that now. He needed to be now that he was getting noticed more, he needed to know the in’s and out’s of each part he was going for. But every now and then you teased him about being messy and it always brought you both smiles.

----

You arrive at the hospital, greeting the familiar staff. Entering your office, you go over all the notes you had made from the previous day to discuss with patients. You didn’t have any surgeries today, so that freed up more of your time. Although you would probably use it to study. But you loved it, the job, the learning. You loved your job and it showed. Your patients would recommend others to you when deciding a risky surgical procedure, which was extremely rewarding for the work you always put into it.

7:00 a.m. You walk into the room to see a younger patient and an older woman sitting with her. The girl seemed nervous once she saw you walk in. Her leg bouncing vigorously against the the padded exam bed.

“Hello, I’m Dr. Monreau. And you must be Katie?” You smile kindly at her, seemingly to put her more at ease. She nods at your question. You turn to the older woman next to her. “You must be mom?”

“Yes, it’s good to meet your Dr. Monreau. Katie isn’t feeling so great so we came to see you!” She shook your hand and turned to rub her hands reassuringly on Katie’s arm.

“Ok! So it says here you are feeling some pain in your shoulder and now it’s in your elbow?” You flip through her charts to see what previous check ups and tests were done.

“Yes. She had fallen down at school last week from the ice and landed on her shoulder. She said she heard a crack and there was a lot of pain in her shoulder. We had iced it for a few days and just stretched it, but now she says there’s pain in her elbow.” The woman spoke.

“Do you do any sports Katie? Anything you would need you arm for?” She looks down at her hands and shakes her head.

“Ok, let’s take a look.” You put on a pair of gloves and reached to roll up her sleeve. Katie pulled away from you, her eyes afraid. “I won’t you hurt Ok? I just need to look for any swelling or discoloration.” She hesitantly let you look at her shoulder. You gently press in different areas to get a reaction from her. You take note of the slight swelling near her rotator cuff, assuming her bursae were inflamed.

You nod and roll over to pull out a chart of a shoulder to explain to them what was happening. “Ok, so this is where she’s feeling most of the pain.” You point to where the rotator cuff in the shoulder was positioned and explained the muscles and tissue around it. “I’m strongly guessing that when she landed, the crack she heard was possibly a tendon tearing, or her shoulder popping out of place. Now if she was hearing a grinding noise still then I would say that it was dislocated. Now the swelling here,” You wave a finger over her discolored shoulder. “...can be what I believe is three possibilities. Bursitis which if we look here.” You point to the chart again. “These are fluid filled sacs that help cushion the bone and tissue, they are called the bursa. There can be pressure on it causing the pain and inflammation. Second guess it tendinitis, where the tendon is over used and inflamed from the fall. Or there’s impingement which is where her shoulder blade is putting too much pressure on the surrounding tissue and basically squeezing the muscles where she can’t move and this eventually leads to the previous two.”

Her mother nods and takes in all the information you presented her. “Are they anything serious.” She sat forward in her chair, lips pursed in worry.

You pull the gloves of your hands and toss them in the trash, writing down your notes on her charts. “They aren’t when they are taken care of immediately. So I’m gonna order some X-rays to check to see of there are any fractures, any broken piece can also be causing pain. But if it’s what I think it is, I would only recommend taking it easy at home and school, I can you prescribe some medicine for the pain and bring down the swelling. I’d like to avoid surgery if possible, but I want that X-ray first before we make decisions.” You look over to her mom again, she relaxed a little hearing it wasn’t as bad as she thought.

“Do you-do you like being a doctor?” Katie spoke quietly. Surprising you a little. You smiled at her. You loved it when patience asked you questions about your career, you loved hearing young and interested minds.

“I love being a doctor Katie! Are you thinking of being one?” You crossed your arms, giving her your full attention. Her mom held her hand, looking proud at her.

“I want to do what you do.” She weakly smiled.

“Oh well I’m flattered! There is always a need for an Orthopedic Surgeon! Do you have any questions while we wait for your X-ray?” She pulled her head up to look at you. A shy smile thrown your way that gave you goosebumps.

“Do you see a lot of people?” You noticed she was nervous again as she fiddled with her jeans. You were like that once. A nervous wreck, never knowing what to say or do. You didn’t want to do anything wrong because you had to do everything right. This job definitely helped change that. Although there wasn’t much room for error it helped you become more confident in your knowledge.

“Well, in a day, I can see up to twenty or more people. Some days I will have to go into surgeries to make people feel better. It can be pretty crazy, but I don’t let that stop me and neither should you. If you are looking to shadow me to see what my day is like, give me a call I’d be happy to try to get you in somewhere!” You laughed at her jolting up at the offer. Yup. Just like you. You were shy, but medicine was certainly your calling.

A soft knock at the door drew your attention, a nurse came in to get Katie to her X-ray. She hands you a clipboard to sign the form on it. You stand up to talk with her mom about some possible rehab options, medications and to answer her questions.

You squat down to look to Katie, her nerves showing again in her face. “Hey, don’t worry kiddo. They are going to have you lay on a table and take these really cool pictures of your shoulder. You’ll get to see what it looks like on the inside and then when they’re done we can go get ice cream, how’s that sound?” She shook her head furiously at your invite, now more willing to follow the nurse to radiology. Her mom mouthed a thanks to you, following after Katie. You smile at her and head towards the front desk.

“Hey, Val. Can you page me when Katie gets back from radiology? I promised her ice cream.” You smile at the woman, looking back at Katie talking the nurses ear off already.

“You certainly are the favorite aren’t you Lizzy?”

“That’s only your bias opinion.” You chuckle.

“Not just mine honey! I hear things around the office and you are definitely the main topic.” She winked at you, going back to the work on her computer.

You were new to this office, having been somewhat fresh out of residency. You made friends with your coworkers fairly quickly, but you didn’t think that everyone would be talking about you.

You make your way to the cafeteria to grab some coffee. Pouring yourself a cup, you accidentally spill some of the hot liquid on your hand, causing you to drop the pot.

“Dammit!” You grasp your hand, trying to soothe the pain.

“Are you alright? Here let me clean this up.” It was Dr. Walker. Ever since you had started working at this office, you have had a crush on him. He had a beautiful smile, he was funny. Handsome as ever, and incredibly smart and kind.

“Oh! Don’t fuss over me! I’m Ok. Thank you Dr. Walker.” You knelt down to clean up the rest of the black liquid.

“James.” He looked up at you and smiled lightly. “Can I take a look?”

“What?”

He laughed at your confused look. “Your hand. Just want to make sure you have no burns. May I?”

You reluctantly let him observe it. It still stung a little, but didn’t look as bad as it felt. You studied him as he checked you injuries. He had a little crease between his eyebrows, his lips pursed in a thin line. He was gentle with you.

“Looks Ok to me! Just put a cold, damp towel over it to help soothe the pain.” He smiled again.

“Thank you Dr. Wa- uhh James. Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure Dr. --”

“Dr. Monreau!” Katie ran up to you, all smiles. “Can we get ice cream now?! Hi, Dr. Walker!”

You laughed at her sudden change in behavior. She was silly and laughing, and completely open to talking to anyone.

“Yeah sure thing kiddo! Wait for me over there and we’ll get some from the stand outside Ok?” She nodded excitedly, dragging her mom outside to the stand trying to figure out what she wanted. You turned to James again. “You know Katie?”

“Yeah, I work in radiology and she came in today to get X-rays. Which I assume it was you who ordered them?” You quirked an eyebrow.

“Interesting coincidence.”

“Indeed. Maybe we can let it happen again, except for the coffee on the floor part? Perhaps in a cup and with your company?” You smiled at him, feeling like a shy little girl with a school crush around his request.

“I’d love to.” He smiled and nodded his head, making his way towards Katie. You felt all giddy. Did the hot doctor just ask you out for coffee? After you made a fool of yourself?

“Lizzy!” You hear the familiar voice. Always could grab the attention of a crowd. He walked up to you, arms open.

“Hey Tommy! What are you doin’ here?” You gave him a quick hug.

“Just wanted to visit you at work, how are you doin’ love?”

“Pretty great actually! See that doctor over there?” You pointed in James’ direction. He nodded at your question. “He asked me out!” You grinned brightly.

You look back at Tom when he was silent. You scrunched your face when you realized he wasn’t as excited as you. You tilted your head at him.

“I don’t think you should go out with him.”

“What? Why?” You were starting to get angry.

“He’s a doctor. Those kind of relationships are not good. I don’t want him to hurt you Lizzy. You’re like my little sister.”

It was like a gut punch when he referred to you as his little sister. But who was he to dictate who you can spend time with? He was with Mia for god sakes!

“I’ll have you know he is a complete gentleman. You have no right to tell me who I can and cannot be with.” You stormed past him. You couldn’t hear anymore of this. It hurt a little knowing this is what he thought of you. Then to have the courage to tell you, you can’t go on a date with someone who was actually giving you attention.

You walk over to where Katie and James were. Joining them in conversation, easily hitting it off with James again. Tom watched you from a distance. He cared about you and he didn’t know this guy. You were a grown up and could make your own choices, but he just felt he still needed to protect you with everything you’ve been through.

You and James walk back to the office together, talking about medical stuff and things you both liked. He made you easily laugh, and his smile was absolutely perfect.

“How have I not talked with you before Dr. Monreau? You are absolutely amazing!” You blushed at his compliments.

“Just call me Lizzy. But I guess we are both pretty busy, but they say the best things come to those who wait.” He tried to suppress a smile from your comment.

“Well in that case, I am a very patient man.” He winked at you and said his goodbyes, returning to his department.

“Oooh honey! You got yourself a good one!” You hear Val cheering for you in the next room.

“He is really something isn’t he?”

“I can’t help but live these moments through you.” You both laughed at this, knowing that the entire department probably knew about you and James before anything has happened. Damn Val and her gossiping.

“Oh, someone left this for you too.” She waggled her eyebrows at you, suggesting it came from a particularly charming man.

She hands you a tiny little note wrapped in a red ribbon. You open it to see beautiful penmanship and a note simply stating:

How did I get so lucky to find someone like you?

Permanent Taglist: @drakesfiance @j-j-ehlby-writes

If you would like to be added to this series taglist or my permanent, send an ask or comment!

#Tom Hardy #tom hardy fanfic #Edward thomas hardy #thomas hardy imagine #tom hardy x ofc #p.s. ive always loved you series #they-are-not-just-stories #tom hardy series #gif credit to owner

30 notes · View notes

so-shiny-so-chrome · 6 years ago

Text

Witness: KirkyPet

Creator name (AO3): KirkyPet

Creator name (Tumblr): kirkypet

Link to creator works: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirkyPet/works

Q: Why the Mad Max Fandom?

A: I was actually quite fixated on Fury Road after watching it on DVD. I didn’t expect to particularly like it - I’d never seen the previous Mad Max movies (I finally have!) - but I was transfixed. And I didn’t particularly ship Furiosa and Max until the haemothorax/transfusion scene (although then I very much did). There were just so many layers of detail and backstory there waiting to be explored, because so little was actually said or explained. It’s like a neutron star of fic-fodder. And I didn’t discover ao3 til summer 2016 so I spent a full year wandering around like a lost soul. So, yeah. Quite a huge deal for me really.

Q: What do you think are some defining aspects of your work? Do you have a style? Recurrent themes?

A: Music. Minor characters looking on and commenting on the protagonists (big fan of Thomas Hardy’s more comedic efforts, where this happens a lot). Reasonably happy endings.

Q: Which of your works was the most fun to create? The most difficult? Which is your most popular? Most successful? Your favourite overall?

A: Maybe the small town modern AU (Ordinary People), because it was a nice change from the Wasteland setting. I’m not very Wasteland-minded at all. But the Bladerunner AU (Do Androids Dream etc) and the new Firefly AU are lots of fun because the two sets of movie worlds mesh together way better than I’d expected.

The most difficult? - My Wasteland headcanon stuff. It’s too fluffy and not remotely violent which doesn’t really ring true. I’m very aware that my Furiosa is hardly ever violent, or my Max particularly mad. But that’s the great thing about fanfiction - the infinite versions of characters and scenarios. Surprisingly the Blues Brothers AU is quite tricky. I can’t quite make Jake Blues and Furiosa the same person. But it’s an excuse to listen to great tunes. And Jessie will make a comeback in that one though (she’s not dead, I should make that clear).

On the old kudos-to-hits ratio, the Firefly AU is taking off surprisingly well, but it’s quite smut-focused so that might well account for it ;) early days yet. Bladerunner AU is doing well for a multi-chapter. Up Around The Bend (an oldie, the escape from the Citadel) is hanging in there.

Most successful? I’m happy enough with all of them, except maybe I Kissed A Girl. Please don’t read that. Favourite overall - It’s a toss-up between Ordinary People (a chance to explore my headcanon in a modern small town setting) and the Bladerunner AU (it makes me weep).

Q: How do you like your wasteland? Gritty? Hopeful? Campy? Soft? Why?

A: Hopeful and silly and everyone has access to a record player somehow. This is why I stick to writing AUs these days. But I’ll happily read all of the above!!! And entirely intend to!

Q: Walk us through your creative process from idea to finished product. What's your prefered environment for creating? How do you get through rough patches?

A: Watch a film, browse tumblr, listen to music, get an idea. Have a good think about it, think about it some more, find a starting point, write it down, go from there. Maybe stick a draft on tumblr if I’m not sure if it’s going to fly. Write it anyway.

For OCs, figure out what someone looks like. That’s weirdly essential for me. Zal (Furiosa’s Dad) is Ed Harris, Young Val (Furiosa and Max’s grownup daughter) is Alicia Vikander and Toots (rescued-kid-turned-Wasteland-son-in-law) is Didier Drogba (bit of a blast from the past but hey). I was getting nowhere with Blues Mothers Jessie until I recast her as Sofia Boutella (because if Max is getting a generational update, she needs one too). And Firefly AU’s Mister Jobassa is Jakob Oftebro. All very pretty people, but what are you gonna do? But they’re only these people in MY head - they can be whoever the reader wants them to be. Oh, and Pin from Ordinary People was 100% an actual real tour guide I met on holiday once.

Preferred environment? Usually while half asleep in bed, or walking, or In the gym, or watching tv - world building seems to be something that happens away from the keyboard. Writing itself is exclusively on my phone so can and does happen anywhere at all. Rough patches are usually caused by guilt that I’m not spending enough time on the day job :P

Q: What (if any) music do you listen to for help getting those creative juices flowing?

A: I listen to music all the time anyway, mainly upbeat pre-90s tunes. Disco, funk, ska, motown, anything like that. And it always find its way into the writing. Sometimes artificially (where I’m on a song-lyrics-as-title theme - it took ages for some of the Wasteland fics) but most times it can help shape the story in a BIG way. I can’t listen to certain songs now without reliving a chapter or a whole fic - Dionne Warwick’s Do You Know The Way To San José is Bladerunner!Furiosa’s Green Place song, and Ash’s Angel Interceptor is StarTrek!Max’s flying music - it’s noisy enough but also speaks to me about a longing to not be alone in the universe. Concrete and Clay is smalltown!Max’s bittersweet lament for Jessie and Twistin’ The Night Away is the final party scene in Cheedo’s update of The Rivals. Some fics wouldn’t have been written at all if it wasn’t for a particular song. The Black Keys’ Heavy Soul was my original Wasteland Furiosa/Max ship theme back in 2015, before I’d even heard of ao3 - that’s the closest I’ve come to a song fic. Caleb was only Caleb because of a line in Symarip’s Skinhead Moonstomp, and I was so desperate to write a fic with Leo Sayer’s You Make Me Feel Like Dancing In it that it was the final excuse for a whole modern mirrorverse to my Wasteland headcanon series. Bet you’re sorry you asked now. But I’ll have to go and put together a Kirkyverse OST list.

Q: What is your biggest challenge as a creator?

A: To put the damn thing down and walk away. To not assume it’s awful if I don’t get a kudos in the first thirty hits. Thumb cramp from phone-typing.

Q: How have you grown as a creator through your participation in the Mad Max Fandom? How has your work changed? Have you learned anything about yourself?

A: I didn’t write at all before the Mad Max fandom. Apart from a ghost story when I was about seven (it did win a prize tbh) and a truly god awful Stephen King rip-off when I was fourteen (which makes me nauseous from embarrassment when I think of it). So a fair bit, it’d probably be fair to say. It would be impossible not to, you know, from zero :) My work has changed from spinoffs of inspirational fics (thanks Squid!) to ‘well, I suppose I’ve got a head canon, let’s see if I can make this work’ to ‘goddammit I’ll finish this if it kills me’. Then I missed my exit on the Roundabout of Fic Endings and had to go round again in a modern AU mirror verse. Now it’s all movie mashups, which is lots of fun and probably never-ending. During which time I have learned that crossovers are my favourite to write. And that writing fanfic is probably not a temporary fad :)

Q: Which character do you relate to the most, and how does that affect your approach to that character? Is someone else your favourite to portray? How has your understanding of these characters grown through portraying them?

A: I don’t really have a favourite tbh. They’re all their own people and do their own thing. Writing them is very dependent on their environment, and it’s often surprising how they behave and where they end up. It feels a bit like they’re on Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Q: Do you ever self-insert, even accidentally?

A: Hah yes. The first one was Zephyr the annoying visitor in Witches and Ogres. Young Val’s social awkwardness in As was very much on loan from me.

Q: Do you have any favourite relationships to portray? What interests you about them?Furiosa and Max are pretty much always there - sometimes it’s probably platonic, and sometimes there’s a third person involved (nothing posted yet but but but). It depends on the fic.

Q: Do you prefer to create in one defined chronology or do your works stand alone? Why or why not?

A: One big long chronology for the headcanon series (childhood to old age), then a whole bunch of little universes for everything else.

Q: To break or not to break canon? Why?

A: Not to break, as much as I can. But it depends.

Q: Share some headcanons.

A: Furiosa was never actually a wife - she was captured but dodged the whole Vault experience. Max is the original Max, of Jessie and Sprog fame. Toecutter was Joe’s younger self - he scooted around on motorbikes and raised hell before deciding to settle down and take the Citadel. AU Toast and Dag are twins (from a shady mob family). Furiosa’s Dad is a friendly Wasteland bandit.

Q: If you work with OCs walk us through your process for creating them. Who are some of your favourites?

A: They’re supplementary characters who make the plots fit together, and sources of conflict or humour (usually both). I think I like Ordinary People’s Alexa and Mallory best. Although the Irish War Boy crew in Beyond the Pale were fun to write. Ace’s trio of love interests (Brick, Big Dave and Caleb/Pin) are a consistent theme. Sometimes I steal characters from other sources (stand up Christopher Brookmyre) when it’s convenient.

Q: What sparks your many wonderful AUs?

A: Movies, tv, gifs, tumblr prompts and general chitchat (thankyou btw!!!)

Q: A lot of your fics are light-hearted and hopeful, which is great to see for the apocalyptic Mad Max world. Your thoughts on that? What is it about the characters that inspires you to reframe them?

A: I just really like comedy and am committed to winkling it into every fictional scenario whether it’s appropriate or not. Glad people don’t hate it!

Q: Who are some works by other creators inside and outside of the fandom that have influenced your work?

A: Well, it was Squid’s ( @sacrificethemtothesquid )Length and Breadth of Fury Road that got me out of the starting blocks! Christopher Brookmyre’s The Sacred Art of Stealing was a big influence on my headcanon series, as was a particular Coronation Street storyline from some years back :)

Q: Tell us about a current WIP or planned project.

A: Blues Brothers AU series (Sweet Home Chicago) -Wasteland Star Trek First Contact AU (Angel Interceptor) -Firefly AU (Our Mister Jobassa) -His Dark Materials AU (unnamed as yet, just brewing in my head, hope it just stays there for the meantime) -Will combine all the headcanon works into one long fic sometime. That’s everything from Witches and Ogres through to Ordinary People. Probably be called ‘All the Things that I’ve Done’ (basically the two lives of Furiosa: Wasteland and mirrorverse).

Thank you @kirkypet

#Mad Max Fandom Creator Spotlight #Mad Max Fandom Spotlight #mad max fanfic #mad max fanfic author spotlight #fury road fandom #fury road fanfic #kirkypet

24 notes · View notes

multiverseofmiracleshq · 6 years ago

Photo

Where do we go when they’re gone? The question has been on everyone’s mind, even if no one knew the answer. A support group at the New Avenger’s Facilities attempted to try and help the survivors, but it wasn’t the cleanest of conversations as multiple personalities butted heads.

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL COMPLETE CHAT LOG COVERAGE OF THE IC

NATASHA: Steve was supposed to be leading. It would make the most sense, after all. He felt deeply and intensely. It was hard not to in the climate that they lived in, but Natasha knew he felt the failure prominently as if it was his fault. It wasn’t. It was all of theirs. That was why this group had been formed in the first place. The Cleanse Support Counseling Group, they had decided to call it. A group of people talking wouldn’t fix things, but maybe it would raise morale. Steve was supposed to be leaving, and yet, he wasn’t there. Natasha wasn’t sure why but he wasn’t and she wasn’t going to call him out on it. Instead she would fill in and do her best. Shifting in the front of the room, Natasha gestured to the rows of chairs that had been set up. A circle would have been better - more welcoming, they said ) but the amount of people suspected had stopped that from occurring. “Everyone can take a seat, and if anyone wants to speak up they can. We’re all here for the same reasons. We’ve either lost people to Thanos or felt something as a result of what he’s done. People need to express themselves, and this is your chance to do it.”

JULIAN: He'd kissed her. Like a complete and utter idiot, Julian had kissed Kate. And it wasn't some run of the mill peck on the lips, signaling an 'i missed you' like he'd try to play it off as....it was careful and delicate. Loving. All the passion they had built in their relationship that had abruptly ended came alive in just one kiss, and he couldn't stop thinking about it. As he drove her back to the Institute, they sat in complete silence, mostly because Julian didn't have much to say. Their relationship was nothing and he was going to have to face what happened between them eventually. But for now, he couldn't. He didn't know how. Pulling up, he put the car in park and got out, circling quickly to help her out of the car. She was only a few days healed and Julian had argued about letting her go, but Kate had made a good point. Someone would suspect something eventually. And she'd been insistent on going anyway. "Are you sure about this?" he finally said.

ROCKET: rocket scoffed from his seat, arms crossed and ears flattened back against his head. really, he was only here because his new ‘friends’ ( mostly thor ) convinced him to come. “can we go now?”

VALKYRIE: "Not now, Rabbit thing." Val frowned down at him. "This is important to Thor."

ERIC: Eric felt extremely uncomfortable coming here. He wasn't what anyone would call an open book and he normally just drank and broke stuff to deal with his emotions, not actually talking about them. Sure he helped work out his feelings of not actually being a mutant with Graymalkin and Blindfold, but that was about it. Sure, he lost people he knew from the cleanse but he got most of them back when the mutants all came back. What was killing him was his uncertainty. He couldn't help but think of his brothers he left behind and not knowing if they were still around. He sat in the back with his head lowered and his foot tapping. He doubted that he'd end up stepping up to talk but maybe this would help him figure out what was left for him to do.

KATE: She was fucked. Completely and utterly fucked. And not only because of the fact that she had been stabbed either. That also did suck, if she was gonna think about it. It was more that she had gotten herself stabbed and called her ex-boyfriend rather than her mentor, closest friend or actual boyfriend. Great job, Kate. Great job. She had gone to Julian on the 25th of January. It was now the 10th of February. That was way too long and she knew it but had no viable excuse. Taking Julian’s hand to pull herself out, Kate dropped it after a moment once she was upright. Her gut hurt but it was manageable. “I’m sure. We have to face everyone eventually and it’s been too long already.” With that she gave him one last smile and a squeeze of his hand before turning to slowly walk inside.

SUSAN: It was hard to be there. The last thing Susan wanted was to linger on the fact that Reed was gone and her family now lacked a husband and father, but she knew it was good for Franklin so she sat there next to her son with her head held high and the intention to not cry.

JULIAN: Julian followed behind her, keeping a bit of a distance. More than he had been since she'd called him. Maybe the guilt was finally starting to settle in, manifesting in the distance he put between them. What was his next move? As they entered through the doors, it was almost comical how easily he found Laura, and how difficult it was going to be to explain what happened. To tell her the truth. Giving Kate a final glance, he made his way over to her. "I didn't expect to see you here."

THOR: Thor couldn’t get himself to look directly at anyone in the room, even as he stood and began to speak. “It is difficult to form the exact words to fit how I have felt these past few years. But there is one thing I have been wanting to say all this time.” He paused, reaching down to something beside him to reveal Stormbreaker. He grasped it with both hands and glanced down to it, feeling himself tense. “This is the first time I have touched this weapon since that day. Even now, I cannot look at it and not see my failure. This was supposed to end Thanos. I was supposed to end Thanos, but I was foolish. And I am sorry I didn’t not stop our suffering. If I had been clearer of mind, this all could have been prevented. And not a day goes by in which I do not feel the weight of that.”

NATASHA: Natasha watched Thor carefully, remembering the moment it had happened. She had been pinned down but she had been there. She had seen the aftermath and the crippling silence that had occurred in the seconds after. "We all failed." She finally said. "Some of ours are more prominent than others. You feel. I feel it too, and I know others are there with us. We all could have prevented this and we didn't."

VALKYRIE: In an affectionate move that wasn't always the norm, Val reached out to squeeze Thor’s hand where it rested on the weapon. "You did more than many. That counts as well."

FRANKLIN: As Val spoke up Franklin nodded as he looked to Thor before his eyes rested on the floor. He did nothing that day to help the cause. He has all this power and when it mattered he was useless.

SUSAN: “I’m angry.” Sue finally spoke up. “Not at you, Thor, or Natasha. At myself mostly because we have all this science but still were useless. We could have tried and stopped him before he even arrived and it didn’t. I don’t believe in fair. It’s not logical. But I don’t know how to center my anger without negatively impacting my kids or my siblings or my team.”

RITCHIE: Ritchie had decided to attend the support group meeting in hopes that somehow his girlfriend would finally make an appearance there. She hadn't explained to him the reason for her initial absence, but Kate just sort of did that sometimes. Disappeared without warning. Only this time, it had been for far too long. Visibly tensing at the sudden unwelcome presence of Julian, Ritchie did the exact opposite of what his heart was screaming at him to do. He ignored Kate. Face knit into a bit of a scowl, he listened on, waiting for her to make the next move.

FRANKLIN: Franklin looked to his mother with some surprise. She finally said it out loud. He knew she was mad. It was hard to be such a powerful telepath and not accidentally pick up on those details. Franklin took a second to search for his words. "Mom. I'd rather you just open up about than me picking up on it. I know I'm pissed off about it. I mean what use is having a team with so much power but doesn't do anything when it comes down to it?"

DAISY: Daisy glanced to Sue and Franklin from where she sat. “Most of the time people tend to focus on grief and sorrow so much that we push anger off to the side-- but your worry about affecting your family? I understand that. I was sad and I was broken, yes, and we can’t ignore those-- but is there a single person in here who isn’t angry?” She looked around for a moment, then continued. “I was so angry at how unfair it all was that I abandoned my team. I left the people I loved. Because I couldn’t bare to hurt them, and make their pain worse. Anger has the potential to break people apart when we should be supporting each other.”

LAURA: She was sitting by Warren. After Julian had gone entirely MIA she had been torn between worry and wanting to respect his independence. Funnily enough, she smelled his scent before he entered. It was mixed with another unfamiliar one that had blood mixed in and when Julian entered she automatically tensed due to Kate being in front of him. Oh. “Why would I not?” Laura asked, voice remaining monotone. She wanted to glance towards Warren but resisted the urge so that her eyes remained on Julian’s face. “You did not return any of my calls for the last few weeks.” It was easiest to start there.

CRYSTALIA: It seemed pointless to be there. Yes, the Inhumans had suffered from the Cleanse but the problems being discussed here were not her own. Crystalia had gone and brought Luna, the child strapped across her chest as she sent a singular pointed look at Erik from where she sat next to Noh-Varr. “I’m really not. It’s more the general incompetence afterwards that’s been annoying.”

JULIAN: Julian took a seat next to her, tension remaining in his shoulders despite being near her. Since their time together in the red world, Julian had learned to take solace in Laura's company. Something about her demeanor eased him, but not tonight. "This isn't really for us." he said, letting his words sit between them as he tried to come up with some excuse. But alas, "There was an emergency. Kate got hurt. I was the only person around to help." he looked up at her, finally meeting her eyes. "I should've returned your calls." And with that, Julian reached out to place a feather light touch on her knee.

NADIA: Nadia had come to mourn the father she had never gotten the chance to meet. Having a friend who had lost someone as well ( even if Richard and Sam hadn’t been very close ) acted as a comfort. Head tilted to rest on Sam’s shoulder, she took in the crowd and listened to their words. “I didn’t expect this to be so sad. I’m glad you’re here.”

SUSAN: “Your father - Reed,” Susan choked out. “We went through a lot of impossible odds together. I knew statistically this would happen, but the sheer monument of it was a surprise. I like having answers. I think a lot of people do, and not being able to find them hurts. But you’re right, Daisy. We can handle pain in ways better than anger. It can just be hard to find out how.”

NOH-VARR: Noh looked to Crys for a moment. She was being cold again, but she had a point "Earthlings are emotional, Crys. You can't expect all of them to be ready to go right away. Although I do think we need to start handling things more efficiently. The universe failed, it's time to pick up the pieces." He meant no harm and his tone had a hint of kindness to it.

ERIK: Erik had done his best to tune out the noise in the room-- it was almost too much for him. And he hadn’t wanted to come, but somehow Jean convinced him and so now here he was. Crystalia’s short glare caught his attention as he sat there and his eyes flicked over to her and then to the baby she held in front of her. He didn’t say a word, but then he turned to Jean. “Are you going to speak at all tonight?”

LAURA: “We turned to ash. It is for us.” Laura’s voice didn’t fluctuate at all. She was angry, and a part of her felt betrayed. She didn’t want to overreact though, here in her first real relationship. “And yes, you should have. Even if she was hurt, it has been over a week. “You could have found a way to reach out.” When his hand dropped down onto leg, Laura shifted ever so slightly away to remove it. “What else happened then?”

WARREN: This room was tense, like that cliche of being able to cut through it all with a knife kind of tense. Warren had no plans to give a speech but at least he was present. As Julian walked in and sat down Warren watched him from the corner of his eye and did his best to not eavesdrop on the conversation between him and Laura. That was proving to be a bit difficult, but he kept his mouth shut.

JEAN: “I feel like I should.” Jean admitted. “But I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I’m not angry. I’ve been confused, if anything, and that’s because of Other Jean. Do you think that it’s a good idea?”

KATE: Every movement was stiff. It hurt to sit down due to the moving of her midsection and Kate let out a slight hiss of pain. “I should have called.” She finally said. “I know, I should have called, and I’m so sorry. I got into something and it took longer to bounce back than I thought it would.”

CRYSTALIA: “Aren’t they? Noh-Varr is right, even if you don’t want to hear it. We have children. We need something to rebuild the world for them.” Crystalia said firmly.

SAM: Resting his own head gently against Nadia's, Sam unconsciously reached out to lace their fingers together. Despite the actual reality of his relationship with the elder Nova, emotion still threatened to spill over as he listened to the others speak, and he was feeling extra needy today when it came to human contact, "Right back at you." His smile still didn't quite reach his eyes, even though he knew Nadia couldn't see his face.

ERIK: Erik shrugged. “These people seem to be speaking of the first thing that comes to mind. I don’t see how you chiming in would make it any worse.”

JULIAN: "And I should have." Julian answered honestly. His phone had died, he'd been too preoccupied to charge it. He owed her the truth, but he couldn't bring himself to give it to her. "Nothing happened, Laura."

ROGER: Roger knew Jess was here, but like some annoyed middle school kid that just found out his crush didn't actually like him back, he was doing everything in his power to stay as far away from her as possible. He wasn't mad at her necessarily, but after finding out the family he thought had been relatively unharmed post-cleanse, was actually torn apart-- leaving him suddenly a father again? There wasn't exactly a For Dummies manual for that.

LAURA: Her head automatically went to the side as her ears specifically went to the beating of his heart. Lying. She knew it but she didn’t know if she should say something or let it fade away. “Would Kate say the same?” Laura finally asked. She wasn’t mad and her voice was calm. It was easier to remain emotionless.

NADIA: It was without hesitation that Nadia mirrored Sam’s actions and her fingers intertwined with his own. “You don’t have to pretend to smile, you know.” She said as she shifted her bare legs, free hand moving to tug her skirt down. “I love to smile but it’s too hard to right now. We get a pass this time.”

JESSICA DREW: It was time to cut the bullshit. They were there because they had lost someone in common. Jessica moved from her position by the wall to drop into the chair next to Roger. Leaning forwards to brace her arms against her legs, Jessica couldn’t help but snort. “Of course we’re angry. I lost my bloody toddler. Some of us aren’t doing very well at rebuilding the world because we’re barely making it by ourselves.”

RITCHIE: Refusing to make eye contact yet, Ritchie still caught the slight pained reaction Kate gave as she occupied the seat next to him. Of course it had been empty. Jaw clenching for a moment as he listened to her apology ( if you could even call it that ), Ritchie finally decided to respond, his tone clipped, "---we're not doing this here."

JEAN: “Speaking your mind isn’t always the best, and I’m honestly surprised Other Jean here even though it makes me a little more at ease. You could say something too, you know.” Jean pointed out. “You were there with me in the Soul Stone.”

KATE: “Now’s as fine a time as ever. It’s better than sitting here in silence while we act like you’re not pissed and I didn’t mess up.” She shifted closer to him even though it hurt, but she didn’t touch him. That would have been wrong. “You want to see where I was?”

JIMMY: Jimmy had been dividing his attention. Partially to the room, partially to Jean and Erik and partially on Julian and Laura. His he could smell his stress hormones. He was lying through his teeth. Even though Laura and Jimmy didn't really act much like siblings or really know each other something about this was really pissing him off. Brought back by Jean's words. "Why don't you both just speak up? Your both famous mutants and you were both in there. People will listen, won't they?"

JEAN: Jean shot Jimmy a quick look. She knew he was right, but still. He was on her team here and she was incredibly hesitant and a little bit scared. "I know they'll listen, which is why I'm even more worried about saying something."

ERIK: At Jean’s suggestion Erik fell silent, but after Jimmy spoke up he became tense and oddly defensive. “And what exactly would all these people gain by hearing tales of long lost mutants? We came back, and the people they all care about did not. My words would be wasted on resentful ears. What reason do they have to listen, Jean?”

JULIAN: He watched her move away from him, and Julian curled his fingers in, moving his arm back. "Yes." he swallowed. "She would."

NOH-VARR: Noh nodded, a slight smirk on his face. Having a princess on your side always felt good. "I know now's not the place for this but just think about it. If earth continues down this path you'll never evolve."

DAISY: “So maybe the lesson we all need to learn right now is take care of ourselves? I know I need that idea practically beaten into me before I’ll listen.” Daisy spoke up again, offering Jess and sympathetic look. “I’m so sorry about your son.”

SAM: Sam's forced expression melted back into a slight frown at Nadia's words, before fizzling out into nothing as he spoke up once again, voice a whisper over the others, "--I can't tell if this was worth it or not."

JESSICA: “Yeah, me too.” Jessica shook her head. “I let it ruin my life, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.” She sent a look over to Roger. “Let’s cut the therapy pretense. We all have emotions. Lovely. The alien and his baby mama are right. We have to do something here.”

JIMMY: "Well shit." Was all Jimmy replied before rolling his eyes and slouching further in his seat. He wasn't about to deal with that moody old bitch when he was already pissed about the pheromones Julian was putting off.

ROGER: “Well, maybe it'd be a bit easier if some of us were more open to accepting help from others," Roger muttered, loud enough that Jessica could definitely hear, despite the conversation progressing as he folded his arms over his chest.

LAURA: Laura bit back a groan. “I can hear your heartbeat tick. Jimmy can as well,” she gestured to her sort of brother. “And I’m sure Warren can as well because he has eyes.” Not that she wanted to drag Warren into her own problems.

NADIA: “Well,” Nadia winced. “I think it will be nothing if not interesting? Maybe we should have brought a snack. Do you have anything on you?”

JIMMY: At the sound of his name Jimmy snapped his head toward Julian and gave a small nod.

JESSICA: “Well, maybe some of us are doing their best but have bad emotional processors.” Jessica hissed back.

WARREN: “Yeaahh--” Warren leaned over for a second, taking the advantage to say something. “You might want to get a bit better at the whole lying thing, dude. Or just fess up. That could work too.”

JEAN: “Erik,” Jean gently let a hand rest on his arm and prayed it wasn’t too forward and wasn’t going to upset it. “You don’t have to speak. It’s our choice and I’m sure Jimmy will support us no matter what.” Easy on him, she shot telepathically to her teammate. This is hard.

JULIAN: "I was gone for a week." Over. "I didn't answer your calls, I didn't call you back, and I don't have a good enough reason." Julian glanced at Jimmy before continuing. "If I wasn't a little worried don't you think that would be worse?"

DAISY: “Okay, just hold on a sec--” Daisy stood up upon hearing Jess and Roger’s bickering get worse. “None of us here are perfect. We’ve all screwed up, we’ve done shit we’re not proud of. And with our jobs it’s sometimes hard to accept help-- or give help. Let’s ease up a bit, shall we?

LAURA: “Eleven days.” Laura automatically corrected him. “It should have been because you care about me, but I know that is a lot to expected. This is stupid, Julian.” She shook her head. “We do not need to cause a scene. I would rather there just be honesty.”

JULIAN: "You know I care about you." how did he keep this from spiraling? "I made a mistake. That doesn't change how I feel about you." I love you, you know that? I never stopped. "Nothing happened, Laura. She was injured, badly. We were holed up in an old estate that belongs to my parents. My phone died and I had no way of charging it. I couldn't leave her until I knew she was going to be okay. I can't change what happened, but I can't give you words that don't exist."

JIMMY: Jimmy gave a small grunt of agreeance as he heard Jean in his head but did not take his eyes off of Julian.

AMADEUS: Amadeus was getting real annoyed with everyone before Daisy spoke up. His vines stopped bulging as he took a breath and spoke up. "I'm with Daisy on this. We're here to mourn and work things out, something I know for a fact is super important. We can talk about what we're doing wrong and how to get back on track tomorrow, but tonight can we please just be here for each other?"

RITCHIE: Ritchie finally granted Kate a glance, but only for a brief moment, to give her a tired once-over. She was alive, that concern was gone. What emotion remained was only a confused numbness, and a fist that ached to meet Julian's face. For what reason? He didn't know. But he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know either, "--nothing. I heard nothing. It's been over two weeks."

ERIK: Erik let out a stifled sigh and sat back in his seat. “There is nothing here but petty squabbles. But Jean--” He turned to her finally, appreciating her calmness. “Whatever you have to say would be far more beneficial than anything else said so far. Much more than empty words and disagreements. They should be grateful you are here.”

CRYSTALIA: “This all seems pointless.” Crystalia couldn’t help but intone. She had to rise to start bouncing the baby as Luna began to start to gurgle. “If you all want to talk about your feelings, you’ll have to allow one another to become angry. That includes you." She pointed a finger at Erik and Jean. "You're 'leaders', aren't you?"

SAM: Sam dug through his pockets absentmindedly at Nadia's question, turning up almost empty-- aside from a single bag of fruit snacks. "Oh, hey-- nice."

NADIA: “Share.” Nadia held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “I was about to comment that it was good Amadeus hadn’t gotten involved. Never mind. If you need to escape, let me know. We can both fly.”

AMADEUS: "Because that's helped me so much in the past." Amadeus muttered to himself.

KATE: “It was less, actually.” Kate said before quickly regretting it. “But yeah, I understand what you’re saying. It was wrong. Here,” she tugged up the hem of her skirt to show off the grossly large bandage that still covered her abdomen. “I got stabbed. Badly. It was stupid but I went into shock. I called Julian and he took me to one of his estates. It took me a while to get back on my feet and sort everything out. If you want to ask me anything, do it.”

JEAN: Erik’s words reassured her. Jean took a deep breath and despite her fear stood up. “It’s not pointless.” She responded to Crystalia with a sharp look. “Some of us didn’t only lose people. We lost ourselves. I’m not the only one here who went through that --” There was Julian and Laura. Laurie. “We went through hell. The dead aren’t just gone, they’re suffering and that means something.”

ERIK: “If I am not mistaken, the title of ’Princess’ puts you in the very category you are speaking of.” Erik shot back. “So why don’t you speak up? Clearly you have a lot to say.”

NOH-VARR: Noh-Varr rolled his eyes as Erik spoke up. "What exactly do you think it is that she's been doing?"

CRYSTALIA: “My apologies. I hadn’t realized I had muttered. I said this was pointless.” Crystalia sent a demure smile over towards her technical father in law. “I am a leader, which is why I am not only here but speaking, as Noh-Varr has pointed out.”

LAURA: “Okay.” Laura nodded. “I believe that you care about me, but I do not believe that nothing happened. I am sorry that Kate was hurt and it was good of you to be a good friend, but I now realize that we should break up.” She stated matter of factly.

ROGER: Roger let out a bitter chuckle at the meager attempts being made to mediate. This clearly wasn't going to end well. And judging by the ever rising level of irritation with many of those speaking, the end appeared to be on its way there. Standing up abruptly but quietly, so as to not make a scene, Roger shook his head, addressing no one in particular "--While I appreciate the attempt to bring us together, but there was no way in hell this was going to work out. Now if you guys'll excuse me, I have to get home--" tears welling in his eyes, Roger shakily let out the last few words before turning to leave, "--to my daughter."

JULIAN: Julian felt his mouth close and his teeth press roughly against one another. What had he expected when he offered her excuses and half truths. "Two years Laura, is it that easy for you?"

JESSICA: “Your daughter?” Jessica shot up as well, already following Roger to the door. “What, did you get custody all of a sudden? Gerry died and you’ve gone and started paying attention to your own kid now?”

SAM: Sam watched on warily as a few of the arguments that had been brewing suddenly escalated. Leaving was becoming more and more enticing. Tearing open the bag before dumping half its contents into Nadia's palm, Sam shrugged, "---I'm kinda worried somebody might shoot us if we try."

LAURA: “No, of course not.” It actually hurt. Laura had been injured before but this was different. “But if you care about me and love her,” she titled her head towards Kate. “Which I know you do, then we should not be together. Especially if I was her replacement during the Cleanse. I care about you, Julian, more than I have ever cared about anyone. But if being in a relationship has taught me anything it is that I also have to care for myself.”

WARREN: Throughout the course of the evening, Warren had gone back to listening to different conversations here and there. The room wasn’t quiet and it wasn’t all supportive either, even though that’s what this event was created to be. Then he heard the words “we should break up” and his eyes widened. But he didn’t react any further-- he just started tuning in to what was happening next to him some more.

JULIAN: Julian pushed his fingers through his hair, unable to really process what she was saying. What she was doing. "I love you too." But not in the way he loved Kate. He knew that, Laura knew that, yet he couldn't stop fighting. "You were never her replacement, Laura. You need to believe that. I care about you in a different way, but that doesn't have to change anything."

RITCHIE: "Right, semantics I guess," a soft yet bitter laugh followed his words as he looked at her again and examined her wound, his gaze cold. I went into shock. And your first instinct was to call your ex? That didn't sit well with Ritchie. This entire interaction hadn't from the beginning. Debating whether or not he wanted to dive further, he decided confrontation was inevitable, "--did anything happen between you two while you were gone?" He wasn't an idiot, Laura and Julian weren't exactly having a silent conversation. Whether or not Kate would tell him the truth, now that was the real game, wasn't it?

JIMMY: It was taking a lot for Jimmy to keep his trap shut. It was his instinct to call out the punk ass Julian but it wasn't his place, yet.

ERIK: “Well at least you and I can agree on one thing-- that this has been pointless.” Erik replied to Crystalia. “Nothing I could say would change that.”

CRYSTALIA: “Don’t you care about your grandchild? Luna is all the family you have left besides Lorna, and from what I’ve heard she’s not only disinterested in you but crazy as well.”

NADIA: “If we get shot it’s because we are caught in the cross fire.” Nadia popped one into her mouth with wide eyes. “This was supposed to be a good thing. О Господи.”

LAURA: “I know.” Laura nodded, unable to hide the sadness that passed over her face. “I love you, too. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to do that, so I thank you. We do not need a bad breakup, Julian. You loving me too is something neither of us should settle for. I like to think we can both find more.” She wanted to believe his words, so after a pause she nodded once more. “I will try to keep that in mind, but it does have to change. There is no way for you and me to end well.”

KATE: “Not semantics.” Kate sighed. “It’s -- it’s complicated, okay? I know that’s a shitty answer but it is. I can’t tell you why I called him, if it was muscle memory or something else. All I knew was that I was bleeding out and I had to call someone. It wasn’t you. I’m so sorry that it wasn’t.” Taking a pause, Kate took a deep breath and winced momentarily at the sting. “He told me he still loved me. We kissed. Nothing further, even though that’s more than should have happened.”

ERIK: ”Keep my daughter’s name out of your mouth!” Erik was standing now-- not quite yelling but his voice was harsh. “You and I are family but that does not give you the right to speak on my relationships. I care about your daughter, but I would not extend the same courtesy to you.”

ROGER: Roger stopped and turned on his heel, only about a foot from Jessica's face as he replied, his voice wavering ever so slightly, "Olivia's gone, Jess. I only found out this morning that Kalie's been staying with a friend's family since the cleanse. No one could find me in order to tell her both her parents weren't ash. But I have her now--- and shit father or not, I'm all she has left."

CRYSTALIA: Crystalia bent down and very carefully passed Luna off to Noh-Varr to free both of her hands. She couldn’t argue with the prick while holding his granddaughter in her arms. That felt wrong. “No, you and Luna are family. You and I have nothing in common because the version of your son I married is gone, just like the one here. You and I have [i] nothing [/i] in common except for her, and you are lucky to be in her life at all with the track record you have with keeping children alive.” Two down, one to go after all.

JESSICA: “Gone? Shite, Rog.” Jess ran a tired hand over her equally tired face. “And you really didn’t know? Do you have everything you need to take care of her? I have Gerry’s... I have some stuff in the apartment still. I couldn’t donate it. If you need anything, I can try and help even if you and I have been rocky. For her sake, at least.” For her sake because Jessica couldn’t admit that she missed Roger. It was easier to blame it on her own latent motherly instinct.

RITCHIE: Ritchie squeezed his eyes shut at Kate's confession. There it was. That sting that felt something akin to what he imagined Kate's wound was doing to her right now. The sting of betrayal. Sure, the term felt a bit archaic, but there was no other way to describe it. Ritchie had never been cheated on, to any degree, so the hurt was new to him. And it made him do and say some stupid things. "And what does this mean for us--"

NOH-VARR: Noh awkwardly took Luna and was afraid to move and that something would come out of either end and stain his outfit

SAM: Sam shoveled his half into his mouth all at once, leaning over to whisper to Nadia, looking almost like a distressed chipmunk, "---you wanna go grab some ice cream then head back home and watch some Star Wars?"

NADIA: “Yes! I’ve heard all about the war of the stars but never actually seen it. I want that one kind. Half baked. There’s so much going on in your mouth. It’s amazing.”

WARREN: Alright, so how was he gonna go about this? Warren had just listened to Laura and Julian break-up right next to him and now, even though the room was full to the brim with people, they were alone. He allowed for a few extended moments of silence, but after a bit he couldn’t take it anymore. “That was-- a lot.” He turned to her, trying not to be creepy but searching her face for answers. “Are you alright? Do you wanna-- I don’t know, head out? Feels like we don’t need to be here anymore.”

ROGER: Avoiding Jessica's gaze as he nodded in confirmation, Roger could feel his throat tightening, "I uh--- the last time we talked- didn't end great-- I just assumed she was mad at me." Shrugging, he shoved his hands into his pockets, unsure of what to do with his body as he fought off whatever emotion was continuing to slowly leak out, "-that would be-- that would be great actually. Thanks."

LAURA: Laura squeezed her eyes shut, determined to choke away the feeling of tears prickling at her eyelids. It worked. “I’m fine.” She replied without hesitation when she opened them once more, but she had a feeling it would not be easy to tell that she was not. How could she be? This was a feeling she had never had before. “I -- Yes. I think that would be best. I’ve never done this before.”

JESSICA: “You’re her dad, Roger. It wouldn’t matter if Olivia was mad at you. Kalie is lucky to have a dad.” Jessica would never apologize for having Gerry or doing it without a man. She could have filled his life with positive male influences that weren’t his biologic father. It didn’t matter much anymore though. “Of course. It’s not doing anything gathering dust and I have time on my hands. I s’pose some kind of outlet for this anger wouldn’t hurt.” It was funny how easy it felt to talk to Roger after all that had happened.

ERIK: Erik let Crystalia come closer as she spoke, his blood boiling. His eyes squinted as he looked to her and his expression was pure rage, but inside he felt his anger begin to mix with all that pushed aside grief and guilt. His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his side, and the chairs on either side of him slid a few inches in either direction like two magnets brought too close together. “I would advise you to not speak any further. Fine. We are not family. I feel no loss at the idea of our separate identities.”

KATE: “I don’t know.” Kate exhaled. “I wish I did. It’s all just been a lot recently. This still hurts like hell but I’m not going to blame it for my bad decisions. I ruin good things, just ask Noh-Varr sometime when he’s not holding a baby. Julian and I never really finished, but when you and I started everything changed.”

WARREN: Laura handled that situation way better than Warren thought was possible for anyone. Break-ups were notoriously not great, but she kept herself together. He just didn’t want her to feel any pressure to keep it all together just for the sake of it-- so he stood up and offered out a hand to help her stand up. “C’mon, let's get out of here. Got any place you’d like to be? I can get us anywhere you want!”

JEAN: “This has officially gotten out of hand.” Jean muttered under her breath. Get a hold of yourself! her voice rang out telepathically towards Erik. This isn’t worth it. SHE’S not worth it. Don’t let her provoke you. Please? For me? Tonight was supposed to be healing and I get that it’s not but we can just go. We don’t have to stay here.

SAM: Eyeing the door, Sam stood up suddenly, still remaining hunched over as he gently nudged Nadia, "--there's a corner store a few blocks away from here. And a pint of Half Baked with your name on it."

ERIC: "Not good." Eric said to himself from the back as he spotted Magneto and the Inhuman queen lock in an argument. Was X-Men vs Inhumans 2 really about to start?" He didn't know if he should try to use his telepathy to talk to Erik or if that would just make it worse. All of this was fun to watch in his shows but a nightmare up close.

ERIK: Jean’s voice broke through his rage-fueled trance and he whipped around to look at her. In that moment he realized how harsh his breathing had been, and he took in a breath before straightening up and unclenching his hands. Fine. He answered Jean mentally and then used his powers to move the chairs back to their rightful place, leaving Crystalia without a final look back. “I think it is time for us to go.” Erik spoke roughly, walking past Jean towards the exit and assuming she would follow.

JEAN: “You’re awful.” Jean spoke out loud to Crystalia before turning to follow Erik. “Are you coming?” She paused by Jimmy’s chair. “If you stay the ‘princess’ may go for you as well.” Leaving him to decide for herself, she jogged slightly to catch up with Erik. “Thank you. So much. I’m sorry to have yelled, but you needed to hear that.”

ROGER: Unable to keep himself from doing it, not caring about the possible repercussions, Roger reached out to envelop Jess in a hug, his cheeks wet. An I miss you was left unsaid. The time didn't entirely feel right. But this? An ounce of support from another person? God, did Roger need it. "--I'm sorry," he didn't know what he was apologizing for exactly, but those were the only words his tired, emotionally drained brain could muster.

CRYSTALIA: “I don’t care.” Crystalia rolled her eyes before gesturing for Noh-Varr to hand back her daughter. “I think it’s long past time for us to leave.”

JESSICA: At first Jessica flinched slightly, body remembering that no one had affectionally touched her since Gerry had died. Who would? Carol was gone and she had pushed everyone else away. If he had said what he was thinking she would have responded that she missed him too, because she did. It was why she was working with Ben again, why she had followed him out. Jess missed Gerry and she missed Roger and if she had the chance to reconnect with one of them she had to take it. What happened was not Roger’s fault. She never should have pretended like it was. Instead of apologizing Jess just leaned forward and grabbed him once more, hoping he wouldn’t notice her own wet eyes where they touched his shoulder.

RITCHIE: Ritchie sat in silence for a moment after Kate's last remark. He should've known better. Falling too hard too fast, you had to hit the ground eventually. "--I think we should take a break. From each other."

ERIK: “You have no reason to apologize, Jean.” Erik reached out and pushed the door open with his powers, holding it long enough for Jean to make it through and amazingly having enough restraint to not slam it closed behind them. After a few moments he realized how fast he had been walking and slowed down to let Jean join him at his side. He was still tense, but the anger was at least subsiding. “I do not want to think about what would have happened if you had not been there. If there is someone to be thanked, it is you-- not me.”

LAURA: “Anywhere but here.” Laura admitted. She couldn’t be there anymore. The emotions were coming and she had no idea how to process them. She would get through it but once again she hated the newness of it all right after she thought she figured it out. “Can we fly? I do not care if we go anywhere. I just want to fly.”

JIMMY: "Yeah, one sec." Jimmy replied to Jean as he pulled himself up out of his chair. He looked at Crys for a moment. It wasn't out of rage but rather he wished he could understand what was going through her head. After a brief moment he followed behind Jean. Still a bit behind he looked to Laura and Warren. Warren seemed to have things under control for now, figured he'd be able to help her better than Jimmy could. Jimmy then power walked to catch up to those he came with.

KATE: “Okay.” Kate said even though her voice wavered. She deserved that. She had hurt him. Not the other way around. Kate didn’t get to be the sad one here. “I’m going to go,” she replied shakily as she slowly heaved herself to her feet and wished once again that her face could have hidden the pain. “I’m sorry, Ritchie. Have a nice night, okay?”

NOH-VARR: Noh gingerly passed Luna back to Crys. "I've been waiting for you to say that for the past twenty minutes." He replied as he stood up.

JEAN: “I feel bad for suggesting we came here in the first place.” She wrapped her arms around her body to try and unsuccessfully block out the wind chill. Once Jean caught up with Erik again, she stopped and looked around the deserted sidewalk. “You would have stopped. Those things you used to do? You don’t do them anymore because people change. Besides, Crystalia is a massive bitch but she’s Luna’s mom. You’d never take that away from her.” Turning to Jimmy, Jean gave him a tired smile. “I think we all need to go home. My head is pounding. Hello a bunch of angry thoughts.” They had been bombarding her all night but Jean didn’t want to make it about her when it wasn’t.

ROGER: Letting the hug continue for a few more much needed seconds, Roger finally pulled away, swiping under his eyes with the back of his sleeve as nonchalantly as he could, "--I really should head out though, left Kalie with uh- Julia. Don't know how well that's gone," Roger let out a halfhearted chuckle, "You're welcome to come with?" He asked, still wary, but much more open after their genuine exchange.

JESSICA: “I thought I already was.” Jessica managed to get out a small laugh. “And who’s Julia? I’d offer you a nanny recommendation, but you were the only one I had, so. Why don’t we get coffee and grab the kid? It’s been a long night.”

RITCHIE: Ritchie didn't look up as Kate left, instead getting up himself, and quietly turning to leave through a different door on the other side of the room, chest heavy with guilt and sadness all the while. What other option had been available to him? Suck it up and move on? No. They were way past that. The only path now was to move forward, whether that meant on one path, or two entirely separate ones.

WARREN: “Yeah, of course.” Warren’s smile was soft as they left the room-- specifically using the exit opposite the one Erik and Jean and Jimmy all just marched through. Once they were outside Warren was finally able to let loose, stretching out and flexing his wings after they had been cramped up during the meeting. After he was done he let them droop, white feathers dragging lightly against the ground as he stepped towards her. “I know all the places with the best views. Perfect for those times when you don’t really want to think about anything.” He offered out a hand. “You ready?”

LAURA: Laura couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight of Warren's wings in full force. They would always be beautiful. "Of course." She took his head, ready for him to lift her.

ROGER: Roger grinned, despite his gaze remaining glassy, "That sounds great actually." Following the remainder of the crowd that had started to disperse, Roger gestured with a head nod for Jess to join him, his chest already flooding with warmth at the thought of getting back to his daughter at home-- with a familiar face in tow.

ERIC: Eric watched as the room cleared out feeling entirely unfulfilled. He thought this would be therapeutic and that he'd finally be able to talk about his brothers and work out his emotions. Guess it was just another of life's disappointments. With that he made his way out the exit. Felt the sting of the bitter cold on his cheeks and took flight to go back to the institute alone.

#imevents #event: therapy session one #therapy: chatlog #momevents

1 note · View note