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fallingfavourites · 4 months ago

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finale here we come!! am I really about to read a 13k fic at 12am? yes! and I will enjoy every second of it! OMG VIGILANTE SHIT REFERENCE SPOTTED IN THE SUMMARY!

- ... If he was truly innocent, why is he trying to cover his tracks?” - SPEAK ON IT!!! the whole qoute would've been too long to put on here but YES LETS GO!!!

FOGGY AND LIV MOMENT YESSSS the start of this chapter has me too hyped it's all about to go down hill 😞

I'm on the edge of my seat as if I don't even know what's happening!!

- “At the carousel, remember? You rode with me in the ambulance, stayed at the hospital until I woke up. Where’s he?” - oh that scene is going to hit different when I get to it after this 😭😔

- The ability to see something good in someone so far off their path. You never understood that ideology until recently but now… Now it felt like that was your own code. - June foreshadowing 🙂‍↕️ (most likely not intentionally since she didn't exist yet 🤞)

- “Seema wanted me to te-“ - you can't see me rn but my mouth is WIDE open, WDYM SHE DIDNT GET TO FINISH THE SENTENCE 😭😭

- “No.. No, he was gone before I got here. I just heard the shot.” - HER STILL PROTECTING DEX AFTER THAT OMG 😭

MY GIRL OMG 😞😞 SHES GOING THROUGH IT ☹️

- Now Ray was dead and it was your fault. - forcing my way through the screen rn to tell her it's not!!!

LATELY IVE BEEN DRESSING FOR REVENGE

me when livia is on her vigilante shit again

- Making them suffer was an art, and you had spent years developing your craft. - this is such a gag. I'm going to be thinking about this line for the rest of my life.

omg I am SO into it I'm completely forgetting to put down my reactions 😭 the tension between her and dex, I'm eating it UP!!

you write liv and Matt's arguments SO fucking well (you write everything insanely well tbf)!! like I always feel genuinely uneasy when I'm reading them, almost as if it's something I'm not suppose to be witnessing. It feels so personal to them.

- “You didn’t ruin that guy. There was hardly anything to ruin.” - welcome back to another episode of matt murdock pissing me off! 😄 (matt I love you deeply but please stfu 🤗)

- “Why are you so bitter?” You shouted. “You have everyone back and it’s still not enough.” - He is literally such a hater sometimes 😭 him and june def love hating on people (specifically livs exes) together 🙂‍↕️

I love when Livia calls him out on his bullshit

- “Забавно. Я собирался сказать тебе то же самое.” (Funny. I was going to tell you the same thing.) “Держись подальше от меня сегодня вечером.” He said simply, causing a small scoff from your chest. (Stay out my way tonight.) - my parents are fighting again ☹️

- ...for being exactly what he wanted you to be when you had first met. - EXACTLY!! she finally became the person he saw in her back in s1 and now he's being a dick about it

- “No!” Matt yelled in response. You made a face to yourself and knew you should pull the gun back you didn’t, not even when Matt came to your side to yell at Fisk. “God knows I want to, but you don’t get to destroy who I am.” - yayyyy! yippeee! he didn't do it!! (it's 1am I'm getting tired idk bestie 😭)

- “You will go back to prison and you will live the rest of your miserable life in a cage, knowing you’ll never have Vanessa. That this city rejected you, it beat you. We beat you!” Matt demanded and you were proud he found a way back to himself. - uhhmm... so about that...

this was EVERYTHING!! i should just stop here, not read the epilogue and not start the punisher spin off to keep myself sane, bc I fear I'll actually lose it 😭 (i will most definitely be reading all of it)

Billy Russo will HATE to see me coming (i will fight him)

MAD AT GOD - MATT MURDOCK

Series Finale - Vigilante Shit

tags: @ironprincessstranger @americaarse @johnmurphys-sass @dusstory @astrobees @mayasaurus--rex @woowwwee // eight // epilogue // masterlist

Pairing: Matt x Livia

Word Count: 13,587 (and you wonder why it took me so long.)

Summary: Ladies always rise above but when one lady’s simply had enough, revenge takes human form in Hell’s Kitchen’s Exodus. With her rightful partner beside her, they take on the Kingpin and his former Bullseye.

“Do you affirm that the testimony you are about to give in the case now before the court will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” The bailiff asked simply as you took your seat on the stand. “This you affirm under the pains and penalties of perjury?”

“Yes.” You nodded calmly. “I do.”

“For the record, please state your name.” The judge said.

“I’m Special Agent Alivia Yersova, FBI SWAT. I’ve been with the bureau for a bit less than a year and all statements made here today are my own. My testimony does not reflect the beliefs or positions of the FBI and I accept any and all consequences my statements may bring.” You answered, keeping your eyes ahead as Tower stood and took his place in front of you. “In the short amount of time that I’ve been with the FBI, I’ve witnessed my bureau, specifically members of my team, fall victim to Fisk’s vicious manipulation.”

“Please explain in detail the crimes you’ve witnessed.” He said simply.

“I’ve witnessed slander and false accusations against one of the Nelson and Murdock attorneys responsible for his first arrest. I’ve witnessed a breach of his house arrest. I’ve witnessed his recruitment of agents and using those agents to kill people, both civilians and other agents. I’ve witnessed him coerce other crime syndicates into complying with a tax to ensure protection from federal prosecution.”

“What agents have you seen?”

“Special Agents Arinori and Poindexter, Special Agent in Charge Hattley. Special Agent Rahul Nadeem and myself witnessed but never participated past that and a few targeted raids. Neither of us pulled the trigger for Wilson Fisk, but we did nothing to stop it. There were others but I didn’t interact with them much.”

“The other agents that were mentioned by Agent Nadeem?”

“I believe so. I don’t remember their names but I could pick them out of a lineup.”

“And how many people were killed?”

“SAC Hattley killed Agent Winn. Special Agent Poindexter killed multiple people, I believe he killed the most. Given his unique skill set, he was a prime target for Fisk’s games. Innocent people died because of Wilson Fisk, good people like Father Lantom, because no one on my team was brave enough to come forward.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Who would believe a novice agent who helped put Fisk away in the first place? He knew no one would believe me if I spoke up sooner, given my very outspoken opinions against him. There was an instance, when he brought up the Nelson and Murdock attorney, that I had caused a scene. My words were driven by my sentimentality regarding the firm since I did have a small stint as an attorney there. From there, it didn’t matter what I knew and he recognized that. It didn’t matter how many times Poindexter brought me along without telling me what was really happening. It didn’t matter who I saw get killed or the fact that I was against him leaving the prison to begin with. He knew my credibility was low and I had no evidence so I wasn’t a threat to his plans… Not until someone else had enough. Agent Nadeem helped give me the courage to come forward with what I’ve seen.”

You glanced around at the jury and found them all - save for the one juror - interested in what you would say next. Tower offered a small, proud smile and Ray listened intently with his hands folded in front of him. He gave you a small nod of reassurance.

“It’s a scary thing, to feel like you have no choice but to do things you don’t agree with. Sometimes you go along for self preservation, sometimes for the people you care about. But at the end of it all, we have our limits. We can only take so much deceit before we have to do something…” You allowed your eyes to water, a shakiness to tint your voice and a slight hesitation between your sentences. “I let him convince me that my word wouldn’t matter, that I- I would just be some voice in the wind. I let him take my conviction. But I’m not going to stand down, not anymore. Wilson Fisk is afraid of what we came here to say because it’s true. The attack on our transport wasn’t a coincidence, nor was it an accident. He attempted to have us killed because of what we know and what we came here to say. If he was truly innocent, why is he trying to cover his tracks?”

“You mentioned repercussions before. Do you worry the FBI will punish you for this?”

“Not the FBI, but the agents Fisk controls. My SAC is in his pocket. My partner is in his pocket. Besides Agent Nadeem, in that hotel, I’m alone. No one protects me the way they protect him… If I lose my job, fine. If I lose my partner, okay. But I cannot stand to lose my loved ones.”

“Thank you, Agent.”

You and Ray were led out after that and you met with your friends in the hall. While Matt chatted with Ray, Foggy offered you a proud smile and moved to hug you but you simply pushed his hands away and began pacing a short distance. You pushed your fingers into your hair and tugged slightly on the ends.

Foggy looked over to Matt for help, but he was still in his conversation with Ray. Knowing that a win today would help ensure Matt stayed on the right track, Foggy decided not to cut in and talk to you on his own. He stepped in front of you and put his hands on your upper arms. You looked at him with your lips pressed together and your eyebrows up.

“Talk to me. What’s going on?” Your friend tried, ducking down to meet your eyes.

“It’s shot. The whole thing is shot.” You answered quietly, trying not to gain any more attention. “He didn’t just know about the trial.”

“What do you mean?”

“So what happens now?” Ray asked, drawing both Foggy’s and your attention. His brows furrowed but you stepped past him before he could speak.

You grabbed Matt’s arm and pulled him a couple steps away as Foggy answered Ray’s question.

You leaned in to speak quietly with your hand still gripping his arm and Matt’s hand landed on your elbow.

“What do you hear?” You asked softly.

His brows furrowed as he listened in, taking a step closer to the doors. As he focused, the grip he had on your arm tightened. You closed your eyes and cursed quietly.

“No, no, no.” Matt muttered and you nodded. “The jurors.”

“Fisk got to them.” You confirmed and opened your eyes, rolling your shoulders back and regaining your composure. “I felt it when we went in but I was hoping I was wrong.”

You glanced around the halls and felt a surge of emotions outside. Everyone still seemed entranced in Karen’s press conference. You had to give it to her, the woman was brave.

After a few anxiety ridden minutes, Tower came out of the courtroom with an apologetic expression as he passed your group. You opened your mouth to speak but he simply shook his head and headed to the cameras outside. You tapped your implant and listened in on the live broadcast from outside and you felt your stomach drop.

At this time, the grand jury had elected not to indict Wilson Fisk. But this office, under my leadership, will pursue every lead, every piece of evidence that leads us to uncovering the truth. The agents that testified today were incredibly brave and we encourage anyone with evidence regarding this case to come forward.

Everything outside continued to spike as you shut off your device and one familiar feeling stood out among the chaos.

“Karen.” You said to yourself as the boys began moving. You looked at them for a second before making a move to the doors. A hand closed around your arm and dragged you in the other direction.

“No, I have to-“ You groaned and tried to pull away but you were shoved forward instead. Looking over, you saw it was Matt who dragged you with him.

You took one last look over your shoulder before giving in and following the group. They hurried into the closest restroom and you locked the door behind you all. Ray pushed through and took a minute to himself while being quite literally sick to his stomach.

“It’s not gonna end like this, Ray. We’re not gonna let it.” Matt promised while leaning against the stalls.

Foggy stood by the sinks and you slid down with your back against the door until you were sitting up on your toes. You had elbows on your propped up knees and your chin resting behind your gently balled fists. Your eyes were trained on the floor, tracing the grout lines between the tiles.

Your brain was running through every scenario you could. You thought about whether or not he’d send Dex after you and Ray. It’d have to wait. There’s no way Dex could take you both out in a locked down courthouse. Would he go after Karen for her press conference? Or had he already wrecked her credibility? All you knew for sure was that it needed to end.

“The system will work.” Foggy ensured and you sighed to yourself.

“You still believe that?” Matt scoffed and you looked up at him.

“Stop it.” You said quietly and he offered a sarcastic expression towards you.

“We’ve been here before. We can fix this.. Tower will impanel another grand jury and try again. We’re not done here. Right, Livia?”

“What keeps Fisk away from them this time though?” You asked simply as you turned towards your friend. “I wanna do this the right way, Foggy, but it’s not looking too good for us.”

“I told you this would happen.” Matt cut in.

“Matt, stop.” You sighed and pushed yourself to stand. “Fighting each other isn’t gonna help.”

“I need to know where you’re going.” Foggy blocked Matt’s path.

“Guys.” You warned firmly as Matt said “I’m gonna find Tower. Make sure he tries again.”

“I’m going with you.” You offered and you saw him roll his eyes behind his glasses. “Unless there’s a problem?”

“No.” He said tightly. “No problem.”

“Good.” You nodded before leaning closer to Foggy. “Take care of him. Don’t let him lose his nerve.”

Your friend nodded and you grabbed Matt’s arm on the way out.

“God, y’know what, we should’ve just done it our way from the start.” Matt mumbled.

“Our way?” You laughed. “This is our way. The other thing? That’s my way, Matthew. You’ll never be able to do it and it’s not a bad thing. You can’t force yourself to.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I almost wanna dare you to try because I know you won’t.”

“A lot has changed, Livia.”

“Sure, but people don’t completely flip on their morals.” You scoffed.

“Maybe I did. You don’t know.”

“Actually I do, because you’re too strong to do it. You have a certain faith in people that you can’t learn. If you were capable of doing what I do, Dex wouldn’t be around anymore. You believe that people can do good. It’s not the worst ideology to hold on to.”

“Clearly not everyone can.”

You stopped walking and yanked his arm to stop him. He groaned and faced you, a tight grip on his cane and a clench to his jaw.

“This isn’t just about you!” You insisted. “You do understand that, right?”

“Of course I know that. You really think I don’t?”

“Why is it your responsibility then?”

“Because it is!”

“So why didn’t you work this hard to stop me?” You challenged quietly. “If not everyone can be better, why didn’t you try to kill me? I gave you every reason to give up on me, treat me this exact same way, but you never did.”

“You’re not the same, Livia.” He sighed.

“Thankfully, neither are you and I. There’s always been someone taking people from me. Took my parents, Marc, Frank, Yelena and Nat, Billy, even you - twice - and Foggy, now Dex. I’m not gonna lose you a third time.”

“Livia, I didn’t realize-“

“No, you never do. You never see beyond what you’re doing. You do this and there’s no coming back from it. Something in your heart is gonna change and you can’t change it back. You can’t undo it.”

“I’m sorry. I just want this to be over with.”

“I know but…” You sighed and looked around, shifting your weight between your feet.

You were hit with a sudden feeling of determination. You turned towards where it came from, the bathroom you left Foggy and Ray in. With a quiet curse, you hurried back, only to find Ray gone and Foggy knocked out.

You screamed out in frustration and slammed an angry fist into the mirror, watching it shatter and become stained with the bloody print of your knuckles. You pushed out of the room and back into the hall, scanning the crowds in an effort to find him. But you saw nothing.

Ray was gone. And the clock was ticking on what kind of countermove Fisk would make against him. Against all of you.

You practically ran out of the courthouse, pushing past various security and reporters. They shouted questions, mentioning your badge and asking what side you were testifying for, but ignored them all. Some yelled that you were working for Fisk, you were one of the corrupted agents, but all you offered them was the middle finger.

From there, you ran home. The sun was already setting and you were running out of time. You changed quickly and used your mask to scan as far as it could.

You had finally heard from Rick and you were talking to Seema while wandering the streets.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Seema asked towards the end of the conversation.

“I wish I could tell you for sure… But I can’t. What we’ve done has put a massive target on us and our loved ones. All I know is that yours and Sami’s safety is all he cares about.”

“Tell him I love him.”

“I will. When I find him, he’ll call for goodbyes and then you can send a pin to that number I gave you. After that, ditch the phone.”

It wasn’t until hours later did you find him.

He went home.

You practically sprinted through the neighborhood to get there. The front door was open, side gate cracked, and the police tape was stretched from someone pushing it aside. The house was empty but you could see two figures in the backyard.

“…I can help you cut a deal with the DA.” Ray tried. “We can take him down, us and Livia.”

Dex gripped his gun tightly, though he hadn’t lifted it yet. His entire body was tense, practically vibrating with the anticipation of what he would do next. There was still a heavy apathy from Dex but there was an undercut of hesitation. Ray was still his friend, and that meant something to him. Not enough to change his mind, but something. Something you might be able to use against him.

“No.. That’s not gonna happen, Ray.” Dex shook his head with a small scoff.

“Dex.” You said carefully, pushing your mask up and lifting your hands in surrender. You walked slowly, putting yourself between the two former friends. “Think about this.”

“Move.” He answered tightly.

“I can help you, if you let me… Don’t make me your enemy, please.”

You tried to emphasize that hesitation but he would shove it back down as soon as it came up.

“I feel more myself than I have in my whole life. Fisk gave me that.”

“This isn’t you talking. This?” You gestured slightly between the two of you. “This is Fisk. He’s gotten in your head, Dex, and he’s turned us against each other. Don’t let him win! ”

“You don’t know me!” He shouted and you instinctively woke your Bite. “See?” He chuckled humorously. “You don’t really trust me.”

“What happened to the man that helped save my life?” You pressed gently with a pleading expression, taking a tentative step forward as you lowered your hands. Your devices still glowed at your wrists and Dex’s grip on his gun shifted. “At the carousel, remember? You rode with me in the ambulance, stayed at the hospital until I woke up. Where’s he?”

“That wasn’t me. It was you. It was your games.” He spat and your brows dropped and your jaw clenched.

“She cared about you, Dex.” Ray said from your side with a hand on your shoulder. “We both did. The only person that changed that was you.”

“Let me help you.” You tried that soft spot again. “I can’t do anything for you after this. I won’t.”

“I don’t care.” He shook his head and you nodded slightly, slowly moving a hand to reach one of the weapons at your belt. “I don’t need your help.”

“As long as I’m alive, my family’s at risk.” Ray admitted, though there was no hesitation.

Sadness, definitely, but it wasn’t any sudden revelation. Instead, it was acceptance. Understanding.

“Ray?” You asked over your shoulder.

“It’ll be alright.”

“Let’s go, Ray.” Dex said, lifting his gun. You sidestepped to put yourself in front of Ray again as you drew your own weapon. “Move, Livia.”

There was a slight plea in his expression, though his body language didn’t falter.

Something human was left in Dex, some tiny flicker of light. Something like that used to be enough for Matt to believe in, to give them a chance to change. Without him honoring his own prior morals, you realized that was part of why you didn’t give up on Dex.

Not the sex or the friendship. But the hope, hope that months of running around with the altar boy vigilante attached to your hip pinned to your own conscience. The ability to see something good in someone so far off their path. You never understood that ideology until recently but now… Now it felt like that was your own code.

But clearly, the flicker wasn’t enough. And you couldn’t work by someone else’s morality.

“Thought you were good enough to shoot around me.” You taunted as you lined up your own gun.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, Dex.” Ray said and you felt that wave of acceptance again. “Whatever you need to do, you do it here.”

Ray had accepted his own death. And the only way you could stop it would be to kill Dex. You turned to face Ray, purposefully putting your body in front of his with the hopes that Dex wouldn’t shoot through.

“We can still get out of this.” You tried, feeling a deep regret settle in your stomach. “I can-“

“And do what, run? I can’t put my family through anything else, Livia.”

“Ray, please. I can’t bring your family back to you if you’re in a body bag.”

“Hey.” He put a hand on your shoulder. “Just do this the right way, alright?”

“Seema wanted me to te-“

Before you could get the sentence out, the gun fired behind you. The bullet nicked your ear but hit its mark.

You backed away with unsteady legs while Ray fell to the ground with a bullet hole in his forehead. Your gun fell from your hands as you collapsed to your knees. Almost instantly your eyes watered as you stared at the now corpse of your friend. It was almost enough to make you scream as you sat beside the man that risked everything to stand up to Fisk, to stand up for what he believed in. To protect his family.

His family.

Your heart broke for Seema and Sami, and you thought about who would give them the news. The news that you had failed. You didn’t keep him safe.

“She loves you.” You said quietly as your entire body ran cold. “Seema wanted me to tell you she loves you.”

Your hand shook as you reached for your scar and pressed it, sliding along until you heard the dial tone.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“This is.. This is Exodus.” You spoke shakily with your accent, fighting to keep control as the tears fell down your cheeks. “I’m at.. Fisk had him killed. He’s- He’s dead. I need.. I need an ambulance or police or something. Just send someone!”

“Exodus? Okay um…” The line went quiet as the operator spoke to someone else on the side, probably asking advice with a vigilante on the line. “Where are you? Who’s dead?”

“Special-“ Your voice broke. “Special Agent Rahul Nadeem. He shot him in his own backyard.”

“Did you see who killed him?”

“No.. No, he was gone before I got here. I just heard the shot.”

“Okay. We have units en route. Can you stay with Mr.Nadeem until they arrive?”

“No, I- I have to go. They’ll arrest me. I- I have to- I have to go. I can’t be here when they arrive.”

“Wait.”

“He has a wife and a son. Just tell um, tell Detective Brett Mahoney to contact Nadeem’s legal team. Someone has to tell them.”

“Ma’am, please, just wait until-“

“I can’t… I can’t, I’m sorry.”

You ended the call and looked down at Ray.

“I’m sorry, Ray. I’m so sorry.”

You sat back for a moment to pull your knees to your chest. You wrapped your arms around them and rocked slightly as you let yourself cry. You tried to keep the noise down, but small wails left your throat. When you heard the sirens down the street, you had to pull yourself together and collect your gun. With one last look, you hopped the fence and made your way back to the apartment.

You tried to push the guilt away but it came back to gnaw at you. You should’ve just killed Dex. You shouldn’t have tried to reason with him. You should’ve taken him down when you got there. Why did you reveal yourself? Why didn’t you kill him? Why didn’t you do anything?

You had your own ways for a reason. Using Matt’s wouldn’t bring back the man you knew. And it wouldn’t save anyone.

Now Ray was dead and it was your fault.

All you could do was keep moving forward. But there was nothing more Livia could do. The chance with the law and by the books was over. You wanted to stay on the path, to do things Foggy’s way - the right way - but you were at your wits end. Every time you tried to do things right, you lost. You wouldn’t lose again.

You wouldn’t dress yourself as Exodus to serve a villain. You wouldn’t dress as Exodus to serve the innocent. You would dress for revenge. You would dress to renew the sense of fear that your vigilante persona - just her name - used to invoke. To make Ben Poindexter pay for the lives he took. To make Wilson Fisk pay for the crimes he’d committed. And if they paid with their lives, so be it.

You wouldn’t be nice any longer. Both men had pushed you too far.

Killing people was easy. Making them suffer was an art, and you had spent years developing your craft. You would make them regret the moment you were made their enemy.

You ignored the phone calls from Foggy. His voicemails all said he needed to talk to you and he didn’t want to say it on a message, so you knew Brett told them what happened. Other numbers you didn’t recognize called but you ignored them too. Reporters, you figured.

On your way home, you were distracted by the distinct taste of fear. With a small noise of interest, you followed it. You weren’t necessarily shocked to see Matt was there at the source, but it was a surprise to see him with Felix Manning.

“Should’ve called.” You told him as you got to his side.

“Didn’t have time.” He shrugged with that smirk he always used to have back when you found him when you two didn’t know each other’s identities. When things were a lot simpler. “You hear what happened?“

“To Nadeem? How we fucked it up, again.”

“Yeah.” He answered in a whisper.

You nodded quietly and he frowned slightly. He reached for your arm but you crossed them over your chest and peered over the edge, looking at the knot that held Manning’s ankle. You gave the rope a small shake and the man screamed with a new wave of panic.

“What have you gotten so far?” You turned to Matt, though the mask did little to hide his expression. “Stop looking at me like that.”

He opened his mouth for a joke but you smacked his arm before he could get a word out. He laughed quietly and put his hands up in surrender.

“Fisk’s gathering a bunch of figureheads for a wedding.” Matt explained.

“Vanessa’s gonna marry him?” Your brows furrowed and Matt gave a nonchalant shrug. You leaned over the edge and yelled to Manning. “Do we get an invite?”

All he could do was scream.

“Sounds like a no.” Matt answered and you almost smiled, though Manning’s screams were rather distracting.

You groaned loudly before reaching forward. You made a small pulling motion and felt the fear draw out of him. The yellow smoke came to your hand and swirled up your arm and you felt the tingle down your spine as you absorbed it.

“I can give you something better.” Manning called from the end of the rope.

You hummed in interest and climbed to sit on the ledge, feet kicking idly as Matt sat beside you with his ankles crossed. If it hadn’t been for the man dangling just a few feet down, it would’ve been a nice moment together.

“We’re listening.” Matt said simply.

“I witnessed Ms. Marianna order the murder of Agent Nadeem. And Fisk ordered many!” He shouted and you felt a new wave of anger run down your spine. You ground your teeth and balled your hands into fists. Matt’s hand came up to your jaw and pressed gently on the joint to make you release the tension. You made a small noise and took his hand off your face, holding it between your own and dropping into your lap. “Agent Winn. Julie Barnes. I could testify!”

“Где был этот парень раньше?” You muttered and Matt nudged you with his shoulder. “Мог бы позволить ему умереть вместо Рэя.” (Where was this guy earlier? Could’ve let him die instead of Ray.)

“Будь милым.” Matt said with light amusement in his voice. He knew what happened to Ray upset you and he figured you would blame yourself. But at least your words were what he was used to. “Мы могли бы его использовать.” (Be nice. We could use him.)

“Hang on..” You realized and peered over the edge. “We know Winn and Nadeem. Did you say Julie Barnes?”

“Yes! Yes, he did!”

You let out a laugh in celebration and the sound seemed misplaced in the current situation. That was exactly what you had been waiting for. Confirmation. Confirmation of the one thing that could snap Dex, in every sense of the word. Confirmation that Julie Barnes, the woman that he had been obsessing over since before you met him, was dead and that Fisk was to blame.

“Help me get him up.” You told Matt quickly as you climbed back to the roof.

“Why?” Matt asked, though he followed suit.

“Ты хотел подтолкнуть Декса на грань? Вот как мы это делаем.” You answered quickly and he nodded quietly. (You wanted to push Dex to the brink? This is how we do it.)

You got Manning to tell you everything you needed to know about Julie. How she was killed. Where she was killed. Where her body currently was. Everything you needed to throw in Dex’s face and break whatever was left.

A day or two later, you were standing at a press conference at the bureau. It was an official statement regarding Ray and Agent Winn’s deaths. Hattley claimed Ray was mentally unstable, that Karen was a liar and the alleged 911 call from Exodus was fake. You almost laughed when Hattley had to redirect questions about Exodus finding the body, but she admitted it was an agent who killed him, under the guise of self-defense.

You tried to duck out of the office following the press conference but a hand wrapped around your arm tightly. You let out a small wince when you were yanked back before you were redirected and pushed towards one of the conference rooms. You were able to yank your arm free just outside the door, where you saw Seema sitting inside.

“What the hell is this?” You asked sharply as you spun on Dex. “You wanna rub salt in her wounds?”

“She came to us, said she wants to see Ray’s lawyers.” He explained simply.

“So what?”

“So call them.”

“Why? So you can put a bullet in them too?”

“If you don’t, I’ll put a bullet in you.”

“You should’ve done it last time. Too late now.”

“Really wanna do this here?” His brows raised. You glanced around, noting the mostly empty hall. The only other agents were ones you remembered seeing at that meeting. You were outnumbered and while you could likely handle the ordeal, a shoot out in the office wasn’t something you wanted to instigate with everything else you had going on. “You’re so paranoid, Aly. I’ll call him myself. Not like anyone’s gonna hurt him.” Dex smirked and began to back away.

“Dex.” You called out and he paused, allowing you to move closer. “Are you happy now? Ray’s dead. Seema and Sami are alone. Fisk is getting married. Daredevil’s image is shot… Is that what you wanted?”

He chuckled weakly and nodded. “I thought all this empathy crap was done.”

You gave a weak shrug. It wasn’t even an attempt to change his mind. It was just you being an asshole. “One last shot, I guess… Maybe you were right after all. You don’t love me, not anymore at least. You’re incapable of loving anyone, of feeling anything.”

“Careful, Livia. You’re getting predictable.” He tapped a finger under your chin and left.

You huffed a sigh and shot a quick text to Foggy, asking him to come to the bureau. You headed back to the main office and began busying yourself with some paperwork until your friend arrived.

A sharp whistle drew your attention and you looked up to see Dex waving you over. You got to his side as Foggy lifted his phone to take a picture, one you were just in time to smile for.

“Posted to my campaign webpage, and the tens of thousands of police officers that know that I’m here. With you. Helping.” Foggy said firmly and you tried to hide the proud smile.

“Relax, Mr. Nelson. You’re not in any danger.” Dex said lowly, a hand landing on your lower back that you almost jumped away from. “Agent Yersova even came to help put you at ease.”

You jammed an elbow into his ribs and he laughed slightly.

“Besides, you’ll be very useful when you’re the next district attorney.”

“Why am I here?” Foggy looked to you.

“Because you and Ray were friends.” Dex answered instead and you rolled your eyes.

“If you’re expecting him to answer questions, it’ll break privilege, even if the client’s dead.” You explained.

“I’m not asking him to.” It was Dex’s turn to roll his eyes. “Follow me.”

Dex led you and Foggy back to the room where you saw Seema waiting. You wanted to offer her a sincere apology, to comfort her and admit that it was your fault Ray was dead, but Hattley’s presence made you keep those thoughts to yourself.

“We’ll give you the room. Take all the time you need.” Hattley said after a brief exchange between Dex and Seema.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” You managed and she looked at you with slight tears in her eyes. “Ray was a good man.”

Dex’s hand fit tightly to your elbow and he dragged you away. You all left Foggy with Seema and stepped back into the hall.

“Suck it up.” Dex sneered.

“I’m only doing this because I have to.” Hattley snapped back before the two split ways. You let out a sigh and headed back to your desk.

You decided you were going to leave again at lunch, figuring your time at that job was limited anyway so why be a good agent anymore. You had just dropped into your chair, a small cloud of blue proofing out as you did, when Dex grabbed your arm and hauled you away again. You sucked in a breath between gritted teeth and you knew there’d be a bruise there by the end of the day. When you two got to a secluded area, he pushed you against the wall and put his call on speaker. He held a hand against your mouth and your brows furrowed, though you showed no other reaction. You decided against fighting back, knowing it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Plus, you were intrigued.

“I’ve got some free time now. Why don’t we meet up?” Dex said, keeping eye contact with you while pressing that forearm against your chest near your throat as a threat.

“I have a question.” Matt’s voice came from the other side and your eyes went a bit wider. Dex offered a slight smirk as he caught your expression. “Did you enjoy the feeling you got when you killed those birdies? Is that why you’re still killing?”

“Birdies?”

“The ones you killed with rocks. I bet it felt good at first, right?”

“Stop.” You tried, your voice muffled from behind Dex’s hand and he pushed your head to bang against the wall.

“Then it’s never the same after that.”

You put one hand on his chest and the other on his wrist and tried to push Dex off. He growled slightly and pressed harder, causing you to release a small noise when the pressure hit your chest and then a sharp sensation erupted from your still healing stab wound.

“Who was that?” Matt asked suddenly.

“Your little girlfriend.” Dex taunted and you struggled against him, but he leaned into you with more of his body weight. “She’s a pretty little thing, isn’t she? ‘Specially when she’s helpless.”

“What do you think Dr. Mercer would say if she could see you now?” Matt continued and you sighed. You wondered if he was purposefully not showing a reaction or if it just didn’t bother him.

You leaned back into the wall and Dex noticed your shift away from him. Dex’s eyes darted between yours but you knew yours were empty. There was no feeling behind your eyes when you looked at Dex, and he recognized that. He recognized that you no longer saw him the same.

Slowly he leaned away but held a finger to his lips to gesture for you to keep quiet. Maybe it actually hurt him for you to give up on him.

Good.

“Got a second?” He spoke finally. “I need a tissue for all the tears I’m crying over my shitty childhood.”

“Have you heard from your friend Julie lately?”

“Что ты делаешь?” You whispered as your brows furrowed, trying to figure out Matt’s plan. You two had talked about bringing it up to Dex together so you could guarantee neither of you were at risk. Why do it now? (What are you doing?)

“You wanna talk to Dr. Mercer, asshole? Keep talking. Or I could send your girlfriend instead.”

“What do you think she’d say if she knew about the innocent people you killed?” Matt continued. “I bet she’d be disappointed, Dex.”

“If she was still alive.” You mumbled.

Dex’s attention snapped to you and a hand was quick to come around your throat to force you back against the wall. The air left your lungs while his hand gripped you tighter and you cursed Matt for starting problems.

“If you hurt Julie-“ He threatened lowly and lifted so your feet could barely reach the ground.

“I never touched her.” You choked out. “She was innocent.”

“Did he?”

“Fisk had her killed. He knew what she meant to you so he killed her, gave himself a chance to replace her as your North Star.” You answered quickly.

He was quiet for a moment while he took in your expression. When he believed you weren’t lying, he eased off.

“When he realized he couldn’t kill me, he went after her… She was an easy mark. I'm sorry. There was nothing I could do.” You added while rubbing your tender throat and he gave a slow nod.

“Don’t tell me that’s sympathy in your voice, Ex.” Matt said.

“Shut up.” You snapped quickly.

“Don’t feel bad for a guy who’s tried to kill us both, multiple times.”

“Shut. Up. It’s not about him.”

“You should stick to beating on people in alleys, cause you’re not gonna get in my head.” Dex said tightly, though you could feel something underlying in his words. It almost felt like.. grief.

Maybe there was something more than a flicker left in Dex. But that wouldn’t change anything. It couldn’t.

“You don’t have to believe us.. Then again, you may wanna ask how I got Manning’s phone.”

“Don’t know, don’t care.” Dex answered sharply.

“Julie wouldn’t approve of your killing people, Dex.”

“Stop. Saying. Her name.” Dex practically growled. The familiar heart of his rage hit you. The soft spot he had for you may have faded away, but he’d always feel a certain way for Julie.

“You said you got some free time? You may wanna check out 16 Canal Place.”

“Why?”

The line cut out after that. Dex slowly turned to face you and your sidestepped carefully to ensure your back was no longer against the wall.

“What’s at Canal Place?” He asked tightly.

“Julie…” You answered quietly. Beneath the surface you were adding to the pressure of his anger, trying to break him. “I’m sorry, Dex. I know she was important to you.”

“What the hell is your deal?” He asked angrily and you took another step back. “What- What- What do you gain from all of this?”

“I had no part in this.” You countered firmly, forgetting about your game for a moment. “All of this-“ You gestured between you two. “-was done without me knowing.”

“Bullshit.” He scoffed.

“I wouldn’t taunt you with this. You know me better than that.”

“Do I?”

“Don’t believe me then.” You shrugged. “I don’t care anymore. I tried being nice, didn’t work. I tried being a bitch, kind of working. I tried empathy, didn’t work.” You pushed past him.

“Where are you going?” He called after you.

“Away from you.”

That night, you took a trip to Canal Place dressed in your latest, modified vigilante costume - compression shirt and vest. You still hadn’t patched your full suit and top. You arrived a few minutes ahead of Dex, but he wasn’t your point. You made your way to the roof and found Matt already there. You made sure to keep your distance, knowing you’d punch him in the teeth if you got too close.

“Wanna tell me what the hell that was on the phone?” You asked simply.

“I knew he wasn’t gonna hurt you.” Matt reasoned as he pulled the black mask off.

“That’s not the point. We were gonna do it together.”

“I needed to make sure.”

“Of what?”

“That you hadn’t gone soft.”

“So you play with my life?”

“C’mon, Livvy.” He scoffed. “He wasn’t gonna kill you.”

“The bruise around my neck says otherwise.” You countered angrily.

His body language shifted and you saw the flex of his hand. He ran a stressed hand over his mouth before he spoke again.

“You said it yourself. He loves you.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“That’s not what-“

“Well I was wrong.” You cut in quickly.

“You’re never wrong about this stuff.”

“You think that excuses any of that?” You laughed and moved closer. “You think that excuses you pushing him when I’m the one that would’ve had to deal with the fallout?”

“You could’ve protected yourself if he tried anything.”

“So that’s it? You put me in the line of fire and taunt the most unstable man I’ve ever met, just because you can? Just because I can fight back.”

“Were you honestly afraid?” He asked carefully, head cocking in interest.

You thought about the interaction and didn’t remember feeling afraid. In fact, you felt completely in control without touching your abilities in that regard.

“He felt something.” You said instead. “When you talked about Julie… Grief.”

“So what?”

“So that means there might still be something worth saving in him. That used to be what you stood for, Matt. That chance used to be enough.”

“Oh come on.” He scoffed. “What happened to the woman that was ready to kill him?”

“And what happened to the man that didn’t wanna kill anyone? What happened to the altar boy that believed everyone could change, that just a small piece of goodness was enough for another chance? Where’s the man from that rooftop with Frank, who had a gun to his head, but still insisted on preaching about giving people a chance to change?”

“What do you want me to do, huh?” He asked loudly. “You want me to- to take the guy to therapy? Hold his hand and promise it’ll be okay? The guy’s psycho! And he’s dangerous.”

Your remark was cut off by a loud scream. A sound of pure agony that you almost swore was accompanied by the sharp sound of a snap and a shaky wave of heat. It was an uneven, broken feeling that had bits of cold air weaved in between. It was as if the anger was cracking and the sadness was patching the gaps.

You turned to face Matt again but he was already holding a ringing phone in front of him. You took a few steps closer.

“When I find you…” Dex threatened lowly.

“Like we said, Fisk killed her and we all know it.” Matt countered smoothly.

“Think about it, Dex.” You added on. “Who got Julie the job in the hotel, right after the detail starts? Who started following you? It’s all been Fisk.”

“You let him turn you into a murderer!” Matt kept going. You knew you should stop him, that he was pushing too hard. You started to feel a bit of regret for what you had to do to Dex, but you also knew you needed him to turn against Fisk.

Besides, you didn’t owe him anything anymore.

“He wasn’t gonna let someone like Julie get in the way of that.” You offered, gentler than the venom Matt spoke with.

“Why are you telling me this?” Dex asked lamely, as if everything he had - everything that mattered - was gone. And for him, maybe it was.

“Aw, Dex..” You said quietly, more to yourself than either of the boys. Matt scoffed lightly and stepped away, adding a comment about Fisk and the wedding before ending the call.

“You can’t tell me that you really care about him still.” Matt said angrily. “After everything he’s done to us.”

“I’m allowed to feel bad for ruining a man’s entire mental state just to take down a different man.” You answered sarcastically. “Regardless if I care about him or not.”

“You didn’t ruin that guy. There was hardly anything to ruin.”

“There used to be..”

“Who’s side are you on, Livia? Because you can’t have everything.”

“No, but I can remember the guy he was before. Matt, he helped save my life, kept me from bleeding out on the way to the hospital.”

“That makes up for everything. Why didn’t you mention it sooner?” He offered sarcastically.

“Why are you so bitter?” You shouted. “You have everyone back and it’s still not enough.”

He simply shook his head.

“Why are you so hell bent on destroying him?”

“He killed Father Lantom!” Matt screamed, new anger rolling off him. “But that doesn’t matter, right? Because he lost someone too.”

“That’s not what I’m saying! I cared about Lantom, too.”

“Not like I did.”

“Okay, I’ll give you that, but-“

“But nothing. Just because you slept with him doesn’t make him worth anything.”

“Say that again.” You said lowly, your head tilting with a slight challenge. Your muscles tightened and your hands flexed as you crossed your arms to wake the devices around your wrists. “I dare you.”

He sighed heavily and lifted his hands in surrender.

“Y’know, you’re making it so hard to want to help you. And at this point, I don’t know if you’re doing it on purpose or if you are just that pathetic now.”

“I’m pathetic… Okay.” He mumbled with a scoff before turning away from you.

“I may be a bitch and I may be a killer, but at least I don’t willingly treat people that love me like shit. At least I feel bad when I’ve hurt someone I used to care about… But I guess you just don’t care anymore, right? You left your conscience under Midland, right?”

“You know that’s not true.” He sighed, almost visibly deflating. “I’m doing this because I-“

“Don’t give me that shit.” You cut in firmly, taking quick strides to stand in front of him. “I’m so goddamn tired of that excuse from you, Matt.” Your finger jammed into his chest. “You’re not protecting anyone by being an asshole.. All you’re doing is becoming exactly what you want to protect this city from. You’re becoming what Exodus used to be. Now I look like the soft one. The weak one.”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to! Jesus Christ, how many times do we have to have this same conversation before it gets through your head?” You tapped his temple quickly before pushing his head away.

“I understand that we’re different now. I never said we could go back to what we were. You’re the one who said you can’t have both.”

“I never said that.”

“In the van with Ray. You said that you had to give up certain people and you looked right at me.”

“For the love of..” You muttered before a disbelieving laugh. “I wasn’t saying that I wanted to give you up. I meant that you gave us up. You won’t let yourself have it both ways.”

“Right, because you’re not one to self-sabotage to try torture yourself? You- You don’t ruin anything good in your life to try and make up for all the bad shit you’ve done?”

You stood in silence for a moment, mouth opening to defend yourself but your voice keeping quiet. You wanted to talk back, to tell him that he was an idiot. You wanted to scold him for not truly understanding why you had done everything you had, why you had sabotaged so many relationships in the past. But that was what he wanted. He wanted to keep egging you on that way, maybe you’d be pissed off enough to be like the old you. The one who was so angry with the way the world was that you were going to kill anyone you thought would fix it. And as tempting as it was, as justified as you felt your anger would be, someone needed to keep a level head.

But also, it wasn’t for his sake. It was Ray’s voice lingering in the back of your mind, serving as the safety on your otherwise unrelenting trigger finger.

Just do this the right way, alright?

“Whatever. Think what you want about me.” You shrugged and your devices disarmed. He must’ve heard the current shut off because his brows raised with interest. “I’m gonna go patch my suit and head to the Presidential. If I see you, you better have your goddamn head on straight.”

“Держись подальше от меня сегодня вечером.” He said simply, causing a small scoff from your chest. (Stay out my way tonight.)

“Забавно. Я собирался сказать тебе то же самое.” (Funny. I was going to tell you the same thing.)

You headed home after that, ignoring whatever snarky comment he made when you turned your back. You got home quickly and pulled your suit from the closet. It was the first time you had seen it since the attack on the church. The blood was still soaked into the fabric, the gaping hole in the center. It brought you back to that night and the scar on your stomach burned.

You pushed through it and gave it a thorough wash before repairing the damage, not perfectly but enough to get through the night. You fit it in place and zipped the familiar top over it. As you were sliding your gloves on, you found the small insignias you had carved into the forearm plates. A small skull and two overlapping D’s.

Matt and Frank, Punisher and Daredevil. The two men that were able to sneak through your guards and understand who you were. The two men who knew what you stood for and stood beside you.

The two most important people left in your life.

You fit the rest of your equipment on; boots, Bites, belt, staff pack, and mask. You thought a lot on your way to the hotel. You thought about your relationships with Dex and Matt.

There was no way to repair the damage between you and Dex. You wouldn’t be friends or anything romantic when the night ended. The latter you could deal with, but losing the former was a bit of a bummer. Dex was damaged and your influence probably made it worse. You had a hand in breaking whatever structure and balance Dex had. You used him as a pawn in your game with Fisk and he was ultimately the one to suffer.

You and Matt had been back and forth since he came back. One night he’s begging you to stay and the next he tries to make you the bad guy for being human - for being exactly what he wanted you to be when you had first met. Despite that, despite his uncharacteristic bloodlust as of late, you couldn’t turn your back on him.

You still loved him, after all.

You moved through the parking garage with ease. You came across an abandoned SUV and when you went to check it, you instantly regretted it. In the passenger seat sat Julie’s frozen corpse.

“We really did it this time, didn’t we?” You mumbled to yourself before you heard the groans of the nearby agent on the ground. You moved to his side and grabbed his face to turn him towards you.

“Where’d he go?” You asked firmly, to which he continued his pained sounds. “Where is Poindexter?” You urged again.

He pointed weakly towards the door to the stairwell so you left him on the floor and began your climb. As you climbed, you called Matt.

But he didn’t answer.

You tapped your mask to track the microphone you had left him with and saw he was already a few levels ahead of you. You blew out a sigh and decided to call Foggy instead.

“Hey.” He said with a relieved sigh. “Please tell me-“

“He’s already here.. They both are.” You cut in as you leaned over the bar to angle a shot for your wire towards one of the higher railings. “I’m on my way to them.”

“You have to stop him, Ex.”

You smiled to yourself as your wire looped around the metal. You climbed over and began a quicker ascend.

“Well I’ve tried that, a lot, and it’s not working.” You said simply, mentally counting off floors as you passed. “We need to try something different.”

“Like what?”

“Like a bluff.”

“A bluff?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay… I’m not following.”

“Clearly.” You mumbled as you swung your feet over the final railing. “What I’m saying is what if I stay out of his way.”

“You wanna let him do it?”

“You really think he will?” You asked simply as you unwrapped and tucked away your wire.

“Right now, I don’t know what he’ll do.”

“The guy we know is still in there.. I know it sounds crazy but it’ll work. He wouldn’t know whether I mean it or not. He can’t read me the way he reads everyone else. I don’t let him.”

He was quiet for a moment, likely getting Karen’s opinion.

“But what if it doesn’t work? What if.. we lose him forever?”

“You gotta trust me.”

“I do but… Is it worth the risk of losing him?”

“I get it. But I don’t see any other option. He has to see for himself that he’s too good to do it.”

“If he can’t, are you going to?”

“Not unless I have to.”

“Will you stop him?”

“I don’t know.”

You ended the call, not allowing any other argument from Foggy. Instead, you pushed into the hall and practically sprinted to the ceremony. As you were coming up on the doors, your implant picked up on Ray’s voice. You didn’t know what it was, some sort of deathbed confession maybe, but it made your chest tight.

As you moved, you passed agent after agent on the ground. Labored breathing or groans of pain came from the bodies and you were moderately relieved that they weren’t dead. At least he had some restraint left, whichever one did all of it.

“I’d like to make a toast.” Dex said shakily from the stage as you entered the ballroom. “Julie and I wish you the absolute best.”

Dex pulled back to throw the microphone so you sprung into action. A serving tray came flying in front of Fisk and the microphone bounced off as you were passing by. Dex looked between you and who you assumed was Matt. You noticed his attention on something behind you and you turned just in time to see the agents lift their guns.

You dropped to the floor and ducked behind one of the tables. When the shots faltered you came out and hopped the table. With both hands on the surface, you kicked out and sent one agent falling into the one behind him. You took a disc from your belt and tossed it, highly charged bolts shooting out of the small device at the two agents. They fell with tight convulsions before Dex threw silverware that landed in their necks.

Matt took off and you were quick to follow him, leaving Dex and the remaining agents in the ballroom. The gunshots echoed throughout the halls as you ran and it sent a chill down your spine.

You noticed the annoyed shake of Matt’s head but you said nothing. You followed him up to the room that covered Fisk’s control center.

He burst in first with you close behind. He acted quickly and threw one of the men towards you. You reacted instantly and pulled a staff. You had to duck his flailing arms so you swung the weapon to knock his legs from under him. Once the agent fell to his back, you slammed the weapon against his temple. You flicked out the blade and moved at the agent Matt threw to the sofa.

Acting quickly, you slammed the blade through his shoulder and pin him to the furniture while you woke your Bites. Aiming one at the man beside you and one over Matt’s shoulder, you fired both and the men fell limp.

As Matt spoke to the woman, you recollected your weapon and placed it back in the pack.

“Подожди.” You called as Matt was headed to the stairs. (Wait.)

“Don’t try to stop me either, Ex.” He said tightly.

“Я не собирался.” You offered but he turned away from you. You groaned and moved forward, grabbing his arm to force him to stay put. “Я просто хотел сказать, что я с тобой... Что бы ты ни решил сделать.” (I wasn’t going to. I just wanted to say that I’m with you… Whatever you decide to do.)

“Правда?” He asked carefully, a hand handing on your arm and his fingers landing between the plates. “И если я действительно убью его?” (Really? And if I actually kill him?)

You gave a small smile as your other hand landed on his chest, right over his heart. You heard the door close as the woman ran off.

“Whatever you decide.” You said honestly.

He offered a small smirk before taking his hand off your arm and moving it to your neck. Before you could voice a question, his opposite hand slid the zipper down a few inches so the fingers on your neck could move under the collar of your suit.

“Tell me one more time.” He said lowly and for just a second, it was like old times. “Just to be sure.”

With a small smile, you let your meticulous control drop. For the first time in months, you were completely vulnerable. Every emotion, every physiological reaction, every tell you could possibly have, it was all on the table for Matt to read. And he knew it.

“I’m on your side, Matty. No matter what.” You said truthfully. And you knew the night would end in a way that favored you and your friends.

He gave a small smile and let out a sigh of relief. His hand went to the back of your neck and he pulled you closer. The other arm looped around your waist and your arms came loosely around him.

You fixed your mental guards and allowed a moment to survey what Matt was feeling. There was tension in his muscles, likely anticipatory for what was to come once you entered that suite. He was determined but also worried. There was an underlying excitement, the subtle type he always seemed to get before a fight. There was also a hint of confusion.

That was what you were looking for. Something to pull to the surface that could interfere with his initial plans.

Slipping a mental hook into that feeling, you pulled away and tapped his arm to follow you. You moved up the stairs and zipped your shirt the rest of the way up. When you hit the door to the suite, you woke your Bites and gripped one of your blades tightly. Matt’s hand landed on your lower back and when you turned to him, he gave you a quick nod.

You took a steadying breath before opening the door and walking in, ensuring your head was high as Matt followed behind you. As you entered the hall, Fisk and Vanessa came from the other end.

The tension in the air grew thicker with every breath. Fisk’s eyes went wide for a minute, flicking to the gleaming blade in your hand and the ominous red glow of your favored devices. Vanessa swallowed hard and took a fearful step back to try and hide behind her new husband.

“It’s over.” Matt said lowly, the familiar gravelly voice of the Devil coming through.

“Run.” Fisk said to Vanessa, pushing her back the way they came.

“This ends.” You warned with words tinted in your accent.

Fisk snarled slightly before bracing himself. Matt shifted beside you and your stance widened while you shifted your weight to your toes. They screamed at each other before they charged, Matt slamming into Fisk with enough force for them both to crash into something in the bedroom. You hurried in the same direction and caught Vanessa trying to race down the stairs.

You wouldn’t kill her, only sparing her life to fulfill your promise to Ray, but you’d have some fun in the meantime.

You flung your knife and watched the tip bury itself in her dress and pin it to the floor. As you were coming around the ledge, Matt and Fisk crashed through the wall. You were going to intervene but Matt fought back so you turned back to Vanessa.

You gripped the railings on either side and kicked both feet into her side. The sharp rip of fabric sounded as she tumbled down the stairs with loud exclamations. You recollected your blade and hopped the railing to follow her just as Matt sent Fisk tumbling the same way.

You landed in time to see Vanessa backing away from the door, a familiar bitter taste settling in your tongue. You spit on the floor in an effort to clear it but it lingered as you saw Dex enter the room.

You groaned inwardly as your small crowd seemed to freeze at his appearance. When it seemed no one else would move, you did. You moved around the table to put yourself in front of the bride.

As you rounded the table, you placed a hand on the ledge to allow you room to spin your legs and connect both feet with Dex’s jaw. He reached angrily for you but you threw yourself backwards. From the far end of the table, you saw Matt land from the upper level and move in against Dex.

You slid off the table and dropped to a low crouch. You snuck beside Vanessa and kicked her legs from underneath her. You pinned a knee against her chest and aimed one of your devices. You angled for a well-placed shot that would hurt but not kill her, only to be thrown off by Matt’s off balance body.

You groaned in annoyance and shoved your partner off you. In your own lull of action, you heard Fisk and Dex going at it from the other end of the room. You paused for a second to watch, only to realize that your former partner had little to no defense against Fisk. The best he could do was evade and try to put distance and gain an advantage.

He was sloppy, uncaring even. He wasn’t just broken. He has completely fallen apart.

You looked between a still fallen Vanessa and the quick paced fight ahead and decided on something more exciting. When Fisk threw Dex against the stairs, you inserted yourself.

You grabbed both staffs before getting to the side of Fisk. You stepped up the railing and reached around his neck to cross both sticks. You quickly moved your feet to be on the back end of the plexiglass and extended the limbs, holding tight with your staffs to pull the man off Dex. His ragged coughs drew an old, sadistic smile from you and the manic daze you knew all too well began to cloud your mind.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Dex stand and attempt to charge at you and Fisk. With a quick move, you jumped the railing and dug an elbow into Fisk’s spine for stability. When Dex was close enough, you slammed both feet into his chest. The impact sent him stumbling through the glass behind him and you were pushed the other direction.

When you hit the ground, you released the cross of your staffs and snuck between Fisk’s legs. You hooked a stick around either ankle and pulled forward as you slid your other leg through so you would spin to face him as he fell to his back. One staff was returned to the pack as you flicked out the long blade of the other.

“Ты больше никому не обидишь” You said simply and you placed a foot on his stomach. (You’ll never hurt anyone else again.)

You gripped your weapon with both hands and lifted it high above your head, the tip of the blade on a direct path to his chest. You let out a loud scream, one born out of pent up rage and pain that seemed to add heat to the blade in your hand, while you began to drive the knife down.

As your blade was mere inches from penetrating, you were slammed into from your side. The collision sent you rolling and your staff clattered from your hands. You heard the commotion continue and you pushed yourself to your elbows to see Fisk and Matt back in a fight, Matt getting body slammed through the table.

For a second, you hoped it would knock some sense into him. But that thought was shortly entertained because you were yanked to your feet by your hair.

You were spun roughly and a hand fit your throat, backing you up until you hit the wall. You let out a manic laugh when you saw it was Dex.

“Was it worth it?” You sneered. “Killing Julie.”

“I didn’t kill her.” He nearly screamed in your face before slamming you back again.

“But you did.” You nodded fervently. “If you didn’t try to make her love you-“

His free hand collided with the brick near your head and you acted quickly.

You grabbed the wrist around your throat and braced a foot at the bend of his hip. Your thumb dug into the space between bones at his wrist and he winced as his grip faltered. You stepped up using his own leg as leverage and hooked the other leg around his shoulder. You balled one fist in the suit material of the base of his neck and pulled to reveal enough skin that you could wedge you let Bite against. You fired the device and he yelled loudly while his hands gripped the back of your knees.

He slammed your body into the hard brick wall and you coughed roughly as the impact sent a jolt through the old fracture in your ribs. He pulled back to slam you again but you pulled the foot you had against his leg to flatten against the wall and change the angle of your body.

You slid your hands to grip the suit before kicking off and throwing yourself to the floor while Dex landed beside you. You quickly knelt on top of Dex and landed heavy hits to his face, forcing head to bounce off the ground. One of his hands were flailing to find something to use as a weapon and before you could block, he found your other staff and swung it at your jaw. You fell off and got to your hands and knees before he threw your staff at the glass chandelier above where Matt and Fisk were fighting.

Matt was quick to get out of the way, which left Fisk vulnerable to Dex’s barrage of attacks. You hurried over to the wreckage and recollected your staff before you decided what to do next. Dex’s focus shifted to Matt, which allowed you to go after Fisk. You turned to find him and saw him give Vanessa his jacket, a product of Melvin’s handiwork you assumed.

She met your eyes in a panic as you jumped the couch and began your assault. You alternated your hits, switching hands and angles. You mixed in body shots and elbows and knees. Vanessa’s hand landed on your shoulder and you reacted almost instantly.

You grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm outwards. You hooked a foot behind her ankle and slammed your other arm against her chest to knock her to the floor. She coughed heavily from the impact and you reached down for your knife. You smiled as you pressed the tip against the underside of her chin.

“You had Ray killed.” You spoke lowly, a heavy venom dripping from your accented words. “I should kill you for it.”

“But you won’t?” She managed, jerking under your weight in a desperate attempt to get you off of her.

“I do enjoy revenge.” Your head tilted as you pierced the skin slightly and you watched the steady stream of blood across her skin. “But using you to torture him is much more fun.”

You heard Fisk’s heavy footsteps behind you so you moved quickly. You quickly jumped to your feet and dragged Vanessa up with you, locking an arm around her throat while other held the tip of the knife against her sternum,

“Let her go, Alivia.” Fisk said carefully, hands out in front as if to soothe a wild animal. “She’s done nothing.”

“You consider Rahul Nadeem nothing?” You spoke sharply, pressing the knife a bit harder to hear a sharp gasp from Vanessa. “What do you say, hmm? A life for a life.”

“You don’t trade lives!”

“Исход делает.” You shrugged. (Exodus does.)

The loud shatter of glass beside you stole your attention for a second, but it was all Fisk needed. He yanked your hand away from his wife’s chest and pushed her away. With a tight grip on your wrist, he bent it back to point your own knife back at you. He backed you against the wall and you had to use your other hand to keep your own weapon away. His fingers locked around your own, not allowing you to drop your blade.

With a sly smile, you allowed your powers to reach out to the boys that came crashing through the window moments ago. You found that soft spot they both had for you, one was much easier to find than the other, and you yanked it to the surface. You projected a fear, a helplessness, while refusing to break eye contact with Fisk,

“You have no power here.” You said quietly as you heard the glass shifting. “You’ll lose.”

“Not until I’ve buried you.” He spoke roughly, pushing the knife again and you felt the tip poking through your suit and into your shoulder.

“I’m not afraid to die.”

You let your other hand drop and the knife pierced your shoulder completely with a sharp cry of pain. At the same time, two glass shards came flying in and punctured his abdomen. You offered a salute to Dex as a way of thanking him before Matt began an offense against him again. You turned back to Fisk as he pulled the bloody glass out.

You made a small noise of interest as you moved in, momentarily forgetting about the knife in you. You threw a sharp kick at the open wound and he cried out. You laughed slightly and kicked again. And again.

You reached forward and pressed your knuckles against the wound and watched the blood spurt across your hand. You pulled back and grabbed the man by his face, the other grabbing his shirtfront, and slammed him to the ground.

“You’re pathetic.” You sneered. “You’re nothing without your toys.”

You saw Dex fall from the corner of your eye and when you glanced, you saw him already locked in on Vanessa. You groaned to yourself and pushed off Fisk, hurrying up the stairs to yank Vanessa out of the way. The ceramic ashtray flew by your heads and shattered against the wall. You gripped Vanessa by her throat and threw her back against the plexiglass, leaning a knee into her chest to pin her down.

You turned back to the fight in time to see Fisk slam Dex into the corner of the brick. Your pressure on Vanessa eased slightly as something dropped heavy into the pit of your stomach. You shifted the glow to your Bites to blue and slid your knee over to allow a clearer shot to her chest.

Once Matt and Fisk found each other again, you hopped down the stairs and knelt on Dex’s chest. Your other foot pressed on his shoulder as you drew your gun. You pressed the barrel under his chin and he gasped for air beneath you.

Something was wrong. You knew it immediately, before you even got close to Dex. As your weight was bearing down on him, you were tense as you waited for a response. You waited for him to try and throw you off, to pull a knife or a gun of his own. You expected him to toss you around like a rag doll, only for you to come back at him relentlessly. But he did nothing…

“Fight back.” You demanded softly, your voice seemingly gone.

“Li- Livia.” He choked out.

The cold seemed to radiate from his chest and stick to the fabric pressed against him. There was regret, likely stemming from whatever injury the impact caused, and sadness. He truly had nothing and he finally understood that, laying on the ground with his former partner pressing a gun to his head.

“Dammit, Poindexter. Fight. Back”. You pressed the gun harder.

“Can’t.” He managed weakly.

You stood slowly, keeping a foot on his wrist and your gun aimed while the other hand hit your mask’s side button. You glanced over his body and saw the complete shatter of his vertebrae.

“You owe whatever pathetic life you have left to Ray… I won't offer this mercy again.” You said simply.

“Stop it, please!” Vanessa shouted desperately.

You turned quickly and saw Matt had Fisk on his knees and was pounding on him. You turned the aim of your gun on Vanessa and moved to stand beside Matt. Despite looking away from the woman, your gun stayed up as you faced Matt and yanked your blade from your shoulder.

His hands were positioned to finish it, to snap Fisk’s neck. You found yourself frozen in place as you waited for what he would do next. Part of you, the part manufactured from the Red Room, wanted to see him do it. You wanted to corrupt the Devil, to bloody his hands in a way he’d never clear.

But the more important part, the part you thought you had lost a long time ago, knew you didn’t want to see him do it. Seeing him do it would make it too real and it would change the way he saw himself and the way you would see him. The things that made him Matt Murdock would break if he did it.

Yet you did nothing. Not until he screamed. A sound of pure rage and agony that was paired with a blast of searing heat. Matt fell to his knees at your feet, reaching for your hand. But before he could take it, Fisk’s words drew your action.

“I will never stop hunting Karen Page or Foggy Nelson.” He warned, though there was defeat in his words.

You moved to stand in front of him and placed the gun against his forehead. He simply glared up at you, covered in his own blood. “I will tell the world who both of you really are.”

“I don’t care about the world.” You spat back, pressing your knee against his chest to knock him into the wall. You leaned your weight down and he coughed as the bony part of your leg dug into his sternum. “It has taken enough from me… You don’t get to do that anymore.”

“Wilson.” Vanessa tried from the other end of the room.

“Vanessa, please go. Please!” He shouted around you.

You turned quickly and fired a shot at Vanessa’s feet, to which she jumped back and screamed. You pressed the now hot barrel back to its prior position as Matt got to his feet.

“You.. You want us to kill you.” Matt realized through heavy breaths.

“No prison can keep me.” Fisk taunted and you had to grind your teeth. “You know that… Come on, kill me! Isn’t that what you always wanted, Exodus?”

Your trigger finger itched but Matt spoke before you could act.

“No!” Matt yelled in response. You made a face to yourself and knew you should pull the gun back you didn’t, not even when Matt came to your side to yell at Fisk. “God knows I want to, but you don’t get to destroy who I am.”

You almost smiled in relief, but the thump of worry lived in the back of your mind. You could feel Vanessa’s concern for Fisk, her worry that he would die in front of her. Her helplessness plagued you like a magnet to metal and for a moment, you remembered when you felt the same way.

When Luke dragged you to the elevator without Matt. When Fisk said Matt’s name in front of other agents.

“You will go back to prison and you will live the rest of your miserable life in a cage, knowing you’ll never have Vanessa. That this city rejected you, it beat you. We beat you!” Matt demanded and you were proud he found a way back to himself.

“You will keep our secrets.” You spoke simply, putting your gun away to yank the man to the ground. You flicked one of your shock discs at him and pressed a foot against his broad chest. You leaned into your foot and twisted to ensure the small circle engaged and he groaned loudly as you heard the electricity crackle while you leaned the entirety of your weight against him. Matt knelt beside you and lifted his mask before he spoke.

“And you won’t harm Karen Page or Foggy Nelson or anyone else.”

“If you try it, I will go after your wife. And I will prove that she ordered the murder of Agent Rahul Nadeem. And if she’s lucky, she’ll spend the rest of her life in a cell, same as her miserable excuse of a husband.”

You stepped off his chest and tapped Matt’s arm before taking a few steps away. Matt replaced his mask and came to your side as Vanessa inched closer, her uncertainty coming off in shaky waves.

“Thank you.” She said shakily, reaching for your hand.

“I didn’t do it for either of you.” You said sharply. “And I will not extend this mercy again, to any of you.”

She nodded quietly before moving away, leaving you to stand beside an unsteady Matt. His hands were on his head and he was radiating anger. He was mad at himself for not being able to go through with it, but he was also glad that he didn’t. He understood what the consequences would’ve been and he knew that keeping that part of himself was more important than revenge.

“You’re okay.” You said gently to your partner, a hand landing on his shoulder. “I knew you’d do the right thing.”

“What if I didn’t?” He said weakly.

“We’re still in it together, Devil.” You shrugged. “Anyone comes after you, they come after me.”

“If I agree to your demands, you leave my wife alone.” Fisk countered, now kneeling beside Vanessa.

“You misunderstood me.” You warned. “There is no agreement. You have no leverage.”

“You leave Vanessa free!”

“You didn’t care about taking a father from a ten year old boy!” You shouted angrily, the sound of the bullet firing on Ray replaying in your head. Your anger burned down your spine and across your skin until it swelled in your palms, searing through the wound on your shoulder. “You took a husband away from his wife! Why should yours be free?”

“I was protecting the man I love.” Vanessa countered with false confidence, despite the darting eyes and trembling hands. “Could you tell me you don’t do the same?” She nodded to Matt though her eyes remained on you.

“I owe you people nothing. If it were up to me, you’d both be a puddle of your own blood right now.” You spat. “But I promised Ray I would do this the right way, and I promised the Devil I’d let him decide.”

Matt stepped forward and held a hand out to Fisk.

“If you keep your word.” He said simply.

Reluctantly, Fisk shook Matt’s hand.

“Then it’s a deal.” He spoke bitterly, moments before the heavy banging came from the door.

“We should go.” You grabbed Matt’s arm lightly.

He nodded quietly before taking your hand. You two hurried up the stairs to the upper level and paused to see Brett enter with his team. You watched as they unmasked Dex and you weren’t fully listening to the words they were saying. You were distracted by the pained look on Dex’s face, what looked like tears in his eyes.

“Я оплакываю своего друга, который умер, когда ты надел этот костюм…” You said quietly, more to yourself than anything but you knew Matt heard. “Человек, которого я вижу сейчас, ничто.” (I mourn my friend, who died when you put on that suit… The man I see now is nothing.)

Matt grabbed your hand without a word and led you out the same way you two came in, avoiding cops until you made it to the rooftop. Through your lenses, you saw Fisk being shoved into the car and Foggy and Karen out in the courtyard.

You let out a small chuckle of relief when you could finally accept that you had won.

You, with Matt and Ray’s help, beat Wilson Fisk.

Again.

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leatherbookmark · 1 year ago

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ah but THAT ASIDE re: the rkg story itself, yayyyy koga backstory etc --

man, I Am Not Convinced.

(also hehehehehe it's called back door hhehehehehe okay anyway)

of course i do appreciate the blatant, in-your-face bold red font Homosexuality of my dear little boy going

about another man, A+ CONTENT I HAVE 零 COMPLAINTS, but the backstory part is hhhhho boy. mr akira hihihi belatedly realized he forgot to make koga a character outside of his super normal teenage infatuation with rei And It Shows.

like first of all as a lower middle class both parents working super mundane jobs koga truther i Scoff at the idea of salaryman+housewife adoring parents spoiled kid koga. and i mean, it's been a loooong while since i've read enst stories, so it might be just me, but even going by what i vaguely remember it just Doesn't Look Right.

because it kind of feels like koga really didn't have anything going on about him aside from rei. i was kinda eeeeeh back in. 2017? 2018? help me, when it was revealed that it was rei who kickstarted koga's rock life and before rei koga wasn't interested in it at all, because on one hand yyyyeah i guess it's more flashy if one (1) guy literally Changes His Life basically overnight, but no one's said you can't have koga already being an established guitar boy AND feeling strongly about rei anyway! perhaps precisely because he feels a connection between their Rock Souls. and this way he'd have a Past. we could also find out more about how he came by his passion for rock, and the answer to this question wouldn't be rei. INSTANT DEPTH

but instead i feel Potential in the contents of the text but a puzzling lack of effort from the text itself. koga says it himself that he's been spoiled, loved and given things before he even knew he needed anything -- okay, but why is he such a loner on top of being very survival of the fittest, if you can't keep up then either git gud or quit, being tossed off a building bungee jumping builds character tsundere, then? he's got strict standards, both for everyone else and for himself, and i just can't see that coming from someone who's always had everything. sure, you can still undergo a change in personality due to some unspecified Things Going On as a teen (duh!) but, yknow.

second, again with the "i didn't know what i really wanted because i was handed everything before i even realized i needed something" thing. also makes no sense to me! again, koga seems like a very passionate and driven guy, it makes no sense for him to just have no idea about what he wants. card battler tells us he has a card game past, so he Could get passionate and Gud at something even as a kid. also, someone with loving, normal parents would have at least a handful of friends, and those friends would broaden their horizons naturally, so even if you're indecisive as a person you're at least exposed to Things and Stuff. again, i don't buy it.

finally the, uh, the leon thing.

akira. my guy. my dude. my bro. what was that.

peak 'uh oh, it's too late to retcon now' moment, is2g. yknow, "i was happy basking in my parents' love until X happened, whereupon i found myself unloved and confused" would make sense if that X was the birth of a new baby, but koga is an only child, so... let... his parents' new obsession be... a dog... the same dog who's been living with koga ever since the game story started... and they got a dog because he uhhh let's say he was grown up enough not to need babying! we're talking about a teenager. the world has never heard of teens groaning that their parents treat them like babies and dote on them despite them being Too Old For That, nay, it is a nonexistent phenomenon. ?????

again it just doesn't add UP akira do you read the stuff you write. you don't get to the point where you're desperately looking for someone who'd love you AND something to do with his life because your parents got a dog. source trust me dude!! i know something about being (barely) Provided For but not Raised!!

imo it would've made more sense if koga's parents were, as per my obviously correct personal headcanon, incredibly busy working people who also don't know much about raising children. because like -- he's fed, clothed, he goes to school and presumably does kid things there, it's all good, right? well, not quite, because his parents had no time to take him to the playground, so he's badly socialized and doesn't get along with other kids well. ah well! many such cases, let's move on.

it would ALSO explain why he's so ride or die for His People -- he doesn't make friends easily, so when he finds someone, they're Important and Special. also, leon! leon is obviously koga's, he's his Brother, Comrade and Companion, this is NOT how you get about a dog your parents bought, who's nice and loving but like, you need something more! i personally like the idea that they got koga a dog when he knew he'd be going to yumenosaki and living alone, so that he'd be responsible but also simply have a friend.

like, again -- everything can be explained or spun in a fun way, even koga's passion for life beginning and ending with rei sakuma, but you gotta want to do something with it! enst is such a nonsensical story sometimes, we have multiple cult children, many tragic backstories, and then you give me koga who's Like That because it, eh, just happened, middle class, parents got a dog, yknow how it is? ( ˘︹˘ )

BUT ALSO IN GENERAL RE: REIKOGA AAAAAA GOD

the event song was mid and the outfits were mid as well and only that one new album song and adonis's solo were kinda good but but B U T

my stupid lads are so cute :')

ok back to my *checks hand* stupid lads who are pirates and trying to have a Conversation

#shrimp thoughts #this is stupid long but i couldn't sleep Again and i feel Strange Again so it seems the mysterious sickness is not out of me body yet #therefore: earlay morning thoughts

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dreamkidddream · 4 years ago

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Drop Dead || Witch!Yosano

So this was both suggested and something that I already planned, cause she doesn’t get enough love imo 😞 but this is my first time writing for her too so yayyyy 🥳 Also thought it would be cool if she practiced necromancy. we stan ✨ Doctor ✨ Yosano in this house 😌 Reader is gender neutral!

CW: blood

Dream’s Spooktober 2021

You see, in the village, there was a rumor spreading like the plague itself.

An evil witch, worse than the Devil himself, having the forbidden power of raising the dead with just a single touch. But just as she can raise the dead with just a touch, she can also make people take their last breath with that same touch. The other villagers warned of her dark magic roaming through the forest, and Saki swore he saw the monster with his own two eyes. He recounts the monster doing the ritual, the malicious smile spread across her face as she hacked away at the poor soul piece by piece, only then to resurrect them as another one of her mindless servants-

(But Saki is also the village drunk, so who knows how much truth his words hold). You just chalked it up as another story to keep children from wandering and misbehaving.

That was until you came face to face with the witch herself.

You would have been in complete awe at how much grace and power she displayed in her stance alone (hell you still were), if you weren’t currently dying and trying to stop the blood from gushing out of your stomach.

“My my, what do we have here?”

When she kneeled down and placed her hand so delicately on your cheek, you couldn’t help but melt into it. It was so warm, she was so warm. You didn’t realize how cold you are, and her eyes narrowed in concern when she felt it too. “Tell me, how did this happen?”

“It was-“, you coughed, wincing from both the pain and the small specs of blood that clung onto her cloak. “The villagers. They-they casted out. Deemed me as an outcast! Kajii ac-accused me of- practicing the dark arts and convinced Father Mori that I- I should be burned at the stake! I ran away before they could chain me up, but the other villagers- they started to chase after me…and-and-”

“So he still hasn’t learned from his mistakes huh? Still deciding to play judge, jury, and executioner.”

She had heard enough.

“I guess I have to go and teach them myself.”

The sadistic gleam that came across her face sent shivers down your spine (or maybe it was from the blood loss?), but the look soon vanished as she started to lift your ripped tunic. “But, I’ll have to wait for now. I have to treat you after all, and I would hate if you just perished from a small wound like this.”

“Small?! You call this small?!”

“Well of course. I’ve seen and handled much worse than this. It would be a shame to let you die, especially at the hands of those so undeserving.”

“Please, I don’t- I don’t want to die!”

“And I will make sure that you don’t.”

With conviction in her voice, she started to wipe away your tears. “But first, I should introduce myself properly.”

Holding out her hand, you watched as a flurry of glowing butterflies flew from it and began to take shape, of what you couldn’t tell yet, but you were in complete awe at the sight.

“I am Akiko Yosano, a healer. I’m not sure what those idiots at the village told you, but I don’t practice necromancy, because I don’t give people the chance to die in my hands.”

She’s the witch?!

The shape finally manifested, and you felt your heart stop.

“But while my methods can be seen as cruel, I see it as a true blessing. Being able to bring them back after seeing the light flee from their eyes just to be full of life mere moments later no matter the injury…a true blessing indeed.”

A cleaver, as long as her legs, was held in her hands.

“I’m known as one of the greatest healers to ever grace this land, but I don’t get to show off as much I want to. You see, in order for my healing to work, they need to be on the brink of death.”

Oh no-

“Now, don’t look so scared. You won’t be killed- in a lot of pain, yes- but you won’t die. You’ll be healed before you know it, which is a pity for me-”

You tried to crawl away, but seeing that she whipped the tip of the blade centimeters away from your nose, you took that as your one and only warning.

“I would prefer to do this back at my home, I have much more toys to play with than this, but it’ll do. Now then-”

She lifted the blade high above her head-

“No- nononononono! Please don’t!”

“Now, I swear by my hand, thou shall not die!”

Your shrill screams echoed through the forest as she brought the blade down.

—-

“And you got this information…from the town drunk?”

Okay, now that she’s saying it out loud, it doesn’t sound very credible-

“Ow!”

“That’s what you get for listening to that man,” she just shook her head as you rubbed the growing sore spot on your forehead. After being “treated” by the wit- Yosano, she’s been gracious enough to let you stay at her small home. Here you are, drinking tea and going through all your troubles and what lead up to this point. It was odd, you two were talking like everything was normal. HA! Like your life will ever have some sense of normal again after this.

While you don’t remember much of her “treatment”, you do remember the feeling afterwards and the wave of butterflies that followed after. You felt so light, so airy, as if you were living among the clouds not a single care in the world. You accepted that wow, she was telling the truth- but you’re very careful to not let yourself get injured again.

“Well I guess it doesn’t matter now, not like you can go back anyway.”

Her words brought a sting of pain to your chest. It wasn’t like she was wrong, you couldn’t go back even if you wanted to. The very people who you come to look at as family were the same ones ready to watch the flames consume your body alive. Even if you explained how you weren’t practicing dark magic, how could you explain your wounds healing and walking around basically brand new? They would just make sure that you wouldn’t get away this time-

“But, I have an offer to make to help with your…situation.”

That snapped you out of your thoughts.

“I’ll let you stay here, if you become my assistant.”

“Your assistant? How could I exactly help you? I can’t do any magic, I’m pretty much useless-”

Her cup clattered against the table. “Not true. You think just because you don’t have the power to do magic that your life loses meaning? Goodness, it’s a good thing you did get out of that village when you did.” She stood up and brushed the imaginary dirt off, and then made her way towards you.

“Listen (Y/N), all life has meaning, and no one else has the ability to change that. The fact that they tried to take that from you, that they tried to kill you- it’s a disgrace and a slap to the face to what life truly is. I vow to crush anyone who holds life with so little regard with my bare hands!” She balled her fists up, then extended her arm to you. You couldn’t stop yourself from flinching, thinking that she was going to strike you for saying something so foolish-

But instead, she held her hand out.

“Stay by my side, and let me show you how valuable your life truly is (Y/N).”

Your life…being valuable? Even after how pathetic you looked to her? Can you really trust her words? Did she really your life as valuable? An outcast with no power, no status, seen as valuable?

But, would she have saved you if she didn’t think it was?

It’s not like you have anything else to lose, and you know that you just met her but…it was obvious that she saw something in you that you didn’t see.

And you wanted to see what convinced her that your life is valuable.

You gripped her hand, a tearful but appreciative smile on your face.

#bsd x reader #bsd x gender neutral reader #yosano x reader #yosano akiko #akiko yosano #akiko yosano x reader #bungou stray dogs reader insert #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #dream’s spooktober 2021 🎃

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seelestia · 3 years ago

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'ELLO MATE HOW ARE YOU I AM BACK-

they've disbanded me from the shadow realm!! thankfully it seems like they resolved the issue faster this time yayyyy

ohhh i see! i am biased to the jp version bc i am familiar with the va but i've been getting used to his en va too! i haven't listened to his korean va actually, maybe i should do that 👀

for zhongli... all of his va has their own charms i can't choose 😭 i love the en version va (but dear lord he grunts a lot like seriously grandpa you ok do you need to rest lol) but again, i am biased to his jp va bcs i am super familiar with maeno... i had a phase where i listened to jp drama cds in the past and he's one of my most favorite va hahah

itto was so good to me... i pulled for him with my brother in our parents' house and i screamed when i got him (cause i wasn't expecting him at all), and my brother yelled along with me, and my parents were like "WHAT HAPPENED" lmao it was chaos-

i borrowed my friends' luck and they did a total of 10 pulls for me on cyno banner.... good news: 1) i got candace, 2) i got a 5 star. bad news: it's qiqi lmao ah well at least i have guaranteed now!!

LOL it's ok i can always bow or stand on the lower ground so you can pat my head (cause i do like my headpats <3) hskdjsjdj i can only be savage in writing tho. i'm too timid to be savage when speaking ;x

all the headpats for lin~ i am excited for his voicelines too! i love that he'll help us spam ult hakdjs yes more meteors yessss *evil raccoon laughter*

RIN JIE, YOU'RE BACKKK — ahem, what i mean to say is that i've been faring quite well, as per usual! it pleases me greatly that you've returned, dearest cousin. i assume your journey has been rewarding? did it help in loosening the burden on your mind as you expected? i hope it was, lest the days i had spent missing your presence would all be for naught then.

finally, the results from our anxious wait bear its fruits. i was honestly getting concerned, especially after what happened previous times before. it serves me great joy to see you around again, truly. hm, i suppose saying "yay" would be a better way to express myself? hehe, yay!

breaking character for a sec to say that ayato's korean voice is luring me into a hole and i am absolutely and willingly following 🕳️🚶how ironic, i thought we've already established that he is, indeed, an elderly soul trapped in a young man's body? i'm starting to believe that his true age is manifesting itself through the cracking noises made by his bones. (/lh) i see, so you're similar to me; the familiarity just had that sense of preciousness that attaches itself to us~

that oni has always been clumsy and leaves trails of chaos wherever he goes... but who would've guessed he did an excellent job at coming home to you? ha, i can almost see him seething at me for saying that in the corner of my mind. i also assume your brother was mentally eating this snack called popcorn in his hands while everything went down? how amusing, hehe.

even with the power of borrowed luck, the child is still very fond of you. hm, i was looking forward to seeing a disheartened expression on your face but you seem to be looking at the bright side instead, what a letdown. aha, i was jesting, of course. i also happen to experience the same event as you did; i happened to meet a certain forest watcher from sumeru instead of the well-known general mahamatra, but i have no complaints. the both of us now have guaranteed luck for the next banner that comes around, wonderful! although for me, i don't have a specific character i'm keeping my eyes on since it seems like the yashiro commissioner's return seems very distant in the future. but perhaps, one will catch my eyes soon enough. nahida, perhaps? maybe, even that spirited fatui harbinger with the ginger hair.

i can see why you compare yourself to madam kujou sara... if i may be so bold, i'd say you're akin to a puddle of tender goo hidden inside a cold exterior? it's quite entertaining to see you let loose so easily around mr. zhongli. love is an interesting factor that stirs one's soul, indeed.

(and ty for the headpats, lin is very flustered by them <3 actually, speaking of voicelines, it reminds me of the in-game script/template for voicelines that you did! 👀 and yesss, ult spam is satisfying, especially in domains 🤌)

#enjoy this flat-toned and non-emoticon version of lia while you can (/j)#i sound dead inside HELDPOADK ayato are you proud of me 🥸#BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY !! welcome back rin jie <3 #ask box! 📬#visitor: dearest rin! 💠

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obislittleone · 4 years ago

Text

Cruel Irony

7/?

Bale!Bruce Wayne x Reader

Omg I've been so excited for this chapter!!! It's kinda the end of phase one in my plot so yayyyy also big moments

Series Summary: Growing up on infinity Island, Moyra is taught very well in the art of assassination. As the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul, she sits highly amongst the brotherhood known as the League of Shadows. When her father orders her to lure a stranger from the outside to be recruited amongst the mysterious clan, she will question everything she's ever believed.

Chapter Warnings: oof so much angst, i practically bathed in it while writing this. Also some mild violence but not too bad.

A swift breeze came across my face as it traveled through the mountains, making it's way down to the village on the other side.

Bruce sat beside me, prepped and ready for the day ahead of him. Its had been four long years since he'd arrived the first day, and my father, after much deliberation, decided it was finally time for him to swear himself to the ranks our own League of Shadows. He'd grown stronger than most men I'd ever met, and possessed a much more developed wisdom than I had. Not quite that ingenious as my father, but closely approaching it.

He seemed so calm and peaceful for someone who was about to devote their life to an ideal that they'd never heard of before they came here.

He radiates this gentle energy that few people ever could. Not only did he make himself feel calm, but simply sitting next to him, I did also.

Bruce had accomplished three out of the five tasks needed to be able to take the oath. I doubted he would have any trouble in completing anything, for in my mind there wasn't anything he could not do.

"I'm proud of you...." I murmured softly, laying my ahead against his shoulder, our height difference when we sat was far more noticeable than when we stood. He really wasn't that much taller than me as it were.

"For what?" He asked curiously in reply. Surely he hadn't done anything to warrant praise of any kind.

"My father has beaten down on you more than he did me, or any of the others here, and through it all you kept going. You never quit." I said with utter pride. He smiled down at me from an angle and nodded his head. He knew he took some harsh beatings while training, and through it all, he had a reason to stay, and a reason to smile.

"I thought about quitting once," he began, staring out into the distance of the fresh snowy mountains, then letting his gaze befall me once more, "but then you warmed me up that night."

I nodded and smirked a little at the fond memory. He had been shaking in my arms that night from the cold, and until the next morning he felt like ice. I kept myself wrapped around him like a vice, because it was all I could do in that moment.

"I'd never felt someone else's hands so frozen before." I admitted. It was years ago now, though it felt like yesterday. Heck, in nearly a few weeks, I would be approaching my twenty second birthday. It wasn't that big of a deal for me, having a birthday... or even aging at all. The facts in my eyes were that with each year, my mind would grow in wisdom and in knowledge of things I hadn't known the previous year. I would grow in my strengths and abilities as well.

"I'd never felt someone's hands so warm." He added on, returning his line of sight to the tops of each mountain, seeing the majestic white peaks glisten with the fully risen sun above them. It wasn't too early in the morning, but the affects of sleep hadn't quite worn off yet.

With a deep breath, I stood to my feet, patting Bruce on the shoulder before turning away. I knew today was one of his last tests, with the final one coming tomorrow, and I didn't want to be around when my father showed up to take him.

I'd been avoiding my father again lately. I sensed his evergrowing anger towards my very being, and since I could not bare to lose the very thing he found so horrible for me to have, I simply chose not to get caught up amongst the company of my father.

Hours had passed since my peaceful morning with Bruce, and though it had set a wonderful mood for my day, my father did eventually seek me out. He told me I was to follow him, so I did. By the time we reached the center training room of the large fortress, I had gotten to where my hands began to shake. Bruce was stood in the middle of the room, with his arms crossed behind his back to stand at attention.

"Bruce, this is your second to last test. I must know that you will serve your League to the fullest, obeying whatever order you are given without hesitation." My father paced between Bruce and I, and I wondered why I was to be here during this portion of Bruce's initiation. When I was tested, it was a one on one event with only me and my father. The last test is ceremonial, with an audience of the entire league, but this part was not to be the same.

"Bruce, you remember the snake hold." My father suggested. My head snapped to him when I heard him utter those words. The snake hold, famous for being a maneuver of pure power, was attained by gripping the victim on either side of their neck, with the strength of only one hand, you would sink your thumb into a certain crevice, breaking the neck of the victim instantly, and often killing them.

"I do." Bruce said softly, his heart rate was accelerating at a high speed, though you could never tell by looking at him. His outer composure was pulled together so well, but his mind raced with a thousand thoughts.

"Very well. Moyra, approach Bruce." He looked at me intensely, and though his voice was calm, the look in his eye held something sinister. His rage for me was clearly seen behind his facade, and I shuddered, but still did as told, taking steps until I was directly in front of Bruce. I kept my head down, not sure I wanted to see the look on either of their faces at the moment. I also wanted to hide my obvious expressions and signs of fear in my features.

"Bruce, execute the snake hold." My father said without batting an eye. Both Bruce and I turned our heads rapidly to face him, and only to figure out how deadly serious he was.

"What?" Bruce furrowed his brows, confusion ridling his expression.

"You heard the order, now obey."

My heart didn't even have a limit to how fast it could beat per minute anymore. I looked back at Bruce, and saw the pure anguish in his eyes. I trusted him with everything I had in me, but in this moment I was scared. Would he kill me for the sake of my father? Surely I would not survive this, for Bruce was more than strong enough to kill me with the flick of his thumb.

He looked me deeply in the eyes, and I believed he was conflicted. I'd hoped that in this moment, I would be strong and not show any signs of weakness, but seeing as though I was on death's door, I wasn't able to put on a face of bravery and fearlessness.

Bruce stepped forward, and for reasons I could not explain, I completely lost all ability to keep myself steady. I had to put a foot behind me so I did not fall, as my chest heaved with deep breaths every second that passed. My eyes had fogged up during this time, and now the tears were spilling over in heavy amounts. The wetness that coated my cheeks wasn't even distracting me from keeping my eyes on Bruce's. His eyes had become welled up likewise, but he tried to keep himself composed. His bottom lip even trembled for a split second, and he had to bite it to keep it from doing so.

"You must proceed, Bruce." My father's voice was like a taunt in my ear, ringing and echoing in my head to torture me while my life hung in the balance... and the person who held everything in his hands, raised his arm to do as he was told.

His hand wrapped around my neck so gently, it was almost as if he was caressing me like he usually did. His finger tips laid right where they were supposed to, and I couldn't help the whimper to escape me. The single sound that drew from my lips made Bruce weary, and he stood still with his hand around my throat.

"Go on, Bruce." My father was only a demon in my head now. His words haunting my last seconds.

I closed my eyes, bringing a hand up to rest on the one who belonged to the man in front of me.

"Bruce..." I whispered with whatever ounce of courage I had left. I would not stop him. If my life would end at the hands of a man, there is no other man I would rather let have that power.

His fingers ever so slightly tightened their grip, and in my mind I knew this was the end. I would die by the hand of the man I had put my trust in. The man I would have killed for to protect. He would be my undoing... but then,

"No." Bruce released the hold he had me under, his hand now lazily resting over my chest as he shook his head. He didn't take his eyes off of me when he spoke, and I was greatful for that. I could see the pain in his face that was fading slightly. "I won't hurt her."

"Very well then." My father smiled maliciously, as if this was his plan all along. "You've passed the test, for loyalty to those you've sworn to protect, comes above any order you will ever receive."

My father nodded once before turning and leaving the room with his head held high. I was unable to keep myself on my feet once I knew he was gone. I collapsed forward, into Bruce's chest, the tears I'd tried to hold back now coming down as waterfalls over my red face.

Bruce sunk us both to the floor, rocking me back and forth as I got all the emotions out in one big set of tears. I breathed in his scent, and closed my eyes, feeling somewhat safer in this embrace. The man who had the power to kill me, with his hand around my neck, completely ready to end my life in an instant, was now holding me close to him, stroking my back and my hair as I bawled my eyes out into his shoulder. He would never hurt me, and now I knew that for a fact... but he thought about it for a moment. For a moment when his fingers got stronger in my neck, he honest to God contemplated killing me.

His arms squeezed me tighter, and when I turned my head to see him, I could find that he was also crying. Not as forcefully as I was, but enough that there was a glint of gloss in his eyes.

"You almost did it...." I began to push away from him slightly.

"I didn't, though. I would never....." His hands were shaking unsteadily, like the night he fell through the ice, and he shivered intensely.

I nodded, but still had a small bite of anger in the back of my mind. Maybe I needed to calm down for now, so the after effects of this awful experience could wear off.

We sat on the ground together until the sun got low in the sky. We'd been there nearly an hour, and now it was time to leave. I went to my room, and Bruce followed me, but once I stepped inside the door, I blocked him from entering as well.

"I'd like to be alone right now..." I said, my voice wavering from all the crying I'd been doing. He looked like a kicked puppy at my words, but they had to be said.

"I understand." He murmered, dropping his head and turning to go into his own room.

I shut the door before I could even think of anything else to say. My brain was so overwhelmed with the events of today, and the betrayal of my father. For someone who preaches loyalty like it's the most important thing in this world, I simply could not bring myself to believe he had pulled a stunt like that. I trusted Bruce, but what if he had gone through with it? Would my father have even cared? Would he be glad to be rid of me? I had caused him some doubtful thinking, but nothing should ever warrant the death a child.

🦇

I awoke the next day with a sore neck, not even as much from Bruce's hand, more from the tension I'd held all day afterwards. I hated letting the sun set on my anger, but I could not let myself see Bruce or my father until I had calmed down. I was still brutally enraged with my father, but I wasn't the same with Bruce. I was still a bit upset with him, but I would not keep it with me much longer, for the situation did not even befall me because of him. His hands were used in the almost execution of the order, but the order did not come from his own mouth, therefore the only one my anger should truly reside in is my father.

I wanted to avoid my father for the rest of my life, if possible, but today of all days would not be the day I could get away with such a thing. Today was Bruce's initiation, and if he hadn't changed this part, too, I knew exactly what Bruce would have to do to finally reach the point of swearing himself into the League.

I knew it might be hard for him, because he was gentle, and kind, and disliked bringing harm upon anyone who didn't cause him personal pain. He was good, unlike so many men in this world today.

I felt he had come too far to quit now, however I hadn't really had a chance to speak to him today, for when I knocked on his door earlier, he'd already left his room.

The attire of the League's army was quite beautiful, and whenever I got a chance to wear it, for group training exercises, or for eveb the second part of Bruce's initiation, I felt so powerful. The armour was black, and was a good contrast with the other clothing I normally wore.

After I placed the mask over the face, I pulled the hood up over my head, concealing everything in my face except a strip of light olive skin, and silver green eyes. I'd always been a bit thankful to look like my father, for everyone knew I was his child.... but now I purely hated the resemblance with a man that purposely wanted to see if my best friend would kill me as if I meant nothing.

Bruce was the only reason I would stay here, now. Everything else was not worth the while. My father did not care if I lived or died now, and every other member of this league would follow his every word.

Lining up in the grand room, which sat in the back of the fortress, the rest of the League members stood shoulder to shoulder as the ceremonial participations commenced. I managed to get to the second row of all my brothers, and just in the middle, so I could watch Bruce very well the whole time.

My father did not even look at me once during, which I was thoroughly grateful for, as I did not want to chance even glancing into his eyes. He went over every part of this ritual, this strange yet somehow necessary show of loyalty, when he reached the last part of it. Every ounce of training and development lead up to this single moment. The ways in which each person chose to finish this act was often uncomfortable to watch, but with Bruce, I wanted to see. He was such a sweet man, with a boylike quality about him. It would be strange to have to watch him kill someone, but for him to sustain his role as a member in our ranks, he must go through with it.

My father muttered some words of which I could not hear, and Bruce replied, but since I was in the second row and not the first, I was unable to hear what was going on.

Bruce looked hesitant when the man was brought out, a so called criminal kneeling down, with his head bent over. Bruce turned to my father once, and simply seeing his side profile I knew he was not comfortable for this part. I knew he wouldn't be, yet per my fathers orders, I was not allowed to warn him. Why I even still listened to my father, I would never know...

Bruce eventually took the sword from the hands of my father, raising it above the neck of the man they insisted he commit murder upon. I had not been aware of this man's crimes, for I was not usually one of the members that got to bring in the criminals. I never went on large missions unless it required every hand in the League to participate. Every part of this place held me back, really.

Bruce raised his arms, taking the long sword with him, and bringing it down quickly, but not onto the man before him. He used it to flip one of the firey flame stirrers into the loft, where the explosives were kept. My eyes widened, and as every member of the league beside me prepared themselves for a fight, I ran away from them all, separating myself from them to make it clear whose side I was on.

When I began to hear the crackling sounds of dynamite sticks blowing the beams of wood on the second floor, I began throwing punches to some of my brothers, using my sword to fend off others without harming them too badly.

"Bruce!" I yelled, throwing him my other sword, since he'd lost his own. He fought against the Ras Al Ghul Decoy, and knocked out my father, while I fended off the rest as best I could. Some of them went running away when the sounds of creaking wood became louder, signifying that the place would collapse any moment.

Looking over, my father was down for the count, and Bruce was now one on one matched with the Decoy. He was still a brilliant fighter, and Bruce had lost balance several times. I ran over to him, kicking the other man as hard as I could to give Bruce a moment to recoup. He was back in his stance a second later, and with both our efforts, the man fell to the ground just before a burning pile of rubble fell atop him, killing him instantly. The blood dripping from the side of his mouth, and the dazed, lifeless glint in his eyes gave me an alarming feeling, but it soon faded when I was being pulled by my sleeve away from any more impending danger.

Bruce pulled me along with him, finding my father in the corner of the room still, unconscious as could be. With his great strength, he slung the entirety of my father's weight on his back, nodding to me to lead the way. This place was coming down any second, and the further away we were from the explosion, the better.

I ran the fastest route to where I knew the most minimal damage would be done, but before I even stepped foot down the other pathway, the explosion hit, and the three of us were sent flying through the broken widows, and out into the snowy peaks. I landed steadily on the snow, the spikes that littered my forearms dug deep into the ground latching into the rocky earth beneath the icy flakes.

A second later, I spotted Bruce dive down the peak, and when I saw my father nearing the edge, my heart stopped. In this situation, my father was still my father, but if Bruce had gotten hurt trying to save him, I think that would be the worse outcome. He got to my father in time, latching his arm into the ground as well... but he needed help. He was barely able to pull my father halfway up. I slid down on my back leg, getting to them and reaching for Bruce first. He kept a hold on my father, and I knew Bruce would not drop him, but I wasn't going to be the one to heave him back up the mountain.

Once we were all to safety, Bruce picked my father back up onto his shoulders, beginning his long trek to the village. I joined him in silence, refusing to speak first. I knew there was a conversation somewhere, for the most previous event we just witnessed was worth about a million words. He spoke first, but did not speak of today.

"Moyra, I wanted to apologize to you last night... I just didn't get to." He said softly, and I barely even heard him.

I didn't look at him, and kept my gaze to the snow, utterly and completely distracted with other thoughts.

"Apologize for what?" I asked, as if I hadn't been living the last twenty four hours with him.

"Yesterday, when he told me to-"

"Oh..." I cut him off before he could even say it. I would much rather avoid reliving that experience for a while.

"I'm so sorry. You know I would never hurt you.... but I still put my hand on you and that wasn't alright." He started trudging harder with his footsteps, keeping his energy up so he did not drop my father.

"Thank you, Bruce. You're a better man than most." And it was true, for the amount of men known to apologize for something, especially when it wasn't even their fault, were far a few between. The number was small.

"I understand if you wouldn't trust me anymore." He added, to which I scoffed.

"Bruce, I just betrayed everything I ever believed in to fight on your side. Where my trust lies goes without saying." I told him. He smiled over at me. Even after all of this, we could pick back up and forget a fight ever happened. Bruce was my only friend now, and I would not put my trust in anyone else.

We walked quite a bit more over the mountain until we were able to see the village in our view. The sun was still high in the sky, so we didn't feel the need to stop. Bruce must have been tired, carrying all the extra weight, but I couldn't carry my father, nor did I want to.

"So the last part of initiation.... did you-?"

"I did, and I do not regret it." I knew where this was headed, and I didn't see any point in prolonging it, or even letting him finish for that matter. "But for me, it was personal."

Bruce nodded his head, satisfied with the answer, but I was not quite finished.

"I got to bring justice to the man who killed my mother."

In an instant he understood the very meaning behind my words. He wished he had been the one to do the same. He wanted to kill the man who had so brutally and viciously murdered his mother and father in front of him, at the young age of twelve.

"How did it feel?" He pondered. He had only ever watched the death of the man killed by a worker for Falconi.

"It felt... like all power he once had over me was given back to my own hands. When I ended his life, I had closure. The man who had taken someone important from me was going to face the same fate.... It gave me a sense of peace." I rambled on, thinking about that glorious day of revenge. Even now, I let my mind wander back to the horrible days of torture that my mother and I endoured. Thinking about the pathetic cries of the man who inflicted so much pain on me before he was killed by my sword gave me a reason to keep going.

We'd almost reached the village by now, and Bruce had walked my father over to a medic house before we walked around a bit more.

Bruce said he needed to find a way to make a phone call, and though there were few forms of technology here, he'd eventually found out about a landline that could be borrowed if we paid enough. Given the fact that there were needs to be met, I managed to pick a few pockets so we could get to the phone.

Bruce took a few minutes and then we were on our way again, going in a totally different direction than before.

I was somewhat at a crossroads for now. What was I going to do? Where would I go? I hadn't even thought this far ahead.

"So... I guess this is where we part ways for now, huh?" I asked, rocking back and forth on my heels to keep moving in the chilled air.

"Where are you going?" He furrowed his brows, like he was confused that you would go anywhere at all.

"I can't stay here.... daughter or not, my father has the right to kill me for treason." I said, pulling my lips into a thin smile.

He nodded, and tilted his head to the side as if contemplating something in that smart ol' head of his.

"Come with me." He suggested, and I knew immediately what my answer was, but he wasn't even done speaking. "Whatever we face we face together..."

"So we can protect each other." I finished for him.

Tags are open!!

@huntheimpossible @testudies @stardustednerd

#bale!batman x reader #bale!bruce wayne x reader #bale!bruce wayne #bale!batman #christian bale #batman x batmom #batmom #batman x reader #batman #batman begins #bruce wayne imagine #bruce wayne x reader #bruce wayne #the dark knight #the joker

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toomanyfandoms02 · 5 years ago

Text

Evidence // Spencer Reid x Reader

HEY guess who's back. I'm SO SO SO sorry for the delay. I've been having the most SERIOUS case of writers block and I'm finally pulling myself out of it YAYYYY. So here ya go.

Not a request, but I couldn't resist this prompt!

Summary - Spencer and Reader get locked in the evidence room.

Prompt - “What on earth happened in here?"

Word count - 2.9k

Spencer and I often stayed after together to finish up work. We didn't like to have to wake up so early to make touch ups. So here we were, sitting on the floor in the back of the evidence room. We were sat behind tall filing cabinets, a dim lamp lit beside us.

We were working a case in Arizona involving 3 girls. It was running relatively smooth, the problem was that the police station that we were placed at was in the middle of nowhere. And that was proven by the signal warning on my phone.

*unable to send message.*

Good thing it wasn't anything important.

There were multiple pages sprawled out in front of us, we looked between them all.

"I don't think we will have to stay too long after today." I commented. "It looks like we are working pretty fast this time around."

"I guess we're getting the hang of this " Spencer laughed, writing something down.

*click*

I craned my neck around the cabinets, wondering if someone was coming in the door. Seeing no one, I turned back to him, shrugging my shoulders.

We continued for another hour (and 28 minutes by Spencer's count). I stacked the papers together, shutting them in a folder and tucking it under my arm. I stood from my previous position, stretching my back.

"That's enough sitting on a concrete floor for me." I complained, hunching over and dragging myself to the door. This earned a laugh from Spencer. I reached for the knob, eager to get to the hotel and sleep.

But the knob only jiggled.

And jiggled.

And didn't budge.

"Uh. I think, I think the door is locked." I whispered, turning to Spencer slowly.

"No way." He stated, lightly pushing me out of the way. I listened as he jiggled it, desperately trying to turn the door knob. His head was placed against the glass, hands framing his eyes while he looked out the small doors window. "The lights are all off out there. I think they are on night patrol."

"Well this is thrilling." I laughed, slumping onto the floor. I pulled my phone from my pocket, holding it in the air and attempting to call Emily. The call started, my excitement being crushed by a warning on my phone.

*Your call cannot go through at the moment, we are unable to find a signal.*

Well fine then.

"Do you know how to pick a lock?" He asked.

"If there was anyone that knows how to pick a lock, I thought it would be you."

"Why?" His posture looked stiff and offended.

"You know everything." I deadpanned offering a dumb look. He rolled his eyes at this and sat down across from me. "Do you think we'll die in here?" I asked nonchalantly. Spencer squinted his eyes at me.

"Well statistically, no." And that's all he said.

"Is that all you got?"

"I'm too tired to ramble." He groaned. His head was leaned back on a cabinet. "But I will say that on average night patrols and at around 3:30 to 4 am. So we have quite a few hours to kill." The clock on the wall read 11:17. Yeah, we had some time to kill.

"Alright, we aren't just gonna sit here. We are gonna play games, I can't stand to sit in silence." Spencer sat up slightly, flashing me a confused look.

"Like what?"

"We are going to start with would you rather. I'll start." My head started sorting through all of the would you rather questions I had been asked that I loved and found the perfect one for this genius.

"Would you rather lose the ability to read or the ability to speak." I watched as he opened his mouth to answer then closed it, thinking again. I thought this would be a pretty obvious answer for him.

"I think I would lose the ability to speak. I could do nearly everything the same. I would just have to write my findings down." He sat in thought for a moment. "Would you rather have unlimited international first class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?" I was thoroughly surprised by the question.

"That's a good one! I definitely want to travel, but I do eat a lot... First class tickets. I want to see ancient ruins, can't walk to them." I laughed. We played this game for around 10 more minutes before getting extremely bored of it.

"Alright enough of this." I groaned, coming up with a new idea. "We are gonna play two truths and a lie. Pretty straight forward, I'll start and you try to guess which one is a lie." Spencer nodded and waited. "I broke my leg while falling from a tree when I was 9, I've had a crush on someone on the team, and I once ate nerds candy for a whole week when I was 7 and had to get my stomache pumped." The last one had his eyebrows furrowing. I remained still and emotionless so he couldn't read me as well.

"I completely believe that you ate candy for a week and had to get medical attention as a result." He pointed out oh so graciously. "And you're a total klutz too, so it wouldn't surprise me if you broke your leg. Plus I think I'd know if you ever liked someone on the team. Final answer you've never had a crush on anyone on the team." He looked so smug in the moment, this just got me more pumped to wipe that smile from his face.

"Nope." As expected, his face immediately fell.

"Who did you like!" Spencer's arms were flailing in exasperation.

"I don't have to tell you that." I chuckled. "Now you go." My foot kicked his lightly, egging him on. He gave a glare and moved on reluctantly.

"I'm afraid of the dark, the only reason I drink coffee is because I had a crush on a girl who liked it, and I drank 11 cups of coffee one day and was up for 39 hours straight."

"You definitely drink coffee because you like it and not because of a girl, lie." There was no question about it, that would be a dumb reason to drink something.

"Actually that is why I drink coffee."

Huh?

"The lie is that I was up for 39 hours straight, I was only up for 35."

"Christ Spence!" I shook my head in disapproval. "Tell me about the girl." I could see his cheeks flush in the slightest. ~~Silently wishing that I could make him feel like that~~

"Her name was Josephine and she lived on my street. She and I would play chess together in the park whenever I wasn't studying, and she would bring a cup of coffee every day. Eventually, in my own way to impress her, I started bringing coffee too. And she liked that, but of course we drifted apart because of how fast my life was moving. It's unfortunate." He was staring down at his hands now. "You and her are very similar. I think that's why we've gotten so... close." That comment got me very curious.

"How were we alike? If you don't mind me asking."

"She was kind and funny, never let anyone down. And she was intelligent. Not only in personality either, you have the same color hair and eyes. I bet you guys would have gotten along really well." I could see him making his thinking face, I assume he was looking into past memories.

"That's so sweet." I kicked his foot with a smile, bringing him back to reality. "So, last round until we are playing the dreaded truth or dare ooooOooOooOooo." Spencer laughed and rolled his eyes. "I use to have a cat named Piglet because of how obsessed with Winnie the Pooh I was, my first boyfriends name was Spencer, and I play guitar."

"There is absolutely no way your first boyfriends name was Spencer, it's the 828th most popular name. That would be nearly impossible or a crazy coincidence." His hand gestured were out of this world at this point, completely flabbergasted that I would even try to tell him such a *lie*.

"Wrong again pretty boy, that's true. His name was Spencer Allen Sallow. The only reason I remember his middle name is because I remember his initials being 'SAS'. Are you ready for truth or dare?"

"I guess." He mocked annoyance and threw his head back.

"Ok, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you could make one wish, right this second, what would it be?" He stared at me intently for a moment, as if he was looking for the answer in me. He then lightly shook his head, it was so small, but hard to miss considering we were practically having a staring contest.

"I would wish for the door to be unlocked so I could sleep at the hotel." His head nodded.

"Boring, I choose dare." I was now sitting much closer to him, waiting for whatever that beautiful brain could come up with. Spencer looked to the papers on the floor and then back at me, an evil smirk forming on his lips.

"Do a snow angel in our paperwork." My shoulders slumped.

"What if I rip something!" I wouldn't usually whine like this but *geez* I did not want to redo all this.

"Just be careful then." I looked at him with a pleading look. "Oh so you're *boring*." That's what got me.

"**Fine!**" I slowly lowered myself onto the papers, flattening out and looking up to Spencer, he was hovering over me slightly in a criss-crossed position with that evil smirk. His hands gestured me on.

I laid my arms and legs and and moved them, hearing the paper scrape against the floor and giggling. I had to admit, it was fun. And if having fun with Spencer meant I had to redo a few papers.

Then so be it.

I sat up after Spencer told me I'm done through fits of laughter, holding his stomache and nearly toppled flat on the floor. I looked around happily to see most papers were only crinkled, not ripped. I'll just have to flatten them out tomorrow.

"Okay asshat, truth or dare." He tapped his chin, looking daring for once.

"Dare." Perfect.

"Serenade me." I crossed my arms over my chest as I watched his face fall.

"With just my voice?"

"Oh no no, I have an instrument, the bag I carry with us on cases is like a never ending bag." I reached into the giant bag and pulled out a ukelele case, but not an *ordinary* uke case, a *mini* uke case. "Can you play ukelele?" I pulled it from the case, handing it over to him.

"No, but I may be able to pick it up."

"So you will actually serenade me!?" I got my hands ready to clap.

"Sure, why not." I clapped infinitely fast, watching him pluck at the strings a bit and lean back into the cabinets. Then he started on a beat, one that I recognized.

"Put your head on my shoulder, hold me in your arms, baby. Squeeze me oh so tight. Show me that you love me too." I listened to him through the whole song, knowing full well that as soon as he was strumming that ukelele I was already done for.

"How did I do?" He strummed the last chord and look up at me with a smile.

Oh how I wanted to tell him that he serenaded me to the sun and back.

"That was amazing! You learned that om the spot?"

"Yeah, like piano. It's basically just math and note remembrance." He shrugged, setting it back in my case. "Truth or dare."

"Truth."

"What's the first thing on your bucket list and your biggest secret?"

"You can't ask two questions, that's cheating!" I laughed.

"You technically never specified that so, answer."

This little shit.

"Fine. The first thing on my bucket list has been the same since I was an 8th grader, which is to fall in love. And I know that's cliche but I'm sticking to it." I didn't want to tell him my biggest secret. Truth be told I had a pretty normal life, so my biggest secret was my attraction to him. After telling my mom about it she told me workplace romances were dangerous and wrong, so I tried so hard to get over it. But it's not going away, it's doing anything but that.

"Come on y/n, I'm not going to judge you for your secret."

Yeah uh huh, sure.

"It's embarrassing, and I would prefer not to tell you in a locked room so I can immediately escape after I tell you. So can I just tell you when the door gets unlocked?"

"It can't be that bad."

"It is."

"Please Y/n!"

"I like you!" His mouth shut quickly, tilting his head like a confused puppy. Now that I had given out my biggest secret, I felt a little... powerful. I crossed my arms firmly over my chest, maintaining eye contact, my heart pounding out of my chest. He wanted the truth and he got it, I hope he's happy to be stuck with me in this room for another hour and a half.

"Really?" Was all he could say.

"No. I just said that I could have awkward tension swirling around the room for the next hour, I love doing that." I replied in the most monotone voice I could muster. A very faint smile was appearing on Spencer's face, making me a little nervous. He quirked one eyebrow.

"Are you sure it's not sexual tension?"

What?

My eyebrows raised at the question. Was he... flirting with me? I didn't know he knew how to do that, let alone so *well*. He began speaking again.

"Truth or dare?"

"It's my turn to ask you."

"Truth. Or. Dare." Who knew Mr. Sweatervest could seem so intimidating.

"Dare."

"I dare you to act on your biggest secret." Is this some weird way to make me kiss him, because it's working. If we aren't on the same page, this is about to get Mega embarrassing, but I don't think this could get any weirder. I crawled forward, placing myself on his lap and staring into his eyes. I've never seen him smile so big.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Actually no, this is awful you should really stop." He deadpanned, lightly placing his hands on my hips.

"One, since when do you use sarcasm. And two, I hate you." I giggled, pulling his face to mine. One of his hands fled to my cheek, rubbing his thumb across it. He pressed further into the kiss, all while pulling me impossibly closer.

Is this real?

I pulled one hand away from his face, putting it on the skin of my thigh and pinching myself.

"Ouch shit!"

And apperantly I don't know my own strength.

"Are you okay?" Spencer's face was a wave of concern, scanning over my face quickly to make sure he didn't do something wrong.

"Yeah I was just, pinching myself to make sure this was real." I lifted my hand to his shoulder, resting it there.

"Why? Is this like a lot of your dreams?" He winking obviously at me as I slapped his chest.

"Please stop." I whined, pulling myself off of his lap. "I'm very tired and we still have an hour left, are you up for a cat nap?" I pulled a blanket from my bag. "We can use this as a pillow, it's already pretty hot in here."

"Definitely." I made it into a pillow, giving him enough room. He slung his arm around me, burying his head in the crook of my neck. "Thank you for telling me. And for the record, I wouldn't want to be locked in a room with anyone else." And with many papers scattered messily around us, we fell asleep.

I shot up, hearing voices I knew all too well.

"What the hell is happening, since when it pretty boy a playboy."

"Finally! Now y/n can stop silently pining and telling me about it."

"I knew those two had chemistry."

I blinked slowly, trying to release the sleep from my eyes. Spencer's sleepy arm was still wrapped around my waist, unmoving. Once my eyes adjusted I was met with the staring eyes of Derek, Garcia and Emily. Then there was Hotch, just entering the room.

“What on earth happened in here?"

"We got locked in here and played some innocent party games." I explained gesturing to the messy papers. "Spencer dared me to make a snow angel in our files." I smiled sheepishly. Spencer was now stirring awake, sitting up and looking at our teammates. Derek held out his hand for a fist bump and Spencer highfived it weakly.

"Told you you would rope her in." He chuckled. I rolled my eyes at the comment and stood up.

"Let's finish up this case. We've only had 1 hour of sleep and I want this day to be over with already. Save the comments for when I'm asleep on the jet." And with that we were off.

But let's not ignore that Spencer and I's hands were clasped beneath every table we sat at that day, it's not to be ignored.

And I won't be forgetting that day any time soon.

#mgg #criminal minds #spencer reid #dr spencer reid #spencer reid x y/n #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid imagine

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aiden-png · 4 years ago

Note

hey dude i know you're not writing a high school au BUT if you ever did then I would 110% read it

I am loving all those ideas, they are fantastic!!! of course Vio would be an overachiever, and I love how the teachers don't like him 'cause he hangs out with Shadow XD Blue getting flustered over his creative side is beautiful! and Red is a total art/drama student, fits him so well! Green being top of class as well, I wonder if that leads to some (hopefully friendly) competition between him & Vio. Shadow being smart too is great, one of those types with big brain little effort XD

in summary, it sounds brilliant & I love all your ideas for it! (don't feel under any pressure to write it though!)

Iddhhreeennn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are sooo kind omggg thank you!!!! aaaaaa it’s just that there are so many amazing FSA high school AUs already >u< Permission Waivers and Total Discord got me into the fandom for real and I feel like high school AUs need a more lighthearted edge that I have a hard time writing myself XD I also know someone planning an FSA high school AU too so it’s just been on my mind ig, coming up with ideas and such :O

but YES Vio is that smart kid the teachers don’t like bc he’s likely pretty blunt about it, maybe doesn’t even respect his teachers XD Vio in the manga definitely had that air of ‘I know better than you’ going for him lol. Red and Blue being creative together would be funnn (and stolen kisses in the art closet ;) Blue hanging out with the wrong crowd so he’s got some internalized issues and he’s afraid to be open about his relationship with The Art Gay gjdkjfdk). Red just being the out and proud ball of sunshine he is. he probably only gets flustered around Blue and it’d be sooo cute! Green and Vio working together to cause chaos for admin >:3c I don’t think Green would try to academically compete with Vio though, he’s got a life outside of school and a healthy work-life balance unlike some overachievers XD and Shadow’s just coasting, I mean, why bother trying when you can pass without putting in much effort? Vio and him would definitely clash on it and I think it’d be an enemies to lovers situation for sure XD Shadow and Vio both ‘corrupting’ each other into caring more/having a life outside of school. omg, Vio’s character arc ending with him being second in class to Green because he let his grades go in his final semester a bit. Shadow making A/B honor roll XD and then they all go to prommmm yayyyy XD

I have ideas for an AU but no plot really, and I hated high school so that would probably leak through if I wrote a whole fic about it XD it would wind up having a lot of serious themes since that’s what high school was for me; more like The Breakfast Club than Ferris Bueller’s Day Off lol. I might be able to write a oneshot but then again, I don’t wanna open the can of worms of writing shipfic with minors no matter how sfw it is. so yeah, lots of reasons why I probably won’t write a real high school AU. talking about ideas and maybe writing some short things or drawing for it is possible tho! :D

#four swords #fsa #high school au #idhrencookieelf #aaaaaaaaaaaa lots of ideas but yeah XDDD #I'm not so far out of high school yet that I can romanticize it #prompt

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sangyoonn · 5 years ago

Text

~BAKUGOU X READER~

“YO!”

I shot up from my desk, fell asleep in class again. I look up to see Aizawa staring me down with his death glare.

“Sorry sir.” I apologize.

“Fall asleep again and ill send you to Nezu.” He threatened. I nodded and opened my note book.

I heard a snicker behind me, i didnt have to turn to see who it was, I already knew. Bakugou Katsuki, the boy i look up to the most, but at the same time hate his guts. He gets good grades, famous even though he doesn’t realize it, winner of the sports festival, heck, he’s even popular with some of the girls around here. None of them say so to his face because the are scared he’ll bite their head off but i hear them talking about him quite often when he’s not around.

Though he has everything i wish i had, he treats me like trash. The amount of times he’s locked me out of my dorm, or shoved me in the hallways, and almost make me drop my food tray at lunch. I don’t get why he does it but i try to ignore it.

The bell rings and every one starts to pack up to head home. I stand. Up and put my backpack on, i look at Bakugou who is still putting books in his bag.

I wonder how spiky his hair is, like would it hurt to touch?

Bakugou notices me staring and barks at me. “What are you lookin at extra?!”

I snap out of it and turn to leave the class room, i forgot i have work in 30 minutes. I rush out and go to the bathroom to change into my uniform. I would change at work but I don’t have time now. Once i finished i ran out of the school and onto the bus to take me to the small caffe i work.

I finally get there, thank goodness we weren’t busy.

“Hey Y/N.” I’m greeted my my boss, they hand me my apron. “We need more coffee made, and I’m heading out for the night.” I put on my apron and smile. “Got it, have a good night.” I start making some coffee and stocking somethings in the back. The bell goes off and i head out to great the customer.

I walk out to the dinning area and see Mina,Kiri, Denki and, to my surprise, Bakugou. Mina waves and runs up to me.

“Heyyyy Y/N!! I didnt know you worked here!!” She’s jumping up and down at the point.

“Yeah I’ve worked her for a couple months.” I laugh, “here you guys can sit here.” I show them to a booth buy a window.

Denki slides in with Mina while Bakugou sits by the window and stares out of it. Kiri sits next to him.

“So what are guys doing here?” I ask. I never see anyone from UA, or my class at least, come in here.

“Welllllll,” Mina looks through the menu. “The four of us wanted to go out to eat as we do and Bakugouuuuu suggested we come here~”

I look at Bakugou and he keeps looking out the window but growls.

“Oh? That’s different. Didnt know you were the cafe type Katsuki~” i taunt. He turns at me and looks at me. His eyes are so red, I could feel my soul leave my body with that stare.

“Are you owing to take our order or what?” He snaps.

“Right.” I write down what they wanted and take it to the chef. While waiting for their food Mina calls me out.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“I was just wondering, you go home on the weekends right? Instead of staying at the dorms?”

“Yeah i do, why?” I lean against on of the tabes behind me.

“Well i know yo pretty much walk every where and it’s Friday so I’m guessing you’re going home after this?”

“What are you getting at Mina?” I fold my arms.

“Well you have to walk through a bad area to get home, so Bakugou offered to walk you home tonight.”

“WHAT? I I DID NOT YOU-“ Kiri tried shut Bakugou up but he shoved Kiri off. “I’ll kill you, you alien freak!”

Mina looks back at me. “Bakugou lives right down the street from you anyway so I’m sure he wont mind.”

I look at Kiri still trying to calm Bakugou down. “That’s a nice offer but i should be fine.” I rub my neck. Though I would feel safer going home, she was right it wasn’t the best part of town.

“At least once, to pay you back for dinner.” She begs.

“He doesn’t seem to thrilled about it though.” I say

“He’s fineeeeeee.” she insists.

I sigh, “fine once.”

“Yayyyy!” She claps. I emailed and walk back to get their food.

After about an hour they all leave except Bakugou, he sitting in the booth doing homework. I go out to refill his coffee. He doesn’t look at me when i walk over.

“Hey listen you can go home, I’m not done for two more hours and i only agreed with Mina so she would stop begging.” I say after filling his drink. Of course he doesn’t respond and keeps reading. I roll my eyes and walk to the back to finish my work.

Two hours later and no one else came in the store. I take of my apron, grab my bag and stay goodnight to my co workers. I walk out to the dinning room and see that bakugou left. I sigh, disappointed he didnt stay, and walk out the door, a slight breeze hits me and i zip up my jacket.

“Let’s go.” A voice next to me makes me jump a bit.

“I told you to go home.” I told bakugou. He walks by me and i start to follow.

“To late, we’re both heading in the same direction now.” He grunts. I roll my eyes and keep walking. After a while of walking, he speaks up.

“Why didnt you tell anyone you walk this way every weekend?”

Took back by his question it takes me a second to answer.

“I- well, i didnt want to bother anyone with it, its a weekend to everyone is ever to do their own thing.”

“What you don’t have parents to come pick you up?” He looks down at me. That’s another annoying thing about him. Always looking down on me, acting better all the time rubbing it in my face.

“No, my parents don’t live with me. My aunt does but she’s never around.” I look down.

“Then why don’t you just stay at the dorms on the weekend?” he asks.

“I’d rather be in my home even if no one is there. Plus I don’t have a Mineta knocking on my door all the time.”

He didnt say anything after that. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

We get to my house and turn to thank him.

“Well here we are and this doesn’t have to happen again.” I smile and start to unlock my door.

“Tch,” i hear bakugou grunt.

I look at him “got something to share Katsuki?”

“Do you work tomorrow?” He asks between his teeth.

“Yeah same time.”

“Then i see you when you get off.”

“No once was enough. I don’t need to be aggravating you more than you already are.”

“Tch whatever, its not like its out of my way you extra.” He glare at me, why is he so mad all the time? “Keep getting me free coffee and we’ll call it even.”

“Ughh fine, I’m tp exhausted to argue with you right now.” I go inside. “Goodnight, ill see you then i guess.”

He huffs and leaves my porch.

I shut the door and pass out on my couch, didn’t bother changing or getting a shower since I didn’t have school. Why is he being nice all of the sudden, his attitude changes when no one is around. I was to tired to figure it out, i fall asleep shortly after that.

*****

A couple weeks go by and Bakugou never missed walking me home each weekend. Every walk is in silence usually, occasionally ill try to start conversation but he always shrugs me off. When he does talk to me, its always yelling at me because I’m walking too close to him or that i was late for class.

I’m finishing up my shift for the evening and notice Bakugou start packing up his books from his usual seat in the dinning room. I go up to him and of course he acts like I’m not even there. I don’t get it, why does he even bother doing this if his going to acts so rude about it. I roll my eyes and follow behind him. It got closer outside, wish i brought a bigger coat. I sigh to myself.

We walk for awhile then i try with him again.

“So.” I start.

“What do you want?” He growls, still looking ahead down the sidewalk.

“I was wondering, why did you suggest to go the cafe that i work at with your friends?”

He doesn’t respond but I’m not letting it slide this time. It’s been on my mind for the past couple weeks.

“Ill keep following you till i get an answer. Even if that means i follow you to your house.” I nudge him.

“Tch.” He moves over from me.

“Following you home it is then.”

It got quiet, i looked down and watch my feet as i walked.

“I saw your shirt. “ he says almost whispering. “When you ran out of the school in your stores uniform, I’ve never heard of it and those so called “friends” you say wouldn’t stop bugging me on picking a place to eat.”

“I didnt see you though.” I say surprised.

“Probably because you were running so fast, almost ran Mineta over.”

“Oh.” I look up at him, I swear i might have seen him blush a little. I laugh a little.

Of course that sets him off. “What are you laughing at nerd?!”

“Nothing nothing. Oh look I’m home ill see you tomorrow.” I wave and run to my door before he can start yelling at me again.

I wake up the next morning with a cold, wonderful. That’s what i get for not wearing more layers. I got out of bed to get some water but felt dizzy so i went back to bed to try and finish some homework. I also called work to let them know I wasn’t coming in. I had no way of telling bakugou, guess he’ll just have to hear from my boss when he goes in.

I finish a couple pages of my assignments but I couldn’t keep my eyes open with this headache. I decide to take a brake and try to sleep it off.

I jolt up to a banging on my door, i swear if my aunt lost her keys again I’m going to lose it. My head was still pounding, how long was I asleep? I open the door and to my surprise, Bakugou of all people was on my porch.

I rub my head not in the mood to hear him yell at me for whatever reason. “Can i help you?”

“You could have said something that you weren’t at work?” Hes not raising his voice for once.

“Well I didnt have a way of doing that now do i?”

He looks away “Tch,”

“So can i help you? I’d really like to go back to bed.”

“Is your aunt still not here?” He folds his arms.

“No, not for another week or so.” I suddenly felt dizzy and nearly trip. Bakugou eyes widened and he reaches out in attempt to grab me if i fell.

he realizes what he was doing and straightened back right. “Okay look I’m already here and I doubt you did anything today so get in bed and ill make food or something.”

I know that was supposed to be nice but the way he said it sounded like a threat.

“I- ugh fine whatever.” I move aside to let him in. It’s pretty embarrassing how messy the house was but I’ve been busy.

“Geez is cleaning not a part of your lifestyle brat?” He mocks me. I ignore him and go back to my bed and I crawl under the covers.

“Did you have water or take medicine?” I hear Bakugou stand in my door way. I peek out from the covers.

“No.”

“Did you eat?”

“No.”

“Wow how do you survive by yourself so often.” He shakes his head and walks out to the kitchen and comes back with water and Advil. “Here, drink it before you fall asleep.”

I listen to him and hide back under the covers.

“Tch.” I hear him close my blinds and leave the room, closing the door behind him. He’s acting so weird, ill ask him about it when i wake up, it is nice having him here though.

“Mmh.” I roll over in my bed and check the time, I slept for a couple hours and feel somewhat better. There’s a bowl of soup on my nightstand, still hot. Bakugou must have just made it. I smile and get out of my bed to go see if he left, not that i wanted him gone. I walk out to the living room and see him sitting on the couch on his phone. He notices me and gives me his usual annoyed look.

“Feeling better i see? I can go home?”

I look at him, “well its not like i asked you to come here so you can leave when you want.” It looks like he cleaned my house up a little as well, the books were back on the shelves and dishes put away. “What are you doing all this anyway? Are you doing this so i owe you later?” I fold my arms.

He ruffles his hair, i still wonder what it feels like...

“Are you an idiot?” He stands up and walks toward me, “the longer I’ve been around you the more i realize how you obviously cant take care of yourself properly. Did you even eat the food i put in your room?”

I look down to hid my face and shake my head.

“Tch you really are helpless.” He was so close to me i was able to smell the caramel sent coming off of his body. I slowly look up at him and his eyes meet mine. He looked mad but concerned at the same time.

He looks up and down my face, “do you ever get any sleep? Your eye bags are awful.”

“Geez.” I look away, “your so good at trying to win people over Katsuki.” I say sarcastically.

“Whatever, go eat the food before it gets cold. I didnt make it for nothing.”

I nod and walk back to my room. I stop in the middle of the hall and turn at bakugou. “A-are you going home?”

This is stupid.

“Huh? I don’t know. If you feel fine then yeah.”

I want him to stay.

“Oh, okay.” I say fidgeting with the end of my shirt.

“But, if you need me to stay, my old hag wont mind.”

I look at him “I-i wasn’t asking you-“

“Come on, youre too easy to read, now go eat the stupid soup before i change my mind.”

I go to my room and finish the food, he was a good cook. I bring the empty bowl out to the kitchen, bakugou was putting the leftovers on the fridge.

“So there’s blankets in the closet and the couch is a pullout.”

I look at the time, it way past the time he usually goes to bed. great i messing his schedule up.

“Alright.” He closes the fridge.

“I’m sorry i kept you up late. I apologize for all this.”

“Like you said it was my choice so stop apologizing or ill get mad.”

I nod. We stand there in silence before bakugou breaks it.

“It’s late so you should go to bed.”

“Right, well goodnight.”

“Yeah.”

I smile and walk to my room and jump in bed, my eyes were so heavy i fell asleep immediately. As i was drifting off i thought i heard someone come in my room and wrap my sheets around me. I felt them move my hair from my face and kiss the top of my head.

“Night you idiot.”

*****

Yawnnnn

I wake up the next morning to the smell of food. I sit up feeling much better, and i have work tonight as well. I walk out o the kitchen to see bakugou already awake.

“Here. Eat.” He puts a plate down at the table.

“Good morning to you too.” I say as i sit down.

He grunts and sits down across from me. He looked tired, i can only imagine, the pull out couch is awful to sleep on. The couch in general isn’t the best even if he were to sleep on that.

We finish our food and he gets ready to leave.

“You work right.” He picks up his bag.

I nod “yeah i feel fine enough to go.”

“Right.” He opens the door to go home, “ill pick you up then.”

“Okay, thank you for everything.” I smile.

“Tch yeah whatever, start wearing bigger coats so it doesn’t happen.” With that he turns and heads home. I wave but of course he doesn’t do the same.

I look around my house and smile to myself. He is something else, i cant figure him out. He’s so cold to me at school yet he does this. I shake my head, I don’t have time to figure it out, i need to get a shower and mentally prepare myself for work later.

Several hours later and I’m at work, its a busy night, so of course they had me stay late to help clean.

“Sooo,” my co worker pulls me in the back. “What’s up with the boy?” She asks eagerly.

“What? Nothing. He just got roped into walking me home.”

“Sureeee.” She crosses her arms. “Ya know how many times I’ve caught him catching a glimpse at ya? It’s cute the way he smirks when ya laugh with the customers.” She nudges me.

“Yeah right, him? I’m sorry but I don’t think we are talking about the same person.” I laugh, and begin stocking shelves.

She helps me, “yeah, the blond boy, always reading in the corner booth.”

“Yeah but-“ i get interrupted by the bell.

“Speak of the devil.”

I roll my eyes and go out to Bakugou.

“Hey sorry i need to work a little later, we got busy.” I hand him his usual coffee.

“Whatever, just hurry up.” He looks like he just woke up. He probably was catching up on sleep. I go to the back and he goes to his booth.

“Well if you ain’t gonna take him i will.” My co worker smirks a me.

“Good luck, i dont think anything makes that man happy.”

It took me an hour to finish work and i was exhausted. I go to meet Bakugou in the dinner room and we head out. Once again, i forgot my coat.

“You really are an idiot.” Bakugou grunts. “Do you not own a winter coat?”

“I do but its packed with my winter clothes, i forget to bring it out.”

“Then stop forgetting.”

“Gee great advice.” I rub my arms.

He looks down, his red eyes looking angrily at me. “Your such a pain.” He puts his arm around my arm. His hand warming against my skin.

“What are you doing?” I jump a bit startled.

“I dont feel like taking care of you a second time, so...”

he trails off and doesn’t say anything the rest of the way home. He felt so warm this close to me, and him using his quirk to keep me warm felt nice.

We get to my house and he lets me go.

“Um Katsuki?”

“What is it now nerd?”

“Can i get your phone number, just in case something like that happens again?”

“Tch i told you it shouldn’t happen again if you wore a coat.”

“Yeah i know...”

he stares at me for a second then lets out a sigh. “I left my number on your fridge. I’m going home.”

My eyes widen and rush inside to get the number. I must have missed it this morning. I put the number in and text him.

Me: hey

Katsu: I’m going to bed moron.

Me: just checking. Night.

Katsu: right

I set my phone on my desk and head to bed.

*****

Anther week starts and I’m back in class. I take my seat just as Mina run over and sits on my desk.

“Heyy girl I’ve been meaning to ask how the walk home went with Explosion boy a couple weeks ago~”

“It was fine.” I look at her confused. “A couple weeks ago?”

“Yeah?” She smiles.

“Um hes been walking me home each weekend.”

“HE HAS?”

I look behind me to make sure Bakugou didnt show up yet.

“Youre telling me you haven’t been forcing him to take me home?”

“No i just said the one time. I didnt know he kept going back.”

I lean back in my chair. He’s doing this himself? What’s he getting at? I was about to talk to Mina more about it but Bakugou came in along with Aizawa. My eyes follow him as he walks by me.

I didnt pay attention in class that day.

We all head back to our dorms after school and i hang with Kiri and Iida most of the night. I go back to my room to finish homework, i was up writing a paper until midnight and remembered i didnt have dinner. I decide to go to the kitchen to see if there were leftovers. On my way there i see bakugou sitting in the common room.

“Youre up late.” I still wanted to ask him about the walking me home bit.

I ignores me and keep scrolling through his phone. I walk over and sit next to him.

“What do you think youre doing nerd?” He moves over from me.

“Why did you keep walking me home?” I ask sternly.

“What are you going on about again.”

“No one is forcing you to do it. Mina did the one time so why did you keep doing it?”

He stayed silent. His eyes fixated on his phone.

“Why?”

“Why do you care.”

“I- i dont know. Youre just acting weird.”

“Idiot.”

I sigh. “Fine whatever.” I get up and start walking back to my room.

“Y/N.”

I roll my eyes and turn around. “What-“ he cuts me off and pulls me in. Next thing i know his lips are pressed against mine. My eyes widen in shock. My whole body froze.

He pulls away and his eyes meet mine. “That answer your questions you idiot?”

“I- i guess so.” I feel myself blush and i look down to hide my face.

#anime #bakugou mitsuki #bnha bakugo katsuki #fanfic #anime fanfic #bakugou x reader

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mikaelalinato · 5 years ago

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The real life update... I guess: 2020 updates

I wish I'll be inspired to write again!! But for now I must settle for junk thoughts and loser vocabulary and undriven thoughts.. eek.. what am i saying???

2020 is a mix of many different things. Like halo-halo. You might think that these things will not go together but when you try to eat them all together, it's very delicious. So, I am keeping my hopes up even though some things didn't go according to plan.. but hey, some things did! :,-)

January-ish

I decided to finally take the risk and commit myself into a d-group!!! I am proud of you hun!!! You are such a hard shell to crack sometimes. One hell of a stubborn introvert but hey, this is gold!!! You have to pat yourself on the back for this!!!

February-ish

Met some people, attending church which I never imagine I will be friends with as of today. I mean, we shared some pizza and ice creams ANDZZZZ IT ZO AWKWARD THINKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW but hey who would have thought that they will be my church family.

March

And it all went crazy!!! Covid hit Manila and several lockdowns have to be done. And I started home- schooling since then. It's just 3 months away before graduation. Everything went 360°.

Dad couldn't go home because of this pandemic. There's no graduation anymore. Thesis is a disaster but u still have to push through regardless of these changes. Major major changes.

Blessings fell on our feet as well, God gave us 6 beautiful babies. One died the next day but yayyyy. I'm proud that finally Aashi became a mother and had her own children. It was panicky at first because you don't know what to expect, how to handle dog-birth at home. How to take care of puppies, is she gonna go through a lot of pain??? How are we gonna know what the babies' genders are... But you managed all these things... High five!!! ^_^

April

Still adjusting but it was somehow a relief for me since I get to be with my family... These month we're not yet getting on our nerves. Still feeling blessed. Struggling with online classes. Struggling with review...

May

Pretty much the same as April I guess... Online classes + online d-groups weekly.

June

Gaaaaaaaaah, u failed your revU but God gave you a chance!!! You passed and now you are on the list of graduates!!! Errrrr its not a good memory but I'll take it!!!!!

++++ how could I forget. Its my birth month, they surprised me with a family zoom meeting and letters from hs friends and family. It was all so thoughtful and i cried so hard. It was a wonderful blessing and a memory that i'll always keep. Its unforgettable. Hard to miss because pandemic brought a different vibe to celebrating birthdays. +++ Church family surprised me too. It was really unexpected and i'm still too shy about it but I gotta fight that shyness ehem, pride.

July

First day was my online graduation. We watched it on youtube. My cousins watched it anddd they were all so supportive. I love them!!! It was those small things that you don't want to miss really. I am happy that we are all so close.

August

Whattttttt time flies so fast. I think this month I started teaching kids on youth hub. Also I went on an online class for ministry called Go-Viral.

++++ its moms birthday. Her sibs surprised her and we r finally able to get out of the house for the weekend. I got maki-filled and ube cheese pandesal-filled. I am blessed just thinking about it!!!! Its very meaningful to see family even just for a brief moment.

September

Pretty much u are emotional this month. U are going through some struggles. Battle in your head and inside your heart. I really want to give you a hug, but when you tried to give yourself a hug you just couldn't comfort yourself back. It sucks :'(

And now its October O_o

Looking back... Those past few months, I was really so short-sighted about the things that are happening in my life. What's happening in the world. But I feel like, I can see it now. A different perspective of some sorts. All countries around the worlds are struggling with the same thing: Covid. I thought its all gonna be dooms day and all but knowing I've survived the past few months, my familly has survived the past few months and we are all still getting through.

We see how other countries are getting back on their feet and is just getting used to this new normal. My country has a lot more problems than Covid-19 but I hope we recover real soon, just like the others.

Looking in a very hopeful perspective.

Ps. I really really hope I'll be able to write again real soon. And also, I hope my heart will not be too hardened anymore. I hope it will not get any worse than this. But for the better!!! Please stop being so stubborn!!! Please!!!

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lizzybeth1986 · 6 years ago

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Quick Thoughts on TRH Book 1, Chapter 13 (One Last Yeehaw)

• It's the chapter everyone's been waiting for! We're pregnant, we get to tell our spouses, we get to tell our friends, we get to tell the courtly ladies, Olivia wears leather, our MCs get to buy a crib for an poppy seed-sized something in their womb that doesn't even know what hands and legs are yet (forget cribs), and the best news of all...WE ARE FINALLLY LEAVING TEXAS!!!!

• If you don't want to see this post on your dash, these are the tags to block: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs and #long post.

• Screenshots:

Hana: The Universal Studios 77 YouTube channel

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and the HIMEME YouTube channel

Maxwell: @itsbrindleybinch

Title: Spreading the Word

Alternative Title: It's a Child, Not the Gospel 🤦🏽‍♀

• Before I start talking about the chapter...storytime!

• Sooo...my first pregnancy was a couple of years ago. And I like telling the story of how I broke it to my husband coz it is pretty damn funny. We'd been trying for two years, and had a couple of times when our tests would be met with a disappointing negative. So by the time I did get pregnant, the hubby was a little wary of hoping too soon.

• I had an inkling just before my periods were expected to arrive, because I found myself flopping down on the bed immediately after work, without even making dinner. No morning sickness, no giddiness initially, just constantly feeling so tired. Anyway, hubby insisted I wait a couple days more before a test because he was too afraid of getting his hopes up, and I agreed.

• I took my test around 4 or 5 that morning? And had to wait a couple minutes for the lines...and THERE WERE TWO. Do you really think I could keep such news to myself for more than ten seconds?? (even that was too much). Of course I was going to shake poor hubby awake and show him the test.

• It took five vigorous shakes to wake the poor guy up, and as soon as he was somewhat awake I shoved the test in his face (I was excited ok! 🙈) forgetting that without his glasses he couldn't see shit (very high power). "I can't see anything," he said sleepily, so I gave him his glasses. Ensuing conversation went as follows.

H: There are two lines.

Me: Yeah...sooooo...? 😀😀

H (sudden realization what two lines are supposed to mean): OMG there are two lines??? *sleepy smile*

Me: YES. I'M PREGNANT.

H (weakly): Yayyyy. (pause)...can I go back to sleep now?

Me: But what will I do???

H: You also sleep.

Me (running on sheer adrenaline now) : I CAN'T SLEEP I JUST FOUND OUT I'M PREGNANT.

H: Oooookay. (is too sleepy at this point to process anything).

Me: (excitedly hops over to Google at 5.20 in the morning and types out "I'm 4 weeks pregnant now what")

LMAO. That first pregnancy was quite something.

• The chapter begins with the MC sending her spouse a text. Depending on whether you mentioned a surprise, mentioned that you need to have a talk or texted emojis instead, the LI will react accordingly.

• With the surprise option, the LI flirts with her. With "we need to talk", they appear tense and believe she's angry with them. The emoji option is the funniest, coz the MC sends a string of emojis with the last one being this: 🍞, and the LIs are confused and referencing the bread (I've seen only two routes of this one - Liam talks about the Cordonian Baker's Festival which will only happen after a couple months, and Hana speaks about a bread course). The MC is puzzled at first, then gets to choose how to tell her spouse the news.

• AAAAAND NOW THEY KNOW.

Liam: Ecstatic and excited at the thought of holding his own child in his arms. Immediately after, he worries over the preparations they will need to make, the childproofing of the throne room and the things they will need to get ready, and it is the MC who calms him down.

I personally love that the narrative makes a mention of Liam "recentering himself" here, because it does show me that this is a rare display of raw emotion, of Liam letting go of his control, and you get a glimpse of what calming down for him looks like. Wish it hasn't taken four books to actually muster up the effort to write that.

Hana: One of the sweetest reactions ever - "We're going to be moms?" and a hearty squeal after that. She then becomes emotional and teary, cries with joy. There's some gentle teasing of each other where they call each other "cute", and then Hana tells her she's so glad she gets to share both this moment and this entire journey of pregnancy with the MC.

Hana doesn't show many signs of her intensive planning in this particular scene, because this - again - calls for raw emotion where the LI basically forgets their "normal" and truly savours that moment, but we do see signs of the same type of planning in other scenes.

Maxwell: WHOOPS with joy and excitement as soon as he realizes. Wants to scream out the news on a mountaintop. He promises the MC that their family will be the most awesome, most fun one that the kingdom has ever seen.

I love how Maxwell's overall vibe in this chapter seems to reflect his family situation - he definitely wants to be the exact opposite to his own child what his father has been to him. It's a pity they don't explore that enough.

Drake: Wild with joy, can't stop grinning. But also worried about whether he is being careless with the MC and is overly concerned for her. Calls her not just by her surname but also her first name. I wonder if that should be added to my Book 1 tallies 😂

• That TRR lullaby music is going to be played so much after this that we'll eventually get sick of it. I know it. I know it already.

• The LIs also get to check in with the MC about how she's feeling, and you as the reader get to decide how she is feeling at the moment (ecstatic, nervous, scared?). We also get the option to decide when to break the news to our friends (at the reception itself, or the next morning at breakfast). I think enough of us had an axe to grind with Savannah and Bertrand for the stunt they pulled (with our help) last book, that most people slammed that "reception" button like their lives depended on it.

• The LIs also act in different ways before their friends find out about the pregnancy:

Liam and Hana both dote on the MC, and Hana specifically keeps the MC's dietary restrictions in mind (gets sparkling water/orange juice in place of champagne/mimosas, asks about caffeine content/salmon during breakfast - this varies depending on when you make the announcement). With Drake, the group figures out that he has something on his mind because he's grinning nonstop, and Maxwell tries really really hard to hint at the MC's pregnancy by using phrases like 'bun in the oven' and 'expecting', and gives up in frustration when no one catches on.

• There are three ways you can tell the news to the group - if you're at the reception, you can leave them to guess, get the LI to announce via loudspeaker or scream it out. If you're at home, the same three options except the second one is simply the LI delivering the news in a more low-key manner.

•

YOU'RE SUCH DORKS ISTG.

• Bertrand is happy for us but Savannah is surprisingly (to my great joy) nowhere to be found.

• CELEBRATORY DIAMOND SCENE. For 30 diamonds, which is usually reserved either for finales or turning-point diamond scenes. Again, these scenes deal with the newness of it all, the jubilation, the end of a (not very long, actually) wait, and the LIs get to talk about family.

•

The sex part is 🔥 🔥 🔥 as usual, but the parts that really justify the 30 diamonds we're spending come before and after that. Each LI, as I've mentioned before, responds differently, but the thread that connects them all is the awe and wonder at this new life, and their plans and worries for the future (Good. You all should be worried if Olivia's diamond scene is anything to go by).

- Liam: In the pre-sex portion, the focus is on celebrating this moment they have alone - as parents - together, because once this news is brought out to the world, both they and their child will be thrown into the spotlight. I have spoken in this essay about the kind of upbringing royal children tend to have and the lessons they unknowingly learn in that environment. Liam has gone through this, he is aware his child will go through it too, but he wants the child to have as normal a life as he as a father can provide. This is clear in the last portion of the scene, where he touches the MC's stomach, marvels at the life they both created and - as per the MC's choice - communicates with said child. My favourite option of course is the lullaby, because it's one that Eleanor used to sing to him - and it is interesting how a lot of Liam's memories of an actual parent, doing actual parent-things, is of his mother.

- Hana: In the pre-sex portion, she speaks about how nervous they've both been over whether this pregnancy would happen and the pressure from the court, and how excited she is that that moment is finally here. When the MC asks her if she is nervous or scared, Hana tells her that even though everything that has led up to this (leaving her parents, having a new life in Cordonia) has been unknown and scary, knowing that they will finally have their own family outweighs "all the worries in the world". In the last portion of the scene, they flirt playfully, leading Hana at some point to wonder about whether they should set ground rules if the child is going to be such a charmer. She's already got a whole range of things prepared - from a pregnancy kit to snacks and drinks appropriate for the MC's condition - but the MC encourages her to relax and not worry too much. You can tell that Hana is already in the zone of wanting to be a better parent for her child than her own.

- Maxwell: I find the Maxwell version of this scene really interesting this time, because it deals with both his struggle to change for his child, and his struggle to NOT be the kind of father Bartie Sr was (finally they address this!). The first part of the scene involves Maxwell being his usual excitable self, wanting to scream the news from the rooftops then realising that it might be too risky for his wife. He speaks of wanting to "rewire" himself into "Good Dad mode". The last portion is especially poignant, because he speaks both of what a life without the MC would have been life (an enjoyable Beaumont Bash, but one where he is forever searching for someone, and feeling constantly lonely, like something is missing in his life), and he also promises his wife that he will be the kind of father who will learn and grow from his mistakes, and who will be there whenever his children need him most, not just drop by on the day of their child's wedding.

- Drake: Drake also falls back into old-habit before getting into father-mode - he mentions celebrating with drinks before realizing the MC cannot have them. The MC gets to choose either a non alcoholic beverage or a massage, and as far as I have seen the massage comes with yet another family story about his father massaging a particular spot in his mother's shoulder that would easily tense up. It astounds me how much effort the writers make into making Drake's scenes and exchanges so much more personal than the others. Like the others have their moments in this scene too - but in their cases such moments are the exception, not the norm. In Drake's it's always the norm.

In the aftermath of the scene, the couple get to discuss how they will bring up their child, even though that child will be heir to Cordonia's throne, and get to choose if they want to bring that child up with a sense of normality, or to appreciate the benefits they get from the royal life. In the end, all Drake wants this child to know at the moment is how much their parents love them.

• We now have brunch, hosted by the newlyweds. If we have not yet announced our pregnancy, Bertrand will simply announce us the way a herald would at a royal event before Savannah teases him for doing so, and if we have, he mentions that we are "celebrating the happy news with them once more". Bertrand speaks of being overly formal when he's very happy, and is even happier to mention the word "wife". That'll last.

• Leona gives Bertrand a cup of bourbon as a reward for the way he stood up to Chuck, claiming that she thought of him as a "pretty boy" who knew nothing, but was impressed by his behaviour on the wedding day. At this point I can only roll my eyes and finally celebrate when Auntie Bitch disappears. We've wasted way too much time than necessary on Drake's shitty family.

• If you haven't announced the news, you announce it after this scene. There are a few slight changes, esp the drinks mentioned in certain cases because the brunch is a more relaxed atmosphere than the reception so the food and drink items mentioned are pretty low-key. But everything else is pretty much as is.

• Bertrand and Savannah have a honeymoon to plan, which means we will finally get a break from them too, and Bianca asks us what we're planning in order to celebrate the news. Maxwell suggests getting a gift for the new arrival (9 months before arriving), and Savannah suggests they go to the general store and get something from there. The MC is nervous, because she wasn't exactly planning to meet Cassidy West again. Thankfully, he isn't at the store, so she's pretty safe 😂

•

All the LIs have items they will check out with their friends/wives, but the scene varies related to who the MC married. Minimally in most cases, quite a bit in just one. As usual.

Maxwell shows us baby socks, and realizes that this child is a "miniature human" who will have small-sized everything. Virtually nothing changes in this scene except for Maxwell calling the child "our baby" instead of "yours" in his own playthrough. Everything else is disappointingly identical.

Hana shows us a toy tea set (it's still early days but Hana tells the MC it will be fun to practice and to think of the treats the child can eat from that). If you are married to her, she gets a single line referencing the childhood scene where she waited in vain for her mother at her own tea party.

Liam's scene is the one wit the diamond option - as the King of Cordonia whose entire country's future rides on this child, he is the one who gets to show the MC (+ LI in their respective playthroughs) the crib. There are two variations in this scene - the ones where Liam speaks about "our heir". Other than that, very little difference (though he does mention Constantine in one line later, so I guess that's a plus).

Drake shows the MC a wooden rocking horse. In his friend playthrough, he speaks of the gift as something the child can have to remember "ol' Uncle Drake" by. But if you're married to him, there is a whole set of dialogues where Drake talks of riding horses being part of the Walker DNA, and there is a reference to the secret wedding (riding off into the sunset), and there is interactive banter between the MC and Drake that you don't see much of in the other playthroughs. I wish I could say I'm surprised.

• I mean...seriously??? Maxwell gets NO OTHER VARIATIONS??? Hana's mention of her mother never coming to her tea parties isn't even followed up by a line expressing comfort from the MC????

• Just as we got there options for our nursery decor, we also get three options for the crib (classic, royal, forest fairytale). The royal option is lavish, all gold and cream, and the fairytale option is whimsical, wood finish and the same patterns of forest animals and flowers and leaves as the walls. The classic option is, like its corresponding decor, "very neutral. very baby".

• We exit the shop as quickly as we can either because Maxwell broke a trampoline (in the Liam, Hana and Drake playthroughs), or Hana dropped some teacups (in Maxwell's playthrough).

• Once we're done shopping, we get a call from Olivia, who is at our estate in Valtoria, asking us for the most precious thing in our room. But before she can ask, we tell her we're either furniture shopping or pregnant. The option the writers want us to be choosing is "pregnant", because there's a scene where Olivia secretly happy-cries for us when she learns the news. We can agree to loan her either some fancy shoes, our engagement ring (in the Maxwell playthrough, apparently, there is a reference to the twig ring he made back at the beginning of Book 3) or the Cordonian Royal Sceptre. She isn't sure if she'll come back alive, so she thanks us in case she doesn't.

• The ensuing Olivia diamond scene comes with a chance to figure out what Olivia is upto, an advantage over Auvernal, and a tiny hint at a Nevrakis name for TRM.

• I must say, the writers never cease to go all out for Olivia. Even over the female LI that should have been treated like a co-protagonist. And it's tiring because yet again I'll have to see half the fandom drag Hana just so they can drool over the white girl (in fact I already have).

• Olivia's sprite on the left side of the screen...is going to take some getting used to. It's disorienting. But it's fine after a second one!

• Anyway. She is now at a casino in Monte Carlo, meeting up with Bradshaw and Isabella. She's clearly in super-spy mode, since she refers to the King and Queen of Auvernal as targets rather than their names or titles. She has a better edge over the two if she is honest about her intentions and doesn't pretend she just bumped into them.

• Bradshaw speaks about King Liam sending his 'attack dog' to them and 'not doing his own dirty work' which is hilarious considering this man is from a militaristic society yet doesn't even know the C of combat training and has never done anything besides strategizing.

• Isabella always delivers her stinky, unwarrented opinion as if it holds any weight or has any relevance. In Olivia's case, she mentions Anton's marriage contract with Olivia and wonders aloud how the Queen/Duchess still trusts her enough to allow Olivia in her inner circle after that. All three options to push back at Izzy are 🔥 but my favourite one is "you look like you know all about poor judgement" (which is true, look at who she married).

• Olivia then gambles with Bradfraud and Stinkybella, with whatever the MC chose to give her as stakes. The best option is to simply call Bardfraud on his bluff, because he folds easily. Depending on whether Olivia wins or loses the game, he either asks the guards to place the item in the penthouse, or to get more funds from there. Olivia takes note.

• She then has to make sure she nicks the key to the penthouse from Stinkybella, either by acting tipsy or by coming closer to her for an "awkward hug". Both do the job.

• She learns the following from the penthouse:

- Bradfraud and Stinkybella stay in separate rooms, which means things "aren't as rosy" between them.

- She finds a letter of rejection, doubtless from another royal couple, and this is an indication that they aren't as popular as they pretend to be.

- She finds a map of a land she doesn't recognize (is it Monterisso? Olivia would recognize a map of her own country...and neighboring countries...but who am I fooling it's not like team TRH concerns themselves with such ridiculous things as logic!), which has troop formations on it. They're planning something called Operation Swan. I've heard of "Black Swans" and "Swanning About" used as military terms, but there's not a lot I understand from this. Perhaps this leans more towards a "black swan" idea - where they will launch a surprise attack with a nation they are allying with? IDK.

- Basically, we have enough leverage to win against these two, thanks to Olivia's work.

• In any case, someone comes to the room, and Olivia is on the verge of getting caught. So she'll need to scale her way down.

• This shows us if you have Olivia pray to her ancestors for wings:

(Theodosia is clearly the Renaissance Nevrakis)

• If you don't choose to scale down, Olivia will land on the pool instead, but even then she makes it out okay. She decides to keep an eye out because Bradfraud and Stinkybella could pose as a problem for Liam and the MC.

• Olivia is operating on her own, as far as she has told Bradfraud, but the possibility that Liam is aware of what she is upto still exists. And the MC has no clue even if she is Liam's wife because:

a. The writers are too lazy to code this for Liam, and

b. It's not like the MC puts any effort into finding things out anyway

• We're now leaving the Walker Ranch, a couple hours later, and saying our goodbyes to Drake's mother and aunt. I heave a sigh of relief at the fact that there's no additional "memories" from Bianca become this family has gobbled up enough of our attention. Seems like their horrible attitude was really about the money they didn't get after all (it's a fair gripe to have, but doesn't exactly warrant the attitude they've been throwing around).

• Leona still acts like she did us a huge fucking favour hosting us, even though she was an awful host and seriously deserves to lose her ranch. Bianca tries to be civil but no apologies from her for allowing her son in law to be treated like crap until his wedding day. Seems like all Walkers have a habit of expecting civility from others while giving none.

• Bianca asks us to keep in touch and I'm pretty sure a huge chunk of the fandom said "no way in Yeehaw Hell".

• Liam continues to be mysterious with regards to what Olivia is up to, and Esther - who I HC'd as inquisitive - seems not to care enough to ask more.

• The LI tells us, as we leave, that Kiara, Penelope and Madeleine will be traveling in the jet with us, and it's up to us to decide how we break the news to them. If you own corgis, that features as an option. Two of the options (writing on a cake and announcement by corgi) come with a simple "Coming Soon...The Royal Heir", but the charade one is my favourite 🤭

• Penelope is that particular Drake/Walker Ranch stan who loved the time we spent at the ranch and Kiara is the rest of the fandom, who would much rather be in Cordonia than cooling her heels in Texas.

•

AAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The MC then tries another charade, one that resembles cradling a baby in her arms, which Kiara takes to mean "American football" (thank God they don't force Cordonians to call it "soccer" anymore), Madeleine takes to mean "a common pirate jig" and Penelope somehow gets the guess right (though Kiara is the one who straight-out says it).

• The ladies are ecstatic, and congratulate us. Penelope calls for drinks, but Kiara has the common sense to add that the drinks should be alcohol-free. Madeleine informs us of the events lined up for us, including the Apple Ball which will doubtless be the ball we will be attending in the finale.

•

There's a small private moment where the LIs dote over the MC more than necessary, wanting to pamper her and keep her in comfort. The MC calms them down, convinces them that they have a very good support system/are a great team together who can achieve anything.

• Mara still finds out about the pregnancy via Maxwell scouring the online shops for corgi-themed onesies even when he is the father. Which makes sense. It's still Good Dad Mode 😁

• In the tiny space of time it took between Madeleine finding out we were pregnant and us talking to people, she managed to schedule a conference for the same day! At least let us confirm the pregnancy with our docs???

• Plus, announcing this early, even if you're not royalty, is pretty risky. You're mostly advised to not disclose it too soon because the first trimester can be a little risky. And there are also cases where your first ultrasound turns out to not be that happy moment where you see that yolk sac and hear its heartbeat, or an ectopic pregnancy 😔. I recall reading about it on pregnancy forums before my first ultrasound (and stressing, but I had to be prepared) and not being satisfied until I confirmed it for myself.

• The writers and the readers know she'll be pregnant because that is what the story is, but perhaps if the team hadn't wasted so much time on the Walker Ranch, they'd at least not have to hurry like this.

• Actually...no. "Hurrying" would be the wrong word. Because they're going to stretch the press conference itself to like two chapters, it seems like. Basically they will spend time on everything that isn't important to the story as long as it's important to their pet character.

• The summary of Chapter 15 (CHAPTER FUCKING FIFTEEN. We're stuck at the beginning of all this even by CHAPTER FIFTEEN) speaks of the press conference heating up, so I'm having an inkling that there will be some pretty heavy stuff being asked in between? Maybe with regards to alliances, or a new scandal, or something else. But it's not going to be easy at all, that much is pretty clear. It's going to be frustrating and there's going to be stuff that will anger the LIs I think. I could be wrong, though.

• Overall this chapter does better in terms of variations even though they still do beef up Drake quite a bit over the others. But at least Liam, Hana and Maxwell get the rare opportunity to briefly address the mistakes (too small a word for what they've done) their parents have made. It's still not enough though. Esp considering the last 9 chapters have seen such an overall of Walker history and Drake's memories and the others have barely a handful of chapters to catch up.

• Sometimes I wonder if Olivia's independent investigation is also fueled by her desire to be so different from her parents and aunt as to wipe out the memory of their betrayal through her deeds. I do wonder if she will burn herself out completely in the process. She is made of sterner stuff than that, I know, but the determination she was showing in this scene and in the last few chapters was on another level.

• I wonder if we will get intel on Monterisso as well (I don't fully trust Amalas yet), or whether the narrative plans to establish this country as the underdog we will be supporting. Who knows. But I'm sure we will see more of that country in further chapters as well.

• That's it for this chapter, I think. Until the next one!

#long post #trh quick thoughts #trh qts #king liam #hana lee #maxwell beaumont #olivia nevrakis #drake walker #trr kiara #trr penelope #trr madeleine #the royal heir

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