#you can't tell me at least one kid yelled up at the sky 'well i'm converting now! fuck you dad!'

[titan-senpai]

"Thank Eywa.."

Ao”Nung x omaticaya reader 

A/N: Hello! Since i've been writing much for Neteyam it's time to show my other baby some love Ao”nung~~ This was a small thing i head saved it was quiet fun to write

Warning ATWOW ( not really a big warning because this is in the future AU) Aonung being jealous because Neteyam has a crush on you. AND NO HE AIN'T DEAD HE NEVER DIED HERE!

Everything was back to normal after the events of the sky. People well Ao”nung has changed a lot, a lot nicer and kinder. Something felt different about your feelings for him.

the way his hair grew longer made you wanna braid it. His smile was your world, the way his ears twitch when you're close.

something happened inside you every time you were near him. 

Sitting on the sands next to Tsireya talking about your day while he’s on your mind “are you alright Y/N?” I looked at her in her eyes. “ yeah i’m fine.” I smiled it off “Something on your mind?” She looked at the sky.

“I’m almost mature.. i should have made a bond with some before reaching maturity..i'm scared” as i said the words scared she turned her head to me in a flash. “ Scared? You shouldn't be” She reassured me. 

“ I- … im scared the one i love has another or doesnt love me..” thinking about Ao”nung.

“I think I’m going to head home. it's pretty late, Goodnight I’ll see you tomorrow” I smiled walking as she waved back.

I went to the entrance of my pod looking at the floor every second bumping into a certain someone I didn't want to see at this very moment. “Teyam? what are you doing here shouldn't you be with your family?” i questioned “I gotta tell you something important cmon!” the Son of Toruk makto.. a great leader.. wanted to tell me something important? soon we arrived at our destination in a cave… with gorgeous crystals “Woah, i haven't been here since ages..” I smiled looking at the glowing crystals outside the cave. “Y/N It’s gorgeous isn't it.” he smiled and laughed “Wish i glowed this much..” holding a crystal in my hand reflecting Blue in the dark. “You know, you're brighter than that, at least to me..” He smiled. “What?” I faced him as i realized he kept his eyes on me this entire time. “Teyam..” I said looking worried. 

“Y/N?” I heard a familiar voice behind me.

Ao”nung…we faced him at the exact same time, in a weird position. him on top of me leaning in my face as i layed on the ground on my elbows. “It’s not what it looks like '' I began to stress. “Looks like you've been busy hm.. i'll leave you 2 to it.'' He walked away with his ears down. “Wait! Nung'' I tried to yell at him. “I’m sorry teyam.. i need to go after him we’ll talk later.” I stood up excusing myself. “You know.. You love him don't you?” he smiled at me with a sad look in his eyes. “Oh teyam.. you're my closest friend. I'm sorry but my heart belongs to Ao”nung. we’ll talk tomorrow alright?” I looked at him with sadness in my eyes, realizing he told me he liked me.

He made a gesture of brushing me to him as I thanked him and waved and ran to find him.

it didn't take long to find him, disconnecting from your Ilu and petting him “Hey Nung?” I walked to him seeing his sad face, “You shouldn't see me like this.” He looked away “No.. Look at me..” cupping his cheek as he looked at me. “Oh..nung it's alright..” I whipped his tears away “I can't stand to see you with that forest boy.. please Y/N don't leave me ever again..” he said, hugging me, I never knew he felt this way.. “Oh Nung.. I'm never leaving you” As I lifted his head to look me in the eyes. “I see you.” I smiled “I see you too Y/N..” He smiled.

“i want you to be my mate.. My Tsahik…” he asked me looking seriously in the eyes. He was serious “I've been waiting for those words for ages.. Since we were little kids running around!” I said smiling and jumping in his arms. I felt his hand around my waist and one cupping my cheek. Slowly our lips connected and it felt like a weight had lifted off me..

“Thank Eywa…you're mine now..”

( Not my GIF)

More Avatar stories i wrote ? check my List out <3

[mccall-muffin]

Love vs. Hate - Part 2 // Joe Liebgott x OC

Previous // Next Summary: Technical Sergeant Olivia Stark knows the military. Raised in a military family, a graduate of military school and OCS herself, she is transferring from the 82nd Airborne Division to the 101st. Between new friends and what appear to be foes, she becomes a part of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR.

Warnings: Language (as for now)

A/N: And here goes Part 2. Enjoy :) If someone wants to be added to the tag list, just send me a message! 12 Miles are about 20 Kilometers, by the way :P Tag list: @brassknucklespeirs

6th November 1942 - Camp Toccoa, Georgia I've been with Easy Company for two months, and I'm getting along better and better with the men. Well, with almost all of them, at least. Liebgott, my bed neighbor, still acts cold and dismissive towards me. But I have found a real friend in Don Malarkey. As for Sobel... Well, he keeps his word and treats me like any other soldier. This means that he also regularly revokes my weekend passes and yells at me.

I point to the sky as we lay exhausted on the grass after another Currahee run. "Someday... Someday I'm going to kill that bastard, I promise you," I say, and Don grins at me. "I think you'd have a lot of support here, sweetheart." I smile at him as well. "I think so." "Liv?" We hear a voice, and Lip walks up to us. "Lip?" "Can I talk to you for a second?" I nod and stand up. "See you later, Don."

I follow Lip, who pulls me aside for a moment. "How are you?" he asks, and I look at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" "Exactly that, Liv. I want to know how you're doing. And how it's going with the men." "You know you don't have to watch me, Lip, right? I'm fine. I'm getting along great with Don and Muck and Penky and the others. Except maybe Liebgott, but he's just him." Lip nods. "Thanks, Lip... You kind of remind me of my brother Damon." Lip smirks. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah, he was always so protective of me too." "Where is he now?" "Somewhere in the pacific, as far as I know. He's a lieutenant in the Marines." Lip nods, and together we walk toward the mess hall. "I guess your family's into the military, huh?" Lip grins as we grab food. "Well... My dad is a Colonel with the 2nd Ranger Battalion, my other brother Tommy is also a Lieutenant, and as far as I can tell from my mom's last letter, my little sister Cindy enlisted. Only my mom and my older sister Lily are not in the military."

Lip and I sit down with our food. Not a minute later, Don and Muck join us. "And your mom just supports that? That she lets almost all of her kids go to war?", Lip asks, and Don looks up. "Well, we all went to military school. Somehow it wasn't a discussion at all. We were all active soldiers, so it wasn't even an issue that we weren't fighting. We were drafted." "How come you ended up with paratroopers?" then asks Muck. "Well, I didn't want to be under my father. That would have been a pre-programmed issue. When I was in OCS, I heard about the Airborne and enlisted, so they sent me to the 82nd. The men there were not very open to me and made my life hell. Except for one soldier. He was always nice and acknowledged whether I had tits or a dick." The guys laugh, and Don puts a hand on my shoulder. "Just like us."

This evening It's Friday night, and I'm lying on my cot reading a book. Next to me, George and Don are playing a game, and on my other side lies Liebgott, engrossed in his comics as usual. I sit up and take a smoke from the pack, but I can't find a lighter. "Can I have your lighter real quick?" I ask Liebgott, and he looks up at me, annoyed. "Get your own," he grumbles, and I roll my eyes. "I have one, but I can't find it, so get your head out of your ass and give me yours." Now Liebgott is looking at me. He snorts, shakes his head, and then tosses me his lighter before turning back to his comic. I take it and light the cigarette. "You guys are like an old married couple," Don says, grinning at us, which earns him a dirty look from Liebgott and me. "Shut up, Malarkey!" then says Liebgott. I throw his lighter back at him, but he doesn't see it, and it lands right in his crotch, causing him to groan.

"Jesus Christ, Stark! What the fuck?!" he curses, giving me a nasty look. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," I say quickly, but I can't suppress a laugh. Liebgott holds his soft parts and writhes in pain. "At least you had some female interaction in your crotch for once now, Joe," George grins, making us laugh even harder. Liebgott stands up angrily. "Oh, fuck all of you!" he says and walks outside. Amused, we watch him go. "Isn't he a ray of sunshine?" I ask, addressing Don and George, who grin at me.

Suddenly Winters enters the barracks, and we quickly stand up. "Second Platoon, we're moving out. Full dress and ready for the night march. Canteens filled. You have ten minutes." He leaves the barracks again. I glance at Don before looking briefly at Liebgott's empty bed. If he misses the march, he's screwed. I quickly change and am already on my way out. "Where are you going?" George asks me. "I'm going to find Private Sunshine. Someone should probably tell him he has to be outside in five minutes." "You're too nice, Liv. If someone treated me like that, I'd ditch him." "I'm a platoon Sergeant Don. I have responsibilities." With those words, I leave the barracks and look around outside.

I find Liebgott near the latrines. "Hey," I call out to him, and he groans in annoyance. "What do you want, Stark? You want to kick some more?" he asks, looking at me. "No, actually, I don't. Whereas, if you keep talking to me like that, then maybe. I just wanted to inform you that in..." I glance at my watch for a moment. "...Three and a half minutes, we have to be ready to march in full gear. But do what you want." I turn away from him and go back to the others. "Why are you telling me this?" "Because, unlike you, I'm not an asshole."

Once again, Easy Company is on their Friday night march. Fully loaded and ready, they march their 12 miles. I walk silently beside Don. "I'm going to say something now," Bull whispers to George, as he's getting really tired of it. "To who?" he asks back, and Bull looks to Winters. "Lieutenant Winters?" "What is it?" the latter asks back. "Permission to speak, sir." "Permission granted." "Sir, we have nine companies, sir," he notes, and I can only imagine what he's getting at. "We do," Winters says. "Then how come we're the only company that marches 12 miles in full dress in the dark every Friday night?" "What do you think, Private Randleman?" "Lieutenant Sobel hates us, sir." I can't help but smirk in amusement. "Oh, I don't think Lieutenant Sobel hates Easy Company, Private Randleman. He just hates you," Winters returns, and I never imagined such cold humor from him. Many of the men start laughing. "Thank you, sir." "But he still hates you the most, Liv," Don says next to me, making George laugh in front of us. "What do you want me to do?" I grin. "Leaving would be an option," she then hears Liebgott behind her, and she looks at him briefly. "And make it so easy for you? Forget it, Liebgott! It's too much fun to piss you off," I say sarcastically, seeing Don smirking beside me.

After we have completed the march, I fall into my bed, exhausted. Poor Christenson. He has to repeat the whole march. "Hey, you know what?" Don then says, looking at me. "What?" "Tomorrow, we can finally go out. I think this is one of the first weekends when we all still have our passes. What do you think, Liv? Have a little fun?" I sit up on my bed and beam at Don. "You don't have to ask twice, Malarkey! Penky, you in?" I ask Alex, who shakes his head at his nickname, but then agrees. "You guys aren't going without me, though! I've made it my mission to get this little bird here bottled up." "You're welcome to try, Luz, but I'm telling you... I'm pretty hard drinking!" "We'll see about that, Stark," George grins, and I wink at him. "Will you guys shut up already? Some people would like to sleep." "Oh, stop being such a baby Liebgott. You can sleep plenty when you're old and shriveled! Tomorrow, it's time to celebrate!"

7th November 1942 - Camp Toccoa, GA After a few quiet lessons on Saturday morning, we finally have free time. We put on our starting uniforms and gather. We're a sizable group and off to Toccoa for a bit of a shindig. Don, George, Muck, Penkala, Toye, Guarnere, Christenson, Webster, Popeye, Skinny, and a few others join us. Even Lip comes along. What amazes me is that when I leave the barracks, Liebgott is standing next to Don, waiting. "Well, look at that," Don laughs when he sees me. "What, never seen a woman before?" I ask, punching him in the shoulder. "Yes, I have, but I've never seen you in a skirt and high heels before." "And you won't often, Don, so memorize that image well." I've made myself pretty for the day. My hair is down and slightly wavy, and I've painted my lips with dark red lipstick.

Behind me, I hear a whistle, and when I turn around, Muck is standing in front of me. "Oh la la, what do we have here?" he grins and comes toward us. "Shut up, Skip. Remember... Faye is waiting for you at home." "Yeah yeah, but you're still allowed to look, right?" "Ah, shut it, Muck."

Don grins and puts an arm around my shoulders. "Shall we?" he asks, and I nod with a smile. Then I notice Liebgott's gaze, eyeing me. "See something you like, Liebgott?" I ask, and he looks me in the eye. He bites his lips briefly and twitches an eyebrow. "Seen better." "Of course you have." I shake my head, and Don grins at me. "Well, let's go."

When we finally get to the pub, Don orders a round of beers for us. The bar is packed with soldiers. "Wow, pretty crowded in here, huh?" I say to no one in particular, but Muck agrees with me anyway. Our group quickly disperses, and we sit, laugh, and smoke comfortably. "I'll get the next round," I say and stand up before heading to the bar. I place the order and wait patiently, but then I feel something on my butt. I turn around and look into the eyes of a soldier who smiles at me insinuatingly. "Well, darling? Can I buy you a drink?" he asks, and I look at him incredulously. "Does that usually work? You grope a lady, and then she lets you have it?" I ask, but his grin doesn't disappear. "Come on. I'll be happy to show you a real man." "No thanks. And I doubt you'll be able to show me. And now, if you don't mind..." I turn away from him again, but he grabs my arm. It seems he hasn't seen my badges on my sleeve either.

"You're pretty cheeky; you know that? But I like cheeky!" he says and pulls me towards him. As I want to tell him off, he is yanked away from me. "I think she told you to fuck off," Liebgott says, holding the man by the collar. Now other soldiers take notice, including Don and the others, who immediately come over. "Stay out of this, asshole!" grumbles the soldier, glaring at Liebgott. "This is between the pretty lady and me." "Yeah, and the pretty lady told you to fuck off. So accept it and fuck off!" "What's going on?" Don asks me, but my attention is on Liebgott and the other soldier. "I didn't hear it from her, though." The soldier looks at me, and I raise an eyebrow. Liebgott lets go of him and steps aside. "Well, then, please..." The soldier looks at me promptly. "What he said," I say perkily and wave him off. "That your man? Is that it? You should tell your slut that maybe she should send less lewd signals when..." But that's as far as he gets because Liebgott punches him.

The soldier goes down, holding his bloody nose. "You son of a bitch!" "She's our fucking platoon sergeant, in case you overlooked that. So shut the fuck up and stay away from her." In disbelief, I look at Liebgott. He just punched a man for me. I walk up to the soldier on the ground and take his name tag in my hand. "Private Stretton, is it? Maybe I should have a word with your CO. You should probably re-learn the rank insignia. And if I see you coming near anyone again who doesn't want it, I'll personally make sure you get your punishment. Understood?" The soldier snorts but then nods.

Don and Muck grin behind me. "Come on, I'll take care of this," Don says, pointing to the beers that are now ready and taking them to the table with Muck. At our table, I turn to Liebgott. "Thank you," I say, smiling gently. "I didn't do this for you," he returns, and I look at him, confused. "That was for Easy Company. And whether I like it or not, you're part of it. No one disrespects us. To make that clear, you were just a means to an end." Liebgott walks away from me, and I look after him, perplexed. I sit down and look at the table in front of me. "What a prick..." I grumble. "Yeah, part men really don't know how it works..." Muck says, but Don shakes his head. "I don't think she meant him." Liv is still looking at Liebgott, standing with Talbert and the others.

"Forget about him, Liv. I don't think anyone understands the complex thing in Joe's head," Don says, drawing my attention back to himself. "I just don't understand it. Did I do anything to him?" Don and Muck exchange a look, but Liv can't interpret it. "Not that I know of," Muck then says with a shrug. "But it doesn't matter, anyway. Let Liebgott think what he wants. We like you, and I think most people in Easy do." "Thanks, Muck," I say with a smile and take a sip of my beer. "Soon, we'll be off to Fort Benning. Are you nervous yet?" asks Don, then looking at me. "No, not really. It's just jump training, right?" Don starts to laugh. "Yeah, I'll tell you again when we get to the plane door."

Still thinking about Liebgott, I sit at the table with Don a little later. Muck has disappeared somewhere, and Penkala is dancing with a girl. "Come on, Liv... Just forget it," Don says, looking at me. "I know, Don. But..." "No buts," Don interrupts me. He stands up and holds out his hand to me. I look at him questioningly. "Come on. A dance will take your mind off things." For a moment, I eye my friend and then take his hand. "There you go." Don leads me onto the dance floor, taking my left hand in his and placing his other on the small of my back before he begins to move and lead me.

For a while, we dance without speaking. My gaze keeps automatically wandering to Liebgott without me being able to stop it. "Hey. Stop", Don says, and I look at him. His dark eyes search mine. "Just look at me, will you? It's not worth you letting him ruin your night. What was it like yesterday? It's time to party today," he grins, infecting me. I smirk and look down at the floor for a moment. "No, look at me, Liv. Just me." I lift my eyes again and then laugh as Don grimaces. "You really are unbelievable, Don." "But it works, right?" I nod and focus on him and our dance.

When the song ends, Don pulls me into his arms, and I laugh. I don't notice his gaze shift to Liebgott, who is watching us closely. "Come, let's take a break," Don says, leading me back to our table. "I didn't know you could dance like that, Malarkey. You never cease to amaze me." "That's what I'm here for, right?" I smile at him and nod. "Seems so." I look down at my glass and take a sip. "Thanks, Don. For everything." "No need to thank me, sweetheart." "Sweetheart?" I ask with amusement. "It is what it is, Liv. You can't deny it," he laughs, raising his glass. "Here's to Liv. Easy Company's sweetheart." "Oh, come on," I laugh out now. "You're going to regret those words someday." "I don't think so. Even though it's only been two months, I think I know you better than you think." "Is that so?" "Yep. And as your newly appointed best friend, it's my job to look out for you, sweetheart." I raise my glass as well and bump it against his. "To best friends." "To best friends," he repeats.

"Hey, what are you doing?" then shouts George, pulling up a chair to our table. "I thought I was your best friend, Liv?" "Sorry, Luz, that post has just been taken," Don grins, and I shake my head laughing. "Don't worry, George, I'll find another post for you," I laugh, and he looks at me with mock indignation. "I can't accept that, Sergeant Stark." We all three laugh and call it a night.

13th November 1942 - Camp Toccoa, GA The following week, after Sobel is promoted to Captain and Winters to 1st Lieutenant, Don and I are in line for food. It's a quiet afternoon with lessons, and as a small celebration of the promotions, we have spaghetti today. At least, if you can call it that. Rumor has it that Sobel requested this single-handedly from Winters after he sentenced him to two weeks as Mess Officer.

"I can't believe we're actually getting some real food for once," says Don, standing behind me in line. "You call that something real, Malarkey?" asks Bill, standing in front of me and turning to look at us. "I'll make you something real someday, Don, but this? I don't know what to call it," I grin. When we get to the front, the kitchen soldier turns away from us with the pan. "Hold on, more coming. These guys are packing it away," he says, pointing to the soldiers who already have some food. We wait, and when we have our portions, we sit at a table. "This stuff's orange. Spaghetti ain't supposed to be orange," Penkala grumbles, poking at his food. "This ain't spaghetti. This is army noodles with ketchup," interjects Perconte, sitting diagonally across from me. "You ain't gotta eat it," Bill now asks, and Perconte looks at him incredulously. "Oh, come on, Gonorrhoea, as a fellow Italian, you should know that calling this crap spaghetti is a mortal sin."

Suddenly a hand reaches forward from the table behind us. "You don't want it? I'll have it," Hoobler says, and I laugh. "No, no, no, I'm eating here," Perconte returns, reaching for his plate. "Hey, get outta here," now chides Bill, whose plate was also nearly stolen.

I just shake my head and look down at my plate. "Aren't you going to eat?" Don asks me with his mouth full, pointing at my plate. "I don't know, Don. Something's not right here somehow. This is so not Sobel. The weather's not too bad. So why would he give us a quiet afternoon AND spaghetti?" Don shrugs. "Best not to question it at all, kid," Bill says, shoveling in his pasta. I look at the men at my table, all stuffing their food down. As I'm about to put my fork in my mouth, the door is yanked open.

"Orders changed. Get up. Lectures are canceled - Easy Company is running up Currahee," Sobel shouts, and we all quickly stand up. "Move, move. Three miles up, three miles down. Hi yo silver. Let's go, let's go," he continues to call, and I look at Don. "Fuck," I huff and follow the others into the barracks. "It's like you have a sixth sense, Liv," Don grumbles beside me as we change clothes. "It's called female intuition, Don."

A short time later, we run Currahee. I'm happy I haven't eaten anything, but the other men suffer quite a bit. Many of them are throwing up and not in good shape, which spurs Sobel to bring them down even more. "You're a washout, Private Hoobler. You should pack up those ears and go home," he shouts into the neck of Hoobs, who is visibly struggling. But Hoobs is not the only one. "Looks like Gordon's done, aren't you, Gordon? You finished? You do not deserve to get your wings," he shouts to Smokey, running beside me. As Sobel turns away again, I reach out my arm and give Smokey's hand a quick squeeze. "Don't listen to him," I hiss as I hear Sobel taking on Bull. "Thanks, Liv, but that's easier said than done," he whispers back. "I know, but you're just as good as any of us, okay? We can do this. All of us!"

Suddenly, in front of me, I hear George start to sing a song. "We pull upon the risers." Of course, it doesn't take long for all the soldiers to join. "We pull upon the grass. We never land upon our feet; we always hit our ass. Hi dee, hi dee, Christ Almighty, who the hell are we? Zim, zam, goddamn, we're Airborne infantry. We pull upon the risers; we pull upon the grass. We never land upon our feet; we always hit our ass. Hi dee, hi dee, Christ Almighty, who the hell are we? Zim, zam, goddamn, we're Airborne infantry."

It seems Sobel doesn't like this at all because I can see him slow down and then stop in the corner of my eye.

[corpsebasil]

Easily Replaced | part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4

Kaz Rietveld didn't need a reason.

You knew this, of course, as you always had, but it was most clear the day you, Jordie, and Kaz stepped foot into Ketterdam. The two brothers were, as long as you’d known them, ambitious. Ketterdam would fuel that ambition.

"For you, Sankta." Jordie Rietveld laughed, and covered your eyes with his hands.

He was thirteen—much too old for you, as you were only eight, and though you were teased back in southern Kerch for hanging around with him so much Jordie was something like a brother to you. Your own parents were gone—your mother a woman who died too young and your father a mystery.

"I thought you were getting me food." Kaz scoffed, plucking the wrapped omelette out of your hands before you even had a moment to see it.

"Kaz!" You shrieked as you tore out of Jordie's grasp, lunging for the food, but Kaz simply laughed in return, looping his arm around your shoulders and tugging you along, sharing the omelette between them.

The omelette stands in Ketterdam were Kaz and your favorites.

"(Y/N), wait." Jordie called and you paused, turning to glance over at him. His expression was wide and happy—the happiest he'd been in a long time, since he and Kaz's father had died. "Welcome home." He said, and you smiled.

"WAIT!" You yelped, lurching into sitting position so fast your head spun.

He was there, you thought, still blinking away the image of Jordie from behind your eyes.

Your heart raced and your eyes stung as you stood, scanning the streets several stories below you. You’d fallen asleep on the window pane after sneaking into your room at the Slat—if Kaz wanted you gone that night, you’d be gone by morning just to spite him. If only so you had more time to snoop around.

You weren’t expecting the dreams again.

You wiped your hands over your face and sighed, blinking away the remnants of sleep and forcing Jordie to the back of your mind. Jordie Rietveld would always stay in the very back of your mind, in the dregs; you’d think about him only during your last breath, and wouldn't let yourself do it one moment before then.

You crept out of your room and glanced around its interior once more, hefting your satchel over your shoulder. You’d miss this place—you’d miss Ketterdam, but if leaving helped keep certain memories at bay and kept a certain someone from bashing your head in it was worth the risk.

Your feet were silent when you finally dropped to the streets outside and ran, taking back-ally's and fire-escapes and rooftops as you traveled across Ketterdam on a route few knew. Your mask was pulled up and your hood rippled behind you, your shape merely a black speck against the moonless sky.

When you reached the Crow Club you ducked the guards and snuck through a window at the top. If there was anything to be known about the heist for one million kruge the Dregs had been murmuring about, Kaz would know about it. And if you were anything you were vengeful, and you’d get that prize to earn your freedom or you’d die trying.

"The Orchid isn't Dime Lions turf." Kaz's rock salt voice reached you and you paused, one foot sinking into the plush carpet of your old friend's office.

"Well, it's a new acquisition." Another voice purred, and your blood ran cold.

You knew that voice.

That voice had haunted you for years.

"You heard it here first." The voice continued, and you dropped into a crouch, tugging your hood over your head as you crept towards the office.

Your heart dropped into your stomach.

Kaz was being held on his knees by a nondescript man with a sneer on his face while Pekka, Pekka Rollins, clutched Kaz's cane like he owned it. Your stomach rolled as you took in Pekka's face and you barely stopped yourself from gagging.

It was him.

It was the man who killed Jordie.

"Now, I know you saw Dreesen," Pekka continued, oblivious to the assassin hardly ten feet away who was contemplating his inevitable death. "You got the jump on whatever job he has. I don't know the details...obviously, just that you have a little travel hazard ahead of you. So. Here's the deal: you can do nothing—walk away from it. I'll tell Dreesen I'm taking over for you." He paused, a cruel smile on his face. "Then we're even."

"Not even close—" Kaz began, and you tensed. You knew the man holding him, touching him, was causing him agony.

You had to stop it. You had decided long ago that Pekka Rollins' death would be slow. You could make it last for hours—could make blades sing until he was nothing left but a scrap on a table, but something fast might have to do.

"The other option is..." Pekka began, leaning forward to press the beak of Kaz's cane against his jugular, and you lunged. "I'll cave your head in with your own—"

"Let go of him." You snarled and, quick as an asp, had one of your many blades nestled dangerously against Pekka's throat.

Kaz let out a sharp breath and tensed as the man holding him pulled out a gun, pressing it to his temple to balance the odds.

"Sankta Riipka," Pekka mused, seemingly unaffected by the knife against his neck. "it's nice to finally make your aqu—"

"Shut up, pig." You spat and dug the blade in deeper, your eyes snapping up to the man next to Kaz. You felt steel against your head and froze—

—you’d forgotten about the other member of Pekka's trio.

"By the time you kill me," Pekka began, oozing calm that made to your blood boil, "my friend here will shoot your friend. And then you." He made to twist in his chair and you tightened your grip, stilling him. You knew you were drawing blood. "You ought to make the wise decision here, Riipka."

"Let him go." You repeated, heart pounding violently, refusing to look at Kaz even as you felt the gun against the back of your head push harder. "Let him go or I swear on all Saints I'll slit your throat right here."

The room was quiet for several beats before the man holding Kaz shoved him, knocking your friend—was he your friend?—to the floor. You made no move to remove the knife—your chest was tight and your breathing uneven. Jordie's face was flashing behind your eyes and this moment, this moment, killing Pekka, was what you had been waiting for.

You could do it.

Why couldn't you do it?

You could—

"Stop." Kaz breathed and you froze, meeting his stare. His face was serious but his eyes—they were filled with pain. "Just stop."

"You should listen to Mr. Brekker." Pekka crooned and your gritted your teeth, biting back a snarl as you removed the knife and swung, knocking the gun out of the man behind you’s hands.

     He threw his arms up and froze but Pekka simply laughed, eyeing you like you were a monkey at a circus. You felt small and, for the first time in a long time, like you were eight years old again, sweating with a burning illness and being sheltered by a widow who had no kids of her own.

     You felt like you were eight years old, managing to survive the plague and stumbling down to the docks, half-drunk with a barely broken fever and finding Kaz laying drenched in sea-water on a dock, screaming at you in agony.

It was Pekka's fault.

It was all his—

"No one has to die today, Riipka," Pekka smirked at whatever he saw in your eyes and brushed past, chuckling to his accomplices as they left the office and slammed the door behind them.

The room was silent for several moments before you turned, watching Kaz as he stared at the floor, making no move to stand.

"Let me help you—" you began, reaching out to offer a gloved hand but he jolted, deer-in-headlight-eyes flashing to yours.

"Don't touch me." He snapped, face flushing, and the knot in your throat threatened to burst.

     He pushed himself awkwardly to his feet and scrambled for his cane, one hand absently on his leg as he winced. It was terrible to watch—he was strong all the time, and so serious but this...

...this was him broken. And you weren’t sure if you could handle seeing it.

"I should've killed him," you started over, hands trembling as you resisted the urge to reach out to him. You didn't know if you wanted to help or if you just wanted, needed, his touch. "I should've—"

"You should've been gone by now." He swallowed roughly as his cane hit the floor with a thud, eyes snapping back to yours. "I had it handled. We all could've died tonight because of—"

"Don't you dare blame me for—"

"Well if you had just left when I asked—"

"I'm not leaving you!" You shrieked, yanking off your mask and hood so that you could breathe better. "You can boss me around and yell at me and treat me like Jordie was my fault all you want but—"

"I don't think that," he interrupted, his face stricken as he stared at you. "Saints, (Y/N)." You were silent for a moment, both breathing heavily, before he shook his head and turned away. "If you're not going to leave me alone, at least leave the Club. I can't—" he paused, sighing exasperatedly. "I can't deal with this tonight."

     Without waiting for a reply he strode out the door and shut it, locking it behind him so you’d have to leave out the window. You waited for several moments until you were sure he was gone, strode over to the spare couch around the corner and screamed into the pillow until your throat hurt.

@iamnoobmaster69 @emil7y @balmasedas @euphoniumpets @subjecta13-thefangirl @itisroe @thefandomplace @ambrosia-v-black @i-padfoot-things @kaitlyn2907

hiii sorry I know this one was kinda angsty but it’s gonna spice up soon HA

[healpeony]

Love Story

Levi Ackerman x reader

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲; Levi's and Y/n love isn't accepted by many specially Y/n's parents, an Eldian and a Marleyan? a great represention of Persephone's and Hades love.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬; profanity, angst, scene of smut (not explicitly described), violence, blood, being called whore (by her mother), homophobia (also used by her mother), spoilers.

Taglist; @icedkoffees

Note; she/her pronouns used for the reader as well as female anatomy. Also I'm using what Isayama said about how Levi would act shy around his crush and him being uncomfortable with sexual intercourse. And I also want to add that I don't know much about what happens when the Marleyans invaded Paradise, and I also added my own thing to help with my plot so this could be call a cannonverse!au.

PERSEPHONE a young women who's innocence was taken from her the moment she was kidnapped by her uncle, who fell in love with her. Despite her mother's (Demeter) attempts to fully get her back right away from the hands of her brother, it was too late that wasn't going to happened not after Hades persuaded Persephone to eat four seeds of pomegranate, which forced someone to have a connection with their captor, making them come back to them.

Each spring time Persephone would be living with her mother on earth, while in winter she was with Hades in the underworld.

Levi was the Persephone to Y/n's Hades, she being the one who used him and their love for each other was the pomegranate making Levi come back to her.

It's ironic how their love story started with y/n getting taken away from Marley, a place she called home.

Even though she wasn't necessarily kidnaped, she was sent away to accomplish a mission in a place called Paradise, she found it ridiculous how it was named that way when that land was full of devils.

Y/n was shipped to Paradise along with the warriors. She was going to infiltrate into the Survey Corps where she would hopefully sabotage every expedition without getting caught.

Her mission was to make sure none of the warriors get too cozy in the foreign place, and to focus on their mission, but it was impossible to do so when all the people who were described as devils, were actually just like them. Humans.

She was older than those kids being 22 when they were still 15, y/n loved them, they were like little siblings to her and it hurt when they lost Marcel, the jaw.

"Oi brat! Stay focused" the voice of her captain took her out of her train of thoughts

Captain Levi, he was called humanity strongest and was also what everyone called their only hope. At first Y/n didn't understood why he needed such a big tittle, but after being in his squad and witnessing him showing his skills and his hatred towards titans, she got why.

"I'm sorry captain" she saluted, which was dismissed by him

"You called what you did back in the kitchen, cleaning?" he asked pointing towards the place he just mentioned "There is dust everywhere, go and clean everything again, I don't want to see any dust in there again. That's where our food is made, you idiot"

Without another word he left, and when she felt like he was out of earshot, she kicked a chair, breaking it. He might be Humanities strongest, but he was soo irritating, so obsessed with cleaning. That's what they always did for the most part of their time.

"there is dust everywhere my ass" she mocked Levi's voice while looking around the kitchen she just finished cleaning minutes ago

She had made sure everything was left without a spot of dust, how in the world did Levi saw dust anywhere.

After she had cleaned the kitchen area, Levi had send her to clean the stables which took a lot of time since he told her to clean alone. It was already sun down when she had finished.

She was exhausted, her clothes were pooled with sweat and glued to her skin making her uncomfortable, she really needed a shower.

"Go take a shower" the sudden voice of the raven man scare the hell out of her

"Fuck Captain!" y/n yelled, putting a hand on her chest as if that would calm her speeding heart beat

"Go now, and then come to eat dinner with us" he continued, the blank stare he gave her when they made eye contact given her chills

"Yes, sir" she saluted, before leaving

The mess hall was well a mess, the cadets eat like animals. The same soup and bread they always eat, Y/n found it extremely annoying how the Military Police get all the meat when the Survey Corps were the ones doing the only brave work inside the walls.

"Y/n if you're not going to eat your soup can I have it?" Sasha asked

Oh, how much she wanted to say no, but she had a reputation to hold and she didn't want the soup anyway.

Y/n faked a smile, (one that everyone thought that was genuine) before saying "of course, Sasha" passing the bowl full of hot soup to the girl

"Thanks!"

Y/n felt how eyes were burning through her skull and turned her head to look down the table, just to see Captain Levi staring at her with a suspicious look in his eyes.

Oh shit, if he in some way found out about who she really was, she was fucked. The young women tried her best to stay seated, but her nerves didn't let her making her stand up.

"I'm exhausted, I think I'm going to sleep"

It wasn't a lie she was tired from all the cleaning, but she didn't want to sleep, she just needed to desperately get out of there.

When she was finally outside, y/n leaned against the wall, sliding down while taking a deep breath.

"You know, it isn't good to fake smile to your friends"

Y/n immediately turn around at the sudden voice of her captain, he did it again, he scared the living shit out of her.

"Captain!, Stop doing that!" her face felt warmer than usual for some reason

Was she blushing?

"Why did you do it? Are you sad?" Levi asked putting down a handkerchief on the ground before sitting next to her, looking over at her examinating her face

"Oh it's just stress" Y/n replied, praying that he would just believe her

"I see.." he turned towards the sky where the moon shined brightly along with the stars

What Y/n thought that would be a awkward silence, turned into a comfortable one. They just stared at the sky above them, it remind Y/n that she had a family waiting for her outside the walls and she was not going to disappoint them by getting comfy with the captain, even though she didn't know what his intentions were.

"I'm going to take a nap" she stood up, and called over her shoulder "Have a good night, captain" before proceeding to walk towards her room

"Good night, cadet..."

Y/n didn't know when it happened, was it when they continued sitting together and looking at the sky in complete silence, or was it when in some of those same nights they spoke more and more about each other's personal life (in none of those conversations she mentioned Marley, but still talked about her family). She didn't remember how her feelings for him changed, but they did.

Right now she was there, in the same spot on the wall with Levi next to her. They were even in first name basics with each other.

The raven man cleared his throat catching her attention, turning her head to the side to look at him she noticed how he was blushing.

"I.. I think is pretty obvious what I feel for— about you by now"

A surprised noice escaped Y/n mouth, she expected to have that talk with him some day, but not today or Levi being so straight forward with the subject.

The women could only nod, her brain still processing what he just said.

"I was wondering, if you felt the same.." his voice dropped to a whisper, while he looked down

"No" she shaked her head, making Levi looked up at her eyes widened with embarrassment at the rejection "Look, Levi.. it's just that I have done terrible things that you're not aware of. You don't want to be with me"

"Then tell me what terrible things you have done and let me be with you after your done" Levi said

"No, Levi you don't understand" tears pooled in her eyes, y/n didn't even remember the last time she had cry "I can't be with you"

"Why? Is it because of the terrible things you have done? Well guess what everybody has their own flaws, everybody in this world is an angel, at least until they get tired of the cruelty in it and let the demons take over" Levi grabbed her face between his hands, wiping the falling tears from her face "I want to be with you, wether you have let your demons take over or not"

Y/n felt the man lean in to place his lips to hers, they stayed pressed together without movement, before Levi pull away and kissed her again this time letting his emotions be known through the kiss.

Passion. Love. Care.

This is a moment in her life she would never forget not even when hers and the warriors mission is over.

Retaking of wall Maria

"I let you. I fucking let you in!"

Levi stood infront of her heartbroken, she told him, now he knew everything..

"Levi-" however she wasn't able to continue speaking since she received a kick right in the face making her fall on her side

She looked at Levi surprised, he had kicked her. Y/n knew she deserved, but it still hurt to have someone you loved hit you.

"You lied about everything didn't you? For what, to get information?" his voice was cracking slightly with each word he said "Was it necessary to use me for your stupid plans?"

"I didn't use you!, What I felt for you was real" y/n said defending her feelings

"I don't even know what is real about you anymore, is Y/n actually your name? Or is it just another lie?"

"It is my name.." she weakly murmured tasting blood in her tongue, she figured that her lip might have been split open from the impact

"Oh good to know"

Sarcasm tried to cover his hurt voice, which actually didn't work, since Y/n could clearly hear his shaky breath and it made her feel soo guilty.

"I hate you"

Those three little words were enough to make her world come crashing down, he hated her. Of course he did, it hurt so much but she had seen this coming, and she still didn't felt ready for it.

"I'm sorry, Levi"

That was all she said to him, before she was grabbed by a titan being controlled by Zeke, taking her away from the place where she meet someone who meant so much to her.

One thing that she was sure of was that

She will never forget Levi Ackerman.

Screams, that was what was heard everywhere. Kids either with their parents or alone were running desperately trying to find shelter, and that broke Y/n's heart.

She was tired of all the fighting, she was tired of pretending to be stronger than she felt. For once she just wanted peace and happiness, something that she didn't quite have the past four years.

How did they got here? That was one of the many questions going through her head, but one that she paid more attention to was the most important

Was he here too?

"There you are, piece of shit."

That voice, it was him. It might have changed, but she could recognize it everywhere, the same voice who used to startle her everytime they saw each other, the voice that bought her comfort, the voice of the man she fell in love with.

It was Levi.

Slowly she proceeded to turn around, the fear for what might happen next running through her veins. She was ready to be killed by him.

Finally she look up and saw the same man she fell in love with, the only change that she saw was the uniform, apart from that he still seem like he had the same height as before and from the look on his face he still had the same temper.

"Nice uniform, I like it" she told him quietly not knowing what to say

Levi scoffed at her statement, taking his blade out. So he was going to kill her.

"You can go ahead and kill me, might as well add another ghost to haunt you"

Did she felt fear? Yes she did, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.

"Shut up" that was his response, before he connected his blade with her cheek leaving a long but not deep cut "You're going to come with me"

"I'm not going anywhere!"

The last thing he told her was that he hated her, why would he want her to come back to Paradise?, Was it to use her for information? Or because he missed her? It was stupid to think of the latter question, but she was still hopeful.

"I'm not asking, you brat"

That was the last thing she heard before he knocked her out.

"How could you be with a devil?!"

Her mom's scream hurt her eardrums, Zeke had told them about how she had been in a relationship with a so call devil. That seem like the only thing Zeke could do apart from throwing rocks, snitch.

"You were send there for a reason Y/n! No child of mine should've or should be with one of those devils!"

"Mother, I'm so sorry it's just that it would be easier for me to get the information about them that I wanted"

That was a lie. She loved Levi, even though she didn't get the chance to say it to him. She did, and that feeling wasn't going to go away anytime soon.

Her father stood next to her mother quietly looking at her with disgusts as if she was the trash people get rid of because of the smell, she hated that, it hurt to have your own parents hating on you.

"So what? For a piece of information, you had to go and whore yourself in there?"

Y/n gasped looking at her mom shocked "What? No mother, I didn't do anything like that with him!" she argue

That wasn't a lie, Levi was uncomfortable with sexual intercourse, since his own mother worked in a brothel and he had been the witness of how much that act hurt his mother, he had trusted her enough to tell her that.

"Good, you still have your purity." her mom nodded, before letting out a sigh "At least it wasn't with a women, you would've been completely kicked out of this house young lady"

"Now go take a shower, make sure to wash away every memory in that land while doing so." her mom smiled softly her hand reaching out to touch her cheek, before hugging her "My poor baby, having to live with those devils for so long. Don't worry you're home now, you're safe with us"

What once was her home didn't feel like home anymore, her house was just a place, her home was the person she left behind in Paradise.

Y/n didn't remember how many days have passed or what was going on outside of her cell. She didn't know in what prison she was in, but just a few days ago it had seem like there was a whole damn war going on outside.

She hasn't seen Levi since he put her into the cell, and she was scared that something might have happened to him. She heard the door of the corridor open, Y/n stood up walking towards the bars to see who it was, it was Hange.

"Y/n" Hange nodded at her as if they were saying hi "He said your name, so we think it would be good if you saw him"

"Who are you talking about?" Y/n asking looking at them confused

"Levi"

Her heart immediately speed up, something happened to him. Her anxiety grew each passing second as she took step by step through the halls, Hange having a hold of her arm to make sure she didn't try to run away.

"What happened to him?" Y/n questioned scared for what the answer might be

"Explosion" was all they said, before entering a room that seems to be Levi's, there was only a nurse sitting in a chair probably just there just in case Levi needed something

"Thanks, you can stand outside. We would call if we need you" Hange told the nurse who nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, but not before throwing Y/n a look of disapproval about her being there.

Y/n ran to Levi's side as soon as the nurse was out, he had bandages in one side of his face, and on his hands. Tears started sliding down the young women's cheek while Hange looked at her with pity, but also cautiously not wanting her to do anything that might hurt Levi.

"Levi.." she whispered, even though

y/n felt bad about disturbing him from his sleep knowing how difficult it was for him to do so, she wanted to hear his voice, reassuring her that he was going to be ok "Everything it's going to be fine, right Hange? Tell him"

“Yeah, I agree with you y/n”

She didn't knew who she was trying to convince herself or Levi, but that didn't matter, because she felt a squeeze in one hand and immediately look down to see that Levi was the one holding it. Y/n look back up to his face seeing how his eye was open and he was staring directly at her.

Y/n smiled "Hey darling, you're okay now" she let out those word between sobs "— I'm sorry for everything Levi, for not telling you where I was really from, for letting you fall in love with me when I knew how it was going to bed. I'm so sorry for every misery that I have put you through"

Levi squeezed her hand again "- 's ok, I f—orgive you" his words came out has a whisper and he struggled to speak but she heard him clearly

Hange watched the scene playing out infront of them, they could see how much those two loved each other. They were like a puzzle, that could figure each other out, knowing each piece of themselves like the back of their hands.

It has been a month and a half exactly since Y/n had seen Levi in the bed witnessing how helpless he looked, she had never seen him like that and wasn't planning to anytime soon, since then she hadn't left his side.

He was currently touching her bare back leaving kisses down her neck, their naked chest pressed together, hot and sweaty.

"Levi..." she moaned softly

This was their first time being intimate, and she didn't want him to feel pressured into anything.

"I know what you're going to say, and I want to how much as you" he said before continuing marking her, claiming her as his

Each move of his hips against hers, reminded her of who she was with. The gentleness in his touch making her forget about the world around them. The softness of his lips against hers taking her breath away.

It wasn't just the pleasure that made Levi take the decision of doing this with her, this was his own way of showing how far he would go just to be with her, to come out of his comfort zone just to shower her with intimate kisses and touches that he and neither would she forget.

“I love you Levi”

Her skin was the canvas, and his lips was the brush painting each part of her body.

“I love you too...”

“You will come back with us immediately young lady!" her mother said trying to remain calm infront of the devils

The rumbling was over, Eren Yeager was killed. Paradise and Marley were allies, but that doesn't mean they have forgiven each other for what each have done. Many Marleyans and Eldians from Marley came to visit out of curiosity, while people from Paradise went to explore the world (if we are talking about visiting the outside world and finding new things as much as possible), but they never want to visit Marley afraid that they might get turn into titans and angry for what those monsters have done to other people.

"I'am old enough to make my own decisions, mother" Y/n had answered, wanting to remain as calm as she could

"His manipulating you isn't he?"

"How dare you!—" Y/n yelled, before regaining her composure, her voice going back to calm but being loud and firm at the same time "I love him, he didn't manipulate me into anything. It's bold of you to assume that, mother"

"We're your family, your place it's with us!"

Some of the Military Police who were there scoffed along with some of the scouts, they have warmed up to Y/n already, but the Marleyans didn't seem to accept that one of themselves loved an Eldian, specially from Paradise.

"You're my family? Then where were you when I needed you the most?, All I needed when I returned to Marley four years ago was my mother!, The one who an illusion of my mind created, a sweet mom who would love me for being her child, and not see me as an object" Y/n couldn't remain calm anymore she needed to let everything out "— The time I spent with him, I got to truly know what comfort was, what being loved and being needed felt like! And you—" with tears in her eyes she turned to her father who was quiet, like he always was "You're so afraid of mom that you don't even dare to speak for yourself!, You did nothing to help your own daughter!, You just watched as she was raised to be something she didn't want to be!"

She spoke out her mind finally letting out those built up words that haunted her, needing to be said "— I thank you for everything though, despite not given me the love that I needed, your own choices took me to where we are now. Without those decisions, I wouldn't have met Levi so I thank you, for what you both did" she smiled at them

Her mom stood there quietly, before turning around and walking towards the door, her father following close behind "Don't bother returning home" was all her father said

"I won't"

She was already home, she was standing next to it. Holding his hand, Levi Ackerman was the safe place she will always and forever need.

“— And they lived happily ever after”

Y/n closed the book, looking at the twins, her daughter and son who had fallen asleep half way through the story.

“Please tell me you didn't read to them the explicit parts”

The voice of her husband scared her and she turned to him, who stood by the door leaning into it.

“Of course not you idiot!”

She stood up turning off the lamp and given both of the children kisses on their head, before going out of the room with Levi.

“I still think we should publish this book” Y/n smirked, a mischievous look in her eyes

“Absolutely not”

Yeah, their Love Story had a happy ending after all.

This was so much fun to write! I wrote 4k words and I'm proud of that! I feel like my writing has improved in the past few days, and this might be one of the works that will show it, and I hope future ones show the progress too! Also I want to punch y/n's mother in the face.

Thank you so much for reading, you can support my work by hitting reblog or liking! But don't repost to other platforms!

[dragon-kazansky]

Dangerous | Helmut Zemo

AU! Race car driver Zemo 😎

Gender neutral reader

Collage by @realremyd

I AM ONCE AGAIN SORRY

[Masterlist]

[Previous chapter] - [Next chapter]

Part 9

When Zemo got to the bar, there was no one there. He had gone inside looking for you, had asked all the staff when he couldn't see you there. He began to panic when they told him you had left a while ago.

Rushing back outside, he looked left and right rapidly. He saw no one. He got back into his car and drove. He would drive all night if he had to. He just had to find you.

He kept trying to call you, but you wouldn't pick up. At some point you turned your phone off, which just made him worry all the more.

Pietro Maximoff.

He hadn't heard that name in years. What happened back then had always hung over him like a dark cloud, but it had been so long since anyone had ever said that name to him.

He had to explain. You needed to know what happened. If Zemo lost you, what would be the point? How could he race without his lucky charm? He couldn't let this get between you both.

He felt horrible lying to you. There was so much he hadn't told you, but he had never wanted you to find out like this. He should have been honest from the start.

Zemo could only imagine what you were thinking. What must you think of him now?

How long had been driving? He had no idea. He hadn't found you yet. It was becoming harder and harder to keep up his facade. He wanted to yell, scream, punch something.

Everything was falling apart.

The only place he hadn't checked was home. He had no idea how you would have got there, the walk being too far, but it's all he had left.

He makes the drive back.

His grip on the steering wheel was tight. He was full of worry, anger, regret.

He pulls up to the house, but all the lights are off and there is no sign of life. He has the key for the door, there's no way you have got in. He looks down the path to the garage, it looks undisturbed. The garage is locked up tight.

You're not here.

His phone rings.

Zemo scrambles for the device, nearly dropping it from how bad his hands had begun to shake. He looks at the screen, but is left disappointed. It's not you.

James Barnes

He answers it.

"Whatever it is better be important. I have urgent business to attend to." Zemo is surprised by how level he can keep his voice right now.

"I'd say this is important."

"Well, what is it?"

"I bumped into Y/N on my way home. It's only because of Sam I was able to recognize them."

"Where are they?" He asks, almost urgently.

"On the last train home for the night. Zemo, what the Hell happened? They were hysterically upset. I swear I'll kick your ass if you did something stupid."

"It wasn't something I did. Were they alone?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Y/N had gone to meet someone. A wicked young woman who I may run over if I see her," he hisses down the phone.

"I didn't see anyone else."

"I have to go."

Zemo hangs up. He has to go to you, but first, he has to meet with Stark. The only way that nasty little woman could have known about that incident is if Stark had told her.

Tony Stark had been there that day.

Zemo gets into his car and he drives. He drives like a man on a mission. He doesn't care how late it is, Tony Stark will see him tonight.

If Zemo loses you, he will never forgive himself. He will never forgive Tony Stark.

He will never race again.

The lights are on at Stark's homebase. Zemo spends a few minutes parked outside looking at the window. The curtains were drawn, but movement could be seen vaguely behind them.

He gets out and marches up to the door. He knocks harshly.

In the seconds before the opening of the door, many thoughts flashed through Zemo's mind. He had no idea what would happen here tonight, all he did know was that Tony Stark was a cruel man who wanted to ruin everything good in his life.

Zemo had been beyond lucky they even let him race again after what happened.

The door opens. Stark stands there.

The way he looks at Zemo, it pisses him off. He stands with his chin up, head held high, looking down at Zemo. He knows why the Baron is here. He had anticipated his visit.

"What a surprise," Tony says, no emotion to his voice.

"What have you done?'

"What I had to." Tony walks away, leaving the door open. He walks over to his alcohol cabinet and pours himself a drink. Zemo steps inside, glaring daggers at the man. His hands clenched into fists as he grinds his jaw.

"That was six years ago."

"It still happened."

"You know it wasn't my fault."

Tony stands, drink in hand, looking at his rival. Here was a man who had been broken once before, and stands broken again. Stark did you a favour. Zemo wouldn't be here now if you had gone back to him after that, so he can only assume you left.

"You are the reason that kid is dead. Everyone knows it."

Zemo shakes his head.

"You are the reason people see me as a murderer. I did nothing to you. That, out there, is competition. We play the game by the rules and we play fair. At least, we're suppose to. I do not like your dirty tricks, Stark."

Tony doesn't move. He stands there, still.

"I was lucky they even let me race again, but even luckier when Y/N came into my life. You are taking away everything I hold dear, piece by piece. You are ruining me."

"You ruined yourself when you took up racing," Tony says, coldly.

"You just can't let it go, can you? You don't like that I am better than you."

Tony doesn't reply.

Zemo takes slow, careful steps toward Tony. His eyes, glazed with tears, do not look away from his gaze. He only stops when he is directly in front of him.

"If I lose Y/N, you will never hear the end of this. You're cruelty knows no bounds, Stark. I fell so very sorry for Miss Potts. How can she be so fond of a man like you who turns careers and flaunts around with other women. Does your little bird know you are a heartless bastard?"

"You don't scare me, Zemo."

"Not yet, I don't."

Zemo grabs the glass from Stark's hand, throws it at the wall behind him, and then marches away.

He has to see you.

By the time he reaches your town, it's about one on the morning. Though there is the chance you're sleeping, he is here and he will takes his chances.

He knocks on your door.

There are no sounds, no sign of movement, but there is a light which he can see under your door.

You're home.

"Y/N." His accent is heavier than usual, wavered by emotion. He leans up against the door, ear pressed against it.

You're there.

He knows you're there, listening.

"I'm sorry," he says, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me. Pietro Maximoff died in a terrible accident. His car malfunctioned. It was an accident that turned into a case because someone decided to ruin my career."

He waited, wanted to see if you would say anything.

You didn't.

"I have raced before. I won on my first race. I won again, the second. A racing star, they called me. That was the first time Tony Stark had lost. Suddenly, he had competition. Real competition. Before, he would leave everyone in the dust, winning over and over again. Then I showed up. After my second win, he had my car checked. He was furious because it was legal. He assumed I had altered it against the rules because there was no way his cars would lose. Then that happened."

He hears you move. You're right behind the door.

"Pietro Maximoff was a crazy good driver. Apparently he was awed by me. I told him if he crossed the line that day, I would tutor him. We made a deal. However, his car malfunctioned after the third turn. He drove head first into the barrier, full speed. His car caught fire. He was alone. It took too long for the team to reach him. He died on impact, they say. He was dead whether they got to him or not."

He sighs, hand resting up against the door.

"I did not tamper with his car. I did not kill that boy. Tony Stark made them believe I did with no evidence to prove it. I was found not guilty of attempted murder, but I was disqualified from racing up until I finally made an appeal. This season is my first racing season in 6 years."

He waits.

He hears shuffling, but nothing else.

"You have to believe me. If I lose you too... i have nothing left."

Nothing.

You don't say anything. The door does not open. He steps back in defeat. He doesn't know what else he can do, what else he can say.

Except, "If you still hold feelings for me, then please be at the next race. If you come, I'll know you'll forgive me. I know you'll still love me. If you don't, then I will never bother you again. I'll know that I have ruined everything and I will live with that regret until the day I die."

He takes a deep breath and steps away further.

"I love you. I want you to know that. I love you."

You cry silently as you listen to him walk away. It's not until you're sure he has gone when you let your cries out.

On your coffee table sat your laptop. As soon as you got home, you had been researching what had happened that day.

There was no evidence.

Just articles and speculation.

The fact that you even believed for a moment he had killed a young man like that made you sick. How horrible of a person could you be?

Helmut deserved someone better than that.

He has spent so many years living with a tragic accident over him, and you hadn't even talked to him about it.

You felt awful.

You spent most of the night heartbroken. Sleep eventually paid you a visit, but it was hardly restful. You just woke up in pain.

Race day was coming fast.

What were you going to do?

@ajeff855 @moonstuffsteve @sky-writes-stuff @lieutenantn @lostghostgirl94 @friday18eo @yaskna @my-blood-is-maple-syrup @gingerwriter97 @lunamooney2406 @wilder-fangirl @nectav @whovianayesha @thesuitkovian @cathrin2405 @deathtothepatriarchy @belle82devart @dxrksxul06 @killeromanoff @alex-the-nb @latenightartist-author @hb8301 @goddessofmischief03 @xxidontwikeitxx @themeanestlittlewitch @scuttle-buttle @fillechatoyante @lucky-luck-lucky @zemosimp420 @avengersofmischief @breadsquash

[crackheadenergy101]

Mystery woman

Summary : billy finds a young woman wandering the woods, he lets the young woman stay the night and despite her flirty teasing and young restless antics learns to get close to her, especially after hearing he’s her imprint

Billy settles on his porch, savoring on his favorite homemade coffee he lifts his head peering at the setting sun, “so peaceful”.

Billy returns to his coffee, churning it softly

He sighs “ to peaceful”, the man couldn't suppress his boredom, he truly cherished the peace at most times but some days he felt so isolated and today was one of those moments. Abruptly a rustle, the bushes shake as someone or something crawls through, billy instantly veers his head “ who's there!” he shouted. A rabbit steps out and billy calms down a bit, releasing the fist he clenched so tightly

Billy goes to recline his head but swiftly sits back up catching a glimpse of a woman deep in the forest. “Hey!” he yelled, the woman turns her naked body to face him, her eyes widening as she sees the person that called out to her “ Ma’am are you ok!” he shouted as he rolls closer. Unaware, billy looked into the woman's eyes, he felt the world halt as he looked into her glimmering eyes.

Billy gets closer and so does the woman instinctively, they both freeze, the woman shakes her head, her hair moving as she does so. Billy never felt this way, he felt so close to her in such a short time, could this be

Imprintation?

Billy shakes the thought, acknowledging that this wasn't the time “ Ma’am can you understand English?” the nude woman nods “ are you lost, homeless?” she shakes her head in a yes, Billy nods “come, please inside I have clean clothes and food”. “please take a bath I find you some clothes” he refrains from looking at the woman waiting till she finds the bathroom, he goes to his daughter room finding the stranger something to wear, he plops the clean clothes on the bedside and returns to the kitchen proceeding to cook her dinner. He doesn't even notice her walking out, “ thank you sir” billy jumps, knocking his hand into the heated pot, accidentally scorching his hand, the woman hastily walks over “ are you, ok sir?” billy nods and gives an awkward laugh.

“ it's fine! Really!” the woman finds a rag, wetting it and placing it onto the bruised hand “ sorry for scaring you,” she says while laughing

“ it’s fine Ms?” The woman grins “ y/n,” she says whilst opening the fridge and grabbing an ice pack, “ and you?” Billy watches as y/n drapes the ice pack in the blue rag, she positions it back on the hand “ billy”. Y/n grins “ well it’s wonderful to meet you billy, thank you for giving me such a lovely warm welcome”, she says getting closer to Billy’s face “ y-y, your very welcome,” he says while cracking up, “ so what we’re doing in woods?” Y/n gets up and turns off the stove “ I don’t know myself” she says softly. “ I went on a walk after being so furious and ended up here,” y/n says, zoning out while pouring the food, billy gives a concerned look “ naked?”

Y/n snaps out of her trance and laughs hearing what the older man said “huh? Oh no! God no” She snorts and places the food on the table “ that happened in the middle of the woods, somehow” billy nods, still not being convinced.

“ do you have any family? Friends? Money” y/n shakes her head “ you can stay here for tonight till we figure something out” y/n gives a big smile “ thanks!”. Y/n eats the food, looking at photos as she finishes “cute kids” billy smiles “oh thank you” “ where are they now?” billy sighs with a smile “ oh living, my youngest Jacob lives with me but is usually out doing his own thing rarely is hone anymore, my oldest girls are doing their own thing too, one is married to a surfer in Hawaii Rebecca, and the other lives with me but again far to busy to be home Rachel”. “mhm sounds lonely” billy gives a laugh “oh trust me, it is” they both give a giggle and y/n sits up.

“ you must have more family? a brother?” “ Nope, though I do have sisters” y/n gives a smile asking about them, “ well I have an older sister Nora, and three younger sisters Jennie, Connie, Emmie” “ do you guys see each other often?” y/n asked. “eh not as much as I wish but at family gatherings, we see each other” billy goes to the sink and begins cleaning their dishes “ how about you?” the woman shrugs, itching her h/c hair “ complicated, we're a family but like not blood related and we don't live together either we're kind of a-” “ -pack?” y/n thinks about this before answering “ yeah pack, I think”. She gets up leaning over billy, her chest being on top of his head “you can leave the dishes to me, it's the least I can do” “ uh o-ok” billy moves from beneath her and she gives a smile as he goes to his couch. They sit and chat for a while before billy sees the night sky and hears wolves howling, “ wow it's dark so quickly” “ you know the saying” “ Time flies by fast when you're having fun, “ they say in unison they smirk at each other when finishing the sentence. “ God, I'm tired,” billy says “ me too, uh where do I sleep?”

“ my room, I'll sleep on the couch-” y/n gasps “ no I'll take the couch you can keep the bed really” billy smiles “ it's fine your a guest-” y/n shakes her head “ an unexpected one, you really can't give me your room” billy shapes his head “ well I certainly can't leave you here on the couch by yourself, near the door”. Y/n gives a mischievous smile, billy squint's “ what are you thinking” y/n acts surprised and put a hand on her chest “ my son's friends always have that smile when there up to something”

“ well it's not too bad really, I was thinking we could share a bed” billy gives smile and nervously gives a smile “ oh um, ok?” billy mentally groaned feeling quite lame for acting so awkwardly, he felt rusty the last time he needed to deal with these things was before Rebecca and Rachel he had no idea how to respond. “ Great! I'll go fix the bed” y/b says quickly walking towards his room, billy sighs and gives himself a moment before following,

Despite his confused feelings, billy felt so happy and he didn't know why, being with y/n felt like it was meant to be and that he should always be by her side, he finally felt so less lonely.

“ well what side do you usually take” “ right” y/n nods and getting comfortable on the left side, “ well I'm gonna go shower now” y/n nods waving by as he goes inside with his clothes.

Billy sits in his shower cleaning his hair, he felt like a teenager all over again, which made him feel upset but at the same time, excited. He comes back finding y/n asleep, he smiles and gets into bed giving her space and relaxing, the slept for an hour till y/n cuddled up to him, it felt nice, he missed this kind of touch “ms l/n-” “imprint” billy stops talking and let's y/n muzzle her face into his neck.

“ what?”

“ shhh,” y/n says

Billy smiles before falling asleep, knowing his assumptions were correct, he fell asleep once more, with y/n draped over him.

Y/n wakes up to an empty bed, looking around for her imprint, steps outside the room to be greeted by a group of young men and women “ hello” y/n says smiling. The family stares dumbfounded looking back from billy to the woman

Billy laughs, he eventually has to tell them everything and vice versa with y/n but for now he’ll wait for y/n to tell her truth

Till then he'll just enjoy the funny stares

[angrylizardjacket]

it's in the blood // this is tradition

Summary: Children inherit all sorts of traits from their parents. Not all these traits are good.

"My reputation preceded me before I was born."

[ charlotte & lola au ]

A/N: 2292 words. Halsey's new album killed me on the spot. i talk a lot about the next gen being mirrors of their parents, but i'd like to go into detail about that not necessarily being a positive. @misscharlottelee this made me feel things. i love these kids.

Warnings: overdose mention, addiction discussion, mentions of drug abuse.

Penelope Dingley-Lee

Tommy can count the amount of times he'd seen Razzle truly angry on one hand, and here and now he can see it again, written all over his neice's face. He'd thought she would look like Charlie when she's angry, and occasionally she does, the way her lip curls derisively, dismissively, that's very reminiscent of his cousin, but here and now, her blue eyes are hazy, cloudy, and her lips twist with an irate arrogance that is worryingly familiar.

Angry and high and wearing clothes that don't quite match, in this moment she's exactly her father's daughter.

She's been in the papers again. Her tits have been in magazines again. Tommy bites down on his instinctual desire to repremand her; she'd call him a hypocrite, call him an old man, tell him to keep his opinions to himself while she could still buy his sex tape out of a shady car boot down the street.

Charlie was like that too, on occasion, wit too quick for him to keep up with. When she got into a mood like this, Tommy didn't have to worry so much; usually Razzle would egg her on, but knew when to pull her back.

"It's my god given, motherfucking right to go feral -" he'd heard Charlie back in the eighties holler at three in the morning, high on amphetamines and waving a gossip rag above her head. Razzle would be on the sofa, equally fucked up, but gazing at her like she hung the stars in the sky.

"Lola gets photographed at least once a month stark naked along the strip like it's a sport, why is my Playboy shoot a national crisis?! My tits are fantastic!"

"They are, my love," Razzle nods seriously, and Tommy pulls his pillow from beneath his head, trying to either block out their voices through the thin walls, or maybe smother himself. The girl beside him, the groupie whose name he doesn't know, asks blearily why there's so much yelling. Tommy doesn't answer.

A week later, Tommy is the one to bail out Charlie and Razzle for public indecency, and they're both beaming from ear to ear.

Here in the present, Penny is draped out on the sofa, laughing low and pleased as she watches TV.

"TMZ blurred out my tits," she snorts, "cowards."

"Penny..." he can't help the faintly disappointed notes in his voice when he says her name.

"Thomas, I've read The Dirt," Penny fires back venemously. Hypocrite he hears in her tone, you have no power over me.

There's something hollow in her eyes in the photos he sees of her in the papers. She wears her father's inflluence and her heart on her crushed velvet sleeve, on the arm of a shallow, pretty, band boy who plays badly and loudly. But she laughs louder, though tthe sound is low and unconvincing if anyone bothered to listen hard enough, and Tommy wonders if he has enough dark hair dye left for when that boy breaks her heart.

Jupiter Lee

Tommy is proud to watch Jupiter on stage, but he is afraid.

Their anger is something he remembers from Lola, the way they cling to the past with vitriol echoes their mother, but on stage, they drink up the attention, get high off the love the audience gives, and he sees himself in those moments.

A child of addicts, Jupiter had drawn lines in the sand for themselves that they refused to cross; no alcohol, no drugs, and they'd stayed loyal to that. But highs come in all forms; they simply picked a different kind of poison without realising.

On stage, halfway between the gutter and a god complex, Tommy knows the smile they wear all too well.

Rebellion from Jupiter didn't shock the world like it did when it was Penny's name in the papers. Jupiter's trajectory was spot on in the eyes of the public, but rebellion wouldn't be the thing that broke them.

Once, so long ago that it's a miracle the memory survived, Tommy remembers asking Lola what she would be doing if she wasn't with the band. Lola gave him an easy, bleary smile, laughing sweetly when she told him that one way or another, she'd be here. In the moment it overwhelms him with love. In hindsight it breaks his heart.

"Come on, I think this is inevitable," Jupiter smiles on television as an interviewer asks them the same question; if they weren't making music what they'd be doing, "as if I'd do anything other than this."

'Don't you know where I come from?' is left unspoken, but Tommy still hears it.

He tries to picture himself in a life without the world at his feet the way he has now. No image comes to mind. Nothing else makes sense. Even if he wanted to do something else, wanted to grow up to be something else, he couldn't even begin to picture it for himself, tragedy and all.

They play their parts. They let history repeat itself. Jupiter makes mistakes Tommy and Lola had already learned from. Penny plays Jupiter's conciousness until the role grates on her nerves, diving head first into chaos, taking Jupiter with her with little convincing.

Tommy remembers this too.

When the world looks at Penny and Jupiter, they like to remember how Lola was seen as a bad influence on Charlotte, but forget that Tommy would have followed Charlotte in to Hell without hesitation.

Leo "Seo" Sixx

Lola has google alerts set up for her son, Seo, because he disappears for months without warning. Tommy asks how he is, and Lola looks to her phone with a tight smile, telling him that he's competeing in a skateboarding competition in Prague. She learned that from Twitter.

Seo comes and goes without warning, and talks to his siblings more than his parents. He loves them, but he hasn't allowed himself to stop for years. He doesn't know how. Then again, neither did Lola or Nikki.

"Jupiter thinks a lot about legacy, don't they?" He's in Tommy's kitchen, eating a poptart, when Tommy returns home one friday evening. He's waiting for Penny and Jupiter to finish getting ready, the three of them going out.

"Do your parents know you're in town?" Tommy asks with faint amusement, though there's a twinge of guilt in his gut when Leo considers that he should probably let them know. Says he forgot. Tommy's not sure if he believes him; like his parents before him, he tends to leave a lot unsaid. It's part of his charm, the world seems to think, but Tommy knows all to well how deliberate of an act it can be.

"Jup's got all this stuff in their head about legacy and who they should be," he continues his earlier thought, "which I guess makes sense, they tie a lot of themselves up in their identity," he shrugs, then, "I don't know Leo."

Tommy's not sure if he's talking about the grandfather he's named after, or himself.

"You've given this a lot of thought," Tommy says quietly, humouring him.

"I think a lot," Seo responds, "I've been thinking about going back on my meds, its weird being off of them." Of course this concerns Tommy, who knows objectively that Seo isn't his kid, but he's close enough that Tommy feels like he's allowed to be concerned. "I'm worried a doctor's note isn't going to be enough to let me compete at the Olympics on speed," falls too casually from Seo's lips, alarming Tommy in an instant. Though it must clearly show on his face, as Seo breaks out into an apologetic grin, "dextroamphetamine, for my ADHD. I've been trying to wean off it for the Olympics, it's been hard -" but his next words, said so blithe, so casual, have Tommy's heart stopping in his chest as he's thrown back thirty years, "I've been on them since I was like eleven years old; it was great, I could think, like the right amount, but now I... I think everything. I feel everything. Its a lot." He shrugs, like he didn't just become an echo of his father.

Seo's parents both died twice from overdoses, and now their son feels like he can't function without amphetamines.

Objectively Tommy knows that they work for Seo, that he's not abusing them he simply uses them to help him function, but the irony is not lost on him. It's a lot to unpack. He doesn't think to ask about the Olympics; it slips his mind until he sees Seo and a silver medal on his Twitter feed.

Lola calls Tommy in tears. She's proud, but she wishes she'd known, wishes she'd been able to watch it live, or go over and support him in person.

No-one in Seo's life seems to fully know or understand his intentions or actions, no-one can predict his next move. He puts up a bright facade, but like his parents before him, he does not trust the world to know him.

They don't know where he goes in the few months after the Olympics, all they know is that he doesn't come home.

Cerie "CerieThree" Sixx

Since she'd turned sixteen, Tommy has never seen Cerie Sixx without a smile. That is a very deliberate choice that she's made.

She's made a choice to rise above the percieved grime of her origins. She's halfway across the country, smiling for a camera she can control, editing her image before she lets it out into the world. Cerie Three - even the name the world knows reflects this; she's picked apart the context she was born into, disecting it, deciding which was useful to show the world, disposing of the rest.

She speaks warmly to her family, from what Tommy can gather, but the people on the peripheries of their life seem more like associates in the coldest sense of the world. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes half the time when she sees Tommy, and she shakes his hand when her brothers will hug him. The internet is closer to her than he is.

Cerie looks the most like her mother of all her siblings; she's 21, the exact same age Lola was when she met Tommy, but half the time he can barely see the resemblence. Lola had let the world see a villain at that age; Cerie had learned from that, had rejected that, rejected the cold, hard humanity of her mother's fronting. Cerie wanted to be perfect. Cerie had to be perfect, hyper aware of her own image, like her siblings seem to be, but the way she'd so effectively shaped her public identity was kind of terrifying.

Perhaps this was what it was like for people who didn't know Lola, only allowed to know the image she put out into the world, or people who only knew Nikki for his stage presence.

But the more Tommy thinks about it, the more he remembers just how effectively Lola had wrapped the band around her little finger when she set her mind to it, how she talked her way around exectives despite being dressed like she'd woken up in the gutter and fucked up on any number of drugs. Lola understood people, and it seemed Cerie did too.

Cerie Sixx, twenty one, doesn't stop creating content, doesn't stop studying, and doesn't stop smiling. Two of those three things are inhereted traits, inhereted determination, and the third is a choice.

Cyrus Sixx

Though Cyrus had inhereted much of his parent's musical talent, the same way Jupiter had, Cyrus had also inhereted a love of the high life. Even so, he's so full of love, kissing his mother on both cheeks before he goes out to get shitfaced in the bars she was decades before he was even born.

He works hard, at his job, on his music, but his partying matches it just as well. He knows exactly how far he has to fall before he meets the depths his parents' had sunk to, and though he doesn't voice this, his arrogance comes across in his actions.

There'd always be someone to pull him away from swan diving to rock bottom. He takes that for granted, and keeps getting closer and closer.

The only one of Nikki and Lola's children who still lives at home, he's the only one like them in the way they'd feared.

"He's going to have more success than he will ever be able to comprehend," Nikki had told Tommy, the day after Cyrus had been admitted to hospital after staying up for four days while high and obsessing over a song he had been working on. Nikki had found him having a fit after having fallen from his desk chair. Now, sitting on Tommy's patio in the sunset, he looks tired, he looks afraid, "if he doesn't end up killing himself first."

A month ago, the fire department and the police had to pull him, kicking and screaming and bareass naked from a tree in the middle of town. His parents had bailed him out, had felt a familiar sting of guilt as they find themselves reminded of their own youthful exploits. They repremand him, of course, but they both know the only reason they stopped climbing trees was because there had been no-one to pick them up after.

Nikki sees himself in his sons mistakes, but he'd had to learn concequences the hard way.

Tommy loves his family and all it's strange branches, as well as their raucous youth, but his closest friends were some of the most volatile people he'd known, and somehow he'd forgotten that as time as taken people and memories from him.

But these children were made in their image.

[siriuslyshewrote]

no one wants to dance anymore - f.s

Platonic! Finn Shelby x Shelby!Sister , Isaiah Jesus x Shelby!Sister

Warnings - swearing, talking of maternal death, talk of drug use, and verbal abuse

A/N - Finn and YN are probably 16/17 in this one

Word Count - 2,965

4:17 AM , Christmas Eve, 1925

The Shelby house was never quiet, had never been quiet , not since Rosalie Shelby had her children - Arthur, then Tommy, then the others. It had always been a house of chaos and mayhem, one of arguments and yells, of tears and makeups.

But in all the time the Shelby family had been alive, they had never heard an argument like this.

The Shelby twins - Finn and Y/N - had been practically attatched at the hip since birth, and since then, they'd barely ever argued , only frustrated snipes every once in a while. They were sixteen now, at that age where they frustrated Polly to no end , by constantly sneaking out and going drinking and smoking at the Garrison, though she never worried about them, not really - what reason did she have to be worried? They had each other's backs. And so, Polly was surprised, and none too happy, to be woken up in the early hours of Christmas Eve morn, by angered yells and screams downstairs.  She could hear a babies cries too - probably John's newborn, woken up by the noise. It was typical, for this to happen, when all the siblings and their families were crowded into the terraced house they grew up in, a tradition for the family on Christmas Eve and Day.

******************************************************

"You are a fucking hypocrite Finn Shelby!" You hissed loudly, as he leant against the doorframe, that arrogant smirk on his face, though you knew well it was just a front for his anger. "Always bitching about Tommy's drug use and fucking Arthur's and Johnny's and then you do this?! Actually, less of a hypocrite and more of a down right arsehole!" Your voice raised on the last word, as you threw up your hands in frustration.

You'd always hated drugs, ever since you were a small child. You'd grown up around drug use - first your Pa, then, when the war was over, your brothers became enthralled in it too - the way it helped them forget the horrors they had seen. To you though , the person who had never seen the horrors, all you saw was the people you loved falling apart in front of your very eyes. You and Finn had made a pact when you could have only be ten or eleven, to never be like them. Not in that way. And here was Finn - half high off his mind on snow, but coming down from it very fast.

"I'm the arsehole?" His voice was louder than yours, more fuelled by alcohol and drugs, and you were certain you would wake up your family soon, but you were so angry you couldn't care less. "You are the one who shagged my best friend!"

Ah yes. The reason all of this began. You had been so upset, when you saw your brother at the Garrison a few hours ago - high off his head, that you turned to the only person who was there to comfort you at the time. Isaiah.

"I did not shag him! I fucking kissed him!"

"Same fucking betrayal!"

"Betrayal?! What world are you living in! He's my friend too!"

You were both yelling now, and you knew everyone would be awake at this point.

"Friend? Friend? I don't know about you , Y/N, but I don't regularly go around snogging-"

"I was fucking upset- you promised me Finn! We made a fucking pact! Though I guess I - that doesn't mean anything to you anymore!"

"Stop being so bloody immature! We're not kids anymore, I can do what I want!"

"Oh I forgot, big Finn Shelby, always trying to follow in his brothers footsteps! Well guess what Finn, you're not them! You're still a fucking kid." You spat angrily.

"I'm a kid?! You're the one who ran off to snog Isaiah as a form of petty bloody revenge-"

"I did not!"

"Yes you did! Because that's what you always do! You bloody manipulate people into hurting because you know what will hurt them the fucking most! And that's what you did with me tonight!"

Your eyes widened at this, as you recoiled, and angry tears welled at your eyes, though you refused to let them fall. Finn was always the sibling that was calmer and laid back. It was why you never usually argued. Anything you said usually washed right over his head. You supposed that sometimes you abused that a little.

"At least I have the ability to process my emotions, and don't just fucking hide them because I want to act the big man in front of my brothers! When are you going to see that you're not a proper fucking Peaky Blinder! You-" You almost screeched.

"Enough!" You heard a bellow, and froze slightly. The wrath of your Aunt Polly was enough to sober you both up practically instantly, though Finn still hadn't managed to stand up straight. "You are both children! Christmas bloody Eve and you wake us up like this!"

You turned round, to see Aunt Polly on the stairs, her arms crossed , lips pursed. The look she gave was enough for you to feel like a five year old again, who had just been caught playing with her makeup. The majority of the rest of your family also stood around on the stairs , half looking amused, half looking pissed off and tired. You felt your cheeks burn. All you ever wanted to do was impress your siblings. You had a feeling this wasn't the way to do it.

"Tell him that-"

"Tell her that-"

You both spat at the same time, glaring at each other, fists clenched, your jaws set in exactly the same way. You hated arguing with any of your family, but you, though you rarely showed it, had a temper just like Arthur when you got going, and both of you knew exactly how to hurt the other - you just rarely tried to. It was how you were both so upset right now.

"I said enough! If you can't use your bloody inside voices then don't come inside!"

"Fine by me." Finn muttered, turning and slamming out of the front door, so hard the window pane trembled. You knew then, that he was upset. If he was truly, really, angry, then he'd stay and yell some more. He left because he didn't want anyone to see him as weak. And that made your lip wobble a tiny amount.

"You do not get the last word, Finn Shelby!" You yelled, suddenly well aware how childish you were. But you couldn't stop, as you too, pulled open the front door, and saw him halfway down the street, the dawn light making it just possible to see him.

You stormed off in the opposite direction, to where you always went when you felt like this.

You went to see your mum.

*************************************************

It took, on average, around thirty or forty minutes for you to walk to the graveyard where they had buried Rosalie Shelby. You were too little to remember much - barely six when she passed, but you knew that your family didn't settle on nothing short of perfect for your mother. By that time, your father had already walked out, and your siblings had searched and searched for the perfect place to bury her. She didn't like to feel trapped when she was alive, Johnny had told you. And so, they buried her on the outskirts of Small Heath, on a hill surrounded by wildflowers, that had fuzzy bees fly around them in the summer, and tiny dormice. You loved coming here as a kid, not really understanding what it was - to you it just felt like a day in the countryside, which was rare. You still came often, to talk to her, when you were upset , or angry, or just felt something close to missing her . You knew she couldn't hear you, but some part of you yearned for it. For her to be able to speak back.

"Hey, Mum." You spoke softly, sitting down on the cold, damp, earth, limbs aching from your walk. By now, the sky was almost fully light. Your fingers touched the grave in a sort of greeting.

"I'm scared, Mum. I'm scared for Finn." You swallowed, leaning back on your palms, glancing up at the purple- pink dawn sky. Unfortunately for your baby nieces and nephews, it didn't look like it was going to snow in time for Christmas.

"He's never been like this with me. We're supposed to be a team, you know? But it's like, everyday he's drifting further and further away. I don't want him to, Mum. He's my best friend before my brother, and I'm losing him. I know I am. I just don't know how to stop it."

Your voice kept cracking, and suddenly, salty tears were dripping down your face, falling into the soil. There were several bouquets around the grave, and you weren't surprised. Your family all visited this time of year. Being here , in this place, it was your sanctuary, and it was rare that you would cry anywhere else. You pent up emotions until you felt like you would burst, and then you'd walk here.

"I miss you." You murmured. "In the best way I can. Because how can I miss someone I barely knew? You left us before I got to know your mannerisms like Ada and all the others do. They sometimes sit around and tell stories about you, and I just sit there, because they're just talking about a stranger, to me."

You paused for another few moments.

"Sometimes, I wonder, if you'd stayed, if everything would have been easier. If Tommy would be happier more, if Arth would be less angry all the time, if John  would be-"

"Thought I'd find you here."

You turned round, having got a fright, to see your closest brother - John, standing, no longer wearing his pyjamas, but the suits you were used to seeing him wear. His cap was held between his hands, and for once, no cigarette dangled from his lips.

Quickly, you tried to wipe away your tear tracks, as he sat down beside you, the same cross legged position you were in.

"Come on, Squirrel. Don't cry, eh?" He said softly, wrapping an arm around you tightly, and you leaned into him.

The nickname your siblings had given you (on account of you often 'running away' from home as a child, and usually being found halfway up a tree, along with the fact that you used to have a habit of hiding food all around the Shelby home)  almost brought a smile to your face.

"Is Finn..."

"Ada's gone after him. You know she's better with him."

You sniffed, nodding.

"I'm sorry. I know I was a dick to him again."

He nodded a little. "Yeah, you were. He was a bit of a twat too, to be fair."

"I know Pol says we're just growing up, but.." You swallowed. "I don't want to grow up if it means I lose my best friend, Johnny."

"You're not, Y/N."

"He's never spoke to me like that before. He's doing fucking snow John. And I know that isn't a big deal to you lot. But it is to me. And he just doesn't give a shit."

He was silent for a few minutes.

"C'mon, he does care. He's just..."

"I just... I never thought Finn would end up like..."

"Us?" John's voice was calm, if not a little hurt.

You swallowed. "No. Like Pa. You think I can't remember, but I do. I remember when he used to scream and shout and break things, and I remember when you hid me and Finn and Ada in the cupboard all those times, so we didn't have to deal with it. The way Finn screamed today... I don't know. It just took me back."

His arm squeezed tighter around you, and you felt how much more tense he was. You knew it hurt him far more than it hurt you.

"Why didn't you ever tell us you could remember?"

You shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like I can remember much anyway. It's like with Mum. I can remember tidbits. Just not enough. Not like you all can."

"I wish you could remember her properly." He said wistfully. "Then again, maybe not. We loved her, you know, course we did. But one minute she was great, and the next she was just ... gone. Vacant. I know she wasn't well. It just hurt."

You'd never heard John really open up about your parents. He usually listened, but you found yourself liking this more.

"I feel like I can't miss her properly. Because I didn't know her."

"You can still miss her, Squirrel. Maybe it isn't the same type of  missing as the rest of us, but you can still miss her just as much."

You shot him a small smile.

"Thanks Johnny." You said quietly.

You sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"I really like Isa, Johnny. I didn't just do it to hurt Finn."

He didn't sound shocked. "Yeah, well, we all saw that coming from miles away." He snorted, humorously.

You laughed a little. "I guess it was a bit obvious."

"Really? You going beet red and leaving the room every time you saw him? Never." He quipped sarcastically.

"I didn't mean to hurt Finn. Well... maybe a little. I just want him to be okay, Johnny. I was just lashing out."

"He will be."

"How can you know?"

"Cause I know our Finn. And you do too."

You sighed.

"You've got to let him live, Y/N. I know you don't agree with it, and you should know none of us do either. But he has to realise some things himself."

You paused for a few seconds. Then you burst into snorting laughter.

"What?" He looked at you with a confused smile.

"Jesus... Christ ... Johnny. You sound just like... fucking ... Linda." You laughed.

He playfully jabbed you.

"Take that back, right fucking now." He grinned.

"You'll be spouting about God next." You joked.

He laughed. "The day I turn into Linda is the day I want you to shoot me."

"Don't you worry, John, I will." You snorted again.

"You coming home, then?" He asked, standing up, and it was only then that you noticed the flowers in his hands - fresh ones that he must have brought. He placed them down, next to other ones.

"Yeah." You said quietly, and he pulled you up by your hand, as you dusted mud off your skirts.

"See you, Mum."  He said quietly, turning, and walking slowly away, giving you a few seconds.

"Bye, Mum. Merry Christmas." You placed a gentle kiss on her headstone, before running after your brother.

*************************************************

You’d only just warmed up, when John stopped the car. He, being the cleverer of the two of you, had elected to drive to the cemetery instead of walking thirty minutes in the freezing cold.

You raised a questioning eyebrow, as you saw where he had parked the car - near the part of the Cut that was surrounded by high grasses and small trees - the only part of Small Heath that was remotely like the countryside.

"Go and speak to him." He said, firmly, though encouragingly.

You sighed a little, mock rolling your eyes, though you knew you had to. You closed the door behind you, as you hopped out, leaning back through the window for a second.

"You better wait for us, I'm not bloody walking home in this cold." You grinned, before turning away.

Just like you had your safe place, so did Finn- and it was here. He had told you once, that one of his only memories of your mother was her bringing you both down here as toddlers - just you two - and sitting reading to you in the grasses. He'd later confided in you that he wasn't quite sure if it was real or imaginary, to which you told him you couldn't be so sure about any of your memories either. The place had a dark tinge to you, considering what happened to your mother, but you couldn't blame him for liking it here. After all , your safe place was a grave yard. Who were you to judge?

Finn was sat, legs almost dangling in the river, next to Ada . They looked like they were sat in silence, and so, you thought it was alright to approach. Ada turned as you walked, giving you a small smile, then standing up, and walking past you back to the car. She squeezed your cold hand as she walked past.

"He's calmed down." She murmured. "I hope you have too."

Awkward was never an emotion you had felt with your twin before, but now it was one that overwhelmed you. You didn't know how to speak.

"I'm sorry." You blurted at the both time, as you flopped down to sit next to him.

He sighed. "I'm a dick. You were just trying to look out for me-"

"I wasn't going about it the right way. You’re right. I was being petty.”

“I know you like Isaiah.” He said quietly. He didn’t sound particularly mad. “I’ve known for a while.”

“I still shouldn’t have done it. No matter how upset I was. Because you’re right. A little bit of it was to hurt you.”

He shrugged. “I hurt you too.” He sighed. “Look. I don’t want to ever be like that again. It doesn’t matter what I was on or...” He rubbed a hand over his face. “We’re supposed to look after each other.”

“I don’t wanna grow apart.” You mumbled.

He laughed a little. “Come on. We’re twins. We’re never gonna lose each other.”

You smiled, holding up a pinkie.

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise, Squirrel.”

[that-was-anticlimactic]

atla for the ask game?

favorite character

... sokka. this may be horrifically obvious, but sokka. i love sokka so much. he is my everything. the light of my life, the glimmer of light in the darkness. he is the sun, the moon, the stars, and the sky. i love sokka. so very much. he.

second favorite character

mmmmmmmm okay. imma go with my beloved princess yue. this was Very Hard. i love she tho. it's funny because i used to not like her (like a fool) but now. oh. now i love her so much and just. the second i made the ace yue post, i knew. i knew i would adore her.

least favorite character

so, not including the obvious zhao and oz*i, the owl. so mean to sokka for nO REASON !!! also he was mean to the rest of the kids and jinora. but i'm mainly pissed about the sokka thing (and jinora but this is atla) like w h a t. w h a t did sokka ever do to you. he just wants to end the war 😭 but also mai's mom and toph's parents <3 oH WAIT AND ALSO HAHN:/

the character I’m most like

sokka. i think. i mean, the major differences is that sokka acts confident and cocky a lot and i don't have the guts to do that and also sokka is super freaking smart especially in math and science and. i am an english education major. i'm also bad at sarcasm. like. pretty freaking bad it goes right over my head. but it's about being the oldest sibling (and i am the oldest of my cousins too if we wanna talk about sokka being the oldest in the gaang) and wanting to protect your sibling as much as you can. it's about being insecure about who you are playing different personalities and hoping that eventually people will like the one you've chosen. it's about talking and rambling too much and not being the special one. it's. yeah.

but if saying sokka is too much of a cheat because i love him too much... idk i've been told i have aang and ty lee vibes. just more introverted lol

favorite pairing

... sO obviously the answer is zukka, but that's not really a surprise, so my Second favorite right now is actually jetru which is kind of weird because i wasn't really into it at first, and then it grew on me and. now i think about it constantly. also yueki.

least favorite pairing

oh boy um well, obviously any incest or pedophilia, then ztara, tyzula, any ship that is aang with anyone in the gaang except katara tbh, and j3tko purely because i saw too many abusive jet fics and the ship got ruined due to that. so. not that. love their friendship tho <3

favorite moment

ummm ummm ummm. okay. in boiling rock part two when sokka starts to fall off the gondola and zuko catches him and pulls him up and they continue to hold hands for twenty-nine seconds. for no reason. ahem no anyways (but i'm not kidding that like is my favorite moment) when sokka tells piandao that he's not worthy. it gets me. every. single. time. but also the entirety of the runaway episode. it's one of my favorite atla episodes. when katara says that she knows something that'll cheer sokka up and he says (in a small voice) "you do?" and then "SHOPPING!!!" *claps his hands* and honestly just all of sokka's master because i love the gaang missing sokka being around and sokka training and i love piandao and just. that episode is a mood and makes me Very happy.

also, honorable mention that is mostly one of my favorite moments as a joke: zuko yelling at the sky (cause it reminds me of that one scene in king lear lol. like it is a good scene but i just think of naked lear screaming at the sky whenever i see it lol)

rating out of 10

okay so i want to say 10/10, but imma take a point off for anyone who was ever mean to sokka and... wait i actually had a more legit reason but i can't remember what it was so i'll just say 10 lol

send me a series and i'll tell you my...

[themadauthorshatter]

WELCOME BACK ONE AND ALL!

Welcome back to MY take on Toppat!Charles, the series that gives you... angst and cliffhangers in every chapter, just like Game of Thrones😅.

In case you haven't read them yet here are links to the first three parts, which I recommend you read because the brief recaps don't do them justice.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

BRIEF RECAP AND HEADCANON TO FOLLOW FOR THE POST TIME!

After his attack on Burt, Charles has caved and is now open to what Right has to say and vice versa. Henry and Gerneral Galeforce, more Galeforce, have been contacted by the Center for Chaos Containment and offered their men for one Henry Stickmin. Ellie has been good emotional support, but Henry goes against Galeforce and Ellie in order to save his friend.

Got that? Great!👍

So what's the headcanon this week? Well, @triple-threat-toppats and @azuri-the-imperfect-artist have AU's/headcanons that Toppat-ing is in Henry's blood, whether that be biological or otherwise, and we'll be meeting a new character this chapter who ties this all together perfectly😈.

We all good? FANTASTIC!

LET'S DIVE IN!!

We pick up where we left off with Henry outside as a receptionist, of sorts, freaks out that he called, telling everyone on the floor and shouting for an official to take the call.

Through this entire exchange, Henry rolls his eyes at how much of a fan boy the receptionist is, groans that no one can find an official at two' in the moring, and eventually takes a seat and listens as a few mid-ranking officials argue about who gets to talk to him; 10.6 anomaly, he's a pretty big deal to them.

They all fall silent when a man shouts, "Hand 'im over to me."

Henry should be scared, but he's glad that FINALLY someone is on the other end to talk to.

"Mr. Stickmin," says the official. "Nice of you to call."

"Who am I speaking with right now?" Henry asks as he stands up, not at all interested in playing games. (The irony that hit me after I typed that🤦‍♀️😂😂)

The official scoffs, "Not one for banter. I respect that. Son, name's Corporal Bill Bullet, leading official of the Center for Chaos Containment. How can we help you at this hour?"

Henry paces as he continues talking. "You talked to General Rupert Galeforce, right?"

"We did, actually. About you, but you probably already guessed that."

Henry looks back at the toppat orbital station, staring at it as he stays silent. Again, he is not in the mood for games.

Bullet sighs on the other end of the phone. "Guess you calling means you've made you're choice?"

Henry is quiet for a second and swallows a lump in his throat. "What happens if I agree to the terms?"

"Take a guess, kid."

Henry sees flashes of his life if he is in the CCC's custody and groans at the migraine said flashes give him.

"You're quite the interesting person, Henry. Robbing a bank with a bag, breaking out of prison by dogding and throwing bullets before stealinga police car, stealing a diamond by pushing yourself off a bridge, taking down the toppats, and escaping a maximum security complex with barely even a scratch."

Henry bites his tongue as he remembers those moments and their alternative paths INCLUDING the fails.

"But you didn't just get a few scratches, you did? 10.6 is a pretty high rating on our meter. Can't imagine what would happen to a person who causes as much chaos as you."

Henry shakes his head and snaps, "Just tell me!"

Bullet is silent once more, disappointed at how he can't at least tease what is essentially a rabbit walking right into an easily seen trap.

"We'll study the source of your... ability. How one person can live one life before jumping to the next, but existing like he did before that life ended.

"You may be a young man, Henry, but you've probably lived longer and died more than the rest of us put together. Why is that? How, excatly?"

Despite the knot forming in his stomach, Henry nods and hums to let Bullet know he's listening.

"There's also a certain balance to the world, one that shouldn't be bothered, 'less we want to cause A LOT of collateral damage. Lead to a lot of people getting hurt, cause a lot of casualties. You already lost one person you care about. What if you lost all of them?"

Henry gulps as he remembers the complex riot and how a robot was sent to tear down the museum he stole the Tunisian Diamond from.

Any of those people could've easily been Ellie or the General or, if he'd gone down the Toppat route, the entire clan.

Bullet may be manipulating emotionally, but he kind of has a point.

The chaos Henry causes is extremely dangerous, if what we've seen in StD, ItA, FtC, and CtM are any examples. Imagine if he had caused that sort of chaos in a major city, like real world New York or Detroit.

I don't know about you guys, but if something like any of the games happened IRL, all caused by Henry, there would easily be cities flattened to the ground with COUNTLESS fatalities.

"Helloooo? You still with me, Mr. Stickmin?"

Henry snaps out of his stupor and takes a deep breath before talking again. "Promise me you'll help. I want your honest word."

"Which I'll stay good on as long ad you keep your end of the bargain," Bullet retorts. "A quarter of our forces at your disposal to help you get your friend back as long as you turn yourself in to our facility. Deal?"

Henry is silent again, but when he speaks again, he tries something:

"Will I still talk to anyone outside? Send them any letters?"

"Not really. Think the government would handle our research well? Or what you can do?

"Last chance, deal or no deal?"

Henry stares up at the sky, counting the stars and moon, and then watches orbital station drift across the sky, covering part of the moon.

"Sir, we have a situation!" Someone yells on the other end.

Bullet does one if those angry growls or snarls. "Don't keep me waiting on your answer, Henry. Our resources are limited, too. Make your decision and call me back the second you do."

"Sir-"

"I'M COMING!"

The call ends and Henry lets out a sigh as he drops to his knees and then hugging them to his chest, shaking and now doubting whether or not he's making the right choice.

Unbeknownst to him, however, Ellie had followed him when he walked out and is struggling very badly with hiding her tears and sobbing from Henry, who is over a few feet away.

JUMP TO SOME FAN SERVICE!!😍🤩

Er, Charles. Jump to Charles. I SAID CHARLES!!!!!

Charles is mostly done showering, mostly because he's done washing and cleaning himself up, even shaving because he looks better without facial hair, and is now simply standing in the shower and letting the water fall on him.

He can't exactly remember how long it's been since he showered last, but he doesn't bother trying to because it only makes him think about how the government destroyers were blown up and anyone who managed to get on the station was killed as a message to the government and Henry and Ellie, and as an example for Charles, in case he gets any ideas.

He keeps thinking about how Henry looked at him before he went unconscious, how Henry did nothing to help him even though HE could've done something. He had before on missions, so what had stopped him then and there?

"I was wondering the same thing," Right says, though Charles doesn't hear him over the water running.

Charles gasps as he slips to the ground and realizes how he's thinking about his friend, forgetting Right was standing on the other side of the wall and curtain to keep an eye on him, just in case.

"N-no," Charles says to who he thinks is himself. "He... He wouldn't just leave me. None of them would."

Right rolls his eyes at this and steps closer to where he's in front of the curtain, though he does grab a towel. "You know, you talk to yourself a lot. 'S kind of freaky."

Charles curls into himself and into the corner of the shower and covers his ears. "Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone!"

"How long have you been here?" Right asks as he looks up at the ceiling. "And why isn't Henry here to get you out? Aren't you two supposed to be friends?"

"Stop it!" Charles cries, curling into himself further.

Right smirks and decides to twirs the knife. "He helped that Ellie girl, didn't he? When she needed his help? I wonder if what they say is true? Birds of a feather flock together? They're both criminals, so I wouldn't really blame them for teaming up."

"SHUT YOUR STUPID MOUTH!" Charles screams. "YOU'RE WRONG! ALL OF YOU ARE WRONG! HE'S COMING TO SAVE ME, THEY ALL ARE!"

Right's smirk drops and he raises and eyebrow before drawing back the curtain.

Charles flinches back, covering his head and waiting for the strike.

But it never comes.

He looks up at Right, who's standing and giving him a look that says very clearly, 'I'm getting sick of your shit, stop.'

The two stare at each other for a bit, Charles wide eyed and scared before glaring as hard as he can.

Right keeps his bored expression because while he's probably in the best shape he's been in in a WHILE, Charles has lost at least twenty-five pounds and is cowering in the corner of a shower with long hair and clean shaven face; one lesson they teach you: you don't always need a mirror to shave your face.

The two continue their staring contest until Right slings the towel over his shoulder, takes off his top hat, and reaches into the shower with his cybernetic hand and turns off the water, flicking any off his fingers before stepping back and putting his top hat back on, Charles staring the whole time in case Right attacks him.

Right doesn't, of course, and tosses Charles the towel before pointing to a set of clothes hanging behind him and , just something neat but comfortable, not exactly a sweater and sweat pants, but close enough.

He then walks away until he's facing the door, his back to Charles.

"Hurry up and get dressed. Your room's ready."

Charles dries off and does get dressed, but he's careful to not take his eyes off Right.

First this guy got Charles captured and isolated him from everyone else, and now he's letting Charles shower and have his own room?

What's he up to?

Don't worry, he doesn't talk to himself this time.

Charles finishes putting on the clothes Right gave him, and looks at the towel he'd just hung on the hanger that held his clothes. Then he looks at Right, who's back is still turned.

You know EXACTLY where this is going.

Charles takes down the towel, careful that it doesn't hit the wall, and starts twisting it up as he sneaks up to Right, who either looks down at a wrist watch or checks a pocket watch because now he's getting a little bored.

Just as Charles is about to get the jump on him, Right pivots to face him.

"Good. You're done. It took you long enough."

Charles is absolutely speechless as he goes completely pale his face drops.

"Here, let me take that for you." Right pulls the towel out of Charles's hands and unwinds it. "Shouldn't do this to a wet towel. Could get moldy."

Right nods his head as a 'follow me' and leaves the showers.

Charles remains shell shocked for a minute and tries not to burst into tears at how his plan blew up his his face, but ultimately walks after Right, who strides ahead with a smile on his face.

Think Henry got away with that call? Weeeeeeeelll...

CUT TO THE GOVERNMENT

Galeforce SLAMS his hands on his desk, making Henry jump slightly in his chair and Ellie flinch against the wall, her arms crossed and shoulders hunched.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!? ACCEPTING THE DEAL MADE BY THOSE NUTJOBS!? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?"

Henry's sign is sloppy and fast, but the general still understands it. 'Wanted Charles safe.'

"So do we, Henry, but not by selling one of our best!"

Henry shakes his head and signs again, this time more clearly. 'You can't make me change my mind.'

Ellie speaks up after being silent for so long: "Henry, think about what you're doing."

'Already did. Made up my mind.'

"Son, it's not worth it."

Those words hit Henry harder than they should, making him grit his teeth.

"Trust me. Those CCC guys are nothing but trouble. We can't accept their help."

Henry shoots up to his feet. "I DON'T CARE!" He screams. "CHARLES IS TRAPPED IN SPACE WITH NO ONE TO HELP HIM AND IT'S MY FAULT HE'S UP THERE TO BEGIN WITH, SO LET ME FIX THIS!"

No one talks as Henry pants, falling back into his chair and holdong his head in his hands, pulling slightly at his hair and shaking.

"It's all I can think of doing. It's our only option. I can't think of anything else."

Ellie and Galeforce exchange glances before turning back to Henry, who leans heavily on one hand or arm as he meets their gaze.

"You're sure you know what you're doing?"

Henry looks at them both for a moment while not speaking before nodding slowly. 'I can't think of anything else. The corporal hung up before I could say yes. Someone talked about a 'situation.''

Ellie and Henry stare at each other, the former more puffy eyed than she was last night because this could very well be the last time she sees her friend.

She doesn't want him to leave, but if it's really his choice, who is she to not support him after all he did to help her?

"When do you-"

'I'm going in to visit later. Called back and told them I'd gove my answer AFTER I talked to someone.'

Both look at him incredulously.

"Talk to who?" Galeforce asks as he turns his head to look at Henry through the corner of his eye.

Henry takes in a deep breath through his nose and holds either of his hands at the top of his head, raising them up and down, gesturing a top hat to them.

BACK TO CHARLES

Right leads Charles to the room and watches him walk inside and look around, almost confused because it's been so so long since he'd last been in a normal bedroom. And because there's a chance this could all be a trick.

"Been a while since you had a decent room. Prob'ly nicer than what you're used to."

Charles takes a seat on the bed and keeps his head down, confused and tired of Right's games.

"You don't really believe Henry's gonna save you, do you? It's been a while since the last destroyer was sent and the government has more pilots. You military people are pretty easy to replace. You are just a pilot, after all."

Charles keeps his head down and lets his hair hang; it's obviously grown longer and Right gave him a razor but no scissors.

"Why are you doing this?" Charles asks. "What do you want from me?"

Right fights a smile and approaches Charles, taking a knee infront of him and waiting for the pilot to acknowledge him, which Charles does by picking up his head and meeting his eyes.

BACK TO THE CCC HEADQUARTERS!!!!!

Henry is being led by four guards and Bill Bullet. He hasn't gotten a lot of sleep, but he's good at not showing it.

"Weird request to visit someone before you make your decision. Usually we don't allow visitors." Bullet turns and sees Henry keeping up behind him, zoning out slightly but snapping out of it when he sees him looking. "You're not as talkative as you were on the phone the other night."

'Only way to contact you,' Henry signs.

Bullet smirks a little bit. "You deaf in one of your ears?"

'If I need to, I'll talk. Otherwise, I'll sign. Now where is he?'

Bullet sighs stops at an acrylic wall, seeing a doctor talking to a man.

Henry bristles slightly before calming himself back down.

"Guessing you two haven't talked in a while. I love reunions."

Henry narrows his eyes at Bill and gestures to the room. 'Private?'

"Enough. Don't worry, we won't listen in." Bill then grabs Henry by his jacket lapel and shoves him against the wall, catching the attention of doctor and occupant. "But I'm warning you right now," Bill growls as he leans close to Henry's face. "Try anything funny while you're in there, and I'll make you regret ever being born."

Henry nods and Bullet backs off him, letting him collect himself as the doctor walks out.

"Sir? He's done with his tests. His vitals and mental state are stable. He's also ready to see his visitor."

Bullet sweeps a gesture to the door. "He's all yours, Mr. Stickmin."

Henry nods and enters the room, his eyes on its occupant.

The two stare at each other for a bit, taking in each other's features.

"Hello, Henry."

The man in this room used to be moderately fit, and a REAL charmer, but years spent in the CCC's facility have taken their toll. He's gotten skinnier, his face is wrinkled and sunken in, and his hair, while it's slightly longer than Henry's, is greying and becoming thin. He doesn't look terrible by any means, but he has definitely seen better days.

He has cybernetics for both his arms and one leg, along his spine, neck to tailbone, and in part of his jaw. Where his left eye used to be, the eyelids are closed and flat; he's not even allowed to have a glass eye.

Being overthrown by Reginald Copperbottom, both literally and figuratively, forever left him with a permanent reminder.

The two stare at each other for a little while longer before Henry replies to the notorious worst leader in the toppat clan's history.

"Hi, Dad."

The two continue staring, Henry shuffling in place and Terrence rubbing his neck.

Henry signs, 'How is it here?'

"A hell hole. Nothing to do, no one to talk to, and you only get something when they say you can. Other than that, it's peachy."

Terrence's eye darts to the guards and Bill before moving back to Henry. "Guess what they said was true. You're actually coming here so you can save your friend."

"Yeah," Henry replies after a second.

I know I'm putting in a lot of pauses, but these two don't even send letters to each other, so sharing a room and having a conversation for them is awkward and extremely uncomfortable.

Back on track, Terrence scoffs at Henry's line of thinking, commenting, "And I thought these doctors were crazy. Let me guess: Reggie decided to take something from you because you took something from him? He always was a child."

'Reginald's been in prison since I arrested him.'

"You arrested him?" Terrence repeats as he stands. "The leader of the toppat clan, the most infamous group of bandits and thieves, and you just turned him in to the government? Why didn't you join him, you would've been perfectly fine!"

'Right hand man has my friend, I need to get him back. That's why I'm here.'

Terrence puts his hands on his face and groans. "No. Do not tell me I'm hearing this." He meets eyes with Henry, who nods with a shrug.

"You broke out of prison with a bar from your own cell, stole a diamond on a scooter, and escaped a maximum security prison, but you arrested the leader of the toppat clan, the son of a bitch of did this to me-" Terrence holds his arms out to gesture to his cybernetic body. "- and gave him to the government, but didn't see his lap dog wanting to settle the score or even the odds with you!?"

'A lot goes through my head on missions, okay!?'

Terrence nods, humming cheekily. "I'll bet. Think it would've gone better if you'd used that gun you had? We both know he wasn't going to do anything."

Henry sees himself charging at Right rather than throwing away his gun, but signs back, 'You don't know what he would've done. You haven't seen him.'

Terrence points to a tv in the corner of the room, one right next to the camera. "Saw how he got an upgrade. You can groom and pamper a dog all you want, its bark will still be worse than it's bite."

Henry spots Bill talking to the guards before waving at him and tapping on his wrist, more specifically on a watch. 'Don't take long.'

"Saw their orbital station, too. Like hell you're getting your friend out of space. And like hell sunglasses over there is gonna let you out of his sight if you're serious about that deal."

Henry looks Terrence directly in the eye and nods. 'I know.'

Terrence's face drops as Henry continues.

'During the mission, I hesitated because I was scared he'd kill Charles, my friend. I helped the government by giving them plans, but nothing worked. This is my last option. You are my last option. You weren't around then to tell me what to do, but I need you now because for once I have everything I could ever want, and I'm about to lose it all for being a coward. I know you're not going to like it, or even care, but I just need you to be here when they bring me in. Just be there and tell me I did enough for once, when you're really around. That's all I need right now.'

It's this that makes Terrence drop the "tough loving father" act and makes him realize that this is for real. This is not his son saying, "I made a mistake, fix it for me." This is his son telling him that this is his plan and he needs support to know he's doing the right thing.

Henry is extremely shaky because this is something he does not do with his father. They aren't usually open with each other, as in they do get emotional; toxic masculinity at its finest... and daddy issues.

Regardless, Henry collects himself before signing again.

'I'm going to agree to the terms. If they can send a piece of the ground to space or erase the universe, then they can help me. It's all I can think of doing that'll work.'

Terrence is quiet for a moment, looking at Bill and the guards as they gossip about something before turning back to Henry.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?"

Hebry nods. 'It's all that I can think of that's going to work. Again, if they can send a chunk of land of space or erase the universe, then they can help me.'

Terrence steps back and shakes his head.

"You're going to die here. You know that, right? I'm telling you now it's not worth it."

Henry's face drops.

"Look, I get it. You never were good at keeping friends, but, Henry, I'm telling you, just let this guy go. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life locked in a cage?"

Henry shakes his head as he signs. 'No, but I'm not going to abandon my friend like you abandoned us.'

"I had a clan to run, Henry!" Terrence snaps. "I wanted you to stay, have an easy life, but no. You two just ran off on me!"

'Just because something's easy doesn't always make it right,' Henry signs. He begins signing something else, but stops before continuing. 'Look. I'm accepting the terms. I wanted to tell you now ao you're not disappointed later.'

Henry holds up a hand in farewell and turns to leave, ready to get back to the base and start forming a new plan.

"Henry?"

He turns to see Terrence staring once again, but also sees his throat bobbing, like he's coughing or about to be sick.

"Good... Good luck. Getting your friend back."

Henry's eyes widen and he shakily nods. 'Thanks.'

The two stare at each other like before, but this time they slowly advance towards one another, maneuver their arms until they're in an admittedly awkward, uncomfortable, but welcome embrace; again, emotion is not their strong suit.

"You're going to regret it. Turning yourself in. Life's for living, and you're throwing it away."

Henry pulls back and waves 'goodbye' once more and leaves the room.

"Took you long enough," Bill says as Henry rejoins him. "Have a nice visit?"

Henry narrows his eyes.

"Well, you got your visit. Hope you know how to get into that station."

Henry takes one last look at his father before nodding.

'The terms-'

"Same as advertised," Bill interrupts. "A quarter of our forces as long as you come quietly so we study your ability."

'AFTER my friend is rescued and safe.'

Bill waves him off. "Fine, yes. After your friend's back home and safe." He holds his hand out infront of him and Henry. "What do you say, Henry? Do we have a deal?"

Behind the acrylic, Terrence watches the two of them, his hands against the wall and his eyes on his son.

Henry keeps his eyes on Bill's hand before looking into his eyes. With a mental push, he claps his hand into the corporal's and shakes it, nodding.

"Deal."

Terrence bumps and shakes his head against the wall. "You idiot," he murmurs. "What are you doing?"

AND THAT'S A WRAP ON PART 4!!!!! Oh my goodness, did I enjoy writing this one! A lot of twists and turns and opportunities to just leave you all hanging, I'm not even joking. I haven't really written manipulation or character dynamics like Henry's and Terrence's before, and I think I did pretty well.

Again, check out @multiverse-madness and @azuri-the-imperfect-artist for their Terrence Suave AUs because they are both amazing artists and, honestly, do better with the character than me.😅

For real, all of you, thank you, thank you, thank you, so much for your patience with this one. Like I said in my update post, I have a lot going on in my personal life and just couldn't get in a good creative mindset to do this.

I know we didn't see a lot of Charles this time around, but that's gonna change in Part 5😈

ANYWAY, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!

[babieyangyang10]

violent ends (chapter 11)

(chapter 11)

series masterlist

genre: hunger games!au

pairings: huang renjun x oc, na jaemin x oc

warnings: language, death, description of injuries, hallucinations, important character death,

previous | next

Athena's POV

It was quick the way he died. Before Haechan fell forward, his left eye cried tears of blood. There was nothing on his face, no acknowledgement or realisation of what just occurred. No evidence of any previous life in his face.

Just nothing.

People always say that your entire life flashes before your eyes once you die. However, there was not even enough time for that. No time to remember the eighteen years he once lived. He was just gone.

Mark Lee and I sprung forward. Once the corpse was thrown off him, Mark lifted up Jisung from the water. The young boy bent over and began coughing up the water in his lungs.

Once he finished, you could tell the reality of what just happened to him was sinking in. Frantically looking around, he saw Haechan laying face-down in the water, blood flowing out from his wound. Going pale, Jisung silently grabbed the body and flipped him over. He ripped his hand away and would've screamed if it wasn't for my hand covering his mouth.

Not used to injuries, Jisung was practically hyperventilating at the site of my throwing knife lodged in one of the body's lifeless eyes,

"Jisung, it's okay. Don't look at it." I brought my hand down and closed the remaining eye, thinking it would help. It didn't.

"Oh my god. What did you do?!" Jisung was about to throw up.

Mark looked around nervously, before saying, "She saved you. Quick, let's go." He grabbed the distressed boy's arm and pulled him to his feet.

After we had gotten a good distance away, I could hear the cannon go off.

"That could've been me." Jisung mumbled to himself in disbelief. He looked really bad. Almost as if he could go off the deep end any second. I mean, the kid has came to the brink of death twice in the span of only two days.

Trying to lighten his spirits, I suggest, "You're a lucky kid, aren't you?"

He considers my words before murmuring, "Yeah, I guess so."

Chenle's POV

I think I'm the unluckiest kid in the world, right now.

As the Careers and Jaemin start yapping away, I take this opportunity to look around the tree for something to help us escape. Alarmed, I look around where Jaemin is perched to see a raccoon sized nest. Swaying gently, I peek around to discreetly get a better look. Immediately, the bright gold body captures my eye.

No, these aren't just any wasps, they're tracker jackers.

Made in the Captiol's labs, they were placed directly in the districts during the war. Tracker Jackers were named according to their ability to 'track' down and hunt anyone who comes into contact with them. If they bite you, most likely you'll die. Even if you don't, most people will go mad from experiencing the hallucinations from the venom.

Our options are: we let Haechan come back and kill us or possibly die from these creatures. Reaching behind Jaemin, I discreetly began sawing away at the limb carrying the nest with my knife. Both Jaemin and the people below were too wrapped up in the conversation to notice what I was doing.

I kept sawing back and forth. Suddenly, a tracker jacker came calmly out of the nest. Holding my breath, I watch as it walks onto an unaware Jaemin's hand. Unable to warn him, I just speed up as quick as I can. More and more tracker jackers began leaving the nest to check out what was happening. Back, forth! Back, forth! Another jacker lands on Jaemin's shoulder.

Then there was a cannon.

The nest fell down right after. I could hear Jaemin yelp, however, I just pulled him out of the tree and bolt. I could hear the two Careers yelling above the buzzing from the army of angry wasps.

Once we've ran far from the chaos, I stopped to check on Jaemin. Right away, I noticed the plump-sized lumps on his neck and hand.

"I'm Jaemin," He slurs, "Nice to meet you, sir."

Oh my god.

Jaemin squints his eyes, trying to focus, "I have to admit. I've never met a three-headed, green person before. Are there others like you?"

It was almost dark, we have to get home, now. I grab him and began running again. Once we get to camp, I spot Mark, Athena, and Jisung all sitting down.

"Jaemin, got stung by tracker jackers!" I'm out of breath. Lee Athena immediately runs over to us, stopping in front of the disoriented boy.

"Athena, is that you?" His eyes are excited, but confused. The girl grabs his hand and quickly removes the stinger and does the same to his swollen neck. Green pus seems out from the now orange-sized bumps.

"I think-" His eyes roll over to the back of his head and Athena barely manages to catch him before he falls to the ground. Mark runs over and helps her carry him into the shack.

The next day, she took care of him. Every few hours, she would grind up a special leaf to put on the wounds.

She knew a lot about the wilderness. While Mark stayed to watch Jaemin, she would take Jisung and I out to practice hunting. It was nice learning, especially since I have always felt bad for relying on Mark so much. Not only does he have to take care of himself, but he also has to make sure two, weak kids don't die as well. After capturing a rabbit this morning, I felt happy knowing I got to help ease the pressure, even if it's just small.

"Good job, Chenle." He praised, making my heart swell. We were all sitting around the fire.

"I bet I'll get a even bigger one tomorrow." Jisung challenged, making us all chuckle.

Eventually, the conversation led to us talking about living in our different districts.

"Yeah, I swear all District 10 has is cows and desert. Although, I got to grow up with a lot of different animals, which was really fun." I explained.

"I wish I could see a desert, but we have that fence keeping us in District 11. Growing up, a lot of us had to climb trees in the orchards for fruit, which could be pretty fun. Although, it wasn't fun when you'd occasionally run into the tracker jackers." Jisung winced in remembrance.

"At least you guys have the orchards, District 12 is really small. When you turn eighteen, you work for the coal mines. Food is pretty hard to get also. To get grain and oil, I had to enter my name into the Reaping about forty times." We all gasped aloud  at Mark.

"I have a question that I've always wanted to ask," Jisung announced, "I've seen District 12 do that think with the three fingers so many times. What does it actually mean?"

"It's been around forever, I guess. It's a sign of love and respect to show thankfulness for someone or something. Sometimes we use it to say goodbye. That's what everyone did to me, when I left after the Reaping." Mark explained to him.

Jisung kissed his three fingers and held them up in the air, "Well, I love and respect all of you."

All four of us, Mark, Jisung, Athena, and myself, giggled and did the salute to each-other before heading off to sleep.

Athena's POV

It's now been two days, since Jaemin has first been stung. The swelling has gone completely down, however, he still has a bit of a fever and hasn't woken up.

The most nerve wracking part is that, until he wakes up, I can't feed him anything. I can't even give him water to drink. It's not like real life, where he would have a feeding tube. Even we were alone, we barely got anything to eat. Gosh, it really is so easy to die of hunger in here.

Today, the boys wanted to show off their new hunting skills to Mark. So, it was just Jaemin and I at the camp. Apart from Haechan, none of the other Careers have shown up in the sky so far. So, I have no idea if Renjun is the same way as Jaemin. However, his health shouldn't be of my concern, anyway.

Since they are just two members now, Mark and I have been discussing an attack on them. After he snuck to their territory, he saw that they have pilled up all the supplies. Protecting them are random mines, which, if you stepped wrong, could easily blow you up to pieces.

Instead of risking stepping on a mine by trying to fight them directly, we thought we should find a way to blow up the pile of supplies. That way, they'll starve themselves out.

Suddenly, I notice Jaemin stir. His eyes are confused and wide. He looks around his surroundings, before he sees me next to him.

"Athena!" His voice is excited and relieved, yet weak. His hand shoots out to grab mine.

I sigh, "You've been out for two days, you know."

"Are you serious?" He looks around again, "Wait, where are we?"

"We're at Mark's camp. Chenle brought you back." I said, knowing he probably doesn't remember anything.

I hear a pleasant beeping noise, which makes me nearly burst with happiness. Near our feet, a box drops. Inside is a container of warm soup and a spoon.

Knowing he was still in bad shape, I grab the spoon and scooped up some soup to feed to him. Smiling, he accepted the food. His eyes shut in delight, finally getting to eat a real meal.

He happily suggests, “You should eat some."

I know he hasn’t eaten for two whole days. This makes me feel warm, knowing that, even though he’s literally starving, he would still offer me it.

"I think Jisung and Chenle would kill me if I didn't eat what they catch,” I laugh before getting serious, “Besides, you really need it right now."

He’s disappointed, but still continues eating.

Concerned, I ask, "So, are you doing okay? I mean those hallucinations can be really messed up."

"I mean, apart from the trees turning into blood and thinking ants were eating me, I'm fine. Especially, since your here now." Jaemin laughs.

I shake my head, smiling at the ground.

"I mean it, though. I felt so bad after I lost you. If I had known you stopped, I would've gone back for you, Athena,” He stops me, “You know that right?"

"Well, I did have your supplies." I point out.

He provides clarity, "Supplies or not, you're still a priority to me. That's just not even a question at this point."

I felt a deep pang in my chest. There’s so many things I want to say. On instinct, with both of my palms, I hold his face in my hands,"If there wasn't cameras on us right now, I would-"

Jaemin breathes out, "Who's stopping you?"

His eyes darted down to my lips, then back up to my eyes. I checked his face to see if there was any hint of joking, yet his eyes were filled with warmth. It occurred to me that he was feeling the same need and want that I was. Like if I were in a black hole, I felt myself being pulled closer and closer into him.

"Hey Athena, look what I caught—oh,uh?"

Jisung, stares in shock, at the close proximity between Jaemin and I's faces.

I jump up, brushing myself off, "Come on, kid. Let's go see it."

Jisung brought me outside to see Mark and Chenle by the fire.

“Jaemin is awake.” I announced to the two boys.

“That’s really good.” I could tell Chenle had felt guilty about him getting stung.

Mark proposed, “Well, today I was thinking that we should go destroy the supplies.”

Chenle eagerly asked, “Can I help?”

“Well, I guess you could help us by starting fires with me to lead them away from the Cornocopia.” Mark turned to Jisung, “Jisung, could you stay with Jaemin?”

“What’s going on?” Jaemin popped his head out of the shack.

“We’re going to destroy Jeno and Renjun’s supplies.” I caught him up.

His eyebrows are furrowed, “Are you going?”

“Of course.” I nod, plainly.

After we ate, I headed into the shack to get my backpack. On the ground, Jaemin was looking up at me unhappily, completely different from how he usually looks at me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s just,” He sighs, “every time we’re separated, something bad always happens.”

“Well, you still need to rest, besides I’ll have Mark with me.” I lie. Mark will be separated from me, but I didn’t want to stress him out.

“You better come back. I’m serious.” He deadpans.

“Okay, Na Jaemin.”

I brush his hair out of his face. He’s not aware, but I can’t help but thinking the way he’s looking at me reminds me of a lost puppy, “I mean it.”

“I know.” I smile.

Then, Mark, Chenle, and I began heading towards the Cornocopia. As we’re walking, I notice Mark fiddling with something on his jacket.

“What’s that?” I ask, intrigued.

“It’s a mockingjay pin.” He states. The pin contained the small golden bird with an ring around it. It’s connected to the ring only by its wing tips.

Mockingjays were the result of a failed project by the Capitol to spy on the rebellious districts. Because of this, they have become a symbol for the rebellion. It’s almost as if they are rubbing it in the Capitol’s faces.

“I like it,” I beam up at him, “It suits you.”

“I think so too. It’s cool.” Chenle gushes.

Mark blushes before coming to a stop, “This is where we separate. Chenle, after I set the fire, wait a little before setting yours. That way they’ll think it’s real and definitely come to yours.

All alone, I hide beneath the trees as I come to a stop in front of the Cornocopia. Sitting to the right of the supplies, were a group of boys. Along with Jeno and Renjun, I spotted a boy from District 3. I’m assuming he’s Haechan’s replacement.

“Guy’s look!” Jeno points out. There, hidden in the tree’s, Mark has created a fire. The smoke created a cloud in the sky right above his position.

“Let’s go, Renjun. Guard the place, until we get back.” Jeno tells the young boy.

Once they’re gone, I grab into my backpack and pull out knife. Getting ready to throw, I rear back my hand.

However, from the left, a figure darts out from the woods. Avoiding the piles of buried mines, she is calculated and precise. From the pile, the red-head grabs an armful of supplies and runs past the District 3 boy.

As a result, he stood up and began chasing her into the woods. Perfect.

I scan the pile, looking for something I could knock down to trigger the mines. That way, I would be kept safe from the blast. At the very top is a bag of bright red and green apples.

Taking a deep breath, I throw a knife as hard as I can. It manages to make a rip in the bag, but not big enough for the fruit to fall through.

So, I grab another one. I calm myself down, before I launch my second one. Almost in slow motion, I watch as an single apple drops from the fresh hole. Rolling forward, it halts on top of one of the piles.

One after the other, all of the mines are triggered. Before I can react, I am thrown back by the incredible force. I can feel ash and debris raining down on my head. In my head and ears, I can hear a sharp buzzing. With my fingers, I could feel blood coming out of my left ear.

Running back from the woods, Renjun and Jeno meet the District 3 boy in the middle. I was able to see if Jeno had even said anything. Although, even over the buzzing, I could hear the crack of the boys neck after Jeno snapped it.

Alarmed, I run back into the woods to hide. Blinking, I could feel my sight and hearing slowly coming back.

“Help!” I hear a young voice. Wow, that was quick. The Careers already found another victim.

“Mark! Athena!”

Chenle!

I run, following the shouts. Not even caring if I was about to run face first into a planned trap. His shouts continue and I feel can feel the quick tempo of my heart.

When I force my way into a clearing, I spot the young boy entrapped in a net on the grown. He stops struggling and smiles in relief when he spots me in front of him.

However, it fades when the arrow lodges straight into his chest.

To my left, I look just in time to see Mark shoot an arrow into the neck of the other District 12 tribute. Using my knife, I quickly cut Chenle free from the net. Mark runs over, propping him up in his arms. Blood is seeping through his shirt. I look up at Mark, giving him a telling look.

“Is it bad?” He doesn’t have enough strength to look down. I don’t know what to say.

“I never imagined I would go like this.” His voice is shaky, but knowing.

The cannon for the District 12 girl goes off.

Chenle reaches for my hand, “Please, don’t leave me.”

With my free hand, I wipe some of his tears, “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Did you blow up the supplies?” His voice is in a hopeful whisper.

“All of it.” He smiles at this.

Looking up at Mark and me, Chenle breathes out, “Thank you both. For protecting me. Even in these circumstances, these past days have been some of the best days of my life thanks to you.”

I feel my throat become choked up. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to get attached to these people, who are supposed to be my competition. But I did and I don’t regret any of it for a damn second.

There’s fear in his eyes, “You two, don’t forget me, okay?”

“Never.” Mark and I say.

Then he’s gone.

It takes a few minutes for it to sink in for the two of us. For us to realize this boy, who was speaking a few minutes ago and laughing with us yesterday, was gone forever. I look up to see Mark distraught with the same realisation, “It’s not fair. He was just a kid.”

“I can’t just leave him here. He deserves better than that.” I agree with Mark’s words. Looking around, I spot violet, blue, and white wildflowers. I began loading my arms up with the flowers. With Mark’s help, we placed the flowers all around him.

How dare they. It’s shameful that they would do this to an innocent child. Not just him, but all of us children.

Placing my arm on his shoulder, I try to comfort Mark. Like a switch going off, he bursts into tears. I know it has been hard, the weight of caring for three people. I wrap him in my arms and cry with him.

It’s only before we leave does he turn around suddenly. After kissing his three fingers, he held them out in his direction. Myself doing the same, we both say goodbye to our friend, Chenle.

[jpat82]

Death Of The Bachelor

Chapter 4

    The next day you were in the back at the bar, running down an inventory log of what the bar needed so you could place an order when you heard the bell above the door in the main part go off. You set your pad and pencil down as you heard it chime again, looking at your watch you saw it was 10:30 am. Almost close enough for lunches.

     "Good morning." You stated coming from around back to see Steve and Bucky.

     "Morning, Y/n." Steve greeted you cheerfully as he sat down at the bar followed by Bucky who looked a little worse for wear.

    Steve looked as well groomed as he always did. Hair brushed back in that old 1940's way he always did but it seemed to work on him. Clean baby blue t that hugged his frame and muscles just perfectly and the same with antiqued denim jeans he was wearing. However, Bucky's hair was slightly messy and he seemed to be wearing the same clothes he had last night. His eyes were rimmed red and he hunched over at the door looking miserable.

    "Looks like someone is hungover." You chuckled as you pulled both bottles down.

     "Yeah, he was trying to out drink our pal Banner and that man is a beast." Steve laughed as clapped Bucky on the shoulder making him wince and glare at Steve out of the corner of his eye.

      "Banner was there? Was there any booze left over by the end of the night?" You chuckled as you slid them both a drink, Bucky pushed his back.

     "Water, please." He asked quietly, wincing as he spoke. You shook your head as you poured him a tall water.

      "Dude, hair of the dog, telling ya you'll feel better." Steve remarked before turning to face you again. "Oh, Yeah, Banner challenged Bucky here to a drinking game, and well, Bucky doesn't know Banner. Well didn't, and now he does."

      "Hey," You chuckled. "Leave the poor guy alone, not everyone knows how Banner drinks or how the hell a man his size can hold that much liquor."

      "Go ahead, make fun of the man with a killer hang over." Bucky groaned, slowly putting his head on the bar.

      "Where did you go last night, y/n? I went looking for you after I heard Bucky challenged Banner." Steve asked, turning his attention toward you.

     "Well, I was fired actually." You told him, giving him shrug.

     "What!" He stated, his eyes widening. "Why the hell did they fire you?"

    "Besides my coworker complaining, I had two complaints that I 'chumming it up towards the patrons' or some shit like that and refusal to serve." You stated, anger slipping in a bit. Maybe it still bugged you that you had been fired for something so ridiculously not true.

     "Seriously?" Steve asked, brows pinching together, you looked at the crown of Bucky's head since his face was still on the bar top.

      "Yep, except I didn't refuse anybody but I did tell someone that I was out of whiskey." You retorted still burning holes into the other man's head.

     "Fuck." Bucky hissed before lifting his head, wincing as he did. "That bitch."

     "What do you mean by that?" Steve asked suspiciously.

      "God, Mandy? Mindy, Veronica? I can't remember her name, the cute blonde that was all over me." Bucky started but you couldn’t help but chime in.

     "Ya know, the same one that was all over Sam a couple weeks back because she wants to marry a rich man so she doesn't have to work." You spat out with a smile, watching as Bucky narrowed his eyes at you.

     "She didn't like the fact that y/n was teasing with me. She got up right after you left and was gone for a bit before she came back and sat back down next me." Bucky explained. "I thought she went to the bathroom, I didn't realize what she was doing."

     "Doesn't matter, because of that I was fired. My boss was told if he didn't fire me, that nobody would ever use him for catering again." You told him and crossed your arms.

     "Dude, I'm sorry." Bucky said, as he gently set his head on his arm, while he leaned back down on the bar. "If I had known what she was doing I would of stopped her.

     "Meh, what's done is done. I hate catering those kind of events anyway." You shrugged as you left the two of them to go grab your inventory book that you had left in the back room.

"So how far back does that set you?" Steve yelled as you came back into the main part of the bar.

"How far back?" Bucky asked in a cranky voice his blues flicking back to his friend.

"Little miss amazing bar tender here is trying to buy an old historic building downtown, she wants to open her own bar." Steve explain, grinning and giving you a wink.

"A couple months, pretty close to having the down payment and closing costs. I've got another account set up for inventory and that's ready." You replied as you started counting bottle in the main part.

"Which building? There's only a dozen for sale." Bucky croaked, but starting to sound a bit more alive then dead.

"It's the one on main." Steve replied before you could speak.

"The big one? The one with brick facade, and the arched stained glass windows above the main level? It's a two story building, right? With the cool brick work." Bucky asked, sounding intrigued. You turned to face him, his whole demeanor had changed. He was alert and those deep blues were solely focused on you, the whole cool famous playboy facade was gone.

"Yeah, that's the one. I've been eyeing it for a couple years now." You replied with a smile. "It's been on the market for a bit now, Steve has been really good about not letting developers buy for demolition."

"Hey, you kept my butt out of jail so it's the least I can do." Steve shrugged with a smile.

"Okay, I gotta hear this." Bucky chuckled looking from Steve to you.

"Well, there was scuffle in the parking lot a couple years back. Steve was never much of hot head but he is never one to back down." You said grinning from ear to ear.

"Anyway, a politicians kid came into the bar causing issues, starting trouble." Steve added with a chuckle.

"So this kid challenges Steve here and asked him to go outside, and this idiot had been drinking for hours." You added.

"Guessing you got in a fight?" Bucky asked watching in amusement.

"Actually no, the kid goes outside and winds up in a fight with a guy that was part of a biker gang, Rumlow." You stated. "Put the kid in a coma for a couple days and when he woke up he swore up and down it was Steve."

"Y/n has excellent memory, except names, she remembered that day. When the kid went outside I went to the bathroom cause I need to puke my guts out." Steve stated. "Never drinking saki again, no matter how much Tony insists."

"Because the kid was the son of a politician the guy that did best the tar out of him end up behind bars for ten years." You told him, looking over at Steve. "His dad owns the building I want, and he's promised me one hell of deal. I've got the loan on hold cause I've got some stellar credit it's just I'm still not quite there with the rest."

"And that gig last night would of put you one step closer." Bucky sighed leaned back slightly in his seat. "What if someone were to invest in your bar?"

"What do you mean?" You asked raising your eyebrow at him.

"Say someone gave you the rest of the money, had just a little say and took just like 10% off the top." He stated, leaning forward on the bar.

"Dude, you don't think Sam or I have offered?" Steve asked looking over the brunette.

"With you or Sam it would be another loan, one she would have to pay back, this she would get to keep. I could continue to invest, no doubt that building is going to need some renovations." Bucky stayed, looking over at Steve and then back to you. "Plus if it does well enough, the there is the upstairs, what would do there? You could have just regular bar on the bottom and then a vip style club up top."

"A bar on top of a bar?" You asked looking from him to Steve.

"Think about it, the super rich don't like quaint bar like this, ones were blue collar workers go. The famous rich ones only go to VIP high end club style bars, you could have both in one building."

"Can I think about it first?" You asked looking back to Bucky who had a smile across his face. He licked his bottom lip as he grabbed a napkin and a Keno pencil. Quickly he scrawled his number out and handed over.

"Just let me know, either way. You would be the owner, I could be your manager."

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[be-the-creature-fan]

The River by be-the-creatue-fan (Read my first story AIN'T NO TIME LIKE 1969 before reading this story)

Chapter 1

"Martin? What are you doing here again? Dr. Corvado was looking everywhere for you!"

Martin turned around to see who was talking to him.

"Mom?! What are you doing here?"

"It's a good thing that we've found you in time." Linda Kratt said as she grabbed Martin arm and took Martin away from the tomb stone.

"Mom, what are you doing? where are you taking me?"

She didn't say a single word and they both continued walking until they got to the parking lot. There stood an ambulance type vehicle with several doctors and police officers that ran towards him.

"Mom? MOM! What are you doing? what's going on!?"

Linda remained silent but her eyes were starting to water up as the doctors restrained him and shoved him into the back. One of the doctors looked very familiar, Martin looked at the name tag that was on the doctors shirt. Dr Corvado.

"Aviva! Oh man it's so good to see a familiar face!"

But Aviva didn't say a word, and ignored him. Martin being very confused still tried to talk to her, but with no luck.

"Aviva it's me Martin, Me, You, Chris, Koki and Jimmy would go around the world to rescue animals. you're a genius inventor and-"

"Smith! he's speaking crazy talk again, we should probably give him the shot now."

"Alright Corvado he's your patient."

"Wait what shot? Aviva you have to listen to me we were friends you have to beli-"

And just like that Martin was out cold.

Chapter 2

(Flashback to July 20th 1973)

It was what you would call a perfect summer day, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and excitement was still in the air. Chris had just celebrated his 4th birthday and he was still hyped about being another year older, but he was even more excited to go with Martin and his older sisters to the near by river at the place where the whole family camped.

"Bill are you sure Chris is old enough to go with them to that river?"

"Linda, of course he's old enough, they're going to the shallow part of the river, and plus I'll be close by incase the kids need anything."

"Oh alright, have fun you guys!"

As Bill, Martin, his sisters and Chris got closer to the river the more excited Chris became.

"Martin are we there yet?"

"It's going to be awhile until we get there, but don't worry we'll be in there in no time"

But Chris wasn't the most patient kid and decided to run ahead.

"Now Chris don't run to far ahead yah hear!" Bill called out.

"I won't!"

After a while of walking and running they finally made it to the river, only to find it flooded from the storm the night before.

"Welp, looks like we can't go swimming gang"

"WHAT!? But why Daddy?" Chris winned

"Well you see squirt, the river is over flooded, it's too dangerous to go swimming, but, it's not to dangerous to go berry picking" Bill said as he pointed towards some blackberry bushes. "Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Uh I guess" Chris said a little disappointed.

So Martin, his sisters and Chris started picking blackberries close to the river as Bill went fishing just up river not to far from them.

"Man it's hot outside, I'm gonna cool off in the river"

"But Martin, Daddy said to not go in the river because it's to dangerous" Chris said

"Yea, he said it was dangerous for you because your to little"

"I'm not too little, I just turned 4!"

"Yea, and I'm 7 almost 8, I'm technically a man, and I'm old enough to go into the river if I want to."

Chris didn't take that to kindly and wanted to prove that he wasn't the little kid that everybody thought he was. When no one was watching he decided that's when he would make his move to go into the river.

"Chris what are you doing?" Susan said (one of the twin sisters)

Chris didn't respond as he jumped into the river. Chris underestimated the depth and power of the river as he was swept away by the strong current.

"MARTIN! Chris jumped in the river!" "He's getting carried down river!"Both Christine and Susan screamed.

Martin turned around to see Chris's head pop out for a split second, before the current pulled it back down.

"Susan! Go and get Dad! Me and Christine will try to get Chris out!"

Susan ran to get Bill as Martin got out of the river because even he knew that the current was to strong for him.

"MARTIN! HELP ME! *GASP* MOMMA ,PAPA *GASP* SAVE ME!...... save me....." Chris's head went under again.

"CHRIS! NOOOOO!"

(A few hours later)

Mr and Mrs. Kratt, we've found your son's body down river and I regret to inform you that your son didn't make . We are so sorry for your lost. we need-....................................

Martin and his sisters were sitting inside the trailer, he could hear his mom screaming in agony, he looked out the window to see them both crying. That's when Martin knew, but that's not how it was happen, Chris didn't die, he couldn't have died, he didn't die, he didn't die, he didn't die!

(Back in Present day)

Martin woke up to find himself in what seemed to be some sort of jail cell.

"Martin, you awake?"

"Jimmy? Is that you?"

Chapter 3

"Jimmy! Oh my gosh I'm so glad you're here! Where is here anyways"

"We're in some sort of insane esylem, but that's all I know because HOW ON EARTH DID WE GET HERE!!!"

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Well, I was asleep in the Tortuga and the next thing I heard was sombody screaming and when I woke up I ended up here. I saw Aviva but for some reason she didn't respond, it was like she didn't recognize me"

"Wait do you remember Chris being alive?"

"Yea why wouldn't he be alive...unless. What happened while I was asleep?"

Martin explained what had happened to him, Chris's gravestone. the strange dream and how Aviva treated him on his way to the esylem.

"Oh my gosh...OH MY GOSH!"

"Jimmy what is it?"

"Its all wrong, this wasn't supposed to happen, when Chris went to the past, something happened that messed up the space time continuum."

"Well, how are we going to fix it?!"

"I-I don't know, its going to be hard to find the cause of how or what caused this to be our new reality. Time is very complicated stuff."

"Wait, how do you know about this stuff?"

"Martin, I don't just sleep, eat pizza and play video games all day. I usually subcaunsely listen to what Aviva and Koki talk about when it comes to complicated things like time trampolines and such."

"Oh"

"Hey Cell 37! SHUT UP!"

Martin and Jimmy turned to see one of the guards banging his fist on thier cell door. Then they saw the shadows of two other faceless figures before the door opened.

"I don't know how you escaped this time, but we'll make sure that it doesn't happen again yah hear?" The first person said

Martin and Jimmy were very confused as the 2nd figure walked in. Aviva walked in with a huge syringe. That was the last thing both Martin and Jimmy remembered.

Chapter 4

Martin and Jimmy were laying on their bunks. Numb, Cold, Afraid, their heads were pounding and they both were uncontrollable twitching. Martin's eyes began to water from the pain that he felt. Jimmy on the other hand felt anger and rage, his blood began to boil. Jimmy jumped from his bunk and ran to their cell door.

"YOU HEARTLESS SWINE!!! WE'RE NOT THE CRAZY ONES, YOU'RE THE CRAZY BIT-"

"Jimmy?" Martin said with a weak voice. "Was Chris ever alive? Or was I just crazy this whole time?"

"No, Martin, your not crazy, we're not crazy, Chris was alive. He was alive..."

The Next few days were rough for Jimmy and Martin as their hope began to dwindle. Martin kept having the same nightmares of his brother's death as well as having the same horrible dream of him just disappearing from existence like what he had originally witnessed, as the days passed it was getting harder to believe what was true. Jimmy was also going through a rough time. He still felt utterly betrayed by Aviva and missed Koki dearly.

"I wonder where Koki is?"

"Who knows." Martin said kind of miffed

"You know I loved her, right? I-I wanted to tell her how I felt...b-but I was always too chicken, a-and now I might never get the chance."

"Well sucks to be you. At least Koki might be alive somewhere, but guess what, Chris is dead and everyone thinks I'm a looney!"

Jimmy fell silent as he was to angry to say a word.

Weeks turned into months and not a word was spoken.

Until one day Martin overheard a conversation.

"I think I did it!"

"Did what Ms Corvado?"

"Well, for the past couple of years I've been working on a time machine and now I've think I've done it!"

"So she has been working on a time machine" Jimmy said kind of miffed.

"But what good would that do" Martin said feeling rather hopeless "it not like we can fix any of this, or can we..."

(Meanwhile with Chris)

Martin, that was the last thing Chris saw before he felt as if he was drowning. Fear was the last feeling that Chris had before he dissapeared into the abyss.

"Wh-Where am I?"

But the only response he got was an echo. His surroundings were white at first before becoming more clear. The first thing that came into focus was the green grass and the surrounding tombstones, soon more things came into focus he spotted Martin standing infront of one of the tombstones.

"Martin!" Chris yelled as he ran towards his brother to embrace him, but he went right through him.

Martin didn't hear him, he couldn't hear him, he couldn't feel him, Chris was nothing more than a soul.

(I'm putting this story on hold I am so sorry for leaving this on a cliff hanger I just need to think how I'm going to continue the story because honestly I ran out of ideas. Oop)

[laytonsartblog]

The Best of Worst Days

Economic Crisis AU

Ch. 1, Ch. 2

Warning: this content has violence, poverty, guns, starvation, hypothermia, dysfunctional family themes, and dystopian themes. Read when comfortable and in a safe spot. Care for yourself.

--

Patton has a schedule he dedicates his life to.

First, to get up at five.

Then take a shower, standing in a bucket.

Why a bucket? To catch the dirty water.

After his shower, Patton will put that murky liquid into a filter to drain out all the gunk and make him and his son breakfast while he's waiting. Once he's finished with all of that, he takes the filtered water and pours it into empty water bottles and then throws them into his tiny icebox.

Proceeding is obviously to wake up his adorable little four-year-old Virgil and eat with him until it's time to go at six-thirty, and walk Virgil to his pre-k daycare with the rest of breakfast and the fresh water bottle as lunch.

From that point on it's just to get to his work at the construction site by seven and work until two pm, and pick Virgil up to bring home.

They play and eat and maybe visit the park for two hours, then Patton has to get to his other job down the block at a small crafts store by five, which is where he'll be until midnight, then walk all the way back home and fall flat on his face to sleep on the floor.

Simple, right?

Yes, well, there's this thing called sleep depriviation and insomnia that gets in the way.

When Patton wakes up as he does every day, his tired eyes make their way to the clock before bulging out of his head. It's six am.

He scrambled to get Virgil up and about. "Virgil!" Patton whispered as he gently shook his son's shoulders. "Virgil, Papa's running late for work, you need to make your own sandwich while I get ready, okay?"

Virgil merely whined and curled in closer to his thin blanket.

"Pleeeeeease?" Patton pleaded. "I know it's a bit sudden and I usually let you sleep in more, but Papa can't do everything at once, okay?"

Virgil finally sat up and groaned, wiping his eyes. "S'okay, Papa. I'll help."

Patton smiled softly as Virgil clumsily went about to his little cubby to grab a clean shirt and shorts to change into, before remembering the time and running off to change too.

Patton came out of the bathroom with his expendable construction t shirt and jeans and stared at the time; six-thirty.

"Come on, Virgil," Patton urged gently as he picked his boy up. "We're gonna need to skip breakfast today, but I'll leave you some money to get something at the cafeteria, okay?"

Virgil nodded sleepily against Patton's chest. "Okay, Papa..."

Patton sighed contentedly as he continued to hold Virgil on the rest of the walk to the daycare before placing him gently down in front of the door. He fished in his pockets for change.

"Don't worry, honey, I'll have something here somewhere..." Patton trailed off as he continued to search through his pockets for maybe even a dime, but, no, there was nothing. Patton gave up his search with a sigh. "Well, kiddo, I- I think you'll need to ask for some of your friend's extra snacks, or maybe one of the teachers to get you something because Papa doesn't- Papa doesn't have the money."

Virgil looked like his rubber duck had just been melted and Patton almost teared up at the sight. He hated having to starve his own son because he couldn't get the money.

Virgil ran up and hugged Patton's skinny legs. "Is okay, Papa, 'm okay, Papa go job," he mumbled into the cloth of Patton's jeans. "I go play now." He ran off like a wolf into the night into the daycare, rushing to play with the fun trains. A complete switch.

Patton would have broke down then if it weren't for the fact he was on the clock.

He ran to the site he was supposed to be working on, just two or three miles away. When he got there, however, his manager stood with a tapping shoe and folded arms.

"Look who finally showed up!" she snarked, red luxerious lipstick painted bright to announciate every twisted syllable.

Patton's shoulders went sky high to hide his paler-than-average face. "I-I am so sorry, ma'am," he apologized. "I didn't mean to- my son, I had to drop him off to daycare, and he was being fussy, so-"

Patton didn't like to lie, but it was the only way for him to keep the job. If she found out it was because he woke up late? A big fat 'FIRED' notice would appear in his p.o. box.

The woman sighed. Her foot stopped tapping, but her arms stayed crossed. "Listen..." she started. "You seem to work hard and you've got a kid to take care of. I get it. Times like these in this stupid country can be tough."

Patton felt some hope glimmer in his chest. Perhaps just a warning?

"But that doesn't exclude the fact you've been late four times this month, fainted twice from exhaustion, and spread the cough to my workers last winter."

Patton's heart sank back to where it was before.

"That's why... I need to let you go. It's hard work and I cannot have tardiness and exhaustion running my construction equipment."

And that's when Patton's heart went all the way down to Hell.

"You're... I'm... I'm fired?" Patton gasped out, almost as if he couldn't believe it; or rather, didn't want to.

His manager nodded. "I'm so sorry, Patton, you seem like a fine worker. You're just not cut out for working early hours on tough plaster with a kid to take care of and a whole load of sleep problems."

Patton's hands felt numb but slimy. He was sweating but he couldn't even tell if it was hot. All he felt was cold; cold dread, cold guilt, cold everything.

"I-I'm sorry, maybe I could- maybe you could move me down to textile ordering management?" Patton tried not to let that determined little speck of hope reach too high in his voice; it still strained of heartbreak either way.

Her bright red lips frowned and her mascara-covered eyes closed. "I'm sorry, Patton, but those spots are all full. If you wanted to really work there, you could be the mission boy, but that's significantly lesser pay, and may conflict with the schedule you're on."

Patton sighed, his hope and heart finally settling in a dark chasm in his chest. "Thank you for at least concerning it, ma'am, I'll- I'll be on my way, now."

With a racking breath and wobbly knees, Patton turned away and walked back home. Once through the door, he sat on the small mattress Virgil used and began to sob.

"I can't feed my child, I lost my job, and bills are coming up! What the hell am I to do?" Patton yelled as he bawled into his hands.

Every part of him screamed and ached. He needed sleep, he needed rest, he needed something to eat, he needed his child to hold dear, he just needed; but he can never have what he wants, especially like the sad sack of debt and depression he was.

Patton couldn't exactly tell how long he had cried for, but the next time he looked up at the clock, it was eight am. He figured that the library was open, so he might as well head over there for a free read to calm down.

That, and free wifi and computer access.

Patton tried to make himself not look like the outside rendition of how he was feeling on the inside as he walked along the craggy sidewalks to the nearby city library. His attempts to cover up the way his hair sagged and his eyes pulsed didn't exactly prove fruitful as people walked by in sympathy or disgust. Their reactions only made Patton's heart clench more.

After he finished his three mile walk, he practically ghosted through the library doors; he looked as much, anyway, with his pale face and sunken eyes.

The librarian from across the room lowered his sunglasses, intrigued and a little suspicious.

The depression hit almost everyone, yes, but that didn't mean that hobos possibly addicted to meth were a person Remy was begging to listen to on a Monday morning in a damn library. Remy was not awake enough to tell the raggedy middle aged patron this wasn't the back alley to sneak some crack in before making his way back on the streets to ask for a job, so Remy just adjusted his sunglasses and resumed looking up sugar daddies on his phone.

Patton ignored the stares from the young librarian and instead went to the computer, taking out his library card and typing out the number and sending it in. After waiting for what seemed like hours, the internet finally decided to load the computer up and allow Patton to search for more loan applications and job openings.

However, he came up empty handed.

The jobs either weren't paying enough, required a higher degree than a high school diploma, or were simply too far away. The loans? They would cause more debt; Patton was better off without more false promises.

There was a website Patton was interested in, though, that he found while scrolling through the Google search "friend finding": GetAlong.

GetAlong, apparently, was a free penpal website people could use do the same as texting without having to pay for it. Except, there's a twist; the people you meet are strangers. They could be from across the country, across the planet, your next-door neighbor, anyone who signs up with the site is eligible for you to meet. You could message eachother, send pictures, videos, links, live feeds, and sticker-like emoji; all within the website.

The only consolation is for it to be anonymous. The only information you can put is your first name, your age, your gender, and maybe some things you're interested in. The rest is to fill in for yourself after you meet them.

The reason Patton was so interested is because he needed someone to talk to. Sure, he had Virgil to play with on bad days, and he had his coworker Roman from the crafts store he still worked at, but other than that? No family, no friends, and no help.

Perhaps this website could at least bring him some happiness.

So Patton, with a lot more time on his hands and feeling a lot more distraught than normal, signed up.

Patton Gentile, 32, trans-male. I like knitting, snuggling up in the winter, and taking care of my son. Hope to give you a happy hello soon!

Patton stared back at the words on the screwn with his fingers hovering over the keyboard, motionless.

Was this really all I needed to say? he thought. Did I need to say more, or less?

He decided to get it over with and hit send, leaving his mark on the world.

----------------------------------------

Taglist:

@amazable01 @vara-albion

[thicctransboi]

Almost- Chapter 4

"I don't know,Sam, I don't think I'm ready to meet the baby just yet." Grizz said to Sam as he slipped on his shoes.

Sam had proposed the idea to Grizz shortly after they began getting dressed. "Are you scared to? Or is it just nerves or something?" Sam asked.

Grizz sighed, "I don't know... She's your kid, Sam... It's still weird for me. I cant promise I wont walk out. It might just be too hard on me. Besides, does Becca even know about us yet?"

Sam shook his head. He couldn't help but feel guilty again when Grizz said, 'Your kid'. Sam wanted so badly just to tell Grizz the truth, but that wasn't his truth to tell.

"Why not?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't know, I didn't know If you were ready for people to know yet. It didn't feel like it was my place."

Grizz chuckled "Sam, we might die here. If I wasn't ready for people to know, I wouldn't have tried so hard to get with you in the first place. If we die here, I want people to know me for the real me, not just the me thy thought they knew." Grizz sighed, "Let's go to the hospital, I'm sure Becca is missing you."

Grizz was right, Becca had sent Sam at least 20 texts asking where he was, causing Sam and grizz to speed walk to the hospital. As they walked, a few people in town looked their way, causing Sam to feel nervous for some reason. Sam felt even more nervous as Grizz grabbed his hand, holding it as they walked. Approaching the hospital, Grizz felt his stomach quench; this was it, he was facing his fear: Becca and Sam's baby. Grizz had to hold himself back from getting emotional as they arrived in the maternity wing.

"There you are! Where have you been?" Becca practically screeched as Sam and Grizz rounded the corner. Then her eyes landed on Grizz. "Grizz! You're back! I heard the trip went well."

"Yeah.." Grizz said, his eyes traveling to the small child in Becca's arms. "Congratulations on the baby.. Sam told me you named her Eden, it's fitting." Grizz suddenly felt small despite being 6 foot 3.

Becca was beaming. "Thank you, wait, what are you doing here? No offense, I just didn't expect you to visit today considering you just got back and its- 2am."

Sam didn't even realize how late it had gotten. He answered for Grizz, "Actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Grizz and I... well.. We've been seeing each other?" His response came out as more of a question than a statement.

Becca raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two boys in front of her, Grizz awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "Since when? Grizz, you're gay?"

"Thanksgiving."

"Uh, yeah?"

Becca's eyes went wide, tossing a pillow weakly in Sam's direction. "That's where you were when I went into labor? With him?! Wait- You lost your virginity and didn't even tell me didn't you?! Sam, you were getting dicked down while I was in labor! That's why you weren't answering your phone!?"

Sam let out a sigh, meanwhile Grizz stood their wide eyed. "Should I go and leave you two to talk?" Grizz asked awkwardly.

"No, no, stay..." Sam said, singing slowly. "Becca, I'm sorry. It just kinda- happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have rathered me told you while you were in labor? 'Hey Becca, sorry I'm late, I know it's a bad time considering you're crowning, but me and Grizz just had sex and I really like him. That cool?'" Sam mocked.

Becca rolled her eyes.

Grizz felt his heart ache; they were perfect for each other, they even argued like a couple. No wonder they hooked up.

"You should have told me after, you know I would have been fine with it. I've been waiting for you to meet someone, though I thought you wouldn't considering our situation," Grizz was shocked to hear that comment, even more shocked when Becca said, "Grizz, come sit."

Grizz looked at Sam for help, Sam just smiled as Grizz slowly walked over to Becca and the baby, sitting down on the bed between her and Sam.

"Want to hold her?" Becca asked, giving Grizz a smile.

Grizz felt his heart rate increase, "No, no, I wouldn't want to intrude or anything. Aren't you mad? Like, you're okay with me and Sam?"

Becca laughed, "Of course I'm not mad! Sam's my best friend, I want him to be happy," She shot a smile towards Sam, "And how would you be intruding? You can be a part of this too, you know. I'll take all the help I can get. Here, take her, just mind her head."

Grizz was on the verge of having a panic attack, taking Eden into his arms carefully and making sure to keep her head elevated. The small child looked up at Grizz sleepily, causing Grizz to notice her stark blue eyes. They were Sam's eyes. It made his heart ache. But then, she wrapped her little hand around Grizz's thumb, making his heart swell, despite him knowing it was just a reflex. Something about holding her was oddly comforting, despite the circumstances In which she was brought into this world.

"She's beautiful." Grizz signed with one hand, not speaking, afraid his voice might fail him. He could feel it now, he was getting emotional and he wasn't prepared for them to see him that way, nor did he want Eden to feed off of him. Babies were weird like that. "Becca, take her... I need a minute."

Grizz bolted out of the room as quickly as he could.

Becca raised an eyebrow, turning to Sam with Eden in her arms. "Is he okay?"

Sam sighed, "He's been upset ever since he found out about her... That she's 'mine'. He's scared he's being a home wrecker."

Becca suddenly felt guilty herself, she knew that this wasn't fair to either Sam nor Grizz, but she couldn't find it in herself to tell either of them the truth of who the father really was. She knew it would break Sam's heart. "He'll get over it once he realizes we aren't like that together, right?"

"Becca, he needs to know the truth. This almost ruined us last time before he left, I can tell it bothers him.."

Becca shook her head, "No, Sam, I... I can't.. You can't. Please.."

***

Sam found Grizz outside of the hospital near the entrance, taking deep breaths as he leaned against the brick, his breath puffing out in clouds in front of him due to the cold. His face illuminated by the hospital sign.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked, approaching him slowly.

Grizz sighed, "She has your eyes, Sam... She looks just like Becca but with your eyes.. I can't- I can't do this."

Sam felt himself grow uneasy. He had never given it much thought, Eden's eyes. But now that he thought about it, she did have his eyes. But how?.... "Grizz- please... Don't- Don't leave. We just got back together, I can't loose you again."

Grizz sighed, watching as the air left his lungs, "How can I look at her, and not be reminded every day of the fact that she's yours? The fact that you'll never truly be mine? The fact that you slept with Becca and have a child with her? That I'll never be a part of it? I can't do that, Sam. It hurts too much. I just can't."

Sam sighed, in that moment he felt so conflicted between Eden having his eyes and wanting to tell Grizz the truth. But how would Grizz believe him now? Not now that he saw that Eden had blue eyes. How did she have his eyes?? "Grizz, you can be a part of this, Becca even said, she can use all of the help she can get. And, I am yours, I'm all yours if you want me to be... Becca and I.. We're not like that. We never have been, I told you. Please, don't let this get to you.. Please."

"She has your eyes! How can that not upset me?" Grizz yelled. "They're as blue as the damn sky in the summer time! Just like yours! Your eyes! The ones that I fell for! The ones I opened my soul up to! The ones-"

"They're not mine! Eden isn't mine!" Sam shouted, finally snapping. "I don't know how her eyes are blue, her real dad's must be! But I wouldn't know because I don't know who that is!" Sam was breathing heavily, his words hung in the air. He suddenly realized what he had just done. "Fuck! Don't tell Becca I told you..."

"Sam? Are you saying what I think you're saying? Why would you tell me that she was yours?" Grizz was stunned, suddenly no longer angry, more confused.

Sam sighed, "Becca and I agreed that that was what we would tell people when I agreed to help her out, we agreed that I would say I was the father... I don't know who the real dad is, she won't tell me. But I promised her that I would be a father to this child, Grizz. I promised I would live this lie as being her biological father to keep her secret. She's my best friend, Grizz, I had to. please understand, please don't tell her I told you..."

Grizz stood there in shock, not believing what he was hearing, “Sam… You lied to me.”

“I had to! I had no other choice! I promised her, and I ended up hurting you in the process. Fuck, I’m so sorry…” Sam was crying rather relentlessly now.

It took a lot, but Grizz couldn’t stand seeing Sam cry, letting out a sigh, he pulled him close, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy tightly. It’s okay.. We’ll figure this out.. I won’t tell her.”

“Thank you…”

[baekhyunbitz]

First Kiss

A/N: it's this cuties birthday today and he is one of my biases for Pentagon, so I really wanted to do something for him. I hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know what you think❣

Genre: Fluff

Pairing: Jo Jinho x Reader

Warning(s): online dating, please be careful if you ever are involved with online dating. It can be dangerous.

Word count: 2.2k+

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As the shadow of the night spills through my window, I finally settle into the comfort of the disheveled satin sheets, waiting as midnight draws close to facetime the only person I would stay up this late for. 

*buzz* *buzz*

Speaking of the handsome devil.

"Hey babe, we finally landed. I've never been more tired than I am now." His ash gray hair was sticking out a bit from his beanie, small circles under his whiskey colored eyes. 

"At least you can head back to the dorm soon and get some rest." I lay my phone against the other pillow as I snuggle further into the blanket. 

"Would be much better if I could finally fall asleep with you in my arms. Are you sure you can't come by tomorrow?"

"You know I would if I could Jiji... I have a big day tomorrow though. One day really soon, we will meet before you know it. I promise."

"I'm gonna hold you to it. I should have you wear something goofy when I finally see you for having me wait so long." Even though his tiredness shows, it definitely doesn't stop the adorable giggle that passes his lips.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" My lips turn up into a slight smirk, he replies with a wink.

"Guess you'll just have to find out when the time comes." Commotion goes on in the background as they get in the vehicles to leave the airport, every now and then I'll hear greetings from the other members. 

"Looks like we have to part for now babe... I'll talk to you tomorrow though, even if I have to escape the guys for a few minutes."

"Okay, and Jiji?"

"Yes Y/N?" 

"Happy Birthday." I blew a kiss towards the camera, causing Jinho to turn a light pink even in the darkness. 

"What about me?!" Hongseok yells in the background, his face coming into view when Jinho turns the camera for Kino, Shinwon, Yanan, Hongseok, and Hui to see you.

"Well, now I can't forget about you either Hongseok, Happy Birthday." I blow another kiss and wave to the guys, wishing them a great night's sleep before Jinho turns the phone back to himself.

"Goodnight Y/N, sweet dreams my dear." 

"Sweet dreams to you too." When the screen goes back to the call screen, I lock my phone after setting my alarms to wake up early for the big plans I have in store tomorrow. 

I wonder what his face will look like when he finally sees me; I smile to myself as I rummage through my closet to find my outfit for the day—a pair of my black shorts with a basic white v-forget to with the addition of his yellow hoodie that he sent me a few months back. After a nice shower and changing, I grab my keys and head out to my car while messaging Hui that I'm on my way to the amusement park. After planning to meet up for a week for Jinho’s and Hongseok’s birthday, today is the day I finally get to meet Jinho and give him his gift, his gift being, well, me.

Messages

Jiji: Are you sure I can't just come see you instead? I much rather see you than be here with screaming kids after not getting a giant stuffed bear. 

Y/N: It can't be that bad, you have the guys with you. 

Jiji: Those are the kids I’m talking about. 🙄

Y/N: I'm sure it will be fun, it's your birthday. Maybe they have something planned, but I got to go Jiji, my mom needs my help. 

Jiji: okay… I'll talk to you later. Tell her I say hi. 

Y/N: I will. I love you😚❣

Jiji: I love you too babe xoxo

After letting Hui know I’ve made it, I lock my phone and finish grabbing some tickets for the rides and attempt to stay hidden from them until I get to the Ferris wheel. The biggest crowds are around the food stalls and the smell of the greasy festival food makes my stomach growl, I get in line to get an elephant ear when I hear his unmistakable laugh.

Oh no, not yet. It will ruin the plan!

Walking towards the same booth, nine familiar faces catch my eye, Jinho catching my eye the most as he was fashioned in a periwinkle turtleneck, paired with obsidian black jeans, and a navy blue windbreaker. His gray hair, not styled like usual, laid against his creamy skin, a slight pout forming on his lips, "Miss, can I get you anything?" The lady at the counter spoke, tearing my attention away from the guys back to reality in front of me.

"Umm... I changed my mind, sorry." I dart off away from them to find another booth to ease my grumbling stomach. 

An hour has passed, the sun has started to make its way to the horizon, the perfect time to ride the Ferris wheel, it always seemed to have the best view of the amusement park that you can enjoy with someone special. No better way to finally meet the man I've been waiting to meet now for eight months due to being on tour. My steps turn into light skips with butterflies fluttering about in my stomach, my nervousness starting to sink in.

Hui: Is it time?

Y/N: Definitely. I'm walking the direction towards the Ferris wheel now.

JINHO’S POV:

"Who's sitting with who?" Yanan asks the group. The guys start pairing themselves off to ride the Ferris wheel, leaving me to sit alone. This day has not been as fun as they said it would be, all I keep thinking about is how I wish I could just finally meet Y/N now that I'm back from tour. We waited in the short line as each seat is filled with couples or a pair of friends, the staff member checking each barrier as a precaution so nobody falls. The wheel turns once more to bring down the final seat for me to get on.

I don't even know why I'm going along with this. Who even rides the Ferris wheel by themselves.

Before the guy checks the barrier of the seat I'm in, a lady's voice rings in my ears, a voice I've heard many times before during our face times and phone calls. 

READER’S POV:

"I'm sorry I'm late, is this seat taken?" Jinho is speechless as he looks me over to make sure he isn't hallucinating, the staff member asks him if it's okay if I ride with him. Jinho nods as a huge smile spreads across his face, taking over the pout from before. I walk up the few steps to the ride, handing my ticket over then sitting down next to my boyfriend for the first time, “So, do you have something goofy for me to wear now that we have met?" His laugh is much cuter in person, little wrinkles by his eyes as he leans his head back with laughter. 

"It was a joke baby, I swear." He scoots closer to me as the ride begins to start, our seat slowly going backward as we raise up in the sky. 

"Happy birthday Jiji. I wanted you to have something extra special for your birthday this year."

"Special indeed. You're my favorite present ever." His arm wrapped around my shoulders, closing the space between us as if there was any left. I lace our fingers together and lean my head against his shoulder, the thrill of finally being able to relax in his hold fills me as the breeze at the top of the Ferris wheel blows around us for a short time. 

"You should thank the guys for helping me set this up, it took a week to figure out everything and make sure it was okay with the management."

"That explains why they have been so secretive lately. Especially last night, they were constantly snickering to themselves. Also explains why Hui has been on and off his phone all day today." 

"You guys almost caught me though, I had to run away from an elephant ear stand to keep the surprise going."

"That was you?! I knew I recognized the yellow hoodie, they told me I was just seeing things because I wished you were here. By the way, I'm happy to see you wearing my hoodie, it suits you well my dear." I lift my head as the Ferris wheel comes to a stop close to the top of the ride, the sun setting as darkness slowly starts to take over the pinks and purples of the sky. The wind picks up right at that moment causing my hair to blow around my face. I tried fixing it but with no luck, the wind kept blowing it around. 

"Hold still." Jinho removes his arm from around me to pull out his beanie from his pocket, stretching the material to place it upon my head, keeping my hair from getting into my face as much. I look into his whiskey irises that sparkle with the last bit of light from the sun, l the scent his cologne and cotton candy filling my lungs. He lowers his hand to rest against my cheek lightly, his thumb soothingly rubbing my cheekbone, his eyes looking at my lips then back up to my eyes asking for permission. 

"Kiss me."

"With pleasure babe." He closed the space between us as his lips finally meeting mine, the taste of root beer still lingering on his lips. My heart starts drumming in my chest from excitement as he pulls me a bit closer if that was even possible in these seats. My digits raked through his gray hair causing a slight sigh to escape his throat and a giggle to pass my lips, his tongue tasted my bottom lip before dancing with mine in a more heated session. 

"Oww owwww!!!" 

"Get it Jinho!!" Kino and Yuto hollered from the seat behind us, cheering and clapping for their friend. He pulls away to wave them off causing me to laugh and grab ahold of his hand again to lace my fingers back to their new home. The staff member continues to let the riders off, the Ferris wheel moving one seat at a time.

"I actually have another surprise for you. I talked with your manager into letting me see you for the whole weekend, so the guys packed some of your stuff so you can stay with me at my apartment in Daegu."

"Yes!" He throws his arms up in excitement, his cute boyish charms showing through. The Ferris wheel came to a stop to let us off the ride, the staff member unhooked the barrier as Jinho grabbed ahold of my hand, tugging me with him to the ground before picking me up and spinning me in a hug. 

"I'm guessing this is confirmation that you're coming with me back home." He sets me down to kiss me once again, taking my arms to wrap around his neck then snaking his around my waist.

"I'll follow you anywhere. Now that I've finally met you, I don't ever want to let you go." 

"Please take him, his grumpiness of you not being around was starting to get annoying, but it's lovely to finally meet you in person, Y/N." Wooseok chimes in. The guys standing there came into view as I released my hold on Jinho, each member coming up to hug me for the first time since I've talked to any of them. 

"I'm glad I can meet you all now, and thank you so much for helping me set this all up, I wouldn't have been able to do this without you." 

"Anything to make our hyung happy." Yeo One chirped as he ruffled Jinho's hair. Jinho smacked his hands away then grabbed ahold of me, hugging me from behind to rest his chin on my shoulder.

"I want to thank you guys as well for making this happen. It means a lot to me."

"Well, you two can get going if you want as much time together as possible before we have to go back to the studio Monday. Be sure to stay out of trouble." Hui winks at us as they all say their goodbyes before running off to ride a few more rides. Jinho took my hand in his as we walk back towards the exit of the park.

"Any other surprises I should know about?"

"You'll just have to wait and see once we get there." I winked at him while I pulled my keys out to unlock my car. Just when I get ready to open the door, I'm spun around and pushed up against the metal frame, his breath causing shivers to rush down my arms as he whispers in my ear. 

"If it requires taking this hoodie off of you, I can't wait." He placed a chaste kiss on my neck with a smirk before lazily walking over to the passenger side and getting in. Once inside the car, I start it up as Shine by them starts to play from my Spotify causing us to laugh on our way back to enjoy what the night has to offer back home.