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#'oh yeah tell me all about how to build my own log cabin' i say still not having assembled the fucking pool i took out a loan for
unpretty · 1 year
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there's a good humblebundle if you wanna promote
you gotta be more specific!! do you mean this one:
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affiliate link here, runs until april 14th
or this one:
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affiliate link here, runs until april 13th
i'm not personally interested in either (which is why i didn't post them) but if a follower wants to vouch for them i'm down with that
or maybe you meant a different one whose good qualities i have failed to recognize
(i am personally most interested in this diy book bundle because i'm a sucker who sees 'build your own tiny house for dummies' or whatever and is like 'oh hell yeah buy now')
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Dream SMP Recap (January 21/2022) - Manual Labor
Mumza comes to visit the server for a vacation from her godly realm. 
Technoblade, meanwhile, must gather ludicrous amounts of building materials for definitely no reason in particular.
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VOD LINKS:
Ponk
Philza
Technoblade
Eryn
Karlnetwork
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- Ponk has built the Wonkey Donkey Donkey Farm and is now wondering about possible donkeyback duels in an arena. How to transport the donkeys to the arena? Well, maybe TNT cannons would work!
- He transports some villagers to the farm and sentences Cliff Pig to hang in the abyss for eternity
...
Phil: “Trust me, it’s going to work this time.”
Mumza: “I dunno man, I mean, this is kind of like attempt number 458 now?”
Phil: “Don’t laugh! I mean, I needed this time. This time – I’m a thousand percent sure it’s going to work this time.”
Mumza: “Okay...it would be nice to feel the sun again. I’ve pretty much forgotten what that was like now – ooh, and the wind!”
Phil: “Just a few more seconds...got it!”
Mumza: “How long did you say it would last again?”
Phil: “I’m not sure, probably an hour or so if we’re lucky – oh! Remember, with this method, I’ll be unconscious in my own mind trying to keep the connection between our worlds stronger, so if you need any more help...”
Mumza: “Yeah! I’ll just talk to the crows like we always do.”
Phil: “Yeah, okay. Are you ready?”
Mumza: “Yeah! Uh...definitely! I think you seem pretty confident, I think it’s gonna go well, I think it’s gonna be great!”
Mumza: “...Phil?”
There’s an explosion, and Mumza wakes up in the Arctic cabin! It worked! She wants to go on a vacation, live her best life and hang out
- First thing she does is go to the picture of Wilbur and say “Phil’s son” like Phil does
- Next, she wants to unpack her luggage like one does on a vacation. Except she doesn’t have luggage. So instead, she searches for some drinks
- She brews herself a cocktail and has a drink
- It’s time to leave the hotel. Mumza wants to go to the beach, but she’s a little drunk, so she wanders around with chat guiding her
- Chat gets her back to the main Dream SMP. It’s not a beach, but it sure is tourism
- Mumza finds her way to Las Nevadas and sets down her beach towel there. She explores around the area, then sips her cocktail at the pool
- She goes into Tubburger but there’s no one at the shop
- She leaves Las Nevadas. She’s heard Phil tell stories of L’manhole and goes to see it for herself. She takes a lily of the valley as a souvenir, then dives into the water
- From there, Phil takes back over
Phil: “Why do I feel drunk?”
- Technoblade logs on and tells Phil that he wants to gather 12,497 red terracotta, 14,068 sand, 43,730 sandstone and 4,032 oak logs. He wants to get together a work force to do manual labor to help him gather the materials
Techno: “For no reason in particular, other than they’d be nice to have. So let’s go, Phil!”
Phil: “So specific!”
Techno: “Listen, it came to me in a dream, okay?”
- They go to the mainland and meet up with Eryn and Ponk
Phil: (about Ponk) “Why’s he not got any shoes?”
Phil: “...I think he’s down bad.”
- The three travel to Australia, where they discover Dry Waters. They head out a bit to get away from Fundy’s area and set up a beacon to begin mining
- Once they have the terracotta, they go to the desert just past Las Nevadas and start mining out the sandstone. There’s a pillager outpost there, and they accidentally end up triggering a raid
- Once they have all of the stacks of sandstone, they devise a system where Eryn and Phil send Techno back and forth with ender pearl stasis chambers between the sandstone quarry and the community portal hub
- Techno runs to the New World and deposits the materials in double chests at spawn. BadBoyHalo logs on as well
---
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Meant To Be (iii)
Pairing: Hotch x F!Reader
Summary: After meeting Garcia you make quick work of helping with the case, desperate to prove yourself to Hotch. Once the two of you help the team wrap everything up it’s time for them to return home. Which also means it’s time for you and Hotch to talk. One on one.
Warnings: Nothing in this chapter.
Word Count: 5,288
A/N: I wanna say I’m super happy you guys are enjoying this series cause honestly I’m having a lot of fun writing it! I love you all dearly. (If you’re just now finding this series, that’s perfectly alright! I’m glad you’re here! Feel free to catch up and enjoy the rest of the story. Here’s a link to Part 1 and Part 2 of Meant To Be.)
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The elevator ride to the bottom floor of the building was quick, allowing you to make your way to Garcia’s office in a matter of minutes. There was a plaque up next to the door, indicating that you were in the right place. Taking a moment to steady yourself you exhale before knocking on the door. A voice on the other side tells you to come in so you do. Around you are dozens of impressive looking monitors, all of which are doing something different. On top of the long L-shaped desk there were several small trinkets and toys, bringing a sort of life into the dark room. The woman sitting in front of you spins around in her chair to look at you, a quick flash of confusion on her face. She looks extremely kind and everything about her appearance makes you want to smile. 
“Hello. My name is Y/N L/N. Are you Penelope Garcia?” 
“Yes, I am. What can I do for you?” Once you’re sure you’re in the right place you step forward to shake her hand. She stands so that you are both on the same level now, shifting awkwardly. 
“Sorry to barge in like this. Everything has gone pretty fast this morning. I’m a new agent for the BAU. Today is my first day. The rest of the team just left on a case and SSA Hotchner asked me to stay behind and help from here.” Her face lights up with a bright smile.
“Oh, that’s awesome! It’s really nice to meet you! Please come in, sit down. Make yourself comfortable.” With this, she pulls another chair up to the desk and then sits back down in her own. “I didn’t actually know we had any new agents joining us. That being said, welcome! I’m almost always here by myself so the company will be nice. You and I can get to know each other.” You nod with a smile, watching her as she continues what she was doing. There are several different tabs open across the screens with loads of information that she seems to be compiling. When she sees your incredulous face she laughs.
“I know, it’s a lot. I’m just trying to get as much preliminary information as I can to send to the team. That’s what you’ll be helping me with. We collect research, data, important records. Anything they need to find out, we provide. Kind of cool, right?” Remaining silent, you nod. Upon seeing this, Garcia stops typing for a moment. “I know it may not seem as exciting as field work but it’s still very important. Don’t worry, I’ll make it fun. I promise you won’t be bored.” Patting your knee, she continues typing and you watch carefully now. This is where you will be until the case is over so you intend to make the absolute best of it. Everyone on the team has their own special skills and now is the time to learn from Garcia. 
“So what exactly are you looking for right now?” 
“I am compiling a list of the victim’s friends and family, plus witnesses from the robberies who might be able to give us any information. This will give the others a clear list of where to go first. I’m also seeing what I can find about the people who were at the banks on the days of the robberies in case there’s anything useful they need to know. Financial troubles, criminal records, anything to possibly link the witnesses to one another.” Scooting your chair forward so you can see better, you lean an elbow on the desk. 
“What can I help with?” You ask hopefully. 
“Oh, I think that was the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t even count on one hand how many times I’ve had someone down here and all they do is sit and look over my shoulder. Sorry, rambling. I can get you logged into a monitor here and it looks like the next thing on my list was looking into the victim’s workplace. Sound good?” 
“Yes, absolutely.” She moves over quickly and gets a separate monitor opened so you can begin researching. 
“We’ll probably do what research we can in the next twenty to thirty minutes and then we’ll call the team to tell them what we’ve found out.” With that, you make quick work of doing everything you can in the time you have. Even if it is the last thing you ever do, you will prove to Aaron Hotchner just how valuable a team member you are. 
++++++++++
The jet takes off fairly soon once the team is onboard. They all stow their go-bags and begin settling in for the flight. It is going to be a longer one today so they are all preparing themselves for the journey. Aaron finds a seat near a far window where he sets the case file down in front of himself and begins reading. His mind is swimming with thoughts and he will do anything to quiet them. The scene plays out over and over in his head, the memory still painfully fresh. Why had he said those things? He was unnecessarily harsh and he is fully aware of this. Now the first memory you’ll have of starting your dream job will be your new boss treating you appallingly. What had even compelled him to speak to you that way? Seeing you had overwhelmed him. The way you looked when you came into his office for the first time. The way your hair framed your face, the light hopefulness in your eyes, the way you captivated him with your movements. Standing there, just feet away from him, you had looked just as beautiful as the first day he met you. God, why did he lie like that? How could he have said he didn’t recognize you when you had stayed in his thoughts more times than he would like to admit over the past year? All the emotions he felt at the mere thought of you made him nauseous and he had no way of understanding them. As badly as he felt for it, he knew that for the time being it would be best to let you work from the BAU headquarters. 
“Hotch, are you okay?” JJ’s voice brings him quickly back to reality. The fact that she could see how deeply in thought he was makes him feel an odd sense of shame and he straightens in his seat. 
“Of course, I’m fine.” With this, she goes back to her own seat. With a huff of exhaustion, Hotch continues reading. The cabin is silent for a time as the other team members sit reading their case files. 
“So,” Morgan’s voice breaks the quiet. “What do we think of Y/N?” The mention of your name causes Hotch to perk up against his will. 
“Well, I like her.” Emily is the first to chime in. “I know you guys all got to meet her before me but there’s just something about her. An inherent sweetness. I’m really excited to work with her.” 
“Me, too,” JJ says next. “I thought she was kind and open. In this job, that kind of personality is hard to find. I just hope the things she sees doesn’t cause her to lose that. The world needs more kind people, not less. She seems tough though. I think she can handle it.” 
“I totally agree,” Morgan adds, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “She’s got a little bit of fierceness in her but I like that. You’ve gotta be tough to do this job but she’s also sweet. That’s important too. Plus, that kid’s got the cutest smile. Kind of reminds me of my sisters.” At the mention of your smile, Hotch closes his eyes briefly trying to picture that smile directed at him. He quickly catches himself and looks back down at the file. 
“Well, I can’t say I know her that well yet but she seems intelligent. She certainly has eagerness to learn. I think that will help her be successful. It’s very ... refreshing.” Spencer says with a small smile.
“I agree. Right off the bat she’s got a very likable energy,” Rossi begins letting himself trail off for a moment. “Although, I have to say there is something about her that is so familiar. I can’t quite place how I might know her though. Her name too, I recognize it. For a second I thought she recognized me too but I can’t be sure.” The rest of the team watches him for a moment as he tries to recollect how he knows you but he quickly comes up blank. “I’m sure I’ll think of it eventually. Nevertheless she seems like a good kid. I’m excited to see her at work. Just a shame we’ll all have to wait.” 
Hearing this Aaron shifts in his seat, knowing that the comment is directed at him since he was the one that made you stay behind. He is suddenly very aware of the other team members looking at him. 
“Yeah, Hotch. Why isn’t she here? I thought for sure you’d wanna see what she can do.” Derek locks eyes with Aaron, causing him to debate how to answer the question. All his life Hotch has worked to control his feelings and the way that they manifest so his face remains expressionless as he thinks for a short second.
“I think that for right now her time would be better spent helping Garcia and getting used to her new environment. I agree that she does seem very intelligent and more than capable. I would just like to speak with her one on one first before thrusting her into the high intensity atmosphere that comes with our line of work.” However, this answer doesn’t seem to satisfy Morgan’s curiosity. 
“She told me when she came out of your office that you said you didn’t remember her. Is that true?” This continued line of questioning makes his blood begin to boil. Aaron Hotchner of all people knows that lies are what cause the foundations of trust to crumble. If he can’t be honest with himself, how can he expect to be honest with his team? And yet, he finds himself unable to expose his own misdeed. 
“Yes, that is correct. We’ve had a lot of cases come and go in the last few years and no one should be expected to remember every interaction they have in that length of time. According to her it was only one day and it was a long time ago at that. I apologized to her and she understood. That is the end of it.” 
“Look, I’m not passing judgement Hotch. I’m just saying I can understand why she was so hurt,” Hearing this causes his heart to clench. “She looks up to you. She didn’t even have to tell me that, I could just see it. You mentored her in a time that was very uncertain, when she had a lot to prove. She still has a lot to prove and I’m sure she thought that you would have her back and the first thing you tell her is that you don’t even remember who she is? I get it man, you’re under a lot of stress right now but she’s a part of your team. I just thought you of all people would be a little more sensitive than that.” 
His words cut right through Aaron’s heart like a knife but before he has a chance to say anything the laptop screen in the center of the cabin lights up, revealing you and Garcia. Glad for a break from the tension the rest of the team members look toward the screen. With one last glance at Morgan, Hotch leans towards him. “We will discuss this later.” His voice is firm and dangerous but he pulls away to look at the laptop. “What did you find?” He directs at the two of you.
Seeing him causes you to straighten in your seat as you ready yourself to put on your most professional face. Garcia begins telling everyone what she was able to find out about the victim. She has significantly more information than you do but once she’s done she allows you to share what you found. The victim worked at a local grocery store but he had been previously employed at the bank where the robbery took place. The team begin building a rough profile based on the information. You listen closely to their analysis of the unsubs, making mental notes on what you might add to the profile. Before you have a chance to add anything, Hotch thanks the two of you for your work and hangs up. For a moment, you could swear you saw a hint of sadness when he looked at you but you were sure it was just a glitch on the screen. 
“Sorry sweetpea. I could totally tell you wanted to add something. They can be pretty abrupt like that sometimes.” You simply give a small shrug. “Well, why don’t you tell me what it was? It’ll give you a little practice for building profiles.” She scoots to the edge of her chair, looking at you intently to which you give a small laugh.
“Well, as we know all of the unsubs are large burly men. The five of them could easily subdue the few weaker people that were present at each of the robberies and yet they chose to bring guns. I believe this shows that they feel a certain sense of inadequacy in their everyday lives. Despite their masculine appearance I would suspect they all have mediocre jobs where they are looked down upon or treated poorly. It’s possible that they all work at the same place but I would imagine they probably met somewhere else. Maybe a support group of some sort. The use of weapons gives them a sense of power over the victims that helps them live out their mass fantasy. The victim of the last crime scene was shot in the head which indicates some personal relationship between him and the unsub who pulled the trigger. That could be a good place to start.” 
“Well, it definitely makes sense to me. Maybe we can start looking in to possible support groups for these type of men. Oh, and anyone that might possibly have had reason to kill our victim.” Garcia immediately begins typing and you scoot closer to her side. 
“Shouldn’t we wait for the order from Hotch?” She laughs at this. 
“Trust me, sweetheart. At the end of the day he’s gonna thank us for the head start. One thing to know about the boss man. He likes to see initiative but he also wants you to follow his exact orders. It’s a fine balance but once you figure out how to work the line, he’s gonna love you for it.” The thought of Hotch loving you for anything at all in the world makes your heart flutter. Almost instantly you stop that train of thought and berate yourself for even entertaining it. 
“Well, I guess we better get started then.” The rest of the day goes smoothly. You and Garcia coordinate everything beautifully, finding a good amount of information that you save to send to Hotch at the most convenient time. The day seems to be over almost as quickly as it began and you thank Garcia before heading out to your car. The drive home seems to be much more monotonous than before. It seems like you’re back inside your apartment and stretched out on the couch before you can hardly blink. Rolling over, you reach for your phone which you had thrown on the coffee table. With a groan, you begin dialing your sister’s number. As much as today sucked there was no one in the world you’d rather vent to than your sister. 
“Well hey there babe. I’ve been patiently awaiting your call. Give me just a minute to get sat down. I want to hear every last detail.” There are sounds of shuffling on the other side of the phone as she finds a seat. “Okay, I’m all good. Now, tell me about your first day at the BAU! Was it everything you dreamed it would be?” 
“Yeah, not exactly,” You laugh. “It was kind of rough to be honest.” There is a moment of silence as you think how to begin.
“Okay. Start at the beginning, walk me through it.” 
“Alright. Well, I got inside and I was honestly just in awe of being there, just getting to stand in that room. It felt like I was invincible. Derek Morgan was the first one to talk to me. He was just as charming as I remembered. Anyway, he introduced me to the rest of the team and we got to talk for a bit which was really nice, you know? From the get go I really felt like part of the team.” 
“Now you know I hate to interrupt but all of this sounds great!” 
“Yeah, well, that was the best part of the day and it didn’t last very long. After I met everyone I went up to Aaron Hotchner’s office to give him my paperwork. I’m sure you know by now that I was pretty excited to see him again, right? Well, when I told him how excited I was to be working with him again he told me that he didn’t actually know who I was. He completely forgot about me. I mean, I guess I get it. It’s been a year and a half and he meets a lot of people. Why would he remember me specifically?”
“Y/N, don’t invalidate your own feelings. What he said upset you and it’s okay to be hurt. That would have hurt my feelings too. You’re a really great person and he sucks for not thinking about you ever since he met you.” Hearing this, you can’t help but laugh a bit. Her ability to defend you no matter what always cheers you up. 
“Thank you. I appreciate that. I just wish he thought the same. Anyway, I gave him my paperwork so I could travel with the team. They got a case this morning and I was planning to go with them but for some reason Hotch made me stay behind even though I am cleared to be in the field. It just really bummed me out because I was super ready to get out there and start working but I got benched for my very first case. He had me stay with this girl named Garcia, she’s the team’s technical analyst. I mean, she’s really sweet and we worked super well together but I just wish I could have been out there doing the things that I spent seven years of my life training for.” 
“I am so sorry. That sucks. I know how excited you were. Look at the bright side, this is only your first case. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get out there and prove yourself. It’s all gonna work out.” Unable to keep from smiling, you roll over on your side. 
“Thanks. I really hope you’re right.” Sensing the fact that you’re still upset she decides to help by changing the subject. 
“So, who all did you meet today? I know you already knew a few of the team members but was there anybody new?” 
“Yeah, Elle and Gideon are no longer there. I’m really sad I missed getting to work with them but the people I met seem really amazing. The first girl I met was named Emily Prentiss. She was really nice. The other was a guy named David Rossi.” When you finish your sentence there is nothing but silence on the other end of the phone. You wait a minute for your sister’s response but there is nothing. Before you can ask what’s wrong she chimes in again. 
“Did you say David Rossi?” There is a tone in her voice that you don’t recognize and it causes concern to stir in your stomach. 
“Yeah, why? What’s up?” There is another moment of silence. 
“It’s -- it’s nothing. I shouldn’t bring it up. You’ve already had a rough day.” As if she can sense your anxiety she continues. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. I promise I’ll tell you later, okay? I just don’t think we should talk about it right now, that’s all.” As much as you want to pry you can tell that no matter how much you ask, you’re not getting the answer out of her. With a sense of unease you agree and try changing the conversation again. Once you’ve changed the topic to something other than work you can feel her ease again and the two of you talk for nearly 45 minutes. After a while you decide to call it a night and shortly afterwards you find yourself in bed. You hadn’t even realized how exhausted you were until your head hit the pillow. Your sleep is dreamless which you decide in the morning is probably a good thing. 
++++++++++
The remainder of the case is spent hunkered down in Garcia’s office either doing frantic research or simply getting to know one another. In just a short while the two of you become very fast friends. You realize quickly that you share a lot of common interests and all of your conversations are endlessly fascinating. It also doesn’t take you very long to realize that you actually enjoy the work that you do with her. There is quite a bit of skill required to dig as deeply and accurately as the two of you do. It is a race against the clock to find everything you need in order to help the team and there is a certain level of excitement that comes with that. Of course you still wish you were out in the field but in the end you learn a lot and make a good friend along the way. The case ends rather succinctly with all five unsubs found and arrested with no more casualties along the way. It’s a good feeling, knowing that you helped to catch the bad guys and no one had to die for you to do so. The day the team is set to return you and Garcia head out for coffee before they show up, figuring that you deserve a little treat after all of your hard work. You make light conversation as you make your way back into the building just in time for the team to arrive. You watch them each make their way to their desks, setting down their bags and taking a moment to rest. Of course the last one to walk in is Hotch who heads straight up to his office, shutting the door behind him. 
When you feel like it’s an appropriate time you make your way over to Morgan’s desk. Upon seeing you his lips crack into a wide smile. 
“Well hey sweetheart! I have to say, you did awesome work on this case.” As he says this, he extends his hand for a high five which you quickly grant him. “I know it wasn’t easy having to sit out but you did great. I’m proud of you.” It takes everything in you not to blush. 
“Thanks. I learned a lot and I made a good friend along the way.”
“Yeah, Garcia’s pretty great isn’t she?” He says with a knowing smile.
“She definitely is. She talks about you a lot, you know.” 
“Oh, I know. Baby girl just can’t stop thinking about me. Not that I blame her, of course.” At this you lightly punch his arm. 
“You are both such teases.” This makes Morgan laugh. 
“We gotta keep things interesting.” He leans forward as though he’s about to start his paperwork but he quickly leans back to look at you. “Hey, now that I’m back we gotta go out for drinks tonight. Everyone else is already game so long as you are.” 
“Yeah, I’d like that.” You confirm with a grin.
“Great. You know, I’d say I’m buying but I kind of feel like you owe me.” Your brow furrows in confusion.
“What do you mean by that?” 
“Well, I was trying to get some answers for you so I asked Hotch why he wouldn’t let you on the case and he royally chewed me out for it. In his defense I probably shouldn’t have asked in front of the rest of the team but that decision still just doesn’t sit right with me.” Morgan’s words mingle in your head. It doesn’t sit right with you either but it isn’t really your place to question your boss’ orders. 
“I’m sorry he got upset with you. I do appreciate you defending me though. You’re my knight in shining denim.”
“Anytime kid. I’m happy to help.” Getting to talk to Morgan has almost instantly lifted your spirits. However, it doesn’t take long for your heart to drop into your stomach. 
“Agent L/N. May I speak to you in my office please?” You hadn’t even noticed that Hotch had come out of his office until his voice drew your attention to him. With a quick look at Morgan, who gives you a reassuring glance, you push yourself off his desk and make your way over to where Hotch is standing. Once you’re at his side he extends a hand, allowing you to step inside first. He follows quickly, shutting the door behind him. “Please, have a seat.” He says, gesturing towards a leather couch on the far wall. As you begin to sit on one end he takes up residence on the other, his knee just inches away from yours. Once you’re both settled he focuses all of his attention on you. He doesn’t seem angry but you aren’t holding your breath. It’s best to just stay professional and speak with him earnestly. 
“I’m glad to see you all back safely sir.” You begin. After the stress of the case, you want to make sure he knows that as hurt as you were by his previous decision you harbor no ill will towards him. 
“Thank you. It’s not very often that cases end as well as this one did. You understand that, don’t you? This was a special circumstance.” 
“Yes, I realize that. I’m just grateful that it did end happily even if it was just this once.” There is an intensity in the way he watches you.
“Good. I just want to make sure you fully know what to expect.” 
“I do sir. I did the day that I applied for school. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” Staying silent for a moment he nods as if in thought. 
“I know before I left I said we would be able to talk. I’d like to learn a little bit more about you and from there I’ll be able to evaluate your abilities before taking you into the field. I know it wasn’t the decision you were hoping for but I hope you understand it nonetheless.”
“Of course. It’s not my place to question you and in the end I learned a lot from Garcia. Plus she was nice to work with.” 
“Good. I’m very glad to hear that you were able to make the most of the situation.” He stops for a moment, his gaze relaxing. “I wanted to tell you how well you did on this case. A challenge was presented to you and you handled it with grace. The information you provided was incredibly helpful and your suggestions were very well thought out. I was very impressed.” The softness in his eyes as he praises you leaves a fluttering sensation in your stomach. Throughout the entirety of the case you had been so hell bent on proving yourself to him and hearing him say that you had done well made every hour of hard work worth it. As much as your heart is singing you have to remind yourself to be calm. Even though he is being kind to you now, he had made his feelings known to you during your first meeting. There is no reason to read into things. Clearly he doesn’t feel what you feel. 
“Thank you sir. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed when I was left behind but I realized that I’m grateful to be here no matter what. I worked really hard to get here, to be doing this kind of work, and not everyone gets the chance to do what they’re truly meant to be doing. As heartbreaking as the outcome of this job usually is, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.” With every word the two of you are locked into one another’s eyes. For a moment you can almost swear he is holding his breath. 
“I appreciate that sense of purpose. I will always support my team but it makes it easier with members who are invested.” 
“I am. Completely. I’m here. I know you haven’t gotten a real chance to see me work but please know that my heart is in this.” 
“That was never in question,” Hotch pauses, letting his eyes fall to his lap as he considers his next sentence. “I believe now that I made a rash decision in asking you to stay behind. I can see that you are mentally prepared to be in the field. I apologize for my harsh words. I of course can’t say anything for your physical performance yet but I won’t be able to evaluate the full extent of your abilities until I am able to watch you in the field. On the next case I would like you to join the rest of the team.” A breath of relief leaves your lips.
“Of course. I’m ready to get to work.”
“I know. You’ll have the chance soon enough. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns feel free to come speak with me.” 
“Thank you sir.” Hotch simply nods in response, beginning to stand. You follow his actions, gathering that he is done with the conversation. As you make your way to the door, feeling much lighter than when you came in, he stops you.
“Agent L/N,” The sound of his voice causes you to turn back. “I just wanted to say again that I’m sorry for not remembering you. I never meant to hurt you. It isn’t that you were forgettable. It’s just that a lot has happened in the last year.” This apology seems much more heartfelt than before and you try to hide a smile. 
“I forgive you, sir.” With that you take your leave, making your way right back to Morgan’s desk. The shift in your mood must be palpable because he looks up at you with a smile.
“That’s not the face of someone that just got yelled at by Hotch.” 
“No, no he didn’t yell at me. He was just telling me I did a good job and he cleared me to work in the field on the next case.” 
“Good for you, kid. I’m glad we’re finally gonna get a chance to see what you can really do,” Nodding you rest against the edge of his desk again. “Now, see? That wasn’t too bad was it?” Looking back towards Hotch’s office you can see him bent over his desk, filling out paperwork. Being able to watch him for a moment without fear of falling apart allows you to crack a small smile.
“No. I guess it wasn’t.” 
Tags:  @talesfromtheguild @lannister-slings-and-arrows @gryffindorwriter @nopeforyou @sheerfreesia007 @roxypeanut @ohpedromypedro @ssahotchie @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa @readsalot73 @the-mechanical-angel @races-erster @maxlordd @pascalisthepunkest @paintballkid711​ @hotchafterhours @h0tchner @ssahotchswife @ssahotchhner @technotic-prophecy @klinenovakwinchester  @hotch-stufff @annadorothxa @canadailluminate @yoshigguk @gothicxbarbie @romanogersendgame​​
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auroracalisto · 3 years
Text
oh god, i want to feel again
summary: using the prompt “stay alive for me.” from this list here.  the reader is the only other survivor from their little friend group, save for brooke.  all alone with friends who truly couldn’t care about her, she finds herself back at camp redwood.
pairing: xavier x reader
word count: 2.4k words
warnings: death, dead body mentions, no important deaths, mentions of suicidal thoughts, implied depression, implied anxiety, shitty friends
a/n: i love 1984 so much.  like.  stop me from writing about it.  please.  i loved writing every word for this.  also like????  don’t ask about the title.  i realize the sentence prompt has nothing to to with sleeping at last’s touch but it’s fine.  it’s fine.
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You never should have let your friends talk you into going back to Camp Redwood.  And yet, you stood near them as the fawned over the scenery.  You couldn’t help but notice that it really was a beautiful place—it was just as beautiful as it had been when you had been there last.  But this place made you more nervous than you would like to admit.  Just thinking about everything that had happened made you want to cry.  But your friends told you they would be quick.  They just wanted to take a look around, maybe check out the cabins. 
However, you knew better.  Going to Camp Redwood was never something good.  Coming back to the damned place was a death wish—and your past self would have hit you for being so stupid to come back.
It had only taken an hour for your friends to leave your side.  But you weren’t surprised.  They were never really good “friends.”  In fact, the closest one to you out of the group once told you that the others were only friends with you for publicity.  Being the only other survivor out of your friends, save for Brooke, you were like a little legend in your town.  You knew it hadn’t been Brooke.  But it was your word against everything. 
You missed her.  She had been a good friend.  All of your friends had been.  Chet, Ray, Montana.  And Xavier.  Oh, God, did you miss Xavier.
There wasn’t a day that went by that you didn’t think of the blonde haired jazzercise instructor.  It hurt your heart to know that he was gone forever, taken by the very thing that made your “friends” fangirl.  On your way up to the camp, you swore you heard them talking about the Night Stalker.  It sent you into a memory that you couldn’t stand remembering.  Perhaps you should have just asked them to drop you off at the gas station and then pick you up later.  It would have been easier that way. 
It was 1987.  Three years after the massacre of your friends, and three years after you barely made it out of Camp Redwood alive. 
You found yourself sitting on the edge of the dock, staring out at the lake.  The water was dark and murky—not how you remembered.  But it had been quite a few years since you were last here.  You didn’t know what else could have happened.  You took in a deep breath, squeezing your eyes shut. 
You wanted to leave.  That was the first thing that came to mind.  Just moments after the thought ran through your head, you felt something brush against your foot. 
Your heart leapt to your throat.
Scrambling to your feet, and suppressing your scream, you looked down at the water and saw a bloated body.  They had obviously been in the water for some time.  You took a couple steps back, your hands gripping at your shirt.  But that’s when you saw it.  A flash of two blonde heads in the corner of your eye, standing by one of the cabins.  None of your friends were blonde. 
You blinked and almost thought that you were just crazy—but then you saw it.  That outfit.  The blues and whites and that signature coat.  Were you crazy? 
You didn’t know.  Even so, your feet started moving before you could stop them.  In a matter of seconds, you were running.  Through the mud, through the roots that sprung up from the cold ground, through the tree limbs that continued to snag your shirt.  However, you didn’t care.  If that was who you thought it was, it didn’t matter if you hurt yourself or scratched up your outfit.  It was okay. 
You reached the area you had thought you saw him—the girls’ cabin.  That’s where you had hung out during the short time you were there.  The sight of the log building made you sick to your stomach.  This whole trip made you sick. 
If only you had listened to your gut feeling and passed up your friends invite, then you wouldn’t be standing here, questioning your sanity. 
But then you heard a voice. 
“[Your name]?”
Not just any voice—Xavier’s voice.
You quickly spun around; your eyes were wide.  You saw him standing there, all alone.  He gave you an incredulous look before Xavier wasted no time in rushing over to you.  He wrapped his arms around you, one of his hands resting on the back of your head.
“What—what,” you breathed out, quickly hugging him back.  “What the hell?  You’re dead,” you spoke, burying your face in his chest.  “You’re supposed to be dead.  Why are you here?”
Xavier chuckled softly.  “I’m a ghost, [Your name].”  He slightly pulled back to look down at you.  “God, I never thought I’d see you again.  Why are you here?”
“My… my friends—”
Before you could finish, a scream erupted through the trees, sending birds flying into the blue sky. 
You pulled back, looking over your shoulder.  “My friends brought me here…”
Xavier rose an eyebrow. 
“What’s going on?” you asked, shaking your head.  You paid no mind to the scream—a part of you didn’t care what happened, as awful as that sounded.  The other part of you ached to go and help them, but you couldn’t.  Xavier was standing in front of you.
“What do you mean?” he asked. 
“How are you—how are you here?  You’re a ghost...?”
He smiled softly, watching you with an unreadable expression.  “Yes.”
“That’s so vague,” you huffed, noticing a smear of blood on his cheek.  You reached forward, your thumb rubbing it off.  You frowned up at him.  “How the hell are you still here?” you repeated. 
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted.  “All of us.  We’re all here.  Well, save for you and Brooke,” he hesitantly smiled. 
You blinked slowly, furrowing your eyebrows.  “You’re all still here?” you asked, unable to stop your tears from forming.  “Xavier, I—I never thought I’d see you again.  And you’re telling me everyone’s still here?”
“You’re taking this pretty well,” he snorted softly.
“Yeah, well, you would to when you realize that all your friends are still here, and you didn’t watch them all die,” you said, taking in a deep breath. 
“Well, you did—”
“—you know what I mean, Xav.”
The blonde began to smile at you.  “I really never expected to see you again,” he said, giving you another tight hug.  “Why did you come with them…?”
“Closure?” you questioned your own answer, hugging him back.  “A chance to… to come to peace with what happened?”
“You sure as hell aren’t getting that,” he let out a laugh, not stopping himself from kissing the top of your head. 
You froze up, but you never once stopped him. 
“It’s only been three years, X,” you said, closing your eyes.  “I’ve lived… three hell-filled years without you guys.  I miss you so much,” you said.  You swallowed thickly, completely pulling back from the man.  “I… Brooke was sentenced.  They are convinced she did it,” you spoke. 
Xavier pursed his lips, and he took ahold of your hand.  “It’s okay.  It’s not your fault.”
“I… I just… I miss you.  I miss you guys so much, Xavier.  You have no idea.”
“Is that why you came?” Xavier softly asked, looking over you.  “To… be closer?”
Your eyes widened a bit.  You hadn’t thought of it like that.  But maybe, subconsciously, that’s what was going on.  Your mind knew that it was a way to be closer to your friends.  You never expected that you would literally get closer to them, in every way possible. 
“You make a good point,” you said, sniffling softly.
Xavier grinned, leaning forward to cup your cheeks.  “You look hot for a twenty-six-year-old,” he said. 
You slapped his hand away, unable to stop your cheeks from growing warm.  “It’s been three years, not a fucking decade.”
His smile only grew.  “You do, though.”
You sniffled again, looking up at him.  “You… I really never thought I’d see you again.  I can’t believe you’re here, Xav.  I…. It’s so hard to live without you.”
He frowned and leaned forward, kissing your forehead again.  You closed your eyes as his lips lingered. 
“I know.  But you can’t stay here.  There’s nothing here that would support someone who’s alive.  You need to go back home, get back to your life.”
“Xavier, I don’t have a life,” you frowned.  “I work, I come home, and I try to ignore the people who brought me here.”
“So, they’re not your friends?” a female voice came from behind you. 
You quickly spun around, spotting a blood-covered Montana.  You could hardly breathe.  You let go of Xavier and rushed over to the girl, tightly hugging onto her. 
“Oh my God,” you breathed, tears forming in your eyes again.  You silently cursed yourself for your constant waterworks—but your emotions were all over the place. 
“Uh, definitely not God,” she laughed, hugging you back.  “God, [Your name], why the hell are you here?  You look hot,” she grinned.
“Hey, back off, I already told her that,” Xavier scoffed. 
Montana just smiled, pulling back. You noticed that your clothes were now bloody, but you honestly didn’t care.  You reached up, wiping your tears away. 
“I can’t believe… I can’t believe you guys are actually here.  Are you sure I’m not just crazy?  And making this all up in my head?”
Xavier smiled and took your hand.  “We’re here.”
You lost track of time.  When you finally looked out the dusty cabin window, the moon was peaked high in the sky. 
You looked over at your friends, not knowing what to say.  You didn’t want to leave them, again.  You couldn’t leave them again. 
You reached forward and took Xavier’s hand, dragging him out of his conversation with Chet. 
“Can we talk?”
Xavier smiled back at you and nodded.  He hadn’t been this happy about anything, for some time.  He couldn’t believe that you were here.  He never thought that he would see you again—and you were the one person that he would have done anything for, save for himself. 
The two of you stood outside of the edge of the cabin steps.  Xavier leaned against the railing and you found yourself sitting down on the top of the staircase.
“I… I can’t leave you guys.  Not again.  I’ve got nothing out there for me—”
Xavier’s face fell as he heard you.  “No.  I know what you want.  You’re not doing that.  No way in hell.  You’re the only one of us who survived, you need to keep on living—”
“—I only survived because you guys all died before I escaped,” you said, your bottom lip quivering.  “Xavier, I can’t function without you guys.  I can’t—I can’t do anything without thinking about all of you.”
“You will, eventually,” Xavier said, sending you a soft smile.  He leaned forward and grabbed your hands.  “You’ll be able to.”
“When, X?  When I’m on my eightieth birthday?” you questioned. 
He snickered softly and kissed your cheek.  “You know that’s not true.  You’ll be okay.  You need to go home, [Your name].  You know that we’re here.  You can visit any time you want to.  Stay alive for me.”
“But I’ll continue to age.  And you’ll all stay here, exactly the same.”
Xavier grinned.  “Well, you continue to age.  Get a spouse.  Make some babies.  Come and see us when you have the time.”
He was trying to talk you out of it.  He didn’t want you dead—if you died, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself (metaphorically, of course).  He had protected you until his last breath, and he would do it again.  Even if it meant sending you away, no matter how much he would have rather had you there. 
“I’ll continue to age, X.  But I’m not ever gonna marry.  And I won’t ever have kids.”
“Why not?” Xavier asked, brows furrowed. 
“Because the one person I wanted that with is here.”
He stopped for a moment, letting go of your hands.  “What?” he tilted his head, watching you.  “Who?”
“You, you idiot,” you said, tears welling in your eyes.  “I didn’t want to come back here because I thought that I would find things of yours.  I didn’t expect your whole damn ghost.  I don’t want to age.  I don’t want to just marry someone.  I wanted to marry you,” you said, choking back a sob with an awkward cough.  “I wanted to date you, I wanted to fall in love with you even more than I already loved you.  You dying made me realize that I would never have that.  I would never love anyone as much as I love you, Xavier.”
Xavier didn’t say anything, watching you intently.
“I’ve mourned you every damn day.  I—I’ve wondered, why did this happen?  Why couldn’t I have just died with you?  And I nearly did it.  Several times, Xavier.  I would have done it again,” you said, staring him down.  “If I came here and saw that you… you still had things here.  If I saw your blood or that—that damned horror oven.  I… I would have done it.”
Xavier quickly took your hands again.  “Stop it.  Stop talking like that.  [Your name]…”
“And see?  You don’t even love me back,” you said, finally letting out a sob.  “You’ve stared at me this whole time, and said noth—”
You were cut off by cold lips pressing against yours.  But just as soon as you had been interrupted, you started kissing him back.  You were still crying—all of your pent-up exhaustion and rage releasing with your tears. 
Xavier slightly pulled back, his forehead pressing against yours.  “I… I love you, too, [Your name].”
You squeezed your eyes shut.  Xavier leaned forward and wiped your falling tears away. 
“The only way you can stay here… is if you die.”
You took in a deep breath, looking up and locking eyes with the blonde.  “I’ll do anything I have to.  I just can’t leave.  Not again.”
Xavier sadly smiled, unable to stop his own tears from forming.  “Alright, then.  I won’t stop you,” he pressed a soft kiss to your knuckles.  “How… how do you wanna go?  It’s your choice.”
“I…” 
249 notes · View notes
pathetic-dumpling · 3 years
Text
Being People
Techno owning the fact that he was- is- a person was explosive. It was loud and powerful. It was a battlefield, with him screaming his woes to deaf ears. Dream’s realization was quiet. Almost if he hadn’t believed it himself.
aka Techno and Dream talk, and together they're just people.
warnings: implied/referenced torture, abuse, dehumanization, starvation, dark portrayals of c!quackity, and abuse of power
or read on ao3 instead!
Techno owning the fact that he was- is- a person was explosive. It was loud and powerful. It was a battlefield, with him screaming his woes to deaf ears. Dream’s realization was quiet. Almost if he hadn’t believed it himself.
It had been on a quiet, restless night. Techno and Dream only ever got around to talking, really talking and spilling secrets beyond simple pleasantries, at night, Techno noticed. He wonders why. Maybe it’s the serenity, the quietness knowing that you’re the only person in the world for just a little bit. That there is nothing around but the snow and the moon and the forest. There is nothing that wants to hurt Dream within the small haven countless blizzards have brought them. Maybe it was the subtle comfort of that that allows Dream to finally spill his secrets.
Dream confessed his treatment in the prison almost as if they were sins of his own to bear. He kept his head low and his voice even more so, almost as if he was afraid that someone outside of the small bubble of safety could hear. The active focus on listening made Techno’s ears flick, darting between the soft crackle of the fire and the soft curves of Dream’s voice, but he would listen the best he could. Techno made sure that no one would be able to sneak up on them like this, but as his own paranoia creeps in now and then, he can hold nothing against Dream’s quiet fear.
The torture and the pain and the fear are spilled into the night, Techno a willing listener to whatever Dream has to say. Techno tried to not let himself be angry, or at least not let the anger show. This isn’t his anger to feel. It should be Dream’s; it is Dream’s. The anger is not Techno’s. These are Dream’s experiences, his trauma. Techno knows more than anyone how frustrating it is for others to decide to feel something for you. Instead, Techno lets himself be angered by the abuse of power, something he has always stood against. He allows himself to feel empathy for the suffering his friend has gone through. He lets himself be calm and solid, something for Dream to cling to and ground himself in. It’s what he’s always done, for everyone he cares for, and Dream is no exception.
At some point, Dream started crying. His voice cracked and broke until he could no longer use it, and then signing made his arms tired, and his hands became too shaky. Techno did his best to calm Dream down, throwing out a few jokes, moving to the couch across from Dream, and offering his cape to the other. That seemed to do the trick because soon enough, Dream had control over his breathing.
Techno sighs, leaning back and rubbing at his legs. Dream had fallen silent, which he took as permission to begin adding his thoughts. “Well, you know, you deserved none of that, right? What Quackity did- it wasn’t in the right. It wasn’t good, and it certainly wasn’t deserved.”
Dream sucked in a shaky breath, wiping away some leftover tears. He sniffed, glancing over to Techno with red eyes. “Why?”
“Well… because you’re a person.” Techno shrugs.
Dream pauses. He looks down at his hands, rubbing them together. “Oh…”
“What do you mean ‘oh’?” Techno chuckled lightly. “You’ve always been a person, Dream. Y’know… we’ve worked together, you warned me about the Butcher Army… you’re just as much of a person as me.”
“No, I… I know that you-- you’re a person, yeah, but… me?” Dream’s voice breaks lightly as more tears pool. “But Quackity said-”
“What Quackity said doesn’t matter.” Techno is never really firm with Dream, but this is one thing he’ll let form a slight edge in his voice. This is one habit that he won’t quietly address with Dream. “He was your torturer, your-your abuser, Dream. What he says, whatever he said, it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t reflect you or your character. Other people shouldn’t control who you are.”
Dream looks at him, wide-eyed as a single tear rolls down his cheeks. Techno makes a mental note to tell Phil to try to get Dream to drink more water tomorrow. “But Tommy, and Wilbur, and-and-”
“Hey, that… they were your enemies, alright?” Techno’s voice catches in his throat, and he shoves down memories that threaten to rear their heads and make his words bitter. “They’re bound to say some nasty stuff about you, okay?”
“But I did things, I-”
Techno holds his hand up, cutting Dream’s small tangent short. “Don’t tell me this stuff to justify that you aren’t a person, Dream. That you’re not worthy of basic decency, alright? Tell me this stuff on your own time; when you’re not trying to convince me of something. Plus, you’re kind of talking to a guy who blew up a country to prove that I was a person, right? I’m the wrong guy to talk to if you wanna go down the route.”
Dream watches Techno for a moment, eyes darting around, searching, looking for something that he’ll never find out here in the arctic. He sniffs, wiping at his nose, then the rest of his face, and nods silently.
“Okay,” he croaks out. “But I… I’m…”
“You’re just a guy,” Techno says, a small smile forming as he tilts his head. “You’re just a guy I watched build a dirt house after I made fun of him for being homeless one time.”
A slight, choked-out wheeze leaves Dream. “You watched that?”
“The whole time. Lead a creeper or two into your house, too.”
“You fucker,” Dream laughs, dragging his hand down his face. “Why would you do that? I worked so hard, you bastard.”
“In my defense, it was really funny.”
“Oh my god,” Dream sighs, shaking his head. “This is stupid. This is so dumb.” Dream sighs again, fondly this time. His shoulders sag, finally letting go of the tension building in his frame as his body slumps against the soft material of his chair. He pauses, letting the small, warm smile drop from his face. “Why are you so nice to me?”
Techno’s ears flick. “Have I ever told you about my ‘absolute reciprocity’ policy?”
Dream shakes his head.
“Well… those who treat me with injustice and cruelty, I will repay that tenfold. Whatever suffering they inflict upon me will be given back.”
“Like L’manberg.”
Techno nods. “But it also applies to kindness.” He holds up a finger like he’s making a speech to the syndicate. “And that kindness will also be repaid tenfold.”
Dream blinks at Techno owlishly, clearly not catching the point.
“You saved my life, Dream,” Techno smiles. “The least I can do is help you get yours back on track, all right?”
“Saved your life?” Dream echoes. “At the execution? Please. All I did was get Carl back for you.”
“You underestimate how much I love that horse.” Techno smiles when a small laugh spills out of Dream, but he hopes the message isn’t lost. Dream has been kind, has done what others haven’t for him, and Technoblade plans on repaying that.
Eventually, Dream’s dry and scratchy throat sends him into a coughing fit, shaking his frail frame in a way Techno doesn’t think he’ll ever be comfortable with. He’s up and out of his seat before Dream can even open his mouth to ask for a glass of water, returning with a full glass and passing it off gingerly. Dream sips, quietly soothing his aching throat. Techno doesn’t return to his seat just yet, planning on probing Dream just a little more before the night ends.
“You tired enough to go back to bed?” Techno asks.
“No,” Dream shakes his head lightly. “I’m kind of hungry, though.”
Techno rubs his hands together, already moving over to the kitchen as Dream watches him. “Anything you’re feeling in the mood for?”
Dream shakes his head, making Techno grimace lightly. Dream almost always has something he wants, he just has to wiggle it out, so Techno throws out a few feelers.
“Something light?” he asks. “Do you want, like, an actual meal or just a quick snack?”
“...something light, please.”
“Sure.” Techno gets to work, making a small plate of buttered toast for Dream to munch on for the time being. They, and by “they,” Techno means himself and Phil, have finally gotten Dream to warm up to the idea of asking for things like water and food but incorporating preference has still been a bit of a struggle. That’s alright, Techno has all the witty patience he needs, and Phil has lived forever, so they literally have all the time in the world for things like these. They’ll try for as long as it takes because Phil has always stayed by Techno’s side, and now Techno has decided to not leave Dream’s. Parts of him are bitter, memories still taint him in some ways, but he’s more than willing to throw them away to convince someone else that they’re human, too.
Techno can’t help but feel a slight sense of pride when he hands Dream his plate. Dream takes it with a small thanks thrown Techno’s way, holding the plate solidly in his hands before setting it down in his lap. The heat of the bread doesn’t bother him anymore like it used to, and holding ceramic plates isn’t a struggle either. The tremble in Dream’s hands is still present but not nearly as bad as it used to be. Techno doesn’t know if Dream knows how much he’s recovered and improved; because it’s all something so small, and he’s sure saying “good job being able to hold plates again” would sound a little belittling. Instead, he waits for Dream to finish eating before taking the plate back to the sink.
“Better?” Techno drapes himself over the back of Dream’s chair, letting some of his hair slip forward and tickle Dream’s face, making his nose scrunch up.
Dream nods. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Silence fills the cabin. The fire begins to die down, so Techno throws on another few logs, accidentally disturbing Steve in his sleep. The bear makes a small sound of displeasure before falling back asleep, practically dead on the floor. Dream hums quietly, playing with his fingers. He rubs over the nub of the ring finger on his right hand as he tongues at a tiny bit of bread stuck in the gap in his teeth.
Eventually, Techno asks if he’s tired again. Dream still says no, but he assures Techno he’s fine to be alone for the rest of the night.
“I’m asking for you, dude.” Techno shrugs. “I’m used to sleeping at weird times- I used to do it with my hoard all the time.”
“...your piglin family?”
Techno nods.
“Okay… stay with me, then?”
Techno smiles quietly, almost entirely to himself. “Sure.”
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thebookreader12345 · 3 years
Text
Stories
Pairing: Blake Gallo x reader
Summary: Being the youngest member at the firehouse, Y/N wants someone her own age to fill the open spot on truck, and when she meets Blake Gallo, she instantly knows that he’s the one
Requested: No
Warnings: mentions of death by fire
Word Count: 1,408 Words
Note: Pulls from the events of Chicago Fire, Season 8 Episode 2, A Real Shot in the Arm
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“Casey! Hey,” I greet. “I was just wondering how the search for the new firefighter for truck was going.”
“I haven’t found the right person yet if that’s what you’re asking,” Matt said.
“That’s great. Well, not great because we really need a new member and all but- okay the reason I asked is because I was hoping you would consider getting someone around my age,” I tell him.
Matt laughed and shook his head. “Now why would I do that?”
“Because, no offense Captain, a lot of the people in this house are way older than me, and while I appreciate everything you and the rest of Firehouse 51 have taught me, it would be nice to have someone I can really connect with. All I ask is that you consider it,” I exclaim. Just then, the alarm blared throughout the firehouse, and someone came over the speaker.
“Truck 81, Ambulance 61, person trapped, 9724 North Dayton.” Matt and I sprung into action immediately, running from our spot in the sleeping corridor to the apparatus floor where we put on our gear. After that, we climbed into the truck along with everyone else and sped off towards the scene. At the address, we found a guy tangled up in some rope hanging from a building. There was another truck company there, but apparently, their ladder wasn’t long enough to reach him. As I was standing around waiting for orders, a younger firefighter whose coat read Gallo ran over to me.
“Can you give me a hand?” Gallo asked.
“Uh, sure,” I respond. Gallo lead me over to a ladder, and we both picked it up, bringing it over to the side of the building. He then started climbing the ladder to get up to the balcony, and when he was at the top, he turned around and gave me a smile. 
“You coming?” 
I returned the smile and stepped onto the first step of the ladder. “Definitely.” It came to me soon after about what Gallo was trying to do. He was going to scale the balconies so that we could get up to where the man was quicker than the ladder on the truck. I grabbed onto the balcony above me and pulled myself up, then attempted to grab the rail at the top, but I missed, and my hand fell away from the metal. I let out a small shriek as I hung one handed from the balcony. If I let go, I would fall to my death. And I couldn’t reach the top railing any more since I was hanging down. That’s when Gallo appeared above me and offered me his hand. I reached up as high as I could and grasped it, resulting in him pulling me up and over the balcony. Gallo instinctively pulled me to his chest, and when my feet touched solid ground, I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” I breathe out.
“No problem. You okay to keep going?” Gallo questioned.
“Yeah. I’m good. Lets go,” I murmur. Gallo and I scaled the rest of the balconies fairly quick, and just as we got to the one at the same height as the man, Matt and Kelly started climbing up the ladder. There was a balcony separating Gallo and I from the man, meaning we had to jump across. I climbed onto the ledge and grabbed the pole connecting the next balcony to the wall before leaping over the gap. Gallo followed my lead, and now we were both right by the man hanging from the roof. Gallo jumped into action and slid himself between the poles connecting our balcony to the wall, and then wrapped his legs around the man to keep him in place. I came up from behind and hooked my arms under Gallo’s armpits to keep him steady, and to make sure he didn’t fall. Seconds later, Matt and Kelly appeared on the ladder and helped get the man down. As soon as we all got to the ground, I pulled Matt aside. “Look, I know I don’t have any say in picking the new firefighter, but I think you should consider him,” I say and gesture to Gallo. “He saved my life, so he’s already earned my trust. And yeah, he may be daring, but inside, all of us are. I think he’d be a great addition to Firehouse 51.”
.......................................
“Everyone, I’d like you to meet our new candidate, Blake Gallo,” Matt spoke and gestured to Gallo, who was at his side.
“Well, if it isn’t my knight in shining PPE,” I announce. “It’s nice to finally get to officially meet you, Blake. I’m Y/N. Y/N L/N.” Blake shook my outstretched hand, and as soon as our skin touched, I felt butterflies in my stomach.
“Y/N was our previous candidate, so she is going to be keeping an eye on you. Y/N, I want him on a short leash,” Matt ordered.
“You got it, Captain. Come on, Blake. Let me give you the tour. Oh. And welcome to Firehouse 51,” I add and give him a small smile. That night, after our first shift, I invited Blake over to Molly’s to get better acquainted with him. We were sitting at a table with two beers in front of us, and Blake was telling some funny story about his last firehouse. I laughed and took a sip of beer, enjoying the liquid’s taste as it went down my throat. For awhile, we just talked, and I felt so comfortable around him already even though we just met a few days ago. “So,” I say and take another swig of beer. “What’s your story, Blake?”
“My story?” Blake questioned.
“Yeah. Your story. Every person has one, and they’re all different. Our stories are what make us unique.” Blake still seemed confused by what I had said. “The reason you became a firefighter,” I clarify. Gallo hesitated, and I could tell that he had a big story, but by the looks of it, it definitely wasn’t a happy one. “You don’t have to tell me if you’re not comfortable. We just met. I don’t want to push you.”
“No. It’s uh, it’s fine. When I was 12, there was a fire at my house. I hid in the closest when the smoke started making it’s way into my bedroom. When I was finally rescued by firefighters, I found out that the rest of my family was dead. I lost my mom, dad and little sister that night,” Blake confessed.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I also want you to know that you’re not the only one,” I tell him.
“You mean.....” Blake trailed off.
I nodded. “I was 16. My older brother, he was 18. It was the summer right before he was going to start college, so my parents wanted to have a nice family vacation to send him off. We rented a log cabin in Wisconsin right on the lake, and we were going to spend the week there. The last day of the vacation, my brother and I went into town to see if we could find any neat souvenirs, and when we got back, the cabin had been burned down. There were firefighters everywhere, along with two body bags. My parents, they didn’t make it. It happened awhile ago, but the pain never really goes away.”
“Yeah. I know the feeling,” Blake agreed and downed the rest of his beer. “Listen, I know we just met and all, but uh, I um.....” It seemed that Blake couldn’t find the right words to say. Finally, he took a deep breath, and looked up at me. “Would you maybe want to go on a date sometime?”
“You do know that there aren’t supposed to be in-house romances, right?” I ask, a playful tone hidden in my voice.
“But I thought Severide and Kidd were-” Blake cut himself off when he saw me trying to hide my smile. “There’s no rule, is there?”
“Oh, there is,” I admit. “But so many people have broken it that Boden doesn’t care anymore. And I would love to go on a date with you, Blake Gallo. How does after next shift sound?”
“That sounds great,” Blake replied. “I will text you with the details when I have them.”
“I can’t wait. I’m really excited to see where this goes,” I disclose.
Blake smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”
____________________
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a-d-curtis · 3 years
Text
Chant
I just realized I never posted this here. It is the first chapter of my series “Memories in the Wind” (Chapters 2: Incense & 3: Artifacts have already been posted here. Good thing chronology doesn’t matter in these little stories =) Anyway, hope you enjoy!
Other works in this series:
Incense
Artifacts
…………….
“Be careful, Bumi!”
Katara pulled protectively at her toddling son as he leaned disconcertingly over the edge of Appa’s saddle to rub his chubby little hands in fistfuls of Appa’s fur.
Aang looked back over his shoulder from where he held the reins on Appa’s head and smiled.
“Oh let him have some fun, Katara! You know I’ve got him if he falls overboard.”
Katara’s grip on her son tightened as she sent an exasperated looked toward her carefree husband. “Aang, I just don’t think it’s safe for Bumi to think that every time he falls off of Appa he gets a ‘fun airbending ride with Daddy’ back up here to safety.”
“But I’ve got him, Katara. I don’t want him to be afraid of heights.”
Katara huffed. “But for those of us who don’t command Air, Sweetie, a dose of that kind of fear is not unhealthy.”
“You don’t know yet that Bumi doesn’t bend air,” Aang said casually. “He’s too young to tell.”
Aang smiled with a playful twinkle in his eye. “Or maybe he’ll be splashing his mom with waterbending before we know it! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Katara couldn’t help the smile that found its way to her mouth. She did like the idea of teaching waterbending to her son one day. At a year and a half Bumi hadn’t shown any signs of either waterbending or airbending, but he was young yet.  
“Maybe he won’t bend at all,” Katara proposed thoughtfully.
Aang smirked cheekily, “As long as he doesn’t bend Fire or Earth, I think we are good.” He looked at her with mock-seriousness as he teased, “Because then you’d have some ‘splaining to do.”
Katara rolled her eyes at Aang dramatically, but couldn’t help but smile at him, shaking her head at the preposterousness of the idea. With Bumi’s open, carefree spirit and his ‘run before he walks’ and ‘leap before he looks’ tendencies, Katara wondered how anyone could ever doubt that Aang was his father. Personality wise, Bumi was undeniably Aang’s son.
Katara looked at her son as she held his torso with two hands, his fat little fingers still buried in Appa’s fur. Bumi laughed and babbled “Ap-pa, Ap-pa, Ap-pa” to himself as his dark hair blew wildly in the wind.
It had been a sore spot for Aang that Bumi had spoken the word “Appa” before “Daddy” -- a fact that Aang insisted his sky bison lorded over him constantly. “You don’t know what its like, Katara! I’ll catch a smug look in Appa’s eye and just know he’s laughing at me. How could my own son betray me this way?!” It was all in jest of course, but Katara suspected that any real feelings of hurt didn’t fully dissipate until Bumi started babbling “Da-da” at which point Aang seemed to forget the snub completely as he instead, glowed with pride. “Katara did you hear that?! He’s so smart!” Then continuing with a loving look at his wife, “A genius, just like his mom!”
The little family currently flew over a forested area in the northwestern Earth Kingdom. This part of the Earth Kingdom was pretty far north, the vegetation consisting of mostly evergreens and other tenacious plants that didn’t mind the rocky ground and the cold winters. But it was summer now, and the air was clear and cool, the breeze bringing the delightful scent of pine as Katara inhaled deeply.
Suddenly, Appa let out a groan and veered sharply down and to the right. Katara reflexively pulled Bumi protectively into her lap as she grabbed the saddle with one arm to steady herself, her innards giving that strange lurching feeling that felt like her stomach had jumped into her throat.
“Whoa boy!” Katara heard Aang say as he pulled the reins, trying to get his animal guide back on course. “What’s up, Buddy?” Appa groaned something at Aang as he leveled out again.
But a moment later he lurched again, this time turning them all the way around and descending toward the forest below.
Katara looked over the lip of the saddle to see Aang laying flat on his stomach on Appa’s head as he spoke to his bison. “Do you hear something, Buddy?”
Then sitting up, Aang called back to Katara. “Looks like Appa wants to land here for some reason, Sweetie. I guess we’re going down.”
As the giant bison landed six-footed onto the rocky ground amid the sparse but towering trees, Aang hopped back up into the saddle with his wife and son. Then taking hold of Katara around the waist as she held Bumi, Aang airbend-jumped all three of them down to the ground.
“Why did we stop, Aang?” Katara asked.
“I’m not sure. I have no idea why Appa wanted to stop here.” But Aang’s perplexed look quickly turned to an open smile that he turned to his wife. “Well, shall we have a look around then?” Katara could see that Aang’s disposition for adventure and his naturally flexible sense of ‘destination’ were taking over.
“I suppose so,” Katara said as she set Bumi down to let him walk around a bit, smiling affectionately at the way her son held his hands out for balance. “It is a lovely forest.”
They had not taken more than ten steps into the trees when Aang stopped Katara in her tracks. “Wait. Do you hear that?”
The sound was faint, but as Katara strained her ears she thought she could hear the sound of… what was that? The sound was long and solemn, resonating out a continuous melancholy whine. Katara didn’t know what would make a sound like that; certainly not an animal. Maybe some sort of instrument perhaps?
Aang seemed to have frozen, a wide-eyed look on his face.
Appa bellowed again and walked forward, nuzzling his head into Aang, snapping Aang out of his trance.  Aang put his hand on Appa’s big head and affirmed with semi-stunned excitement, “Yeah, I hear it too, Appa!”
“Let’s go find it, Buddy!” Aang said enthusiastically to Appa as he scooped Bumi giggling up into his hands and grabbed Katara’s hand and pulled her back onto Appa’s back. Appa didn’t wait to hear “yip, yip” before he took off into the sky.
Katara still did not know what the sound was, but it clearly meant something to Aang and Appa. She wanted to ask her husband about it, but she didn’t want to interrupt the single-minded concentration Aang was giving to following the sound at this moment.
Appa flew low, the toes of his six legs often skimming the tops of the trees. Aang half straddled, half stood on Appa’s head, like a jockey standing up in the stirrups, all the while moving his arms in wide sweeping motions, as though he was pulling the air towards his chest. Katara knew that Aang was pulling at the surrounding air, willing the sound to come to him, amplifying it so they could follow it to its source.
It didn’t take long to follow the sound to a tiny settlement nestled among the trees. There were so few houses, and each spaced so far apart, that it couldn’t really even be called a town. Appa had to circle around the roof of the source of the sound a couple of times before needing to land a short distance away from it in the only clearing big enough for his large body.
The sound rang out clearly from inside a small log dwelling.
But even after Appa landed with a huff, Aang remained still, staring unmoving toward the dwelling just visible through the pines. He didn’t move from Appa’s head. Katara began to feel a little apprehensive as she observed the blue tattoo on Aang’s tense back.
“Sweetie?” Katara asked after another long frozen minute listening to the melancholy brass song through the trees. She placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
Katara was unprepared for the intensity of emotion on Aang’s face when he turned toward her. His grey eyes were wide, almost haunted, some complicated set of emotions brewing behind them. Anticipation? Hope? Dread, perhaps?
Aang turned his gaze back towards the dwelling before climbing down slowly from Appa’s head. Something about his climb down seemed so strange. For one thing, Katara wasn’t sure if she had ever actually seen Aang climb down before, not like this anyway; he usually just jumped or floated down. But this movement seemed to be in slow motion, and as though his body was suddenly heavy, each step taking effort. Like he dreaded what lay before him.
Aang began to move toward the trees leading to the log house.
“Sweetie?” she tried again.
Aang turned back to her, the solemn sound ringing through the air around them. “It’s a singing bowl, Katara. An Air Nomad instrument. I haven’t heard one in…” his sentence drifted off absently as he turned back towards the sound.
But then he just stood there, not moving forward. Appa grunted and took a couple steps toward him -- exhausting the extent of space this clearing left for his big body to move -- and nudged Aang with his head as though pushing him toward the sound. Aang shook his head slightly, as if recovering from a trance, and reached out a hand to stroke his oldest friend’s furry cheek. Aang forced a fleeting smile and a “Thanks, Buddy”, before stepping into the forest toward the cabin.
Katara just watched the strait back of the last known air nomad walk away toward the small dwelling that vibrated with a sound both ancient and presumed extinct. For a moment Katara just sat there before she came to herself, and scooped Bumi (who had been uncharacteristically still, as though spellbound by the sound singing through the mountain air) onto her hip and scrambled down Appa’s side to hurry after Aang.
Katara, with Bumi in arms, wound her way through the fragrant evergreens, the light crunch of dried pine needles snapping under her soft boots as she followed after her husband. By the time she arrived at the small dwelling, Aang was nowhere to be seen.
“Aang?” she called as she ducked around the building to the open front door.
Katara stopped, her hand on the rough wood of the open doorframe. Aang stood a few steps inside the small home, his body unnaturally still. She couldn’t see his face, just the rigidity of his stance. The wailing sound vibrated full and long all around the small room.
Beyond Aang, sitting serenely on a mat on the floor was a very old, bald man. A young child at his side ran a wooden mallet around the edge of a brass bowl perched on a folded cloth on the ground in front of him. The ringing was clearly coming from the bowl. Eyes closed, the old man spoke softly – no chanted, almost like he was singing – words that Katara could not understand.
Katara boosted Bumi a little higher on her hip and took a few tentative steps forward inside the hut until she stood at Aang side. She touched his shoulder tentatively with the tips of her fingers. “Aang?”
Aang didn’t turn to look at her, but he exhaled as though it was long overdue, his eyes still staring at the old man.
The old man finished his mantra and then opened his eyes. His withered old hand reached over and gently stopped the circling hand of the child at his side, stopping the singing bowl’s effervescent wail. The sound seemed to echo in the small structure for a moment even after the vibrations had dissipated. The child looked up at them with bright grey eyes, expectant.
The old man brought his hand together with a fist and bowed his head slightly toward Aang. “Bhu-la”
Katara could see Aang’s adam’s apple bob once before he too brought his hands together and bowed respectfully, replying, “Jolak”.
The man motioned with his hand to the empty space on the floor across from him and Aang sat down in lotus, facing him. They both said nothing at first, but Katara could see that Aang’s throat bobbed again as if holding back great emotion.
“Bhu-la”, the old man addressed Aang again (Katara seemed to remember from her stilted efforts to learn Aang’s Air Nomad language that this meant “younger brother”), “I am honored to have you in my home. At first I thought my old eyes had deceived me. I never thought that I would again behold another Kushow La in my lifetime.”
Aang’s face fought valiantly against some strong emotion. “Jolak…” Aang addressed this elder brother and then paused, needing a moment to find his voice before he could continue. “Are you… are you a Kushow La? Are you also an Air Nomad monk?”
Katara’s eyes darted back to the old man in hopeful surprise, even though she saw no arrow tattoos on the old man’s forehead or hands.
The old man sighed, “Alas, I am not.”
Aang’s head bowed, his eyes clenched tightly as he fought to keep his obvious disappointment within. A moment later, Aang’s face became a stone wall. The same stone Katara saw whenever he was keeping some strong emotion to himself.
“I see,” Aang replied.
“I am not. But, young Bhu-la, my father was,” the old man said.
Aang’s eyes opened eagerly, his whole body leaning forward. “Your father? Was an Air Nomad monk??”
“Yes,” the old man chuckled at the eagerness of the tattooed young man before him. “My father was a Kushow La. Like you.”
“My father was not even yet twenty years old at the time of Sozin’s massacre.” The man took a long inhaled breath before continuing. “He told me that his bison had fallen ill, and he was tending to him, which is why he was late for the festival that would have taken him home to the Northern Air Temple at the time of Firelord Sozin’s first attacks. Having not been at the temple, he avoided the first wave of fire.” The old man looked somberly down to his lap. “But he and his kind were hunted afterward. His beloved bison was cut down before word of the slaughter had even made it to my father’s ears. My father only narrowly escaped that attack with his own life.”
The man looked knowingly at Aang, a well of sympathy behind his old eyes as he continued, “My father did not talk much of those many years of fleeing from the Fire Nation. But I know he saw great atrocities and his personal losses were great.”
Aang listened intently, nodding minutely in understanding, his face stone again (although Katara could see the pain behind his eyes).
“My Earth Kingdom grandfather’s family provided my father a temporary refuge for a time. While my father was staying with my grandfather, he and my mother fell in love. But when their union was opposed by my grandfather, the two fled together to these very forests. They built this home, far from civilization, with the hope that they could hide from those who sought to destroy them. I was born within these very walls.” The old man looked up at the small wooden structure, as though a lifetime’s worth of memories were written upon it.
“My mother and father and I lived here happily for many years. Until whispers of Airbender survivors began to circulate, even making it out here to our remote location. My father ignored them for a long time. Until one day he told my mother he had to go and see, to find one of these ‘havens’ in the mountains for himself. I was twelve at the time.”
The old man looked Aang strait in the face. “I never saw my father again. I never found out what happened to him.”
Aang winced, as if he understood more than he wanted to. Katara was not sure what “havens in the mountains” the man spoke of, but she did not have much trouble imagining the end fate of this man’s father.
Aang spoke, “I am so sorry for your loss, Jolak.”
“Thank you for your sympathy, Bhu-la. I accept your shared mourning.”
Aang turned his eyes toward the child and with a kind smile said, “Thank you for your music, Bhu-la. You play just like I remember it from when I was your age!”
The little boy’s face burst into a wide, charming smile. The old man smiled and patting the child’s leg with unobscured pride as he introduced, “This is my great-grandson, Aanpa. He is named after my father, the Kushow La.”
Aang’s eyes moistened, but he smiled at the boy again. “It’s a good name, Aanpa. I had a friend my age who shared your name too.” Aang bit his lip and looked down at his hands in his lap. “It’s a good name,” he repeated again.
At this point Bumi bucked in Katara’s arms, reaching for the floor. He wanted to get down. Katara knelt down on the ground as well, a step to the side of Aang as she pulled Bumi to sit on her lap. Aang looked towards her and introduced, “Jolak” then nodding to the little boy “and Buh-la, this is my wife, Katara, and our son, Bumi.”
The man palmed his fist and dipped his head towards Katara and Bumi. The man’s great-grandson just smiled bigger. Katara smiled back, dipping her head in respect as well.
Seeming to remember, Aang added, “Oh, and I’m Aang.”
The old man’s eyes twinkled, traveling once up to the blue tattoos on Aang’s arms and forehead. “I’m aware of who you are, Bhu-La Aang. Even way out here, we are aware.”
Aang opened his palms upward, motioning toward the singing bowl, “May I… join you? To chant the Time Mantra again?” Katara saw him swallow past his emotion. “It’s been a long time since…” but Aang’s voice seemed to fail him then.
The old man looked at him kindly; Katara seemed to see an Understanding in his old grey eyes. “Of course.”
The man nodded to his great-grandson and the little boy hit the brass bowl with his mallet, then rubbing the wooden handle around the bowl’s edge, the metal began to  sing. Bumi bucked again, trying to get out of his mother’s arms to grab at the bowl, but Katara pulled him back to sit on her lap.
Aang and the old airbender’s son both closed their eyes and breathed deeply. Even as their eyes remained closed they both lifted their right hands up, palm facing forward, their left hands resting palm up on their folded knees. For a time they just sat this way, eyes closed, breathing deeply as the singing bowl rang out. Then without any signal that Katara could see, they both began to speak in unison.
Katara had heard Aang chant to himself frequently. And Aang had told her often of the daily chants and joint meditations of the monks. So she was familiar with the sing-song of the mantra. But she had never heard an Air Nomad chant in tandem before, and the sound of it, the way the words resonated through the little log house was incredible. It was like their voices were one layered voice, but somehow even more potent. The sound of it brought a catch in her throat. Even Bumi sat listening, watching his father’s face intently.
As the chant filled the small wooden dwelling, the chorus seeming to sink within her, Katara couldn’t help but imagine how this sound would have echoed gloriously in the great meditation halls of the Air Temples. With a hundred voices reciting the words together.
For the thousandth time Katara felt a great swell of compassion for all that Aang had lost. There was no accompanying anger this time, as there had often been in the past, just a great sense of loss, like a gaping hole opening in her abdomen.
Compassion stirred within her as she saw tears begin to stream down Aang’s face from under his closed dark lashes. Bumi’s little hand reached up to her face, and she realized that she was crying too. She looked down into her son’s wide perplexed eyes, and took his chubby little hand in hers and kissed it, reassuring him that everything was all right.
Katara could not understand the words of the chant, although she recognized the intonations as Aang’s native tongue, the long-lost Air Nomad dialect. She bit back regret that she had not learned more of his language, so that she could know the meaning of the chant. Silently she vowed to try harder to learn.
But knowing the meaning of the words or not, there was no doubting the sacredness of this moment:
Aang, eyes closed, tears streaming down his face, chanted in his own language a mantra of his youth with another living being for the first time in over a century.
…………..
Katara looked up from her place at the kitchen counter when she heard a knock on the front door. “Just a moment,” she called out as she quickly set the sliced lotus root she was preparing for dinner into a bowl of water to soak. Wiping her hands on her apron (that bulged comically over her rounded tummy) Katara walked toward the door of their home on Air Temple Island.
With an angry yell coming from Kya’s room, Bumi and one of his friends came barreling from the back of the house, bumping into Katara on their way to the door. “Sorry Mom!” he quipped with a charming crooked smile as the two of them jostled out the front door, nearly knocking the man standing outside it over in their haste.
Katara sighed in exasperation as she saw the door swing shut after them, muffling her son’s “oh, sorry!” to the man he nearly knocked over on the doorstep. She shook her head at her son, now verging on teenagehood, but still just as unwary and haphazard as when he was a toddler.
Opening the door again, Katara saw a young man with a light pack on his back and a parcel wrapped in a cloth in his hands, watching Bumi and his friend running pell-mell down the path towards the docks. As he turned his attention back towards her, she smiled. “Hello. Can I help you?”
The young man smiled nervously. “Um, hi. Are you Master Katara? I’m here to… to see your husband.”
Katara was not surprised by the man’s request – people frequently sought an audience with the Avatar – although she was surprised that he had not been stopped by one of the Acolytes before coming strait to her door. No worry, she would be happy to see what he wanted.
“Aang is in the sanctuary at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?”
The young man tapped the parcel in his hands idly and looked around. “Um, sure. I guess. You see, I’ve come to, um, to maybe join your, um, your Air Acolytes.” His eyes flicked unsurely to Katara for a moment.
Katara’s heart warmed as she smiled at the boy. She never ceased to be amazed at the generosity of those willing to give their lives to keep the Air Nomad’s culture and teachings alive. “Of course. Welcome to Air Temple Island… what did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t. But it’s Aanpa. My Great-great-grandfather was an Air Nomad. I don’t know if you remember, but I met you once, when I was very young. You and the Avatar came to my Great-grandfather’s house.”
Katara’s eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise. “Oh yes! I remember that day well. Are you the little boy who played the singing bowl?!”
Aanpa smiled widely, and held up the parcel, unwrapping a corner to show her what was inside. “I have it with me now! I wanted to… to um, maybe give it to Avatar Aang. Since it belonged to his people…”
Katara ran her fingers delicately over the edge of the bowl, remembering that day. She remembered the sound of it, how it had called to Appa. How the sound had spiked in her husband a hope that pierced a hundred year of empty looking.
She knew how the hope had hurt Aang, how believing that ‘maybe’, only to be disappointed again, had left his heart raw and exposed. He had tried for days afterwards to build his walls ever higher in an attempt to hide his grief, even from her. But she could see through it. And she understood. And her unwavering embrace had said more than any words could have when he finally leaned into her for strength.
When he was ready, Aang admitted his disappointment. But also his joy to have found a descendant of his people. And how much it had meant to him to Chant with the Kushow La’s son. Despite the pain, Aang felt it was a blessing.
Katara was used to her husband’s ability to see Light. And how he accepted the shadows that, for him, so often accompanied it. Even Aang’s fondest memories carried shadows. But something that Katara loved most about Aang was that even though nothing would ever restore what he had lost, no one was more grateful than he was for every shard of Light to be found.
Katara gently folded the fabric back around the bowl and pushed it back towards Aanpa. “No. This belongs to yourpeople. It is a heritage you and Aang share. Aang will be touched that you would consider giving it to him, but I know he would want you to keep it.”
Then, setting aside her apron and stepping out onto the porch, Katara beckoned to Aanpa to follow her. “Come with me. Let’s go and find Aang.”
The pair could hear the chant carried on the pleasant spring breezes long before they reached the end of the upward winding path that led to the sanctuary. As they reached the entrance, the many-paneled doors swung wide open allowed for the sound to travel freely outward. Many voices spoke as one, the words singing out with the great brass bowl -- this one the size of a barrel -- that was rung carefully by an old Acolyte in saffron robes.
Aanpa stared at the group of Acolytes sitting on the temple’s mosaicked floor, their eyes closed tranquilly as the words of worship and unity spoke from their lips. Katara’s eyes found one blue arrowed brow amidst them, his face peaceful as he joined the chant.
The Acolytes knew many chants. But how fitting that today they would be speaking this one. The same chant that Aang had shared with Aanpa’s great-grandfather all those years ago.
While the pair watched and listened, Katara, supporting her heavily pregnant belly with one hand, leaned in towards the young man and asked, “Do you recognize it?”
Katara smiled compassionately as Aanpa turned to her with tears in his eyes. “This is the… it’s the same one my great-grandfather… used to…” Aanpa looked back into the sanctuary. “But I never understood it. I don’t know what it means.”
Katara looked back towards the worshippers, sunshine falling freely upon their brows as their many voices in unison resonated out.
“It’s called the Time Mantra. Let me translate it for you.”
Katara paused as she listened to the words as they rang out vibrantly. “Time is wind. No one can hold it. No one can stop its course,” she translated. “Time, like the wind, blows past, ever flowing, ever moving, stopping for not a soul.”
She paused listening for the next line, “See how it shapes the mountains. See how it moves the seas.”
Katara could see the young man swallow thickly as she continued. “How will I let it move me, what will I let Time bring?”
The last of the chant came to a pulsating stop as Katara’s voice spoke the last line in silence. “Now is the only chance, to rein what Time shapes in me.”
The two stood together, hearing the echo of the chant in the silence. Katara felt the baby kick within her. She watched to catch Aang’s eyes when they opened, a giant smile bursting on his face when he saw her standing there. He looked happy, a fullness of peace in his demeanor.
Katara turned to Aanpa and took his elbow kindly, moving him forward into the sanctuary. “Come, Bhu-la Aanpa. Let’s go in and say hi, shall we?”
…………
The Time Mantra
Time is wind. No one can hold it. No one can stop its course.
Time, like the wind, blows past, ever flowing, ever moving, stopping for not a soul.
See how it shapes the mountains. See how it moves the seas.
How will I let it move me? What will I let Time bring?
Now is the only chance, to rein what Time shapes in me.
………..
Incense
Artifacts
..............
To read this series on AO3:
<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27159106"><strong>Memories in the Wind</strong></a> (13682 words) by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADCurtis"><strong>ADCurtis</strong></a><br />Chapters: 3/3<br />Fandom: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Avatar:%20The%20Last%20Airbender">Avatar: The Last Airbender</a><br />Rating: General Audiences<br />Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply<br />Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar)<br />Characters: Aang (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Bumi II (Avatar)<br />Additional Tags: Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Air Nomads (Avatar), Air Nomad Genocide (Avatar), Aang (Avatar) Needs a Hug<br />Summary: <p>A sound carried on the winds lead Aang and Katara to hope for something seeming long lost.</p>
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mylovehes · 4 years
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Summary: Reader doesn’t wait for backup and gets kidnapped and tortured.
A/N: REQUESTS ARE OPEN!! Any feedback is also appreciated!
Pairing: Spencer x Reader, mentions of the team
Angst with a little fluff (warning mentions of torture and abuse)
I knew it was a bad call. I knew I should have called and waited for backup before chasing the unsub into a big abandoned building. However, everyone makes bad judgment calls eventually in this job. I couldn’t let this guy get away and kill more women just because I was waiting for help. I thought I could take him on my own. I mean I had my gun with me. Unfortunately the universe wasn’t on my side and moments after creeping into the abandoned warehouse after the killer I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head as I hit the ground, gun sliding across the floor as my vision went black.
I woke up in a log cabin house with hands and feet chained to the floor allowing little access to move. I tried pulling on the chains with no luck. Soon after waking up I heard heavy foot steps coming down the stairs to my left. 
“Look who’s awake,” the unsub named Larry Peterson said smirking down at me. He is currently wanted for the murder of 15 women and as fate would have it I fit his victimology to a T. I glared up at the man from where I was sitting on the floor. “I think it’s time to get the party started. What do you think? I hope your friends like movies.” He grabbed a hold of the chains attached to my wrists. As he pulled I noticed they were attached to a pulley that hoisted my body off the ground to where my feet were barely touching the ground now.
“What are you talking about,” I said struggling against the cuffs that were now digging into my skin. He placed a laptop and video camera up directly in front of me. I noticed the red light turn on realizing he was sending a live feed to the BAU. At least this way Garcia can try to trace it back to my location and everyone will know for sure what happened to me. However, I didn’t want them to have to witness what was about to happen, especially not Spencer. He’s been through so much, he doesn’t need to possibly witness another girlfriend being murdered at the hands of an unsub. 
“Say hello to the BAU Y/N,” he said said grabbing my face and aiming it at the camera so they could clearly tell it was me. “Now normally I don’t like an audience,” Larry said while picking up a sharp knife, “but I think the an FBI agent warrants an exception.” He slid the knife across my skin as I groaned in pain trying not to give him what he wanted which were my screams.
-
Meanwhile at the BAU everyone was frantically trying to figure out where Peterson would have possibly taken Y/N. Garcia was unable to locate where the feed was coming from and everyone else was at a complete loss. The furthest they got was narrowing down that she was in a cabin isolated in the forest. Unfortunately for the team there were hundreds of cabins in the woods and it would be impossible to try every single one.
Spencer was slowly losing his mind mad at himself for not going with her to check out the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. He was the first to notice his girlfriend was missing, everyone quickly rushing to her last known whereabouts and finding nothing but blood and a note from the unsub saying he had Y/N in his possession.
No matter how hard everyone tried they could not get Spencer away from the computer screen that displayed Y/N being beaten and tortured. Spencer felt sick listening to her screams of agony but he couldn't bring himself to walk away in fear he'd miss even the smallest clue. If she had given him a clue so far, he had not caught it. 
-
My whole body was on fire. I had been cut, hit, and tased repeatedly for what felt like hours upon hours which in reality was only one hour since he began the torture. I didn’t have the strength to fight back and there was no way I was getting out of these chains without help so I figured the only thing I could do that might help my team catch Peterson was to get him talking.
“Wow mommy really did a number on you huh?” I said spitting blood out of my mouth towards him. 
“What did you just say to me?” He said stepping closer to me threatening me with his glare. 
“What are you deaf? I said, your mommy really did a number on you didn't she? I mean you obviously enjoy hurting women for a reason,” I said hoping to strike some kind of nerve and get him to slip up. 
“Shut the hell up!” He screamed stepping away from me.
“Oh struck a nerve have I? Let me guess. She used to abuse you didn't she, physically and mentally 24/7? I bet you felt real powerless.”
“I said shut the hell up bitch!” He yelled again slamming his fist on the table and grabbing the pitcher on the edge of the table. 
“Are you the one who killed her? This is her place from her mother right? I bet that's how you got this nice cabin because a deadbeat like you obviously wouldn’t have the financials to cover a place this nice and big,” I emphasized hoping maybe the size of the cabin could help narrow down their search somewhat. 
“Maybe this will teach up to keep your mouth shut,” he said roughly grabbing my chin and pouring the contents of the pitcher down my mouth and nose basically water boarding me. The liquid in the pitcher was salt water and it made my whole body hiss in pain from the various cuts scattered everywhere causing me to scream in agony. I begin laughing in a hazy way, about to faint from the pain my body is experiencing. Hopefully the team could track down who the cabin actually belonged too. Before I could think about it too long I glanced at the camera one last time before passing out again.
-
Spencer gasped as he realized what Y/N was hinting at and flew to Garcia’s lair. “Garcia I need you to look up Larry Peterson’s grandmother and find out if she owned any property. I think that might be where he is keeping her.” Garcia quickly typed in the information finding an address that was in the middle of the woods.
“That looks like a nice big cabin in the middle of woods just like what we’re looking for doesn’t it,” Garcia said smiling hopefully at Reid.
“Yes, send us all the address. She has to be there,” Spencer said running out to tell the rest of the team. 
Everyone quickly headed to the address Garcia sent them hopping out of the SUVs and putting on their vests. Spencer and JJ took the back with Hotch and Emily taking the front. Morgan and Rossi entered through the side door. 
-
I awoke to the painful shocking of the taser and a hand over my mouth. As I came to I could hear the sounds of foot steps above me. I tried to scream to let the team know I was downstairs through the trapdoor that Peterson had revealed to me was there but securely hidden. 
“They’ll never find you down here so stop screaming,” He said whispering into my ear. Tears began to pour down my face knowing my team was so close but not being able to find me. I took what little bit of strength I had left and with all my force I bit Peterson’s hand and swung my legs back hitting him just hard enough to get his hand off of my mouth.
“Spencer!” I screamed as loud as I could before the hand once again found my mouth and the taser found its way back into my side. Screams of pain left my lips, muffled from the ears upstairs. 
“Did you guys hear that,” Spencer said causing everyone to freeze.
“Yeah it sounded like it was coming from below us,” Emily said.
“Hey guys check this out,” Morgan said. I could hear the familiar sound of the carpet being dragged back and then the trap door to the stairs being opened up. 
Peterson’s hand left my mouth and I heard the sound of a gun being cocked beside my head. He pointed the gun towards the stairs, taser still pressed into my side. As I heard the steps begin to descend the stairs I realized he was probably going to shoot whoever came down.
“Wait he has a gun!” I screamed in warning. That distracted Peterson as he once again tased me causing me to cry out. The foot steps descended faster and soon everyone came into view. Tears sprung to my eyes as I saw Spencer. I could tell by the look on his face that he did not handle me being kidnapped well at all. 
“Put the gun down Peterson,” Spencer said aiming the gun at him. However, no one had a clear shot because he was using my body as a shield. 
“Take one more step and I’ll shoot her!” He yelled back aiming the gun at my head that hung down, me no longer having the strength to hold it up myself. 
“You shoot her and we shoot you,” Hotch said beside Spencer, gun aimed and ready. 
“There’s no way out of this Peterson you killed 15 women and kidnapped and tortured an FBI agent,” JJ said coming around to Spencer’s other side.
Peterson let out a spine chilling chuckle. He quickly pressed the button on the taser one last time causing me to scream in pain as he had turned the voltage as high as it would go before shocking me one last time. He then pulled the trigger of the gun, a loud bang going off. The taser fell from my side as Peterson hit the ground. He had shot himself. 
“Hotch, JJ, unhook the cuffs. I got her,” Spencer said wrapping his arms around my body.
“I knew you’d figure it out,” I smiled lazily at him, vision beginning to fade into the darkness. 
“Come on Y/N stay with me,” He said carrying me up the stairs. “I love you baby I just got you back stay with me now.”
“I love you too Spence,” I said and that's the last thing I remember besides being loaded into an ambulance.
-
As I woke up the first thing I noticed was the unbearably bright light. The next thing I noticed was the pain all over my body but more specifically my side. Oh yeah that’s right I was repeatedly tased. I groaned shifting and opening my eyes. The small moment caused the curly haired man asleep in the chair beside my bed to stir.
“Y/N you're awake,” Spencer said smiling at you. His smile quickly turned to a frown. “ What the hell were you thinking!” He yelled at me.
“I’m sorry Spence I made a bad call,” I whispered looking down.
“I was so worried about you. I thought I lost you,” He said tears falling from both of our eyes. He pushed his forehead against mine wiping my tears.
“You didn’t lose me. I’m right here,” I said reaching up and brushing his tears away as well.
“I love you so much. I’m so glad you’re okay,” He said pressing his lips to mine in a sweet kiss. 
“I love you too. I’m sorry,” I said again kissing him back. When he pulled back there was a knock on the door and in came the rest of the team giving me hugs and telling me to get better soon.
“The doctor said you’re going to be fine, but you have to take it easy for a little while until your injuries heal,” Hotch said being the last one, besides Spencer, in the room. 
“Really Hotch I’m fine I don't need time off,” I said trying to sit up more and groaning from the sharp pain in my side.
“You’re taking time off until you’re better Y/N and that's an order. Get well soon,” he said giving me a half smile before closing the door on his way out.
“They want to keep you overnight for observation,” Spencer said smiling at me.
“Will you stay with me,” I said giving him puppy dog eyes that I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. 
“Of course anything for you,” he said. I scooted over in the bed to make room for Spencer and he climbed onto the bed and wrapped me in his arms as we both drifted off to sleep. Spencer leaving a light kiss to my head.
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iron-sides · 3 years
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details on cabins for whatever im calling the camp from my tell me the name of god au idk
so i wanna say upfront: the way im picturing it, while from the outside the cabins all appear to have one (1) room, unless specified or implied otherwise, they have the main room and then a bunk room and a bathroom, and possibly other rooms as well. dreamXD definitely had a hand in making them igjred
>philza minecraft doesnt have a cabin but if he did it would be like. like i think he would reeally lean into the whole death thing, u know, and he would share w lady death for sure
>technoblade's cabin is literally just you get a room in the big house cos hes like "this is where i am anyway" and then also hes taking a much more personal interest in your training lol you are Not going to disappoint him
>dristas cabin is much smaller than it actually seems because at some point while she was at camp she magicked it to seem like a literal mansion when in fact its the same size as every other cabin. the beds are just kind of Around, bc they move on their own as needed. i think its a very cluttered space with anything you could possibly need for any form of chaos just. on the floor wherever its needed- altho nothing toooo destructive, shes the god of harmless chaos not senseless destruction. she comes by the camp pretty often to see her kids and she pulls shit w them- everyone at camp knows her and has Opinions, be they good or bad
>dreamxd's cabin is very. like it sure is there but it tends to bend to the wishes of those inside pretty easily, so it changes on the heartbeat and depending on who you are, u know? to one person it might be quaint little log cabin and to another it could be fucking mansion and both of those buildings are real and there. the log cabin has a basement and no second floor but the mansion has a second floor and no basement and they are the same building. he doesn't really come by ever but generally if one of his kids prays to him for something, he'll grant it if he doesn't think it will hurt anyone. he's a bit distant, but he does care
>gnf's cabin is like oh hmmm there is just simply like oh theres a mossy forest grove here. its deadass like. like watch ldshadowlady's first last life episode, right n u see her fuckin tree circle house. thats the vibes. but on the outside its this basic ass blue cabin and then u go in and oh shit youre in the woods now. he doesn't do much to interact w his prophets other than give them prophetic dreams, but he does make sure that (barring the prophecies) they have nice dreams- his people dont have nightmares unless Somethings Happening
>foolish's cabin is sandstone like im thinking the vibe is kinda like the temple of undying he made but more lived-in, if that makes sense. he comes by pretty often to see his kids and do any building that needs done- he helps them with their projects a lot also
>schlatt's cabin is like. like its very plain? most of the gods decorated their own cabins or had a very big say in that but schlatt leaves the underworld about as often as lady death so. it's just kind of. a cabin. even apart from the main roome (which has like, some couched and bookshelves but no cohesive like. theme or anything?) theres some bunk beds, theres a bathroom, theres a room off the side for study. but it's not exactly,,, personalized ? except, of course, by the campers, who put up posters and paint the walls new colors every couple years and bring in fun furniture. this isnt a cabin with any kind of magic in it except what the campers bring in and they don't mind that at all (well, maybe some people- maybe a little)
> lady lifes cabin is not at all unlike a greenhouse-- unlike gnf's where its as if u walk into the outdoors, she has all these animals and plants just. in there. with the proper facilities for their care, of course, but yeah :] im definitely picturing like flowers etc but also most crops and such :] theres two doors after the front room and one leads to the bunk room (where there are no plants or animals unless you bring them there) and another leads to a room with just. acres. of plants and animals roaming around. the cabin bigger on the inside clearly and that space is Utilized. i think she definitely comes by often to visit, and even more after Ranboo arrives at camp, because she's teaching him how to maintain Balance. (ranboo does live in lady life's cabin)
>lady prime's cabin has the same sort of color scheme as church prime, but like, in a chest under the bookshelf is just. a shitton of scamming supplies, the bookshelf is half business textbooks and half like. "how to con people for dummies!" uihredsuxj i think its a Little clinical feeling bc of the white in the main room but then the bunk room is very purple w a lot less white. she comes by every so often- not as much as others, but more than the people who never do or dreamxd and gnf. she plays very clear favorites, which frustrates some of her children but like, its very clear Why someone so constantly desperate to scam everyone around him out of everything they own would be a favorite of hers, so. you know,
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spooky-draws-stuff · 3 years
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I feel like I can't decide which ego should be best friends with Marvin. In my head cannon
Chase and Jackie (Jbm) friendship works really well together because chase is this sad man who's funny and childish but mostly depressed and has a youtube channel where he makes good videos and game live streams. He's willing to help anyone who needs it and cares too much about things
And then there's Jbm who's this energetic computer repair guy who knows how to build things but he also knows different types of karate and is a superhero who fights with a bow staff. He loves comic books and Marvel movies and is really good at arcade games.
Chase likes gaming too and also needs advice about tech stuff and Jbm helps him too. Jbm is the emotional supporter for all the egos. But Jbm also gives really good advice and is serious when he needs to be
Chase will fight anyone if it means saving his other friends
Marvin has a complicated personality because he's this wizard who lives in a log cabin in the middle of the woods. He collects gem stones, does gardening and likes essential oils. He's a mix of independent and self serving but also needs social interaction but he's got bad anxiety that he's still recovering from since he was bullied as a kid. Everyone thought he couldn't be a wizard so he went to magic school and proved them wrong
He has scars since he did high level stuff with magic his body couldn't handle but when he out grew his hair into a braid and practiced he got really good at it and the scars faded but they are really small and he doesn't like the way he looks which is why he wears the mask. He doesn't have an adventurous personality like Jbm and he isn't childish like chase. He's a very serious guy that likes spending time with animals and enjoying nature. He reads books about plants in his free time. He owns this huge library that takes up two rooms in his house. It's mostly about nature magic and how to care for injured animals.
I've never given him a specific love interest before or sexuality but I'm pretty sure he's asexual.
Marvin is a calm guy but he can get easily angered and over protective. Sometimes he goes out of control and then "Oh shit I can't remember what happened oh fuck please tell me you're ok I did not mean to hit you like that"
Robbie faces lots of anxiety and is bullied for his stuttering when he speaks. Plus people are afraid of zombies so he has to deal with that bullshit of people avoiding him. He lives with Schneep who is trying to find a way for Robbie to eat human food without getting sick. Schneep heavily supports Robbie's needs but he doesn't know how to express his emotional caring and he wants to so badly
Jameson suffers from Trauma with Anti but he's definitely friends with Robbie. Jay plays paino and makes tea and desserts. Jay likes sewing in his free time and relates to Robbie's anxiety. He's really shy so he almost never speaks but he doesn't have hearing damage and he can't control time. He's not from a different time period, he dresses fancy because he likes it.
Schneep is the angry parent with a coffee addiction and sleep problems. He's so focused on helping other people that he forgets to take care of himself AND HE KNOWS Jbm keeps telling him that's it's okay to take breaks but Schneep is afraid to stop working because he doesn't want to lose his Job.
Anti is just evil and has damaged and hurt the other egos so many times if marvin sees him then Marvin WILL attack Anti for sure
In conclusion I feel like Marvin should be friends with Jameson, maybe Jbm?(but sometimes Jackie is too talkative or he says something marvin isn't interested in but Marvin respects him however marvin doesn't know him very well)
Marvin wouldn't mind being friends with Robbie
Marvin just feels bad for Schneep in general and hopes his mental health improves
But like:Marvin and Jay (Jameson) chilling together in the forest and like "Hey look a deer!" and Jay takes a picture (he likes cameras) but Marvin is really good at drawing animals and Robbie loves watercolor paint
Marvin:That's a nice tree robbie
Robbie:Thanks. I love the way you draw mountains and rabbits and deer
JUST THINK ABOUT IT
IT CAN WORK
But yeah Marvin is friends with Jbm but the friendship isn't going well because he doesn't like that Jbm is childish sometimes like chase. Sometimes they get into arguments. Marvin is already friends with Robbie and Jameson but he feels so disconnected to Jbm and it makes him sad
Marvin wants to understand how Jbm is so brave and has good advice and marvin doesn't have confidence like that. He depends on people like that to teach him.
Marvin doesn't care about feeling better. He wants to improve himself. And he's jealous of Jbm who gets to be a hero and go on adventures. Nothing exciting happens in Marvin's life
Because this wizard WANTS TO know more about Jbm
And he feels left out.
@n-anon
Please let me know if you want to be tagged when I make a new post about art or fan fiction that would really help thanks.
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kristannafever · 4 years
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Mountain Man - Two
Kristanna modern au
Rated: MA
WC: 3258
~Collab with @lukin08
Chapter Index
-------------------------------
“Crawl in.  I’ll stay on my own side, don’t worry.”
Anna looked from him to the bed and back again, and hesitated.  She absolutely did not want to share a bed with him.  Then again, she also didn’t want to sleep on the hard floor and would never expect him to, this being his house and all.
His head dipped with impatience and she quickly scrambled under the covers, making up her mind.  He got in beside her, and true to his word, he placed himself as far away from her as possible.   She had to wonder why he would build himself a double bed in the first place since he had chosen to live alone.  Then again, he was big, wasn’t he?  And the bed wasn’t exactly a queen size or anything.  Just a worn-out double mattress.  She could feel the dent in the middle that his body had made from years of sleeping on it.
Anna shut her eyes and tried to fall asleep.  She could hear him breathing long and slow behind her, but felt that her presence was preventing him from his slumber.  She was in the same boat after all.
She laid there for an eternity, trying in vain to quiet her mind and pass out.  The thing that kept her firmly awake was that it was starting to get cold.  He had stoked the fire before they retired, but with only two measly logs.  Had it been Anna, she would have stuffed the thing to its gills before even thinking about trying to sleep.
I am freezing!
Anna tried her best to stay still, not wanting to inconvenience him any more than she already had, and in his own bed for fucks sake! She tired to warm up by gently rubbing her hands up and down her arms, but it was no good.  The shivers took over and it only took him a fraction of a second to notice.
“Cold?”
“Y-yeah,” she couldn’t stop the chatter of her teeth as she spoke.  “How can y-you s-stand this?”
“Used to it I guess,” he murmured before she felt the bed move under her and all of the sudden there was an incredible warmth pressed against her back.  
She let out a surprised “Oh” and he was quick to respond.
“Listen, it’s just going to get colder and this is the best way to stay warm.  But if it bothers you, I can try set you up a bed on the floor in front of the fire, but you’re going to have to keep waking up to stoke it if you want to stay warm and it’s going to be uncomfortable.”
“No, this is… fine.  It’s fine, thank you.”
His body relaxed around her and his arm gently laid across her side.
“Thanks for cleaning up,” he said.  
Anna could feel his warm breath on her neck and tried to take her focus off of that.
“It’s the least I could do.  And I am really sorry about this,” she started.  “I had no idea that the storm was going to shift like that and come in so fast, and I thought I could easily get out in front of it and get back in time.  I guess I should have known.  These things change so quickly that even the weather forecasters can hardly keep on top of it.  I just wish that I would have taken a moment to-”
“Anna,” he said, with a touch of impatience in his tone. “I have a very, very long day tomorrow and I am dead tired.”
“Okay.”  She said quietly.
Anna tried to settle down, but her mid wouldn’t stop racing. “I don’t know how you live up here the way you do.  I wouldn’t make it without chocolate or sweets or something, you know.  Just a little bit, but I don’t know what I’d do if I ran out. I mean, how does one live without chocolate?  I am really, really sorry about that by the way.  I don’t know where my head was.  I’m bringing you extra boxes in the spring to make up for it.  And then you don’t have to ration them so-
“Anna,” Kristoff said again, a little shorter this time.  “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but can you just shut up.”
“Sorry!” she said a little too loudly, followed up by another whispered “Sorry, not another word.”
He mumbled a ‘thanks’ and was snoring lightly behind her a minute later.
To say she was a little uncomfortable was an understatement.  She was in a strange man’s bed and he was holding her.  Well, she could certainly think of worse places to be, that was for sure. And he was certainly a handsome man, wasn’t he?
Wait, What?
Just because he was good looking… okay he was really, really good looking… but just because he was pleasing to look at did not make the awkwardness any less.  She realized in fact, that it actually made it worse.
With a sigh, Anna closed her eyes and tired not to think about her current situation.  It took a long time, but she eventually fell asleep.
*****
She woke when the wonderful furnace she was sleeping next to left the bed.  Anna rolled over to where his body had been to try and capture some of the remaining warmth, shutting her eyes again and hoping to just go back to sleep.  It was still dark out and she was not by any means an early riser.  
She knew she’d be unable to get back to sleep when Kristoff started moving about the cabin.  His morning routine proved not to be a quiet one and he wasn’t even trying to make it that way.   Why would he, really?  She was an intruder in his space after all.  She could not expect that he would try and be quiet just for her.  The thought was a nice one anyway.
The noise of his movements was amplified by the small space. The sound of metal hinges as he opened the door on the stove, followed by the sound of logs being thrown into the metal box.  She heard something else clink against the stove; something else metal.  Probably a kettle.
Then she heard his footsteps approach.  He walked through the entryway into the room with a lantern in his hand stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw Anna’s open eyes. He sighed.  
Did he roll his eyes?  
He set the lantern on a small table by the bed and went to wood chest that she assumed he had made.  He pulled out some clothes before disappearing back into the main part of the cabin and she realized that he was changing out there because she was in his bedroom.
Anna stayed where she was until she heard the front door open and shut, then she slowly untangled herself from the flannel covers and took to her feet, thankful that Kristoff had left the lantern in the room so that she could see where she was going.  
She really hoped that the storm would let up soon. The thought of having to spend a lot of time with Kristoff wasn’t an overly appealing one, mainly because she knew for a fact that he wished she wasn’t there.
She grabbed the lamp and wandered out of his room – which was really nothing more than an extension of the cabin separated only by a wall that stretched barely half way to the other side – then took a look around at what she could get busy helping him with.  Since she had no idea what he was doing outside, she took it upon herself to try and see what there was to make for breakfast.  
Anna looked through the dozens of glass jars filled with all kinds of different dried goods when she spotted oats.  With water already set to boil on the stove, she grabbed them from the shelf, hoping she recognized them correctly as the quick cooking kind, then got a bowl to mix it when the water was ready.  She peaked in all the cupboards above his kitchen work space to see if there was anything to put on the plain oats.  There appeared to be nothing.  
It would have been nice if there was a little sugar or something, or some fresh cream to pour onto the cooked oats, just to give it some sort of taste.  She sighed, forgetting that such things to him were most likely unnecessary luxuries.
Anna was just pouring the boiling water in the bowl of oats when Kristoff came back into the cabin with an armful of wood.  He went straight to the stove and stacked it in the open cabinet beside it, before standing back up and seemed to suddenly notice that Anna was cooking.
If he was impressed or annoyed, she could not tell. He showed her no discernible emotion before going back outside for what Anna assumed would be another arm-load of wood. Her assumptions were correct when he returned a moment later.
After the wood was stacked by the stove, he came back over to where Anna was stirring the oatmeal and opened the cupboard.  He reached up to the top shelf, way in the back where Anna couldn’t see, and grabbed a small tin.  
“Here,” he said, and opened it to reveal brown sugar. Although it looked hard as a rock, it appealed to her nonetheless.  
He seemed resigned to let Anna finish making breakfast as he took a seat on the log at the table and waited.  Anna put half the cooked oats into the only other bowl she could find and brought them with two spoons and the sugar to the table. Kristoff dug into his breakfast right away while Anna started chipping a few chunks of the sugar and stirring them into her bowl.  
“Thanks for the sugar.  I usually start my day with some sort of sugar.  But I drink my coffee black.  Is that weird?  Maybe. I didn’t know if you drink coffee. I didn’t look for any, sorry. Plus, I used all the water for the oats. I guess they are a tad watery, sorry about that too.  I’m not used to eye-balling the measurements.   But if you have coffee and want some, I can certainly boil more water. Unless you have tea?  I never could get into tea, unless I’m sick, then I like a strong lemon tea with honey because it soothes the throat.  I still hate the taste though.  Actually, I had a green-tea flavored Canada Dry when I flew into British Columbia a couple years ago.   That stuff actually tasted great.  And it was so refreshing.  But maybe that’s because it was cold pop and not a hot cup of-”
He let out a long, slow breath.  Anna realized she was talking too much.  He hadn’t said barely a word since they woke up and here she was, chatting away like there was no tomorrow.  She wondered suddenly how anyone could live like this.  Isolated and alone.  Having no one to talk to.  So far from civilization that he had to get his supplies flown in two or three times a year.
She thought about the first time she had ever met him a year and a half ago when his regular pilot had retired and she had taken over all his customers.  The memory of his shocked face when she stepped from her plane was crystal clear. His expression wondered who in the hell she was and what the hell she was doing there instead of Frank.   Anna had explained it while he remained stoic. When she was done talking, he shrugged his broad shoulders like he didn’t care and unloaded all his goods without a word.
When her plane was empty, he loaded it with all the furs he was going to sell, asking her if she knew what to do with them. She nodded and he handed her a list for the Spring supplies and mumbled something about hoping he could trust her like he had trusted Frank, then turned his back on her to start huffing things into his cabin.
Anna left, shaking her head, knowing she would never understand the lifestyle these mountain men chose.
She did as Frank had instructed her to, flying over to White Mountain to find someone named Cliff.  He wasn’t that hard to track down.  The first person in the tiny airport she asked knew who she was looking for and why she was there.  A call was placed on her behalf and she was told Cliff and Belinda were on their way.
Not five minutes later an older couple walked into the tiny airport terminal and went straight over to Anna.
“You must be Anna!” Belinda said, pulling her into a hug.
“Frank told us all about you,” Cliff said, following his wife’s actions.
“You must be Cliff and Belinda,” Anna said with a smile at their warm greeting.
“Oh, just call me Linda dear, every one does.”
Anna nodded.  “My plane is over here,” she said.  Linda followed her onto the tarmac and Cliff hopped in the seat of his pickup and drove over to the plane.
“What did our boy haul in this time?” Linda mused as Anna opened the door and lifted herself up into the plane to pass out the firs.  
She grabbed a stack and set them on the seat for Cliff to grab.  “Kristoff is your son?”
“Not by blood, no.  But we raised him when his parents tragically passed away in a house fire.”
“Oh, that’s terrible,” Anna frowned as she piled furs on the seat for the old couple to grab.
“It was tragic.  Poor boy didn’t talk to anyone for almost a year.  He was just so young too!  Then one day he kind of snapped out of it and began to act like a kid again,” Linda explained.
“But he was never the same.”  Cliff added.
Linda nodded solemnly.  “No, he wasn’t.  He was happy enough, but he was quiet.  Eerie quiet most times.  He bottled up his feeling no matter how many times we tired to talk to him about them.”
“Only thing that seemed to keep him going some days was that silly notion of his to make his own way up on the boonies.  That was the one thing we could get him to talk on and on about,” Cliff added.
“What about friends?” Anna asked, not really wanting to pry too much but letting her curiosity get the better of her.
“Oh, he was a bit of a loner for the most part.  The other kids thought he was weird.  I’m sure that didn’t help matters for someone who was missing his parents the way he was,” Linda said, taking the new stack of firs and placing it in the back of the truck.  “At least he always seemed to be content being himself at home.  He read stacks and stacks of books about wilderness survival and how homesteads were built back in the olden days.”
“And he certainly makes a living for himself now. Completely self reliant and completely off the grid,” Cliff said with pride.  “He took his vision and made it a reality.  I respect anyone who is willing to work hard and sacrifice to do that.”
“I agree,” Anna said truthfully, even though she did not understand his vision at all.  She stepped out of the plane with the last of the firs and placed them on the stack in the back of their truck.  
Cliff secured the firs while Linda walked to the cab and grabbed an apple box.
“Here,” she said, holding it out to Anna.  “This is for Kristoff next time you’re due to go back up.”
“Oh, sure.  I’ll make sure he get’s it,” Anna said and turned to put it in her plane. She knew it wasn’t apples by the way the items shifted inside.  Probably some sort of care package.
“Well thank you, dear!” Linda said, pulling her into another hug.  
“Give out boy our best when you see him next,” Cliff hugged her after.
“I will,” She said, then hopped back into her plane when Cliff and Linda drove away.
When Anna had returned to Nome, she asked Frank about Kristoff and how long he had been up there living alone like that.
“Oh, ‘bout a decade now.”
“So, you took him supplies from the very start?”
“Well that first year, this was before he was living up there full time mind you, he had me fly him up there with his things and then take him back.  Every paycheck he would go out and buy something he needed to build a cabin and sustain life that far away, and every paycheck he would hire me to fly him up there to drop it off.  He even asked me to stay a few hours one time so that I could help him fasten up a lean-to that he could stay in it while he built his cabin.”
“He was pretty set on it, wasn’t he?”
“Yup.  Never seen a man with so much determination.  The first year he was up there all alone, he paid me to fly up every month, wanting to make sure that he was able to sustain himself and get any supplies he needed that he didn’t anticipate, which ended up being quite a few. He lost a lot of weight those first few months.  Nearly twenty pounds I recon.  I knew he was having a tough go at it all.  I even popped in a few times before the next month was due if I was flying not too far, just to make sure that he was still alive.”
Anna shook her head in disbelief.
“He was dead-set on seeing it through.  By the end of that first year he had built himself his home, a shed, he dug a cellar, made an outhouse, set up a trap line, learned to trap, dug a well, the works.  I was happy to see him succeed.
“I was there when he took off on that seven-hundred-mile journey on his old snowmobile to officially start his life at his homestead.  As he waved at me when he set out, I honestly wondered if he would make it.  I half expected that the first time I took up supplies after the winter was over that he would beg me to take him back, but he greeted me with a smile and showed me all he had accomplished.  I tell ya, it sure made me happy to see him doing well.”
“He seems a little rough around the edges.”
“Oh, that’s just him.  He doesn’t like people very much.  Never has according to Cliff and Linda.  Got the idea to live like a true mountain man from his grandfather when he was just a babe.  Got stuck in his brain, I guess.  Apparently, it’s all he ever talked about.  Cliff and Linda worried over him of course.  They hoped that he would outgrow the idea, but he never did.”
“Well he certainly seems to know what he’s doing,” Anna muttered.
Frank regarded her closely for a moment.  “Look, Anna.  I know he might have come across as rude, or hell, maybe he even seemed mean. But trust me, that man has a soft centre.”
Anna nodded even though she didn’t really believe him. After a decade of living in complete isolation, how could anyone have a soft centre.
--
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oldfashionedmoth · 3 years
Text
Good Vibrations
Find it here on AO3
“Phasma?” Julie typed into the group chat. She had received a new Oculus VR headset for Christmas, and she was anxious to try it out. “Hopefully the gang are up for a game of Phasmophobia tonight” she thought.
Before long she received responses from her two best friends, Jake and Will. They were both in.
“Hey, does anyone mind if I invite my friend Gus to play too?” Jake asked.
Julie rolled her eyes, and stared at her phone, praying for Will to say no. Gus is a total tool, but she didn’t want to be the one to say so.
“…”
Will was typing!
“C’mon, c’mon. Tell him to batter-da-Jesus!” Julie thought. “He just gets in the way”
But alas, his reply to Jake was “Yeah, sure! The more the merrier.”
“You’re too nice, Will, but I guess that’s why I like you” Julie thought with a smile, as she replied with a simple thumb’s up emoji. “Oh well, I guess we’re going to have to babysit Gus again, tonight”
 She fired up her sleeping computer and logged onto Discord, and the game.
“Can everyone hear me?” she inquired
“yep”
“yup”
Jake and Will replied in tandem
“Guuuuusssss? You there?” Julie asked
Silence
“GUS???”
Silence
“Is Gus playing with us or what?”
“Uh, yeah, I’m here.”
“Nice of you to join us.” Julie can already feel her blood pressure rising.
 Will, who had already amassed a small fortune in the game, loaded the equipment for everyone playing.
“Thank-you, Daddy.” Julie said with a smirk, as she slid her VR headset on.
“You know how I feel about that word!” retorted Will; his protest sounding more flirtatious than threatening.
“What’s wrong, Daddy? You know I love my sugar-daddy.”
“Oh, you love me now? This is a new development” Will purred
“Haha, alright you two!” Jake interjected. “the sexual tension is weirding us out.  Right Gus?”
“Gus?”
“He might be AFK?”
“What the flip is he doing AFK? We’re about to start now!”
“No, I’m here.” Gus finally chimed in.
“Ok, are we ready to do this? Will asked. “I vote for Intermediate, Grafton Farmhouse.”
All parties agreed, and the game transported them to the truck. Jake, and Will began memorizing the information on the whiteboard, while Julie practiced getting used to using VR.
“Witness a ghost event, stop the ghost from hunting with a crucifix, and get a photo of dirty water. Ugh! This has to be the worst combo of tasks” Will lamented. “Name is Mark Taylor”  
“Hey Mark Taylor! Where are you motherfucker?” Gus yelled.
The others turned around to discover Gus had already left the truck and had Leroy Jenkins’ed himself into the haunted cabin, ahead of the others.
“Gus, man, why did you do that?” Will interrogated him, “You started the clock before any of us even had our equipment picked out.”
Gus ignored him, and continued to yell obscenities at the ghost. The others quickly picked their equipment and followed inside.
“Boner Alert!” Julie exclaimed, shortly after entering. She took a picture of the bone evidence, that was in the kitchen, and picked it up.
“Well, that’s great! Your boner will go nicely with my caulk.” ribbed Will, standing in front of her, with two tubes of caulking he found in the storage area.
Upstairs, they could hear Gus yelling “Hey pussy! Hey Dickhead! Are you afraid of me? You prick. Mark García, show yourself!”
“Hey Gussss,” Julie remarked, “It’s Mark Taylor, not Garcia. And how about we NOT antagonize the ghost before we have to?”
Gus started shouting “Hey Mark Taylor. Mark! Marky-Mark! Where’s the funky bunch?”
Jake called from upstairs, “We got freezing temps!”
They all converged on the landing at the top of the stairs, when Will’s EMF reader went off. “We have EMF of 5 too.”
“I’ll go out and get the video camera from the truck” Julie said
“I’ll come too. I’ll stay in the truck and watch for orbs, once you get the camera laid down” said Will
On their way out of the house they notice a bunch of plates and cutlery on the ground. “Hmm, looks like someone is already starting a yardsale” Julie mused.
“Yeah, probably Gus!” Will said, chuckling
They barely exited the building before the front door slammed shut behind them, and the lights inside the house start flashing.
“It’s hunting! Hide!” Will said to the two others, still trapped inside.
After a few minutes the flashing subsided, and Julie went back inside to lay the video camera down.
“I found a voodoo doll.” Said Jake. He threw it down and it scampered across the floor. Julie took a stationary picture of it, as evidence. Jake picked the doll back up and said “I’m going to take him with me.”
Gus was standing in the corner by himself, singing “Yo, it’s about that time. To bring forth the rhythm and the rhyme. I’m a get mine, so get yours. I wanna see sweat comin’ out your pores…”
Will called out from the truck, “We have orbs! It’s a phantom. We have the ghost event objective now too. All we need now is the crucifix and photo of dirty water”
Suddenly the lights started to flash again. Everyone shut up and disbursed to hide.
When the hunt was over, Jake went back to the truck to get a crucifix. “Hey, does someone already have a crucifix laid down? There’s only one left here”
“No, not me.” Julie replied.
“Nope, me either” said Will
“On the house tip is how I’m swinging this. Strictly hip-hop boy, I ain’t singing this. Bringing this to the entire nation. Black, white, red, brown. Feel the vibration…” rapped Gus
The flashlights started flashing again. “It’s hunting!” they all say together.
“It’s following you, Gus” Will whispered from the truck. “run!”
The ghost chased Gus around the cabin for a while, before eventually running out of steam. The hunt ended with Gus narrowly escaping being killed.
“This is no fun! Why is it targeting me?” He whined
“Well, I dunno, it might have something to do with you saying its name a thousand times, and you won’t stop singing that stupid song?” Julie exclaimed, exasperated “And why are you still holding the crucifix? Put it down, for the love of God, man. It doesn’t work if you’re just holding it!”
But it was no use. She had already lost his attention, and he was on his way back to the truck for more supplies, singing, “It’s such a - GOOD VIBRATION!!”
Jake laid down the crucifix he had, and before long Will was calling from the truck “You got the crucifix objective. Now all you need is dirty water.”
“Do you guys hear water running” Julie asked. Will and Jake said no, they didn’t hear anything besides Gus’ singing.
Julie checked all the sinks upstairs but found nothing. But she could still hear the tap running. She went downstairs to check the kitchen sink and discovered Gus’ little art project. He had found the Ouija board and had encircled it with all the candles and glow sticks from the truck.
“I made a séance circle!” Gus proudly exclaimed, before asking the board “Where are you?”
The planchet slowly moved across the board. D-I
“Dining room?” Jake guessed. “I thought for sure it was upstairs”
E-G-U-S
“DIEGUS? What’s DIEGUS?”
“Die Gus?” Julie suggested
For the first time in the game, Gus was completely quiet. A pregnant pause suspended between the four players. Finally, Gus said “Ahh, you know what guys, my connection is being kinda glitchy tonight.” And with that he dropped out of the game.
Will laughed and said “I don’t think his computer was being glitchy. He just got spooked. That’s a really cool addition to the game, though. They must have added the capability of the Ouija board to use our own names, in the latest update.”
“Yes, very cool!” Julie replied, except her voice came out deep, and robotic. “Ooh, I take it back! Maybe it is being glitchy tonight. Hahaha!”
Will and Jake both burst out laughing at the absurdity of her voice.
“That was so creepy!” Will exclaimed. “You sounded demonic! Hahaha!”
“You know what, we’re never going to get the dirty water. Do you guys want to just call it?” Jake asked, “whatever issues we are having now, might fix itself in the next round.”
“Yeah, I’m done with this one. Come back to the truck.” Will replied
Once in the truck, Jake aimlessly tossed down the voodoo doll he had been holding. Instantly, the doll skittered towards Julie, made a leap, and attached itself to Julie’s face.
 In her room, Julie screamed and tore off her VR headset, her heart pounding from adrenaline. She’d never seen the doll do that before. “There must have been a few new updates” she thought, “very creepy additions!”
Julie considered putting the headset back on, but hesitated. She was still shaken up by the image of that gingerbread man-motherfucker flying at her face.
“Do I hear water running?” she said aloud. She thought for sure she could hear the faucet on, in her en suite bathroom, but that was impossible since she was home alone and the front door was locked.
Suddenly, the lights start flashing on an off. No, not the lights. Her vision. Julie’s vision was strobing between 20/20 to complete and utter darkness. Panicked she got up and blindly stumbled across her room and into the bathroom. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she could see movement by the toilet, but she was thrust into blackness before she could investigate further. When her vision returned, nothing was there.
The sink, however, was turned on and filling up with putrid sludge.  
Julie threw herself across the room, and felt around for the tap to turn off the faucet. As suddenly as her eye malfunction came, it returned to normal. Gone was the blinking blindness. Julie’s heart hammered inside her chest. “What the fuck was that?”
*ding ding* chimed Julie’s phone. She’d just received a text. With a sweaty shaky hand, Julie fished her phone out of her pocket. It was a text from Gus. But it wasn’t from the group chat. It read,
“Sure, I guess. But aren’t you still playing with the guys?”
Confused, Julie scrolled up to read the text before this one. It looked like it came from her, but that was not likely. Gus was Jake’s friend. He’s only played with them a few times, and she’s only messaged him in the group chat before. Why would she ever private message him? It read,
“Sorry you got booted from the game. Do you want to play with me now? Just you and me?”
Ok, by now Julie had started to believe this was all an elaborate prank. Playing Phasmophobia alone with Gus would be horrible! She would never text him that.
Julie began texting back “Hey sorry, I’m not really up for another round tonight. I think I’m just going to go to bed.” She saw her thumbs moving swiftly across the keyboard, but something was wrong. Were they even hitting the letters she intended to press? Looking up at the text screen she observed what she had typed. “No, I want to play with you, just you. I have a special surprise for you.”
Julie slowly looked up, into the mirror, and grinned. Except the angle of her lips were wrong; crooked and sinister. This wasn’t Julie’s smile.
Julie helplessly stared into the mirror, as something else stared back at her.
“No one calls me Marky-Mark and gets away with it”
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emiwrites3reads · 4 years
Text
His Mate Pt.3
Klaus while being part werewolf never believed he would find a mate, while their are werewolves that don’t believe in them, he does, just that he doesn’t have one. That is until he met a young werewolf, friend of the Salvatores.
Warnings: angst and graphic descriptions of gore
Part two: https://emiwrites3reads.tumblr.com/post/189765059236/his-mate-pt2
His mate masterlist; https://emiwrites3reads.tumblr.com/post/190164847716/his-mate-masterlist
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Y/n runs out of the house as fast as possible, before any vampire can tell her what to do. Seeing the worry in Romi’s eyes sparked something in her wolf, determination. She could tell someone was wrong. Something bad. And oh was she right.
She practically races Romi to the larger camp. He beta tells her of an attack, but the details go out the other end. She needs to get there and fast, especially with the word “injuries” being thrown around.
Pulling up to the camp, her heart drops. It wasn’t just Sarah, August, and Julia hurt. No, most of the pack was. Blood turns the grass red. A body lays lone near a tree. Seeing the softness of the face, the blood stained blonde hair, and what would be blue eyes, it’s Sanvi. Y/n rushes to the side of her childhood friend, tears streaming from her eyes.
“Your going for medical school right....? You think...” Romi says behind her. Y/N feels her focus shifting, blurring even. Seeing the ruby colored surp covering her friend, leaking from vicious flashes of a wolf. A bite wound showing an animal ripped her friends neck, leaving only half of it. The tactics of the attackers. She has seen this before, only in rumors. A gang of rouges traveling, seeking to rip the hearts of packs to fill their own void. Bone from the spine and the arteries and veins stick out, her pale skin tainted red with blood.
“We need real medical professionals Romi.... I-I don’t think I can handle this...”
“They’re going the ask questions, mass animal attack? That’s going to hunters, which I’m suprised none showed yet” Romi contradicts. Y/n slips out her phone, whipping her tears away and fiery filling her eyes.
“Damon... uuuh I need you to do some compelling.... some friends of mine got hurt and if nurses and doctors start asking questions, it won’t look good” Y/N says, the line going straight to voicemail. The originals are still in control.
“I suppose I might be able to help” Klaus. Y/N turns to the hybrid who steps from behind a tree. Y/N feels her heart start racing. This is the last thing her pack needs. A original helping them, especially Klaus. They only want what’s good for them.
“Right, like your suddenly nice and cheery and wanting to help” Y/N replies. She can feel Romi’s breathing accelerating. “Why help us”
“I-I uh... I don’t know” the hybrid looks down, in thought. He looks up and clears his throat, “but having a pack owing me a favor could do me wonders”
“Of course” Romi’s voice echoes behind her. Y/n feels fear surfacing. Her wolf, telling her to run yet at the same time telling her to trust the original. Y/N believed she could trust her wolf, but now her instincts are keeping things from her. She no longer knows who to trust if she can’t even trust herself.
“Fine. But don’t you dare turn them into hybrids” Y/N practically challenges the originals. His response, suprises her. The hybrid smirks, almost enjoying her fire. He walks past her and to the main cabin. The cabin house. The scent of blood reaks from it.
“You know, I’m not as bad once you get to know me” the hybrids voice picks up. His eyes flash something towards her, sending tingles throughout her. Y/n turns away from his gaze.
Stepping into the house, the survivors are helping those injured. Bringing water, fruits and food, and new bandages. They turn to look at her with quizzical eyes, falling to the original hybrid. “Don’t worry, he’s here to help... why I don’t know”
“By blood will heal them” Klaus turns to Y/N.
“Okay, feed who you can, but remember what I said”
After some hours later, the supernatural blood of the hybrid heals the pack members. Y/n and Romi burry the bodies of those who didn’t make it in time. 5 in total. The pack tells the family of those who know of werewolves and supernatural the truth, and covered it up as a camping accident for those who don’t.
“Why” Y/n looks to close, who sits with her in front of a large bon fire held to celebrate those who’ve fallen. She watches him carefully. His demeanor changes. It softens, showing another side of the hybrid she knows.
“I wish I could say” Klaus looks to her, his eye sparkling. He turns away as Elijah walks in, clearing his throat. Klaus hides the disappointment and annoyance. “Brother”
“Interesting, I thought her blood would of been scattered through these woods but it appears I’m wrong” he gestures to the toe sitting on a log together. Y/n looks over to her Beta who sits with his boyfriend. An unknown feels fills through her as she turns back to klaus.
“No, but the pack’s blood that attacked her will be” Klaus’ eyes flash yellow. Y/n feels at peace with this. Happy even. She can’t explain it. She still doesn’t trust klaus but he seems different when he’s not... afraid.
Klaus walks her into the Salvatore house. The building feels stuffy already and the Klaus she saw at the camp disappears. Damon and Stephen run to her, shock on their faces seeing her unharmed. “Did he torture you and then heal you?” Damon says.
“No, he helped me...... with an issue at my friends” Y/n walks away before they could ask any questions. Everything turns back to normal like nothing happened at all. It almost saddens her.
“What was the issue?” Stephen says.
“His uh.... cat got chased up a tree” as soon as she says it she realizes how lousy of a excuse it is.
“Right, because werewolves and cats mixed really well” Damon says.
“You do realize I have 2 cats right?” Y/n turns to Damon, her brows raising at him. She gives the two brothers a look saying she doesn’t want to talk about it. She throws herself in the couch and scavenges through her tumblr feed.
The weight on the couch shifts and she sees Klaus siting next to her. She closes off her phone and turns to him to see him looks down at her. His arm practically around her neck. “Hey....?” She questions.
“So, I was thinking, staying here isn’t a safe place, we need another and then I remember that place you showed me today, it seemed really safe”
“No- no way, no way are you staying there....you can stay at my house if you really need to” she looks to him, glare and spice flickering in her eyes. A grin spreads across his face, making her regret everything back at the camp.
Klaus gets up and Elijah joins him. The two Salvatore brothers watch curiously at the trio. Leads the way to her home.
When they enter her house, klaus turns to her. “You know why I did that? Do you?”
“Because your still a jerk and will always be?”
“No, I know you don’t want those two knows about your little settlement there, so I figure if we plan somewhere away it’ll get things done quicker” Y/n looks to klaus and to Elijah who seemingly follows him everywhere.
“Fine, lets get planning” Y/n goes over to the coffee table in her living room and opens up her laptop. Her fingers gracefully travel across the keyboard, typing away and clicking away as she searches for rumors of The Blood Stone pack. She clicks on an article, one that has been recently updated.
At first it looks like a dead end. the outdated colors and coding of the website, it not even starting about the pack but about legends of werewolves and vampires. The further she scrolled, more comments about the constant odd murder cases being closed off as animal attacks, with bodies drained of blood and bodies torn by bears.
“What’s this?”
“A thread, I think I know who did it, I’m seeing if they are in town but this thread is a dead-“ she stops. A name appears on the thread, Jessica Banes. She is the supposed leader of the pack. She simply states that the local folklore doesn’t have to do anything with vampires and werewolves and that everyone here is speaking nonsense. The replies to that are asking her about Blood Stone pack. “It’s the leader- well supposed leader”
“Interesting” Klaus sits down next to you, his demeanor once again soft yet stronger. He reads the form with her, she continues to scroll but he stops her for a second, placing his hand on hers and then awkwardly pulling away as they both feel tingles climb up their arms.
“Ehem, um this name here, I saw him taking to one of the bartenders here in town, there was a pretty red head with him as well, she seemed to control him like there was a leash on him” Klaus points to the commenter, Jared Jones.
“I think I’ve seen him around too, with a red head as well, tall long dark hair, yeah” Y/N ignores how she feels about klaus calling someone pretty. She wonders how they will get them near them.
“I have an idea, I’ll host a ball” Y/N blinks in response. Confused spreads wide across her face. She wonders, how will a ball help? Sure, maybe they will show up, but there’s so many people.
“How will that help? There’s going to be so many people”
“They don’t knkw we know their identities, and trust me those aren’t rumors, I’ve been alive awhile to know, I’ll have a bouncer check names and sign people in and we can send them to talk to me about a deal when really I’ll be tearing their heart out”
“You mean when I will be tearing their heart out” Klaus smirks. His gaze filled with pride and wonder. Y/n smiles back at him as his smirk turns to a smile.
“I think you’re starting to grow on me” he murmurs.
“I can say the same thing”
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Taglist:
@chloe-skywalker
@chaoticneutralpizza
Thank you guys so much for reading this far! I don’t think I ever updated this much with this many parts before. I hope you really enjoy it and I was wondering, if klaus should ever fully turn, what do you think his wolf would look like in the show?
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harley-sunday · 4 years
Text
A Good Man Goes to War [Prologue]
Summary: Starts right after Civil War. Steve Rogers is done being Captain America and quite happy living a quiet life in a safe house somewhere in Canada. Until Thanos goes after the Infinity Stones. What happens when a good man goes to war? 
Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC (f) Could be read as reader insert.
Warnings: None.
Word count: 2K
Entry for @browngirlmagic​‘s writing challenge. My prompt was “Demons run when a good man goes to war.”
AN: Uh, so yeah. I thought this would be a simple oneshot, but then the backstory happened and before I knew I was over 12k words in and so had to divide into multiple parts. Oh well. It happens. Also, I have never actually finished a story before publishing it online, so you can expect regular updates :) Third, I used to big a very big Doctor Who fan and so I always wanted to do something with this prompt and so here we are! This is, I think, unlike anything I have written before, mostly because it’s not from a reader’s POV. I like it, and I hope you do too. Please let me know what you think ♥
I don’t do taglists, but if you follow Harley Sunday x Steve Rogers you should see any update I post.
Masterlist
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PROLOGUE
He’s not quite sure how he ended up here.
Well, he thinks then, that’s not completely true. He was there when the call was made, overhearing Fury as he asked the person on the other end of the line for a favor. There was some gentle persuasion needed and he thinks he heard Nick say something about a promise made a long time ago, but by then the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director had already walked into an empty conference room nearby and only clipped whispers of the conversation made their way to where he was waiting for a decision to be made. 
The call ended soon after and the only thing he was told was that a car would come to pick him up the next morning at 5 AM and not to be late. He just nodded, which, he is sure, surprised not only him, but also Fury, because he was never really the type to agree to something that easily. He remembers being so, so tired, not just because of the events that got him here, but because of everything leading up to that and he thinks that must have had something to do with his compliance at the time. 
Nick took him to an apartment somewhere downtown for the night, telling him to leave the key in the mailbox the next morning and to stay inside, reminding him there were people who’d rather see him locked up somewhere. The apartment was more a studio, a single bed hidden behind a room divider in the far corner, a small kitchen to his left and a dining table with two chairs to his right. 
He wasn’t really hungry but could do with some sleep and so he laid down on the bed, a piece of paper on the wall next to him catching his eye, the handwriting on it rushed as though it was a warning and he was sure the first part of it was missing from the way the paper was torn. 
..when a good man goes to war
He read the sentence over and over again, until he felt his eyes getting heavy, and then he drifted off, a restless slumber that only left him feeling more exhausted by the time his alarm went off.
The car took him to JFK Airport where he boarded a commercial flight to Toronto, and he wondered why he couldn’t have just taken the Quinjet until he realized this was, of course, the safer option. No need to compromise the location of the safe house by showing up in a stealth aircraft just because it would be easier. His disguise that day was a Toronto Blue Jays baseball cap and a pair of glasses and even though there was a little boy eyeing him curiously all throughout the flight, he still doesn’t think the kid recognized him.  
A smaller plane waited for him at Pearson International Airport, flying him to Thunder Bay in just under two hours. By then it was past noon and the lack of sleep from the night before started to catch up with him as he wondered how much longer he would have to travel to reach his final destination. There was someone waiting for him at the gate, leading him straight down the stairs and onto the tarmac, where he had to grab his duffel bag from a baggage trolley before following the man to one of the hangars on the far end of the airfield. By then it was raining, the gentle breeze from earlier turning into stronger gusts of wind, and he could see the dark promise of a storm starting to form somewhere on the northern horizon. 
Somehow he knew the aircraft in the hangar was a Piper Turbo Arrow, with a range of almost seven hundred nautical miles, and so he tried, rather unsuccessfully, to calculate where that could possibly have him end up, but he was too tired to come up with a coherent answer. The man from earlier, who turned out to be the pilot, took his bag from him then and placed it in the hold, informing him that they had a ten-minute takeoff window or else they would have to wait for the storm to pass, and asked him if he was good to go. 
They were in the sky minutes later and with the storm front slightly more to his right, he figured they were flying northwest even though that still didn’t really tell him where they were headed. He must have dozed off at some point, because it felt like only minutes later when the pilot informed him he was preparing for landing even though they had been in the air for almost two hours. As soon as they left cruising altitude they hit a bout of turbulence, the small aircraft shaking violently and the pilot joking that the storm had finally caught up with them. But they made it to the ground safely, the heavy rain hammering down on them once they excited the plane. 
He thanked the pilot, grabbed his bag, made sure the phone, of which he had given the number to Tony and Tony only, was still in the pocket of his jacket, and walked over to the main building which, by the looks of it served as both the arrival and departure hall. It was empty except for what he assumed to be a janitor mopping the floors. He sat down on one of the chairs, wondering if there was another flight he would have to take and if it maybe was delayed because of the bad weather. Leaning back in his seat he stretched out his legs in front of him, closing his eyes just for a second.
There was some commotion then, as the double doors opened and a young woman stepped inside, the rain boots she was wearing making a squeaky sound on the tiled floor. She was wearing a long, yellow raincoat, and he thought she brightened up the place instantly. She pulled her hood off and apologized to the janitor for wetting the floor before she made her way over to where he was seated, rambling on about a tree on the road that made her late. She told him she was sorry, that she should have called, but that she didn’t have his number and so that she just tried to get here as soon as possible. He felt some of his weariness disappear from the way she seemed to radiate energy and so he got up instantly and took her outstretched hand, introducing himself as Steve Rogers.
She replied she already knew that, then laughed, almost like she was a little embarrassed, and told him her name with a smile, her hand warm in his. He grabbed his bag and followed her back outside, where an idling SUV, similar to the one Nick Fury used to drive, was waiting for them. He wondered if it was decked out the same way Fury’s was and if so, if she knew how to operate it. He threw his bag in the trunk and sat down on the passenger’s seat, a smile passing over his face when he saw the interior was nothing like Fury’s car, what with an air freshener popped into one of the vents and a tiny stuffed monkey hanging from the rear view mirror. 
She put the car into drive and smiled up at him, and somehow he remembers a drop of rain sliding down her face when she told him it would take just under an hour for them to get home. He nodded and leaned back in his seat, enjoying the warmth inside the car and the music she had playing over the radio. A couple of minutes into the drive he caught sight of himself in the window, surprised to see the beginnings of a beard already starting to form. And even though up until now he had always been clean shaven, he decided right then and there he would keep it until, well, things were at least slightly back to normal. 
Once they turned off the main road she let him know they were almost there, then, after a few minutes, pointing out the fallen tree that had made her late earlier. She muttered something about having to go back tomorrow to with a chainsaw to clear the road and he wondered just how isolated her place was. As it turned out, very. 
Her log cabin was located at the very end of the road, and if he wasn’t mistaken, the last house he saw was miles away, just on the outskirts of town, and they had passed it almost thirty minutes ago. It was the perfect location for a safe house and when he told her so she agreed, even though she did admit it could get a bit lonely in the winter, when the roads would be covered in snow and it could take the snowplow weeks to reach her cabin. She was quick to assure him she liked it that way though, and that she always made sure to stock up well before winter arrived. She promised to show him the greenhouse she used to grow her own vegetables later, but that now what they needed was a some coffee and something to eat. 
His stomach growled in response and so he got out of the car, admiring the two story building in front of him. It seemed fairly old, but structurally sound, and he wondered how long it had been hers. It was almost surrounded by tall green pine trees, but behind it he could see a shallow embankment that led to a lake. She motioned for him to follow her inside, out of the rain, the overhanging roof on the back porch already offering some relief. She opened the door and stepped inside, kicking off her rain boots before she lined them up on a shoe rack. Her raincoat followed suit, as she explained that the floor here had heating and so all their wet garments should be dry in no time. She didn’t wait for him, instead made her way to the coffee machine on the counter and switched it on before she walked into the living room, where she muttered something about adding some more wood to the fire. 
He took it all in from where he stood, the kitchen to his left, stairs leading up to the second story right in front of him and the living room behind that. He could hear her somewhere in there, the crackling of the fire getting louder as she fed it more wood. He followed her example and untied his shoes before he put them next to hers, his jacket on one of the hooks of the coat rack, the warmth of the floor heating very pleasant. 
She told him to sit down, make himself comfortable while she would make him something to eat and he watched her from the couch that was in the far corner of the room, next to the fireplace on one side and some double doors that led to the front porch on the other. The room’s decor simple yet cosy, with candles on every available surface and rows and rows of books in the bookcase across from him. She handed him a cup of coffee then and told him to be careful because it was hot. Another trip to the kitchen brought him a plate with two sandwiches, made with what seemed like homemade bread, and a slice of something sweet for her. 
The coffee warmed him up even more and the first bite of the sandwich made him realize just how hungry he was. She let him eat in silence, focused on her coffee and he appreciated the gesture more than he could ever explain.
And so, even though he’s still not quite sure how he ended up here, in this cabin somewhere in Canada, he sure is glad he did.
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Text
Dust To Dust
Dean x Reader
Word Count: ~2250
Warnings: Offscreen character death, offscreen sexytimes, onscreen tasteful nudity and kissing.
A/N: This is my entry for @atc74’s Duets Challenge Reboot, inspired by the gorgeous song “Dust To Dust,” by the Civil Wars. GO LISTEN. YOUR EARBALLS WILL THANK YOU.
Beta by the lovely @stusbunker 💕
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He knew this was coming, but that doesn’t make it easier. His hands start shaking as soon as he sees the glow of the bonfire.
She looks up as he approaches. At this point Dean knows the shape of her, her eyes and mouth and dimples and freckles, as well as he knows the shape of Baby’s steering wheel. She still catches him off-guard. Her smile is so bright it sears into his retinas, lingering behind his eyelids and blinding him long after he looks away.
“You made it,” she says, her face shining with fierce wild joy, and she’s passing him a dripping-cold beer from the cooler next to her, and what else can Dean do? He sits on the log next to her and blinks away his tears.
He kisses her, deep and hungry, tasting beer and woodsmoke. His chest is full of shivery heat that radiates out and settles deep in his aching bones, chasing away the exhaustion and the loneliness, warming him from the inside better than the fire ever could, until he’s dizzy and feverish from the closeness of her.
“I fucking missed you,” he says.
. . . . .
They heard the noise, the familiar scrape-thump of a shovel and grave dirt, before they saw anything. By the time they rounded the corner of the neighboring mausoleum, she was crouching over the hole with a Zippo in one hand and a twist of newspaper in the other; Dean heard the click, watched the flare and the falling sparks, heard the whoosh of lighter fluid going up.
Her eyes were shadowed, but the blazing bones illuminated the wicked curl of her smile, and Dean’s stomach swooped dangerously. He was too busy staring to notice that she was drawing a gun.
“It’s rude to sneak up on a girl,” she laughed, and cocked the safety. “Come out and say hello.”
“It’s okay, we’re hunters,” Sam said, walking forward with his hands up. Dean set his own gun down carefully and stepped into the light.
. . . . .
Dean felt off-balance, somehow. He’d felt off-balance since the first flash of her smile in the firelight. He’d been turning on the charm all night, and she was laughing, but he kept feeling like she was laughing in spite of his jokes, not because of them. Usually he’d cut his losses, move on, but… he couldn’t fucking look away from her, let alone walk away.
“So, tell me,” she said, eyes twinkling over the rim of her glass. “Do you ever get sick of lying through your teeth?”
Dean hadn’t been expecting that.
“Part of the job, been doing it as long as I can remember,” he replied smoothly.
“Yeah, I know, but…” she said, and she was laughing at him, low and sly, like she knew something he didn’t. “That’s not the job I meant.”
He took a sip of beer and tried not to let his uncertainty show on his face.
“I don’t- ”
“Taking care of Sam. Telling him it’s going to be okay.”
He blinked at her, chest constricting, feeling a sudden irrational surge of anger. Her smile softened at the edges like she understood, and that only made it worse.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said coldly, and he was standing before he could think it through, ready to walk out.
“I was a big sister,” she said. Something haunted crept into her eyes. “Loneliest job in the world, huh?”
He exhaled quick and sharp, feeling nauseous.
“Was?”
“I’ll tell you about her, if you tell me what’s going on with you and Sam,” she offered. She licked a drop of beer from the corner of her lips, where they were quirked up in a smile, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sweet red shape of her mouth.
“Okay,” he said. “Yeah, okay.”
He sat back down and leaned closer, like a moth fluttering helplessly into a flame.
. . . . .
“Oh,” she whispers. “It’s you. It’s really you. How- ”
“How did you know I- ”
“Ash found me, but… well, Sam’s not usually watching during this part. Kinda gave it away. Hey, Sammy.”
“Hey,” Sam says hoarsely, walking into the circle of firelight. He doesn’t argue with the nickname. 
She’s still staring at Dean, running gentle fingers over his face like she’s trying to map the changes there: his stubble and tired eyes, new wrinkles, new scars. He strokes her soft hair, traces her jawline, finds her pulse beating steady under her ear. The longer he touches her, the harder it is to think about leaving.
“You been okay?” she asks.
“Lonely,” he admits, under his breath, so Sam doesn’t hear. “Fucking… shit, it’s hard. Never really realized how lonely I was, until you came along and I wasn’t, anymore.”
She bites her lip and wipes away a tear that was starting to slide down his cheek. “Dean.”
“Don’t,” he says. He tries to shake it off, make the best of it. “Can’t stay long. Are you… is this -”
“It’s good,” she reassures him. “I hang out with Ash and Pamela, when I want a break from you. Pamela sure likes talking about you. Poor girl seemed to think you were some kind of sex god, she was real disappointed when I told her the truth.”
She winks. Dean laughs in spite of himself and presses his lips to her temple, inhaling the sweet smoky scent of her hair. When he pulls away, her eyes are glittering with unshed tears.
“You’re really happy?” he asks.
“I get to spend the rest of eternity with you,” she says. “Duh.”
He looks around, breath catching at the flood of memories. “The cabin. The first night?”
“Of course.”
“This is- ” he says, heart pounding crazily in his chest. “This is it, for you? I thought this was mine. What mine would look like, if I…”
“Ours,” she whispers. Tears are rolling freely down her cheeks now, but she’s smiling anyway, brilliant and scorching.
“Dean,” Sam says. Everything is starting to shake around them. “Dean, we gotta go.”
. . . . .
Dean scanned the parking lot as soon as they pulled in, spotting Baby, safe and sound.
“Going to check if Sam’s tucked in like a good boy?” she asked wryly, watching him from the driver’s seat. “Is it past his bedtime? C’mon, now, don’t spend your year smothering the poor kid.”
He bristled, but she was already unbuckling her seatbelt, getting out of the car without a backwards glance.
He expected her to stop at her door, invite him in; she was just a few rooms down, as luck would have it. Instead she walked around the side of the building, gesturing for him to follow.
There was a tall fence around the old pool, bearing a plaque that read Pool closes at dusk. By the time Dean rounded the corner, she was busy picking the lock, squinting in the dim red light cast by the neon “vacancy” sign.
The gate swung open. She started stripping as she walked, shrugging off her jacket and flannel, letting them fall on the concrete.
“Seriously?” Dean laughed. She was shimmying out of her jeans. Heat twisted deep in his gut.
She was down to briefs and a tank top as she tested the water, arms out to balance, knees at a funny angle as she dipped her toes awkwardly, and light caught on the smooth curves of her hips, tracing her silhouette in crimson, and… 
“You coming?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the pool and grinning over her shoulder at him.
...and Dean was so fucking fucked.
She slid into the water with a barely-there splash. He tripped in his haste to take off his clothes, but he got there eventually, feeling oddly self-conscious in his boxers as he lowered himself into the pool. He could feel her watching from the deep end, where she was treading water so quietly that he barely heard the ripples. Goosebumps crawled down his arms.
He pushed off the side of the pool and swam out to her. They circled each other for a moment, not saying a word, and Dean’s heart was pounding as he looked at her.
He was shivering. The water wasn’t that cold, even, but he was excruciatingly aware of all his bare skin, all the ways she’d stripped him naked.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He shook his head. “This. You.”
“Afraid to let me in?” she said. It wasn’t really a question.
“Too late for that,” he admitted.
“Come here,” she said softly, and she backed into the shallow end of the pool. Dean followed until there was solid concrete under his feet. The ripples between their bodies reflected red, deep like embers.
She kissed him, not at all gently; it felt like sparks when she bit his lower lip, like wildfire flickering to life inside his chest, blistering-hot and terrifying.
. . . . .
“You’re so fuckin’ gorgeous,” Dean said, marveling at the way she looked as the first peachy-orange rays of sunrise filtered through the blinds and illuminated all that naked skin. She just rolled her eyes and passed him a glass of water.
“Drink,” she ordered.
He gave her a lazy salute. He really didn’t mind how bossy she was, especially not when she was naked.
She was still flushed pink, glistening with sweat, and her hair was a damp chlorine-scented tangle on the pillow, and Dean kept thinking she must be a fever dream. He must’ve hallucinated the entire night.
In the quiet moments when they’d stopped to catch their breath, he whispered things against her soft skin, confessed his sins, spilled his secrets… he lit a torch and held it up to show her everything, but it was morning, and she was still there.
Dean ran a hand from her rosy cheek down her neck. She arched back, baring her throat for him, giving him a sideways glance and a smoldering grin.
“This is fuckin’ crazy,” Dean growled, and he tugged her on top of him, running his fingernails up her back just to feel her squirm.
“Yeah,” she said breathlessly. “Yeah, I feel a little fuckin’ crazy right now.”
He traced her jawline, found her pulse beating steady under her ear, and when he bit the curve of her neck, sucking a red mark into the skin, he felt her pulse quicken under his fingertips. He let his head fall back on the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep unsteady breath.
“I don’t want to leave you,” he admitted. He opened his eyes and looked up at her, scared shitless.
She met his gaze, eyes heavy-lidded, lips swollen and bitten-red, and she just smiled so bright, so fucking incandescent, that he felt the heat of it down to his toes.
“Where are you guys headed next?” she asked. She kissed his forehead, the bridge of his nose, and Dean had trouble remembering for a moment.
“Gonna go see Ozzy. But… after?”
“My uncle’s got a cabin in Wyoming. I crash there sometimes, between hunts. You could…”
Dean tugged her down for a kiss, rough and desperate. She made this needy, urgent noise in the back of her throat when he pulled her hair, and then she was grinding down, her body fitting so perfectly against his, and he forgot what he was going to say.
He dug his fingers into her hips and rolled them both over. She let out a startled laugh, catching him off-guard, shocking him into stillness. He tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and tried to remember how to breathe.
“I don’t want to leave you,” Dean repeated, blinded by the way a fiery ray of orange light illuminated her smile. “I’ve only got a year.”
Suddenly it didn’t feel like much time at all.
“Guess we better not waste it, then,” she whispered.
. . . . .
“Did you find- ”
“Yeah, she’s here. Ash checked on her, I didn’t want her to know… about everything. It’s enough to know that she’s happy.”
“Good,” he says fiercely. That’s a relief, at least, and the tight cold grip around his chest loosens ever so slightly.
His heart thumps and flutters. He’s panicking. There’s so much he wants to say and there isn’t enough time. They never had enough time. Heaven is thundering and shuddering around them, but all Dean can see is her smile, glowing hot in the orange light of the bonfire.
“Okay,” she says, trying to keep her voice steady as she wipes her eyes. “You’ve got a world to save.”
He wraps his arms around her one last time. He feels her shoulders hitch as she sobs, her breath tickling his neck.
“Thank you,” he whispers, so that only she can hear it. “I just - fuckin’ thank you. That wasn’t what I meant, you know, when I asked you to look out for Sammy.”
“You got your dumb ass dragged to hell,” she says, with a shaky laugh. “Somebody had to take care of him.”
He’d give anything for another year.
“I love you,” he says desperately. “I don’t want to leave you.”
She grins, cocky and perfect even through the tears. “I know.”
“Dean,” Sam pleads, voice breaking.
He forces himself to his feet, takes one stumbling step and then another, turning his back on the warmth and the firelight, blinking away the swirling afterimages of her too-bright smile.
The scene dissolves. When he looks back, there’s nothing left except a curling wisp of ash and dust, blowing away in the cold breeze.
.
.
.
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melyaliz · 4 years
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Past loves and future babies pt. 3
Masterlist 
Fandom: Marvel / MCU 
Summary: Dinner, Drinks and what comes after 
Pairing: Steve Rogers x OC 
Notes: No one really voted... BUT @thespacebuns reblogged with comments and I decided to give her another chapter :P 
All Masterlists @melyalizarchive
Connect with me! AO3 / Instagram / Pinterest
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Before the snap Dixie and Mac had been on their own. The two siblings running across the world just getting hired out as muscle men, hackers, grifters, really anything they could do to make some money. 
Then the snap happened. 
Dixie remembered standing between an open safe and five gun men. Mac screaming in her ear to get out. Fear in his voice making it hard for her to focus. But she knew the drill when she was caught with her back against the wall, do whatever she could to get out of there. 
And then four of them men disappear. Crumbled into ash before her very eyes. The other guy freaked out not sure what to do. Calling out to his comrades. His own shocked yells slowly starting to echo more screams throughout the building as both her and the last gunman walked out. People all around them running out yelling. Trying to escape whatever was happening while their fellow coworkers crumbed around them like some horrible nightmare.
Dixie screamed Mac’s name. Her head set filling with static as she raced toward the door. She kept screaming his name so hard she was sure she tasted blood. Bolting from the building rushing toward the van nearly ripping the door off as she opined it. 
“Dixie!?! What the hell is going on?” her brother had asked his eyes wide as he stood there in pure shock. 
“I don’t know.” 
Since that day their dealings just left of the law slowly stopped. Instead becoming like a second defense to the cops. So many people, unsure what to do, had decided now was the time to play Grand Theft Auto IRL. Leaving millions of defenseless people alone with a lack of defense.
Luckily for Dixie and Mac they weren’t the only ones who had shifted toward protecting those who couldn’t. In fact, it felt like whoever was left had really chosen a side.
Those who were in it for themselves and those who were in it for others. 
Mac had found many resources during those times while on the web. People giving them tips on where to go and who to help. 
One in particular was a former cameraman for NBC news named Logan. 
Logan was funny, handsome, and had lost his wife. 
Mac had warned her, the moment they had met him. He had known it was Dixie’s type. Just out of reach. But she couldn’t help herself. 
It was like Dixie’s heart knew, fall in love with the ones you can never really have. Just another trick deeply ingrained in her subconscious as a way to protect herself. Remind herself that no matter how close they got there would always be something in the way. 
Logan joined their team along with a few others. Roaming the country finding people in need. Meeting up with other do-gooders helping those who couldn’t. 
And then everyone came back. 
And again, it was just Dixie and Mac. 
Alone together. 
--------------------------
Dinner was so much fun, everyone talking and joking while passing around the food. It almost felt like a TV version of a thanksgiving dinner. The way everyone was so comfortable around each other. The history. 
Dixie felt a little out of place but the great thing about food was that you could shove your mouth so no one expected you to talk. It wasn’t like Dixie didn’t like chatting with strangers but… she felt a little like a cow at this point. 
So she ate keeping her posture as small as possible as a way to minimize her presence and keep conversation away from her.  
Or that was what she had thought until Bucky met her gaze from across the table. Before she  could shift her gaze he spoke. “How did you like the suite?”
Nodding Dixie quickly swallowed the large bite of chow mein she had been shoving into her mouth. “It’s better than my old shitty apartment.” 
Bucky chuckled, “Tony keeps this place amazing.”
“The view is really nice,” Steve added, glancing over at Dixie. For a moment she wondered if he was trying to get her approval the way he was looking at her. Wide blue eyes searching her so intently.  
“So where did you live before this?” Bucky asked.
Dixie’s mind raced, where had she lived? Everywhere. Her and Mac moved from city to city pretty often trying to find places that rented for 6 months or less. While she knew she had to be here… you know to save the world. She wasn’t sure how open minded the avengers were to her past days for hire. 
“Arizona before this,” she smiled shrugging, “Tacos were amazing.” 
“I bet, it’s been a while since I have been in that area,"
Well it's pretty hot this time of year"
More small talk continued. Moving past her to something else. Tony’s house in the cabin or how he and Bucky’s arms matched. Well different arms but still. It was weird getting a glimpse into this side of them. All laughing and talking, trading stories and jokes like they were all highschool friends and not savors of the world. There was so much history Dixie almost felt like she was an outsider looking in. 
Which in a way she was.
The conversation went from the dining room to the large main room. There was a fully stocked bar. Tony started mixing drinks. Sam teasing Bucky about some mission they had gone on. Conversation flowed easily as they all laughed and joked around relaxing into the evening.. 
It was warm. These people were a family. Maybe bigger than Dixie and Mac but a family none the less.She had always believed that you could find family anywhere and these people, the greatest heros, were proof of that.  
As the night dragged on she watched curled up on a couch her eyes slowly getting heavier and heavier. 
Then a soft hand slowly brushed over hers pulling her awake. Turing she met Steve’s blue eyes. 
“You look like your are about to fall asleep” 
Smiling gratefully she nodded running her fingers through her hair. Getting up she followed Steve toward their apartment. Most of the team had gone back to their rooms. Bucky still there resting with a glass of scotch relaxing just listening to the music. He had been talking to Steve a few moments earlier, Dixie hadn’t caught the conversation comfortable with her own thoughts. 
It could have been the long day, or the alcohol and amazing food but Dixie didn’t really think much about what “going back meant.” Or that had been the case until they were there.  
Standing in front of the bedroom.
Oh yeah.
This is why she was here. 
Slowly Steve -annoyingly- opened the door for her. For a moment Dixie considered telling him to stop. Stop trying to be so nice and just be himself. 
She had seen a glimpse of it tonight with his team. He was so much more laid back and casual. 
Maybe someday she would be able to get him to act like that with her. When they were alone. She was good at breaking people down. Especially the uptight ones. She just needed to find the right buttons to push. Mac had always joked she had that little sister quality about her, being able to push buttons.
“Soooo” she said as they both stood in the doorway looking into the bedroom. Still so bare and sterile. A strip of moonlight spanned across the room shining on the bed like some weird silver spot light. Even the universe was laughing at them right now. 
Ha ha you have to have sex. 
Dixie would have found it funny if the guy next to her wasn’t so tense. 
It was so thick she could almost taste it on her tongue. The way he stood, the way his arms seemed to flex under his tight black tee. His hands clenched at his sides. Mouth in a tight line. He was totally unreadable and totally transparent at the same time. 
Letting out a long sigh she walked toward the bed slowly pulling off her shirt and shimmying out of her jeans. Behind her she heard Steve take a deep shuddering breath. His nerves getting the best of him.
He wasn’t the only one who was trying to hide his emotions. Dixie’s own emotions were like small bursts of nervous energy as she threw herself onto the bed. Rolling into the center pulling a pillow to herself looking back at her future baby daddy. 
“Well at least it’s comfortable.” she flashed him a smile moving a little to get more comfortable. He flashed her a small smile before pulling off his own shirt and then pants. Slowly folding them before putting them on the floor.
Dixie couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow not sure if he was just stalling or if he was really that anal. She would log that away for later. 
Steve stood now, shirtless in his boxers just looking at her, arms resting at his sides. His hands were a little more relaxed this time much to Dixie’s relief.  She looked up at him through thick lashes as she sat cross legged on the bed. Both of them just staring at the other unsure what to do next. 
“Did you… want to… this is a pretty cozy bed.” she faltered patting the mattress next to her. That same anxiety building up in her chest. Crashing like hot waves in her stomach. Building up before dropping fast and rough as the bed dipped with Steve’s weight as he sat down. 
“Can I kiss you?” he asked, turning to  face her scooting closer before gently pulling her closer.
“You don’t have to ask” she nodded slowly closing her eyes. 
He was so gentle when he kissed her. As if she was going to break under his touch. Something about that tender touch hurt deeper than if he had slapped her. It made her dizzy as if she was standing on the edge of a 100 foot drop.
And Dixie hated hights. 
Grabbing him she pulled him closer moving forward so she could position herself up and over his legs and get onto his lap. He grunted, moving back slightly, his hands resting behind him to brace himself as Dixie wrapped her own legs around his waist. Pulling away she looked down at him, studying his face. A million dumb commnets ran thought her head but she fought not say them aloud. Trying not to ruin the moment instead choosing to keep her big mouth busy with his lips. 
His hands reached around her hips, unsure what to do not really touching her. Reaching down she took them encurling them around her before going back to his hair. 
They kept kissing 
And kissing 
And kissing 
“Ok my lips are getting raw” Dixie giggled pulling away. She could feel his getting a bit hard under her. She wasn’t sure how hard considering she also didn’t know… how big he was. But at least she knew she was doing something. At least he found her attractive.
That was good. Because if he didn’t this whole process would be that much more of a struggle. 
Not that she was against wearing a paper bag.
A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do when saving the future.  
“I’m sorry” a pained expression spread across his face. His hand reaching up gently pushing away her hair, his blue eyes slightly wide his breath coming out slightly short. 
She studied him, her fingers going for his face thumbs stroking his cheek. 
“I’m not going to bite you” she whispered, “unless you're into that.” 
The tension was cut and he chuckled pushing her forward so she was laying on her back. He kissed her again before pulling away “Oh sorry.” 
“Shhh stop apologizing” she whispered wrapping her legs around his waist again before rubbing his arm. Pulling herself up she kissed but above his collar bone in the dip of his neck. Much to her pleasure she heard Steve’s breath hitched fingers gripping the blankets on either side of her. 
Pulling away she watched as he positioned himself on top of her again kissing her neck this time. Following her example. His fingers fumbling over her totally unsure what to do. His kisses hesitant.
This really wasn’t working. 
"Stop stop," she said pushing his very toned chest gently, "we don't have to rush this.” 
“I…” he sat back looking perplexed, upset maybe. Mostly just awkward. This whole things was just so damn awkward.  
Smiling she laid down beckoning him to lay next to her, “Let’s just cuddle, we don’t need to rush anything.”  
“Ok” slowly he laid down next to her, his face only inches from hers. 
“No” 
“What?” Steve frowned studying her as Dixie shook her head. 
“Turn around.” 
“I… ok…” he said slowly turning his huge back facing her. 
Wrapping her arms around his waist she pulled herself closer spooning him. It was easier this way she could pretend he was a huge pillow. A very muscular pillow.  Closing her eyes Dixie buried her nose in his neck taking in his warm scent. He smelled like warm flannels and justice. 
Whatever justice smelled like. 
She felt his large hand enveloping hers pulling her arms tighter around him. Thumb drawing small circles over her skin. The touch sending small goose bumps up her arm. 
“We’re in this together ok.” she said, her warm breath fanning over his neck, “you just have to be open with me, we can go any any pace you want.”  
‘Thank you” he whispered so softly she might have missed it. Maybe it was her imagination. 
After all, what did THE Captain America have to worry about? 
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